The Maker's Space

From November 21, 2014 through January 3, 2015, The Morton Arboretum glows   with dazzling LED lights and trees that respond to your touch and voice, as Illumination: Tree Lights at The Morton Arboretum return for a second year. This is definitely something that you can take just yourself for your own artist date, or take the whole family!  It is NOT to be missed.  The designers of Lightswitch, Jon Featherstone at Lightswitch.net did a magnificent artistic highlighting of a wide variety of trees.  Not only is the visual sensation breathtaking, but the coordinated music adds to the awe.  I was amazed to see the parking lot full, and the mile long path filled with families walking peacefully and joyously through the designated, well marked, easily accessed pathway.  You must have tickets to attend and they are filling up quickly.  This is the second year, and the word has spread of this artistic gem in DuPage County.  Visit the Morton Arboretum's website at www.mortonarb.org for

Rosemaling is decorative folk painting from Norway.  On Tuesday, November 18th, we gathered to explore this old and declining art form that was prevalent in Scandinavia and brought to America with Scandinavian immigrants.  The word Rosemaling has its origin in Norwegian dialects and actually means decorative painting.  The flower like clusters were called roses, or "rosur."  It flourished at its peak from about 1780 to 1850.  Country painters took inspiration from church art, city crafts, from illustrated broadsheets, traditional patterns, cast iron stove panels and faience.  They didn't copy, as city painters were taught to do.  They used what they found according to their own fantasy and premises.  Often we see elements from different styles side by side and blended in with purely imaginative flowers.  In this way it became a spontaneous and individual form of expression.  Rosemaling was practiced over most of Norway.  In particular, it bloomed in the valleys east

Sometimes I get distracted and try and make something out of something that I have.  Making new things out of extra free things that I have is a challenge I often do to make use out of things sitting around.  We have lots of saved corks around...lots of acorns from Michigan, {it was an abundant year,} and I like to use the plants that have been growing in the planters like sage along with cinnamon that can be used in cooking during the winter months.  This helps the creative process as well, as we are created as problem solvers.  Just as repurposing is the trend today and was the way of life for the generations before us, making things out of things that you have, or changing the original purpose of an item into something else is fun and challenges the brain. It's also good to experiment.  "I think it's good to have a lot of projects going at once so you can bounce between them  When you get sick of one project, move over to another , and when you

This year, 2014, I started 3 collections........ Rocks with holes to build towers Beach glass Heart shaped rocks In the Children's Worship Class for Kindergartners to fifth graders, we try to create an environment where children can be with God and spend time getting to know Him and listening to Him.  Trying to explain what being alone with God could look like, I decided to take them along on one of my walks with God.  I had them close their eyes and try to imagine the scene.  I was on the beach of Lake Michigan.  The sun was shining and the waves were lapping up on the shore.  I was enjoying my walk alone, feeling the sun on my shoulders, a gentle breeze on my face, and listening to the waves roll up on to the shore...over and over again.  I was talking with God and thanking Him for loving me and for taking care of me and my family, and thanking Him for all of the ways that I saw Him working in the world.  I thanked Him for the beauty aroun

"The scientific community is also discovering the outdoors as a divine elixir.  Researchers at the University of Michigan determined that participants' memory performance and attention spans improved by 20 percent after an hour of interacting with nature.  They also discovered the benefits of the outdoors were the same whether the temperature was 80 degrees and sunny or 25 degrees and frigid......Scientists in Sweden found that joggers who exercise in settings with trees and landscape views felt more rejuvenated and wrestled with fewer bouts of anxiety, anger or depression than those who completed the same exercise regimen in an urban setting.  An Australian researcher believes the sudden skyrocket in nearsightedness-myopia-among youth is due to young people spending less time outdoors where their eyes learn to focus on longer distances."  Wonderstruck by Margaret Feinberg, pg. 50      "In Richard Louv's book 'The Nature Principle,' he points out th

September is usually a wonderful month all of the world since it is a collar month around the equinox.  Here in the midwest, it is the last hurrah before long winters, hanging on to the last of the sun.  Below are some of my favorite things in September that give me joy.  Once you slow down to notice, you see God's treasures and surprises are everywhere. Monarch season Best beach glass day ever "I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness--secret riches. I will do this so you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name." Isaiah 43:3 warm September sun and beach "May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine on us" Ps.67:1 September sunset over Lake Michigan "so that your ways may be known on earth and your salvation among all nations. " oaks and dropping acorns "May the peoples praise you, God.." First colors "May the nations be glad and sig for joy

It is so joyous being in the company of creative people!  What a wonderful world this would be if everyone was pursuing joy through their God-given creativity.  That is what happened Tuesday night when fifteen gathered to explore still-life painting on canvas.  We experimented with lights and darks. mixing the three primary colors in a no-judgement zone of ourselves or each other.  This time was a space to play and nurture the artist child in each one of us.  "Painting is an attempt to come to terms with life.  There are as any solutions as there are human beings."  George Tooker To all of you who came to paint....well done!  Let us know your reflections of the evening and what you discovered by taking the time to play with paint on "Comments." For those who want to go on with painting...check out the classes in the are on the artist pages.  Be sure to join us for other mediums every month by checking the schedule on the schedule pages and become a follower