tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41619745926317323662024-03-16T01:26:07.291-07:00The passionate makerInciting limitless DIY creativityTina Bainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13894830261537799280noreply@blogger.comBlogger90125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161974592631732366.post-16703562819882207522017-01-14T16:52:00.004-08:002017-01-14T17:00:28.997-08:00<h2 style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Natural Color</span></b></h2>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">
Originally published October 2016 in the Santa Cruz Sentinel</span></h4>
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Sasha Duerr’s new book, “Natural Color,” poses a difficult question and
provides some thoughtful answers. The question is an ever-present, global one:
What more can we do to help our planet? The answer is: Rethink where color in
our fabrics comes from.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVrrVSkChGmzwrau4XQ1Mnux7Jpvfwd6bt9-Ql5YN_hzpfn4lh5SNM0bEzQ_uaJbcEecapgHF7b4mgZB0flfmVEQ7DoWHrHgW1HWZabZnXbE7fbgil6F3HbH8O966AnQwfChdWbL7BaTI/s1600/Natural+Color+avocado+pits.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVrrVSkChGmzwrau4XQ1Mnux7Jpvfwd6bt9-Ql5YN_hzpfn4lh5SNM0bEzQ_uaJbcEecapgHF7b4mgZB0flfmVEQ7DoWHrHgW1HWZabZnXbE7fbgil6F3HbH8O966AnQwfChdWbL7BaTI/s400/Natural+Color+avocado+pits.jpg" width="301" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My napkins soak up the pink
dye after<br /> the avocado pits have simmered for an hour on the<br /> stove. </span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Duerr
says that natural dies are often more<br /> complex than synthetic dies. A natural red
dye, for<br /> example, will contain hints of blue and yellow, <br />whereas chemically
produced red dye contains<br /> only a single pigment.</span></td></tr>
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Duerr says that although we don’t eat our clothing and textiles, the
process of dyeing them is nevertheless poisoning us and our planet. She
provides these startling statistics about the contamination of our water:</div>
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1;">The World Bank estimates that 17 to 20
percent of the world’s industrial water pollution comes from textile
dyeing and treatment.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1;">There are 72 toxic chemicals in our water
that originate purely from the dyeing process; of these 30 cannot be
removed. (See “A Cancer Cycle, From Here to China” at www.nytimes.com)</li>
</ul>
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She blames “fast fashion”—the relentless mandate of the fashion
industry to convince us that, although an article of clothing may still be
functional, it must be replaced by something more stylish. She compares fast
fashion to fast food, since, in both cases, rapid consumption rules the day with
little thought given to the negative consequences. </div>
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Duerr carries the relationship between food and fashion further. She writes that “just as many of us have lost our basic knowledge of food and cooking . . . so too the basic knowledge and practice of making plant-based color for fashion and textiles have been lost.” As the slow food movement strives to <span style="background: white; color: #545454;">link the pleasures of the table with a commitment to community and environment protection, Duerr seeks to connect textiles and fashion with the same commitment to global health.</span></div>
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<a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61hbRqDFIaL._SX376_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61hbRqDFIaL._SX376_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="303" /></a></div>
Even though our grandmothers were using more natural, recognizable ingredients
in their cooking than we are today, I’m not sure they were dyeing their own
fabric. When tie-dyeing and batik became popular in the US in the 1960s and
70s, and many textile artists were experimenting at home with natural
plant-based colors for dyeing fabric, dangerous metal mordants such chrome,
tin, and copper were part of the recipe. Mordants are necessary to help dyes
bond with fibers, making fabrics colorfast through washing and wearing cycles. </div>
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For certain natural dye sources and colors, powdered metals are still a
necessary part of Duerr’s recipes, although she works only with alum and iron,
the safest choices. Nevertheless, she uses these less-toxic metals with
“extreme care and caution” (e.g. gloves, lids on pots, dust masks, dedicated
tools and equipment, safe disposal of spent dyes, etc.). Fortunately, adding a
metal mordant is not always necessary.<b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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When oil paints gave Duerr headaches and nausea as a budding artist in
her early 20s, Duerr began investigating natural colorants in India, Nepal,
Tibet and Indonesia. Plants have provided of a whole gamut of textile colors
for centuries, but it was not easy finding the how-to of sustainable plant dye
practices in her travels. She continued her research in the San Francisco Bay
Area, where she “fell in love with the variety and sources of plant-based
palettes” available in her new backyard. She wrote her MFA thesis on dyeing
without toxic metal mordants and founded Permacouture Institute in 2007, to
continue the exploration of responsible fashion and textile practices.</div>
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For Mother’s Day a few years ago my farmer daughter sent me a set of
seven small pen and ink drawings of individual vegetables and fruits. She
tinted each image with color distilled from the subject itself. I displayed the
drawings in my kitchen and over time the colors have all disappeared, except
for the cabbage, which is still an olive green. So why didn’t the cabbage fade?</div>
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<a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61Bf9dqg3ZL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61Bf9dqg3ZL.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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Some plants have built-in mordants that bind their color to fiber (or paper)
without additives. Plant-based materials that Duerr uses for making color-fast
dyes include avocado pits, loquat leaves, eucalyptus bark, and pomegranate
rinds, which all contain significant amounts of tannin. Safer mordants have
also been made from proteins like milk or soy, and even from plants that absorb
metals like aluminum through their roots.</div>
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Duerr encourages readers to start dyeing with “the wayward white wool
sweater in the back of your closet that you haven’t worn and the leftover
by-products of your favorite meal before they hit your compost pile.” With
natural dyes, your fabric fiber choices are also natural:</div>
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2;">Protein fibers (animal-based): Alpaca,
angora, cashmere, silk, wool</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2;">Cellulose fibers (plant-based): Cotton,
hemp, linen, nettle, piña, ramie, sisal</li>
</ul>
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<o:p> </o:p>Other natural materials such as shell, bone, wood and porous paper can
also be dyed.</div>
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The projects in “Natural Color” are arranged by the seasons, and fall
includes “Hopi black sunflower seed wool rug” and “Madder root scarf.” (Madder
root can make vibrant, clear reds, otherwise difficult to find in nature.)
Tannin-rich persimmons are typically used green, and require a week of
fermentation and a year of aging, so you should start gathering them now for
next year’s projects. Winter is for pomegranate rinds, purple cabbage leaves,
blue spruce branches and redwood cones.</div>
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For fun I decided to give her “Avocado pit pillowcases” project a try,
although when I couldn’t hunt down linen of any sort on my shopping safari, I
used cotton napkins instead. I found washing soda and something approximating Marseille
soap at Nob Hill, which are needed to help release built-up waxes, dirt and
oils in the cotton fibers prior to dyeing. The pre-washing, dyeing,
post-washing and drying took the better part of a day, but the results were
nice enough: the pits turned the white cotton a nice, organic shade of pink. </div>
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If slow fashion is to gain any momentum at all, we will have to become
more environmentally-conscious consumers. Sasha Duerr’s book is all about the
kind of awareness we need—not only for making better choices, but also for
tuning into the cycle and offerings of nature. As Duerr points out, nature is
the ultimate instructor, an invaluable source of color, inspiration and
innovation for all creative endeavors.<br />
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Tina Bainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13894830261537799280noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161974592631732366.post-30142791428372427412015-12-12T09:32:00.002-08:002015-12-12T09:36:45.047-08:00<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Living Art</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Exploring the creative potential of succulents, air plants, moss and staghorn ferns</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Originally published November 27, 2015 in the Santa Cruz Sentinel</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmypAmlZ9d5UqHUvybB30C99SaoqJ3ikIiaE6e7mh9LS2hmdWB1PK5zYPKlZ16oxO5VAEa4_xYPwoXL9O-yIASGfeUK03jQuxNwRrgyVgLmqE2J_h_vtUG7GE4ruH9BVhp-f5vrfv5pBo/s1600/Shelly%2527s+moosehead+fern.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmypAmlZ9d5UqHUvybB30C99SaoqJ3ikIiaE6e7mh9LS2hmdWB1PK5zYPKlZ16oxO5VAEa4_xYPwoXL9O-yIASGfeUK03jQuxNwRrgyVgLmqE2J_h_vtUG7GE4ruH9BVhp-f5vrfv5pBo/s400/Shelly%2527s+moosehead+fern.jpg" width="307" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Shelly received a best in show ribbon at the Monterey<br /> County Fair this year for her staghorn fern moosehead. <br />She has several mounted
along the fence in her back yard.</span></td></tr>
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As a software writer for Fiserv, Shelly Trabuco was happy to
be able to work from home for 18 years. When she retired, she didn’t yearn to
travel. She just wanted to continue staying home. This was her opportunity to spend
more time with her plants.</div>
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Shelly isn’t your average gardener. She uses plants in traditional
ways in her spacious, sloping yard in Prunedale. But like a topiarist, she
thinks a lot about what else a plant can do, and comes up with imaginative
solutions.</div>
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You’ll see lots of succulents, cacti, air plants and
staghorn ferns in her yard—more self-sufficient sorts of plants that don’t
require a lot of watering, or, in some cases, even soil. These are the plants
that allow her the artistic freedom to create what she calls, “living art.” Strolling
through her garden you’ll see them incorporated with salvaged materials like
old picture frames, vintage birdcages, discarded shoes and chairs. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqsdcVWubYVh5sg98lOFrlPHYF1NhOuCHTTiqqeAx3PQEWhT0kIgz8aXz3tPX49SEoXNa11LYacCNHPiz3ucjFM4haKRDQVueOZKQUUYj-Bnc7mYeWZA3tnCwO7WEW0ow56VCJMPouM5M/s1600/Pivot+the+art+of+fashion+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqsdcVWubYVh5sg98lOFrlPHYF1NhOuCHTTiqqeAx3PQEWhT0kIgz8aXz3tPX49SEoXNa11LYacCNHPiz3ucjFM4haKRDQVueOZKQUUYj-Bnc7mYeWZA3tnCwO7WEW0ow56VCJMPouM5M/s400/Pivot+the+art+of+fashion+2.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Shelly designed this outfit from live air plants and<br /> Spanish moss to grace her greenhouse mannequin<br /> long before she considered
entering it in a fashion<br /> show. For the upcoming “Pivot” art/fashion show<br />, this
garment plus a second male version will be<br /> modeled on the runway as “living
wear.”</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Repurposing found materials is one of Shelly’s prime objectives.
She turns succulent cuttings into artwork inside up-cycled picture frames. She
revitalizes a worn cowboy boot into the perfect receptacle for a beaded
succulent aptly called string of pearls. She transforms old chair seats into
beds for echeveria and sempervivum.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhQKkYT7b6hrkbzYAXTnZcoPBIxpIeywFohz3Vyhgo1yvfyeb-1ySxYdyM-jlHGcRaAkgJ0nAsKM1txfDtjpAMIlD_ZApIu4stgeKKJ_1OU74vNEgABpYp2mGGKPXqrrjZyO4s2gbdViA/s1600/Shelly%2527s+succulent+frame.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhQKkYT7b6hrkbzYAXTnZcoPBIxpIeywFohz3Vyhgo1yvfyeb-1ySxYdyM-jlHGcRaAkgJ0nAsKM1txfDtjpAMIlD_ZApIu4stgeKKJ_1OU74vNEgABpYp2mGGKPXqrrjZyO4s2gbdViA/s400/Shelly%2527s+succulent+frame.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Shelly’s succulent frame: Shelly pokes a hole with a metal<span style="font-size: 12.8px;"> skewer to</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"> help embed the tiny succulent cuttings into the moss and soil when making</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"> a
succulent frame. When the entire frame is full of succulents, she will</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"> allow it
to rest horizontally for a few weeks until the tiny plants take hold.</span></div>
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Even her two greenhouses, built on the hillside above her Prunedale
home, make use of salvaged doors and large multi-paned wood-frame windows from
Second Change Mercantile in Marina. She designed what she calls her “Mission
Prune Tuscany”-style dream greenhouses, with tiled roofs, faux adobe walls, and
even a bell tower. No plant ever had it so good, nurtured in these stylish
interiors, featuring ceiling fans, a chandelier, French doors, comfortable chairs
and mood lighting. The breezeway between the two small buildings provides shade
for air plants, which decorate the wire cage of a vintage metal fan, and
staghorn fern pups mounted on slabs of wood. Comfy chairs and tables are
included for relaxing and creating.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEholbQRb7S0s16uTHr9Cth7EegBbwzgYqeHmycl6zdYWp27lRsFz5AlzIHZBae_AjVXjr3-swEMZd1d5LyrmKA3f6V68FTSKk4OJeteS9x8iELem1tVnAGkGd5v7Gf9Vhiw39XqBv8SxbI/s1600/Shelly%2527s+wreaths+and+barrels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEholbQRb7S0s16uTHr9Cth7EegBbwzgYqeHmycl6zdYWp27lRsFz5AlzIHZBae_AjVXjr3-swEMZd1d5LyrmKA3f6V68FTSKk4OJeteS9x8iELem1tVnAGkGd5v7Gf9Vhiw39XqBv8SxbI/s640/Shelly%2527s+wreaths+and+barrels.jpg" width="336" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Shelly uses water wisely, channeling rainwater from the<br /> roof into a long row of 50-gallon plastic trash barrels, each one <br />connected to the next with pieces of plastic garden hoses. The<br /> inverted lids of the trash
barrels make a ideal spot for her<br /> succulent wreaths to rest while she keeps
them damp and <br />horizontal for a few weeks until the cuttings are established.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsxvkhWom2muudmTg6mDNh3bBoDt6i2wZ7KQTQ76-sZ1VY58-I_d_0DE1QH0hZYCtkG3o0Ngh_KTMmQ7JedM4NUjcpEJdFFCQaVIycVbQDTKChNKdh8dOcyMyP88WkPLnEfqqmAdirmJ8/s1600/Harvest+festival+045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsxvkhWom2muudmTg6mDNh3bBoDt6i2wZ7KQTQ76-sZ1VY58-I_d_0DE1QH0hZYCtkG3o0Ngh_KTMmQ7JedM4NUjcpEJdFFCQaVIycVbQDTKChNKdh8dOcyMyP88WkPLnEfqqmAdirmJ8/s320/Harvest+festival+045.JPG" width="213" /></a>When I visited Shelly’s garden sanctuary in September, she
showed me how to make one of her framed succulent pieces, suitable for hanging
on the wall. She likes to use low growing, easy care succulents such as hens
and chicks, echeveria and sedum, and resin or plaster frames, that won’t rot
like wood when the plants are watered. She collects a box-full of tiny cuttings
clipped from her yard, then places them one by one into a bed of damp moss and
soil—a somewhat random process she refers to as “poke and play.” When the space
within the frame has been completely filled up with these colorful, flower-like
plants, she keeps them damp and horizontal for a few weeks until established.
Then the framed living art is ready to hang on a wall.<br />
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Shelly took two first place/best in show ribbons at the
Monterey County Fair this year for one of her for her staghorn fern moose head,
and her double brain cactus which sits atop the hollowed-out head of a
classical Greek-style bust; and one of her succulent frames took second place. She
was also thrilled to win the grand prize—a special award for Excellence in
Horticulture.</div>
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Shelly loves to share her ideas and techniques with other
plant lovers, and did so at a recent Gardeners’ Club meeting in Aptos. Her blog
also features lots of photos and step-by-step tutorials, such as how to make
boutonnieres and corsages from succulents and statice that can be replanted
afterwards; hangable glass globes with a tiny seaside tableau of air plants
(tillandsia), sand and seashells; and cement garden stones with phrases such as
“Compost Happens” and “My Happy Place.”</div>
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Although most of her plants are drought-tolerant, Shelly
uses water wisely, channeling rainwater from the roof of her home into a long
row of 50-gallon plastic trash barrels, each one connected to the next with pieces
of plastic garden hoses. To avoid over-watering, she uses Blumat self-watering
probes that can sense when a plant needs moisture and draw it automatically from
a nearby receptacle.</div>
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For the “Pivot: the Art of Fashion” runway show coming up
December 4 in Santa Cruz, Shelly will debut two his-and-her garments made from
living plants. Her island-wear designs are made with epiphytes (air plants and
Spanish moss)—plants that acquire water and nutrients from moist air rather
than from soil—accented with the large red blooms of earth star bromeliads.</div>
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Although native to Central and South America, these three
plants adapt well to our moderate coastal climate. Air plants are especially
suitable for crafting because they can be attached to many different surfaces
such as rocks, seashells, ceramic pottery or untreated wood, using waterproof
glue, wire, twist-ties, or fishing line.<br />
<br />
For more information about growing and crafting with
these adaptable plants, as well as events featuring her living art designs,
consult Shelly’s website nestegggardens.com.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimA-aGcNWOZ3LUQqMqcYgfv9gC66yGM811xGutYc0WBlO1B3Y3-RPiyaucZIdaszICn6Owe5M22z2iKAHgjUuNaxgoBksM65x6pFfM5-EY3hORs05wJOar9IGhv64qu-AIYkHHKH8uOP4/s1600/Pivot+the+art+of+fashion+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimA-aGcNWOZ3LUQqMqcYgfv9gC66yGM811xGutYc0WBlO1B3Y3-RPiyaucZIdaszICn6Owe5M22z2iKAHgjUuNaxgoBksM65x6pFfM5-EY3hORs05wJOar9IGhv64qu-AIYkHHKH8uOP4/s640/Pivot+the+art+of+fashion+5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Pivot: The Art of Fashion will premier at 7:30 p.m.,
Friday, December 4<sup>th</sup> at the Rio Theatre in Santa Cruz. For tickets
and a list of featured designers go to pivot-artfashion.com. </div>
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Here’s how to make one of
Shelly’s succulent frames (also see
nestegggardens.com/index.php/category/living-art/):</div>
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<br /></div>
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First, spray the inside
edge of a wooden frame with sealer to help it repel water, or use a plaster or
resin frame that will not rot. Nail or screw together four 3-inch wide pieces
of composite decking board cut to fit the frame back. Paint one side of a piece
of stiff, 1/2-inch square-grid hardware cloth with black spray paint (the dark
color blends in better than shiny metal until the plants cover it up), and staple
to the bottom of the decking boards to create a box. Attach the wire-covered
side of the box to the back of the picture frame using deck screws</div>
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<br /></div>
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Frame-side down, cover the
hardware cloth with a layer of moss and then fill the box with tightly packed
potting soil. Staple shade cloth and plastic fencing to the box, to hold the
potting soil in place, and add eye screws to each side for attaching hanging
wire.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Frame-side up, insert the
succulent cuttings into the potting soil by poking roots into the moss with a
skewer or chopstick. Allow the framed succulents to lie flat and water
regularly until the cuttings are rooted well-enough to hang vertically on a
wall. </div>
</div>
Tina Bainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13894830261537799280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161974592631732366.post-30237331589482020832015-07-28T20:59:00.005-07:002015-07-28T21:06:42.008-07:00<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">Drones</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Photographers, others find more and more creative uses for drones</span></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Originally published July 10, 2015 in the Santa Cruz Sentinel</span></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgobIQct1-ONIWpl6DEpOAY-nGSPeZT4WKh7JNaG8JpbvFTHpl2T3F589DvZGU6noxrWKnJvz-BY2B-eQe1ntcDq12wuLQFxPpi5xexDIJ1nGjLagVppCy3023SoRwOuUf00CSNgbRV9Js/s1600/Drone+Lighthouse+Point.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgobIQct1-ONIWpl6DEpOAY-nGSPeZT4WKh7JNaG8JpbvFTHpl2T3F589DvZGU6noxrWKnJvz-BY2B-eQe1ntcDq12wuLQFxPpi5xexDIJ1nGjLagVppCy3023SoRwOuUf00CSNgbRV9Js/s640/Drone+Lighthouse+Point.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">This beautiful view of Lighthouse Point at
sunset shot by Steve Mandel, has great color and shadow</span><br />
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> patterns. The Surfing
Museum lighthouse can be photographed by a drone, but the coastline north</span><br />
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> of
the lighthouse cannot. By law, drones cannot cross the mean high tide line over
the Monterey Bay</span><br />
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> National Marine Sanctuary (about ¼ of California’s coast),
with certain exceptions. (photo by Steve Mandel)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUMNJC4F-g_tzJ8XGLr13Xmkzz8u-5d1xPC8WpvA2jSFe_tY4z-m3QPbV-_CDcEziIxSvrexFwgo6kglJFAH8f-wuuBQ55MA0kulZSp_i6sUkt2_vDdX9AkydUt5CSLkp2vP1PzdULjPw/s1600/Drone+Steve+Mandel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUMNJC4F-g_tzJ8XGLr13Xmkzz8u-5d1xPC8WpvA2jSFe_tY4z-m3QPbV-_CDcEziIxSvrexFwgo6kglJFAH8f-wuuBQ55MA0kulZSp_i6sUkt2_vDdX9AkydUt5CSLkp2vP1PzdULjPw/s320/Drone+Steve+Mandel.jpg" width="230" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Mandel uses a sun-shaded high-definition
monitor<br />—or occasionally goggles—to see what his drone<br /> camera is seeing and to
frame his photographs.<br /> (photo by Tina Baine)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">A</span>s a former photojournalist, I’m wondering if newspapers will ever be
allowed to use drones to capture the scope of a rock concert, the drama of a
high-speed police chase, or simply the beauty of the earth viewed from 400 feet
in the air. If these camera-toting flying machines had been around back in the
90s, I might not have been denting the hood of my pick-up by standing on it, or
routinely carrying a ladder in my truck bed or constantly searching for roof access
in buildings—whatever it took to get a better perspective on things. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">But although photojournalists and other professionals have lobbied
the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration), they may not be allowed to use drones
at work anytime soon, because privacy and safety concerns currently out-weigh
the need for a perspective from a higher vantage point. The FAA has made the
use of drones for commercial purposes illegal. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">However, flying drones recreationally is okay, as long as
it’s not endangering lives or in restricted airspace—and there’s quite a lot of
that, including over National Parks or higher than 400 feet from ground level.
This means you can buy a drone and photograph your own outdoor wedding (as long
as it’s not in Yosemite or along most of West Cliff Drive), but you can’t hire
a professional to do so. And despite one industry analyst’s prediction that
consumers worldwide will spend </span><span style="background: white; color: #424858; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">about $720 million on drones in 2015, most of
us will not see many photographs taken with drones unless we shoot them
ourselves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #424858; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Which isn’t such a bad idea, because in the last few years, drones
(also known as quadcopters or UAVs—unmanned aerial vehicles) are becoming
increasingly more affordable, reliable and simpler to operate. And best of all,
they can capture high-resolution, stable images that are quite extraordinary.
Even subject matter you’ve seen a thousand times from ground level becomes
entirely fresh and fascinating when viewed from above.</span><span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMQ7I4lE3F5qp8wpHtsef8MqQPCY4TJfGty8lZhBfDfROFNYTnqodyumPFDfrgXoUp-_xMe_r3fp74HYPw5ecLq4vGOP1_ykYJxJ2zqZJSExxNJf06Q-Jm4-g7_uMdlOwLAOGAivXhkck/s1600/Drone+stormtrooper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMQ7I4lE3F5qp8wpHtsef8MqQPCY4TJfGty8lZhBfDfROFNYTnqodyumPFDfrgXoUp-_xMe_r3fp74HYPw5ecLq4vGOP1_ykYJxJ2zqZJSExxNJf06Q-Jm4-g7_uMdlOwLAOGAivXhkck/s400/Drone+stormtrooper.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">This Hoverbike Star Wars drone came assembled,
but Mandel <br />modified it by completely changing the electronics.<br /> (photo by Steve’s wife, Carol Foote)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">“They say it’s like putting a tripod up in the sky,” says local
photographer Steve Mandel. “Friday night we went to some friends’ house in
Saratoga for dinner—it was an outdoor barbecue—and I launched it and took a
picture straight down.” The resulting photograph is proof that even the most
commonplace subject matter can be transformed into something extraordinary by
virtue of a “heightened” perspective.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">An enthusiastic promoter of drones, Mandel also appreciates
their potential for good. “They can do all kinds of things with these,” he
says. “You can attach infrared cameras for search and rescue work. In Canada
last year a guy got into an auto accident and he got a concussion and he
wandered into the woods and the temperature was dropping rapidly and he would
have probably died in the woods. And they sent up a drone with an infrared monitor
and they spotted him and were able to rescue him.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">A Soquel resident and </span><span style="background: white; color: #252525; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">founder/president of Mandel
Communications, Inc., Steve Mandel</span><span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"> has also been an exceptional
wildlife photographer and conservationist for many years. In 2008 he
established the Lions of Gir Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to the
construction of barricades around open pit wells in India, to help save
endangered Asiatic lions of the Gir Forest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Now he uses drones to further his interest in wildlife
protection. “I’m working with scientists and we’re looking at using drones to
gather data on elephant seals,” he says. “And I’m going to be taking this one
with me (pointing to one of many drones filling up his office workshop) to
Antarctica at the end of this year and doing studies in Argentina and
Antarctica and filming elephant seals. Their populations were decimated and now
they’ve came back and they’re trying to study them and understand them and
prevent any future catastrophes. I’ll also be filming southern right whales off
the coast of Argentina when we go down there.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">When in flight, drones sound something like a swarm of bees, and
wild animals react in different ways to the sound. ”I took a smaller drone with
me last year when I went to Kenya,” Mandel says, where he stayed at a hotel called
Giraffe Manor where giraffes roam the lawns. “I’ve wanted to stay there for 20
years. The owner flies a drone and they’re used to it so it doesn’t bother the
giraffes. So they let me fly around there and take pictures. So that was really
fun."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVpVS0IcMeMy8b0mkxY1I1Wj3n2_Qo-_9nxPwXkgagH5R3gPAathqcKpGjn0Af5jLjG4BC46eXr_R-TQbFbNVbpYKd-S4Qa5t0RN4IvT46mz4Gqm2aaZMq2pkiJDdmOArNXiVbS9Tms_c/s1600/Drones+Giraffe+Manor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVpVS0IcMeMy8b0mkxY1I1Wj3n2_Qo-_9nxPwXkgagH5R3gPAathqcKpGjn0Af5jLjG4BC46eXr_R-TQbFbNVbpYKd-S4Qa5t0RN4IvT46mz4Gqm2aaZMq2pkiJDdmOArNXiVbS9Tms_c/s640/Drones+Giraffe+Manor.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Steve Mandel took a small drone to Nairobi,
Kenyan last year when he stayed at Giraffe Manor where giraffes roam the lawns.
You can see Mandel on the ground, remotely shooting the photograph from his
drone, which can hover like a helicopter. (photo by Steve Mandel)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">But, “a lot of the wild animals are really afraid of them,”
he says. “A problem they have in Kenya and Tanzania is that sometimes the
elephants will roam into the fields and eat their crops. And sometimes the farmers will attack and kill
the elephants. So they’ve got a couple of places now where they’re trying to
use drones to chase away the elephants.
Because elephants are afraid of very little, but they are afraid of
swarms of bees.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Drone flying regulations vary country to country, says Mandel.
“People have tried to fly drones over a lot of World Heritage Sites, but
they’re banned. You can’t fly drones over the Mayan pyramids in Mexico. They
don’t want you crashing a drone in certain areas. And when I fly in Antarctica
I have to attach pontoons to the drone, because if I crash it in the water they
don’t want plastic into Antarctic waters. They try to keep it pristine. So I’ve
designed pontoons that I’ll strap onto the drone,” he says. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Make: magazine says that the most popular quadcopter for
aerial photography and filming is a $679 DJI Phantom because it’s ready to fly
(RTF) out of the box and designed to hold a GoPro video camera. They are also
easily hackable. More budget-friendly options include building one from a kit
or from scratch (see makezine.com/projects/the-handycopter-uav-2/ for a drone
made with hardware store parts). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHbEsmISMd9iWvoqCV_jmzao2i6JEbwwt1YPYnFcjnuuc8mjymvLOfblbbcIyoSZYDyPLB7qT2AkN9E4N003cC4NjIVK8_GVclApyeMYDHSZJ_UhRRDzQD_afhQnvhE5xd_cDtJX_dK-8/s1600/Drone+DJI.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="393" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHbEsmISMd9iWvoqCV_jmzao2i6JEbwwt1YPYnFcjnuuc8mjymvLOfblbbcIyoSZYDyPLB7qT2AkN9E4N003cC4NjIVK8_GVclApyeMYDHSZJ_UhRRDzQD_afhQnvhE5xd_cDtJX_dK-8/s640/Drone+DJI.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Steve Mandel photographed his friend’s DJI Inspire
1 Quadcopter over the Santa Cruz Yacht Harbor with his own drone of the same
type. This model (priced at $2,899) has
landing gear that raises up during flight to allow a full 360-degree
unobstructed view for the camera attached at the base. (photo by Steve Mandel)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Because it takes some practice to fly well, Make: recommends starting
with an inexpensive (less than $100) toy quadcopter without GPS or a camera,
like Syma X1, Blade Nano QX. They fly using the same controls and the skills
you learn will translate directly to larger aircraft.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Mandel learned to fly with inexpensive off-the-shelf models and
kits. “I’d go out at lunch and I’d fly for ten minutes every day. So after a
month of practice I learned how to fly it and I got the coordination,” he says.
Later he bought components and built drones from scratch. “The mechanical
parts—the little motors and everything—are pretty easy. It’s the electronics
that are really difficult that you have to learn, because there are video
signals that come down from them.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Scientists and makers around the world are constantly coming
up with exciting new uses for drones—from tracking poachers in Nepal, to
delivering text books to students in Australia, to performing avant-garde dance
moves in New York. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaCGAacZ_ddcvAAdGV8Xpk8hRgPhQXNSJy2XRlw4eRoeiwXs59kTfl8IuISlmq2aKKi9O5bMIxXuCwjq-eFqQ8py0zRI3yY7bj0dooA7cXZeFcBffkQP4Ur3fx00Ipx78sZaayJSTVk_c/s1600/Drones+landing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaCGAacZ_ddcvAAdGV8Xpk8hRgPhQXNSJy2XRlw4eRoeiwXs59kTfl8IuISlmq2aKKi9O5bMIxXuCwjq-eFqQ8py0zRI3yY7bj0dooA7cXZeFcBffkQP4Ur3fx00Ipx78sZaayJSTVk_c/s320/Drones+landing.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">“It’s just kind of infinite what you can do now,” says Mandel.
