Use It Or Lose It!

I think we all are aware that if you have a space that you never use, nature will take it over. That concept played out in true form in my garage studio this spring. One morning, while searching for something in what I thought was MY space, I was greeted with the following scene:

I had to do a double take. The sparrows had decided that a box, which I'd turned on its side to use as a shelf, would be a perfect spot for their nest.

As I drew closer to it, I had to admire that, although messy, there was a certain beauty about it with all the collected and varied materials. Well, it was much like a collage.

These are styrofoam blocks into which I had carved relief designs for stamping. I stored them in that cardboard box. This is where the the whole "use it or lose it" notion comes in.

Fortunately, upon close inspection, I was able to note that there were no eggs or baby birds and I felt comfortable in removing the nest and reclaiming my space. This time, though, I placed the box on its bottom and sealed the top closed. 

Happy Accident

I got lucky with this one. While this graceful doe was just across the lagoon from our backyard, it was still difficult to see her in my view finder and even harder still when I zoomed in. I was also completely unaware that her reflection was visible in the water.

Gingko Leaves for Susan

Most of you probably remember my Gingko Leaves collage. Most recently it was on special in the Starving Artist section of my Etsy shop. It was purchased by my good friend, Susan Amadio. Over the years her artwork, ceramic collage, has awed and inspired me. I was honored that she chose to purchase this piece from me and even more honored that she hung it with two of her recent copper pieces which were inspired by my Tangy Zoodles. You can see more of Susan's artwork on her website: Amadio Artworks