Saturday, March 26, 2011

Spirals, Spirals Anyone?

"Entering/detail" ink drawing

On my list for months was a note to myself... open Etsy shop! So, the past two weeks 
I have been working on that. After a helpful conversation with my parents while in Florida, I found my way around some blocks to getting going. I've listed some spirals, some Nature's Pattern drawings, and a few smaller watercolors. The first few images here are a sampling of what's available. I've added the Etsy Mini feature to the sidebar, down there past the "Gold Afternoon" drawing. The whole thing so far has been a relatively easy process, probably because of my experience with blogger. I had a bit of fun today adding many of your shops and wonderful work to my favorites. I think I'm going to like this!

"Entering"

"Branching Systems"

"Dawn"


A small group gathered for a Spring Equinox fire here at RavenWood. We had to 
clear a bit of snow in the garden and bring the moveable fire pit, but the day turned 
into a sunny, very warm day. Our ritual started with lots of drums rattles and singing, gratitude offerings to the fire, and a long time of silence to sink into the land and
listen. An enthusiastic crowd of chickadees brought song to our quiet time, and a few
far-off ravens reminded me of the dark contained within the light. Something shifted 
in me with the turning of the seasons, and even though we are back to cold and snow 
and icy mornings, a bit more peace has taken root in me. 


Still snowy in the moss garden, but patches of bare, moss bejeweled ground emerge 
at the base of trees and stones warmed from the sun. My constant companions, in 
addition to Pasha cat, is the gang of turkeys. They come daily, and seem less concerned
about my presence, and Pasha runs right by them as they stand, frozen like dark 
stones against the green hemlock boughs. 


I've been wondering about why turkeys have relatively few feathers on their heads. 
They're a bit vulture like. Vultures, however, need that bare head because of the icky
places they regularly put their heads, turkeys though? Scratching around the base of 
the bird feeder isn't that icky... 

Ahhhh, its a few hours later and I'm back to suggest an answer to my own question. I 
was just looking at the turkeys when it occurred to me that they need bare heads for better vision. They do fly for short distances and up into trees at night to sleep, but it 
sure looks like an effort! So since they spend so much time on the ground, they probably
wouldn't fare too well if they had ornamental feathers getting in the way of seeing an approaching predator. That's my thought. Too late at night to research that, but someday. 



      Evidence of turkey journeys around the yard. 


While the turkeys wander about in the snow, Pasha takes his afternoon nap 
in a chair by the wood stove. This is pretty much the scene right now, though in a 
different chair. He seems to have tired himself out watching me load wood into 
the bin, running up and down those trees is truly exhausting!


     The only work I've done recently in the studio was organizing work to list in 
     the shop, but branches and skies have demanded my attention. I wonder at the 
     beautiful colors of late winter evening skies. The few photographs below were 
     taken on a particularly enchanting evening. I could see my grandfather's algae 
     samples in the branching systems and am anxiously awaiting the end of the 
     business list to get back to work. I need large blocks of time and am not one 
     to grab an hour here or there in the studio, but maybe that's something to try. 






The big moon last Saturday night seems an appropriate image
to follow the fading light above. 

32 comments:

illustration poetry said...

hello, V.
just stopping by to wish you a happy weekend.
(i just saw you in my update list)

be back later.

xox

barbara said...

When I look at your spirals, I find myself very high up in a tree, a bit dizzy there I see a hole to look inside, to look down, down, deep into the earth.

Joe Madl said...

loving your spirals! congratulations on your etsy baby! looking forward to seeing where it all leads...

mairedodd said...

best of luck with the etsy shop - it looks wonderful and i admire the work you are offering... your work like 'entering' evokes in me a similar response as i have to that of lee bontecou... i saw an exhibit of hers and was drawn in to them as well -

chicory cottage said...

love the spirals...love the branches...love the Moon, especially the Moon...

A mermaid in the attic said...

Beautiful, beautiful spirals! Yes Valerianna, wouldn't it be lovely to visit Tintagel and walk on Dartmoor and share a cup of tea! Yes, I'll get back there one day, but it will probably have to wait till my girls are grown now. Good luck with your new little shop! Hmmm, I should probably do something about re-opening my Etsy shop too, it was supposed to be closed over the holidays to rearrange and tidy up, and I haven't got back to it!

stregata said...