“People are finding all sorts of creative uses for them. It’s just like
anything out there—people can do good with it or they can do evil with it. So
there has to be regulation and people will do stupid things, so you have to
keep an eye on them. But you know, they’re just really, really fun.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Tina Bainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13894830261537799280noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161974592631732366.post-63046457616061201562015-06-26T10:39:00.001-07:002015-06-26T10:45:08.927-07:00<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">The lawn is gone…now what?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="background: white;"><span style="font-size: large;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Three ways to save water and still have a fun, </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="background: white;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">versatile outdoor living space</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background: white;">Originally published in the Santa Cruz Sentinel,</span><span style="background-color: white;"> June 5, 2015</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghxy8KonTKljMukgJpsWFE9PuU4VcJDbyCFh6InnSocc28OnExlQ2AGgbaIzlnD7dqXv3RCJPnoNNmuMCCWMHcX9SnzU-nA5tnx9QJ4Wqj0pgyJkxhvR7LSwvYbSumEB_rELl6Dy9-e4Q/s1600/lawn+gone+labyrinth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="387" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghxy8KonTKljMukgJpsWFE9PuU4VcJDbyCFh6InnSocc28OnExlQ2AGgbaIzlnD7dqXv3RCJPnoNNmuMCCWMHcX9SnzU-nA5tnx9QJ4Wqj0pgyJkxhvR7LSwvYbSumEB_rELl6Dy9-e4Q/s640/lawn+gone+labyrinth.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Nancy and Mark Voogd stand beside the more hidden
of their two triple-spiral labyrinths. The triple-spiral pattern has three
round sections connected by one continuous course.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="background: white;">A coworker recently told
me that, due to new watering restrictions in her city, her family was thinking
about replacing their lawn with artificial turf. With a moderately sized yard
in a suburban neighborhood, the professional estimate she got was $10,000 to
replace the lawn with synthetic grass. (Really??) To give her a more affordable, and, in
my opinion, more preferable option, I showed her a photo of our backyard, where,
last fall, we traded lawn and sprinklers, for succulents and a drip system.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY1B5aelOnoAO9Tl0_FjwYH4v3II6MV1_GqKDqGhOcvwo6apEJS2xG_L3l_pVlhnpSF6FDMsxGMnomP-AaaXMdGMUDHyjQYTnlL0vQJ5ejK-cgBMqqyIjgSfatW0_MuN3djnp2wtz2Utk/s1600/lawn+gone+succulent+garden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><span style="background: white;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">If you want to replace your lawn, but the alternatives sound too
expensive, too challenging, or too activity-limiting, I’d like to present three
relatively inexpensive DIY options that will reduce your water bill, while
still providing a versatile, pleasing place to hang out on a Sunday afternoon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<u><span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">The labyrinth<o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Creating a labyrinth is probably the simplest way to cover a large (or
small) space with a minimal investment of time and materials. Labyrinths have
ancient origins, and can be found all over the world. Although the term is
often used to connote a confusing maze of pathways, the classic labyrinth is
actually a large circle or square shape with a single course that twists and
turns to lead you to the center and back out again. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip9hkxVTzoLCgtj5lrM2fFV6wUZujaofLf1BETzJjJuigQ1ngiyBLJcKhCVcZ5BJxNIPvoBn3_uBozrgLALZTaX5opCCp6plFSbdms3VMyC1Q-Y5qG_Z0mg40tWnEc9NZKrBoqhf0Ssrg/s1600/Lawn+gone+Land%2527s+End.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip9hkxVTzoLCgtj5lrM2fFV6wUZujaofLf1BETzJjJuigQ1ngiyBLJcKhCVcZ5BJxNIPvoBn3_uBozrgLALZTaX5opCCp6plFSbdms3VMyC1Q-Y5qG_Z0mg40tWnEc9NZKrBoqhf0Ssrg/s400/Lawn+gone+Land%2527s+End.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">I happened upon this labyrinth strewn with red
rose petals while<br /> hiking the trail at Land’s End in San Francisco—a good
example of a</span><br />
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span><span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">unicursal</span><span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> seven-course "Classical"
design</span><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">. The rose petals had been</span><br />
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> added for a wedding portrait photo sessions
later in the day.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">A labyrinth can be created with various materials including rocks, flat
stones, bricks, concrete, herbs, grasses or even raked leaves. If you Google “backyard labyrinth,” you’ll see
the huge variety of materials, patterns and shapes used, and it seems as if no
two labyrinths are alike.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Nancy and Mark Voogd live on a forested acre in Bonny Doon and have
created two, large, triple-spiral labyrinths on their property—a more private
one behind their home and another near the road, easily accessible to walkers
and neighbors. Nancy became obsessed with the triple-spiral pattern when she encountered
one in a nearby yard. “I was walking the path and thought, ‘I want to be doing
this every day.’ I was a quilting, singing, stay-at-home mom—meditation and all
of this was not part of my world. But something about this labyrinth just
grabbed me,” she says. Four days later she and Mark had built their first
labyrinth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Nancy visits her labyrinth daily, spending 15 minutes or more following
or resting on its courses. “I’ve walked other patterns before, and they’re
lovely, but there is something about this pattern and my brain. It’s pretty
magical actually—I feel so much calmer and happier. It’s just a goofy pattern
on the ground, but it’s had a profound effect on my life,” she says. “Sometimes,
I’ve gone into it so angry, but I don’t come out angry. It’s hard to hold onto
those stories I was angry about. It looks very innocuous, but it’s a powerful
experience.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Although the Voogds appreciate the symbolic and meditative possibilities
of labyrinths, they also embrace the fun it can inspire. “I skip, I run, people
have crawled. I feel more in my body and listening to whatever my body wants to
do on this pattern than on other patterns. I don’t know why that is. It’s for
laughing. It’s for playing. I’ve tried to
walk it backwards—that’s hysterical,” says Nancy. Children love it too. “For
awhile we had a trampoline, but even with the trampoline the kids would come
and run the labyrinth first, and then they would go play on the trampoline,”
says Nancy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">The real bonus of landscaping with a labyrinth is its versatility—one can
be created in just about any size or shape of available space, using materials
you may already have on hand. Although the pathways are typically defined with rocks
or paving stones, a labyrinth could also be constructed from found materials
such as broken pottery, cut-up tires, pine needles, or landscape edging.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<u><span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">The wildlife sanctuary<o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilNtXlpKg2w6cBwvbBvKecXPvsT7OPxXeaq8-9G0RnZwkz15fvxDMqAM8f58dfhoHv2I3odHBdgoMmoSo47gTTT6UNRJBFdP_Tai3dOGRcz2Qkfp50qfkNeIf-J-gKxW5cuXDEhHGomc0/s1600/lawn+gone+mower+RIP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilNtXlpKg2w6cBwvbBvKecXPvsT7OPxXeaq8-9G0RnZwkz15fvxDMqAM8f58dfhoHv2I3odHBdgoMmoSo47gTTT6UNRJBFdP_Tai3dOGRcz2Qkfp50qfkNeIf-J-gKxW5cuXDEhHGomc0/s320/lawn+gone+mower+RIP.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">My favorite backyard feature in Cathy Gamble’s<br /> Aptos
backyard is her rusty hand-push lawn mower,<br /> which she retired after replacing
her lawn with<br /> drought-tolerant landscaping three years ago.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">The first thing I noticed at Cathy Gamble’s house in Aptos, were the two
small signs posted on her the front of her home— “Native Plants Live Here” and
“Certified Wildlife Habitat.” She says she’s not trying to brag. She just wants
people to be aware of the possibility of creating a wildlife sanctuary in their
own yard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Her relatively small, mature yard was described to me as the picture of
what a drought-tolerant garden should be, but I didn’t expect such lush,
natural-looking beauty. Cathy says she has a drip system to get new plants
established, but otherwise, rarely uses it. Instead, with a combination of California
native and non-native drought-tolerant plants, she monitors the water needs of her
plants by sight. “I look at the plants to see if they’re looking stressed,” she
says,” and water only the ones that really need it.” On the ground, she
surrounds her plants with a thick layer of gorilla hair mulch (made from
shredded redwood) which prevents them from drying out, and she tries not to do
too much manicuring. “I leave it wild to attract grown and feeders,” she says.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO4gHYv2PJZ52E5738Cm6CdFoawq-9nCd4yOQWqKXp7iYz0SLrAi0dmoQIVmIBqdA385mE1qoJMWblgXxw-TFagWuVcFYc0HKDvgy4KUw9w-z8PINH8XnT3WJ39JaOydSZ2M4aoZDgbyc/s1600/lawn+gone+dry+creek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO4gHYv2PJZ52E5738Cm6CdFoawq-9nCd4yOQWqKXp7iYz0SLrAi0dmoQIVmIBqdA385mE1qoJMWblgXxw-TFagWuVcFYc0HKDvgy4KUw9w-z8PINH8XnT3WJ39JaOydSZ2M4aoZDgbyc/s400/lawn+gone+dry+creek.jpg" width="260" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Cathy Gamble has three dry creek-beds that<br /> break-up the landscape, reduce the number<br /> of plants she needs to water, and
also help<br /> divert rainwater to where it’s most needed.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">To kill the lawn, she covered it with cardboard (without much ink) for
two months. Then—with the help of two friends—she put landscape cloth over the cardboard
to keep down the weeds, and planted California natives that know how to survive
in our dry climate, and provide a year-round food source and cover for
wildlife, such as California coffeeberry, ceanothus and Manzanita. During my
short visit I saw squirrels and lots of birds (she’s counted 38 species of
birds in her garden for Project FeederWatch) attracted by the food and
protection offered by this small oasis.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Cathy has three dry creek-beds that break-up the landscape and also help
divert rainwater to where it’s most needed. Most of her yard is surrounded by
trees (rather than fences) to add privacy and cut down on the drying effects
wind. My favorite backyard feature is her rusty hand-push lawn mower, which has
been retired to a soft bed of mulch with a sign that reads “R.I.P.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<u><span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">The patchwork quilt<o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">When we let our lawn die last summer, I studied Pam Penick’s helpful book
“Lawn Gone” for ideas about what to do next. In September, my husband began
digging up the dead sod. At a workshop at Native Revival Nursery, I learned
that we could leave the dead sod in place and use chunks of it to build mounds
for our future landscape. I hired a landscaper who also works at Succulent
Gardens in Castroville, and she drew out the plans for a raised island of
succulents in the center, surrounded by a wide gravel pathway, and more
succulents and ornamental grasses around the perimeter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY1B5aelOnoAO9Tl0_FjwYH4v3II6MV1_GqKDqGhOcvwo6apEJS2xG_L3l_pVlhnpSF6FDMsxGMnomP-AaaXMdGMUDHyjQYTnlL0vQJ5ejK-cgBMqqyIjgSfatW0_MuN3djnp2wtz2Utk/s1600/lawn+gone+succulent+garden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY1B5aelOnoAO9Tl0_FjwYH4v3II6MV1_GqKDqGhOcvwo6apEJS2xG_L3l_pVlhnpSF6FDMsxGMnomP-AaaXMdGMUDHyjQYTnlL0vQJ5ejK-cgBMqqyIjgSfatW0_MuN3djnp2wtz2Utk/s400/lawn+gone+succulent+garden.jpg" width="302" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">My patchwork quilt of
colorful succulents has grown<br /> and flowered impressively since it was planted<br /> about six months ago. Succulents are naturally<br /> drought-resistant and look great
all summer long.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">We saved money by doing much of the heavy lifting ourselves—digging out
tired plants, choosing new ones, and hauling fresh garden soil from the
driveway to completely cover the dead sod and improve the soil. My landscaper
converted the sprinklers to a drip system, which I use sparingly now that the
plants are more established. Large succulents can be expensive, so we purchased
mostly small ones, many of which have grown quickly enough to fill in the
spaces. (Succulents can also be easily rooted from cuttings.) The wide gravel
pathways reduced the number of plants we needed to purchase, and, in one corner
of the yard, the path transitions into a small gravel patio. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">The colors and variety of succulents reminds me of a patchwork quilt,
and I couldn’t be happier with my new low-maintenance, low-water garden. I’m
currently thinking about creating some pebble mosaic stepping stones to break-up
the gravel. Stay tuned.</span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUX1HtOxhGby7d7IjmzYKdNMjZft5NDEfLr-Aa9fL1UXn6EBMqdOksBI0pEN8UrZqrB8UQacYHofnxEIhF2LorIizRbymgYl3HGks6dC1Y4vsEEpsjfccVhSZbHJE9yt4qW7NaCLzYsbY/s1600/lawn+gone+succulent+garden+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUX1HtOxhGby7d7IjmzYKdNMjZft5NDEfLr-Aa9fL1UXn6EBMqdOksBI0pEN8UrZqrB8UQacYHofnxEIhF2LorIizRbymgYl3HGks6dC1Y4vsEEpsjfccVhSZbHJE9yt4qW7NaCLzYsbY/s640/lawn+gone+succulent+garden+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Tina Bainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13894830261537799280noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161974592631732366.post-15690660926619238102015-05-01T08:05:00.005-07:002015-05-01T08:12:17.371-07:00<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">Big Fish</span></span><br />
<span style="background: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Gamcheon Culture Village in Busan, South Korea inspires community art in Aromas, California</span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Originally published May 1, 2015 in the Santa Cruz Sentinel</span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222;">Round my hometown</span><span style="color: #222222;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">Ooh the people I've met</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Are the wonders of my world <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222;"> </span>–</span><span style="background: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Adele </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="background: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnfrW6GvXZMGv6iwm1fMMxHdVSagFs22gYdGtbkm27FmXbEOerpOW02Yc37DLKghmRBVCmxoCLfULhMRbaX94fVi0SzkwotrG6tcLHf0i2_xOnNF4DliBrXTdXfRhVpRNN8gP2rds4Js8/s1600/Big+Fish+in+a+Small+Town.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnfrW6GvXZMGv6iwm1fMMxHdVSagFs22gYdGtbkm27FmXbEOerpOW02Yc37DLKghmRBVCmxoCLfULhMRbaX94fVi0SzkwotrG6tcLHf0i2_xOnNF4DliBrXTdXfRhVpRNN8gP2rds4Js8/s1600/Big+Fish+in+a+Small+Town.jpg" height="180" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">The “Big
Fish” was created by over 200 residents and friends of Aromas in the fall and
winter</span><br />
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> of 2014-15. and
installed in the Aromas Town Square Park on April 12, 2015.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">There are many people I regard as unsung heroes in my home town. As hard-working
members of unglamorous boards and committees, or just self-appointed organizers,
they work tirelessly, with little or no compensation, to bring our community
closer together. They create social gatherings, concerts, workshops, classes, festivals,
talent nights, fund-raising events and food distribution centers. They plan
soccer fields and buy Christmas gifts for those in need. They give us tasks to
do, and forgive us when we let them down. They make us feel like we truly
belong.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">So what is this “sense of community” they are chasing and why is it so
important? A recent article by Virginia Sole-Smith in Real Simple magazine makes
the case that face-to-face connections are rapidly declining in favor of social
networking and isolation. And the daily cycle of home-to-work-to-couch-to-bed keeps
us unconnected, distrustful and even, unhealthy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Sole-Smith shares some disheartening statistics:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">The last quarter of the 20<sup>th</sup>
century saw a drop of a 33 percent in the number of people who regularly
invite friends over and a 58 percent drop in the number who join community
clubs and actually attend meetings.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">In the 1960s, half of Americans said they
trusted other people, even strangers; less than a third say so today.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">25 percent of us lack a single close confidant
(defined as someone with whom you can discuss “important matters”), while
50 percent of us are just one friend away from social isolation—and social
isolation is a strong predictor of premature death.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS1xatK6C-T1ijP42Tws3DTlbzFL4ZtmGjdB3mzyUQ4Pnhsf6S5h64cEBjAtyO7HbZAAmHiKaB5vlmA30jkQ6L9kapvT9eHNeo57Xv4Ptrlf_7SHr-9ZpWtMZsXYNXtayemV-TiUQIbDc/s1600/Big+Fish+Breakfast+with+a+View.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS1xatK6C-T1ijP42Tws3DTlbzFL4ZtmGjdB3mzyUQ4Pnhsf6S5h64cEBjAtyO7HbZAAmHiKaB5vlmA30jkQ6L9kapvT9eHNeo57Xv4Ptrlf_7SHr-9ZpWtMZsXYNXtayemV-TiUQIbDc/s1600/Big+Fish+Breakfast+with+a+View.jpg" height="235" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Nested high in the hills of Busan, my family
enjoys a delicious<br /> breakfast with a great view of the colorful homes and maze
of<br /> alleyways in Gamcheon Culture Village. While the villagers had for<br /> decades
painted their own homes in pastel hues, artists added<br /> dozens of colorful
touches throughout the town, attaching<br /> nicknames such as “Korea’s Santorini”
and “Lego Village.”</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Most of our group-living now happens online, but Facebook can’t
substitute for the safety and security that comes from living in a community
where your neighbors watch out for you and know your kids’ names. Likewise, shopping
online and in big-box stores has contributed to a loss of community
interdependence. Big corporations like Amazon and Wal-Mart have replaced the
merchants and crafts people who we might have gotten to know in local shops,
and limited opportunities for running into friends and neighbors.</div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">One family profiled by Sole-Smith, however, took a dramatic leap of
faith and used Facebook to <i>broaden</i>
their face-to-face associations. Feeling like they never saw their friends and
neighbors between the demands of work and home, the family posted an open
invitation on Facebook for Friday night spaghetti and meatball dinners at their
home. Anyone was welcome at their table, and they kept the meal prep and
housekeeping to a minimum. The priority was spending more time with their
village. (Now the idea has gone global, and stories of its success are posted
on FridayNightMeatballs.com, whose motto is “Building community, one dinner at
a time.”) I’m truly astounded by the willingness and trust it takes to make
this kind of continuing commitment in the name of community.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVJSXZE-WhZLbQxA5z0wwO44MpH4u8HcYO-qDM51xN8LDvjQClYNPpD_fKl4Tx48csA4PmxeqBNiZ28DMaJFFFo_X3O2Eguniy_sBtMJUpiGF43Voc43joTJCyCensE-bd1s3vzqQrpcc/s1600/Big+Fish+in+Busan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVJSXZE-WhZLbQxA5z0wwO44MpH4u8HcYO-qDM51xN8LDvjQClYNPpD_fKl4Tx48csA4PmxeqBNiZ28DMaJFFFo_X3O2Eguniy_sBtMJUpiGF43Voc43joTJCyCensE-bd1s3vzqQrpcc/s1600/Big+Fish+in+Busan.jpg" height="268" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">The big fish in Gamcheon Culture Village in
Busan, South Korea, was created collaboratively by artists</span><br />
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> and many of its
10,000 residents as part of an art-themed make-over of the suburb in 2009-10 by the</span><br />
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> the South Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. The 2009-10 project—originally named "Dreaming</span><br />
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> of Machu Picchu in Busan”—resulted in an adventure of discovery for
visitors willing to wander</span><br />
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">through the hillside labyrinth in search of art. Installations
include trompe-l’oeil cut-outs, sculpture</span><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">, mosaics,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> murals, and even rooms
remodeled around a singular art concept, such as “peace” or “darkness.”</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Last year, my husband discovered another great example of community-building
on the other side of the globe. We flew to South Korea—the country our
20-year-old daughter has chosen to call home after a ten-month stay there as a Watsonville
Rotary-sponsored exchange student in 2011-12. We visited several cities, but
our favorite was Busan—a modern metropolis of 3.6 million at the southern-most
tip of the Korean peninsula.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUBpyDXGagiDLlQiZtTHCd0w4bpRRFzOGiq6gs5hjhyI5QI1mfxdfHIz0B8omvX3deQBoaUpa4aRYcQeFT99erkQRXS83aN-0Epa08L1IbInJNdtvQhNH3Fo9uGgpbcW2xefXfmhGvF8E/s1600/130626112314-busan-gamcheon-culture-village-1-horizontal-large-gallery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUBpyDXGagiDLlQiZtTHCd0w4bpRRFzOGiq6gs5hjhyI5QI1mfxdfHIz0B8omvX3deQBoaUpa4aRYcQeFT99erkQRXS83aN-0Epa08L1IbInJNdtvQhNH3Fo9uGgpbcW2xefXfmhGvF8E/s1600/130626112314-busan-gamcheon-culture-village-1-horizontal-large-gallery.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Gamcheon Culture Village after the Korean War. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgchBXq00-J5l_lBs0JMmEb-1tsMlX-fNHFY6GAmctanQrc6qOuOkoocKI_4h2FoNKhXibX5jkPsNZcALClxdEN2fA3ijmo4yJmuYodYqxyaETr0jKihxT14Od2_eqgfo9v7_QLkCbvZXs/s1600/Big+Fish+Gamcheon+Culture+Village.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgchBXq00-J5l_lBs0JMmEb-1tsMlX-fNHFY6GAmctanQrc6qOuOkoocKI_4h2FoNKhXibX5jkPsNZcALClxdEN2fA3ijmo4yJmuYodYqxyaETr0jKihxT14Od2_eqgfo9v7_QLkCbvZXs/s1600/Big+Fish+Gamcheon+Culture+Village.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gamcheon Culture Village today.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"></span><br />
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"></span>
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">In addition to experiencing the beautiful beaches, glamorous department
stores, fascinating fish markets, cat cafes, and sweet potato pizza, we also
visited Gamcheon Culture Village – a residential community of colorful, box-shaped
homes terraced on a steep hillside overlooking the southern coastline. In
contrast to Busan’s glittering high-rises, Gamcheon Culture Village has
retained its traditional look and identity, housing many of Busan’s
less-affluent since the early 20<sup>th</sup> century. What makes it a tourist
destination is the art-themed make-over it received in 2009-10, when the
Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in South Korea invited artists and art
students to add murals, sculpture and art installations to the village.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Most impressive to me was the fact that much of the artwork was created collaboratively
by artists and village residents. One of the best products of this teamwork was
the painted wooden fish, posted along the narrow pathways to guide tourists through
the hillside labyrinth of art and homes. These same small fish were also
arranged on a tall retaining wall in the shape of a very large fish, creating a
colorful backdrop for tourist selfies. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibX3ZzmTrT2tYE6NeAp2otAVjlNfKt6YRT1lN11LzcJ5hR3reLzuF_Rd3P5Lqe1tYwblb6-_3GTb-g9ad5wCQYkRTnTQkRmEJx2LAWTk_8EPWWNugFwQYOeL0abSL0mFdl97hUqL13JA4/s1600/Big+Fish+Aromas+School.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibX3ZzmTrT2tYE6NeAp2otAVjlNfKt6YRT1lN11LzcJ5hR3reLzuF_Rd3P5Lqe1tYwblb6-_3GTb-g9ad5wCQYkRTnTQkRmEJx2LAWTk_8EPWWNugFwQYOeL0abSL0mFdl97hUqL13JA4/s1600/Big+Fish+Aromas+School.jpg" height="174" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aromas School fifth graders painted fish for the project.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">In the history museum, a photograph showed the villagers seated at long
tables, painting the fish together—an opportunity to meet neighbors and form
new alliances as their village was in transition. (The village make-over also
included establishing a community center, residents’ association, maintenance group,
public relations office, village businesses, and music and arts workshops—making
the tourist invasion a little more welcome.) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Before our trip to South Korea, one of the community-builders in my own
hometown came to my arts group and proposed that we create an art installation
for Aromas’s Town Square Park. We scratched our heads and worried about
vandalism. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">After my trip to South Korea, I showed photos of Gamcheon Culture
Village and proposed that Aromas, as a community, could create a large fish
mosaic of our own. With the guidance and commitment of a few dedicated volunteers,
and the participation of about 200 community members and their friends, we were
able to paint 350 fish over a five-month period and finally install the big
fish in the park last month. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCEzlhL5af_bog8c-gT8TnbLsYG2X-vfEcgcykM7xgln90dvh3PiZBGIWO0VgOBauNXzMENnGvPKUELnL7fS7oGe-EerW_HYEMwu2vEGYm7bqU1cEtNwHkZIMAj7AA9OI1IMAVltAfA0Y/s1600/Big+Fish+painting+table.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCEzlhL5af_bog8c-gT8TnbLsYG2X-vfEcgcykM7xgln90dvh3PiZBGIWO0VgOBauNXzMENnGvPKUELnL7fS7oGe-EerW_HYEMwu2vEGYm7bqU1cEtNwHkZIMAj7AA9OI1IMAVltAfA0Y/s1600/Big+Fish+painting+table.jpg" height="286" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">The Aromas community had several opportunities
to paint<br /> fish at various Grange events such as the pancake breakfasts <br />and holiday arts festival.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">And so, like Gamcheon, my village sat together—young and old, elbow to
elbow—to paint fish and get to know each other a little bit better. The finished
product has also drawn us together, as we congregate at the park to find our individual
fish and admire the others—all swimming along together.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Just last weekend, I was thrilled when our spring talent show, Aromas
Live, used an image of the Big Fish on the program cover and recognized its
completion. Perhaps the Big Fish will serve as a symbol of a small town devoted
to creating a sense of community. Perhaps, as we drive by the park on our way
home, we will now turn our heads and smile at the colorful reminder of how
fortunate we are to live in a place where we feel like we truly belong.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6bCOvtAtW1zRfTJjD0IMrjpMtANUYYke1XnUZydQh41iMDOyUNq6MGYslce9szwrAiTnC1yAgvfc31_FJ0MG7gn08Sa5NsAk54moOWfZrlYH-gWMbXsaIZKxjsMqa3f9Ac36HIxzT9GU/s1600/Big+Fish+drying+Anzar+High+School.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6bCOvtAtW1zRfTJjD0IMrjpMtANUYYke1XnUZydQh41iMDOyUNq6MGYslce9szwrAiTnC1yAgvfc31_FJ0MG7gn08Sa5NsAk54moOWfZrlYH-gWMbXsaIZKxjsMqa3f9Ac36HIxzT9GU/s1600/Big+Fish+drying+Anzar+High+School.jpg" height="287" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Wet fish dry in the sun—a contribution to the
Aromas Big Fish<br /> from an intercession arts class at our local Anzar High School.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Tina Bainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13894830261537799280noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161974592631732366.post-12489645668236031072015-04-26T11:15:00.006-07:002015-04-26T11:24:30.534-07:00<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">High Style in Freedom and beyond</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Originally published April 3, 2015 in the Santa Cruz Sentinel</span></div>
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; font-size: small; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiSodfQjojSuRRGKAeZJXmrdLMchxg-M8mQ6ghnfrVt_QaDBfdb0Ub_zFj8SZNTxKrAMkWdgirfgU3AXmb70r2PZ_a0iSK1agEdRGaAWPAcxjosvwAEFW_EIYSXHMUXEzfsm_3fMsSdRo/s1600/Carla+Goldman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiSodfQjojSuRRGKAeZJXmrdLMchxg-M8mQ6ghnfrVt_QaDBfdb0Ub_zFj8SZNTxKrAMkWdgirfgU3AXmb70r2PZ_a0iSK1agEdRGaAWPAcxjosvwAEFW_EIYSXHMUXEzfsm_3fMsSdRo/s1600/Carla+Goldman.jpg" height="258" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">“It’s never a good idea to start a small business. People see you<br /> as ‘living your dream,’ but It’s been really hard,” says Carla Goldman.<br /> But she’s been making it work, and providing Santa Cruz County <br />with fine fabrics for 18 years.</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="font-size: small;">
<br /></div>
Carla Goldman makes you want to buy. We wander through
her home decor section, hung with heavy rolls of sample fabrics made in Europe
for American fashion designers. Goldman buys these bolts in San Francisco—the
leftovers after designers have placed their orders for the season. She jumps
quickly from one fabric to the next, explaining why each one is so extraordinary.
“This guy from Belgium does a lot of samples,” she says. “These fabrics are
still in Ralph Lauren’s line. So when he kinda gets extra he’ll call me and
that’s cool.”<br />
<br />
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<br /></div>
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She moves on. “This is a Belgium linen and this is a
Belgium linen. I sell these at $26 [a yard] and these are $105 in the book.”
She moves again. “And then we get
something like this that’s just outrageously gorgeous and it’s $18.”</div>
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<br /></div>
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We walk across her shop to the clothing fabrics. “As
you can see here, this is a fabric from Germany,” she says, unfurling a roll of
fabric sitting upright in a barrel. “So this is a beautiful hybrid—a wood fiber
that has been treated to the point of stretching.” </div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKedCFebipMP3UpbbErsLh52WrNS13kOGYsWc23tq6YwXOJdYbaTTcJhlvlPeCLKY7ZgBILNaqlYfBkiIUZB51qc8TT4Onwi1gxDOl_T1lEzrjKrRSTlnUTPLILZc7hBrthE77AvWDBr0/s1600/Elsa+Schiaparelli+and+Andr%C3%A9+Perugia,+evening+ensemble+and+shoes,+1933%E2%80%931935..jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKedCFebipMP3UpbbErsLh52WrNS13kOGYsWc23tq6YwXOJdYbaTTcJhlvlPeCLKY7ZgBILNaqlYfBkiIUZB51qc8TT4Onwi1gxDOl_T1lEzrjKrRSTlnUTPLILZc7hBrthE77AvWDBr0/s1600/Elsa+Schiaparelli+and+Andr%C3%A9+Perugia,+evening+ensemble+and+shoes,+1933%E2%80%931935..jpg" height="320" width="226" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elsa Schiaparelli and Andre Perugia,<br />
evening ensemble and shoes, 1933-1935.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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“And then this is a rayon that I burn to see what kind
of poly and synthetics are in it. And they’ve done it so perfectly, I can’t get
any synthetic in the burn. This is very rare to have German fabrics,” she says.
When Goldman buys her samples fabrics, the labels are often removed, so she
tests it for fiber content. Synthetic fibers like polyester will usually melt.
Natural fibers will burn.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I’m caught up in her enthusiasm for fabric content and
quality. I’ve browsed in Crossroad Fabrics on and off over the years, but have
rarely bought anything. It dawns on me now that I didn’t really know what I was
looking at.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Crossroad Fabrics is hard to find in its newest location
because it’s not where you’d expect it to be. It shares a corrugated metal
building on Airport Blvd. in Freedom with a plumber and a motorcycle repair
shop. The ceilings are high and the floors are concrete. Most of the bolts of
fabrics are on long rolls which you have to pull out from a stack to really see.
Other bolts stand on end in barrels around the store. There are no pattern
books and a limited supply of notions.</div>
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<br /></div>
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A seamstress since age 7, Goldman honed her sewing skills
at Watsonville High School under the tutelage of Diane Severin and Mary Kay
Chapel in the late 70s. “We had a wonderful sewing program at Watsonville. They
forced me to clean up my sewing. I still French seam my clothing,” she says,
showing me the inside of her sleeve. After graduation, with “starry eyes,” she
enrolled in the Fashion Institute in San Francisco, but a career in fashion
design never worked out. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTfVVObMshKPf9S1e8BJSXQFXd2e3c2c67RedsAQGUaRLBoS9S4aTqQzFojapIdXB4OgrT-nzGOipnwhwYRAkwsxrho5YNs0_LRPpQ4LWFUnDh9EXgbIobtNDh90mqgpepok9rz9PPI-Y/s1600/Mainbocher,+evening+dress,+1950.+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTfVVObMshKPf9S1e8BJSXQFXd2e3c2c67RedsAQGUaRLBoS9S4aTqQzFojapIdXB4OgrT-nzGOipnwhwYRAkwsxrho5YNs0_LRPpQ4LWFUnDh9EXgbIobtNDh90mqgpepok9rz9PPI-Y/s1600/Mainbocher,+evening+dress,+1950.+.jpg" height="400" width="293" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">At the “High Style” exhibit in San Francisco, I wanted to feel<br /> the silky textures and weights of these luxurious fabrics.<br /> Yes, the designs were iconic and highly influential, but it<br /> seemed to me that the success of many garments depended<br /> in large part on the fabrics chosen. Memorable examples<br /> were the soft and shimmering gold lame dress by<br /> Jeanne Lanvin from 1923, the 1930s emerald green<br /> silk faille evening ensemble woven with metallics by<br /> Elsa Schiaparelli, and the <u>1950 fuschia and gold silk sari <br />evening dress by the American designer, Mainbocher.</u></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Instead she bought a fabric store, and for the last 18
years has been selling high-quality fabrics to the various sewing demographics of
Santa Cruz County, and especially Watsonville: wealthy farm families who
collect fashion ideas as they travel; a younger group sewing sportswear and
inspired by Pinterest; young Latin-American women who want to make things that
fit better and were taught to sew without a pattern; those who like to sew the
occasional blouse or want to have something unique to wear to a party; costume-makers
for holidays, performances and events like Halloween, Renaissance Faire,
cosplay or baile folklorico; a few quilters; and, of course, those who sew just
because it’s creative and fun. “Sewing is definitely a spiritual thing to do
for yourself,” says Goldman.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
***</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
I kept my eyes out for unique fabrics when I recently saw
“High Style”—the current special exhibit at San Francisco’s Legion of
Honor—which traces the evolution of fashion with 125 influential pieces from
1910 to 1980. I was fascinated by the
variety of fabrics used in 20<sup>th</sup> century women’s clothing—many of
which I didn’t even know how to pronounce. There were dresses made from silk
faille (/<span style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">fīl/</span>—<span style="background: white; color: #222222;">a soft, light-woven fabric having a
ribbed texture</span>), evening ensembles made from silk charmeuse (a soft
light-weight fabric woven so that the front is lustrous and reflective) with
filet lace (a decorative netting), and hats made from fur felt (apparently
rabbits, beaver and nutria are the contributors).</div>
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<br /></div>
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You can’t help but wonder what it must have felt like
to be the original wearer of these lovely creations at their debut. I was drawn
to the everyday sportswear—a fresh concept born in Depression Era America, created
by a pioneering group of American women designers who understood that women
wanted greater comfort and adaptability in their clothing, with fewer costume
changes. Bless their hearts for setting in motion the concept of unpretentious,
functional, yet chic clothing made from washable fabrics.</div>
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<br /></div>
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And then there were the iconic evening ensembles by
famous designers like Dior, Chanel, and Givenchy—undoubtedly intended to make a
woman feel stylish, sophisticated and sexy, in equal measure. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMfV6G89noFzgFAtnYj_jf6N5mOqdns0Yr42jOMzXgLyHcWCY9u1EKKizqxBb6KtCvpZHGtG5IYdEqu7sin4k4n59XX7kqOGObousXCq2IZbZQG1lT38lkwLh91Q8tgckKPM4V662icaM/s1600/Charles+James,+Four-Leaf+Clover+dress,+1953..jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMfV6G89noFzgFAtnYj_jf6N5mOqdns0Yr42jOMzXgLyHcWCY9u1EKKizqxBb6KtCvpZHGtG5IYdEqu7sin4k4n59XX7kqOGObousXCq2IZbZQG1lT38lkwLh91Q8tgckKPM4V662icaM/s1600/Charles+James,+Four-Leaf+Clover+dress,+1953..jpg" height="331" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This 1953 strapless “Four-Leaf Clover” ball gown by Charles James<br />—a voluminous show-stopper that took up quite of bit of museum<br /> real estate—wowed the audience with barely a hint of the<br /> architectural superstructure underneath. By all accounts, James<br /> was a fine artist who just happened to choose fabric as his medium.</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
But imagine your entrance in one of those celebrated
ball gowns (typically designed by men). Would that have been a Cinderella
moment or something else entirely? The strapless “Four-Leaf Clover” ball gown
by Charles James—a voluminous show-stopper that took up quite of bit of museum real
estate—wowed the audience with barely a hint of the architectural superstructure
underneath. James’ shaped his four-leaf clover skirts from layers of nylon
mesh, feather-boning, buckram (coarse linen stiffened with paste), and horsehair
braid, with each dress weighing 10 pounds or more.</div>
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<br /></div>
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***</div>
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<br />
<br />
The labels on clothing today with longer
fabric-content lists, made me think that fabric has changed a lot since I first
learned to sew, combining more types of fibers. All fabrics seem to have been
made stretchier with the addition of Spandex. Carla Goldman set me straight.
“Are you telling me the ice skaters in the 1950s didn’t wear Spandex? It’s just
a brand name, it’s a label. We’ve always had stretchy fabrics. Labeling
textiles has only been [required] in the last 15 years. You might have been
buying it before.”</div>
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<br /></div>
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She reminds me that fashion (like the fabric it’s made
from) is always moving forward, but it’s also tied to the past. “Fashion’s a
massive circle; it’s constantly looping around. What goes around comes around.”
</div>
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<br /></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-qjf9MxpVCopGHYV-Bfc0hE0tqMLi8jTv1IcFFROiZ8EN9dJKsW_5A5Wl5aXJ0Ow7LpSFOlJ2n86Ri9oKjHFyr8dztec3XRxmNjSdbuK-G_zf1i89p65orkx-AC7gyyp6kZJt1WW78ic/s1600/Jeanne+Lanvin,+evening+dress,+Spring.Summer+1923..jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-qjf9MxpVCopGHYV-Bfc0hE0tqMLi8jTv1IcFFROiZ8EN9dJKsW_5A5Wl5aXJ0Ow7LpSFOlJ2n86Ri9oKjHFyr8dztec3XRxmNjSdbuK-G_zf1i89p65orkx-AC7gyyp6kZJt1WW78ic/s1600/Jeanne+Lanvin,+evening+dress,+Spring.Summer+1923..jpg" height="200" width="137" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jeanne Lavin, evening dress,<br />
Spring/Summer, 1923.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
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All photos
provided by Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, except Carla Goldman portrait
by Tina Baine.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<o:p> </o:p><span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span></div>
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High Style: The Brooklyn
Museum Costume Collection</div>
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March 14 – July 19, 2015,
Legion of Honor, San Francisco</div>
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Visit Legionofhonor.org
for more information.</div>
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Why see a fashion
collection? Clothing is all about popular culture and social history. It tells
the story of status and gender distinctions, social mores and behavior patterns,
and how and why all of these societal standards change over time. Clothing
provides examples of America’s shifting economy and technologies. It’s about
American priorities, allegiances, and rebellion. As the curator, Jan Glier
Reeder said, “The importance of looking at historic forms is that if you don’t
understand what came before, you can’t really understand where you are today.”</div>
</div>
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The fabulous Maker Faire
Bay Area--<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #333333;"> a family-friendly festival of invention, creativity and resourcefulness,
and a celebration of the Maker movement—</span>is coming up May 16 and 17, at
the San Mateo Event Center. A small group of organizers in Santa Cruz County is
putting together a mini Maker Faire for 2016 at the Santa Cruz County
Fairgrounds, and is looking for more volunteers. For more information contact
Miguel Aznar at <a href="mailto:miguelfaznar@gmail.com">miguelfaznar@gmail.com</a>.
