Journey to Sedona, AZ

This week I taught collage at the Sedona Art Center, as I have been doing for four years. Read about my class, the town, and how I found gallery representation there as well. A business trip in the true sense of the word. 

Growing Bolder Blog Here

Thank You
for being a part of my
Art Journey,

Elizabeth

Creating a Companion Piece

12x12 on flat wood panel, painted similar background to match the apple

Last month in my Sedona, AZ Paper Paintings 3-day workshop I created the demo apple on the left to show my students the technique of collage. As often happens, one of my students purchased the demo piece from me.

Lesley asked me if I could also make her a pear, (and a pair) to display with her apple. Creating a companion piece after the fact, vs. creating it at the same time can be tricky. When I create two collages that go together, I typically put them on the easel at the same time. I work back and forth between the two so that I am utilizing some of the same collage papers on each piece, giving them harmonious color and patterns.

mimicking the same line quality, style, and underpainting of the pear

Since I was going to create the pear after the fact, I told Lesley that I'd need to take the apple home to the FL studio. I was in luck that I had created the Sedona Apple on the road because this meant that I was working from a limited stock of papers in my travel bag. Working from a gallon sized bag of papers vs. a full studio drawer of papers narrowed down the search for similar patterned and colored collage paper.

completed pear, you can see the same leaf papers, reds and yellows on both pieces

In addition to bringing Lesley's Sedona Demo Apple home for reference, it was also imperative that I bring it home to varnish along side the pear. I did demonstrate varnish in the class with the apple, however my varnish at home is my own mixture of gloss and matte and it was not going to match the sheen of the varnish out of the bottle. Any time I create companion pieces, I want to be sure that both have matching varnish. When I completed the pear I gave them both a coat of my secret recipe varnish. 

Now the pair is complete and they are going to look great hanging in Lesley's kitchen! 

Thank You
for being a part of my
Art Journey, 
Elizabeth

click any image to enlarge

Fueling the Body and Soul

We are made up of 50-75% water,  fuel for the body

Today was my last day in Sedona. Class ended yesterday and I took today to explore my favorite place. Sedona is a small town, so most of what I did today, was like visiting an old friend. But this morning was very different. I started my day on a very special mission, a new experience.

the path less traveled, fuel for the soul

In all my visits to Sedona, I had heard about the power of the vortexes and how it was the sole purpose in many folks coming here. I guess I was more about the views and the sunset, the red rocks mesmerize me to this day. When I come around the bend on 179 into town and see the first sign of the red rocks, it takes my breath away. Every time. 

A map to the Universe

In this weekend's class at the Sedona Art Center I mentioned that I had a special mission, I had some ashes to spread in the red rocks of Sedona, for a friend. Mary was so sweet to make an amazing suggestion, she said "You know, Boynton Canyon has two vortexes a male and female." Right then I realized, that's my special place. 

I did some research on Boynton Canyon and how to find the vortexes there. They don't label them or advertise them. Thanks to the time and effort of his blog An Alternate Route, by Steve Prefontaine, I had no problem finding my way. I followed his photos and directions by downloading his page before I went out into the Canyon ad lost cell signal.

I headed out early in the morning, so I had no trouble parking at the trail head. There were only mountain bikers unloading whenI pulled in and purchased my red rock pass out of the solar powered vending machine in the parking lot. 

It was all great until I saw the bear sign. 

Gulp.

And there it was. My land shark. GEEZ! I was struck by the very same fear I have for sharks. I hesitated, I walked, I turned back, I walked, I stopped, I walked, I turned back. 

Fear, it can be paralyzing. Just today someone emailed me and said they had my DVD, bought all the collage supplies, but were too scared to start. Why? It's not like your collage is going to MAUL you. Oh my goodness. I wasn't going to let fear deter me from my mission. 

"I'll sit on this bench and wait for someone else to come along the trail and I'll hang behind them," I thought. I'll let them go ahead as an appetizer. OMG. How often do we do this? We don't want to go first, we don't want to put our art out there to be judged, we'd rather follow behind someone else, safe. 

Along came two women who looked like experienced hikers, I hung behind them and headed up the trail. They were going my way, so it worked out. (It felt good not to be totally controlled by my fear of the land shark.) When we got to the vortexes, they had their own agenda, and I had mine. It was just us three up there, so very quiet and peaceful.

