a long, long weekend....

Wow, it seems much harder getting back to things this Monday (after so many days with everyone together it also seems a bit too quiet around here). Thanksgiving day was absolutely gorgeous here and we had our meal outside under the maple trees.  It seemed strange yet lovely to be sitting outside in November but sometimes you've just got to roll with it, right?  Today I need to clean up and organize my studio so I can get back to painting tomorrow (really, it's been too long!). 

PS:  If you're over the leftover turkey I would highly recommend trying the recipe for Pizza Patate (potato and rosemary pizza) from the November issue of Gourmet....sooo tasty and simple!

visual poetry....

The markets are filled with an abundance of fresh produce in all it's staggering beauty. Yesterday,  I was literally stopped in my tracks (as were many other customers at the local market) when I came upon a basket of 30" long stalks of celery ( I'm a sucker for celery as just the smell of it makes my mouth water).  It was locally grown and too lovely to pass up and so it will become part of tonight's chicken curry, tomorrow's celery and peanut butter snack ,Thursday's stuffing and then of course a big pot of soup over the weekend (the celery leaves are excellent for stock).  Needless to say, I am thinking about food 24/7 with a Holiday meal to prepare and a long weekend ahead.  I know there won't be much painting going on around here but  there will be chopping, measuring, baking, roasting and laughing. So I'm signing off for the week to fill my new home with the  comfort, joy and yuminess of the season.  I still haven't decided what type of dinner rolls to make....any suggestions?

 I hope that this Thanksgiving finds your home filled with love and good food.  

bad photos of a good night...

What a great trip to back Chicago my little one and I enjoyed this past weekend.  He was able to spend lots of quality time running, playing and fooling around with his best friend while I did the same.  Friday night my friend and I headed to the opening of the Woman Made Gallery Show "Cross Pollination" which was super exciting and inspiring.  One of my favorite Encaustic Artists (Kathleen Waterloo) had a piece in the show and her work was even more beautiful in person than I could have imagined.  The Gallery had two shows opening on the same night and the weather was mild for November in Chicago so there was a great turn out and a really good vibe filled the entire space.  If you're ever in Chicago I would highly recommend you check out this amazing little gallery and if you are an artist (and a woman) I would encourage you to apply to one of their shows.

I want to thank all of you who took the time to check out my new website.  I have already made a few changes based on your comments and truly do welcome any feedback. 

 

A small step...

in the right direction.  I know for the past few entries I've been all "website this, website that"  and "it's so hard, my head hurts"  but without further delay here is my work in progress:  http://bbillu.otherpeoplespixels.com/home.html   .  If you have time I would love to hear what you think about the images, the writing bits and the overall look of the site (should there be more or less writing, info, images etc....)  I like the simple aesthetic of the template I chose and think that overall I'm off to a good start.  What do you think?

ps:  i'm off to chicago (right now) for the woman made show so i'll see you all next week!

Is there a wrong way to go in Napa?

I think not.  

We spent a lovely afternoon in Napa on Saturday (the kids decided that living on a winery would be awesome...don't they know they shouldn't put ideas in my head?).  Sunday we packed a picnic lunch and headed to the beach.  Although most of us felt the need to keep fleeces on, our water baby (who's now 13) had to get in for a swim.  After a fabulous weekend it was back to work on the website which should be live tomorrow.  I still need to add a few older pieces and tweak a few things but I'm hoping to share the site tomorrow and get some feedback on the paintings I included, the written bits and layout (i've come to the conclusion that it will continue to be a work in progress).  It is a very basic site which will just serve as a place to showcase some of my favorite pieces from the past and present as well as places to find my work in print and in person.  So please check in tomorrow and let me know what you think, OK?

Friday?

                                         I Set Her Free (but she will not go)

                                                                   10x20

It's here, already?  Between house guests and conferences at school I seem to have lost track of the days this week.  That,  and I am in a cyber induced trance after spending way too many hours this week building my website (feel free to lol if you know me...) and then deciding that while I was at it I should get back to work on my Flickr page (after 9 months of slacking off...and it was never really organized to begin with...and it's still not quite there but...baby steps).  Anyways, between the hours spent on the computer I was able to finish up the 10x20 inch  painting pictured above....Happy Friday.

Their Fates Were Sealed (that day at the beach)...

The power of attraction, the whispered message and the autumn surf brought these two together...right where they belong. 

 I spent last Sunday at the beach and I truly can't wait to go back (this weekend perhaps?).  Since our move west I have been missing Lake Michigan ( it's sugar sand beaches, clear shark free water, non life threatening waves and proximity to my old house ( one block).  But the Autumn Ocean is an amazing thing.  It is full of life and movement and reflects light and shadow in a way that affects the core of your being.  The enormity of the water gives perspective and the sound of the waves brings rhythm which is so often lacking in daily life.  It is a good place to go to think, to draw, and to be with family open to possibility, free of distraction and full of hope for whatever the future has to offer. 

 Do you have a place that fills you up?

These two 3x5" paintings will be in my shop later today (as a pair of course...). 

Seriously....

...how could this not be amazing?  Mellow roasted garlic, smoky roasted tomatoes and hand made croutons bound together in a cheesy, creamy custard and baked until golden and bubbly.  If you're looking for a great vegetarian dish to serve along side a lovely salad or a new side dish for Thanksgiving I would highly recommend giving this delicious smelling comfort food a whirl. Next time, I think I'll use 1/2 gruyere and 1/2 fontina to add a little more depth to the custard (and I'm going to try and do individual ramekins instead of a large baking dish just for fun).  Well, the last of our house guests headed to the airport this morning which always leaves me feeling a bit melancholic and I intend to remedy that by getting into my studio as much as possible over the next few days.  I have 2 or 3 small blocks started and plan on re-working  a 10x20 inch board which has been in limbo for the past couple of months.  So I'm off to walk the dog, breath some fresh air and then turn up the tunes and get to work.  What are you up to today?

now playing :

We Can Be Timeless            (The Henry Clay People)

I've Got It All(most)            ( Modest Mouse)

Beautiful and Very Smart   (Harlem)

Lost in a Dream (my soul stands ajar)

I finished up this painting today and am really happy with the dreamlike quality I was able to achieve (have i mentioned how much i love encaustics?).  Deanna Wood did a series of bird paintings in which she talked about birds hearing our secrets and flying away with them.  Now, whenever I see (or hear) one of the hundreds of crows or ravens in my new city I think of that (and wonder).   The wheel, the woman, the numbers and the blackbird stringing random objects together to create meaning of chaos....lost in a dream.  

Last night....

...this painting started coming together. 

 More about her tomorrow...

now that was fun.....

Here is  photo of me and world renowned Parrotologist Dr. Juan A. Cracker (and of course the taco truck)...see you tomorrow with some new work.