Their next meeting is tentatively planned by Sunday, April 12.</div>
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Tina Bainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13894830261537799280noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161974592631732366.post-19758772430841794122015-03-25T20:45:00.000-07:002015-03-25T20:52:27.818-07:00<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">Maps: The Big Picture</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;">Originally published in the Santa Cruz Sentinel, March 7, 2015</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Maps help fulfill “the need to visualize our little
lives in the context of a grander scale.”</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span></i></div>
<br />
<i style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> -Ken Jennings</span></i><br />
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Before I take a trip to an unfamiliar place, I go to
AAA to get a free map of the area. Yes, I have a cell phone, but a fold-out map
gives me the big picture and all the details at the same time. My cell phone, with its tiny screen, can’t do
that. After I’ve unpacked my bags, it’s
time to unfold the map, spread it out on the bed, and plan my next move. Once I
know my destination, the cell phone will help me find my way.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt6rErgxP2kndCzNcffkI50WGkbGTlchsjuEbjN4s8BwVJUKv6VYjjFcmttuoG5nKWScUa8nAztpUdY6P_vyWZLbymeGEwiMubrICZ3xtIJ4gKgPa7TZagEL5nc87Bx_K3xYEagbZn-F0/s1600/Map+of+California+shown+as+an+island,+by+Joan+Vinckeboons+(1650).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt6rErgxP2kndCzNcffkI50WGkbGTlchsjuEbjN4s8BwVJUKv6VYjjFcmttuoG5nKWScUa8nAztpUdY6P_vyWZLbymeGEwiMubrICZ3xtIJ4gKgPa7TZagEL5nc87Bx_K3xYEagbZn-F0/s1600/Map+of+California+shown+as+an+island,+by+Joan+Vinckeboons+(1650).jpg" height="444" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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<span class="apple-style-span">Attributed to prolific Dutch mapmaker Joan
Vinkeboons, 1650. Even though Cabrillo had proven California to be part of
North America in his 1542 expedition, some European cartographers continued to
depict California as an island well into the 18<sup>th</sup>
century—cultivating its mythic mystique.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><br /></b>
<b>Maps: Depth and
comprehensiveness<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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The big picture is important, and so, maps still serve
a useful purpose—they show you things you don’t know, in relation to things you
do know. If you decide you need to know where Ukraine is for example, a map
will show you that it’s two countries away from Germany, with Poland in
between. It will also show you that it shares the Black Sea coastline with
Russia and Turkey and three other countries. And yes, I had to look at a map to
tell you that.</div>
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Maps help us understand what’s going on in the world. “We
live in an increasingly inter-linked world where developments an ocean away
affect our daily lives in countless ways,” says Ken Jennings of “Jeopardy!”
fame. If we know where Ukraine, or North Korea, or Nigeria is on the world map,
we can “synthesize and remember the events that we hear about taking place
there.” Otherwise, they just become
names that wash over us.</div>
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Jennings wrote the book “Maphead” in 2011 about his
life-long fascination with maps. “My childhood love of maps…was something much
more than casual weirdness,” he writes. “I could literally look at maps for
hours. Each page of an atlas was an almost inexhaustible trove of names and
shapes and places, and I relished that sense of depth, of comprehensiveness.”</div>
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In “Maphead” Jennings sees geographic illiteracy as a serious societal
problem in the U.S., and gives lots of examples including a National Geographic
poll showing that one in ten American college students can’t find California or
Texas on a map. Geographers trace our decline in geographic knowledge to the
widespread adoption of “social studies” in grade schools over clear-cut history
and geography classes in the 1960s and 1970s. “The United States is now the
only country in the developed world where a student can go from preschool to
grad school without ever cracking a geography text,” says Jennings. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ_V6ixOdzLUZJPBCDu2IHwcTgcUHD8jw663nu_zrqbelJFPELbnuJLTnzfWAQFZx6f3UsRMbJA5RA9H3TaU0wqntd-dd7GdBPqAR4EGUhHWYNV4GRT6XAjDVC7xbW_SVRuHdy4-yigl4/s1600/Map+Poison+Palate+from+Infinite+City.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ_V6ixOdzLUZJPBCDu2IHwcTgcUHD8jw663nu_zrqbelJFPELbnuJLTnzfWAQFZx6f3UsRMbJA5RA9H3TaU0wqntd-dd7GdBPqAR4EGUhHWYNV4GRT6XAjDVC7xbW_SVRuHdy4-yigl4/s1600/Map+Poison+Palate+from+Infinite+City.jpg" height="342" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<span class="apple-style-span">Author Rebecca Solnit’s “Infinite City-A
San Francisco Atlas”</span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"> features various Bay Area maps, including this one called</span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"> “Poison/Palate”</span><span class="apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> which </span><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">shows the proximity of gourmet treasures </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">to toxic
waste in the</span><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Bay Area, and</span><span class="apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> features mutant
mermaids</span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> and a fruit tree “to both</span><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> whet and ruin your appetite.”</span></div>
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<b>Geography: How
humans relate to the planet<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Geography of course, isn’t just about reading maps or
understanding the Earth’s physical features. It’s about how humans relate to
the planet. “Geography <i>explains</i> the
map: why this city is on this river, why this canyon is deeper than that one,
why the language spoken here is related to the one spoken there—even perhaps,
why this nation is rich and that one is poor,” says Jennings.</div>
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A great example of maps that help us make sense of our
complex relationship to the planet is “Infinite City: A San Francisco Atlas” by
Rebecca Solnit. Her book features maps (created by various artists), that make
surprising and intriguing connections. “Poison/Palate” shows the proximity of gourmet
treasures to toxic waste in the Bay Area. “Dharma Wheels and Fish Ladders”
plots the little-noticed salmon migrations in the Bay Area, beside the practice
of Zen Buddhism. And “The Names before the Names” charts the 140 or so
indigenous tribes that lived in the Bay Area prior to 1769—an astounding
density of communities which have since completely vanished.</div>
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<b>Mapmaking: A
reflection of the maker<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-IIRMJEGHNEKziOQ5sUyDbrfokE7HnHRl3KFPr50s96FC4z2S21eiBfEdn8N-lkhg8KcbZp6Lws5rh4NevuLOtpFer3RQ-3aJn37G0JLNLowslJBEk7VC9EEDJvRWRUcTEm4LM3ssVpM/s1600/Map+Poster+The+Cruz+by+Kirby+Scudder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-IIRMJEGHNEKziOQ5sUyDbrfokE7HnHRl3KFPr50s96FC4z2S21eiBfEdn8N-lkhg8KcbZp6Lws5rh4NevuLOtpFer3RQ-3aJn37G0JLNLowslJBEk7VC9EEDJvRWRUcTEm4LM3ssVpM/s1600/Map+Poster+The+Cruz+by+Kirby+Scudder.jpg" height="400" width="281" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Scudder takes many months
to draw each<br /> of his city maps. The
series now includes<br /> Santa Cruz, Monterey, Palo Alto and Boston.<br />The Santa Cruz
poster was so popular, he also<br /> made a 30-foot mural version for the corner<br /> of
Bay and Mission Streets.</span></span></td></tr>
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All mapmakers choose what to include as well as what
to leave out—and accordingly, a map is a reflection of its maker and how it
will be used. Santa Cruz artist Kirby Scudder created a poster of Santa Cruz in
2012 that included only the features he found most emblematic of the city. To
create large city maps, he uses Google Earth for research and Photoshop with a
Wacom tablet to painstakingly draw people, vehicles, buildings, shadows, land
and water features from an angled aerial perspective. He takes great liberties
with spatial accuracy—bending and foreshortening land masses, selectively showing
only the resonant landmarks, streets and buildings he believes are the essence
of “The Cruz.”</div>
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Historically, mapmakers have always had a point of
view, and many wanted to tell stories of adventure and discovery. They rarely
had the firsthand experience they needed to be certain of all the details on
their maps, so they listened to surveyors and explorers, read books and studied
existing maps, and made educated guesses. Oftentimes, they made mistakes. One
of my favorite books of historical maps is Vincent Virga’s “California, Mapping
the Golden State through History” which begins with the famous 1650 Map of
California shown as an island. By the mid 1700s, California was finally attached
to the rest of the continent on maps, but with very few details, remaining on
the fringes of the world as the Europeans knew it. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyBeFzwkiXmo69siq-X0SoP5IIdfm-dKTmOYV8-nhZBjxoYHIhnO58K3NNYMJ7GJCK7-X6jzTiWQTew2JQ0noXUElDSNBZ9bZD1RuG-1MSLUCFIdVY8jBKLPKfPaFOSnSlMvDK6sp6-Gg/s1600/Map+of+the+United+States+1849.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: transparent; clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyBeFzwkiXmo69siq-X0SoP5IIdfm-dKTmOYV8-nhZBjxoYHIhnO58K3NNYMJ7GJCK7-X6jzTiWQTew2JQ0noXUElDSNBZ9bZD1RuG-1MSLUCFIdVY8jBKLPKfPaFOSnSlMvDK6sp6-Gg/s1600/Map+of+the+United+States+1849.jpg" height="295" width="400" /></a>Mapmakers are also influenced by commercial concerns:
they want to sell maps. A U.S. map produced in 1849 shows most of North
American in great detail with two insets on either side: one of South America,
and the other of the California gold country, to make it more appealing to map-buying
gold-seekers. </div>
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<i style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span></i>Some of the best old maps of California are
romanticized versions of the frontier. They depict the carefully planned streets
and grandest structures of farm cities like Fresno and Bakersfield at the turn
of the 20<sup>th</sup> century from that same vanishing point perspective in
the sky as in Kirby Scudder’s Santa Cruz. But each map is bordered with a
series of hand-tinted photos or drawings of various businesses, impressive homes
and civic structures. These flat, hot central valley towns were trying to
attract new residents by making their city look substantial, thriving and full
of opportunity.</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4zz4cjTwCjPd_rIGLwHUpHdGyx3zT5bohes2zHdCMWkkbY7COPsu1PPMg849yYzXy5IYNBOaKttxqJwC_sfpah4blS6AVx2JUeYT-Mf_NusYDI1cFxqrYUwIvb6rDwJEoqdGWXYcr14U/s1600/Map+of+Fresno,+California,+1901.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4zz4cjTwCjPd_rIGLwHUpHdGyx3zT5bohes2zHdCMWkkbY7COPsu1PPMg849yYzXy5IYNBOaKttxqJwC_sfpah4blS6AVx2JUeYT-Mf_NusYDI1cFxqrYUwIvb6rDwJEoqdGWXYcr14U/s1600/Map+of+Fresno,+California,+1901.jpg" height="272" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<span class="apple-style-span">“Map of Fresno, California, 1901” from the
Library of Congress</span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"> website, </span><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">LOC.gov</span></div>
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</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYMhd5d4p2qbKCP-KDCxQZWci9VXLysvRUlitYOCaXzxTRnTBW_iygRV9NUC9HxthkIkrwPl4Rk9-m14ux3Yfw0bWevgDetAQwsgAqon5W7WuJqduYohd2s8Ibt-yxIGY4sn7Q9vJF8DM/s1600/Map+of+Bakersfield,+California,+1901.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYMhd5d4p2qbKCP-KDCxQZWci9VXLysvRUlitYOCaXzxTRnTBW_iygRV9NUC9HxthkIkrwPl4Rk9-m14ux3Yfw0bWevgDetAQwsgAqon5W7WuJqduYohd2s8Ibt-yxIGY4sn7Q9vJF8DM/s1600/Map+of+Bakersfield,+California,+1901.jpg" height="261" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span class="apple-style-span">“Map of Bakersfield, California, 1901”
from the Library of Congress</span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"> website, LOC.gov<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span></i>Jill K. Berry and Linden McNeilly, the authors of “Map
Art Lab,” also recognize the fiction inherent in many maps. “The truth is,”
they say, “many historical maps are fiction posing as fact, and are artful
rather than scientific.” Their DIY book is intended to entice map lovers to
become mapmakers as a tool for self-discovery, storytelling and art
exploration. They break the complex task of mapmaking into its various
components and provide ideas for constructing and using maps in art pieces.</div>
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<b>On the Map<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<br />
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However accurate a map is intended to be, it can only
offer a snapshot of what things were like at a certain point in time, and is
already out-of-date when published. Fortunately, most maps are not intended to
accurately describe spatial relationships. They are intended to make a point.
Whether you use GPS, Google Earth or paper, maps are essentially a collection
of cartographic symbols—straight and wavy lines that help us make sense of the
world and our place in it.</div>
Tina Bainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13894830261537799280noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161974592631732366.post-59692760629555314482015-02-03T20:32:00.002-08:002015-02-03T20:34:09.045-08:00<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">Binding Love</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What to do with all those books you can't let go of</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4161974592631732366" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">Published in the Santa Cruz Sentinel January 30, 2015</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzIqPWk43qVOnb-8nlBzJNaC_cWSDeNQwsgQTU-q9Hw68YgMIxO94ZuPJBXR8RkUa6FKZBLo2qKY_6lJjtSGFriN1xiyfFhb_yF4SUkwv2j456LLH5IrALXuaVRmlGVQ8sjoIBbj7FDsc/s1600/NovelLiving_p067.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzIqPWk43qVOnb-8nlBzJNaC_cWSDeNQwsgQTU-q9Hw68YgMIxO94ZuPJBXR8RkUa6FKZBLo2qKY_6lJjtSGFriN1xiyfFhb_yF4SUkwv2j456LLH5IrALXuaVRmlGVQ8sjoIBbj7FDsc/s1600/NovelLiving_p067.jpg" height="400" width="305" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Freestanding, easy to
assemble, and highly transportable<br />, ladder shelves can be made from a ladder of
any<br /> height that works for your space (preferably an old<br /> wooden one) and some
wood planks.</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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In the movie “Wild,” Cheryl Strayed (played by Reese
Witherspoon) sets out alone to hike the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT)—one of the
country’s longest and toughest through-trails—with little outdoor experience
and a backpack so heavy she develops nasty, raw welts on her hips and
shoulders. A helpful guy she meets along the trail shows her how to lighten her
load by paring down the items she’s carrying to the absolutely essentials. When
they get to her books, he suggests carrying only the chapters she hasn’t yet
read, and burning the rest. He demonstrates by tearing out a big hunk of Faulkner’s
“As I Lay Dying.”</div>
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<br /></div>
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Which just about killed me.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Destroying, defacing, even just drawing in the margins
of a book—especially one you love—still strikes me as barbaric. (Don’t even get
me started on the disrespect of dog-earring pages.) Yeah, I eventually learned
to underline the heck out of a dry college textbook, but even then I did so
with a light pencil mark and a ruler. Books are precious, sacred and deserve
our respect.</div>
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<br /></div>
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But of course repurposing enthusiasts have other
ideas. They excise pages from books and fold, cut, crumple and print on them. They
carve the covers, contort the spines. They make jewelry, vases, wreaths,
bouquets, collages, garlands, even pumpkins out of books. I suppose they
gravitate towards book pages because the text will give their project a nice mottled-gray
surface pattern, or imply a sense of literary sophistication, or convey a
message, or just give new life to an object they might otherwise add to the
landfill.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvBPrL8xJftpwhKGfPiCehoMNUuk6pthwM9zKc5f_HDDZKuESXNh12qx-46s1Kg8Sqb4McbardJgQCGH-eJK9CPzpJmMmLqWW-GHehXdPU8GVAjSiITQvmqq-_lEBxMDhhy-XJotYWG-g/s1600/NovelLiving90877JF.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvBPrL8xJftpwhKGfPiCehoMNUuk6pthwM9zKc5f_HDDZKuESXNh12qx-46s1Kg8Sqb4McbardJgQCGH-eJK9CPzpJmMmLqWW-GHehXdPU8GVAjSiITQvmqq-_lEBxMDhhy-XJotYWG-g/s1600/NovelLiving90877JF.jpg" height="200" width="154" /></a>If you want to explore making household objects both
decorative and utilitarian, artist/author Lisa Occhipinti’s 2011 book “The
Repurposed Library” is a good place to start. In 33 projects she demonstrates
how to deconstruct books to make lampshades, journals, mirrors, clocks,
birdhouses and more.</div>
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<br /></div>
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But Occhipinti’s more recent book takes a somewhat
different approach to books. “’Novel Living,’” she says, “is a hymnal to
actual, physical books, their forms and their functions.” She talks lovingly
about the physicality of books, as only an avid reader and collector would. She
describes how reading a book stirs our senses: we are aware of its scent and
tactile qualities as we cradle a book “as we would an infant child,” close to
our heart. She compares the intimate interaction we have with bound books—“the tender,
nearly silent turning of pages, like tucking a lock of hair behind the ear”—to the
much less visceral swipe of a screen.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Her writing takes me back to my junior high days when,
after school, I walked out of my way to the small branch library to check out
“Lad: A Dog” and every other noble collie tale by Albert Payson Terhune, who
was instantly my favorite author from my teacher Mrs. Faus’s classic reading
list.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxCwFlQaUZ9Zyy_VDugPDTzy0LJEjgrUXXsfN1MThHxm7rnrM87eqYpW6cGpIRTpGOutmmx3WXfAUxzMiE8aylkvbZ9UyPP7InDxeX3a12YEkv1RXP2v7xSOP51DHIapI9WcGsyryuoc8/s1600/NovelLiving_p045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxCwFlQaUZ9Zyy_VDugPDTzy0LJEjgrUXXsfN1MThHxm7rnrM87eqYpW6cGpIRTpGOutmmx3WXfAUxzMiE8aylkvbZ9UyPP7InDxeX3a12YEkv1RXP2v7xSOP51DHIapI9WcGsyryuoc8/s1600/NovelLiving_p045.jpg" height="400" width="305" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">To create a lighted book
box, basic wooden crates, <br />whether purchased new or sourced from a flea<br /> market,
are outfitted with a little mood lighting<br /> and textile or wallpaper design, then
hung on the wall.<br /> The little light inside illuminates the books like art.</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It also reminds me of my parents’ childhood books I
have stored in stacked cardboard boxes in the garage, like my dad’s “Peter
Rabbit,” “Oz” and “Big Little Books,” or my mom’s copies of “Jane Eyre” and <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #52473e;">Daphne du
Maurier’s</span> “Rebecca.” Occhipinti inspires me to retrieve those beloved
books from the cold, damp garage to preserve and conserve them, and perhaps even
display them. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Our books, she says, represent our cultural and
personal histories. She wants our haphazard book collections to become
inviting, conveniently accessed libraries. “A library organizes books into a
snapshot of who you are,” she says. “To live with them reminds us of who we are
and where we came from.” When Occhipinti uses the word “library,” she’s not
suggesting a dark-paneled room, with a fireplace, over-stuffed chair, and a
ladder on wheels (although, that would be nice to have too). A library can be set-up
in just about any room of the house, and arranged on various configurations of
shelves, carts or cabinets. (One of her most clever and portable display ideas is
an old wooden ladder with spans of plywood for shelves.)</div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVy4YWWK-EdW8Pd7bIjYHH-Qbs4B8zFOVJVE6t4MdwWMmFyyXHKTtSn5oHFkvxyPUAZRsSdZ4S3VZa8d1TVP9xSy-ydgTdt0PevQWrTPcjQAm1Sih11N30-BQkXcvjyYzCYFgg0HYq7Qs/s1600/NovelLiving_p062.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVy4YWWK-EdW8Pd7bIjYHH-Qbs4B8zFOVJVE6t4MdwWMmFyyXHKTtSn5oHFkvxyPUAZRsSdZ4S3VZa8d1TVP9xSy-ydgTdt0PevQWrTPcjQAm1Sih11N30-BQkXcvjyYzCYFgg0HYq7Qs/s1600/NovelLiving_p062.jpg" height="320" width="244" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">The Gallery Table
project—made from<br /> an IKEA Lack table—is based on museum<br /> furniture for
exhibiting books and other<br /> ephemera like valuable antiquities.</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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A collection of books don’t become a library, the
author says, until they are curated and organized. Bibliographic order—by subject,
author and/or title—will help keep books easy to find. But aesthetic
considerations such as color and size can be part of the equation too. “To
alleviate the needle-in-a-haystack-ness that is part of the color or size-based
system of arrangement, merge aesthetics with function by covering your books in
color-coded paper and writing their titles on the spines,” she suggests.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Occhipinti also wants us to design with books by
creating small tableaux she calls “bookscapes.” Books can be placed in idle
places such as a non-operating fireplace (kind of an unsettling association, if
you ask me), or stacked on a rarely used accent chair. A thematic seashore
tableau can be created with nautical books and seashells on top of a dresser.</div>
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<br /></div>
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To me, though, decorating with books downplays their
content and higher purpose. If a special book is to be displayed outside the library
context, it should be in the spotlighted like a prima ballerina. Occhipinti’s two
best project ideas exhibit books like works of art: her IKEA hack is a Gallery
Table that mimics a museum display case, using an IKEA Lack table, four wooden
spacers and tabletop glass; her Lighted Book Box, made from a wooden wine
crate, vintage wallpaper and a wireless puck light, would be perfect for my
dad’s “Peter Rabbit” series.</div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVsQuvuwO9kjrILQ4OWs-H3_tmDM8hPpCErK-TpfoQFvZMifZL-Mr8rgzn6D8ElndApWNhVx9aLVOdiXRKM5Kx8wLr8hZ5MdI7g8tY66wJj6o8HxDEjfWknGyn362LSwpuEFXvUgIj2RE/s1600/Books+SF+shop1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVsQuvuwO9kjrILQ4OWs-H3_tmDM8hPpCErK-TpfoQFvZMifZL-Mr8rgzn6D8ElndApWNhVx9aLVOdiXRKM5Kx8wLr8hZ5MdI7g8tY66wJj6o8HxDEjfWknGyn362LSwpuEFXvUgIj2RE/s1600/Books+SF+shop1.jpg" height="232" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLYjm9fcQi3AT26stWm0RnHjc-B4OErMgsSdz5NjGsfn2JKQKIgCcmRJ7EB4MmahPpnMDouIfqBpMSZXN7RAAZKZ4v8NiKDsSaBoIP-YkUsthR7M4C-zrII2spTEZWRvVSJjkbWXbds1A/s1600/Books+SF+shop2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLYjm9fcQi3AT26stWm0RnHjc-B4OErMgsSdz5NjGsfn2JKQKIgCcmRJ7EB4MmahPpnMDouIfqBpMSZXN7RAAZKZ4v8NiKDsSaBoIP-YkUsthR7M4C-zrII2spTEZWRvVSJjkbWXbds1A/s1600/Books+SF+shop2.jpg" height="165" width="200" /></a></div>
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On an excursion to San Francisco last fall, we came
across a small North Beach jewelry shop that must have had over 1,000 old
books. The whole place had that musty-tangy perfume of aged paper, ink and
adhesive. These hardcover rescues—some masked with construction paper—were arranged
in myriad ways to hold and display necklaces, earrings and bracelets. Yes, they
were using books in a “supporting” role, but, for me, the jewelry wasn’t really
there—it was all about the books. I wanted to sit on the floor, open each one
and see what was inside. I wanted to give each book a little moment of solemn recognition
before we both headed off down the trail.</div>
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</div>
Tina Bainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13894830261537799280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161974592631732366.post-71593105083012002362014-12-06T18:32:00.003-08:002014-12-06T18:38:25.437-08:00<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">The meaning of family</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Beyond a coat of arms: creating new symbols for family</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Originally published in the Santa Cruz Sentinel, December 2014</i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHI1T0n8bXpDCZzPHC7HQOEU800W7_8JaYQz4zKrEeShlpoMc2OGj5rK5T8t8fyHeESQrORZ6gspFHgMw2zAlLXRCEClsMjE2O6bLLriwkkRc0vsm-SdkV89jN-yDIn0u9U6nY2Ab66Hs/s1600/Union+coat+of+arms.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHI1T0n8bXpDCZzPHC7HQOEU800W7_8JaYQz4zKrEeShlpoMc2OGj5rK5T8t8fyHeESQrORZ6gspFHgMw2zAlLXRCEClsMjE2O6bLLriwkkRc0vsm-SdkV89jN-yDIn0u9U6nY2Ab66Hs/s1600/Union+coat+of+arms.jpg" height="400" width="370" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 14.7200002670288px;">In artist Anna Church’s “Insignia” series </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 14.7200002670288px;"> she arranges evocative</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 14.7200002670288px;"> found<br /> objects to illustrate the badges we create </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 14.7200002670288px;">to identify ourselves. I<br /> decided to give her concept</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 14.7200002670288px;"> a try, and created a new badge-<br />crest for my family </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 14.7200002670288px;">after</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 14.7200002670288px;"> scouring the house for just the right items.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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My immediate family—all four of us—will be together at
Christmas for the first time in three years. More than any other holiday,
Christmas has been the catalyst for some of our family’s happiest times
together. When my daughters were young, all I could think about was the joy of
watching them tear open gifts on Christmas morning, and I shopped like crazy.
This year, shopping seems so beside the point. Being together as a family is
the sweetest gift of all.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Of course being part of a family is not always easy, and family
holidays may, for some, heighten that feeling of not fitting in. A family is
made up of distinct individuals, each with their own complex mixture of talents,
needs and goals. Family members can sometimes get in the way of who we want to
be as individuals. But family can also be a powerful means of support and
encouragement simply by making us feel like we belong and matter.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I suppose a family too—as a group bonded by blood and shared
experience—has its own distinct character and identity. A few years ago we
received an unusual Christmas gift from my brother-in-law: a McBean/McBain clan
crest-badge. It’s a small wooden plaque with tartan fabric, and a fierce gray
cat holding a red shield surrounded by a belt bearing the family motto: “Touch
not a catt bot a targe.” According to the Clan MacBean website, the old
Scottish translates to “don’t mess with this cat unless you have a shield to
protect yourself!”</div>
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<br /></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ4_l2feSOb7l794hxC_MpT9RRFGbqdlHqRBAUm2tu3LmHjx1-jzjmsYiltxPQdVQwJZlY_-Hk0-bx63YGMrVJIDmOYJnWSHNOk12kZWZziwD06Bs1dx4yArbHKqZf3e1Pt1pjZ0FWefE/s1600/Union+MacBain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ4_l2feSOb7l794hxC_MpT9RRFGbqdlHqRBAUm2tu3LmHjx1-jzjmsYiltxPQdVQwJZlY_-Hk0-bx63YGMrVJIDmOYJnWSHNOk12kZWZziwD06Bs1dx4yArbHKqZf3e1Pt1pjZ0FWefE/s1600/Union+MacBain.jpg" height="320" width="285" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">According to the Clan MacBean website, the old<br /> Scottish on our clan crest-badge translates to<br /> “don’t mess with this cat unless
you have a shield to<br /> protect yourself!”</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Through the years, as my husband and I tackled home projects
and repairs, we came up with our own family motto: “Nothing’s easy.” It was
more a comment on our combined lack of handiness, than it was about life
itself. As my husband recently wrote,
“After many years as a homeowner, I'm not any closer to fix-it man competence
than I am to first violin at the New York Philharmonic.”</div>
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<br /></div>
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So now the Baine family has two mottos: one that’s fearless
and warrior-like, and the other that’s inept and pathetic. Who is our family
really?</div>
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<br /></div>
In 2010 we arranged to have a family photo taken by a
professional on Lincoln Beach. The resulting portrait is hanging in our
hallway—a lovely Photoshopped version of the four of us with our arms around
each other at sunset. Our hair is windblown, our teeth are white, our skin is
perfect. Like the two family mottos, it’s kind of us, but it kind of isn’t us.<br />
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9TUF_lCqyTeF63m2dq6BJfc5JKykCJV9Lu14zqN2okhl_bSPG2k5TGmoXz0GObnrEoXslfJ1dOGk2kMuiPLHA5cqx1n0Azf0zY21ILdsKqBhvU3hwsNFds2QVhxY6-NhfZ0fMy7XNGl4/s1600/Union_By+AnnaChurch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9TUF_lCqyTeF63m2dq6BJfc5JKykCJV9Lu14zqN2okhl_bSPG2k5TGmoXz0GObnrEoXslfJ1dOGk2kMuiPLHA5cqx1n0Azf0zY21ILdsKqBhvU3hwsNFds2QVhxY6-NhfZ0fMy7XNGl4/s1600/Union_By+AnnaChurch.jpg" height="400" width="293" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Anna Church’s “Insignia” series features this image<br />called "Union." (www.annachurchart.com)</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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An art magazine published in Canada called “Uppercase,” recently
featured artist Anna Church, who photographs artfully arranged found objects, creating
images very reminiscent of a family crest or coat of arms. Her homage to
marriage called “Union,” for example, features some traditional masculine
objects on one side and some traditional feminine objects on the other, but
it’s all tied together with vines, mirrored candle sconces and crossed wine
goblets—all metaphors for the complex, identity-challenging unification that is
coupledom. The nature of the bond that defines “family" is no less complex
or challenging to pin down in a symbolic way, and Church’s intriguing concept
makes me think I should create a new, more representative family crest-badge.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Way back in the 1999, on the eve of the new millennia, we
bought a chiminea to gather the family around at night in our front yard. Our
chiminea, strangely enough, looks a bit like the face of that fierce cat on the
Baine clan crest-badge, with his mouth wide open, ready to devour our firewood.
We built a brick platform to elevate the chiminea to sitting height, and inside
the cube-shaped structure we buried a time capsule.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD1zUJbRrPry6e392683oHAZ8VManeLmBAXrjrvUop-8-LesW7UfKtM-un3LKhD2sO01aji6g68ac9ViIFAm4t5oAtQ8ZiUM4WhWbfUEdM4qSJXb3GOKULwVuKNaMkow9OQMZYu72KMbE/s1600/Union+Time+Capsule.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD1zUJbRrPry6e392683oHAZ8VManeLmBAXrjrvUop-8-LesW7UfKtM-un3LKhD2sO01aji6g68ac9ViIFAm4t5oAtQ8ZiUM4WhWbfUEdM4qSJXb3GOKULwVuKNaMkow9OQMZYu72KMbE/s1600/Union+Time+Capsule.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a>I wish I had a record of what we put in that plastic
container (or was it glass?), but I only remember that all four of us
contributed something personal. Our hope was that some day in the far distant
future, someone else would own our house, demolish the platform, and find our
buried treasure. I think we each selected symbolic items that would make us
come alive, as individuals and as a family, in the minds of our future
counterparts. </div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a 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" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" 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" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Donna Tartt's book "The Goldfinch"<br />
features the famous painting of a<br />
chained bird by Renaissance<br />
artist Carel Fabritius, which I was<br />
fortunate enough to see at the<br />
De Young Museum in 2013.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I’ve always been a slow reader, but I recently finished the
800-page, Pulitzer winning novel, “The Goldfinch,” by Donna Tartt—without a
doubt the longest book I’ve ever tackled. Even though Stephen King in his New
York Times review, likened Tartt’s storytelling to Dickens’, I still felt like
I had missed a grander message when I finally finished the book. </div>
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The story is about a 13-year-old boy, Theo, who loses his beloved
mother in a terrorist attack in a New York City museum, but survives himself, and
rescues (and keeps) a priceless Renaissance painting of a chained pet bird, “The
Goldfinch.” He ends up in Las Vegas with his alcoholic, poor-excuse-for-a-father,
who also dies an untimely death; but Theo can’t let go of the painting. “It’s h<span style="background: white;">is prize” writes King, “his guilt and his
burden, ‘this lonely little captive,’ ‘chained to his perch.’ Theo is also
chained — not just to the painting, but to the memory of his mother and to the
unwavering belief that in the end, come what may, art lifts us above ourselves.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white;"><br /></span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVNfC-c-l-adAm7dJltS39hIiJLISf7OsEnz2v49nQXEc-5_3QkPc3i8TmhvZy5TM6pLqhZozXdvdDA-wi9B5ykjrDlFUlmKlmaZBGF2WW2pbR3X-PCihwu_Y7zYth4X4zqROhdJySlyk/s1600/Union+Signpost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVNfC-c-l-adAm7dJltS39hIiJLISf7OsEnz2v49nQXEc-5_3QkPc3i8TmhvZy5TM6pLqhZozXdvdDA-wi9B5ykjrDlFUlmKlmaZBGF2WW2pbR3X-PCihwu_Y7zYth4X4zqROhdJySlyk/s1600/Union+Signpost.jpg" height="640" width="328" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">To keep your signpost lasting a long time, paint the
boards <br />with white primer, use acrylic or latex paints, and an<br /> after-coat of
clear acrylic spray. </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background: white;">So, upon further
consideration, I have finally come to think of “The Goldfinch” as being about
the life force of art <i>and</i> family. King
says that the book’s “brave theme” is that “art may addict, but art also saves
us from ‘the ungainly sadness of creatures pushing and struggling to live.’”<span class="apple-converted-space"> In Theo’s case, the painting was a more
dependable substitute for a family lost to happenstance and compulsion. Theo
needed saving desperately because he no longer belonged anywhere and couldn’t
count on anything. He didn’t have that constant safe haven of family.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white;"><span class="apple-converted-space"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In 2005, I gave each member of my family three redwood
boards and asked them to paint the names of three places they would like to
visit, and the distance between each place and us. The signpost we created
still stands in our backyard, with all of our inscribed real and fictional destinations:
Transylvania – 4714 miles; Temple of Athena – 8179 km; Emerald City – 3271 miles;
Cayseeopia – 879,246 light-years. If I meant to encourage travel and
exploration, or at least the creation of a symbol of potential and possibility,
it was a very successful project, since next month both my daughters will be
living on other continents.</div>
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<br />
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But this Christmas, we will all be on the same continent, coming
together in the place we four have always known as home. I’m not sure what this means to my nonprovincial
daughters, or if this house even feels like home to them anymore; but to me it means
that our family has been restored. And being together as a family is the
sweetest gift of all.</div>
Tina Bainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13894830261537799280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161974592631732366.post-4463360766083375882014-12-06T08:32:00.000-08:002014-12-06T18:16:24.002-08:00<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Bead Lust</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Originally published in the Santa Cruz Sentinel November 15, 2014</span></div>
<br />
Even though he no longer participates in Open Studios or exhibits much,
Thom Atkins makes quilts that are absolutely worth seeking out. You can see his
work on his website, <a href="http://www.thomatkins.com/">www.thomatkins.com</a>,
but there’s nothing like seeing it in person. His beaded quilts are a visual
and textural wonderland.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB7w2_p2QWYVRl80m92rfWGHvmE1oLaVme6eK5AvSt73JSC_rHWbqdNCuOY3naQFYWhyMS4y9eaYiiYwBMthqBHAZZIDLF70v8keLfI8Sa1fIwtxEbS-W6PRBd8VOYs6ocmbdzdFA9NdQ/s1600/beads+close+up+Thom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB7w2_p2QWYVRl80m92rfWGHvmE1oLaVme6eK5AvSt73JSC_rHWbqdNCuOY3naQFYWhyMS4y9eaYiiYwBMthqBHAZZIDLF70v8keLfI8Sa1fIwtxEbS-W6PRBd8VOYs6ocmbdzdFA9NdQ/s1600/beads+close+up+Thom.jpg" height="397" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">The beads added to this beaded-quilt sample used for
teaching<br /> compliment the fabric design in perfect harmony—a symphony,<br /> of dots,
some recessed and others rising off the surface.<br /> This piece also features
buttons and tiny mirrors as embellishments.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The textures come from beads of all shapes, sizes and dimensions, from
the tiniest little seed beads with microscopic holes, to large polished
cabochons, that are also somehow skillfully attached with needle, thread and
beads. He also uses sequins, buttons, mirrors and glass—anything that will add
dimension, color and sparkle to his weighty pieces. They are quilts in a descriptive
sense, but art is the truest sense—never meant for use on a bed.</div>
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<br />
Examining Thom’s quilts I am reminded of the impressionist painter Claude
Monet, for whom the effects of light
on a subject became as important as the subject itself. For Thom, I think the
effects of beads—and light reflected by beads—has that same over-powering
attraction. The shiniest beads catch the light and give his quilts
movement and a shimmering quality like sunlight on water or summer leaves
fluttering in the breeze. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5CeQSbTU9r1_LyM3eqIu0KS9BWV45AdP9c7OCG3-P0VNKcbasfgyR-iYAHs2ToJpFQursUjKrGhrWTRag66Z3SgAeZvdnnFcH7cfAMh7oHdqZb5_bs4vm93JlcS8a2lkFMNDniEA-lN0/s1600/beaded+bag+Thom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5CeQSbTU9r1_LyM3eqIu0KS9BWV45AdP9c7OCG3-P0VNKcbasfgyR-iYAHs2ToJpFQursUjKrGhrWTRag66Z3SgAeZvdnnFcH7cfAMh7oHdqZb5_bs4vm93JlcS8a2lkFMNDniEA-lN0/s1600/beaded+bag+Thom.jpg" height="320" width="256" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
This beaded bag, made by Thom, features a</div>
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cabochon in the center,
attached by a network</div>
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of seed beads embroidered around the edges</div>
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of the stone
holding it in place.</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
They also add saturated colors that capture the startling tones of
nature itself: the flashing turquoise scales of tropical fish, the bright
rainbow beak of a toucan, the luminous red-orange of flames. Thom is in love
with color, and is never reluctant to add more beads if that’s what the quilt
needs. As a viewer, you can’t help but also appreciating the time and skill
required to sew every last bead securely in place on both his small and larger
quilts, and of the vision that gives him the dedication and patience to keep on
sewing.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Although there are thousands of books about quilt-making, there is only
a handful about adding beads to quilts, and of those, beads are typically
treated as an embellishment rather than a major design element. Of course
making a quilt is also about fabric choices, but as Thom writes in his own
book, “Beading Artistry for Quilts,” “My ultimate goal…has been to find the
balance between the fabric and the beads.” And it’s that willingness to seek
that balance—even if it means many months of attaching beads—that makes his
quilts (and his book) so revolutionary. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMDfNcHGBMm3LEokCRMf8iClqX4mvFllN5k9E0xMBLT3yA6rCnjIid_2vE6ZzrD3TiugM78ISgpBmRmW0lONU-jHhByCyAAF750vRMzkqd3PGgOelzD0ZhUxoQuol-Pm53SofDomnMacc/s1600/beads+pigeons+Thom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMDfNcHGBMm3LEokCRMf8iClqX4mvFllN5k9E0xMBLT3yA6rCnjIid_2vE6ZzrD3TiugM78ISgpBmRmW0lONU-jHhByCyAAF750vRMzkqd3PGgOelzD0ZhUxoQuol-Pm53SofDomnMacc/s1600/beads+pigeons+Thom.jpg" height="234" width="320" /></a></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7CoEXPlsRgXqCWMMXWVXEu8KQNs4PM-UBwnwJtI5RmmWLBnluPHdLzo7x4yIinT0rxtCVCMCXpc8DHGxUL0F6Rb0rMkmUpBjnhRM-QWdjbaac1X9xT6VYfmuZRpp4jsWqNU_7DMIlQkY/s1600/beaded+quilt+with+wife.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7CoEXPlsRgXqCWMMXWVXEu8KQNs4PM-UBwnwJtI5RmmWLBnluPHdLzo7x4yIinT0rxtCVCMCXpc8DHGxUL0F6Rb0rMkmUpBjnhRM-QWdjbaac1X9xT6VYfmuZRpp4jsWqNU_7DMIlQkY/s1600/beaded+quilt+with+wife.jpg" height="400" width="220" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Not all Thom Atkins’ quilts are heavily beaded. <br />Using
fabric printed with a photograph of his<br /> wife feeding pigeons in Piazza San Marcos<br /> Square in Venice, Thom knows intuitively<br /> how to add just the right amount
of beads<br /> to complement each image. “Some
pieces<br /> don’t need that many beads to say what<br /> they need to say. Some need a
lot. The beads<br /> tell me when to stop,” says Thom.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Technically speaking, making a fairly large, densely beaded quilt, is a
daring undertaking because beads make a large quilt very heavy and, if not
attached meticulously, might cause the quilt to sag and not hang well. Where
the beading is denser, the fabric may shrink unevenly as more and more beads
are attached, and the original shape may become distorted. Thom’s book
addresses these technical challenges, as well as why and where you might want
to use beads.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSeQmYtXyleR7Ss_uLSap5e9Wl8sGKh4hdGN1KukBKHAa2oCVbFeReCd-etx7Qx2wjbGVjE2A9kLWpj3LE5JFJT8QZ7IGmSqTWEs6cqRmn3fh8zd2jGOJTZmfxRv4PHbLm4jbeq0tACrw/s1600/beadwoman+Thom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSeQmYtXyleR7Ss_uLSap5e9Wl8sGKh4hdGN1KukBKHAa2oCVbFeReCd-etx7Qx2wjbGVjE2A9kLWpj3LE5JFJT8QZ7IGmSqTWEs6cqRmn3fh8zd2jGOJTZmfxRv4PHbLm4jbeq0tACrw/s1600/beadwoman+Thom.jpg" height="320" width="161" /></a></div>
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In defense of beads, Thom writes, “Why use plain stitching when you can
use a bead with a color or finish that will add to the surface? Should you
become a ‘beadaholic’ like me, you may find yourself using beads for
everything…”</div>
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<br /></div>
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As a life-long artist, Thom Atkins has worked in many different two-
and three-dimensional media including oil paint, stained glass and bronze
casting. When a 2002 traffic accident damaged his wrist and thumbs, he took up
bead-embellished quilting. His sister, Robin Atkins, a national known bead
artist, author and instructor, initially taught Thom the basis stitches. “I
needed a new job. I looked at what quilt people were doing at that time and
there was a little dab of beads here and a little dab there. That isn't fair to
the beads,” he says.</div>
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<br />
<br /></div>
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***<br />
<br /></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-8a8SjMcNq6nBBP9fY_ebLu_p9EEkp6OL3YKogM0n_2cZNmUOf57rDjPYS7bg5vOFrhdxsp-T3MAIzTHj2n-N5-Gnci3LdhXnopaaLEdZjY86hemjooIpPFXwew_Mc-Vo3qUiz316KQg/s1600/beads+Diedra's%2BMonarch%2Bwings%2Blarge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-8a8SjMcNq6nBBP9fY_ebLu_p9EEkp6OL3YKogM0n_2cZNmUOf57rDjPYS7bg5vOFrhdxsp-T3MAIzTHj2n-N5-Gnci3LdhXnopaaLEdZjY86hemjooIpPFXwew_Mc-Vo3qUiz316KQg/s1600/beads+Diedra's%2BMonarch%2Bwings%2Blarge.jpg" height="400" width="283" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Diedra Kmetovic has made a series of necklaces inspired</div>
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by the migrating
Monarchs which cling to eucalyptus</div>
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branches in groves along the Monterey Bay coastline</div>
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from October through February each year. She knows</div>
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how to take what could be
cliché subject, and elevate it</div>
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to a piece of stunning wearable art.</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioGejdFTFumFLGqiNkXjaVVv9Z1m1kS7QF4MnKGDczs0fQLRCgbnDjPshyxhDsDJjZPrU2i3FhZNUBrDhmXxnv1fpPgNAzzDND71QkZKJjeNiDDBx6P_uptzI9eLq25l8NxXdqtmV8fzc/s1600/beads+Diedra+lavendar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioGejdFTFumFLGqiNkXjaVVv9Z1m1kS7QF4MnKGDczs0fQLRCgbnDjPshyxhDsDJjZPrU2i3FhZNUBrDhmXxnv1fpPgNAzzDND71QkZKJjeNiDDBx6P_uptzI9eLq25l8NxXdqtmV8fzc/s1600/beads+Diedra+lavendar.jpg" height="200" width="155" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">On an outing with a friend, Diedra </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">was</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> inspired to
make this set of </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">lavender</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">-hued pieces after</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> discovering</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> an</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> alleyway full of
lilacs.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Another artist who has spent many years redefining and intensifying the
creative possibilities of beads, is jewelry-maker Diedra Kmetovic. She was
first attracted to beads when her grandmother gave her a box of beads when she
was eight. Back then, she used macramé cord to make jewelry for her friends. These
days, she makes intricately woven necklaces and bracelets using tiny glass beads
and thread. Often forgoing the incorporation of traditional metal findings, she
cleverly uses beads to make all parts of a necklace, including clasps, bales
and bezels.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxV5-BuDlxn5ztMQIVGKA8W0kx05Freps1C4SlOuMiWY3paCPURhy-3y4Ir6rhIbFIqzyK3KmDixDsN60qOH7hSBvtICcYz1ybVEjxB6ACk3EDsCGMbl3wU4cVzyo97BI_V0HuilmGkMA/s1600/beads+Diedra's%2Btassels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxV5-BuDlxn5ztMQIVGKA8W0kx05Freps1C4SlOuMiWY3paCPURhy-3y4Ir6rhIbFIqzyK3KmDixDsN60qOH7hSBvtICcYz1ybVEjxB6ACk3EDsCGMbl3wU4cVzyo97BI_V0HuilmGkMA/s1600/beads+Diedra's%2Btassels.jpg" height="205" width="320" /></a>“I like versatile jewelry,” says Diedra, holding up a necklace that can
be easily disconnected to be become three bracelets. Another necklace she has
designed has a clasp with a large bead, so that if the clasp/bead combination
is worn in front instead of the back, it looks like a pendant—essentially
giving you two necklaces for the price of one. “My goal,” she says, “is never
having someone say, ‘Oh, your clasp is in the front,’” as if it were a mistake.
