Middle-aged mammals! I discovered the “bounce” feature on live photos on iPhone. While Sister was here recently we went a little bananas turning every photo into a bounce. I’ll spare you most of the nonsense, but not all. Here in my 5th month of retirement I’m reaping the rewards of not working. Swim class continues to delight me as the weather has cooled. Carol attended a class with me and it was fun to have a witness for not only the class but the wonderful participants.
I took an online class with Sandi Hester, a Youtube artist, in October: The Abstracted Still Life. Oh my goodness it was so much fun. I even made my own sketchbook so I could have an entire book to flip through. The photos below are sketchbook pages directly inspired by the class, particularly the color blocks over which I painted the various vases, fruit, bird statues. Terrific class!
Here’s the 9×12 sketchbook I made below to hold my masterpieces, but they’re actually scattered across 3 different books. The smallest one below…
This little 3×5 sketchbook is pure fun to use up leftover paint. Most of which by the way is matte acrylic, but then I reverted back to my good old gouache palette to paint the various real and imagined things over the top.
I went through lots of old sketchbooks to find objects, birds, candlesticks, etc., to add to my pages. I didn’t actually set up any still life scenes. If like me, you’re a long-time fan of still life and have plenty of beloved familiar objects you regularly fill your sketchbook pages with, then you may enjoy Sandi’s class. I sure did! It was the perfect class for a loosey goosey artist like myself.
I have a FREE Substack account which I use to follow so many people. I like the way video can be easily posted without going through Youtube. It seems like one can simply upload a video from a phone. I’m thinking of doing some occasional sketchbook flips over there because I dislike having to go try and round up photos from my various sketchbooks to share here and so many don’t get posted. Yes, I really want to share everything I draw & paint. I like the idea of making a quick video, not editing it, and just uploading it. Simple. We’ll see what becomes of that idea.
Update: I’ve posted a link to subscribe above and it’s FREE. Will be making my first post today sometime. Fingers crossed.
In addition to swim class, hill walks, porch sitting, visiting the pull-up bar to do dead hangs at Sycamore Grove Park and good eats we also went to tea at the Rose Garden Tea Room at the Huntington.
We rounded up our visit with a drive out to Carpinteria to see our bestie Sharron.
In the photos below I’ve surrounded myself with old sketchbooks where I’ve painted my knickknack assortment over the years.
I’m headed up north later in November for a visit to Mendocino. Changed my mind yesterday because of an unexpected vet visit and the week-long rain event here in California. Otto & Iris are good, but need me at home right now. The old familiar jungle drums of cat anxiety started beating this week and I focused in on the words of Jiddu Krishnamurti (1895-1986) when answering a student’s question about what was his secret to peace and contentment:
“I don’t mind what happens”
I find those words deeply aspirational. This idea of being okay with everything, not in a passive, resigned sort of way, but in an alive, accepting, loving way that lets go of attachments and expectations of outcomes. This came to me by way of Tricycle Magazine from an old 2020 article Self-Care in an Uncertain World. Which also included a part about compassionate self-talk and keeping a don’t-know mind about the future. Useful instructions for living if you ask me.
On My Bookshelf
I’m still on an Elizabeth Taylor reading kick. Look:
My friend Chrissy from Cornwall is a writer and sends me her self-published books. Lucky me! Sister and I visited her in Bath last year. She took the train up to see us. Chrissy also visited me in Paris in 2011 when she and her husband, a potter, were living in France. We stay in regular communication on WhatsApp. How I value and delight in friends with whom one can regularly chat about the wonder and dread of being alive.
PARIS 2011
Longevity
Sister and I are constantly sharing data-driven, evidence-based research about longevity, aging, increasing our VO2 max, weight training, protein consumption and on and on. Recent listens have included
The Science & Art of Longevity
If you have similar interests, let me know any good ones you’ve stumbled upon. My comments don’t typically accept links, but you can add titles etc.
By the way if you took Ticket To Venice a zillion years ago and want to revisit it free of charge I’ve stopped offering that class, but can give you the password so you can access it through the end of 2025. And if you never took it, but want to, just leave a comment letting me know and I’ll send you the password.
As usual, send me a comment postcard on your wild and precious lives. I want to know everything.
See you soon xo
