Tangerine Tabby Studio

As many of you know, I went to France two years ago for an artists’ residency. It was a life altering experience both creatively and personally. Before I left, I knew that I needed to make extended creative experiences a regular part of my life.

This year, I have decided to go to the south of France for my own personal artist residency. I have rented a cottage in Avignon France for a month. This cottage will be my studio and the base for my adventures. I will create. I will explore. I will relax. I will shop at local markets. And, I will drink really good wine.

Wait, where are you going?

I chose the city of Avignon for my next adventure. I wanted something in the south of France. I’ve been to Paris and the north several times and I wanted to see something new. The south of France has long been a haven for artists such as Cézanne, Van Gogh, Gauguin, Matisse and Picasso. The light and the colors are beautiful.

I have chosen to rent a cottage just across the Rhone River from the city. It is part of a Bed and Breakfast compound. They have rooms, cottages, apartments and even a Gypsy Caravan for rent. It is not a Chateau this time, but it is cute and cozy with outdoor space. I will be “in residence” the month of September.

But, what will you do?

My main objective is to step away from the everyday life of a software consultant living in Texas and experience a different way of life. I will be making art and finding inspiration. I will be slowing down and reading a book in the garden. I will be lingering over a baguette and glass of wine.

I also love traveling and experiencing new things so I will definitely be exploring the area. From Avignon, I can explore the many cities of Provence such as Arles, Aix-en-Provence, l’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, Gigondas, Ménerbes and Lourmarin. On day trips, I can explore numerous local markets, visit the asylum where Van Gogh painted his famous irises, visit the Ochre quarries where pigments have been made for centuries, view hundreds of flamingos in the Camargue, tour the caves where Roquefort cheese is made and taste the world famous Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Côtes du Rhône wines in the vineyards where they are made. Overnight trips can take me to the Matisse and Chagall museums in Nice, the fortified city of Carcassonne, the azure beaches of the French Riviera, the picturesque towns of the French Alps or even Paris.

Interested in joining me?

Something that I continue to treasure are the friendships that I made at the Chateau. We talked, laughed and explored. While I do not want to be a “tour guide”, I would love to have other intrepid folks join me at the Domaine in September for your own self-styled adventure. If you are interested, check out the Domaine de Rhodes. If you have questions, please message me or send me an email at tangerinetabby at gmail dot com.

I Did Come Back from France...

Silver Slippers

Well, if you'd look only at my blog, you'd think I went to France and never came back. I do have to say it was tempting. It was an amazing experience that I am so glad I took the time to do. I slept, painted and drank champagne. The home and the people were just wonderful. It really helped to recharge after a very stressful couple of years.

One of the things that I worked on were gelatin prints. I finally had the time to dive in and really get to know a process. And, I loved it! I've been doing them ever since. Above is an example of a finished piece featuring the gelatin print.

I will try to do better at posting on my blog when there are more in depth postings. I am very good at posting on Instagram though, so please hop on over there to see more frequent short postings.

Getting Excited!

Goat at Chateau Orquevaux

I haven't posted much on my blog this year. It is one of the casualties of my busy life this year. I kind of threw myself into work partially as a distraction and partially to fund a six week sabbatical. And, I'm excited to say that the trip to France is almost here. Three weeks and I'm walking along the Seine!

Today's photo from the chateau is this adorable goat. He lives at the chateau and is probably considered one of the groundskeepers. I've also gotten a list of the other artists who will also be doing residencies this fall. What amazing talent! I can't wait to meet them all and learn some new things.

If you'd like to follow along on the adventure, you can follow me on Instagram or my Facebook page (click the photo below). I post a lot more on Instagram these days. I also published a new newsletter with more photos. You can view that here.

A bientôt!

Getting Back to Me

The death of my mother has been quite a shock to my system. Things just aren't the same anymore. I know those who have lost someone will understand. I tried to understand when my friends went through this before me, but nothing could really prepare me. Some days are good and I cherish her memory. Other days, I cry at random times - like when I broke down sobbing in the Memphis airport for no special reason.

One of the things that has been neglected is my studio time. I just haven't felt like making anything. Usually, that brings me joy, but, for a while I would go to the studio and just sit and feel empty. I've been trying to give myself some space and let it come when it comes.

Lately though, I've been getting the itch to create. This past weekend, I had a few hours and I got out my watercolors. Birds were a favorite of my mother's so I'm not surprised that they showed up on the paper.

Bon Voyage - A Whole Month in France!

Last year, I came across an Instagram post calling for artists for a residency in a chateau in the Champagne region in France. A month living in a chateau and making art! Last year was difficult and the thought of running away sounded fantastic. So I applied. What did I have to lose?

