Melanie Testa's Blog, page 9

On the Road Again

My Man and I are going away for a week and boy am I looking forward to it. We both are. It is a workshop to honor both our creative outlets and there is nothing wrong with that.

This morning I topped off my M. Graham gouache pans and welcomed in some newly gifted and very exciting Quinacridone colors into my watercolor box.

My dressings were changed and I have no more drains connected to my body. I begin to stretch my arm and chest muscles, it feels good to feel able to do this. I remind myself to maintain good posture. I feel more free and able. Going to the occupational therapist this week really instilled a wider sense of confidence in my body and its abilities and needs. I don't want my scars to heal in a bunch, I want fluid movement and ease. So I will do my exercises and will paint up a healing storm this week. Yum.

My Man and I are going to walk to purchase some guitar strings, which I know nothing of. :)

Recovery

I am recovering from surgery. In many ways it was much easier than I would have expected, in others I wish it could go a little more quickly. I really need to rest right now, and I find it difficult not to paint, write, do. But I am allowing my body the rest it needs and is asking for.

So many of you have kept me in your prayers, thoughts and minds. To each of you, thank you. I am amazed by our community and your appreciation of me, my art, this blog. I continue to heal and I look forward to finishing up some projects. But for now I rest.

Stitching seems to be a calming reprieve and a friend gave me the best canvas, a vintage, white peasant blouse. I keep it in bed and stitch while awake, nap and wake to stitch again. It's fun. How often does life slow down to this pace! I am enjoying it.

Soft Morning Light

This morning I woke excited to start my day. Arrow waited for me to sit and have coffee. As far as he is concerned 'wake up time' is Lap Time. So what better way to start my day than to take a photo.

Yesterday on our way home, David and I found this plant stand. We originally thought we would put it in front to a window. But when we got it home, it seemed to make a great transparent barrier between our studio spaces. Pretty neat, huh? I am hoping the plants think so too.

And hey. Last week I took tests to see how the treatment was going, I got great results! Significant decrease were two of the awesome words used to describe my test results. My surgery is planned for June 21, I would really appreciate your prayers and thoughts on that day. I must say, I think your help, thoughts, prayers and spill of gifts, really went a long way in helping me heal. Thank you.

A Nice Summery Day.

You know there is always construction or failure to construct all over the city. The Man and I were walking to go shopping and I say to him, "You know what I wish I had the guts to do?" and his reply, of course, was, "No, what? "I wish I had the guts to become a poster graffiti artist."

Then we walked by this and I had to snap a capture.

We took a walk up to Lily, my favorite local clothing boutique. When I was growing up there was a store downtown named Sunshine, and boy was it ever a treat to go there. Lily feels like that to me. If I were the type to lay some money down, that's where I would put it. Remember this fetish? They got my cash.

So we stopped by and I got a skirt which I am naming 'Flamenco', although I may have to dye some cheesecloth and add some colorful trim to the hem. And an easy fresh and comfy shirt.

There is a beer or two cooling in the fridge, and wait till you see our new plant stand.

Kremer Pigments

I have been quiet online recently. I am preparing my body and mind for surgery and have also been pushing to complete some deadlines. But that doesn't mean I haven't also been taking time out to have fun and explore.

This week I found Kremer Pigments in Manhattan and had to check it out. The walls were lined with pigments, oils, mediums.

The tables in the middle of the room had fabulous brushes, spatulas, and tools I don't know the names of.

I watched as a oil paint mixing demonstration was given. A marble plate held the earth pigments, oil was mixed in, solvents were discussed.

Apparently, I could mix my own watercolor or acrylic paints, though honestly, I think I do enough, I am enough and I don't need to follow that road. They sell Kremer made watercolor paints and I am happy enough to purchase them. I bought two pans, gold and viridian lake and I will report my findings in using these paints.

Fessin' up and movin' on.

On Sunday evening I was supposed to be a guest on Artistically Speaking Talk Radio and I slept through it. I'd felt well enough to walk a lot on Saturday, and on Sunday I played Badminton across the street, where the neighbors were having a Memorial Day Party. I took a nap at 3 and slept till almost 8. I am quite embarrassed and my apologies to those of you who were looking forward to the interview.

