The color of the Blue Mosque

Photo by Scott Nichols

Inspired by the cobalt blue light of the Blue Mosque.

Birthday Hat

My beautiful sister, Deborah, modeling her birthday hat. People in my family get hats on their birthdays....I've been experimenting with different stitches and for this one I used a double crochet knot. I decided to use some buttons from a collection that my mom had sent me. Buttons seem to be a great accessory for hats. I might get in trouble for posting this picture...

Timing and the creative act

Several months ago I made a hat for Diane. Usually I am right on the mark, but that one just wasn't a good fit. We talked about me doing another at some other time. And then, last month we were traveling together, in a group, by bus, through Turkey. It was somewhere between Istanbul and Cappadocia that I made another hat. While I was crocheting, stitch by stitch, it occurred to me that this one "had her name on it". When I showed it to her, I asked, is this your hat? I realized that timing is a big part of the creative act-in art as well as life.

Diane is a children's author-illustrator, photographer and counselor based in Grand Junction, Colorado

www.dkhower.com

Aculand, the artist

Nancy Norman's Aculand, 3' x 4' painting graces the reception area of WCA - Cully's Clinic as well as the Community Acupuncture Network's Website.  And, here, she's sporting one of my hats. Please visit her website to see more of her work.
http://www.nancynorman.com/

Textile Inspirations

I didn't make this cap, but find it inspirational.
"Syrian Muslim prayer caps of crocheted silk, worked in a variety of geometric patterns, are famous all over the Near East. They are made as a domestic craft, and are sold by male pedlars in all of Syria's souks. Since crochet requires only yarn and a hook, which can be made of wood, metal, bone or plastic, it can be easily carried around and worked on at the maker's convenience."
Textiles of the Islamic World,  by -John Gillow

Buy a button & help WCA open a new clinic

I Love Lents Button - $15

In our efforts to be accesible to even more patients in their own neighborhoods all over Portland (eventually), we offer this great-lookin' button with the words, "I Love Lents" over the WCA logo.  The proceeds  go towards a $30,000 salary "cushion" while WCA's third clinic gets up and sprinting on it's own two feet.  "I Love Lents" is the web address of the massively dedicated neighborhood association for this little corner of outer SE Portland, and we'd love to provide its denizens with affordable access to acupuncture like they deserve!

Get yours today!

http://workingclassacupuncture.org/products/?id=116

Drawing it Down - Portland, Oregon

Drawing Series, Colored Pencil, 16"x7"

Drawing it Down 2: Making your Marks in Public is a community event designed to build bridges between artists and community. It's the brain child of Buff Medb Neretin who wants to foster arts awareness in education.  It was sponsored by Arts on the Peninsula & the St. John's Neighborhood Association.  

Art making is typically a solitary activity. However, working in a group setting is somehow more motivating.  The focused energy of others can act as muse.  I can also relate it to community acupuncture, of course, which draws upon the power of group energy.  It's all about the energy.

I think some of my drawings will eventually become sculptures.