I was notified that I was accepted the day after I received really bad news about my mother's health. It could not have come at a better time. I was able to share the news with my mother, and, it gave me something to focus on. Life would continue after her death and she wanted me to keep doing the things that bring me joy.

I am excited to announce that I'm off to France for a month in September. No work. No responsibilities. Just immerse myself in French culture, drink champagne, engage with other artists and make art! Think of all the wonderful French ephemera that will find its way in to my mixed media work. Je suis tout excite'!

I'm taking French classes to help me prepare. So far, I am excellent at ordering coffee and croissants. I've gotten the important things down right?

For more information about the residency check out the Chateau Orquevaux website or follow them on Facebook.

Somerset Studio - Again!

I haven't been in the studio much lately, but I do have some news! I was published in the March and May issues of Somerset Studio. Both issues feature some of my eco-dyed papers used in mixed media artwork.

She Was Adored

Moo-ey Christmas Y'all!

This guy down the street was gracious enough to pose for me yesterday. I couldn't help dressing him up for the season!

Happy Holidays to you and yours!

Lisa

Taking a Break

You may have noticed a significant absence from my postings lately, not that consistent blogging has ever been a strength.

My amazing mother is nearing the end of a long struggle with leukemia, so my focus right now is on enjoying the time we have together and spending time with my family, especially during the holiday season.

Creating for me is usually a way to manage the stresses of everyday life, but right now I seem to be frozen, even for that. I am acutely aware of the changing of the season as the plants in the garden start to die back after a spectacular summer. My faith in Mother Nature assures me that there will be life again in the spring. But, right now, like my garden, I need to retreat and rest. And, kitty tickles. I need those too 😺.

Laughing it up at Em's birthday party

Something Wicked This Way Comes...

There hasn't been much going on in the studio lately. The summer was winding down and my muse has apparently been off on a vacation relaxing somewhere.

But, I did find time to honor my favorite holiday with a new series of Halloween prints. I wanted to do something mindless and fun. Lots of layers, favorite images and some spooky text. Maybe this will draw my muse back to the studio :).

Fairy Dresses

It took me a while to figure out what to do with the fabulous papers from my eco-dyeing session. I decided to turn them into Fairy Dresses for the woodland nymphs living in the forest. Beautiful papers and fabrics, a little paint and a few stitches. Here are a few to start. I'm sure there will be more to come...

Dog Days of Summer

Colored papers waiting to become a masterpiece...

We are squarely in the dog days of summer where it just seems too hot to do anything that doesn't involve air conditioning or water. My mind is on vacations and new adventures and it isn't translating into much studio time. There are plenty of ideas, I just can't seem to get them out into something tangible. In the meantime, I have been making colored pages that will (hopefully) show up in a future project.

I did have the opportunity to do some fabric and paper dyeing this past weekend to try out my new skills. They turned out as wonderfully as they did in Colorado! I was thrilled with the results and now I want to make a shirt. Like I need another thing to learn how to do...

Immersed in Nature

Sometimes you just get to get away to take a break from the everyday. I did that this past weekend in Redstone, Colorado. I attended a workshop hosted by Laura Roberts (aka Hasty Pearl) at her home on the Crystal River. Books and dyeing are not things that I had done before, so it was completely new to me. But, great instructors and a weekend in Colorado - I was in!

The instructors were the fabulous and talented Roxanne Evans Stout and Leslie Marsh. They collaborated to create a fabulous mixed media book made from eco-dyed fabrics and papers as well as nature collages. Nature was the big star of the workshop as it featured prominently in everything that we did - even lunch was by the river. Both ladies are amazing artists and they shared so many new techniques. I also made a bunch of new friends who also made the trek for this great adventure!

I stayed at a B&B in Redstone called Crystal Dreams. It was a dream as advertised. Lisa has a beautiful home, great location and her breakfasts are to die for. I spent some part of every day soaking up the sound of the river. You can see the back yard by the river in the photo. Just heavenly!

I'm Published in Somerset Studio Magazine!

I am honored to be included in the July issue of Somerset Studio magazine. I have been an avid reader of the magazine for years and have always enjoyed the amazing artwork of the artists they feature. It has been one of those bucket list items for me to see my work on their pages.

And, now it is happening! I was holding my breath until I actually saw a copy of the magazine with my images and article. They did a fantastic job of photographing and portraying my work! I am doing a happy dance now!

The magazine can be purchased from the web site here or from your local Barnes and Noble.

