Hodge Podge and Thank You

Donna Watson, Acrylic and collage

I am leaving for NYC very soon... my son is graduating from Columbia University with his Masters of Fine Art degree.   He has been living in NYC for several years and is in the Davidson Contemporary Gallery in Manhattan.  You can go to the gallery link here to see more of his work.

Matthew Watson, oil on copper, 6"x6"

I have been very fortunate lately to receive a number of wonderful gifts in the mail... and in person... from artists I have met in person or through my blog.  I want to share some of the creative artistic gifts here.  I have met some very generous friends and I want to thank them for their support and generosity.

  First up is Elizabeth Bunsen.  She is into circles and dots like I am and she sent me the most fabulous packet in the mail.. filled with all sorts of fabric and papers stamped with circles and dots.

Elizabeth also included some of her wonderful rocks... she knows I love rocks and collect them.

Her warm colorful dot and circle filled blog can be found here. 

Lynne Perrella sent me the most creative envelope above...  a large envelope inside a plastic sleeve with the stamps placed outside in the most amazing way.   I had a lot of fun opening up such a wonderful envelope.  Her website can be found here. 

Leslie Avon Miller is a good friend of mine.  She recently gifted me with one of her beautiful hand made tags...  and a clay Asian coin made by a friend of hers ... which she knew I coveted.   You can find more of Leslie's tags and collages and art work at her blog here. 

Cathy Hegman sent me a bird's nest some time ago.  Thank you Cathy for such a wonderful gift.

Her blog can be found here.    Mary Ann Burke lives on the east coast.  We met online through my blog and when she came to Seattle for a ceramic/clay event she came to visit me.  She gifted me with these large clay 'eggs' because she knew how much I admired them.  

Seth Apter came to the Seattle area (Bellevue WA) for one of his wonderful book signings for his book THE PULSE OF MIXED MEDIA.  He gave me one of his wonderful art works above.  

  

Seth also gave a short demo of one of his collage works.  You can find out more about his book, his book tour and travels and his art at his blog here.  

What we make, why it is made, how we draw a dog, who it is we are drawn to, why we cannot forget.

Everything is collage, even genetics.

There is hidden pleasure of others in us, even those we have known briefly.

We contain them for the rest of our lives, at every border we cross.

--- Michael Ondaatje