Oiseaux

The Artistic Mother

Monday, March 8th was International Women's Day, but here at Oiseaux we're celebrating it today... and the woman I'd like to stand up and clap for this year is Shona Cole. 

 

Shona is a prolific artist, poet, and home-schooling mother of five; she is also a friend, although she and I have never met in person. I've gotten to know her through emails, through her beautiful art and poetry, her lovely blog, and now, her book: The Artistic Mother.

 

I wish I had this book a few years back when I was an overwhelmed new mom! Back then I could only dream about finding time to do anything but laundry. Shona's belief is that mothers are at their best when they are being artists, too. I couldn't agree more. When I am actively creating I have more patience, more time (ironically!), and more ingenuity as a parent. I am also a far more interesting companion to my daughter.

 

With highlights on Motivation, Accountability, and Creating Space, this book is right up my alley. There is a weekly action plan to help you make most of your time, "The Artist's Workshop" that teaches you how to bring creativity back into your life; art tutorials, beautiful photographs, and inspiring artwork. The Artistic Mother is quite simply a gorgeous book.

I was lucky enough to contribute some of my art to the book, and there are spotlights on other Artist Moms you might recognize: Misty Mawn, Rebecca Sower, Corey Moortgat, Shannon Mucha, Susan Tuttle, Ellene McClay, and Audrey Hernandez.

I can't think of a better gift for Mother's Day! And babies and children aside ~if you are simply an artist who needs help making time in your life for creativity~ this book is not to be missed. It's a true gem. 

Thank you, Shona, for your generosity as an artist and a writer, and for inspiring us to create.

Oriole Bookplate

Don't you just love this red birdie? He comes from an old bird book, dated 1914, and the minute I saw him I knew he had to be on a bookplate. He'll be winging his way into the shop, probably tomorrow.

A History of Mathematics

I really detested math in school. I only got as far as Algebra 2 in high school, passing with what my teacher, Mr. Jones, called, "A Courtesy C."

To this day I still have nightmares that I'm back in school and it's the day of the math final and I haven't been to class in months, or I'm drunk, or I can't find my classroom. Ugh.

So i think it's fun (and terrifically ironic) that a piece of art I made last year is going to appear on the cover of the italian reprint of Carl B. Boyer's "Storie della Matematica" (A History of Mathematics)

The collage was the result of a three-way collage materials exchange with Aprile Elcich and Karine Leger for flickr's

6x6 Collage Group.

This was such a great lesson for me: when you show up and do the work, good things happen. Thank you, Mondadori publishing.

yay!

Churches and Circles

I've been really into churches and circles lately. I don't know why.. maybe it's because I pass the burnt-out Malibu Presbyterian church every day, and there's always a new message on the church marquee. The circle infatuation I can't explain. These are the latest in my collage-a-day group.

And one more thing: I just finished reading Truman Capote's In Cold Blood and it was fantastic. I need a new book, does anyone have a suggestion?