Waterways Project: February and March Sketchbook

I've been walking the trails along the Des Plaines River and one day, the air temperature was 60 degrees and there was ice covering the back washed areas. Now, the light is back. Spring has officially begun but temperatures are in the 30's again.

I'm collecting information, sketching and seeking permission still on my new direction for summer work on the Waterways Project. No official approval yet so I can't say anything definite .....but as soon as I know, you will too.

Kurt Jackson

My favorite landscape painter Kurt Jackson, has a new book:A New Genre of Landscape Painting. Although his work has a serene and lush appearance, his wife Caroline has shot footage of him toiling in the field and it's about as blue collar as it gets. She has even shot film of him drawing underwater in a tidal pool! You can see the films here

Here is a great article about a new show at the Lemon Street Gallery.

Waterways Project: What happens when you flush?

Most of us take for granted the water that flows so freely in our homes but what happens to the waste water? The folks at your local water treatment plant insure that we do not suffer from diseases like Typhus and Cholera any more.

Marilla Bisson and Janet Jones

Here are two collage artist's whose work I'm interested in lately.

New Way for Waterways

Embroidery sketches
Organza, thread, wire, gold paint and other stuff

I've been working on a new direction for the Waterways Project and since I have not yet received permission to go ahead with this new direction, I'm going to share a few pages from my sketchbook.

One of the huge disadvantages of showing work on line is that more subtle works are not shown to best advantage. These tiny organza sketches represent an idea I have for making transparent, human sized pages in an artist's book. I'm not sure exactly what materials I'll use for the up scale pages but one thing I'd like to do is use uncommon materials for bead work and embroidery. Gathering research and playing around with materials is so much fun!


silver and gold media on black canson paper

Teatro di Piazza d'Occasione: Farfalle (Butterflies)

Antony Gormley's work

I love that in 3 minutes, Antony Gormley can say so much about what art means in our time.

Visiting Yosemite National Park in March

The Clipperton Project

Clipperton, a strange atol in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Mexico will be the subject of a joint scientific/artistic project. You can read about the project in Art Daily and visit the project web site here. ,

Wikipedia Article about this Pacific atol

Tools of the Trade: A Citizens' View of Law Enforcement: Coming in April 2011

My work as the artist in residence for the Oak Park Police Department will be on view at the Indian Head Public Library in Darien, IL for the month of April 2011. More details to follow.

This is a photo of the show opening in June. If you'd like to see more photos click
here.