Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Carving Spirals in Stone


Working in the studio yesterday, a slight breeze, 
grabbed a stone to hold the drying drawings... 
then noticed the paperweight 
I had chosen. 


Piles of these growing on my table. The conversation 
with these ancient symbols goes deeper and deeper. 


They often look the same, but slightly different. 
What makes me like one more than another? 
I'm getting some ideas
about that. 


My studio wall, spirals and meanders that were 
informing me before, are slowly coming down 
as these "seed stones" 
take up the board. 


I'm calling them that - seed stones - as that is what they are for me. 
It feels like carving when I am slowly, deliberately following the 
spirals around and around.....


And they are seeds, seeding ideas, words 
recorded in lists in my sketchbook. 


Clicking on the photo above once, then twice,
and the secret conversation with myself is 
revealed. 


The necklace I happened to wear yesterday while 
in the studio.....


A break in the moss garden for afternoon tea. Bengal Spice
with a touch of raw honey and milk in my raven mug.


A dash off to the farm around the corner to pick up share, 
anise hyssop added to the vase of flowers in the kitchen window, 
and fresh herbs to bundle and hang for cooking. 


All I wanted to do today was to immerse myself with spirals, 
ancient cricket sounds filling the space while working. 
Had to drive to another town and drop paintings off at a
shop. Wonderful, beautiful shop owned by wonderful, 
creative people. No time for spirals today- nor tomorrow, 
what will I do? 

19 comments:

steven said...

valerianna - sometimes the business of being an artist gets in the way of being an artist doesn't it! steven

Valerianna said...

I'll say!!!!!! I was obviously feeling that today!

A mermaid in the attic said...

Yes, I'm feeling it too. Spreading myself too thin. Too much to do, too much to think about. You may well find me under one of your hemlock trees!

ArtPropelled said...

Yes I'm feeling it too .... the business side taking up valuable art time. A nice respite stopping here to look at your spirals, stones and bundles of herbs in the kitchen. Love your kitchen window!

Valerianna said...

mermaid - I'll be keeping an eye out!

ArtPropelled - Seems like no matter what, I'm forever creating altars... can't help myself. Stuff just organizes itself this way for me - this summer the kitchen window holds a favorite pitcher from when I lived in Greece, and next to it, the small sculpture of the reclining woman - I think it is called "Rest"! ha! I think of her as a dreamer - an essential part of art making, for me, and one of the things I have to fight for in the midst of the art-biz stuff.

rivergardenstudio said...

What a beautiful post, spirals and ancient symbols. Stones and moss... writing and thinking... i love it all! roxanne

Penny Berens said...

Valerianna, Life interferes, but that is what our art originates from isn't it? I see that you do draw you soon become completely immersed in your spirals. Just looking at them, I know I am drawn in.

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

Your beautiful spirals remind me of fingerprints. Or eyes. Magical.

Reading Tea Leaves said...

A magical space to visit Valerianna - I can't believe I haven't found you before!

I'm coveting your herb table ...

Jeanne

Valerianna said...

rivergardenstudio -thanks! Glad you visited...

Penny - yes, very immersed, but still haven't returned to them since the day of this last post! Well pump issues and biz taking all my time.

Pamela - Cool, hadn't thought of fingerprints... I'm loving all the great comments of what people are seeing in the drawings, great, thanks!

Jeanne - welcome! I've been visiting your little web-place of magic for a while now - and coveting your full-sun vegetable garden! So, the "herbs" are always greener, so they say!! Glad you found me....

Kaetlyn Wilcox said...

Reading this post and looking at your pictures is such a lovely and inspiring way to start my day:)

Cheers!
Kaetlyn

layers said...

how lovely-- spirals turning into seed stones-- wonderful concept.
and love all your dried textures and that tea sounds divine.

deb said...

I was having an unfocused studio day, so I decided to cruise around, and I saw your icon, i have a tree thing, and I popped over and I am so glad I came, I'll be back to read more, but I love the view so far

Valerianna said...

Kaetlyn - Glad to spread some inspiration... I usually start my day ( well, after coffee and breakfast) checking blog updates and getting a dose of inspiration before moving on to whatever is at hand.

layers- The tea IS divine - and easy to find. Celestial Seasonings Bengal Spice, with a tad of honey and creamer of choice makes such a lovely treat.

Hi deb -thanks for popping over... yes, guess we share the "tree thing"!

illustration poetry said...

im in love with the raven mug.
ive never seen it here in Indonesia...

Lauren Raine said...

wonderful spirals, mandalas, portals, vortexes, eyes ....... I love to see you process as you find your way into the meanings of these. Kind of like contemplating crop circles........

beautiful!

Lauren

Gwen Buchanan said...

I am very taken with your work.. reminds me of the cycles of life.. So Lovely!

Michala Gyetvai (Kayla coo) said...

Spirals, a never ending cycle of life.
Very beautiful work in a beautiful place.
M x

Anonymous said...

these really are beautiful, seeing them all together like that.. so very deep and earthy.