Last week I met a photography deadline for my book and a man named Scott Jones came to the house to photograph some of the step by step photos for my next book. I am quite impressed by him. His sensitivity to surface and composition were spot on and I am very excited by the photographs he took.

Arrow looking spritely.

They film stuff in my neighborhood on a regular basis. This is a fake subway entrance that claims to be in Queens but is really right down the block. They filmed a portion of Men in Black 3 on Saturday. Antique cars lined the streets, new street signs replace current ones and I heard that if you were eating in a restaurant that night and wanted to leave you could not. Not being a party girl, all I know is that they used a lot of whistles all night long.

Saturday we sat in grass at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens.

I can't resist awesome textures when we walk the city.

Gotta love an excess of nails.

Little Alters Everywhere

I love keeping little alters, places of repose to gaze upon and rest in. This is a framed piece by my good friend Jane LaFazio, with a lantern, a christmas cactus and a piece of chalk (and some dust).

As I have been resting in bed, experiencing the effects of chemotherapy in my body, I have gazed upon this little alter often.

I don't know if you have been following me on facebook but! The chemotherapy has worked and done its job. I am finished with that portion of my treatment! Thank goodness. Let's high five and breathe a sigh of relief on that account.

Brooklyn Botanical Garden and Museum

Last week I met up with Shirley, Pat and Gwen, all members of our Journal Study Group. We wandered the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens

We drew, goofed off and laughed together.

I love blowzy flowers, flowers who lose their petals in a fits of turbulence, that you must wait to bloom and remain present for their opening before they topple.

And because I have been so journal quiet over here, I Figured I would let this one hang out, this is an illustration of our day. These are some of the objects I was interested in throughout the day.

Writing words to accompany my thoughts and ideas has always been a challenge for me. But I also want to remember certain verbal things. Like Gwen being miffed that the Yellow Celandine wasn't properly labeled. This a plant utilized to color illuminated manuscripts hundreds of years ago. A plant used during Shakespeare's time. I loved experiencing Gwen's indignant passion.

I drew the Spoon with Jackal Handle for my Man, it reminds me of him. This thing is at least 450 years old, such a pretty little thing.

My drawing and rendering of the Power Figure form the Dominican Republic of Congo really does the work no justice. BUT, I will remember standing and talking with Gwen and thinking about the rivets that were used and what sort of powerful items were stored in the figures belly (there are X-rays of the figures belly in the embedded link!)

I have no idea if the matte medium will hold the Yellow Celandine leaf down for any extended period of time, we will see.

It really does take a village.

A few months ago I got an invitation from Kathy York to participate in a project based on the theme of, "It takes a Village". Each participant was asked to create a 3-d house, preferably collapsible, and the house could be any size, shape or configuration the artist chose.

Normally, I am not very good at invitationals, I get bogged down in shoulds, what ifs, ut-ohs and the like.

But I stepped up to this challenge with aplomb and I figured out how to make it flat which jazzed me.

Of course I got (most) of what is important to me in the imagery of my house, birds, my Man and I, I could have tried to get my cat man in there. But hey!

In back of my house and to the left is Jamie Fingal's house, to the right is Vicki Hallmark.

In the foreground are houses by Lisa Call and Judy Coates Perez

I am amazed by the diversity and beauty of the project. I hope you are too.

_____________________________

P.S. The winner of the give away?

#26 is Amy Dame, so Amy, please email me and I will get the book out to you.

Book Review: Mixed Media Paint Box

I have a few books that need reviewing and it is high time I get to it.

Mixed-Media Paint Box: Weekly Projects for a Year of Creative Exploration, was edited by Tonia Davenport and has projects from the 'big names' we all know and love, like Michael DeMeng, Ruth Rae and Claudine Hellmuth.

This book is a sampler of F+W Media's authors and book offerings and is meant to help give a weekly, creative jump start. You could open the book to any page and try something new out, if you like that idea or technique, you could purchase that author's book and delve more deeply into the idea. But this book stands alone too and you could complete each project presented on a weekly basis to build your skill set.

The projects and ideas presented are varied and wide ranging, jewelry making, frames, magnets, background textures using acrylic paints, watercolor and digital printing. All described with photographic how-to in an engaging and inspiring layout. Check it out.

I have one copy of this book and would like to give it away. Post a comment about a technique you would love to know more about and I will announce the winner within a week time.