The vortexes from the Vista Trail below

I climbed up to the area between the two vortexes to experience the energy. Warrior, the male vortex on the left (I climbed to the very top here and sat) and the Kachina Woman on the right. Can you see the "V" formation in the clouds? that's not doctored, this is the photo as it was taken with my iPhone. 

I imagine experiencing a vortex is like experiencing art, there is a special energy to it. We all bring a part of ourselves to the definition of just what that pull feels like, and how each individual describes their experience is always going to be unique and different. I felt out of balance when I stood there in the center and closed my eyes, I felt like I was slightly swaying on my feet, like I could feel the earth moving. 

I went around the back of the male side of the vortex (which was free standing) to find a peaceful place. There are personal cairns (rock piles) built all over this place by previous visitors. I decided to build a cairn in honor of my special mission. 

the cairn I built in honor of Jared

I came to the strongest vortex in Sedona to spread a small amount of ashes of a young man with a huge personality and a pretty strong pull of his own. I have never spread ashes before, so it rounded out my all-new experiences for today. 

When was the last time you did something for the first time?

the central area between the two vortexes is marked by a rock circle and many cairns 

the sign of a Sedona vortex is said to be the twisted trunks of juniper trees that appear nearby

After ceremoniously letting a handful of powder catch the canyon breeze, I climbed around to the front of the vortex. And there he was. 

Out of nowhere came a man, now standing with his arms and legs spread apart like an X in the center of the two vortexes. He came over and handed me a stone heart, put it in my palm and told me it was the energy of the Creator, the power of the Universe, it was Unconditional Love and it would go with me wherever I went, I could take the power of the vortex with me on my Journey, I could then pass Unconditional Love on to someone else.  This is how we will change the world, he said.

Robert (he later introduced himself) told me he was going to climb to the top of the Warrior formation and play healing Reiki music. "Do you want to join me?" he asked. Really?

Why not? Open your heart and your mind. 

Together we climbed up to the top of Warrior, Robert knew the footholds and pointed the way. What an incredibly spectacular view! It took my breath away to sit there and gaze out over 360º of the red rock canyon colored by Karma and brought together by the Universe for me in that moment. 

My view of the Universe

Robert playing healing music for the earth

I don't now how long I sat up there listening to Robert play, it certainly was relaxing. Between songs we spoke about Unconditional Love, the Creator, and about letting go of all the baggage and crap that bogs us down in life. His last song was called Releasing, just for that purpose.

I'm not sure where Robert came from, but I am very glad our paths crossed. I believe it was all meant to be a part of an original experience, and my special mission. 

the Warrior formation 

Yeah, I climbed to the top of that and back, and never did see any land sharks.

Thank You for being a part 

of my Art Journey,
Elizabeth

click on any image to enlarge

Workshop Weekend, Sedona, AZ

AM, yes, an hour some of you never see. I'm very familiar

Maybe it was the anticipation, that kept me awake. Maybe it was the congestion. Either way, I could't sleep.

My iPhone alarm was set for 4:00, by then I was long awake – tossing and turning, watching the clock glow, blowing my nose, checking my email. How do you rest an ever running mind? "Have I forgotten to pack anything? Should I bring my Red Sox cap? (let's face it, I am a fair weather fan, born in Boston) Do I have enough business cards? Do I have enough to keep me busy in flight?"

You'd think I never did this before.

Today I am headed to the Sedona to teach a collage workshop at the Art Center, I've been doing this twice a year for going on three years, April and November. When booking the flight, I was trying to secure the lowest possible fare for the Art Center, overlooking the fact that I had signed on for an American Airlines Journey that included two layovers between Orlando and Phoenix. Two.

"What? WHAT?" I asked myself out loud while viewing my Expedia itinerary email which featured a very long and colorful list of flight numbers starting at 7:25am this morning and ended at 2:30pm this afternoon, INCLUDING gaining two-hours of time with the time change. Ugh. "How did that happen?" "Probably because you weren't paying attention when you booked it." was the reply from The Voice of Reason on the other side of the couch.

True.

And then there's the two hour car ride through the dessert from Phoenix to Sedona. On 3.5 hours sleep. Sigh. Passion Tea sounded appealing to me on my arrival at OMA's Terminal A Starbucks, but when I get to Miami (yes, I am flying South first... ugh) I'm opting for some caffeine.


guess what? we cannot accommodate your carry-on luggage

And why is it that every flight you go on these days, they announce that they are ALREADY out of overhead bin space for your carry on during the boarding of Zone 1? So now they are fighting with me to check my roll aboard, which happens to include all the things I did not want to include in my checked luggage. Thank you very much.