She makes her clasp designs worthy of being the focal point.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Undoubtedly some of Diedra’s most spectacular pieces of jewelry are her
butterfly necklaces, inspired by the Monarchs which cling to branches in the eucalyptus
grove at Natural Bridges State Beach in Santa Cruz, beginning each year in
October. Her butterfly wings—made from hundreds of tiny orange, white and black
seed beads—are every bit as beautiful as the real thing. Her most ambitious
Monarch-inspired necklace is made from thousands of beads. “It took me 15 years
to figure out how to do it,” she says, “and then three months to actually do
it.”</div>
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</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV2kxl-e0SUDt9dwqcJhRHYH7oPsIIOOZCyQJpQaMZwiJ_9GE6QcfJVDfvHVbwPPlk4fQEte9X2k3TIbfPfbUWBGqL26vadhNY5O-yieSGRZo_II3-G7D_fU5i-PcF2eZ5UIhskRdAvUQ/s1600/beads+Diedra's%2Bblue%2Bbracelet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV2kxl-e0SUDt9dwqcJhRHYH7oPsIIOOZCyQJpQaMZwiJ_9GE6QcfJVDfvHVbwPPlk4fQEte9X2k3TIbfPfbUWBGqL26vadhNY5O-yieSGRZo_II3-G7D_fU5i-PcF2eZ5UIhskRdAvUQ/s1600/beads+Diedra's%2Bblue%2Bbracelet.jpg" height="400" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Diedra’s turquoise bracelet shows how she uses beads<br /> instead of metal findings, to make the toggle clasp.<br /> Diedra taught beading until
her all her teaching supplies<br /> were recently stolen from her car. “My summer beading<br /> classes were instantly full,” she says. Currently she<br /> teaches metal working at
the Mountain Arts Center<br /> in Ben Lomond and in an after school program at San<br /> Lorenzo Valley Middle School in Felton.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
There are many ways to use beads in jewelry making, including stringing
(the most common), bead crochet, loom weaving and macramé. Diedra’s Monarchs
are a good example of off-loom beadweaving, a family of beadwork techniques in
which tiny glass seed beads are woven together into a flat fabric or a
three-dimensional object. Each bead is just an element in the larger pattern
and the overall design, and no single bead stands out. There are a number of
different stitches used in beadweaving and each stitch produces a piece with a
distinct texture, shape and pattern. People all over the world have created these
complex woven patterns for centuries using only beads and thread.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Diedra says she is largely self-taught, although she uses magazines and
books at times when she can find new techniques she doesn’t yet know. She
describes herself as a tactile learner and her inspiration comes from the world
around her. “Whenever I go on a trip I have to make something when I come back
that captures that trip,” he says. “I have to come back and “sketch” it into
beads.”</div>
Tina Bainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13894830261537799280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161974592631732366.post-69724996788080594282014-10-05T14:43:00.002-07:002014-10-05T14:45:19.769-07:00<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">The simple pleasure of hand embroidery</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
An old fashioned art is still practiced fervently by those who love it</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglmrcZuayPHfDuxLZAitrgWUiw2wRgTm-3SV-lAvba0O7PRzwjiK2ZPzQFpUyCRmlzzFvdDt514kAYdZtcYsZq9ZE10eURlsTpHgecG3-MtwQCV__h3LIjFmuog_fLD13g94P3EbrzPHk/s1600/embroidery+mom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglmrcZuayPHfDuxLZAitrgWUiw2wRgTm-3SV-lAvba0O7PRzwjiK2ZPzQFpUyCRmlzzFvdDt514kAYdZtcYsZq9ZE10eURlsTpHgecG3-MtwQCV__h3LIjFmuog_fLD13g94P3EbrzPHk/s1600/embroidery+mom.jpg" height="400" width="288" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">My mom took up embroidery when I was in high<br /> school
and made me this crewelwork piece,<br /> which she created using at least a dozen
<br />different stitches.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">W</span>hen I was in high school, my stay-at-home
mom took up embroidery for a time. What most people today call crewelwork, she
called stitchery. It was like painting with thread. She would buy a kit that
had white fabric with a printed design, a needle, embroidery floss and instructions,
and then hand stitch the image onto the fabric with in a variety of stitch
patterns. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have a framed piece of her work that I recently
pulled out of storage (sorry mom) and hung in my bedroom: a whimsical picture
of a smiling mouse and a bird with an arm and a wing around the other, as if
for a photograph.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 11.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span class="apple-style-span">Crewelwork
kits are still sold, but these days, needlepoint and cross stitch are the bread
and butter of most needlework shops. You’ve probably seen cross stitch before—a
series of tiny Xs on a field of white linen—created using a chart and by
counting threads. N</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #2f2f2f;">eedlepoint, on the other hand, requires no counting because it’s done on
a special type of loose-weave canvas which very often has a design hand-painted
onto it. In addition, needlepoint can employ a variety of stitches whereas
cross stitch employs primarily just one.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 11.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 11.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #2f2f2f;">Crewel, cross stitch and needlepoint are
all types of embroidery, and there are many more types such as </span><span class="apple-style-span">beadwork,
goldwork, couching, ribbon embroidery, monogramming, and smocking. </span></span><span style="color: #2f2f2f; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Embroidery
was basic knowledge for colonial school girls in early America, who learned to
sew, count and read by stitching letters, numbers and verses into samplers. But
today, hand embroidery has largely been replaced by machine embroidery, and
relatively few stitchers carry on the tradition.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXCRI7QEsmmzgL7ANtBtMUWbmPUrls86Ap4kD-awbIFvGvm29nA2scWd7FOOPYYltMyZP7_HjOUjps5TJkFzTxl9KrVtZMucvOjDzRf03iBdqAGYAAmpOgKBjjUKFBP3IhVjKbzl1fTGw/s1600/embroidery+Elisa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXCRI7QEsmmzgL7ANtBtMUWbmPUrls86Ap4kD-awbIFvGvm29nA2scWd7FOOPYYltMyZP7_HjOUjps5TJkFzTxl9KrVtZMucvOjDzRf03iBdqAGYAAmpOgKBjjUKFBP3IhVjKbzl1fTGw/s1600/embroidery+Elisa.jpg" height="425" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Elisa Papa demonstrates
cross stitch in the Harvest Building at the Santa Cruz County Fair.</span></span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span></span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Papa
was creating a frameable Victorian-style piece with images of ten</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"> symbolic</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"> pigs—a gift that she hoped would bring good luck to her brother who has
leukemia.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #2f2f2f; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">To
find out who’s still doing embroidery and why, </span>I joined several membe</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">rs
of Stitchers by the Sea (a local chapter of The Embroiders’ Guild of America)
at the Santa Cruz County Fair last month, as they stitched away on their
projects and conversed with curious fair-goers in the Harvest Building.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Elisa Papa—a member of the group for 27 years—was making teeny tiny cross
stitches on 40-count linen (40 threads per inch), while Sandy Rich was making
larger stitches on 14-count plastic canvas. Papa was creating a frameable
Victorian-style piece with images of ten symbolic pigs—a gift that she hoped
would bring good luck to her brother who has leukemia. “If pigs bring good
luck, my brother will have ten times good luck,” she said. Rich was stitching
butterfly wings which she would later cut out from the canvas and join together
with clips as Christmas tree ornaments.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3oi8N6tBi8mops03qhmI3QjMVP3IROpOFiKT_aWD07ogqMCQhG9bxQKkoZ_0qFJhJGM6Iw5jiErsWu4bq169JhwaxVnDgkEhAG_bUz63xYka9HDIVx_SQmSWN8pqhF4cWeHQetRv3QA4/s1600/embroidery+Georgann.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3oi8N6tBi8mops03qhmI3QjMVP3IROpOFiKT_aWD07ogqMCQhG9bxQKkoZ_0qFJhJGM6Iw5jiErsWu4bq169JhwaxVnDgkEhAG_bUz63xYka9HDIVx_SQmSWN8pqhF4cWeHQetRv3QA4/s1600/embroidery+Georgann.jpg" height="400" width="282" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Georgann Lane won first prize at the Santa <br />Cruz County
Fair this year for her original<br /> embroidery piece, “Slice of Lime.”</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A newer member of the group, Brandy Shaw was just starting a counted
cross stitch Celtic cross with an Irish blessing. She said that doing
embroidery is “kind of like meditation, a time when your brain free-floats.”
She also likes to multi-task, so she reads books on tape, takes her stitching projects
to doctors’ waiting rooms and on vacation. “You’re doing something that people
have been doing for thousands of years, so you experience continuity with
humanity,” she said.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Only one member of The Stitchers—Georgann Lane—submitted work to the
fair for judging this year. Although she submitted two pieces in the home arts
department, the judge thought her work belonged with the paintings and
sculpture in the fine art department. And there, in the Fine Arts Building, I
found her two, small pieces with 1<sup>st</sup> and 2<sup>nd</sup> place
ribbons.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Lane—a certified master of traditional Japanese embroidery and past
judge for the Embroiderers’ Guild of America—learned to embroider as a girl.
“My mother taught me to do pillowcases when I was 10 years old,” she said. She
majored in clothing and textiles in college and isn’t afraid to create works of
her own design. Most of the other Stitchers stopped entering work at the fair
several years ago, when some works were stolen. “I’d like to see [the fair] create
a category in fine art for needle art,” said Lane.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja-BFEpG2e6EMO3pd5E0wuVFNvvpEBh4F0coHcVzAwYS1yN0LUjoxZlt4yjvvr8ERInetwFukMma3xIwcOKtxGMkr32C_UFjvKV8rPNBxTxAZMVjc4EU6R9xVDH2rPHtb1kyY_7X0HbWU/s1600/embroidery+samplers+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja-BFEpG2e6EMO3pd5E0wuVFNvvpEBh4F0coHcVzAwYS1yN0LUjoxZlt4yjvvr8ERInetwFukMma3xIwcOKtxGMkr32C_UFjvKV8rPNBxTxAZMVjc4EU6R9xVDH2rPHtb1kyY_7X0HbWU/s1600/embroidery+samplers+2.jpg" height="400" width="236" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Mary Kelly’s sampler collection covers two<br /> walls of
her dining room, and includes lots<br /> of examples from the 1930s and ‘40s when<br /> stitching
samplers from patterns in books<br /> was a popular pastime.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Currently The Stitchers by the Sea have only 23 members—down from a much
higher number in the 1980s when the group was formed. “It’s kind of dwindling,”
admitted Elisa Papa. “Many have retired or moved away. And we don’t have a
needlework store in Santa Cruz.” So she and other Stitchers take field trips to
a shop they love—“Needle in a Haystack”—in Alameda, to stock up on supplies.
Online purchases are difficult for textile artists, they said, because they
like to feel the fabrics and check the colors.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A few days after the fair I visited another member of The Stitchers by
the Sea—Mary Kelly—to see her collection of vintage samplers. Kelly’s
collection features several samplers from early America and many more from the
1930s and 40s when making samplers was again in vogue, and patterns were
available in books. The early ones were created by girls to learn stitches, and
to keep samples for later reference. Kelly has an impressive collection covering
several walls, many with sweet, sentimental verses on them, like, “Warm
friendship like the setting sun sheds kindly light on everyone.”</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Kelly points to one of her oldest and most treasured samplers, created
by a girl in Vermont almost 300 years ago. The dark-with-age, oblong sampler
has a cross stitched saying and these identifying words at the bottom: “Sarah
Bellows in the eleven year of her age done in the year of our Lord 1738.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Mary Kelly and I met again later that day at the home of her good friend,
Dorothy Clarke, a founding member of The Stitchers by the Sea, who, at 96,
still does cross stitch every day despite her failing vision due to macular
degeneration. Clarke brought out a box of small projects from stitching workshops
she attended over the years. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkX4-b_aSKrG9x5LHjpvDtuuU8CBFs38BMAhRRxZ_ckM67COtK5CLV56M1_eUP2kPM6giYD1KrHAqqr0XPch3hG8s9W8Xlyaf_99dO9TUCI-gMY9YcoZ58e5x5ssRfq4V1m9LS-hXhTpI/s1600/embroidery+Dorothy+and+Mary+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkX4-b_aSKrG9x5LHjpvDtuuU8CBFs38BMAhRRxZ_ckM67COtK5CLV56M1_eUP2kPM6giYD1KrHAqqr0XPch3hG8s9W8Xlyaf_99dO9TUCI-gMY9YcoZ58e5x5ssRfq4V1m9LS-hXhTpI/s1600/embroidery+Dorothy+and+Mary+2.jpg" height="313" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Good friends Dorothy Clarke
and Mary Kelly hold two needlework<br /> pieces made by Dorothy that she is
especially proud of. The two<br /> friends are both members of The Stitchers by the
Sea, a local chapter<br /> of The Embroiderers’ Guild of America.</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It looked like she had tried (and mostly mastered) all 260 of the stitches
in the “Reader’s Digest Complete Guide to Embroidery Stitches,” from blackwork
to Battenburg lace to hardanger to drawn-thread work. It finally hit home to me
how endlessly varied the art of embroidery is, and how lovely it is in a quiet,
unassuming way. And these women were a lot like embroidery themselves. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Mary Kelly admitted that not many people these days don’t take time for
embroidery. It’s intricate, detailed work, demanding good eyesight, commitment
and the willingness to spend good money on quality materials. “Let’s face it,”
said Kelly. “It’s kind of fussy. But the ones who do love it, love it to
death.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; padding: 0in;">
The Stitchers By the Sea is the local chapter of
Embroiderers’ Guild of America. They meet at 7:00 p.m. the third Monday of the
each month at the Live Oak Senior Center in Santa Cruz. The gatherings include
a short business meeting, refreshments and stitching programs which vary each
month and cover a wide variety of techniques and methods.</div>
</div>
Tina Bainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13894830261537799280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161974592631732366.post-28275919524898917442014-10-05T14:13:00.002-07:002014-10-05T14:19:09.004-07:00<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Ten tips to taking selfies at any age</span></div>
<h2 style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Originally published in the Santa Cruz Sentinel September 12, 2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4161974592631732366" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="" /></a></div>
</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13.5pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%;">self·ie</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="background: rgb(232, 236, 245); font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><em style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="color: #717274; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%;">noun</span></em><span class="apple-converted-space" style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="background: rgb(232, 236, 245); font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><span class="pr" style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="color: #717274; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%;">\</span></span><span class="unicode" style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="color: #717274; font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt; line-height: 115%;">ˈ</span></span><span class="pr" style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="color: #717274; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%;">sel-fē\</span></span></h2>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="background: white; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">A photograph that one has taken of oneself, typically taken
with a smartphone or webcam and uploaded to a social media website.
(oxforddictionaries.com)<o:p></o:p></span></i></li>
</ol>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="2" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="background: white; color: #444343; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Shy and selfie just don’t go together.
After all, since you wanted to be your camera’s center of attention in the
first place, there has to be at least a part of you that’s narcissistic.
(mrstyleking.com)</span></i><i><span style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></li>
</ol>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHbRWY_06C6ifgi989QIiGdoCDfU1NI4xoH6BCidtYOfCY2aIQabMkEKTbGa5bXJZA0cLiK9TmZtzkoprN_aAOT4AdcbdRRzD28WC0AHOSwaaFeVPcRt3rK8SPLOwr-OdIdqlVsVtQ8k4/s1600/Selfie+collage+by+me+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHbRWY_06C6ifgi989QIiGdoCDfU1NI4xoH6BCidtYOfCY2aIQabMkEKTbGa5bXJZA0cLiK9TmZtzkoprN_aAOT4AdcbdRRzD28WC0AHOSwaaFeVPcRt3rK8SPLOwr-OdIdqlVsVtQ8k4/s1600/Selfie+collage+by+me+2.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Here’s a collage of selfies
I created during my own one-week self-portrait challenge. </span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">S</span>elfie experts abound and the proof is in the hundreds of websites ready
to coach you on taking better selfies. The advice ranges from standard photography
rules about good lighting, framing, and backgrounds, to, “Abs look best taken
from the side. For males, leave the shirt off, it’s better than pulling it up,
which looks sloppy and half-hearted.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
In 2013, when “selfie” was Oxford Dictionaries’ word of the year, there
was a flurry of reactions running the gamut from selfies being the hallmark of
Western decline and image-conscious narcissism, to a few brave souls defending
the practice of casual self-promotion as maybe being not so bad, especially for
girls. Self-promotion, pointed out Rachel Simmons in Slate Magazine, is a skill
which will serve girls well later on when they interview for jobs, and negotiate
for raises and advancement.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHdpikVoACTgw8td0JPbim_893d98mnCEf7_0swIx8LmtDe8HEzYED6Sr3f_ZwDR1AGGgmAlpcPLfRbIDfVIRy9YdZLhqcjU8k0F-Ai12EwRy4Gu_S1fO27ocCL8t67dovPmnvSyuKHZE/s1600/Selfie+TandW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHdpikVoACTgw8td0JPbim_893d98mnCEf7_0swIx8LmtDe8HEzYED6Sr3f_ZwDR1AGGgmAlpcPLfRbIDfVIRy9YdZLhqcjU8k0F-Ai12EwRy4Gu_S1fO27ocCL8t67dovPmnvSyuKHZE/s1600/Selfie+TandW.jpg" height="202" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">The photo my husband posted
on Facebook to mark my<br /> birthday last month was taken 20+ years ago of the two<br /> us on a hiking trip. As many women my age might do,<br /> I asked him to not post a
recent photo. </span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
If you can see the selfie as empowering—a chance to create and
interpret the way you want to be seen by others—then you begin to understand
how selfies present an opportunity. One savvy student, Elizabeth Alvarado,
writing under the headline “Selfie-esteem” in her college newspaper, defended
selfies by young women, saying that, “They challenge the idea that we should
always remain modest, and instead they say, ‘This is me, and I deserve to be
seen,’ because in the end, no one deserves to be invisible. This is an entirely
different experience than when someone takes a picture of you because in the
latter case, you have no control . . .”</div>
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My husband recently posted a photograph on Facebook to mark my
birthday, and I asked him to please not use a recent photo. So he found a
selfie we took on vacation 20+ years ago—looking so much younger and bohemian
than we do now. It seems many women like me reach an age at which they no
longer want to be photographed—which is sad. Perhaps it’s time to take control of
our image-making and turn around that impulse to hide from the camera.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
A new photo idea book named after a DIY website, “A Beautiful Mess,”
created by two young women, Elsie Larson and Emma Chapman, got me thinking
about how women of my age—or any age—can begin to feel good about themselves in
photographs through selfies. In the process we can not only use photography to
our advantage, but also become better photographers in general. </div>
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<br /></div>
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So, extrapolating on the photo-taking ideas in Larson and Chapmen’s
book, here are my ten tips to taking terrific selfies at any age.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5E59U1mbY8ajQ6eHh9T5CthfqYXaP1mTE0fRWQzDUjGHEA3bH9d6iMTmyJub7X7DXq_35Z0L_YDI1Pn3nCyx7ep1ITEu3yxKBrmSjfSTs4yRDdin-jDUJDo49go4IKqzw_NMLHPJaJKM/s1600/Selfies+a+beautiful+mess+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5E59U1mbY8ajQ6eHh9T5CthfqYXaP1mTE0fRWQzDUjGHEA3bH9d6iMTmyJub7X7DXq_35Z0L_YDI1Pn3nCyx7ep1ITEu3yxKBrmSjfSTs4yRDdin-jDUJDo49go4IKqzw_NMLHPJaJKM/s1600/Selfies+a+beautiful+mess+cover.jpg" height="320" width="316" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> Elsie Larson and Emma Chapman’s
2014 photo idea<br /> book, “A Beautiful Mess,” is named after their<br /> popular DIY website, <a href="http://www.abeautifulmess.com/">www.abeautifulmess.com</a>.
<br />Their newest book, “Happy Handmade Home”<br /> was just released last month. </span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Selfies don’t have to be distorted arm’s
length close-ups. You can use a camera with a timer or shoot into a
mirror, so that the photo includes more of you, your friends and your
surroundings. To use your cell phone for better selfies, download a free
timer app, and use a selfie stick, which extends your camera out three
feet beyond your reach. </li>
</ol>
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<br /></div>
<ol start="2" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Make the picture say something about you.
Surround yourself with you things you love: your garden, your home, your
hobbies, your collections, your daily routine, your favorite gathering
place or hiking trail.</li>
</ol>
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<br /></div>
<ol start="3" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Use beautiful light. Shoot in open shade
or window light, rather than direct sun. Shoot your silhouette or shadow. Use
backlighting to highlight your hair. Consider dim or diffused light such
as candles, string lights, or city lights at night.</li>
</ol>
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<br /></div>
<ol start="4" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Highlight your best features. Let your
gorgeous black hair, your ice-blue eyes, your shapely calves take center
stage.</li>
</ol>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="5" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Experiment with styling. Wear a fun hat,
sunglasses, a scarf, a bandana. Add jewelry, a new hairstyle or dramatic make-up.
Get dressed up. Wear a costume. Use props.</li>
</ol>
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<br /></div>
<ol start="6" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoyADlvxt3EiW7-oKf_CbELXZS8v60MpH4pSsRUvo3KGSyK1RikfwyIx2msKwmmPwoH2M6v5eAfTILPdLJoXi3bCpQE1L0EqsAaK7iIk1hyphenhyphenL0GY9z35YD3Mj4b5j0siAczEeBcjmCaaLE/s1600/Selfie+Collage+A+Beautiful+mess.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoyADlvxt3EiW7-oKf_CbELXZS8v60MpH4pSsRUvo3KGSyK1RikfwyIx2msKwmmPwoH2M6v5eAfTILPdLJoXi3bCpQE1L0EqsAaK7iIk1hyphenhyphenL0GY9z35YD3Mj4b5j0siAczEeBcjmCaaLE/s1600/Selfie+Collage+A+Beautiful+mess.jpg" height="320" width="254" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">“A Beautiful Mess Photo
Idea Book” has lots<br />of tips and examples for capturing yourself. </span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Don’t just stand there. Sit, kneel, squat,
lie down. Look over your shoulder or through your legs. Bend. Twist. Cover
your eyes and laugh. Hold the camera over your head, upside-down, at an
angle. </li>
</ol>
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<br /></div>
<ol start="7" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Crop to your advantage. Use a
photo-editing program or two L-shaped pieces of cardboard to find the
essential, defining elements of you in a photograph.</li>
</ol>
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<br /></div>
<ol start="8" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Add motion to your images. Let your hair
blow. Jump, run, spin. Speed by on your bike. Slow the shutter speed down
to accentuate the motion. Be a photojournalist: shoot a lot and serendipitous
moments will happen.</li>
</ol>
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<br /></div>
<ol start="9" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Consider smartphone apps or photo editing
programs. Try black and white, tinting, filters, and other enhancements.</li>
</ol>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="10" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Take the 30-Day Self-Portrait Challenge.
Each day, the portraits have to be of you and shared with a close friend,
your spouse, or online via Facebook. At the end of the month you will end
up with some photos you will actually <i>want</i>
to share. You’ll also experiment with photography techniques that can help
you take better photos of your friends and family, or whatever else you
decide to capture.</li>
</ol>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-RFdnT2an7R0FjkGR1IJcPexEZNB7AA-84BNsaRjCaHnyJfmpIUfZcYcAMQc6Qc3Iz3dmNWLPFegE2Jye65hxFdwNKvJWe1pZyISNe0vdSx-bTlZ8veLfhBENePGlUp2Eapv005KP9n4/s1600/Selfie+stick.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-RFdnT2an7R0FjkGR1IJcPexEZNB7AA-84BNsaRjCaHnyJfmpIUfZcYcAMQc6Qc3Iz3dmNWLPFegE2Jye65hxFdwNKvJWe1pZyISNe0vdSx-bTlZ8veLfhBENePGlUp2Eapv005KP9n4/s1600/Selfie+stick.jpg" height="262" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">In Korea recently, I
witnessed hundreds of young tourists using<br /> selfie sticks (also called handheld
monopods) to their advantage.<br /> Lightweight and retractable, a selfie stick holds
your cell phone<br /> further away, allowing your photos to include much more of your<br /> surroundings or a whole gang of friends. Free timer apps are easy <br />to download
and use. </span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Quiet that anxious little voice of discomfort in your head. Are people
going to think that you think that you look good, and that you want others to
know it? Absolutely. This is your chance to shine—outwardly and inwardly. And
you may be making a more lasting contribution to ageless self-confidence than
you realize. Selfies of people like you and me may have the potential to reset
the air-brushed, Botoxed, movie star standard of beauty to something more
realistic.</div>
Tina Bainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13894830261537799280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161974592631732366.post-81412250201327662022014-08-10T07:41:00.003-07:002014-08-10T07:43:53.362-07:00<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">For Suzi Ortiz</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Originally published August 8, 2014 in the Santa Cruz Sentinel</span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEeEpPcaQaeqp4_beKEdQoq7llzGxbhFvlpvOMBBOmSiJGGxHwODw0Z12WcT81qBZ8Ylm8jhh7OnJCMIkcpjuIctlo3DmWw-iSpM-LQTBAZMNKKRLgkXpdfwR_na-A4IeyRvxmWmQuviE/s1600/Suzi+&+Mia+April+2014+smaller.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEeEpPcaQaeqp4_beKEdQoq7llzGxbhFvlpvOMBBOmSiJGGxHwODw0Z12WcT81qBZ8Ylm8jhh7OnJCMIkcpjuIctlo3DmWw-iSpM-LQTBAZMNKKRLgkXpdfwR_na-A4IeyRvxmWmQuviE/s1600/Suzi+&+Mia+April+2014+smaller.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Suzi and I were different in many ways. She listened to The Fray and
Florence and the Machine. I prefer Paul Simon and Crosby, Stills and Nash. She
was a dog person; I am a cat person. She has a vast network of friends that she
worked hard to cultivate and preserve; I have only a small handful. We were 16
years apart in age and maybe not so much alike; but that didn’t seem to matter
much. She had a green thumb when it came to nurturing a friendship—diligently
tending to ensure it would thrive.</div>
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Suzi and I didn’t read the same books. She loved the “Twilight” series
and traded books with her sister, Michelle, but we rarely recommended books to
each other. I think I only passed along one book to Suzi - “The Art of Racing
in the Rain” - because it was the best dog book I ever read, and she loved her
dogs. But she ordered tons of magazines to support the various school
fund-raising causes of her nieces and nephews, and brought them all to work for
me to enjoy. I suspect she ordered Rolling Stone just because it was my
favorite.</div>
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Unlike me, Suzi wasn’t exactly an art consumer. She had trouble
covering the large white walls of her home with art – most of what she framed was
small drawings by loved ones and photos of her nieces and nephews – items with sentimental
value. But the “walls” of her Facebook page were covered with photos of her wide
circle of friends, her family, her projects and trips, and her beloved golden Lab,
Mia. In that way, she was a great historian – documenting and reminding me and
all her friends of the great times we spent together.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ3TzYSsAPVAyoWvtgQahHc8Ga1qFtOHbZtQOELfg_af8h7_dB57IRsAwyYRxxdcMklFYbMoMkXv2P9SYyYAtqfA_3cXrmNaAddCr1HwVu3E8CwWoY4aJ3zJz2jMXRmT-GCilUQE6dr7E/s1600/Suzi's+diaper+cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ3TzYSsAPVAyoWvtgQahHc8Ga1qFtOHbZtQOELfg_af8h7_dB57IRsAwyYRxxdcMklFYbMoMkXv2P9SYyYAtqfA_3cXrmNaAddCr1HwVu3E8CwWoY4aJ3zJz2jMXRmT-GCilUQE6dr7E/s1600/Suzi's+diaper+cake.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv07k-sEEIaJe1RjBQLdq1rHBlrkPIcv2nlfjgdwYwsmR2qomp9BI81p69IMpdo3To-PMhsFldBIFDS2p0pDEz5tWqdjHHBW8hW2dtWHlOwF1d5xoc7FVbaI6k0z3aQOp970ISrlSrXO8/s1600/Suzi's+jam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv07k-sEEIaJe1RjBQLdq1rHBlrkPIcv2nlfjgdwYwsmR2qomp9BI81p69IMpdo3To-PMhsFldBIFDS2p0pDEz5tWqdjHHBW8hW2dtWHlOwF1d5xoc7FVbaI6k0z3aQOp970ISrlSrXO8/s1600/Suzi's+jam.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>Suzi wasn’t a maker in the traditional sense—she didn’t paint, build,
knit or sew. But she did have some very special talents. Every spring she made
the very best strawberry jam, in huge quantities, to share with all her
friends. For many years at Halloween she dressed in elaborate costumes and
decorated her house for all the neighborhood kids to enjoy. And, for every baby
shower she was invited to, she made a personalized diaper cake. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
To assemble these signature cakes, she spent countless hours searching
for just the right diapers, tiny wash clothes she rolled into flowers, and other
decorations to complement the theme of the party, and the interests of the
mother-to-be, from Mickey Mouse to the University of Oregon ducks.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjw-HdQaSzfFKu0NhU41C__ECA1bEEj5-PvxuWFaQyjBtsKqlmxyH0Kk30rgXjIa-yHacwevwQxaMMQj7s0I85NjBiM_BVRJ2d9jXuRb2zQNYahRRIkZIxEkUHMswE6rbiH8K-ps15tSU/s1600/Suzi+Uvas+at+Sunset+Nov+2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjw-HdQaSzfFKu0NhU41C__ECA1bEEj5-PvxuWFaQyjBtsKqlmxyH0Kk30rgXjIa-yHacwevwQxaMMQj7s0I85NjBiM_BVRJ2d9jXuRb2zQNYahRRIkZIxEkUHMswE6rbiH8K-ps15tSU/s1600/Suzi+Uvas+at+Sunset+Nov+2013.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
One thing we did have in common—besides working together in adjacent
offices for 6-1/2 years—was hiking. We hardly missed a week, hiking 3-4 miles
after work with Mia (an ardent squirrel-chaser) in the hills surrounding our
Morgan Hill office, at parks like Christmas Hill, Harvey Bear and Mt. Madonna. Sometimes
friends Celia and Angela would join us. These were special times, when Suzi
photographed unexpected encounters with snakes, lizards, coyotes, tarantulas in
the fall, and radiant sunsets, posting them all on Facebook. As Uvas Reservoir
evaporated to almost nothing this spring due to the drought, she documented the
stages and posted them on Facebook. I was the former newspaper photographer,
but she was doing all the reporting.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie2GH9EOxD7suWoVxaN18Uk5N4d3QYSwDJ6ygx8GaAEQVGjzK1DUHzGIM5jCMvl_ZcXmaRwAg3UxnB7_73UdDrPVSHK7HsRezVJf-P8YGxnhXH2nPyNaRCHnZSkdfqIS7A97sZW57EGGU/s1600/suzi's+flower+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie2GH9EOxD7suWoVxaN18Uk5N4d3QYSwDJ6ygx8GaAEQVGjzK1DUHzGIM5jCMvl_ZcXmaRwAg3UxnB7_73UdDrPVSHK7HsRezVJf-P8YGxnhXH2nPyNaRCHnZSkdfqIS7A97sZW57EGGU/s1600/suzi's+flower+2.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a>Unless it was breaking news, we usually didn’t share too many personal details
at work – instead saving all our updates for the weekly hike. We recounted TV episodes
we loved: Naked and Afraid (Suzi), Work of Art (me), and Project Runway (both
of us). We shared the highlights of weekend trips: Suzi to Reno or Cedarville
with her boyfriend Leo and the dogs, or me on various outings with my family. We
blabbed about the usual stuff: family, friends, our health, home, projects,
work, fun, etc. </div>
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<br /></div>
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She may not have been the devoted crafter I was, but she supported my
obsession in countless ways. When I got interested in making furniture out of
pallets, she asked Leo to find some discarded ones at work. When I wanted to
make a chair for the Symphony League’s Rare Chair Affair, she started
collecting rusty cans, bottle caps and other cool detritus for me on the beach
excursions she and Leo took with his metal detector. She had a large collection
of colorful duct tape and brought me a flower she had made along with the
instructions for other duct tape creations. She also sent me photos of projects
to inspire me—like a floor covering made from pennies and resin, or the striking
garden bench Leo made from a vintage Chevy truck tailgate.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnkDWvHmJ5pKljJ8mQWw1osip5pHRZ6fgNkylxhY8Amwq5jroWVZaq_dMbVOrtHHRGu8QwzFqBPsm_o6Xl-Iq5DlQK1og4zRQY9WrQIJWpE2j-31hP3sdReq27XeK4l1EvoY9THh6x-eY/s1600/Suzi's+mason+jars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnkDWvHmJ5pKljJ8mQWw1osip5pHRZ6fgNkylxhY8Amwq5jroWVZaq_dMbVOrtHHRGu8QwzFqBPsm_o6Xl-Iq5DlQK1og4zRQY9WrQIJWpE2j-31hP3sdReq27XeK4l1EvoY9THh6x-eY/s1600/Suzi's+mason+jars.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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I still have the instructions for a project Suzi emailed me a few
months ago: making accent garden lights using Mason jars and stake solar
lights. This week, I shopped for the materials and put some together to serve
as glowing reminders of my bright, nurturing friend.</div>
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Suzi died suddenly on July 16 at the age of 43. Every day I encounter
another detail of my daily routine that has been forever altered by her loss:
our Rav4s are no longer parked next to each other at work; there was no flurry
of texts last Thursday night when season 13 of Project Runway began; I can no
longer overhear her phone conversations at work, charming all her clients with
her endearing laugh. I miss Suzi in so many ways. </div>
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But it also hurts to know that I missed an opportunity—the chance to
recognize, while she was still alive, what an extraordinary friend I had.</div>
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Tina Bainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13894830261537799280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161974592631732366.post-18915981536236583142014-07-25T15:19:00.003-07:002014-08-10T07:44:48.071-07:00<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">What it means to be a geek</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">To boldly go where lots of people are headed</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Originally published July 7, 2014 in the Santa Cruz Sentinel</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><br />
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More than a few DIY books are being published lately with the word
“Geek” or “Nerd” in their titles: “Geek Crochet,” “Geek Chic,” “Knits for Nerds,”
and “World of Geekcraft” to name a few. So it follows that there must be a lot
more geeks out there than I would have guessed. Just exactly what is a geek?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKvYN4CMpyufmvkR5DJkD7JZ_CMZoIixFhu9KcPBOeaHpry9jrjOOg_VPryVUq4wYm-5IqULXTuhsQ5JDX-jKKRSgPSW1-4YkKB8FxBpXjRQ6yGbKaM5kurUXlD6ZIoZg0QH5huUEEo_I/s1600/Geek+Star+TrekCrafts_spockmonkey-finacardwell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKvYN4CMpyufmvkR5DJkD7JZ_CMZoIixFhu9KcPBOeaHpry9jrjOOg_VPryVUq4wYm-5IqULXTuhsQ5JDX-jKKRSgPSW1-4YkKB8FxBpXjRQ6yGbKaM5kurUXlD6ZIoZg0QH5huUEEo_I/s1600/Geek+Star+TrekCrafts_spockmonkey-finacardwell.jpg" height="190" width="200" /></a>What was once used to describe a socially inept person (and before
that, a bizarre carnival performer à la Ozzy Osbourne), “Geek” now describes
someone who is no longer so marginalized. It has become more broadly inclusive,
referring to knowledgeable and obsessive enthusiasts, with just a whiff of awkward
and weird. </div>
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In his new book, “The Geek’s Guide to Dating,” Eric Smith says that
even though geeks may need some extra help when it comes to social skills, they
“possess plenty of admirable qualities that are sorely lacking in most normals,”
such as the ability to think deeply, recall minutia, find solutions and retain
a wide-open mind.</div>
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He also defines three broad categories of geeks:</div>
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<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b>Pop
Culture Geeks – includes comic book fans, TV and film geeks, and gamers<o:p></o:p></b></li>
</ol>
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<br /></div>
<ol start="2" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b>Technogeeks—includes
geeks who favor internet, Apple, PC, or social media<o:p></o:p></b></li>
</ol>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDso9k63jfHJ4wK9Z3w87IyPkyYN372pFy37pyqwsFKi2WjzPxmSQhgruRhPxIUizivIcLZcypsxQJky3OU93TjYhKmtgBRJ6XKlBGeVLqYprj4BIPlxNSQjf5F4lEOtGb0AMvaGZr3II/s1600/Geek+book+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDso9k63jfHJ4wK9Z3w87IyPkyYN372pFy37pyqwsFKi2WjzPxmSQhgruRhPxIUizivIcLZcypsxQJky3OU93TjYhKmtgBRJ6XKlBGeVLqYprj4BIPlxNSQjf5F4lEOtGb0AMvaGZr3II/s1600/Geek+book+cover.jpg" height="319" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Angie Pedersen says she
wrote “The Star Trek <br />Craft Book, “to pay homage to the quintessential<br /> essence
of ‘Star Trek’—[which is] the encouragement to<br /> seek out new experiences and embrace
the spirit of <br />adventure.” Projects in the book include a Spock Monkey<br /> (made from socks), Coasters, Reversible Dog Vest, <br />Vulcan Hat and Tribbles.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<ol start="3" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b>Academic
geek—includes book geeks, history and politics geeks, and math and science
geeks<o:p></o:p></b></li>
</ol>
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To find out more about geeks, I talked to freelance writer Chris-Rachael
Oseland, who proudly refers to herself as a second-generation geek. Since being
a geek wasn’t exactly trendy in the late 1980s, she says, her mom would lie
rather than tell people she was taking her young daughter to a sci-fi
convention. But Oseland remembers those gatherings fondly as “a safe place to
grow up.”</div>
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Twenty-five years later, geeks have mainstreamed and their conventions
are more popular and numerous than ever. “This is truly the golden era,” says Oseland.
