Monday, December 17, 2012

Please Proceed to the Highlighted Route




I just got back from a visit to Motivational Systems to check out the progress for the Way Finding monument signs.  For those of you who don't know about this project you can visit the past blog post here: 


Panels were being treated with chemicals to achieve a rusted patina finish.  Bob Charette of Motivational Systems was there to meet me.  He was thankful he took advantage of last weeks rain.  He placed the steel pieces outside for a good rain pelting.  Mother nature helped achieve a beautiful finish evenly on the already chemically coated steel. Yes, you have to have the chemical on first, then the rain helps.  I can see that Bob is in that zone of creation when any slight deviation can keep you up at night.

The 3-sided monument sign was erected and waiting for me in the fabrication shop. Bob said my eyes got huge when I saw it for the first time this morning. It was larger than I thought it would be.  It is going to be so perfect when it is installed hopefully this week.  I know it will demand attention.  

Please proceed to the highlighted route.

Historic Main Street Buckeye, Arizona




Thursday, December 13, 2012

Legend of the Lost Forts


Pincushion Cacti, Lara Serbin, Iphone, Apple

It's getting cold in Estrella Mountain, Goodyear, Arizona.  There are a couple of red berries left on the pincushion cacti and the native trees are dusty sage green among brownish black mountain.  It is a good time to head for the hills.  I was in my studio of creativity doing my thing when Hannah, Eva and Lily asked me to go on a hike with them. It was late afternoon and the shadows were extreme.  They wanted to take me to their desert forts so we packed water bottles, laced up hiking boots and filled Ziplocs with tons of cheesy crackers. 

Fort II, Lara Serbin, Iphone, Apple

There were three forts on the agenda.  The first was close to home so it was a bit lame.  The four of us were all touching shoulders standing on this gravel slippery slope under a a bramble of a Palo Verde and Eva pronounces, "This is the fort!"  Out of my peripheral vision I saw a striped tail.  Tiger and Penny the cats had followed us.  Penny is easy to spot being solid jet black.  Tiger on the other hand looks like a miniature mountain lion with eyeliner that is always perfect. Pretty much all Tiger does is sneak up on things.  There was nowhere to sit so we moved on. I let them lead me.

The second fort was a switching station of one main artery wash and smaller ones bleeding off.  There were different stages of Palo Verde hanging over us some dead and gray but mostly daiquiri green.  It was a cool stone room with a web of green above.  It was pretty genius but too close to the road.  It had armored rock sides with an easy slope to lean back on.  Just as I was getting comfortable, we were departing.


Decaying saguaro, Lara Serbin, Iphone, Apple

The third fort was over the ridge and had been abandoned for some time.   There were artifacts at this one.  A tiny plastic hand sanitizer bottle, a broken wooden foot stool with a heart cut out, and a wooden swing hanging from a tree.  Penny found the Powder Room immediately.  Tiger copied Penny.  It was obvious where the play stove top was with a carefully placed row of crescent shaped rock pile.  I hiked up further to see the sun glow off the ribs of a decaying saguaro.  

We wanted one last adventure before the sun went down so we hiked to the summit above.  Lily was lead as usual and proceeded to fly up the mountain. 

On the shadow side of the Estrella Mountains, Lara Serbin, Iphone, Apple

At this point I made the mistake of looking down and the parent switch was flipped to ON.  I rallied the troops and commanded them to take baby steps.  Really, it was me who needed to chill.  As we trekked down the boulders for safer ground, Lily proclaimed she had to GO.  I said just go behind that big vertical boulder, "It is the perfect place!"

Lily hiked carefully over the rugged boulders commanding us to not watch, "Don't even look over here!"  We were patiently waiting when Tiger stealthily hopped gracefully over the pathless slope to the high vertical perch that was shielding Lily completely from view.  Tiger sat on the apex with her paws perfect and close together and her tail switching in curiosity. She lowered her owl like eyes at Lily doing her business and asked, "So, what are you doing?"

Lily popped up and wanted to be annoyed but couldn't pull it off. We all laughed on top of a monster pile of rock.


Thursday, December 6, 2012

That's Totally Cool and Hot



Color fascinates me.  When I play with color I feel like it is one of my core purposes for living.  I feel especially cool and hot when I wear turquoise and red together.  

Words for AQUA BLUE.
Infinity
Compassionate
Coolness
Sky
Oceans

Words for RED.
Exciting
Energizing
Sexy
Dynamic
Powerful
Magnetic
Motivating


Mix Aqua and Red on this porch door and see what kind of charm it adds to the old wood floor.  It also helps that the air smells of fresh roasted coffee and they sell chia seeds in bulk.  Who knew?

Standing on a granite boulder today.

My eyes do a dance when I see Heat Miser and Snow Miser






It's the cool mixed with hot concept that makes this color combination so interesting for the eye.  OH GREAT...Why did I do it! Now I have that everlasting tune in my head!  I just bought these Ozonesocks in Old Town Glendale yesterday.  Oh, now you want the mary janes.


The red against the blue sky is striking.  Try to imagine an olive green blimp.  It would have a totally different effect. You would think we were being invaded or something?!

PREMIEREVISION featured in View Textile Magazine Issue 84

The red hair bends towards orange so we are dealing with complimentary colors. The blue eyes look bluer against her cool skin tone and Raggedy Ann hair.  Pretty.


Plateau, Land and Peoples of the Colorado Plateau, Summer 2000, page 37, Rio Grande 1950. 

John Wayne gets it done. Don't forget it!

Saturated Space is a new find for those of you who like color.

Would you wear this dress?  That's what I thought!


Plateau Journal, Land and Peoples of the Colorado Plateau, Summer 1997. Eugene Sekaquaptewa in his cornfield. Photo by Stephen Trimble. Special gift by Richard Shepherd.

Eugene totally has it going on! Does he know this? Go tell him.  Maybe Eugene likes red because he lives in a village on a Hopi mesa of northeast Arizona.  He wants a good crop of corn.  Those people living closer to the equator are more drawn to warm and/or bright colors. Color Symbolism & Trends, Leatrice Eiseman, page 128. 

He probably feels refreshed in that aqua camp shirt. As water is so necessary and precious to the preservation of life, humans are inexorably drawn to the lustrous surfaces because they are connected in "ancient memory" to bodies of shimmering water.  Color combination with luster is an irresistible lure.  Color Symbolism & Trends, Leatrice Eiseman, page 129.

But then Dad always said that blue stars were hotter than red stars.