A beautiful day in Miami

My husband set me up with the new MacBook Air 13" and I couldn't be happier. This new computer is MUCH lighter and more compact than my MacBook Pro was. It's also much less weight on my shoulders (can I just tell you that the computer bag slipped off my shoulders and dropped on more than one occasion? Yes, I can tell you that now because I finally came clean with my husband about it)

It's about having the right tools for the job. I would not have blogged on the go with the other computer, it was just too much effort. How spoiled does that sound? OMG.


30 min in the air didn't even give me time to log into GoGo inflight, just one of the few ways I entertain myself when sitting still. The other way I entertain myself is breaking out the collage supplies, but that didn't happen either. Im not big on sitting still, as you can imagine, so this was a bit of a squirmy 30 min. I thought about sleeping. I reclined, closed my eyes, and started counting sheep, but then I started thinking about how much fun it would be to collage sheep. "What would I use to create all the curls? would I paint white paper or just use text and type and sheet music? would I infuse colors? would they be warm or cool colors? Cool of course..."  and on and on like that. No rest for the wicked (witch in the purple tights) I tell you.

Miami did offer me some much needed grub. I am a big eater, so any airport that offers me the opportunity to sit down and eat eggs, potatoes and Cuban coffee, makes me happy. Even if it's totally off the direct path to Phoenix. Life is about the Journey though, and I am keeping that in the forefront of my mind today.  Right behind the pressure that's building up in my sinus cavity.

Sitting on the floor of Miami Airport tethered to a plug outlet

Next stop Dallas, TX. Side Note: I saw more than one person wearing cowboy boots in this huge airport. Somehow in all my travels, I've never been to Dallas. (and somewhere I too have cowboy boots) I took the tram from terminal B to terminal C (oddly, via D and E) which was pleasant enough, it was like a monorail track outside. Unlike Atlanta, you could not have walked it if you wanted to.

My in flight entertainment

This was a 3-hour jaunt so I managed to whip out the collage supplies and work on two small pieces. I always bring small pieces to work on my seat back tray table. I bring my collage glue in 3-oz. containers in one zip top, clear plastic bag. Since I ended up in a middle seat, this was quite the challenge, I usually have the isle as extra real estate to pull the travel bag of papers into as I dig through it to find my colors. Not today. Given the alternative of sitting still, I opted to figure out how to make it work, and I did. However, next time I will check in earlier and have the opportunity to choose an isle seat! Expedia is FIRED, they did not remind me to check in yesterday. What's up with that?

Upon arriving at Terminal C I immediately began looking for food options. Right across from Gate 30 was TGI Fridays where folks were lined up waiting to get in and a man in a candy striped tie handed me a menu to look at while I waited. Fried, Fried, Fried. Maybe that's the Fri in Friday. The soup of the day was broccoli cheddar. The healthy options on the menu boasted 750 calories or less. For lunch. hmmmm. There was not even a salad to be had for less than 749.

After much deliberation, I went with a grilled chicken salad, hold the cheese and the croutons and the dressing. (surely this might get me down to 650?) Out came the salad just as I was asking if there were any plug outlets under the table. Always tethered to the plug.

A metal fork and a plastic knife. Hmmm, "Can I get a real knife?" I asked my server. "Unfortunately, no." And then it dawned on me, security. Security? I mean I probably could to as much damage with metal fork tines as a butter knife, no? For me it was about the weight, one heavy utensil, one light. Strange.

Here I sit at gate C waiting for the last leg of this trip to Phoenix. The plane has been delayed by a half hour. "Blah, blah, blah," I already forgot why. In a way I am happy, as I am currently tethered to the power tower along with everyone else around me. Half an hour will charge my devices.

The tower may be constantly plugged into, but it's never cleaned. Maybe that's because it's in 24-hour demand.

And we are off, from Dallas to Phoenix! The pressure in my ears and sinus cavity continues to mount with the altitude adjustments in flight. Note to self: find a walk-in clinic in Sedona. Which by the way is at 5000 feet elevation. Florida is ZERO. My ears are going to kill me all weekend.

If you are not familiar, Sedona is a small town that can only be accessed by a two hour drive through the dessert from Phoenix. Upon arriving in Phoenix, I gathered my bags, took the rental car shuttle bus and headed to Alamo. At this point, I cannot hear anymore.