“People want to be a part of the subculture because it’s trendy.” Oseland links
the geek rise in acceptability and desirability to the growth of tech jobs and
big special effects in movies. With a masters in ancient Middle East
history—she says she’s both an academic geek (owner of 3,000 books) and a pop-culture
geek (sci-fi, gaming, steampunk, horror, comics, your name it). </div>
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She lives in Austin, Texas, self-publishing her cookbooks with
geek-themed recipes. By far her most successful cookbook, “Dining with the
Doctor: the Unauthorized Whovian Cookbook,” has sold an astounding 15,000 copies.
To create the recipes, Oseland spent a year re-watching the first six seasons
of the popular BBC series “Doctor Who,” to create dishes that would tie in with
each episode.</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCkphqOEot1coErjsgAn6zQdI2TAUZ6G7KxiLpl4xtTNk2JzjU0nqTZjILpqHtjRC5ufIk2NiHrpayTjXBuhRHKsbzZmodna8mrsuujrOsbaAOVN2cLJNMZ2p9XyI9HnVLgQEr3sk5q_M/s1600/geek+crochet+picard+data.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCkphqOEot1coErjsgAn6zQdI2TAUZ6G7KxiLpl4xtTNk2JzjU0nqTZjILpqHtjRC5ufIk2NiHrpayTjXBuhRHKsbzZmodna8mrsuujrOsbaAOVN2cLJNMZ2p9XyI9HnVLgQEr3sk5q_M/s1600/geek+crochet+picard+data.jpg" height="313" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Those who crochet may enjoy
making these</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> amigurumi figures of Lieutenant Commander Data</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> and Captain
Jean-Luc Picard from Star Trek: The Next</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> Generation. Besides step-by-step
instructions,</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> The Star Trek Craft Book also provides background</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> information
about the characters and lots of</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> photo</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">s from the many seasons and incarnations</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"> of the popula</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">r TV series. </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Other cookbooks she has in the works are “The Kitchen Overlord
Illustrated Geek Cookbook,” “An Unexpected Cookbook: The Unofficial Book of
Hobbit Cookery,” and “The Noshing Dead: the Unauthorized Walking Dead
Cookbook.”</div>
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In true geek fashion, her first cookbook, “Wood for Sheep: the
Unauthorized Settlers Cookbook” was written to enhance her social life. “It was
in self-defense,” she says. “I don’t know what it is with geeks, but if you get
five in a room, at least three will have something wrong with their digestive
system.” To keep the game nights she hosted going, she developed recipes that
were sensitive to everyone’s dietary restrictions.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdROHRRacUQuOP-HO3kStKhYuiZP_wGSBRLEUpRl9vviFmb6ixrpSgOpfNPjSQBncrs8bHhLtNt30DcqnQ1qjp6ZKZ50rwih-oqoNxL8deCkgdVMH3RwAy3_Z3hKq1WupzzFwSGdFN0Ys/s1600/Geek+Sandworm+crudite.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdROHRRacUQuOP-HO3kStKhYuiZP_wGSBRLEUpRl9vviFmb6ixrpSgOpfNPjSQBncrs8bHhLtNt30DcqnQ1qjp6ZKZ50rwih-oqoNxL8deCkgdVMH3RwAy3_Z3hKq1WupzzFwSGdFN0Ys/s1600/Geek+Sandworm+crudite.jpg" height="268" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Chris-Rachael Oseland’s
website, <a href="http://kitchenoverlord.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">kitchenoverlord.com</span></a>, <br />features many of her
geeky culinary creations, including<br /> this “Dune” inspired Sandworm Crudite made
from cucumbers,<br /> red bell peppers and hummus. In her illustrated recipes<br /> she
says, “Whether you’re entertaining visiting guests from<br /> Caladan or have
recently had emergency dental surgery, this <br />soft crudite platter should delight
any new visitors to Arrakis.”</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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But her bizarre culinary creations are as much fan art as they are tasty,
diet-sensitive party food. Picture a giant sandworm from the classic sci-fi
book series, “Dune” (a sequence of sliced cucumbers), rising up from a desolate
sand dune (a bed of spicy hummus), with gaping jaws full of crystalline teeth
(pointy chunks of cucumber), surrounded by the gory remains of some unfortunate
natives (shreds of red bell pepper)—a dish she calls “Fremen Crudite Plate”—and
you begin to realize there’s a whole genre of cookery never explored on Iron
Chef.</div>
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“Making is a huge part of geek culture,” says Oseland. “It’s one of the
defining hallmarks.” And what special talents do geeks bring to making things?
“A lot more attention to detail,” she says. The geek maker-mentality is, “If
you’re going to make something, make it well.” Oseland is currently taking
sewing classes to costume herself for sci-fi, fantasy and comic conventions.
“You gain street cred for having made it from scratch,” she says.</div>
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But can anyone who is passionate and knowledgeable on a topic be a
geek? Can one be a baseball geek, a yoga geek, NASCAR geek? Oseland refers to
this recent trend as “the devaluation of geek.” When it’s applied to everyone
and everything, it loses its meaning. She says “nerd” might be preferred by true
geeks.</div>
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For a good dose of authentic, fun, geekiness, log-on to Chris-Rachael
Oseland’s website, kitchenoverlord.com, for her recipes, cooking videos,
cookbooks, commentary and photo index of her bizarre culinary creations. To
support her next project, publishing “The Kitchen Overlord Illustrated
Cookbook,” look for the Kickstarter.com link under the “Books” tab.<br />
<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghXJXirdEmLU8t-FVUu4zy0GZVT_57OnBrXtpuA4bOPBSYDAMqxANmguMa5PkHbn-7m0MxUcrtHiXstP_8JBnVMfXvUckrRbzGYVnKvvImBBXiF6rriR1HRIrNBfWMNtpBkB6uEK6VycE/s1600/Geek+Wonder+Woman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghXJXirdEmLU8t-FVUu4zy0GZVT_57OnBrXtpuA4bOPBSYDAMqxANmguMa5PkHbn-7m0MxUcrtHiXstP_8JBnVMfXvUckrRbzGYVnKvvImBBXiF6rriR1HRIrNBfWMNtpBkB6uEK6VycE/s1600/Geek+Wonder+Woman.jpg" height="378" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">“Today we use the magical
powers of prayer, insanity and root<br /> vegetables to create a very special hero
formerly unknown<br /> to the worlds of man,” writes Oseland in her introduction to<br /> her Potatoes Diana recipe. Not only does she provide the recipe<br /> with step-by-step
photos, but also the backstory of th<br />e famous superhero, Wonder Woman.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPdkMV29o-2BynrvJEi7q7igvq8ZwsY8qaMaRv7fDtPFfSrgQIwqrDzkCXwouanRL6KcWWqFBVnlgvSOWGsApeqkSA5MQMlskdF5tRbB-ml9GzBId-QwNEpWQ1Q6s1cIr5Ga49QYsihHI/s1600/Geek+Horta+Meatloaf+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPdkMV29o-2BynrvJEi7q7igvq8ZwsY8qaMaRv7fDtPFfSrgQIwqrDzkCXwouanRL6KcWWqFBVnlgvSOWGsApeqkSA5MQMlskdF5tRbB-ml9GzBId-QwNEpWQ1Q6s1cIr5Ga49QYsihHI/s1600/Geek+Horta+Meatloaf+2.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">A little something for
everyone from <a href="http://kitchenoverlord.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">kitchenoverlord.com</span></a>: a fake-meat-stuffed
Starfleet Insignia made with puff pastry for vegans, combined with her
non-vegan Starfleet Academy Cafeteria’s Horta Meatloaf.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Tina Bainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13894830261537799280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161974592631732366.post-70815496574059010542014-05-30T09:18:00.001-07:002014-05-30T09:30:23.651-07:00<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Art Abandonment Project</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Random acts of guerilla art</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Originally published in the Santa Cruz Sentinel</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEp9QnV-V0W64oYis-h69RYe8OvKqsGvqWW9hYfjuxUugODKcZLpUYcY1h6OeBDIPUbR1Qma_JckS9fKNUFe6i_iQoUA-qIgodnZSe2reAkaqZoZHJtMFxzFZBHgzfqkbZvXAEATjl48g/s1600/AA+Friedel+Kammler+bench.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEp9QnV-V0W64oYis-h69RYe8OvKqsGvqWW9hYfjuxUugODKcZLpUYcY1h6OeBDIPUbR1Qma_JckS9fKNUFe6i_iQoUA-qIgodnZSe2reAkaqZoZHJtMFxzFZBHgzfqkbZvXAEATjl48g/s1600/AA+Friedel+Kammler+bench.jpg" height="400" width="297" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small; text-align: start;">On a bench along the shoreline of Lake Balaton in <br />Hungary, Friedel Kammler dropped handcrafted<br /> jewelry made by Jenny Potter and Donna Furgason,<br /> Canadian friends that Kammler made through the<br /> Facebook group. They sent the jewelry to Kammler<br /> to be abandoned in Hungary so their work could<br /> “crossover the ocean.” (Photo by Friedel Kammler)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Y</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">ou’re
sitting at the bus stop, anxious to get to where you’re going, and you notice a
Ziploc bag with a small note inside and something else you can’t quite identify,
resting beside you. The note has an elaborately penned letter “A” and the title,
“A Gift for You.<span style="font-size: x-small;">”</span></span><br />
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<br /></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">You
are intrigued, so you pick up the bag and squint to read the rest of the note:
“Art Abandonment is a group of artists sharing what we love to do by leaving
artwork in random locations across the globe for other to find and enjoy. Today
the Universe picks you to receive this gift with the hope that you enjoy it or
pass it onto someone else. If you wish, you can send a message to <a href="mailto:i.found.artwork@gmail.com">i.found.artwork@gmail.com</a> to let us
know it was found.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">You
turn the bag over to inspect the contents. You think, “Is this for real or some
new advertising scheme? Nothing is free, right? What do they want?” There’s a bracelet
made of strung beads inside the bag. You open the bag and slip the jewelry
around your wrist. It’s kind of cool. You start to relax and feel kind of lucky,
like the universe is smiling on you.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">The
founders of The Art Abandonment Project—Michael deMeng and Andrea Matus deMeng—want
you to feel this way. It’s their hope that, through giving away art, the world
will become a slightly better place. They created a Facebook page for the group
(</span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/groups/ArtAbandonment">www.facebook.com/groups/ArtAbandonment</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">)
and have just published a book, “The Art Abandonment Project: Create and Share
Random Acts of Art,” promoting their concept.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ5AT1jz08an8NNwryV65zlnJAbRj1RMBoMkX3aYZvXM0yFctTkqtRhvXLGDd6Z1SoXnEj2SPWnqFV6hojnSEu-l7Q4iMqP8XIW3NLBD6ThRKTD311jpza1sT6cEMof6o_2rLEEnrOiVg/s1600/AA+Michael+deMeng+Andrea+Matus+deMeng.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ5AT1jz08an8NNwryV65zlnJAbRj1RMBoMkX3aYZvXM0yFctTkqtRhvXLGDd6Z1SoXnEj2SPWnqFV6hojnSEu-l7Q4iMqP8XIW3NLBD6ThRKTD311jpza1sT6cEMof6o_2rLEEnrOiVg/s1600/AA+Michael+deMeng+Andrea+Matus+deMeng.jpg" height="400" width="311" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 115%;">Michael deMeng and Andrea Matus deMeng, married
<br />authors of The Art Abandonment Project, teach<br /> and exhibit their artwork internationally. They live<br /> in Vancouver, British Columbia and started the <br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/groups/ArtAbandonment">www.facebook.com/groups/ArtAbandonment</a> so that<br /> others could share their techniques for making and<br /> abandoning art. (Photo of their artwork provided by <br />Michael deMeng)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">In
the book, Michael deMeng (a Canadian) explains, “Obviously, one could easily
abandon art without becoming a member of the Facebook group. This [Facebook] page
merely provides an opportunity for others to see the good deeds of the group
members as well as share experiences and feelings about the topic.” So members
use the page to post photos of their artwork at the drop sites, discuss
creative topics, and suggest good locations for abandoning their art.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Michael
also discusses the pros and cons of various drop locations: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> <b>
</b></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"><b>Retail stores:</b> Good for exposure, but the
juxtaposition with items for sale might be confusing to shoppers, or
unappreciated by store owners.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Planes, trains, boats and other public transit:
Your art could travel far and end up on another continent, but unidentified
packages aren’t popular among security personnel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> <b>
</b></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"><b>Nature:</b> Remote locations make your gift that
much more unexpected when found, but weather is a factor and discovery may take
longer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Adrift at sea: Romantic notion, but not worth
the pollution potential (unless it’s biodegradable)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"><b>Hotels:</b> Good chance it will be found, but may
end up in the lost and found cabinet since housekeepers don’t want to be
accused of stealing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigpYXejNlgFDeyFARg7YxCizzOv3I50vVHCramVI0e_2AlCfpys83KLwtLw12hLsetdt0GIASU8Mb64jEkIgrrC6RN-5Nqeif8ciakWvrrXTDqYyx7W7IVmH7wTyZRvyDNDPQ7GMQULCs/s1600/AA+Joanne+Archer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigpYXejNlgFDeyFARg7YxCizzOv3I50vVHCramVI0e_2AlCfpys83KLwtLw12hLsetdt0GIASU8Mb64jEkIgrrC6RN-5Nqeif8ciakWvrrXTDqYyx7W7IVmH7wTyZRvyDNDPQ7GMQULCs/s1600/AA+Joanne+Archer.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 115%;">Joanne Archer contributed several photos of her abandoned art<br /> for The Art Abandonment Project book, including this piece left<br /> on a rocky beach, including one of the standard labels provided for the<br /> Facebook group. In the book she says, “Once I abandon something,<br /> I can forget
all about it. I have no wish to know who found it,<br /> nor receive thanks. I only
hope that the finder enjoys it.”<br />(Photo by Joanne Archer)</span></td></tr>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"><b>The Big City</b>: Plenty of people in all walks of
life, but avoid locations where it might just be perceived as trash.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPsB698wu-3zFGVQ7kbSyrPCAP3tN6BOu8Y4yFqqM26z0L80Yi__dGvUTMWfZGOwgwBpOwvO1s4tME1SFyv8Hv22SxvXA-RcAMJMI9M8Kzctbq0knjyAqVeoezmBNiJJhS8LDCiFHBiFU/s1600/AA+Friedel+Kammler+life.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPsB698wu-3zFGVQ7kbSyrPCAP3tN6BOu8Y4yFqqM26z0L80Yi__dGvUTMWfZGOwgwBpOwvO1s4tME1SFyv8Hv22SxvXA-RcAMJMI9M8Kzctbq0knjyAqVeoezmBNiJJhS8LDCiFHBiFU/s1600/AA+Friedel+Kammler+life.jpg" height="400" width="290" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 115%;">On April Fool’s day, Friedel Kammler dropped a collage he created with<br /> parts from printed paintings, on a safety-ring in the Harbor in
Fonyod,<br /> Lake Balaton, Hungary, which made a nice tableau. The second drop that
day<br />—a tiny altered matchbox, with a golden stone inside painted with the<br /> words
“Love is Forever”—was left in the clutched hands of two public<br /> statues—Adam and
Eve. (Photo by Friedel Kammler)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Some
abandoners prefer complete anonymity and leave their gifts without a note or
even a signature on their art. But, those who leave a note of explanation with
the opportunity to respond by email, can sometimes get encouraging validation
for their efforts. One example: “Last night we decided to take the kids to the
park just before dark, and there on a tree was hanging the most beautiful piece
of art, with such an appropriate message, (live out loud) with a clock and
beautiful flowers, it brought tears to my eyes, I feel so lucky to have found
this beautiful work of art, how can it get better than that? Thank you!!!” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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With 14,000+ members, the Facebook-linked group has spread all over the
world. When I sent out a request to members for photos of abandoned art, the
first response came from Friedel Kammler of Hungary. For April Fool’s Day, he
made two “drops”—a collage he created from a painting, left on a life-preserver
near a harbor; and a tiny, altered matchbox, with a gold-painted stone inside
inscribed with the words “Love is forever,” left in the clasped hands of a
naked Adam and Eve statue. Friedel also scatters the work of two Canadian friends
he made through the Facebook page, who send him packages of their own
handcrafted items to be abandoned in Hungary.</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYUze3-MkPPxaMZTTmxVbEP3t4_U56OI_h9hqInZEU7QrR10wkV5wKDRbAWPyk7Jb4a_tAbZAHI9r30qSdj6-nNwhoYLmMbM8INfHJQPfKoXTRSkkOb4aYG4ONsYg3nPX8-EESKFAXEDw/s1600/AA+Gari+Vibber+ice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYUze3-MkPPxaMZTTmxVbEP3t4_U56OI_h9hqInZEU7QrR10wkV5wKDRbAWPyk7Jb4a_tAbZAHI9r30qSdj6-nNwhoYLmMbM8INfHJQPfKoXTRSkkOb4aYG4ONsYg3nPX8-EESKFAXEDw/s1600/AA+Gari+Vibber+ice.jpg" height="266" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 115%;">Art Abandoner Gari Vibber says she left this parcel<br /> on
the Oswegatchie River before ice-out. The April<br /> Fool’s Day challenge put out on
the Facebook page by<br /> Michael deMeng was to make a drop in an unusual place.<br /> She
says the gift was a photograph with an inspirational<br /> saying, “double-sealed in
a waterproof container<br /> and set free to find its way.” (Photo by Gari Vibber)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Another artist I heard from—Gari Vibber—who creatively abandons jewelry
and photographs in icy locations in upstate New York, said, “First, I must tell you that this
is such an enlightening, upbeat, encouraging group. I have long been an
anonymous, pay-it-forward, random-act-of-kindness kind of gal... this growing
movement has insisted I step out of my comfort zone and try new things.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg701Gk_eQFbbGpjAWY6kxjdSxzUR4Y8bNlh54m8lS08g1yPLo9qYC_GvB28tKn26pVuxlHsp9LBUUgnUplHMYUuxFxlEK_ea9Emype0GM1wVw-QvWTDKJDVpNWGsOP8fzT1ERC9rbEecg/s1600/AA+Gari+Vibber+change.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg701Gk_eQFbbGpjAWY6kxjdSxzUR4Y8bNlh54m8lS08g1yPLo9qYC_GvB28tKn26pVuxlHsp9LBUUgnUplHMYUuxFxlEK_ea9Emype0GM1wVw-QvWTDKJDVpNWGsOP8fzT1ERC9rbEecg/s1600/AA+Gari+Vibber+change.jpg" height="340" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 115%;">Besides this drop on a car wash change machine, Gari
Vibber of<br /> upstate New York sent photos of her artwork left on a<br /> windshield
while the owner was out on Lake Ontario ice fishing,<br />at a restaurant counter
with pasta and spaghetti sauce for sale,<br /> and on a “take me” table at a local
church. (Photo by Gari Vibber)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="text-align: center;">After hearing from
these artists and their generous pay-it-forward attitude, I decided it was time
for me to step out as well. But deciding what to leave seemed as challenging as
finding the right location. Should the gift be not too gender specific? Should
it be something practical, such as note cards or jewelry? Should I make my
first drop locally or further away? I wanted to be anonymous, but I also wanted
the finder to know that this was an intentionally abandoned item, not just
forgotten. Maybe too, it was a little hard for me to let go.</span></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Finally, I put the
standard AAP note inside a Ziploc (along with my gift) and asked my husband to make
the drop. He chose a picnic table near a church parking lot. The gift was gone
by the next day, set free to find its own way.</div>
Tina Bainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13894830261537799280noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161974592631732366.post-3831972696800367032014-05-11T07:59:00.005-07:002014-05-11T08:07:57.202-07:00<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Vivian Maier and Jon Sarkin</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Artists by strange circumstance</span></b></div>
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<b>Also: Cabrillo Extension, Aromas Garden Tour, and Bay Area Maker Faire</b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Originally published in the Santa Cruz Sentinel May 2 and May 9, 2014</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b><br /></b></span><b><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1jut_bYfsehqXLhHp0RMZoz6jZqsNG18W96HKvToQe3_hPIKDKWnkNNL7sJiXVuG7Fc-fZg5yLOIm53u6Q-n5nCGqnLKrmEYgvgQ7fjem1AlVn0SRYN7d6k4mQJD4egEs3qfqC9rtQl4/s1600/May+Vivian+Maier+self-portrait.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1jut_bYfsehqXLhHp0RMZoz6jZqsNG18W96HKvToQe3_hPIKDKWnkNNL7sJiXVuG7Fc-fZg5yLOIm53u6Q-n5nCGqnLKrmEYgvgQ7fjem1AlVn0SRYN7d6k4mQJD4egEs3qfqC9rtQl4/s1600/May+Vivian+Maier+self-portrait.jpg" height="392" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="background: white; color: #424242;">“Finding Vivian
Maier,”</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #424242;"> currently showing at the Nickelodeon </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #424242;">Theatre,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #424242;"> is the critically</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #424242;"> acclaimed</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #424242;"> documentary about a mysterious nanny, who</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #424242;"> secretly took over 100,000</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #424242;"> photographs (including this self-portrait) that</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #424242;"> were hidden in storage</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #424242;"> lockers
and, discovered decades later.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #424242;"> Some consider</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #424242;">her one of the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #424242;"> 20th century’s
greatest urban street photographers.</span></div>
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<u>Finding Vivian Maier</u><br />
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I’m hoping I have the chance to see “Finding Vivian Maier” (currently
showing at the Nickelodeon) at least one more time before it’s gone. I loved
this documentary about a mysterious woman, who knew she was a good—maybe even
great—photographer, but kept her massive body of work hidden away until the day
she died. She worked in New York and Chicago as a nanny for over 40 years, had
no close family or friends, and even the families she lived with were unaware
of her passion and unusual talent for photography.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">She
was </span>born in New York in 1926,
moved back and forth to France with her mother, and returned to New York as an
adult in 1951 where she was hired as a live-in nanny, and purchased her first
serious camera: a Rolleiflex twin-lens reflex. On her days off she
wandered the streets of New York, documenting urban America. </div>
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<br /></div>
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When she moved to Chicago in 1956, Maier was nanny to three boys, and had
access to a darkroom, which allowed her to develop film and make prints. After
the boys were grown, she bounced from family to family, accumulating hundreds
of rolls of undeveloped film. By all accounts—from her employers and the
now-grown children she helped raise—she was an eccentric, fiercely opinionated,
intelligent and intensely private person. Some implied that she may have been
mentally imbalanced as well. Making photographs must have been Vivian Maier’s
way of understanding the world, and finding her significance within it. She
didn’t need any more than that.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Maier’s massive body of work—kept in delinquent storage lockers—would
come to light when, in 2007, cardboard boxes of her negatives were purchased at
a local thrift auction house by a Chicago real estate agent, John Maloof. Ever
since his remarkable find, Maloof and others have dedicated themselves to
collecting her work, constructing and printing an archive, and promoting her rare
talent through the making of a film and gallery exhibitions around the world.</div>
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<br /></div>
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View her beautiful black and white street photographs and read more
about Vivian Maier at <a href="http://www.vivianmaier.com/">vivianmaier.com</a>.</div>
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<u>Cabrillo Extension SummerArts Program<o:p></o:p></u></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9l7t5VjkgRxxAfX49tVX2VltO27p2YV7t19LvWI6RyPePS1yRmtfHAtGXS_RJ7ENyFKNn_iQ08FZI9acvWamrHGRQDffHsJXdkDkvtMRQK8pVcib6lHrIVmzyB32bY0Y66KGBIpGG_E4/s1600/May+El+Wire+class+Land+Sharks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9l7t5VjkgRxxAfX49tVX2VltO27p2YV7t19LvWI6RyPePS1yRmtfHAtGXS_RJ7ENyFKNn_iQ08FZI9acvWamrHGRQDffHsJXdkDkvtMRQK8pVcib6lHrIVmzyB32bY0Y66KGBIpGG_E4/s1600/May+El+Wire+class+Land+Sharks.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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<span class="apple-style-span">May EL Wire Class Land Sharks (photo by
Tina Baine): Todd</span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"> Williams, who will be teaching in Cabrillo Extension’s</span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"> SummerArts Program, likes to take his remote-controlled EL wire</span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"> land sharks to
Maker Faire Bay Area each year, thrilling the</span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"> crowds as them “swim” around one
of the darkened exhibit halls.</span><u><span style="color: #333333; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBltbIEe3d3zBzMaqimnQ1WeZgIWrAtR1EueVvWCzzQISmZtjByS-rKwNWr2tbXUWPhI8ShJABsU-VYuwDHecH5yGns38bEYbS0EQwl_uDN6q9TANYIfjOYF08wtwnOxM3VIvUfEuVinA/s1600/May+EL+Wire+class+demo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBltbIEe3d3zBzMaqimnQ1WeZgIWrAtR1EueVvWCzzQISmZtjByS-rKwNWr2tbXUWPhI8ShJABsU-VYuwDHecH5yGns38bEYbS0EQwl_uDN6q9TANYIfjOYF08wtwnOxM3VIvUfEuVinA/s1600/May+EL+Wire+class+demo.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<span class="apple-style-span">EL Wire expert Todd</span> Williams shows his Cabrillo Extension class, how to </div>
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work with<span class="apple-style-span"> electroluminescent wire. </span>Explorations in EL Wire 101 is just one </div>
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of 33 community art classes being offered this summer at Cabrillo College.</div>
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For
a tour of the amazing art facilities, exhibits student work and</div>
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demonstrations,
come to the<span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> “Art Party!” at the Visual Applied & </span><br />
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Performing</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> Arts (VAPA) Open
House on Saturday, May 17, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. </span> <span style="background: white; color: #1155cc; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.cabrillo.edu/internal/divisions/vapa/events/events/spring14/5_openhouse.php" target="_blank">http://www.cabrillo.edu/internal/divisions/vapa/events/events/spring14/5_</a></span><a href="http://www.cabrillo.edu/internal/divisions/vapa/events/events/spring14/5_openhouse.php" target="_blank"><span style="background: white; color: #1155cc; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">openhouse.php</span></a></div>
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In order to make the impressive Cabrillo College visual art facility
more available to the people who paid to build it (see your property tax bill),
and to offset the fact that CabrilloArts (community courses) will be taking a
one year hiatus starting next fall, Cabrillo Extension is offering an
unprecedented 33 SummerArts classes beginning this June, including 21 new classes
that have never been offered before. The selection is broad and tantalizing,
and includes stop-motion animation, handmade teapots, stained glass and steel-based
furniture. I took the Explorations in EL (Electroluminescent) Wire 101 class
from Todd Williams last year, and I can attest to the high-quality of the
facilities and equipment available at Cabrillo, and the value of learning from
a professional, experienced artists.</div>
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Workshop Coordinator Patrick Stafford says Cabrillo Extension is also
offering something new for teens this summer. “There will be 2 one-week
sessions in which [middle and high schoolers] will be able to experience a
sampling of most of the different media taught in the art department,” says
Stafford. In DiscoverArts Camps, teens will have the opportunity to experience
ceramics, jewelry making, woodworking, collage, screen printing, painting, 3D
assemblage, blacksmithing, camera-less photos and hacking toys (ala Sid from
Toy Story). To register go to cabrillo.edu/services/extension/<u><o:p></o:p></u></div>
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<u>Maker Faire<o:p></o:p></u></div>
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The next Maker Faire Bay Area is coming up soon, May 17 and 18 at the San Mateo Event Center. If you’ve never attended this making-frenzy-fest before, I promise you won’t be disappointed. There is so much to see and do—from high- to low-tech DIY—so plan to arrive early and spend the entire day (or two). For details and advance tickets go to makerfaire.com/bay-area-2014.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLscFX9NtWXFeiBQscbGk5nG9ApewGYJch5gB87dSuC1h_QEr08ch_0lyur5RGcVJExP-uT2sfTkVgpRjvCwFNT-yVpljdiQwdsIW-tYPBgmSAS00S3TYyznXARvV3drt84-6MKrzVlb4/s1600/May+Garden+Tour+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLscFX9NtWXFeiBQscbGk5nG9ApewGYJch5gB87dSuC1h_QEr08ch_0lyur5RGcVJExP-uT2sfTkVgpRjvCwFNT-yVpljdiQwdsIW-tYPBgmSAS00S3TYyznXARvV3drt84-6MKrzVlb4/s1600/May+Garden+Tour+2.jpg" height="324" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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<span class="apple-style-span">Candy-colored irises stretch over a broad hill-side at one of the stops on the
Aromas Country Garden Tour, held Saturday, May 10 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<u>Aromas Garden Tour<o:p></o:p></u></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQvpalBxGy93xX9znKgzxcNAwhY8xMp3Vtl1ulN0scFK6WNT6JSdmW2zB9G-LDXXeiloA8PlDlnOAno93prj0jZA13_NfCEcx4oQ_XlkUulm9ciONoGWVl4_OoU5e49oad-gJQQuEWeEQ/s1600/May+Garden+Tour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQvpalBxGy93xX9znKgzxcNAwhY8xMp3Vtl1ulN0scFK6WNT6JSdmW2zB9G-LDXXeiloA8PlDlnOAno93prj0jZA13_NfCEcx4oQ_XlkUulm9ciONoGWVl4_OoU5e49oad-gJQQuEWeEQ/s1600/May+Garden+Tour.jpg" height="400" width="288" /></a></td></tr>
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<span class="apple-style-span">Sponsored by Aromas Hills Artisans, this year’s garden</span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"> tour held the day before
Mother’s Day, will featur</span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span">e artists in each garden, demonstrating their talents.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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If my mother lived nearby, I would treat her to a day of exploring
country gardens and art on the Aromas Garden Tour, held May 10, the date before
Mother’s Day. Local artists will be stationed in each garden, painting irises,
carving or weaving guitar straps, with some of their wares for sale. In my
opinion, the three not-to-miss gardens are the iris gardens, where you can see
hundreds of these candy-colored rhizomes in bloom and pick out ones you’d like
to own; the protea farm with these incredibly large and extraordinary South
African flowers, blooming on a lovely hill overlooking Aromas; and—because it’s
time to replace your thirsty lawn—the brand new, drought-tolerant demonstration
garden behind the Aromas Water District, with drip irrigation and all plants
labeled. For details, go to aromashillsartisans.com.</div>
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<o:p> </o:p> </div>
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<u>Jon Sarkin: When Brain Trauma Results in Art<o:p></o:p></u></div>
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I just finished reading “Shadows Bright as Glass” by Amy Ellis Nutt, the
remarkable story of a man who became an artist overnight, with an obsessive
need to create. In 1988 Jon Sarkin was suffering from tinnitus, hearing a
continuous, high-pitched screech that grew louder and shriller every day until
it was nearly deafening. After months of seeking treatment, he resorted to
radical brain-surgery, from which he suffered a major stroke. To reach the clot
and save his life, his surgeon had to carve away thin layers of his brain.
During surgery his heart stopped twice, depriving his brain of oxygen. When he awoke
later, he was a completely changed man--emotionally detached from his wife and
child, and, although he tried, unable to return to his normal working life as a
chiropractor. </div>
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<strong><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Jon Sarkin is described on
his website as</span></strong><span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> “a prolific, </span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">even compulsive, artist who
creates elaborate drawings</span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> and paintings cluttered with words and images</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">.”