The spirals are so wonderful...
Wishing you lots of positive response to your etsy shop!

stephanie dosen said...

spirals? oh yes please! and
oooooooooooooooooooooh an etsy store!
oh lovely for you (and for us all!)
taking that first step to "start"
is the most challenging.
but then like any good walk,
it just starts to go on its own. :)
wishing you big gigantic
blessings with your new shop! ♥
i know it will be filled with special magic.
owl songs and smooth stones for you ♥
xoxo

Velma Bolyard said...

the slowness of seasons changing forces me to pay attention. closer. closer.
good luck with the shop. it's a huge step.

steven said...

valerianna - my best wishes for your commercial venture! spring fingers are intertwined with winter fingers in my part of the woods. the air is soft and thin, filled with sun and frost. birdsong wakes me now. i love the details of nature's grand transitions. steven

mirsini's creations said...

I really love your spirals and your natural style! It is magical to be one with nature every day! Your cat is an adorable forest cat! I wish you lot of success with your new etsy shop! This is something i wanna do too! I hope i will make it soon! Have a nice week! Bye :) !

Kimberly Wachtel said...

That's really wonderful...your etsy shop is open! I'm going to head over there now and check it out. I'm really looking forward to seeing you this week! xo

Nikiah said...

Congratulations! This is most wonderful news--i am popping over to your new shop right now~
Bright Blessings
Nikiah

Unknown said...

V - I want to say thank you for this beautiful post and wish you good luck on you adventures in Etsy. Revamp of my Etsy shop (which has lain dormant for over a year) is on my 'to-do' list - you are once again an inspiration!
I am surprised Pasha has a live and let live attitude toward the turkeys. What a kindly fellow.

Donna~Q~ said...

Spirals and branches and turkeys, oh my! Congrats on your Etsy shop, now the world can share in your lovely work! Those turkeys take the cake, they are both funky and elegant all at once! Purrs to Pasha for sharing the yard :~)

Anonymous said...

Your spirals are wonderful.
All the best with your Etsy shop!

Kim said...

Such simple shapes the watercolors.... and yet so deeply evocative. True artist's work there.

Donna Iona Drozda said...

Beautiful spirals and algae trees, lovely turkeys and sleeping cats, glorious super moon and welcome to spring ...excellent timing on opening your shop...this is the year to invest in our Heart Work...you do that so exceptionally well.
As I traveled these past three weeks I passed through Ravenwood, West Virginia...as I saw the signs appearing (with more frequency the closer I got) the more I thought of you and of the beauty you bring to the world in your woods.

Jessie Jordan said...

you're so talented

jude said...

oh i remember the big shop step, good luck with that, i love your work.
a whole gang of turkeys, i bet they sound great all together.

Valerianna said...

Hi everyone.... OMG, I just spent about 10 minutes answering each comment individually and then POOF my responses disappeared!

So let me say to everyone, thanks for the well wishes, the wonderful compliments about my work, the lovely observations and all the other
gifts you bring me with your comments!

Jasmine said...

Good luck with your Etsy shop. I have a feeling you will be very successful. Wild turkes and bears. Wow :) I just love the sound they make and also their native American Indian symbolism. The give away turkey... xJ

Anonymous said...

Good luck with you new Etsy shop:-)
P.S. You will never guess who posted on my blog after your comment....take a look:-)
Take care,
Alison.

yew tree nights said...

Wishing you very good luck with your etsy shop!

Valerianna said...

Jasmine - thanks!!! I hope so... The giveaway turkey is something very special, I've surely been feeling generosity of spirit with a garden full of them!

Alison - What a wild place this web is... that was just so cool. I wish I was on facebook (maybe soon... ) so I could respond to his nice comment!

jodi - thanks!

ELFI said...

en passant.. très joli blog!

stephanie dosen said...

hi dearest! i made the etsy thing in photoshop..
i just cropped my pics to squares and lined them
all up in a plain rectangle...and then i used the
same color for the word "etsy" that they do
so it looks kinda more official hehehe.

when i put it on the side.. i just link it to my shop.
i hope that helps? let me know if you need any more
help k? big owl hugs and beautiful sunsets ♥

Anonymous said...

I love the spirals! And the turkeys are so cool! We have geese that land in a portion of a field behind our house but they don't get too close. :( Turkeys are interesting I think and they apparently can't be kept with chickens either (as in a domestic situation). They are also really good to have in wine vineyards for some reason though I don't remember why. Happy Spring to you. You have a lovely blog.

Acornmoon said...

good luck with the Etsy Shop!

We all need more time, sometimes though, the less time we have the more we value it and the more productive we are.

I love those algea samples and your studies of branching and the way the water colour spreads when wet but dries to enable those tight lines. Very skillfully painted.

rivergardenstudio said...

I love your first spiral here, (those browns!)and congratulations on your new etsy shope! Your welcoming of spring sounded very beautiful. And your turkeys! roxanne

Michala Gyetvai (Kayla coo) said...

Wonderful soft touch to your painting.
M x

Tammie Lee said...

congratulations on your etsy shop, i will you many many sales.
your paintings and photographs are wonderful.