What?


headed out of Phoenix, once through the traffic the landscape and lighting were fantastic! You can see the Saguaro at the top of the hill.

I rented my car, hooked up my Google Maps and hit the road. Let me say that I have been to Sedona about six times before, so I do have a general idea of where I am headed. I rolled up onto the ramp of Route 17 only to hit rush hour (really?) traffic at 4:30pm getting out of Phoenix. Oh boy do I wish I could use the HOV lane about now. Oh well, it's about the journey, the Journey!

The drive was spectacular because of the daylight as the sun set. It changed everything. Usually I get into town much earlier in the day (no, really? OMG there are direct flights) And I end up driving through the dessert smack in the middle of the day. That lighting does not flatter the Saguaro cacti or the landscape very much. The Saguaro is native to the Sonoran Desert in Arizona and the blossom is the State Wildflower of Arizona. A little tidbit of useful information for you.

the pink mountains in the distance, maybe it's the red sand reflecting the sun

Getting close, I can feel the red rocks coming, but I'm losing daylight

So the Journey was different for me this time, and I appreciated very much the color of the dessert at dusk. It's been a very long day getting to Sedona from Orlando. By the time I had my "ah ha" moment when I come around the corner on 179 headed into uptown (I know right where this is on the road) and I see the red rock outcropping for the very first time... it was dark, I missed the sun by about 20 min.

Open your heart and your mind, you never know where the Journey will take you

But no fear, the sunrise is almost as glorious as the sunset and I am an early riser. I have to be, because the Urgent Care clinic closed at 6pm. What? They open up again at 8am tomorrow morning. I'll get my sinuses checked and then make my way to the Chapel of the Holy Cross if I have time before class.

I always go there to light candles for my SU roommates who perished in the bombing. And I sit (still, yes I do sit still) and reflect on how much of an amazing place Sedona truly is to me.

This trip I have another candle to light, and another special ritual to perform. For Jared and his mother Nancy. I think the early morning light might just be a perfect variation.

click to enlarge any image

Thank You
for being a part of my
Art Journey,
Elizabeth

and PS it's COLD here!

The Importance of Having a Current Head Shot

©Douglas Nelson Photography 2013

This holiday weekend I put my husband to work taking new photos of me for self promotion, so much for his Labor Day! I have been asked to give a workshop with Art is You in Petaluma, CA next summer and they requested a current head shot in addition to my artist statement and bio last week. Let me preface all of these lovely Douglas Nelson Photography photos by telling you that I really do NOT like having my photo taken. It takes me a good 25 photos to loosen up and not look like I am in pain. Just sayin'. Thank goodness for digital photography.

©Douglas Nelson Photography 2009

The photo above was the first time we shot me in front of my art, a peacock on an easel in our living room. I put the hat on because I was having a bad hair day, and it turned out to be a very good look. My husband had a small window of time he could work on the photo and I took advantage of it, bad hair or not. I even forgot to put earrings in I was moving so fast!

I have taken my head shot in a number of different settings over the years but my favorite remains to be either outside with blurred greenery behind me or in front of my own artwork with blurred color fields behind me. The colors from my work really help to make for a beautiful back drop as well as say something about the vibrancy of my work. My husband has a lens with an extremely wide aperture that offers a very shallow depth of field, this is what blurs the background. The art is just back there for color, I don't want it to be in focus and competing with me and my sometimes painful expression! ouch 

Always Be Prepared - Like Any Good Girl Scout

In the last six months I've had to submit my headshot for an art exhibit I'm judging at the Art Gallery of Viera as well as for the Seminole County Employees Art Contest which I judged last month. I was very glad to be able to hit reply and attach my head shot within the same day of the request. People love dealing with someone who can get back to them with the materials they request in a timely manner. I would not have been able to be the featured columnist for the ARTzine if I did not have a head shot on hand the day the director contacted me. Be a good Girl Scout, be prepared at all times.

©Douglas Nelson Photography 2012

Original image and post processed image by Douglas Nelson

My column on mixed media, along with my headshot. Submitted within a week of being requested. You snooze you loose, I was prepared with my head shot on my computer. 

Last year when the Sedona Art Center was putting together their course catalogue, they asked me to write a sidebar column and submit a head shot. They had to have the files within the week to meet their publishing deadline. Lucky for me I had my photo on hand and ready to email to them, the writing was the easy part. If you were not married to a photographer who loves your cooking and appreciates you on oh so many levels..., you would be looking at a turnaround time of a week on your digital photo after the shots are taken and then up to another week for any post production effects that the photographer might use to enhance the image you chose. And who knows how long it might take for you to get on their schedule in the first place. You can see why this would not have worked when the director of the art center said to me "Can I have this from you by Friday?"