Sarkin</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"> became an obsessive artist overnight after complications</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"> during brain
surgery. (Courtesy of Princeton Day School)</span></div>
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The transformation was very difficult for his family, but even harder
on Sarkin, who not only knew that he lost a part of his brain, but that he had
lost his identity as well. Nutt’s book chronicles this prodigious alternation
in Jon Sarkin’s personality and sense of self, and how making art became the
bridge back to a meaningful life. For me, the transformation of Sarkin from a
hard-working family man who occasionally sketched and painted, to someone who
had become completely consumed with the need to make art, says a lot about the
brain’s belief in art’s ability to provide answers.</div>
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For Sarkin, his brain was working overtime to solve the essential
problem: Who was he? “He knew he was
consumed with getting his thoughts and sensations down on paper, as if only
then, looking at the colors and shapes and words, would it all come together
into a pattern and make sense of his past and his present,” writes Nutt.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Jon Sarkin’s cluttered,
stream-of-consciousness, crazy quilt style is anything but linear, but it has
caught the attention of the art and publishing world, where his work has been<span style="background: white; color: #333333;"> featured in<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><em><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-style: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">The
New Yorker</span></em><i>,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i><em><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-style: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">The
New York Times</span></em><i>,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i><em><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-style: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">ABC
Primetime</span></em><i>,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i><em><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-style: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">This
American Life</span></em><i>,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i><em><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-style: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">GQ</span></em><i>, </i><em><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-style: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">ArtNews</span></em><i>, </i>and galleries in New York, Los
Angeles, and around the world.<span class="apple-converted-space"> I
encourage you to s</span></span>ee Sarkin’s work at jsarkin.com.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5rJIKJA80Kx3qzyLMOZ2hzkIn8uUfExxC2BnrQpQHoF5C7KeZTAbbL5fYiOzbPBGbv7szgUonOwdLHpdAkli7ScsnwwqFcRLs5EBfeCepYA-jfIxI8m-Go2wqp0vhZeFJvCGN0zFZuUA/s1600/May+Jon-Sarkin-Little-Richard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5rJIKJA80Kx3qzyLMOZ2hzkIn8uUfExxC2BnrQpQHoF5C7KeZTAbbL5fYiOzbPBGbv7szgUonOwdLHpdAkli7ScsnwwqFcRLs5EBfeCepYA-jfIxI8m-Go2wqp0vhZeFJvCGN0zFZuUA/s1600/May+Jon-Sarkin-Little-Richard.jpg" height="386" width="400" /></a></div>
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Tina Bainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13894830261537799280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161974592631732366.post-16688403088430753842014-04-25T07:49:00.002-07:002014-05-11T08:08:38.059-07:00<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Turn your photos into art</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Blowing up SLR photos into something special</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Originally published April 18, 2014 in the Santa Cruz Sentinel</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSUpKPD93TGXWS3UkCjKtLv6t5pGcirXE1RPuedrA9JMa1a3IhSFouJiI7e6zIaZ8UnN7ANfBUUlx0UaK_44w3VcdIHhEw0b-aHcgNgnHo0Vo3fMZTOLMElEy-NWzPFqMDeBwkBiN7q48/s1600/Large+photos+Kerouac+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSUpKPD93TGXWS3UkCjKtLv6t5pGcirXE1RPuedrA9JMa1a3IhSFouJiI7e6zIaZ8UnN7ANfBUUlx0UaK_44w3VcdIHhEw0b-aHcgNgnHo0Vo3fMZTOLMElEy-NWzPFqMDeBwkBiN7q48/s1600/Large+photos+Kerouac+2.jpg" height="640" width="548" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-align: start;">Since his printer’s width limit is 44 inches, Steve made his largest image—Jack Kerouac</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-align: start;"> Alley in San Francisco—by printing on two panels which he had to match</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-align: start;"> up perfectly when framing and hanging.</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I’ve been the designated family photographer for years and love to add
a good family or vacation photo to our hallway gallery. But </div>
<br />
I’ve never really
considered blowing a photo up large enough to display in my home like art. Would
that even be possible with my 8-megapixel camera?<br />
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I go visit a friend—Steve Snyder—whose roomy home is like an art
gallery, with his vibrant California landscapes and macro photography displayed
on every available wall space. Steve likes to shoot classic California scenery in
places like Capitola Village, Big Sur and Yosemite, and print as large as he
possibly can. His large-format Canon printer allows him to produce canvases up
to 44 inches wide, and many more inches long.</div>
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I ask Steve if someone like me, with an old digital SLR, could also
produce poster-sized photos. “Absolutely,” he says. “It depends on the image.” To
demonstrate, he points to one of his most popular images—huge orange carp
swimming in a koi pond—which he says he shot with a 2 or 3 megapixel camera quite
a few cameras ago, and hung above a doorway.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Why does this relatively small file blown up to 39”x50” still look
good? Large photos make you stand back farther to take them in, and “when
you’re standing back so far, you don’t need so many megapixels,” he says. But why
does this photo in particular work? “Because it’s a big graphic image,” he says.
“You’re not looking to see all the little pores in the fish’s head. You
probably wouldn’t want to.”</div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFPhc_hIc2M9Nteq9kuSlhYtCtWtIm2GojQ6KjnBV2wFEB9JyutEOpvIWdxPSVYevSrZYCa0PZ9O71NUaNc-imUNXZjGOd10nSR1H-bAZ4HS0Uuexl1cf86v98u6at6pCYgfAq3oi_9Pk/s1600/Large+photos+koi+pond.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFPhc_hIc2M9Nteq9kuSlhYtCtWtIm2GojQ6KjnBV2wFEB9JyutEOpvIWdxPSVYevSrZYCa0PZ9O71NUaNc-imUNXZjGOd10nSR1H-bAZ4HS0Uuexl1cf86v98u6at6pCYgfAq3oi_9Pk/s1600/Large+photos+koi+pond.jpg" height="362" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-align: start;">One of Steve’s most popular images of a koi pond was shot several years ago with a 2 or 3 megapixel</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-align: start;"> camera, but still looks great blown up to 39” x 55” in the entry way of his home.</span><span style="text-align: start;"> </span><span style="text-align: start;">Framing under glass</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-align: start;"> would add unwanted reflections, so Steve used canvas in a floating frame, which adds a black space</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-align: start;"> between the image and the frame.</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<o:p> </o:p>In contrast, he points to a huge, abstract image hung at eye-level nearby—an
extreme close up of a polished rock, shot with a 36 megapixel Nikon. “I want to
see all the detail,” says Steve.</div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSTJVtjt6D9h9gOwW5yaglNl28GgK8GEJsH0yG1B54Z0cWe3W0I54CMKwQYrzvD8jCtO4nN1omHh-4NfRlNG9zlJT-agLAKGOGhKWyDswYlccVeI9NzgsOp53CbyzoJEzBu-pvi1EEAsQ/s1600/Large+photos+rock+slice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSTJVtjt6D9h9gOwW5yaglNl28GgK8GEJsH0yG1B54Z0cWe3W0I54CMKwQYrzvD8jCtO4nN1omHh-4NfRlNG9zlJT-agLAKGOGhKWyDswYlccVeI9NzgsOp53CbyzoJEzBu-pvi1EEAsQ/s1600/Large+photos+rock+slice.jpg" height="400" width="323" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">With his macro photo of a polished rock, instead<br /> of wrapping the image around the edges of the frame,<br />Steve maximizes the printed size of the photo<br /> by adding black to the wrapped edge. In the black<br /> band he’s added his name, date, and title.</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Generally speaking, a landscape will stand up to enlargement much better
than a portrait, because the details of faces are so much more important to a
viewer than being able to count the leaves on a tree. But the print medium also
matters, says Mike de Boer, store manager of Bay Photo Lab in Soquel. “You
can’t do metal if you want to go really big. It really exposes the qualities of
the image. Canvas is much more forgiving,” he says.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Both Mike and Steve helped me understand some other basic principles
for making high quality photographs.</div>
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<br /></div>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Set your camera for the largest file size
possible. For my old Canon, I have a choice of “Large” for a 3.3 megabyte file,
“raw” for an 8.3 megabyte file, or both simultaneously.</li>
</ol>
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<br /></div>
<ol start="2" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">If you shoot raw files (preferred by most
art photographers), you will have to have software such as Adobe Photoshop
or Lightroom in order to download the photos and save them as JPEGs. <span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">A raw
file contains the data exactly as it is collected by the image sensor, and
“gives you a much wider ability to fix images, especially in troublesome
exposure areas,” says Mike. </span>Or, as Steve puts it, if you shoot raw
files and save them as JPEGs, “you won’t have more information, but you’ll
have <i>better</i> information.” (One
note: If you shoot raw, or raw + JPEG on vacation, make sure you take lots
of memory cards with you for storage of those big files until you get
home.)</li>
</ol>
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<br /></div>
<ol start="3" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">If you do any editing of your images, make
sure you always save them at the highest quality setting—12 for a JPEG.
Another option is to copy the JPEG or PSD files you want to enlarge to a
memory stick and take it to Bay Photo, where a technician will sit with
you and edit your photos in Photoshop with your input. (Basic editing,
such as darkening the sky or improving colors, is free; “art work” editing,
such as removing objects, is charged by the minute.)</li>
</ol>
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<br /></div>
<ol start="4" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Adobe Photoshop is still the professional
choice for photo editing software. But a less expensive and easier-to-use option
is Adobe Lightroom. One way to get Photoshop at a more affordable price is
to take a high school or college-level photography class (which might also
improve your photo skills), so you’ll qualify for the much-reduced student
price. Adobe also offers free downloadable beta (testing phase) versions
of Photoshop and Lightroom.</li>
</ol>
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<br /></div>
<ol start="5" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Steve noticed the inexpensive, chipped
lens on the front of my camera lens to protect the lens. He says cheap
filters will create reflections and color loss. Better to go without a
filter and use a lens hood instead. Or, for landscapes, use a high-quality
polarizing filter.</li>
</ol>
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<br /></div>
<ol start="6" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Don’t use your $99 ink-jet printer
(limited to 8-1/2 x 11 paper) or do inexpensive DIY framing for fine art
photos. Printing on photo paper is still done, but there are so many more
options that will enable you to frame your photos without glass and its
distracting reflections. On bayphoto.com you’ll get a taste of the huge
variety of printing and mounting options out there, such as:</li>
</ol>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Canvas—implies the richness and quality of a
painting, printed with archival inks on high-quality ink-jet printers. Canvas
can also be wrapped around 1-1/2 inch deep stretchers, making the additional
expense of glass, matting and framing unnecessary.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Metal—vibrating with luminescent colors, these
durable prints are created by infusing dyes directly into specially coated
aluminum sheets. Metal is growing in popularity, and is available in glassy,
matte and other finishes.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Floating frames—available and very effective for
canvas and metal prints, floating frames create a black space between the frame
and the print so that the print appears to be floating.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
Mike says the quality and size of a printed photo are also determined
by customer expectations. “We talk to people and see what’s acceptable to
them,” says Mike. “In the first few minutes, we can usually tell.” An employee
since 1998, Mike’s seen Bay Photo’s roll change quite a bit in 16 years. “The
interactions with customers used to be a lot shorter,” he says. “Now we’ve
become a social place where people hang out and we talk about images.”</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
You can also upload your photos (if the file size isn’t too large) and
order the exact treatment you want through bayphoto.com, costcophotocenter.com,
or other online photo processing sites. To see Steve Snyder’s photo album, go
to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/steven.snyder.790/media_set?set=a.10200741525615256.1073741868.1675605990&type=3" target="_blank"><span style="background: white; color: #1155cc; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">https://www.facebook.com/steven.snyder.790/media_set?set=a.10200741525615256.1073741868.1675605990&type=3</span></a><span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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Tina Baine</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span class="apple-style-span">For an archive of my columns go to <a href="http://www.tinabaine.blogspot.com/">www.tinabaine.blogspot.com</a></span><u><span style="color: #333333; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR5xfRZm6nG9axiBvzS7L9gRDyBzhVWBAr3Zqn0CZhg2dQ9fB3by7t-y4sjQFSRM8bU5I1TOwgh7Ky5Z9j45N0xd-DAY4P1YUvCd3nxOaW_yF6p8_VIw_IbsnZqvv5XqN9PtJMm-EnV2E/s1600/Harvey+Bear+is+so+green+020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR5xfRZm6nG9axiBvzS7L9gRDyBzhVWBAr3Zqn0CZhg2dQ9fB3by7t-y4sjQFSRM8bU5I1TOwgh7Ky5Z9j45N0xd-DAY4P1YUvCd3nxOaW_yF6p8_VIw_IbsnZqvv5XqN9PtJMm-EnV2E/s1600/Harvey+Bear+is+so+green+020.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">This is my photo before I decided to take it to Bay Photo, of the green hills above San Martin at Harvey Bear Ranch Park. Mike de Boer improved the image by darkening the sky and heightening the color saturation. He suggested I have it printed as an 11 x 17 metal print, which I did for about $50. The finished print is really stunning. I would have liked to go larger, but the loss of detail would have been noticeable.</span></div>
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Tina Bainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13894830261537799280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161974592631732366.post-4824975714670774212014-03-14T17:54:00.003-07:002014-03-14T17:56:52.794-07:00<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCa1qpBaFk20AruTIKRgF1rAMxjUvUwWsT2Ra_RWFAkp-i2k57-eqVJRhZbE5zuOaoUG5tc46aiJHfkzI9fmkwBiV0P8jpNS0ivhhPpu8CI5pLvugskiqDTwcr-KHObZQJnDMvGHG9zEU/s1600/kitchens+two-tone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCa1qpBaFk20AruTIKRgF1rAMxjUvUwWsT2Ra_RWFAkp-i2k57-eqVJRhZbE5zuOaoUG5tc46aiJHfkzI9fmkwBiV0P8jpNS0ivhhPpu8CI5pLvugskiqDTwcr-KHObZQJnDMvGHG9zEU/s1600/kitchens+two-tone.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;">Refinishing kitchen cabinets with time, effort and savings</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">How I stayed busy, got a new kitchen and read 5 books over 26 weekends</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Originally published in the Santa Cruz Sentinel March 21, 2014</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
A recent article in Popular Mechanics says that the national average
cost for a minor kitchen remodel is about $18,500, while a major overhaul comes
in at almost $54,000. Better Homes and Gardens reports that <span style="background: white; color: #222222;">the average price of an upscale kitchen
is a staggering $107,973. These numbers might encourage us to do something we
shouldn’t with our 401(k) or kid’s college fund. But when I told my contractor
that I wanted to spend less than $10,000 (including new appliances), he told me
it was possible if I kept my 1980s cabinets and refinished them myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222;">Cabinets typically make up
one-third to one-half of the average total kitchen-remodeling budget, according
to the National Kitchen and Bath Association. But there are ways to trim
cabinet costs such as:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="background: white;">Using
standard-sized stock or RTA (ready-to-assemble) cabinetry. </span><span style="background: white; color: #333333;">RTA cabinets are finished, pre-drilled
and delivered in a flat pack along with all the hardware needed for
assembly.</span><span style="background: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="background: white;">Replacing
cabinet doors, drawer fronts and cabinet moldings, but keeping and refacing
the existing cabinet boxes and framework with veneers.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="background: white;">Opting
for doorless upper cabinets.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="background: white;">Adding
new hardware, a few glass inserts, and paint or stain to update the
existing cabinets.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Throughout this months-long process, I “read” several <br />books, so earbuds are an essential component of cabinet<br /> refinishing. Of course you’ve got to crank up the volume<br /> when sanding the cabinet doors after stripping.</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Another option is
illustrated on the cover of the hipster guidebook, “It’s Lonely in the Modern
World”: forgoing upper kitchen cabinets altogether, and just stacking your
dishes on simple shelves.</span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222;">I decided to strip and
re-stain rather than prime and paint because I preferred the look and warmth of
wood. I refinished some cabinets long ago, and hoped there was new technology
to make the process safer, easier and faster. Like any home-improvement
project, there are multiple ways to go about it, so it took some time to
research and compare methods and materials. Basically, refinishing involves these
seven steps:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">1)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-weight: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="background: white; color: #222222;">Remove hardware and wood trim: </span></b><span style="background: white; color: #222222;"> Use a drill or screwdriver to remove all the
hinges and pulls, and a taping knife and pry bar to remove the wood trim. I
decided to replace the hardware, but if you are going to reuse it, store pieces
in labeled Ziploc bags until you have time to soak and scrub them clean. Also
label the location and orientation of each drawer and front with painter’s
tape. Mask the surfaces around the cabinet boxes with painter’s tape and cover
the floors and counters where you are working with plastic garbage bags.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNIf4ib5KrCPw0WAG9bykLr_022P73fDNv8seyRd3Hb9Lg5cOnOighSejenZslz94av_yTPJ9r9vAqTA_9yDdQ2NgwE1vdlPU0iWtjzt5FXnQX-SkkHERe8xxfbjDKgReEeWmAlBCLVmc/s1600/kitchen+stripping.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNIf4ib5KrCPw0WAG9bykLr_022P73fDNv8seyRd3Hb9Lg5cOnOighSejenZslz94av_yTPJ9r9vAqTA_9yDdQ2NgwE1vdlPU0iWtjzt5FXnQX-SkkHERe8xxfbjDKgReEeWmAlBCLVmc/s1600/kitchen+stripping.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Liquid strippers work best, but for vertical surfaces use <br />gel, which won’t drip as much. I used Citrustrip,<br /> a bright orange gel that smells decent enough, <br />worked pretty well, and claims to be non-corrosive,<br /> non-toxic and biodegradable. Paint on with a cheap brush,<br /> allow it to work awhile, then remove with a plastic scraper.</span></span></td></tr>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #222222;">WORK WISELY: </span></b><span style="background: white; color: #222222;">Stripping is a nasty business. Whether you are stripping oil-based
paint or varnish and stain, spare no expense on protecting your health. Buy thick
rubber gloves, a big box or two of disposable nitrile gloves, eye protection, a
sanding respirator, and a vapor respirator (the serious, $50 kind). Work
outside or with windows and doors wide-open (drought years are optimal in this
case), read all labels and use the appropriate protection whenever you are
using chemicals or sanding, <u>even when working outdoors or with so-called
safe products.</u> Also be conscientious about how you are disposing of all
work materials—many of which don’t belong in your garbage can. For every step
of this process there are products that claim to be safer to use than traditional
solvent-based products, so I suggest reading some online MSDSs (material safety
data sheet) to know all the risks before you choose.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="background: white; color: #222222;">Clean:</span></b><span style="background: white; color: #222222;"> Remove grease
and dirt from the cabinet and drawer front surfaces with a trisodium phosphate
solution (TSP), and wipe off with a wrung-out sponge. Allow the surfaces to dry
completely. If you’re going to install new hardware that won’t use the same
screw holes, fill in the old holes with wood putty. (If you are going to paint
your cabinets, you don’t need to strip them—a HUGE time-saver. Roll on primer tinted
to match your top coat, allow to dry, then roll on the paint.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="background: white; color: #222222;">Strip: </span></b><span style="background: white; color: #222222;">I used Citrustrip, a bright orange gel that
smells decent enough, worked pretty well, and claims to be non-corrosive, non-toxic
and biodegradable (but still use gloves and a vapor respirator). Paint on with
a cheap brush, allow it to work awhile, then remove with a plastic scraper.
Apply a second time if necessary. Remove any remaining residue with fine steel
wool (.00001) and odorless mineral spirits or pre-stain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="background: white; color: #222222;">Sand: </span></b><span style="background: white; color: #222222;">Using an orbital or finish sander and 150 to 180 grit
sandpaper, sand all surfaces until the bare wood looks uniformly clean and
feels smooth. You may need a stiff brush or detail sander to get into corners
or groves. (I used bamboo skewers.) After sanding, wipe the surfaces with a dry
cloth to ensure all dust is removed. <b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #222222;">TAKE A BREAK: </span></b><span style="background: white; color: #222222;">Breathe a big sigh of relief (away from any dust and fumes)
because the hardest, most tedious part is over.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGKYpvw-tIOrxmKOx_upm2bAIkKro-hIuRGONMzuCogJ3hTOpDAJdxHozvpffNDqIc-Y-Aiipx6SK_8k7cSIcDsnUhdOtefcmk4iRJvL-YzQlRBvhXAH3HRWjxq8ahW7WRkWCSeAReA5Q/s1600/kitchen+supllies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGKYpvw-tIOrxmKOx_upm2bAIkKro-hIuRGONMzuCogJ3hTOpDAJdxHozvpffNDqIc-Y-Aiipx6SK_8k7cSIcDsnUhdOtefcmk4iRJvL-YzQlRBvhXAH3HRWjxq8ahW7WRkWCSeAReA5Q/s1600/kitchen+supllies.jpg" height="428" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">I spent about $500 on everything I used to refinish my kitchen cabinets—including replacement hinges, pulls and knobs. Most of the tools can be used again for other home improvement projects.</span></span></td></tr>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">5)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-weight: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="background: white; color: #222222;">Stain:</span></b><span style="background: white; color: #222222;"> Find a paint store like South Bay Paints in San
Jose, where a clerk spent about an hour with me, opening cans of stain and
dabbing various shades onto the back of my stripped and sanded cabinet door
until I was satisfied with the color. Gel stain is rubbed on and the excess removed
with cut-up tee-shirt strips. Follow the directions on the can, and don’t let
the stain sit for too long or it will start to gum-up and the excess with not
wipe off. Let the stain dry for 72 hours before applying the finish coat.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMNoxOAj5kKQ3TVeWEkvpIL0wU5xs8uWXlkqhuO8gt8sJdcQe88TOqZIr19T80YVFEJ-VpQrQach6zf8whmzD2OPcnnnyD-S4EqEW6zpkIlcU_9A2WJfHS3MvTISIknSpoj5ov3tvyTu8/s1600/kitchens+knives.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMNoxOAj5kKQ3TVeWEkvpIL0wU5xs8uWXlkqhuO8gt8sJdcQe88TOqZIr19T80YVFEJ-VpQrQach6zf8whmzD2OPcnnnyD-S4EqEW6zpkIlcU_9A2WJfHS3MvTISIknSpoj5ov3tvyTu8/s1600/kitchens+knives.jpg" height="400" width="267" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">One of my favorite aspects of Holly Scrimsher’s<br /> remodeled kitchen is her magnetic knife and scissor<br /> strips, hung above the sink on her wood laminate walls.</span></span></td></tr>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">6)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-weight: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="background: white; color: #222222;">Apply finish:</span></b><span style="background: white; color: #222222;"> I chose to brush on a polyurethane
top-coat on with a 2-1/2 inch, white china bristle brush, but polyurethane can
also be sprayed on. Following the grain, make about two passes with the brush,
and then one very light final pass, before moving on to the next piece. If you
apply too heavy a coat, you must continue to brush it out to avoid runs and
drips, so strive for light coats. After a few hours you can sand very, very
lightly with 220-grit sandpaper and apply a second light coat. No matter how
careful you are, there will most likely be a few drips, but only you will
notice them.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">7)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-weight: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="background: white; color: #222222;">Replace hardware:</span></b><span style="background: white; color: #222222;"> If you’re using existing holes and
hardware that fits those holes, this will go fairly quickly. If you are making
changes, use a plastic template to mark the screw holes, so that they are
consistent from cabinet to cabinet. Use a tape measure to find the center of
drawer faces and center the template on that mark. After reattaching the fronts
to the drawers, drill pilot holes before screwing new drawer pulls into place.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #222222;">REALITY CHECK: </span></b><span style="background: white; color: #222222;">Lowe’s website has a helpful refinishing guide with a chart
for determining the type of the existing finish on your cabinets (wax, shellac,
lacquer, water-based, varnish, polyurethane, oil, or paint) in order to use the
proper stripper. At the very end of the guide, in tiny print, they say, “Before
undertaking refinishing, remind yourself that it takes a lot of time and
effort.” In retrospect, I don’t think I read this warning in any of my other
sources, and if I had, it was probably much too subtle to have discouraged me.
Working 2-4 hours a weekend, it took me about 6 MONTHS to complete the cabinets
(with hardware help from my family). But it was worth it, because I saved thousands
of dollars by doing it myself, and my whole kitchen remodeling project would
have been beyond our budget without it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Tina Baine</div>
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<span class="apple-style-span">For an archive of my columns go to <a href="http://www.tinabaine.blogspot.com/">www.tinabaine.blogspot.com</a></span><u><span style="color: #333333; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPWbI3tQdWRo1M3e2KIuzPHj4QGypNY39fM5CMW_JyZccq3O9Rt3x4Q2BG9Quud-gDCVdm2NIb0YoUUFg2rsi_KqhtwKP-OAt5_nH-DmHAnpgNqWsFnGSxqefOfd6nNkKJjZmmIzIX9g8/s1600/Kitchen+Lisa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPWbI3tQdWRo1M3e2KIuzPHj4QGypNY39fM5CMW_JyZccq3O9Rt3x4Q2BG9Quud-gDCVdm2NIb0YoUUFg2rsi_KqhtwKP-OAt5_nH-DmHAnpgNqWsFnGSxqefOfd6nNkKJjZmmIzIX9g8/s1600/Kitchen+Lisa.jpg" height="307" width="400" /></a><span style="background: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Lisa
Jensen and James Aschbacher’s kitchen is all about those Bermuda Teal cabinets.
“We didn’t want to spend a fortune on either fancy veneers or (ulp) entirely new
cabinets,” says Lisa, so they decided to keep their 1960s plywood cabinets and
power up the color. “We wanted something more fun,” she says. They scrubbed all
the surfaces with a vinegar solution to remove the grime, and James (a
professional artist) then painted all the cabinets “very meticulously” by hand.
“Our friends and other visitors loved the new color instantly,” remembers Lisa.
“During Open Studios, it’s hard to steer people out of the kitchen & back
to the art! I was the only one who had reservations after James finished
painting the first cabinet. An hour later I loved it!” (photo by Lisa Jensen)</span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">With wood (or wood
laminate) on every surface, Holly Scrimsher’s kitchen feels like a cozy
mountain retreat. Holly, and her grown children Wendy and Jess, spent last
summer remodeling the space from floor to ceiling, doing all the work
themselves. She says she spent about $3,400 (not including appliances) for the
entire project. Her maple-finish cabinets were purchased assembled at Home
Depot, replacing old cabinets with about six coats of paint. A seasoned
woodworker and all-around handy person, Holly was able to create, customize and
improvise whenever necessary, like when she and Wendy used a car jack to hold
the upper cabinets up while they fastened them to the wall. After trying vinyl
floor tiles as a backsplash/wall covering, she finally decided to use laminate
flooring instead for a much more practical and economical version of wood
paneling.</span></span></div>
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Tina Bainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13894830261537799280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161974592631732366.post-85620514578479011892014-03-09T21:39:00.000-07:002014-03-11T07:12:25.892-07:00<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">Yoga for the brain</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">Zen Doodling</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Originally published February 7, 2014 in the Santa Cruz Sentinel</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Jann Griffith has drawn several beautiful underwater<br /> scenes using her vast collection of Zentangle designs.</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The author of "Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers," Stanford professor Robert M. Sapolsky, has focused much of his neurological research on the effects of stress on animals, and by extension, humans. Sapolsky believes it is vital to understand the difference between survival stress, and the everyday human kind brought on by memories, emotions and thoughts.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"For 99% of the species on this planet, stress is three minutes of screaming terror in the savannah, after which either it's over with or you're over with," he writes. "if you're running from a lion, your blood pressure is 180 over 120. But you're not suffering from high blood pressure--you're saving your life. Having this same thing happen when you're stuck in traffic, and you're not saving your life. Instead you are suffering from stress-induced hypertension."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"When you look at the diseases that do us in (heart disease, cancer, adult-onset diabetes, Alzheimer's), they are predominately diseases that can be caused, or made worse, by stress," Sapolsky writes. "As a result, most of us . . . will have the profound Westernized luxury of dropping dead someday of a stress-related disease. That's why it's so urgent that we understand stress-and how to better manage it."</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheZuTPrvDZhy3Xeu3vFKZIyJFbtsIFnmXB31X4YlbNmAXw7jfQiO5I_6meS7gr8InMYgANpaxTS0nm7OafocVu5YY6I6Wf7xWOMmBnWlwLZsTsaDLje314hQfcLK0w28PG2LkP4APQ4i4/s1600/Zentangle+hands.jpg" height="400" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="310" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">A classic Zentangle—by Jennifer Miller—is drawn<br /> on a 3 ½ x 3 ½ paper tile, using a black archival pen<br /> to draw patterns in each random section. Jen calls<br /> drawing mistakes “a beautiful oops,” since you can<br /> easily incorporate an unplanned line into a new design.</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">While studying laboratory rats that received random electric shocks,
Sapolsky observed several ways rats are able to cope with stress. The first way
is to take their stress out on another rat by “biting the crap out of it,”
writes Sapolsky. The second is to anticipate stress with predictive information—for
example a warning bell ten seconds prior to the shock. The third stress reducer
is having the perception of control—even if it’s only a placebo—such as having
a lever to press. The fourth is to have a friend—social affiliation helps
control stress.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But for me, the most intriguing stress-reducing strategy for a lab rat
was the fifth way: gnawing on a piece of wood. “The guy’s not going to get an
ulcer, because he has an outlet for his frustrations. He has a hobby,” writes
Sapolsky. If this is true—if hobbies help us cope with anxiety and live longer
healthier lives (and not resort to “biting the crap” out of our family and
friends), then having an artistic outlet—especially one that is therapeutic by
design—may be worth exploring.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The Joy of Zentangle<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheZuTPrvDZhy3Xeu3vFKZIyJFbtsIFnmXB31X4YlbNmAXw7jfQiO5I_6meS7gr8InMYgANpaxTS0nm7OafocVu5YY6I6Wf7xWOMmBnWlwLZsTsaDLje314hQfcLK0w28PG2LkP4APQ4i4/s1600/Zentangle+hands.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Zentangle is an art form that promotes drawing as meditation. The
theory behind Zentangle is that, by making simple, repetitive strokes, you
become totally focused on what you’re doing. As you become absorbed in the
process, you find yourself getting calmer, less stressed, less judgmental, and
feel happier and more content—like yoga for the brain.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmwE50GLokU8zJRVyKf1_KPUbZdPjSpbVMvsmVbkbZTI5vr_ZvTIUbcoAP12THSavsg-E3P4H-tI2fuZAtfgjQrjgoo2SU0lz3kZuBqd_OwP5d05ydI7Lfgx5_Kpajc4t2Prv-G0oNmG4/s1600/Zentangle+LOVE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmwE50GLokU8zJRVyKf1_KPUbZdPjSpbVMvsmVbkbZTI5vr_ZvTIUbcoAP12THSavsg-E3P4H-tI2fuZAtfgjQrjgoo2SU0lz3kZuBqd_OwP5d05ydI7Lfgx5_Kpajc4t2Prv-G0oNmG4/s1600/Zentangle+LOVE.jpg" height="400" width="283" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Matthew Fitch, 7, proudly shows the<br /> valentine he’s just created to the January<br /> meeting of the Morgan Hill Zen Doodler Club.</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Maybe you already doodle on a notepad when you’re bored or daydreaming,
or just want to escape. It’s relaxing and transporting. Like doodling, Zentangle
(also known as Zen Doodling) is easy and requires no artistic skill. Zentangle.com says, “You cannot fail to create
a Zentangle. Since it is not a picture of something, you have no worries about
whether you can draw a hand or a duck. You always succeed.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I recently took one of Nancy Domnauer’s monthly Zentangle classes at BookSmart
in Morgan Hill. I’ve never practiced any form of yoga or meditation, but I definitely
experienced a calming, focused state while creating my first Zentangle. A
classic Zentangle is drawn on a 3 ½ x 3 ½ paper tile. Using a pencil, we drew a
dot in each corner of the tile about ¼-inch from the edge and connected the
dots with straight or wavy lines to create a border. We then drew a loopy
“string” inside the border creating four or five random sections. Using a black
archival drawing pen, we drew patterns she taught in each of the sections. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ-EpvS2AiLD_dIkcnISPSKHuNY6L6fV1jPOeLvx61Nx1wAB8SnvRJMfX-sDNgMA06cyyvP6wVs4nj640UirBsnvqlV2SRksSO4SIOAgg5xMlJ0TIssQLgxgDKOA_qnLcpmMo8MRg-Xms/s1600/Zentangle+jewelry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ-EpvS2AiLD_dIkcnISPSKHuNY6L6fV1jPOeLvx61Nx1wAB8SnvRJMfX-sDNgMA06cyyvP6wVs4nj640UirBsnvqlV2SRksSO4SIOAgg5xMlJ0TIssQLgxgDKOA_qnLcpmMo8MRg-Xms/s1600/Zentangle+jewelry.jpg" height="400" width="237" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Jennifer Miller draws Zentangle</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> designs on shrink plastic squares</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> and then hinges them together</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> with jump rings to make bracelets.</span><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The creators of Zentangle—Rick Roberts, a former monk, and Maria
Thomas, a lettering artist—developed Zentangle ten years ago as a method for
anyone to achieve a peaceful, meditative state through simple drawing. Today
there are more than 400 CZTs (Certified Zentangle Teachers) worldwide,
thousands of Zentangle enthusiasts, and many books and websites devoted to the
practice.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Nancy has also organized monthly meet-ups—the Morgan Hill Zen Doodlers
Club—where her student can gather, exchange new patterns and resources, and
draw together. Karen Fitch, who brought her 7-year-old son, Matthew, to the
January meeting, says Zentangle is great for her son because “he can do it and
be successful. We try to draw something together at least once a week, after
he’s done his homework,” she says. “You’re really engaging both sides of your
brain.” That evening they each worked on making valentines—filling in the
letters L-O-V-E with Zen Doodle patterns.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Pam Drayton is quite enthusiastic about her latest hobby. “I’m
addicted. I have to get every book there is. I’ve given this to all my nieces
and nephews, and now they are Zen Doodling all over the Midwest,” she says. “I
work in high-tech and it’s a very stressful job.” She says that within minutes
of drawing her first Zentangle, she felt calmer. “It’s just the most relaxing
thing in the whole wide world,” she says more than once. “You don’t expect it
to be pretty, but this is so cool. I’m a 70s girl. I used to get detention for
drawing stuff like this in class.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Zentangle can be done anywhere with only a black pen, white paper and a
pencil. No eraser is needed because there are no mistakes. An errant mark can
be easily incorporated into the design, and may even “take you in unexpected
and exciting new directions,” says Nancy. Its portability also allows you to
improvise wherever you are—on a business card or a napkin—anytime you feel the
need to relax and focus.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm8rXG5fjUIOHJErEfPR5_dS6-xi0o9o1yXCrdvkF3TYD6w5Mx9eFrqJ4egRxweTFDSIalA6md2jnNZVqQAm-ebw-rQNQmzDQ-MEkE9vG8wKH6oAznZBtt6wLV8Ru8rG0PcP6XqUHBeCI/s1600/Zentangle+mother+and+daughter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm8rXG5fjUIOHJErEfPR5_dS6-xi0o9o1yXCrdvkF3TYD6w5Mx9eFrqJ4egRxweTFDSIalA6md2jnNZVqQAm-ebw-rQNQmzDQ-MEkE9vG8wKH6oAznZBtt6wLV8Ru8rG0PcP6XqUHBeCI/s1600/Zentangle+mother+and+daughter.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Jolene Hall and her daughter Nikki work on designs during<br /> the January Zen Doodler Club at BookSmart in Morgan Hill.<br /> Jolene says, “This helps me to concentrate better.<br /> I’ve always doodled, but now I feel I have purpose to my doodles.”</span></span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmwE50GLokU8zJRVyKf1_KPUbZdPjSpbVMvsmVbkbZTI5vr_ZvTIUbcoAP12THSavsg-E3P4H-tI2fuZAtfgjQrjgoo2SU0lz3kZuBqd_OwP5d05ydI7Lfgx5_Kpajc4t2Prv-G0oNmG4/s1600/Zentangle+LOVE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The official Zentangle website (Zentangle.com) offers instructional
videos demonstrating the basic technique, products, a newsletter, CZT training
dates, and a blog with project ideas and links. There are quite a few books available
on Zentangle and hundreds of pattern ideas and applications online. Zentangle
patterns can also be used to decorate fabric, note pads, shoes, jewelry, cards,
mugs, journals, scrapbooks, furniture, gourds, tiles—any surface that will
accept ink.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Nancy Domnauer writes that, “A completed Zen Doodle project looks
complicated, yet if you slow down, focus and take your time, you will create an
attractive work of art!” She views the Zentangle process not only as a stress-reducing,
art-producing hobby, but as a metaphor for life. “You can transfer the insight
and experience of success and accomplishment to any life experience,” writes
Nancy. “Something may look complicated, but you now know that you can do it,
one simple stroke at a time.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Side Note: Nancy Domnauer’s next Zen Doodling for Adults class
meets Monday, February 17, from 6:30 to 8:00 pm at BookSmart at 80 E. 2<sup>nd</sup>
Street in Morgan Hill. Call BookSmart at
(408) 778-6467 to register for the class, or email Nancy for more information
at <a href="mailto:Domnauer@yahoo.com">Domnauer@yahoo.com</a>. Also check-out her collection of Zen Doodle designs
and applications on her Pinterest page:
http://pinterest.com/nancybonjour/zentangle/</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjT8VjdxCo-GIK0XYg6pXuS0jFvu4EcYiK_dtL8qCTmLsl3w_2Zi5zLCds2D9QM17AxB2dThceHMPopBgVLHab2SApgytcCbwSUQQyOBQIIIsMrJqabDrx6ClLCty-75fO2DsnRXt-VE8/s1600/Zentangle+Christmas+card.jpg" height="400" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="382" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Sandra Dunie of Morgan Hill made her Christmas cards <br />from Zentangle designs. She says, “Sometimes you<br /> wake up in the middle of the night and think, what can<br /> I do next. I never felt like I had the talent to do art. <br />With this, I just feel comfortable.”</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large; font-weight: normal;">Embracing Paper</span></h2>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">Paper offers a seductive challenge</span></h2>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-weight: normal;">Originally published in the Santa Cruz Sentinel January 24, 2014</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRSDTT7b1Et2Hah3xR_pHDEDLSjeS7zG3QWjmLTk_zRLf7xiTapm6VsPTIo48ddSJQhrjUIKRQUenxxiXK3PL0uEY0LX7X_dym6CsuVJ-JtNSD0tIkqNscPBZhFgDtaJr06Xl9reJp3tM/s1600/Paper+blooms.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRSDTT7b1Et2Hah3xR_pHDEDLSjeS7zG3QWjmLTk_zRLf7xiTapm6VsPTIo48ddSJQhrjUIKRQUenxxiXK3PL0uEY0LX7X_dym6CsuVJ-JtNSD0tIkqNscPBZhFgDtaJr06Xl9reJp3tM/s1600/Paper+blooms.jpg" height="344" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><u><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Paper blooms</span></u><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">: </span><span class="a-size-medium"><span style="color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">I’ve made paper flowers before
(usually from a kit), but never had so much fun as when I spent an entire
afternoon jumping from one flower project to the next in </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">“Paper
Blooms.” I dipped paper yarn in liquid starch and wrapped it around various
bottles to create vases for the flowers.</span><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="color: #333333; font-weight: normal;">Paper is typically
a one-use, disposable kind of product—the stuff that typically fills up most of
your recycling can: shopping bags, wrapping paper, food packaging and junk mail.