Those Mysterious Miasmas

Taking a Break

I must confess that I haven't been in the studio for a while. This spring was very busy with the King William Fair and several gallery openings and projects. I cleaned up the studio and then decided that I needed a bit of a break to avoid burning out.

The studio is where I find peace because I can lose myself in the moment. Once there are too many projects in the works and it begins to feel like work, then the magic disappears and it becomes one more thing on the to do list. To combat this, I basically forbade myself from going into the studio for a few weeks. I read. I spent time with Mr. Tabby. I spent time with my family. I hung out with friends. I took a class at my favorite studio. I worked in the garden. I took pictures. I canned peppers. And, I chilled on the patio with my favorite furry companions.

Now, I find myself itching to get back into the studio. The ideas are flowing and I am ready to make things just because I want to. It is a good place to be. I am getting better at managing my time and not letting (even the fun) things take over to make me feel unbalanced.

In the meantime, I'll let you chill and look at some of the eye candy that is my garden these days thanks to an unusually large amount of rain in Texas this year.

High Water Rescue

You've come to save me!

Making a harness for Bart

Getting Ruben ready to go down the cliff

So, it started with a coyote in the yard. He couldn't get back across the waterlogged creek. So, I let the dogs out to shoo him away. They did a good job of that but were having fun splashing in the puddles.

I was in the wildflower meadow collecting bluebonnet seeds and heard this awful cry and then pathetic barking. I dropped my seeds and headed to the wailing. It became clear the Lulu was below the ledge of the cliff in the neighbor's yard. I couldn't see under the cliff, when I looked over, all I saw was rushing water from the flooded Cibolo Creek. Uh oh.

I went to get my neighbor. He led me to an outcrop where I could see Lulu on a ledge. Bart was frantically running around and shied back when he saw the neighbor. I left him there and decided to call the fire department for help. I also texted a friend who works for the fire department. I wasn't sure who could help with high water rescues for dogs. After talking with a few people including Animal Control, they sent out fire station #3.

A fire truck and an ambulance showed up. Then some pickup trucks showed up. Then a helicopter came. I showed them where Lulu was and noticed that now Bart was on the ledge too! He apparently decided to comfort Lulu by jumping off a ten foot cliff into the water and then swimming upstream to her ledge. He was soaked and looked terrified. Maybe not smart, but he is loyal to Lulu.

The firemen surveyed the situation and decided that they could either get a boat, or rappel down. The current was too strong for a boat, so one guy was volunteered to rappel. But, they didn't have enough equipment. So an even bigger fire truck and more pickup trucks came from Bexar county.

With 11 men there (and a photographer (not me)), they lowered the fireman down. He put Lulu in a life vest and wrapped her like a pig in a blanket. Up she went. She was so happy to be up, she licked all of their faces. Bart was not very fond of the life vest and wanted none of it. The fireman had to rig up the webbing to make him a custom harness. Up Bart went, swirling around. He was happy to be up with Lulu, but was not so sure about all of those men. Then up came Ruben the fireman. Whew!

What a day! I am so glad that they didn't end up in the rushing water, and, that our wonderful firemen were able to rescue them. They were fantastic and didn't blink an eye that our stranded family members had four legs and lots of fur!

Spring Cleaning

After a flurry of activity getting ready for the King William Fair, I needed to take some time to get the studio in order. I even re-configured my painting "nest" because that seems to be where I am spending a lot of time lately. It is now in a U shape with everything within reach. I made the flag in the new and improved space.

This week, I will be working on getting the glass studio spiffed up. The glass guild will be coming on Sunday for our annual meeting and we will be pulling some vitrograph. I need to make room for quite a few people to get around. It will be a fun afternoon!

Whew!

The past few weeks have been a whirlwind spent getting ready for the King William Fair. I made art, packaged paintings, created postcards and business cards, made displays and packed everything up. We had a great time and I saw many friends at the fair and sold some of my work. The feedback was good even from those who didn't buy anything. And, it was very nice to spend the day with my fellow gallery buddies.

This week, I am going to take the week off and just do some cleaning in the studio. I have a lot of new ideas that I want to work on, but I need to let the chaos subside a bit first. I know there are artists who do fairs for the season and are very successful, but it is a very hard way to make a living.

Below is a picture of my side of the booth. Thank you to all who came out to support me!

It's Fiesta!

I'm off to Fiesta with the rest of the Gallery at Gruene Lake Village team. We will have a jumbo tent set up at the King William Fair on Washington Street. Lots of new work from me and the rest of the fantastic artists at the gallery. Some of my new artwork is below.

The rain looks like it will be subsiding a bit, so it will be a great day to get your Fiesta on!