Is That Really You?

©Douglas Nelson Photography 2007

In this shot I look a lot younger (only slightly in pain) I could keep using it, but it would be kind of a cheat, don't you think?

I always have a current head shot on my computer in a high- and low-rez version for submission at a moment's notice. This is a good idea, and you should be proactive with your head shot rather than reactive, which means rushing to figure out how to have a head shot taken when you are asked to submit. Current to me means within the last six months. We have all been to art exhibits and seen artists bios on the wall and said "Wow, that photo looks at least ten years old!" I mean let's face it, you and I both looked a lot younger ten years ago, but that's no reason to hold on to that head shot and to keep using it.  This shot above was on marketing materials for the now defunct Katherine Butler Gallery in Sarasota, FL circa 2007.

Out With The Old, In With The New

©Douglas Nelson Photography 2013

This head shot was current up until a couple of months ago.

Why did I have to shoot this weekend rather than take my own advice? I changed my hair, drastically. As you can see from the above photo, I cut my hair off and went blonde. I could not really send this photo to the folks at Petaluma, so it was time to update my head shot, even though it has been less that six months.

©Douglas Nelson Photography 2013

Even this image is now outdated as I went even shorter with my hair, but I think I could still squeak by with it in a pinch. 

The above studio of me working is a nice one for editorial purposes. It shows my medium, and my studio space, it's colorful and fun and can be used for a variety of purposes. Again though, if your look has changed, your studio shot needs to change to, you have to be current at all times. 

Customized Images Beyond Your Head

©Douglas Nelson Photography 2012

Shot for Lake Mary Life magazine, showing what I do by surrounding me with my collage paper

Last summer I received a call from Lake Mary Life magazine and they editor said, "We'd love to do an article on you this month, do you have photos of yourself we can use for the layout?" This is more than a head shot, this is images that show what I do and can tell a story. Often times people ask for images of me working in my studio. If you can swing it, images of you working in your studio are great to have on hand as well. You might be able to get a photographer to come to you and shoot your head shot and studio shot in one day. 

©Douglas Nelson Photography 2013

This image was shot in the studio on a white back drop and effects were applied in Photoshop by Douglas Nelson specifically for a magazine article 

This June I traveled to Western Upstate NY to teach a class and compete in a triathlon, the local paper wrote an article about me and asked me to submit a photo they could use. I was going to send a head shot but my husband really wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to present them with a true true editorial photo. The Chronical Express ran the photo with their article and it really was great! Once you establish a relationship with a photographer, you should bounce ideas off them for future photos that might tell your story or explain what you do more than just a head shot.

Putting your Best Foot Forward

You'll notice that all of these images are three-quarter view, shot from the same side. I never take a photo head on, I always insist on using my good side. If you know there is an angle that is most flattering for you, don't be afraid to tell the photographer you are working with. Nobody knows you better than you, so speak up and ask the photographer to try getting on a ladder and shooting from above or shooting you from your good side, we all have our own quirks. When you are paying for the photo session and the images you want to be sure you come out with something you are happy and confident to submit to those requests for publishing.

©Douglas Nelson Photography 2013

The Price of Being Fashionable

When you think about cutting all your hair off you have to remember that you're going to need another new photo, this gets expensive. I liken it to getting a new prescription in your glasses an then having to change lenses in all the six pairs you bought just so you could be über fashionable. It gets expensive, über expensive... so make the most of your photo session and your photographer.

Typically head shots are vertical in nature, make sure to ask your photographer to shoot some horizontal images of you for your Facebook masthead. Social media is of the utmost importance to artists and anyone trying to market their product. You can use your head shot for Facebook, Google, Blogger, Twitter, etc. Don't forget to keep them current too, once you receive your new image, be sure to go in and update your online photo presence. The above photo was part of my head shot photo session and is now my current Facebook masthead image.

Thank You, Thank You!

Many thanks to Douglas Nelson Photography for his patience and ability to take photos of me at my beck and call. He's a saint to put up with my good side and edit out 400 photos with ouch! painful expressions. If you're looking for a good headshot, look him up in the Orlando, FL area. 

thank you for being a part of my 

Art Journey, 

Elizabeth