But perhaps its ordinariness and impermanence is what makes it such a seductive
challenge as an artistic medium. Artists seem to love seeing how far they can
go with paper. For example, just Google “paper dress” and you’ll discover an endless
number of images, including</span><span style="font-weight: normal;"> Lady Gaga in a red hot Post-It Note dress, a
prom dress made from coffee filters, bridal gowns made from toilet paper, and up-cycled
dresses made from newspapers and phone books—most of them pretty remarkable.</span></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">Closer
to home, you can witness the transformation of paper (and other challenging
materials) at either of the annual runway shows: FashionTEENS in the spring or
FashionART in the fall. Or visit Open Studios artists like Anita Landon, who
makes pulsating collages from magazine pages featuring familiar local imagery,
including Capitola Beach, the yacht harbor, Pigeon Point Lighthouse, and Wilder
Ranch. (</span><a href="http://www.anitalandon.com/" style="background-color: white;">www.anitalandon.com</a><span style="background-color: white;">)</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3S9PIsTtGxfb3lS8IkolXsN0sKprm0SG0_PVZr8WnVruP9-SQuLaB7RfuQdH8cUhRLoDt73Hpb9jfDKYmUnubJ2i2dcvbPx2txexrZalG6fgURyY5saMeiuWG1VaCkWtJv7MtdsQUwRY/s1600/Paper+Yarn+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3S9PIsTtGxfb3lS8IkolXsN0sKprm0SG0_PVZr8WnVruP9-SQuLaB7RfuQdH8cUhRLoDt73Hpb9jfDKYmUnubJ2i2dcvbPx2txexrZalG6fgURyY5saMeiuWG1VaCkWtJv7MtdsQUwRY/s1600/Paper+Yarn+cover.jpg" height="200" width="178" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">"Paper Yarn” shows how versatile the</span></div>
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<span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"> material
can be, with step-by-step instructions</span></div>
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<span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"> for making cushions, bowls, floor</span></div>
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<span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> mats,
boxes, bags, lamp shades and more.</span><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Despite our dependence on digital media, paper is still a big part of our
daily lives as books, mail, catalogs, shopping bags, wrapping paper, food packaging,
etc.—just waiting to be reused. Three recent books about paper crafting
introduced me not only to some new uses for all this paper in our lives, but
also to some new kinds of paper. </span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">1. </span><!--[endif]--><u>“Paper
Yarn: 24 Creative Projects to Make Using a Variety of Techniques” by Uta
Donath, Eva Hauck, Petra Hoffman and Claudia Huboi.</u> Paper yarn was new to
me. It’s also known as paper raffia or raffia ribbon, but it’s softer and
stronger than natural raffia, and comes in a variety of thicknesses and bright,
water- and fade-resistant colors. You can knit, crochet, braid and weave with
paper yarn, or unroll the strands and use the flat strips like paper mâche or
sew then together into paper fabric. “Paper Yarn” explores the versatility of
this medium, with instructions for making handbags, hats, lamp-shades,
placemats, baskets and much more. To buy fine paper yarn for making jewelry try
<a href="http://www.paperphine.com/">www.paperphine.com</a> on Etsy, which also
sells kits for knitting colorful bangles and delicate necklaces.<u><span style="color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuLArXJ7HwiCDVo30Y5xHzlu_LbkEobsLtlU4gRVSI_ooT2D9vfwigpndgBbQlKJi6nc-VSRFTWvlfQb0CzZHkRPHbPjNjvZCLDNaS3AKFqewPYWgkoMDLbQcJsYHNGFafZ-p52d7-lVY/s1600/Paper+yarn+spools.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuLArXJ7HwiCDVo30Y5xHzlu_LbkEobsLtlU4gRVSI_ooT2D9vfwigpndgBbQlKJi6nc-VSRFTWvlfQb0CzZHkRPHbPjNjvZCLDNaS3AKFqewPYWgkoMDLbQcJsYHNGFafZ-p52d7-lVY/s1600/Paper+yarn+spools.jpg" height="319" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">These colorful spools of paper raffia were
purchased at</span></div>
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<span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.lacis.com/">www.lacis.com</a>, which sells 27
different colors.</span><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</div>
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<span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="a-size-medium"><span style="color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">2.
</span></span><!--[endif]--><u><span style="color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“Paper Blooms: 25 Extraordinary Flowers to Make for
Weddings, Celebrations & More<span class="a-size-medium">” by Jeffery Rudell.</span></span></u><span class="a-size-medium"><span style="color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">
I’ve made paper flowers before (usually from a kit), but never had so much fun.
I spent an entire morning trying to make all the different flowers featured in
“Paper Blooms.” With just a few supplies—paper, scissors, a hot glue gun,
floral wire and floral tape—I filled my wintry home with colorful bouquets of my
favorite spring and summer flowers—including daisies, poppies, roses, orchids,
marigolds, cosmos and zinnias. The author also has some repurposing
suggestions—using paint chips to make dahlias and coffee filters for carnations—but
paper is everywhere, so don’t stop there.</span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwlmNR9H6lMSrrLDPbcBXwqXigrhSLiH6aXhHZ2BFQEX-iN_JR9gXxt-hizJQhz5E-vFDjR9IGKUekWxdN0d4bU1a-P2Erwc-2L33NidB9cBRjUK6mFrGG-FC-iQ4FrlkuNy9pkt9T8X0/s1600/Paper+quilling+fish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwlmNR9H6lMSrrLDPbcBXwqXigrhSLiH6aXhHZ2BFQEX-iN_JR9gXxt-hizJQhz5E-vFDjR9IGKUekWxdN0d4bU1a-P2Erwc-2L33NidB9cBRjUK6mFrGG-FC-iQ4FrlkuNy9pkt9T8X0/s1600/Paper+quilling+fish.jpg" height="335" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #222222;">A greeting card by Yoder Do</span><span style="color: #222222; text-indent: -0.25in;"> got me interested
in the</span><span style="color: #222222; text-indent: -0.25in;"> possibilities of</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #222222; text-indent: -0.25in;"> quilling. Their</span><span style="color: #222222; text-indent: -0.25in;"> handmade cards use rolled paper, glued</span><span style="color: #222222; text-indent: -0.25in;"> and placed</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #222222; text-indent: -0.25in;"> upright on its cut edge, allowing the designs to</span><span style="color: #222222; text-indent: -0.25in;"> have a</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #222222; text-indent: -0.25in;"> 3-dimensional look. (See yoderdo.com for many</span><span style="color: #222222; text-indent: -0.25in;"> more examples</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small; text-indent: -0.25in;"> of intricately
quilled designs.)</span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">3. </span><!--[endif]--><u><span style="color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“All Things Paper: 20 Unique
Projects from Leading Paper Crafters, Artists and Designers” by Ann Martin.</span></u><span style="color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> This book is full of ideas
for paper projects in the realms of home décor, jewelry (including a delicate
crocheted choker made from fine white paper yarn), fashion accessories and note
cards. But one technique that really caught my attention was quilling—an art form
that originated in the 16<sup>th</sup> century, used by French and Italian nuns
and monks to decorate reliquaries, holy pictures and frames. Narrow strips of
paper were coiled by wrapping them around a feather quill, hence the name
“quilling.” It later became a pastime—like needlework—of well-to-do English
women, who quilled on tea caddies, jewelry boxes, screens, handbags and
furniture. Quilling eventually spread to America, but virtually disappeared in
the 1880s.<u><o:p></o:p></u></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBLfxahVpfchyphenhyphenNmauxIms1QCmPLDhmQVBCQKHysVvH3v5K9zPCF5aEvsghCKWoi1Lxyq6N_8DaM9lsME0Wp4150m2fCFZgzQVymMYmz5DzJHJkvIEDxGsvoZAv1VVOMuncZC3NSJQo4g0/s1600/Paper+quilling+supplies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBLfxahVpfchyphenhyphenNmauxIms1QCmPLDhmQVBCQKHysVvH3v5K9zPCF5aEvsghCKWoi1Lxyq6N_8DaM9lsME0Wp4150m2fCFZgzQVymMYmz5DzJHJkvIEDxGsvoZAv1VVOMuncZC3NSJQo4g0/s1600/Paper+quilling+supplies.jpg" height="229" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #222222;">You can buy quilling paper in</span><span style="color: #222222;"> 1/8 to ¼ inch widths,</span><span style="color: #222222;"> or use an adjustable</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #222222;"> pasta maker</span><span style="color: #222222;"> to cut your own strips. The slotted needle tool holds</span><span style="color: #222222;"> the</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #222222;"> end of a paper strip tight while you coil and the</span><span style="color: #222222;"> template helps achieve</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #222222;"> uniform-sized coils. Straight</span><span style="color: #222222;"> pins pushed into a cork board help</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #222222;"> hold the tiny</span><span style="color: #222222;"> coils in place while you glue one coil to another.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Beverly Crafts has a selection
of inexpensive quilling supplies, including paper strips, kits, craft glue,
slotted and needle tools, and template guides. The only other tools you might
need for quilling are tweezers, straight pins and a ruler. (You can also make
the narrow paper strips be feeding sheets or found papers through a pasta
maker.) “All Things Paper” demonstrates the basic technique of rolling narrow
strips of paper into coils and then fashioning them into basic shapes like the
teardrop, ring coil and marquise ring coil.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #333333;">With a little patience,
dexterity and the willingness to work on a very small scale, you can master the
basic techniques and then begin your own creative pieces. There are also lots
of online tutorials for making flowers, animals, plants, bows and other designs,
many of which can be incorporated into other hobbies, like scrapbooking, making
shadowboxes, jewelry and cards. Also see
</span><a href="http://www.allthingspaper.net/">www.allthingspaper.net</a> to
expand your repertoire.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinFZcRsDGZ5cGBMlswmmCBAM9i6QLF9sX0eKvqEBj6wIKNZgAwlNB5ArQOJK30pSSXg_6NyjI9U9D-S4DnfbuIR6U2s_e_iI1Wt2AoQ2_tTI1tO-mLlWCNjL7ZINU_betgDYk8C9OPhlU/s1600/Paper+quilling+pendant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinFZcRsDGZ5cGBMlswmmCBAM9i6QLF9sX0eKvqEBj6wIKNZgAwlNB5ArQOJK30pSSXg_6NyjI9U9D-S4DnfbuIR6U2s_e_iI1Wt2AoQ2_tTI1tO-mLlWCNjL7ZINU_betgDYk8C9OPhlU/s1600/Paper+quilling+pendant.jpg" height="400" width="286" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"> “All Things Paper” showed me how</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"> to make two</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> pendants. I attached a black clock hand</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"> to the white coils in the second project.</span></span></div>
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Tina Bainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13894830261537799280noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161974592631732366.post-18527580277407836962013-12-14T08:09:00.004-08:002014-02-04T20:11:00.655-08:00<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">DIY Superbooks</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Books that are DIY projects themselves</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Originally published in the Santa Cruz Sentinel December 13, 2013</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHoxxV3q7eBpjRokQWFWSvv0wUM5hCmtccPavPH9QOr-aDne1DokWrBx9CYYTjDPb3mMJyTJiuMGf9qp5hfi7nFnOzvj3_flaRXTzvqZ-IksKMHiUotDvoR895c75vJTJxiCkDBQY5NXo/s1600/Superbooks+KissMyAsterPinchMe+ps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHoxxV3q7eBpjRokQWFWSvv0wUM5hCmtccPavPH9QOr-aDne1DokWrBx9CYYTjDPb3mMJyTJiuMGf9qp5hfi7nFnOzvj3_flaRXTzvqZ-IksKMHiUotDvoR895c75vJTJxiCkDBQY5NXo/s320/Superbooks+KissMyAsterPinchMe+ps.jpg" height="249" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-indent: -24px;">Photo provided by Storey Publishing</span></td></tr>
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DIY books are battling for your attention. They lost out for a time to
low-budget DIY YouTube videos, when they became the studio-photographed, cookie-cutter
products of crafts publishers. But it now looks like the slick-paper aesthetic is
becoming side-lined in favor of books that appear to be the cover-to-cover
brain-child of brilliant artists. These new DIY Superbooks still slide off your
shelf like the traditional, mild-mannered how-to book, but once in your hands
can ramp-up your creative maker-powers exponentially.</div>
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The pages of these DIY Superbooks are profusely illustrated with quirky-cool
drawings. If there are any photos, they are altered and enhanced with more distinctive
drawings. Embellished hand-lettering is also the norm. A new type of superhuman
DIY author/creator seems to have emerged—one with the x-ray vision to dream up
and complete incredible projects <i>plus</i>
the creative brilliance to share those projects in the most riveting way.</div>
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So, if you want the power of DIY, search out these crazy-talented
authors and their amazing DIY Superbooks:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq3_Pn073y7Ebqsc8QpgU0oEWcQKLBnrYWWAjQNznG4wU2uA5YDuUuuoqrIo7eMvQFWLBTZqGZKjlNK6EiUJ2MFHRyat7KfTiZEApE9QQReLpSxaoGm-_t5UG5UwMXG-aqVYoR6lupBJs/s1600/superbooks+Action%2521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq3_Pn073y7Ebqsc8QpgU0oEWcQKLBnrYWWAjQNznG4wU2uA5YDuUuuoqrIo7eMvQFWLBTZqGZKjlNK6EiUJ2MFHRyat7KfTiZEApE9QQReLpSxaoGm-_t5UG5UwMXG-aqVYoR6lupBJs/s200/superbooks+Action%2521.jpg" height="200" width="154" /></a><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">FILM AND
VIDEO MAKING: “Action! Professor Know-it-all’s illustrated guide to film &
video making” by Bill Brown.</b></div>
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At first I thought this clever
little book was meant for kids, but apparently, it has become assigned reading
in some college-level beginning film-making classes. A fellow reviewer calls
it, “<span style="color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">simultaneously
erudite and approachable, leavened with wit and charm aplenty." Illustrated
with simple line drawings, “Action!” makes reading about white balance and
hyperfocal distances actually fun, and will inspire</span><span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> film and
video makers of all ages and experience levels to stride confidently into multimedia
projects of any size.</span><span style="color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBqlt2imEwS6xndTw-CfvFcj25QjZZ2MtKfFbvm-THOOWvOVEvN3lERGD7YtCu6tm2F_PzpcGkiP-kj1JbSHxnOtOOJq9clg_3mm_wuFMzNwELR9yfJ12ZJ4Jb8JgVMYOGvrl8FbZvVYU/s1600/Super+books+Humble+Homes+ps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBqlt2imEwS6xndTw-CfvFcj25QjZZ2MtKfFbvm-THOOWvOVEvN3lERGD7YtCu6tm2F_PzpcGkiP-kj1JbSHxnOtOOJq9clg_3mm_wuFMzNwELR9yfJ12ZJ4Jb8JgVMYOGvrl8FbZvVYU/s200/Super+books+Humble+Homes+ps.jpg" height="200" width="154" /></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><b>COZY
SHELTERS: “Humble Homes, Simple Shacks, Cozy Cottages, Ramshackle Retreats,
Funky Forts” by Derek “Deek” Diedricksen</b><u>.</u> <span style="color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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The adjectives in the title are
apt for describing the book itself—essentially a brainstorm of wildly imaginative
ideas in the format of a black-and-white graphic novel—although it also has a
small section of color photos featuring the author and others enjoying their
outrageous, gotta-have-it shelters. The structures range in size from a disaster-relief
shelter-for-one, to a junk-car cabin, to a “Tee-Pee for Three or so…,” i.e.,
they’re all pretty diminutive in size but big on wow factor. As one reviewer
describes it, “the book reads like a demented Boy Scout’s fantasy notebook.”
(Diedericksen also gives 3-day Tiny House Workshops. Go to <a href="http://relaxshacks.blogspot.com/">http://relaxshacks.blogspot.com/</a>)<span style="color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6UHqHLkR5icw-HO96UZOid-CeOcK-3nnYr_NW_6azobc4YfGZUVfnzpqCrQgpkVAGkA-fXCKnhIiaNLbq_27knrXxT79Lii4Krxc-lpcuk9Hf_5mlKU0seJAkLfBv2uqIdFdM0s3J_3Q/s1600/superbooks+Keep+Out!+ps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6UHqHLkR5icw-HO96UZOid-CeOcK-3nnYr_NW_6azobc4YfGZUVfnzpqCrQgpkVAGkA-fXCKnhIiaNLbq_27knrXxT79Lii4Krxc-lpcuk9Hf_5mlKU0seJAkLfBv2uqIdFdM0s3J_3Q/s200/superbooks+Keep+Out!+ps.jpg" height="200" width="170" /></a></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><b>CLUBHOUSES:
“Keep Out! Build your own backyard clubhouse” by Lee Mothes. </b><span style="color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Not quite in the category of
superbook, I’m recommending “Keep Out!” nevertheless, as the perfect complement
to “Humble Homes.” Once Diedricksen has inspired you to leap tall buildings in
a single bound, this one will provide the practical, step-by-step guidance to
make it happen. The author includes photos of a clubhouse he and his friends
built and rebuilt in the early 1960s from lumber, nails, old wallpaper and
other things “found mostly by rummaging through the neighbors’ trash.” To
recapture the romance of that early experience, Mothes provides plans and
building instructions, as wells as wisdom on tools, techniques and using found
materials, to create a retreat that’s a little less slap-dash than the one he
built 50+ years ago, but probably more reliable. (See photos of Mothes’
childhood clubhouses and more at <a href="http://theclubhouseblogger.blogspot.com/">http://theclubhouseblogger.blogspot.com/</a>)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM2TnDry1UGnljNa2jw9AbdDZOQYfNVZ0QF9qQ9EBsqm8IPBypqg4CeZAATLESPm_jF6M0qFz6vanFYuaz3uOCrMQhznKHxnS0Pa1Tm_SVcTvRWj4MJK0O9nRANuZr6-CN5guTBfA-e-c/s1600/superbooks+Abstract+City+Legos+PS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM2TnDry1UGnljNa2jw9AbdDZOQYfNVZ0QF9qQ9EBsqm8IPBypqg4CeZAATLESPm_jF6M0qFz6vanFYuaz3uOCrMQhznKHxnS0Pa1Tm_SVcTvRWj4MJK0O9nRANuZr6-CN5guTBfA-e-c/s640/superbooks+Abstract+City+Legos+PS.jpg" height="442" width="640" /></a></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7LApNaKZafS1wc7I_WT0jZXBzUTK8ph1KmYD2RMWeniD4B3rcT58Vfb0WuuOanfrFXkTXRgl6BTWVX5UgL1dHH_uun1heJ0RfjGodzyOQ6y9Ms9EMHNDWLbl_UHAXaZqRG77ixSuDBCc/s1600/superbooks+Abstract+City+ps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7LApNaKZafS1wc7I_WT0jZXBzUTK8ph1KmYD2RMWeniD4B3rcT58Vfb0WuuOanfrFXkTXRgl6BTWVX5UgL1dHH_uun1heJ0RfjGodzyOQ6y9Ms9EMHNDWLbl_UHAXaZqRG77ixSuDBCc/s200/superbooks+Abstract+City+ps.jpg" height="200" width="137" /></a><b><span style="color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"> BRILLIANT STORYTELLING: “Abstract
City” by Christoph Niemann. </span></b><span style="color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Niemann’s stories revolve around the stuff of his everyday
daily life (home, kids, coffee shops, cables, dust bunnies), told using the most
commonplace of materials. But there’s nothing mundane about Niemann’s storytelling.
He uses napkins and coffee stains to demonstrate his love affair with coffee; crudely
hand-sewn dolls to write about his superpowers; cookie dough and sprinkles to illustrate
an alternate creation-of-the-world story; woven paper to explore the fall of
the Berlin Wall. My favorite chapter is “Bathroom Art,” in which Niemann
designs shower walls using “pixel drawings” made up of classic 4-by-4 inch
colored tiles, including pixilated “Venus of Urbino” and Warhol’s “Brillo Box.”
It’s storytelling reinvented—squeezing lumps of coal into glittering diamonds.
(You won’t want this book to end, so go to </span><a href="http://niemann.blogs.nytimes.com/">http://niemann.blogs.nytimes.com/</a>
or download his app, “Petting Zoo” for more.)<span style="color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4pkOCKKnaaugknfFq3lWUsBXcPpenv6HDgnRoxDs4_EBg7kAq_rqCDj7RotOotchsXkyShqj2f1gf0yRZrjqDHjvpDMJRAOzcs4fsI1kA26c99R0tEVs3xJoBO-sgBqndGIZZ_wVPwwA/s1600/superbooks+Abstract+City+bathroom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4pkOCKKnaaugknfFq3lWUsBXcPpenv6HDgnRoxDs4_EBg7kAq_rqCDj7RotOotchsXkyShqj2f1gf0yRZrjqDHjvpDMJRAOzcs4fsI1kA26c99R0tEVs3xJoBO-sgBqndGIZZ_wVPwwA/s640/superbooks+Abstract+City+bathroom.jpg" height="448" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"><br /></span></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsARpGqot9CzuxsODKIG2Tq-BpB017niAr6XSz0E47yMdI7s7J0iJYKN5kOVTR2lbEVBrisj_unB4RGsXRdikJArq4hCtILRjib0Ew8DJiG8YmlzQTBUPlOXsnSjGVWowK1T1vUIuEWg0/s1600/superbooks+Made+by+Dad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsARpGqot9CzuxsODKIG2Tq-BpB017niAr6XSz0E47yMdI7s7J0iJYKN5kOVTR2lbEVBrisj_unB4RGsXRdikJArq4hCtILRjib0Ew8DJiG8YmlzQTBUPlOXsnSjGVWowK1T1vUIuEWg0/s200/superbooks+Made+by+Dad.jpg" height="200" width="130" /></a><b><span style="color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">PARENT PROJECTS: “Made by
Dad: 67 Blueprints for Making Cool Stuff” by Scott Bedford</span></b><span style="color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Who needs a phone booth when you’ve got a book with 67
ways to transform yourself into a super-parent? This book is the only thing
you’ll ever need on a cooped-up, rainy Saturday afternoon—a project book which
combines hyper-inventive drawings, photos and text, created by a guy who must
be the super-est (and tireless) of dads. In the introduction he says, “If you
have kids, some time to kill, and an empty toilet paper roll, this book is for
you.” The projects are all kid-tested on his two young sons, and use supplies
you’ve already got like cardboard, soup cans, rubber bands and plastic bags.
What kid wouldn’t love to make a Slingshot Car Launcher, a Spaghetti and
Marshmallow Eiffel Tower, or a Remote Release Zip Line? (Also see his
award-winning blog, </span><a href="http://www.whatimade.com/">www.whatimade.com</a>)<span style="color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRsg56xdmnDcNNNp10Yi6MP7VxfoILGV80A6RzTmhH5UnaHooIF3LAYoNnX3l_Cjjfqv9snTSjQorYdqfs-YKHKnABfuis8B8nNcu9yC5qYWLOR8xzIsL2AfrB-zuMHfT0NBU2bTOeRks/s1600/Superbooks+KissMyAster+ps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRsg56xdmnDcNNNp10Yi6MP7VxfoILGV80A6RzTmhH5UnaHooIF3LAYoNnX3l_Cjjfqv9snTSjQorYdqfs-YKHKnABfuis8B8nNcu9yC5qYWLOR8xzIsL2AfrB-zuMHfT0NBU2bTOeRks/s200/Superbooks+KissMyAster+ps.jpg" height="156" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo provided by Storey Publishing</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><b>GARDENING MADE FUN:</b></span><span style="color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"> <b>“Kiss My Aster: A Graphic Guide to Creating a Fantastic Yard Totally
Tailored to You” by Amanda Thomsen.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Although the author, Amanda Thomsen, didn’t create the
drawings for her book “Kiss My Aster,” the collaboration between her sassy
writing and the fresh, amusing illustrations is seamless. It’s all just one
big, piquant bunch of fun that manages to also include helpful information for
the beginning gardener. Thomsen is obviously a knowledgeable horticulturist,
but may love sewing words just as much:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Thomsen on growing vegetables: “Pick a site near the
house, so harvesting doesn’t become a schlepfest, okay?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">On growing hedges: “I bet you want a hedge. Way to
start out easy, chief.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">On tearing out plants: “Tearing out is so much fun
that I almost want to come over and help you. Almost.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">You
get the idea. “Kiss My Aster” wears a cape and flies high above other gardening
books in the DIY Superbook stratosphere.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlJIeBjzrceoHaevK7Uw2LoUH88oBhJWyRdz8ua3cUqWZj9n5flx71YG4mTCc2OhK9uGGQ6cc0A86s6sz21ayZOOruRGSJBjB5F9MeQeNkd07VUDqAT5BA4KHxb4Lie0J_9sZ67pAF3j4/s1600/Superbooks_KissMyAsterShrubs+ps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlJIeBjzrceoHaevK7Uw2LoUH88oBhJWyRdz8ua3cUqWZj9n5flx71YG4mTCc2OhK9uGGQ6cc0A86s6sz21ayZOOruRGSJBjB5F9MeQeNkd07VUDqAT5BA4KHxb4Lie0J_9sZ67pAF3j4/s640/Superbooks_KissMyAsterShrubs+ps.jpg" height="497" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-indent: -24px;">Photo provided by Storey Publishing</span></td></tr>
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Tina Bainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13894830261537799280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161974592631732366.post-62892246514642123452013-12-14T07:49:00.001-08:002013-12-14T08:07:07.492-08:00<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Promise and peril</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">3D Printing and the world of repercussions</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Originally published in the Santa Cruz Sentinel November 1, 2013</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhabCVubose5uq_JPorHKCfeGbRSv5NyZ-xXYf5cBAxbHL-FmlpBRUVd4ihfj-q3n1n2T-qL7cjgU5jaBINQ5Dk7D15wbzgsdXLlZaioFuJblR4xyxGHK5XkRGkLjRHksXnAY_AGETiaQI/s1600/Solnit+3D-printed+scissors.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhabCVubose5uq_JPorHKCfeGbRSv5NyZ-xXYf5cBAxbHL-FmlpBRUVd4ihfj-q3n1n2T-qL7cjgU5jaBINQ5Dk7D15wbzgsdXLlZaioFuJblR4xyxGHK5XkRGkLjRHksXnAY_AGETiaQI/s400/Solnit+3D-printed+scissors.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">3D-printed scissors*</span></span></td></tr>
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When you hear author Rebecca Solnit read in public, her writing sounds
disjointed and lacking structure. She herself seems easily distracted: more than
once, she invites everyone standing, to please sit on the floor since the
chairs are all taken. Her cell phone goes off and she is embarrassed. She
fusses with the microphone. Her unrestrained wavy mop of hair keeps falling in
her face.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnCryJsPBlO28fNTgYULqGlGggxg3ThyIeSqwJ1FoBVRQO0ea72N7J74FO6ZU62QCXTeXFA5QFIwsYnJrHGW5A3_UHTHk5Sn32OGGkDCWeZyaDR9LUV-LCoTm1eIVofvCG9NBOg38Wat4/s1600/Solnit+taken+by+Jim+Herrington+2009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnCryJsPBlO28fNTgYULqGlGggxg3ThyIeSqwJ1FoBVRQO0ea72N7J74FO6ZU62QCXTeXFA5QFIwsYnJrHGW5A3_UHTHk5Sn32OGGkDCWeZyaDR9LUV-LCoTm1eIVofvCG9NBOg38Wat4/s200/Solnit+taken+by+Jim+Herrington+2009.JPG" width="197" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Rebecca Solnit</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">(Publicity photo by Jim Herrington)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
But to actually read one of her books is a distinct pleasure, and the
arc of her storytelling falls effortlessly into place, as she weaves seemingly
disparate observations and occurrences into one lovely, connected whole. Solnit
says that storytelling is a writer’s effort to find the patterns inherent in
the chaos of life. And in her latest book, “The Faraway Nearby,” she does just
that. She writes, “the sudden appearance of the patterns of the world brings a
sense of coherence and above all connection.” To emphasize the point, she reminds
us that Virginia Woolf once wrote, “Perhaps this is the strongest pleasure
known to me. It is the rapture I get when in writing I seem to be discovering
what belongs to what . . . “</div>
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These connections can happen in unexpected ways. In her latest book,
“The Faraway Nearby,” as she connects the sudden appearance of a pile of
apricots on her bedroom floor, with the conjunction of mothers and mirrors,
with the emblems of ice and cold. “That vast pile of apricots included
underripe, ripening, and rotting fruit. The range of stories I can tell about
my mother include some of each too,” she writes. “This abundance of unstable
apricots seemed to be not only a task set for me, but my birthright, my
fairy-tale inheritance from my mother who had given me almost nothing since my
childhood.”<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfS8rx5c2DXdD1Lq_c7iOHRcieTEaqqSlDqMpPZ9ii7h-OwwJrKlsob7s0HQktTsTNKAsCIA9VioY6gZXue5H5TyhGotqeB18cX0OWmKuzCzgFG3gSfFqfPjecFfDZ_amOP4ED2ZOtBj0/s1600/solnit+speaking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfS8rx5c2DXdD1Lq_c7iOHRcieTEaqqSlDqMpPZ9ii7h-OwwJrKlsob7s0HQktTsTNKAsCIA9VioY6gZXue5H5TyhGotqeB18cX0OWmKuzCzgFG3gSfFqfPjecFfDZ_amOP4ED2ZOtBj0/s640/solnit+speaking.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Rebecca Solnit read from her just latest book, “The
Faraway Nearby, at Bookshop Santa Cruz last June to a s<br />tanding-room-only crowd.
(photo provided by Bookshop Santa Cruz) </span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
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Solnit further explores parenting themes, and ice and cold, through the
early life of Mary Shelley (who lost her own mother at birth, and lost 3 of her
4 children in infancy) and her classic book, “Frankenstein,” first published in
1818 when she was a mere 20 years old. In the famous story, medical student Victor
Frankenstein—the parent in a sense—has made an incredible discovery and created
a living, breathing creature. But once he beholds his brilliant creation come-to-life,
he is frightened and repulsed, and runs away. <br />
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“Frankenstein imagines himself as a savior,” writes Solnit. “But when
he brings his creature to life and then frees it, he is both a parent
abandoning a child and a citizen walking away from a calamity in the making.
The coldness of this novel that begins and ends in the arctic and climaxes in
the great glacial landscape of the high Alps is the coldness of his heart.”</div>
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“Frankenstein” is certainly one of, if not <i>the</i> earliest works of science fiction, and has become the template
for a thousand imitations. “The cinematic version has become so familiar,”
writes Solnit, “that ‘Frankenstein’ has become the oft-invoked byword for
reckless, irresponsible science....” For me, these themes of science fiction
and the unintended consequences of technology were echoed in a new book I’ve
been reading, “Fabricated—the new world of 3D Printing; the promise and peril
of a machine that can make (almost) anything,” by Hod Lipson and Melba Kurman.
The very first chapter describes a futuristic world with 3D printers as
commonplace in our daily lives as today’s 2D printers, generating everything
from fresh blueberry muffins for breakfast to customized toothbrushes before
bed.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN501joU2v6NYR0K5ZXwbc4c3b4s3uq0RZDwqXBqHfkn3RK5LFfQ1FTUtQNMcOw-kfP_cwfxfSyTrsHgfDt8T3VLYxIyo4s_xv-m0CaJUtSjuAGgLlAyhxxKiRo3HBiN5bita8z5UiMUk/s1600/Solnit+Fabricated.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN501joU2v6NYR0K5ZXwbc4c3b4s3uq0RZDwqXBqHfkn3RK5LFfQ1FTUtQNMcOw-kfP_cwfxfSyTrsHgfDt8T3VLYxIyo4s_xv-m0CaJUtSjuAGgLlAyhxxKiRo3HBiN5bita8z5UiMUk/s320/Solnit+Fabricated.jpg" width="213" /></a>Lipson and Kurman give a whole new meaning to the word “print” when
they envision new homes constructed with organically-shaped foam walls <i>printed</i> from a gigantic nozzle, complete
with built-in weather sensors and solar panels. Or shoes that are comfortable,
durable and require no glue, <i>printed</i>
into modular components that are interchangeable to allow a variety of
different looks. Or replacement hearts, kidneys and other body parts, <i>printed</i> from cell mixture and
biomaterials, ala Frankenstein’s monster.</div>
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It sounds like a world that’s light years away, but the authors says
it’s more like decades. Much of the book explores where we are right now in the
development of these 3D technologies. For instance, we can print (i.e.
fabricate and bake) a 3D high-res shortbread cookie with a small, portable 3D
printer, but printing a fresh, hot hamburger with everything on it is difficult
to envision. Ideally, the products we print (even if they steer us away from
fresh ingredients) will make us healthier and save lives. Food printers, for
example, would allow the user to control the nutritional content of every meal,
making it easy for someone diabetic or lactose intolerant to avoid sugar or
milk.</div>
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Some predict that “bioprinting”—having a replacement body part made out
of your own cell tissue—is only a generation away. “Printed on-demand body
parts will help people who need an organ transplant, or have failing joints,”
write the authors. “People with disposable income will order custom printed
body parts optimized for a beloved recreational activity.” The ethical
concerns, however, may be just as thorny and problematic as stem cell, abortion
and cloning debates are today. One example: “The Olympic Committee in the year
2072 will struggle to decide whether athletes with bioprinted organs, should be
banned from the Games.”</div>
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Just as Victor Frankenstein’s life-giving experiment goes chillingly
wrong, the authors admit that bioprinting and other 3D technologies—in irresponsible
hands—could lead to disastrous results. Once bioprinting becomes relatively
cheap and easy, blackmarketeers will snap up cast-off medical bioprinters and
sell discount organs made from outdated, faulty design files—or produce sloppy
organs in a non-sterile printing environment, resulting in unnecessary deaths.</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6cLGKryAyLkm9HT-CfV4DvXUtBVC5cX8VUT_MhdVwDxG22rtOebxz4Rad1Ie6bCt-rVVs7GLFqCWkdlj987Xc4cq0WiAc7JSZdbdV5hZuERVFvSF4t1o9nrAmNjuug4PU_wGfHhLh5hU/s1600/Solnit+3D+printed+artificial+heart+valve+PS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="481" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6cLGKryAyLkm9HT-CfV4DvXUtBVC5cX8VUT_MhdVwDxG22rtOebxz4Rad1Ie6bCt-rVVs7GLFqCWkdlj987Xc4cq0WiAc7JSZdbdV5hZuERVFvSF4t1o9nrAmNjuug4PU_wGfHhLh5hU/s640/Solnit+3D+printed+artificial+heart+valve+PS.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; color: #1f497d; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">3D printed artificial heart
valve. Currently available valves—both
mechanical ones and valves taken from animals—suffer from serious drawbacks.
Someday surgeons will save lives by taking an entirely new approach: 3D
printing a new heart valve with stem cells harvested from a patient’s own body.
Bioprinted heart valves made from a child’s own stem cells will more likely be
accepted by the immune system and be able to grow with the body and repair
themselves. (Photo credit: Jonathan Butcher, Cornell University)</span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
“The downstream impact of emerging, game-changing technologies is
difficult to predict,” say the authors. “Criminals will quickly learn to apply
3D printing technology to improve their illegal wares and services. 3D printed
weapons and new chemicals could be devastating if they fall into malevolent hands.”
And so, just as the coldness of Victor Frankenstein’s heart corrupts his
creation and causes his monster to go on a murderous rampage, so may the
coldest of future human hearts use this 3D technology to bring about death and
destruction on a much grander scale.</div>
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On a more personal note, I’m feeling conflicted about embracing one
more piece of technology that will invite me to sit for longer periods of time
staring at a screen (like I am now). I’m reminded of that cautionary scene in the
movie “Wall-e” in which the obese inhabitants of a futuristic world float
around in cushy lounge chairs watching virtual 3D images and sipping liquid
meals grabbed from drive-by 3D printers. </div>
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Maybe 3D printers will help us create complex shapes and products that
could not be produced otherwise, but at what cost? Will the bioprinted heart
used to save a life, be necessary because humans have become inert and
sedentary? Will the printed food we prepare at the push of a button save us
time (much as processed, packaged food does now), giving us the opportunity to sit
and watch more cooking shows? (Or will cooking become something our
grandmothers did?) If there is nothing we can’t fabricate with a computer and
printer, will we, the consumers of all these new products, forget what it feels
like to be self-reliant, a little more omnicompetent? Will we lose the
motivation to create?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinCmdMwwYf5PbSxnOkWiJRbdBy0S7680ajDm0eh69tSnVgSVTr9RIT_7Frp1sKhbWbiNoUa_75ic-8eRMfMCvhljhSdroiX5c7fl21eEsIR-NnNDGxERwxasdH5OUaFKcBKqnDY9t-POM/s1600/Solnit+The+Faraway+Nearby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinCmdMwwYf5PbSxnOkWiJRbdBy0S7680ajDm0eh69tSnVgSVTr9RIT_7Frp1sKhbWbiNoUa_75ic-8eRMfMCvhljhSdroiX5c7fl21eEsIR-NnNDGxERwxasdH5OUaFKcBKqnDY9t-POM/s320/Solnit+The+Faraway+Nearby.jpg" width="320" /></a>Rebecca Solnit writes beautiful books to find ways of making
connections, to discover “what belongs to what.” Connecting apricots with her
mother, and her mother with ice and cold—and perhaps even the neglect of Victor
Frankenstein—must have taken a measure of courage on her part. But perhaps
making connections—in art as well as life—is the most important and
consequential task we have as humans.<br />
<br /></div>
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“The self is also a creation,
the principal work of your life, the crafting of which makes everyone an artist,”
writes Solnit. “This unfinished work of becoming ends only when you do, if
then, and the consequences live on. We make ourselves and in so doing are the
gods of the small universe of self and the large world of repercussions.”<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white; color: #1f497d; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">*Printing functional
objects. These 3D-printed scissors work “out of the box” – no assembly or
sharpening required.</span><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> By making objects in layers, a 3D printer could
print a door and attach interlocking hinges at the same time. No assembly
required. Less assembly will shorten supply chains, saving money on labor and
transportation; shorter supply chains will be less polluting. </span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">(photo
provided by the publisher, Wiley Publishing) </span></div>
Tina Bainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13894830261537799280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161974592631732366.post-81125961519588235562013-12-14T07:23:00.003-08:002013-12-14T08:03:50.159-08:00<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Grand Vision</span></div>
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Pintrest, the ultimate DIY-motivator</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Originally published October 18, 2013 in the Santa Cruz Sentinel</span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBjomSlNmz1toIbe7tV1QsDzJXQ4tUqQnPFKtEngBcCwLDw7_CzM9Iuu5kc0xPVMKLr2D6fdb3ZfXQ4WFg4sg6vJXvXrXQCIMJvMr85E8gOk06hcwvzLj2jE5R_uFnegP3C2TXVw6P-J0/s1600/Piano+completed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBjomSlNmz1toIbe7tV1QsDzJXQ4tUqQnPFKtEngBcCwLDw7_CzM9Iuu5kc0xPVMKLr2D6fdb3ZfXQ4WFg4sg6vJXvXrXQCIMJvMr85E8gOk06hcwvzLj2jE5R_uFnegP3C2TXVw6P-J0/s640/Piano+completed.jpg" width="494" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Their finished piano
bookcase graces the entryway to the Pointer’s Aromas home<br />—making a stunning
first impression as you enter their home.</span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
When I first looked at Pintrest—a popular pin-board style,
photo-sharing website—I was unimpressed. Sure, I can type in just about any
word or phrase in my head and see an often amazing collection of photos. If I
type in the word “piano,” for example, I see a turquoise upright, a pink baby
grand, steps and fences painted to look like black and white piano keys, piano
nail art, a piano wine bar, and an amazing player piano converted into a gushing
garden fountain. My reactions range from “way too cute” to “is that
Photoshopped or for real?!” But if I search Pintrest for a project, such as “how
to make a piano bookcase,” I get, “We couldn’t find any results, but you might
try Holidays, Corgis, Sneakers, or Pasta!”</div>
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<br /></div>
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Pintrest does have a “DIY and Crafts” section where you’ll see
instructions for making simple home goods such as terrariums, tote bags, gift
tags, Christmas ornaments and cat scratching posts. But if you want to know how
to make something larger or more complex, you’re better off searching DIY
websites like Instructables. Pintrest describes itself as “a tool for
collecting and organizing things you love” and tries to stick to that
directive.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirmL4i4WdwveQRiSn2TDuYa2YyuGPhWq_xWf4YOW9KaETKYRJ2FgirGfAamUFt7QP7POpCpvMdKPmSEpPghbe9LgSkqdHrLQWoSRdfB6G-nzW1Rb5axTf-MTEe9pI-myTA7wwhvQjfiz8/s1600/Piano+moving.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirmL4i4WdwveQRiSn2TDuYa2YyuGPhWq_xWf4YOW9KaETKYRJ2FgirGfAamUFt7QP7POpCpvMdKPmSEpPghbe9LgSkqdHrLQWoSRdfB6G-nzW1Rb5axTf-MTEe9pI-myTA7wwhvQjfiz8/s400/Piano+moving.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Fred and AR carefully move
the awkward and still-heavy piano case<br /> from saw horses to two rolling dollies,
to transport it back into the <br />garage after working on it in the driveway.</span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
But it turns out that Pintrest is a powerful DIY-motivator, even
without the step-by-step instructions. All some people really need is a little
inspiration. My friends, AR and Fred Pointer, made a piano bookcase with no guidance
at all, other than a photo she found on Pintrest. “I don’t have a lot of
original thoughts,” says AR. “But, if I can see it, I can usually figure out
how to do it.” </div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
AR is passionate about repurposing things she finds in online and literal
secondhand stores. Her living room walls have unusual, black and white pieces
she’s collected, including an antique-looking eye chart, a Santos doll, a human
target and a huge 35 MPH speed limit sign. She and Fred—both retired—also attend
auctions and go on garage sale vacations. “We’re not really looking for
anything,” says AR. “We just enjoy going.” A lot of what they find they
refashion into something wonderful for their home, which you’d think might be
cluttered with their finds, but isn’t.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKzdlttEZkCvfNY1aU8IfV4FQEgAJ5YCH_md_g0wSy3WMszcWvgCxeJsycKLeZc3_69jtRLHzYTKk9Jv_3uH-gFIjYmC1n6yQj4nx3MR38X-PnFCpeaVbYHqy4EGR52pWTHm48DhzXxxA/s1600/Piano+Pieces.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKzdlttEZkCvfNY1aU8IfV4FQEgAJ5YCH_md_g0wSy3WMszcWvgCxeJsycKLeZc3_69jtRLHzYTKk9Jv_3uH-gFIjYmC1n6yQj4nx3MR38X-PnFCpeaVbYHqy4EGR52pWTHm48DhzXxxA/s400/Piano+Pieces.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">AR holds some of the more
interesting pieces gathered from the<br /> old baby grand, which was also, at one
time, a player piano.</span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
They found the baby grand they needed for the bookcase at AA Auctions
in Santa Cruz, where anyone can bid online or in person at their by-monthly
Thursday evening auctions. “It had a player piano attached and a lot of rust,
so I didn’t feel too bad about disassembling it. There was no way to restore it,”
AR says. (But she had to reassure her musical family by sending them rusted
hardware from inside the piano, just to show them it couldn’t have been saved.)</div>
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To be successful at an auction, AR says, “When the professionals stop
bidding, that’s when you bid one more time. I’m willing to pay a little more.”
In the case of the piano, however, she wasn’t bidding against anyone else, so
she kept her bid constant over several weeks until the reserve was finally lowered
and they had their baby grand.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3KdpTF4E8LjUxvNbvPv4XJRv_3erjzuth_cbOrSneNbJ7uP34kIIOGsy33MShFP8IdaHNYkSzJrAzaN-ZLxiANHtKSz1c4VbUUvZzedfR4pdqWcqHLUqfBHpq9qf_4t0m8xXTO2VAMMs/s1600/Piano+sanding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3KdpTF4E8LjUxvNbvPv4XJRv_3erjzuth_cbOrSneNbJ7uP34kIIOGsy33MShFP8IdaHNYkSzJrAzaN-ZLxiANHtKSz1c4VbUUvZzedfR4pdqWcqHLUqfBHpq9qf_4t0m8xXTO2VAMMs/s400/Piano+sanding.jpg" width="226" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Fred Pointer sands the wood
at the end of the<br /> keyboard that he will later paint black.</span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
Next they had to hire a mover to haul the bulky 700 pound piano to
their home in Aromas. “The piano was cheap,” says Fred with a smile. “It was
getting it home that cost a lot.” They took off the legs to make the
transportation easier. Once in their garage, they let it sit for awhile,
contemplating their next move. They tied a rope to the rafters and looped it
around the piano so it couldn’t fall over while they were working on it. “We
had to take the bottom off in little pieces,” says Fred, “just to see what was
inside.”</div>
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<br /></div>
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Once inside the piano, they learned that cutting the 220 taut wire
strings could be dangerous, since they would fly like metal whips. “I didn’t
have a tool to loosen them up, and I wasn’t gonna buy one when I’ve got a pair
of tin snips,” says Fred. “So I put a towel over them for when they flew. Even
with the towel some of them got away.” Removing the cast iron harp was also
difficult. “It was too heavy, so my son had to help,” says AR.</div>
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As they continued removing the guts of the piano—making space for the
shelves—they saved and sorted all the nuts and screws, hinges and gears. “With
a 700 pound piano, there’s a lot of metal,” says AR, holding some of the pieces
in her hand. “I’m gonna keep these, and make something with the interesting
ones.” Their labor of love led to some surprises. “We found a lot of people’s
signatures on the inside—the people who put it together,” says AR. “And every
one of the keys were numbered.”</div>
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It took them about six months to complete the project, working when
they had time, and making design decisions along the way. They removed the
action, but kept the keyboard intact. Fred sanded and refinished the beautiful
wood on the outside of the case, but painted the inside black. They oriented
the bookcase with the keys on the right, and used French cleats to secure it to
the wall of their entry hall, resting a few inches off the floor on rounded
feet—a stunning first impression as you walk through the front door. AR used
many of the small patinated metal and wood pieces she had saved to make a lovely
shadowbox collage, which she hung above the curved portion of the bookcase. “We
felt almost a reverence for this piano. You really wanted to honor the
craftsmanship,” says AR.</div>
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If you join Pintrest, you can create theme-based image collections around
your interests and hobbies. My sister-in-law, for example, used Pintrest to
help choose a color palette and design her new kitchen, saving photos of
kitchens done in shades of gray and honey oak. At a baby shower I attended last
summer, where the cake, decorations and tableware were done in hot pink and
zebra print, the hostess asked me to take photos so they could be posted on
Pintrest.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2pYQtYsSdB6uHOdd412FHvVSmL8XCnXM_onPZUhgY65GTji8Vsq-_11SYOaz0_-30kWdOyiL7tQIw2auBnTWucvVnpWpxpZ-d_j8KIsLd_lp4bAJr8ZVjmScoBORk-BnkW6EZJ52er80/s1600/Piano+collage.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2pYQtYsSdB6uHOdd412FHvVSmL8XCnXM_onPZUhgY65GTji8Vsq-_11SYOaz0_-30kWdOyiL7tQIw2auBnTWucvVnpWpxpZ-d_j8KIsLd_lp4bAJr8ZVjmScoBORk-BnkW6EZJ52er80/s640/Piano+collage.JPG" width="515" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">AR Pointer saved some of her
favorite pieces from the dismantling of the piano <br />and assembled them into a
beautiful shadow box display, which she<br /> hung on the wall above to the piano
bookcase. (photo by AR Pointer)</span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
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I haven’t joined Pintrest yet (and neither has AR), and I’m still
cutting out idea photos and recipes from magazines and newspapers and literally
pinning them to a corkboard on the wall behind my computer. But it’s probably only
a matter of time and space before I succumb to the wisdom of storing all my
inspiration in one convenient, virtual location.</div>
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Before they were even done with their bookcase piano project, AR
excitedly showed me a photo from Pintrest of her next project: a wine bar made
from an upright piano. “This next one will be easier,” predicts AR. She and
Fred don’t drink, so they will probably give it away. “It will hone our carpentry skills,” AR says with
a smile. “It’s really just for fun.”<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZw3Xj-f08SaqNJ8i__nCl9YPO7hxkp0wyEFro_VWNlVcV58npGzCL3P5r_2jkHBwutB139B_uqYAG0xaOjUh8xODK-LQwSBnOw5NhpgZkN59kgSjqWHO7MvFAqXv-iPfn_k0SPwekv7c/s1600/Piano+wreath.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZw3Xj-f08SaqNJ8i__nCl9YPO7hxkp0wyEFro_VWNlVcV58npGzCL3P5r_2jkHBwutB139B_uqYAG0xaOjUh8xODK-LQwSBnOw5NhpgZkN59kgSjqWHO7MvFAqXv-iPfn_k0SPwekv7c/s320/Piano+wreath.jpg" width="216" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A beautiful fall wreath, made by AR<br />
graces the front of the Pointer's home.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
Tina Bainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13894830261537799280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161974592631732366.post-6841651457123687262013-12-13T22:20:00.000-08:002013-12-14T07:18:23.696-08:00<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Stalk Talk</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Bamboo--the superhero of plants</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Originally published August 16, 2013 in the Santa Cruz Sentinel</span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnQgU8rckmunZMEmpZPiKO1L3zvc0vRg3FwgwJBqS_y6hL_sr5iHkw2ceRQsufvOJfGwLGnrXGA8qYnKGQpaQusZ2-nI8QKWoR6FXF9NJCo68-hEEZjyqDGzP2kGdQlOJl_p7BUxV20JY/s1600/bamboo+giant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnQgU8rckmunZMEmpZPiKO1L3zvc0vRg3FwgwJBqS_y6hL_sr5iHkw2ceRQsufvOJfGwLGnrXGA8qYnKGQpaQusZ2-nI8QKWoR6FXF9NJCo68-hEEZjyqDGzP2kGdQlOJl_p7BUxV20JY/s640/bamboo+giant.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #006633; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; text-align: justify;">Bamboo Giant Nursery is located on 31 acres on Freedom Blvd. in Aptos<br />. With over 15 acres planted in bamboo, it is one of the largest displays<br /> of timber bamboo in North America.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">What plant produces the most oxygen and consumes more carbon dioxide
than any other plant, has a tensile
strength greater than steel, can be harvested without destroying itself, and comes
in over 1500 species, some of which can grow up to 4 FEET PER DAY?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">You guessed it—it’s bamboo—the invincible, superhero of plants, able to
do so much more than your average piece of lumber. Bamboo is so mighty and resilient,
it survived <span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">the1945 atomic bomb drop in Hiroshima, Japan and was the first plant to
re-grow after the blast.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Known for its strength and versatility, bamboo is used worldwide to
make food, medicine, textiles, furniture, housing, and many other useful
products. And, for the curious craftsperson, gardener and environmentalist,
sustainably harvested bamboo poles are available at many home improvement
stores, garden centers and nurseries.</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih4kEN824_whRGfECZzW1leoab7pYr9nrxS1ogWrmB1b6gQkK0OQt3gQNZ4AlYTQjC3JaEoRwfNxIwNiMhU7Z8OhCvLh87jxwRxoOVJNEARIUWHCSXb8u_MwjBb9OMeX19TYKwyWtV1F0/s1600/bamboo+Kenner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="331" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih4kEN824_whRGfECZzW1leoab7pYr9nrxS1ogWrmB1b6gQkK0OQt3gQNZ4AlYTQjC3JaEoRwfNxIwNiMhU7Z8OhCvLh87jxwRxoOVJNEARIUWHCSXb8u_MwjBb9OMeX19TYKwyWtV1F0/s400/bamboo+Kenner.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: start;">Michael Kanner shows Sarah Hoole, 2 1/2, and her mother<br /> Jennifer Riley, how to drill the finger holes for a bamboo flute<br /> at the Los Gatos Fiesta de Artes Fair last Sunday. For the two<br /> day fair, Kanner helped about 70 children make their own<br /> flutes, and will also be teaching at the Bamboo Giant Arts<br /> and Crafts fair. He has been a programmer of world music at <br />KUSP for 30 years and is a member of the American Bamboo Society.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">One Santa Cruz musician who understands the versatility of bamboo is
Michael Kanner, who’s been making traditional Japanese shakuhachi flutes from
bamboo for over 45 years. Kanner loves to share his techniques with children
whenever he has the opportunity. He shows them how to mark the finger holes
using a prototype as a guide, and burn the holes using a hot inverted drill bit
with a wooden handle. After they sand the holes, clean the shaft, and decorate
the end with feathers and beads, Kanner provides instructions for playing and
caring for their instrument.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Another bamboo fan, local cycling entrepreneur, Craig Calfee, made his
first bamboo bike as a gimmick for a trade show. Calfee’s workshop in La Selva
Beach assembles some of the most advanced carbon fiber racing bicycles in the
world. But he also directs a project called Bamboosero, which supports micro-manufacturers
of bamboo bike frames in developing countries. The assembled frames are shipped
back to Calfee’s workshop for inspection and hardware.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Promoting the
beauty of bamboo, fine artist Carolyn Fitz of Scotts Valley, is well-known for
her bamboo graphics<span class="Heading3Char"><span style="color: #474646;">.
</span></span><strong><span style="color: #474646; font-weight: normal;">Fitz has traveled
to Japan and China and has been sharing her passion for calligraphy and ink
painting for over 25 years. Her sumi-e workshops explore a traditional style of
Japanese ink painting using a bamboo brush. Fitz created the logo for Bamboo
Giant—a bamboo nursery on Freedom Blvd. in Aptos which specializes in bamboo consulting,
design, delivery, installation, fencing and furniture, and has over 50
different species of bamboo growing on 15 planted acres.</span></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong><span style="color: #474646; font-weight: normal;"></span></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong><span style="color: #474646; font-weight: normal;"></span></strong></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHm43b0cqAr7EgXfI58hgHOEp5p97RrQzm_swNhodolkJfsvL6en6KtRzl3Af3u9jKs7HVC1T2qYkvIwVzroRKe5bXRA_9xhMA2VCROzqKX9Wc3WwofttuFR-Wv2xSDyvStVEAzE4odv8/s1600/bamboo+bicycle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHm43b0cqAr7EgXfI58hgHOEp5p97RrQzm_swNhodolkJfsvL6en6KtRzl3Af3u9jKs7HVC1T2qYkvIwVzroRKe5bXRA_9xhMA2VCROzqKX9Wc3WwofttuFR-Wv2xSDyvStVEAzE4odv8/s640/bamboo+bicycle.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: start;">Brano Meres found an article describing a bamboo frame built by Craig Calfee and was determined</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: start;"> to build one, using a method he developed from building a carbon frame. He provides</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: start;"> instructions</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: start;"> for building a bamboo bicycle frame on </span><a href="http://instructables.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: start;" target="_blank">instructables.com</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: start;">, and writes that the most difficult</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: start;"> part was finding quality bamboo rods.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<strong><span style="color: #474646; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-weight: normal;">All three of these bamboo enthusiasts
will be on hand at Bamboo Giant this weekend for what promises to be the ideal
introduction to the possibilities of bamboo. The two-day arts and crafts fair
will have bamboo-related workshops, crafts, products, face and nail painting,
as well as live music, a raffle and barbecue, and an opportunity to wander
through bamboo-forested trails and learn more about bamboo.</span></strong><strong><span style="color: #474646; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-weight: normal;">For crafters and builders, Bamboo
Giant sells raw canes harvested onsite and imported kiln-dried bamboo. For
ideas and inspiration, you can see fencing and garden structures made from
bamboo, plus a full range of bamboo products for sale, including birdfeeders,
ladders, chimes, bird cages, floor mats, easels, tables and chairs.</span></strong><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhblKBiqiHmP-PqE4HD40AvBuRhuAFCPDHLK-xQHsOgBz_4Qa6wPwgMe3b2JWxnUOsx0ZnDzcPcqII31GTxauGXXiZs_r2qWwLNHtGyBZ1knGmFRT-9_FAH_u3DMp8-fGwjp2E7DOySKyE/s1600/bamboo+chopsticks+basket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhblKBiqiHmP-PqE4HD40AvBuRhuAFCPDHLK-xQHsOgBz_4Qa6wPwgMe3b2JWxnUOsx0ZnDzcPcqII31GTxauGXXiZs_r2qWwLNHtGyBZ1knGmFRT-9_FAH_u3DMp8-fGwjp2E7DOySKyE/s320/bamboo+chopsticks+basket.jpg" width="231" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A basket made from bamboo chopsticks.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<strong><span style="color: #474646; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-weight: normal;"></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #474646; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-weight: normal;"></span></strong><strong><span style="color: #474646; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-weight: normal;">“The Craft & Art of Bamboo”
by Carol Stangler provides good details on planting, harvesting, cutting, preserving,
and attaching bamboo, as well as instructions for making 30 different projects,
from water features, to furnishings, to fencing, to gates and railings. Bamboo
fencing is especially lovely in the garden, and can vary in color, style and
effect depending upon the species and diameter of bamboo used.</span></strong><strong><span style="color: #474646; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-weight: normal;">In her book, Stangler notes that
bamboo’s popularity has increase in recent years. “Once seen as an unwelcome
invasive, it is now hailed for its eco-friendly properties. ‘Rapidly renewable’
describes its spectacular growth rate: bamboo reaches 80 percent of its full
height, diameter and leaf canopy in only two months!” Bamboo is actually a
giant perennial grass, and its dynamic growth is anchored and nourished by a
shallow, underground network of rhizomes.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #474646; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></strong><strong><span style="color: #474646; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-weight: normal;">Left on its own, bamboo will
multiply rapidly, a challenge for those with limited space or close neighbors.
To contain bamboo, the roots must be surrounded by a 3-foot-deep high-density
plastic barrier. Healthy bamboo requires regular maintenance such as removing
unwanted shoots in the spring, harvesting mature culms (stems) annually, and
removing dead and dying culms.</span></strong><br />
<br />
<strong><span style="color: #474646; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-weight: normal;"></span></strong>Bamboo is ready for harvesting in about four to<br />
<strong><span style="color: #474646; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-weight: normal;"></span></strong>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7TAAr2u6fRhgsVhVIa3R-nY4WqrLkPbJUwXVfwEM2VaUUtt7aDOmpUT333beGZJPxbY3XAOnd-evjPbuymmcN47e1OwURs0Gh86i5wBsYYAn-U7M0cfr2SnroFUQfswTyirv9EoyAFeA/s1600/bamboo+chair+bali.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7TAAr2u6fRhgsVhVIa3R-nY4WqrLkPbJUwXVfwEM2VaUUtt7aDOmpUT333beGZJPxbY3XAOnd-evjPbuymmcN47e1OwURs0Gh86i5wBsYYAn-U7M0cfr2SnroFUQfswTyirv9EoyAFeA/s320/bamboo+chair+bali.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Viewed from the bottom, a chair with frame and slats<br />
made from bamboo.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<strong><span style="color: #474646; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-weight: normal;">seven year, when the culm is dark or dull green. Use a
coarse-tooth pruning saw to cut the culm as close to the ground as possible.
Remove branches with a machete or loppers. Cut lengths needed for your project
or store long lengths out of the weather and off the ground. Annual cleaning
and sealing greatly increases the life and appearance of bamboo structures</span></strong><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong><span style="color: #474646; font-weight: normal;">In addition to Stangler’s book
and others, the Internet is also a good source of bamboo projects. One website,
</span></strong><a href="http://blog.greenearthbamboo.com/bamboo/bamboo-crafts/">blog.greenearthbamboo.com/bamboo/bamboo-crafts/</a>
<strong><span style="color: #474646; font-weight: normal;">has a long list of projects
including how to make a cutting board, tree house, raft, compost bin, birdhouse
or candles from bamboo.</span></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong><span style="color: #474646; font-weight: normal;"></span></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong><span style="color: #474646; font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></span></strong></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong><u><span style="color: #474646; font-weight: normal;">Instuctables.com</span></u></strong><strong><span style="color: #474646; font-weight: normal;"> offers a wide variety of
step-by-step bamboo projects with photos, including:</span></strong></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><u><span style="color: #474646;">15 minute bamboo easel</span></u></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #474646;"> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #474646; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Bamboo bike frame</u></span><span style="color: #474646; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> adapted
from Craig Calfee’s original design</span><span style="color: #474646; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></li>
<li><u style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #474646;">Japanese bamboo stilts</span></u></li>
<li><u style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #474646;">Bamboo chaise lounge chair</span></u><span style="color: #474646; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">
padded with wine bottle corks</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #474646;"><u><o:p></o:p></u></span></span><span style="color: #474646; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"></span>And of course pintrest.com has photos for an inspiring assortment of large bamboo creations, including beds, walls, ceilings and garden bridges.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMXJE63D2WfKVluPlA9UawBgN-KoJs6pyDMYnM3-i_pmWC8RRWvSuOupdklhsojJ4oHiUJv1aF-AwM5b69Ftw8nvvw8NEAm_cTHfHCPPYdeug3O3cNclTkb2vr-IAp855z75XESGCLkoc/s1600/bamboo+construction+bali.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMXJE63D2WfKVluPlA9UawBgN-KoJs6pyDMYnM3-i_pmWC8RRWvSuOupdklhsojJ4oHiUJv1aF-AwM5b69Ftw8nvvw8NEAm_cTHfHCPPYdeug3O3cNclTkb2vr-IAp855z75XESGCLkoc/s320/bamboo+construction+bali.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">In Bali last May, I saw this platform constructed from large-diameter<br /> bamboo, at a bridge construction site, used for holding tools<br /> and materials. I thought the way of joining the poles was really unique.</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: #474646; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"></span><br /></div>
</div>
Tina Bainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13894830261537799280noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161974592631732366.post-53025855860508777022013-08-16T11:49:00.001-07:002013-08-16T11:59:22.409-07:00<h2>
Taliesin: Home of Love and Loss</h2>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
Originally published August 9, 2013 in the Santa Cruz Sentinel</span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWFjiTTIdCuXufUF6PkB_O0lNWdIPWNNpbhgKNLtMuN2B1k8HvyI82ZHOLEKKA4fZ4JjuEwHaNNebYUVj3sa5oPnBkvq-NN5PlknfN4a5X96Sg6ysiuzw4YXcv70J5lt5of0AU1ZvzmWw/s1600/Taliesin_large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWFjiTTIdCuXufUF6PkB_O0lNWdIPWNNpbhgKNLtMuN2B1k8HvyI82ZHOLEKKA4fZ4JjuEwHaNNebYUVj3sa5oPnBkvq-NN5PlknfN4a5X96Sg6ysiuzw4YXcv70J5lt5of0AU1ZvzmWw/s400/Taliesin_large.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><i>The cover of “Building Taliesin” is a 1911 photo
of the entrance to the</i></span><br />
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> construction</span> site of Taliesin (“Building Taliesin,” Utah
State Historical</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Society). In the corner are portraits of Frank Lloyd Wright
(ca. 1906)</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">and Mamah Bouton Borthwick (ca. 1914). (“Building Taliesin,”</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Frank
Lloyd Wright Foundation)</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">O</span>ne hundred years ago, a great love story was flourishing in Spring
Green, Wisconsin. The brilliant architect Frank Lloyd Wright was in love with Mamah
(MAY-mah) Borthwick and living with her at Taliesin—the country home he
designed for them both in the rolling green hills he visited as a child. Wright
acquired the land in 1911, while living with Borthwick in Tuscany. When they
moved to Taliesin later in the year, Wright was 44 and married; Borthwick was
42 and divorced. Both had abandoned their spouses and children two years
earlier to be together.<br />
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Although Wright has been recognized as the greatest American architect,
it’s difficult to ignore the tragic story of this ghost of a woman he loved but
could not marry (his wife would not consent to a divorce). Although Mamah
Borthwick moved to Taliesin before its completion and lived there for three
years, and although there was ample documentation of Taliesin’s
construction, there are no clear photographs of her there. It was almost as if
she had never been there, and much later, Wright himself refers to her presence
only obliquely in his autobiography.<br />
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAfk0Q_HAs1r9Pgeptm1IujSl_XVFVsHRHnB4cfadEakGDpnArcWUVJtoOjmclyLGr6YyVFf7MwvBQt1HLzhFyM5aGVDWREIGnSV6ooXpJRXD2K30cuX3kZ8_HYhLHPmB_8TeKQ39JIzI/s1600/Taliesin+back+COVER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAfk0Q_HAs1r9Pgeptm1IujSl_XVFVsHRHnB4cfadEakGDpnArcWUVJtoOjmclyLGr6YyVFf7MwvBQt1HLzhFyM5aGVDWREIGnSV6ooXpJRXD2K30cuX3kZ8_HYhLHPmB_8TeKQ39JIzI/s400/Taliesin+back+COVER.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #1f497d;">The book’s back cover
shows Taliesin as it looks today, </span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #1f497d;">overlooking the Jones Valley in Spring Green,
Wisconsin. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #1f497d;">(Craig Wilson, Kite Arial Photography)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Accomplished in her own right, Borthwick had a master’s degree in
teaching, was fluent in French and German, and worked as a translator for the
feminist writer Ellen Key. She also kept house for Wright and cooked for the
craftsmen on site at Taliesin. However, her life was tragically cut short in
August 1914, while Wright was working in Chicago. One summer afternoon, while Borthwick
and her two visiting young children were having lunch on the living room porch,
a disgruntled and crazed employee of Wright’s appeared and savagely bludgeoned
the three to death with an axe. He murdered four other workers on the premises,
and set Taliesin on fire before being captured. </div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
“Building Taliesin—Frank Lloyd Wright’s Home of Love and Loss” by Ron
McCrea sheds new light on the relationship that scandalized the public and
threatened to derail Wright’s growing success as an architect. Illustrated with
large period photographs—many of which are being published for the first
time—McCrea’s account also explores how the building of Taliesin began a whole
new chapter in Wright’s professional life as a designer of great buildings. </div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZaGNex0YVrXhIrIIM0k0CQ1dZ3VG9a8Z71zF-tGcOcueSp3JIJi9TsUb0vYHTNGbUDO-7K4hMCge4-l3Wi3_TsPKTzA1sRsoMi60mnvPlaT5EiWLaNUtXSlA0fT0x5BiLmOzDycZ2bfk/s1600/Taliesin+drafting+studio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZaGNex0YVrXhIrIIM0k0CQ1dZ3VG9a8Z71zF-tGcOcueSp3JIJi9TsUb0vYHTNGbUDO-7K4hMCge4-l3Wi3_TsPKTzA1sRsoMi60mnvPlaT5EiWLaNUtXSlA0fT0x5BiLmOzDycZ2bfk/s400/Taliesin+drafting+studio.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; text-align: start;"><i>Two carpenters work in the space that would be Wright’s drafting <br />studio in <span class="il" style="background-color: #ffffcc; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222;">Taliesin</span> I. The view looks west from the front office. A plaster</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;"> model</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;"> of Wright’s Larkin building (Buffalo, NY, 1902) sits on the</span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;"> crossbeam</span></i></span><i style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;"> above.</span> The partial wall separates the drafting area from the</i><br />
<i style="font-size: small;"> sitting room of</i><i style="font-size: small;"> the<span style="background-color: white; color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;"> workmen’s</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;"> suite, which also includes a bunkroom and</span></i><br />
<i style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;"> bath.</span></i><i style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;">(“Building <span class="il" style="background-color: #ffffcc; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222;">Taliesin</span>,” Utah State Historical Society) (small photo)</span></i><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;"><br /></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Although America was at first scandalized by his relationship with
Mamah Borthwick, Wright’s career survived and eventually advanced from an innovative
architect of single-family homes to a world-renowned builder of not only homes,
but also hotels, churches, schools, skyscrapers and museums.<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> Wright also
designed many of the interior elements of his buildings, such as the furniture
and<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stained_glass" title="Stained glass"><span style="background: white; color: #0b0080; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">stained glass</span></a><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">.</span></div>
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Although Taliesin was often referred to in the press as a bungalow, it
was quite expansive with three wings that included living quarters, an office,
drafting studio and farm buildings. The home was positioned on the brow of a
hill so that it would appear as though it arose naturally from the landscape.
Wright used Taliesin as a way to explore his notion of organic architecture—creating
a home that was in harmony with its surroundings, fit the needs of its
occupants, and used local products such as limestone and sand from the river to
evoke the natural features in the surrounding landscape.<br />
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3iL5NaFitbg6ixOs4hyphenhyphenynrSDAb450KJziBBUjcqX8_vTcB5AjjJf3sPNeWxYbp1EuyjbbEkb3EpWlOku36yo-5uHyWJpAicSrH_lVLodbs-UzxH9JagDAMZ4vI5gl6zlL92hU_YYBXNA/s1600/Taliesin+plaque.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3iL5NaFitbg6ixOs4hyphenhyphenynrSDAb450KJziBBUjcqX8_vTcB5AjjJf3sPNeWxYbp1EuyjbbEkb3EpWlOku36yo-5uHyWJpAicSrH_lVLodbs-UzxH9JagDAMZ4vI5gl6zlL92hU_YYBXNA/s400/Taliesin+plaque.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Three stonemasons pose proudly
after cementing in place<br /> the plaque that announces “Frank Lloyd Wright /
Architect” at<br /> the gateway to Taliesin. (photo by Taylor A. Woolley around 1912,<br /> found by author McCrea in the Utah Historical Society collections<br />(“Building Taliesin,” Utah State Historical Society)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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What I really enjoyed about “Building Taliesin” was the sense I got of
Frank Lloyd Wright as both a devoted partner and an evolving architect. He
helped Mamah Borthwick get her book translations published and defended her
feminist ideals, including her right to leave her husband and children in
search of happiness and fulfillment. McCrea reports that five days after she
was killed, Wright wrote an open letter to his neighbors, thanking them for
their kindness, but also firing “a parting shot at married critics: ‘You wives
with your certificates of loving—pray that you may love as much and be loved as
well as Mamah Borthwick!’”</div>
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<br /></div>
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McCrea also puts into perspective the work Wright accomplished during
his years with Borthwick at Taliesin. “Beginning with Taliesin, Wright produced
some of his finest architecture. His masterworks, like Taliesin, were
self-contained worlds: the walled Midway Gardens concert garden in Chicago; the
enclosed Imperial Hotel plan for Tokyo; and the Coonley Playhouse, a small gem
of a progressive school.” The years, 1911-1914, “were years in which the
couple, in the prime of life, secured their home and pursed their dreams.
Wright spread his wings in Europe and Asia and returned to Chicago trailing
clouds of glory.”</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Frank Lloyd Wright did survive the loss of Mamah Borthwick, and went on
to build highly original homes and buildings that would earn him the reputation
of the avatar of American architecture. Two of his greatest designs are the
three-story Falling Water House, in Bear Creek, Pennsylvania, which takes the
harmony between building and landscape to the limit, allowing nature to enter
the interior; and the spiraling Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum on Fifth Avenue in
New York City, probably one of his most recognized masterpieces.</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmuXkGyRzpWAtt3w2wK76bpeQdic5WMcDzGkYFDZ83RHS2RTFPIyvSN3EVWFjp8qU8_SbyV9lk-Fm7tK1zVpR7h-ZKdgoSF3FjjDOTS-kCzlJjeXIZDzi2O58q9FaDJ7PuSgCGxPbdy9c/s1600/Taliesin+Guggenheim.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmuXkGyRzpWAtt3w2wK76bpeQdic5WMcDzGkYFDZ83RHS2RTFPIyvSN3EVWFjp8qU8_SbyV9lk-Fm7tK1zVpR7h-ZKdgoSF3FjjDOTS-kCzlJjeXIZDzi2O58q9FaDJ7PuSgCGxPbdy9c/s400/Taliesin+Guggenheim.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in Manhattan.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Frank Lloyd Wright completed hundreds of buildings all over the United
States, the majority of which are still standing, and 54 of which can be
visiting and toured. The nearest to us in Northern California are the Hanna
House at Stanford University and the Marin County Civic Center in San Rafael. I
was lucky enough to see Wright’s work last month in New York: the living room
of the Francis W. Little summer home “Northome” (built 1911-14), which was dismantled
and installed in the American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. A
complete list of public sites can be found at <a href="http://www.franklloydwright.org/about/public-sites.html">http://www.franklloydwright.org/about/public-sites.html</a>,
which includes Taliesin I, in Spring Green, Wisconsin, and Taliesin West in
Scottsdale, Arizona.</div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1skex8QFQCzA5fn-Cp0ou2fH5NLAQXanJfPgslBXnWDD7l10mt5CDnBEoPXo0gegGYpRAQN5EU8iwP95syTn7_cXVf3SBlzLVsJ5C-1lBaPBBfFudbZK_IsaOqhbdcRfN0ORQN6u-p4Q/s1600/Taliesin+windows.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="353" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1skex8QFQCzA5fn-Cp0ou2fH5NLAQXanJfPgslBXnWDD7l10mt5CDnBEoPXo0gegGYpRAQN5EU8iwP95syTn7_cXVf3SBlzLVsJ5C-1lBaPBBfFudbZK_IsaOqhbdcRfN0ORQN6u-p4Q/s400/Taliesin+windows.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">The three famous windows
from the Coonley Playhouse (a progressive school built in 1911 on the grounds
of the Coonley estate in Riverside, Illinois) show several patterns Wright used
of balloons, confetti, and an American flag. Solid, bright colors and simple
geometric Forms were something new for Wright after he returned from Europe.
(photo by Tina Baine, New York Metropolitan Museum of Art)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Tina Bainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13894830261537799280noreply@blogger.com0