Creating a Catio

This is the story of a very lucky cat. Her name is Bijou – French for Jewel.  Once the pet, of a let’s say, “not-ready-for-this-responsibility” somewhat transient young man living on his own between high school and the next move, she was along for the ride with kids coming and going, parties and nothing in the way of consistent comfort and security. Perhaps loved, in a way, but without the tools or experience to properly care for her, she was collected by a close friend and given a new home.

This what the new owner saw.

Bijou, a fragile kitty.

This is what her other two cats saw.

Doesn’t play well with others.

She had led such an erratic life with so much activity and unexpected actions, activities and unsettling inconsistencies, she was skittish and defensive. She did not play well with others. Syd and Sam, her two new brothers, were bookends. They were fairly mellow and had full run of the house…until now.

Bijou was a mess around them – picking fights and acting untamed. This spread to her reaction to her new people too – the fear of the other cats made her skittish to the point of biting and scratching for seemingly no apparent reason.

Her new owner knew that if she took her to Animal Humane that she would have difficulty finding a home with her bad behavior and therefore would more than likely be euthanized. This was not an option. For all of her crazy, she was still loveable and had become part of the family.

Being isolated to the daughter’s bedroom and end of the hallway bath, Bijou had a quarantined life. And it was not pleasant nor convenient for the rest of the household either.

Cat solitary…

Cat psychology and medication were not working.  The light bulb went off and her generous and soft-hearted  new owner imagined a “catio.”  With that she began gathering examples from all sources. Some were elegant and lavish while others were smaller and efficient. But the idea was to provide an environment where Bijou felt safe and could commune with nature, relax and release her tensions and enjoy life.

The plans began…

The idea…

The crude beginnings to plot the location and size evolved…

Our magician of a cabinet maker – fine craftsman and designer of amazing wood cabinets and free-standing furniture, who continues to claim that he is NOT a welder stepped in to save the day. Against his better judgments, but with our strong encouragement, Enrique started to investigate.

He and I went on the search for materials. Handsome pavers to compliment adjacent materials, (creating a border of gravel to match landscape material and act as a transition between non-matching surfaces), roofing panels, the right gauge of wire and size of tubular steel.

Who knew that the seemingly common corrugated fiberglass panels were not to be found at the national home improvement stores?

We wanted a durable, translucent roof…diffused to protect from the harsh orientation of the summer sun, but to allow softened daylight to wash the space with protection from thee rare downpour during the monsoons.

Soon thereafter he pulled up on the curb of PATRICIAN DESIGN with the first load of raw steel.

Enrique’s El Camino is loaded down with steel!!!

With many meetings discussing details including access through the master bathroom window, entry door for humans outside, hiding place nook, evading code issues with house egress maintained, space for adjacent barbeque area, dodging and/or accommodating existing sprinkler valves and transitions between existing pavers and pavement – the physical work began.

Weeks turned into months as summer passed and construction continued. The work is tedious. The work is perfection. The welding is invisible. I remarked that Enrique treats iron and steel like fine wood. He is precise, careful, attends to every detail and proceeds with the intention that joinery is invisible and details are fine.

Glass panels are inserted into channels and will ultimately be lit at night with the intent of having the family each paint an image on the glass depicting cats, nature – whatever speaks to them about this very special catio.

The roof structure is extended the full length to allow for a new covered grilling area – bonus detail!! A low “hiding area” for Bijou is a work-surface for the grill too!

Bijou has just been introduced to her new environs.

She came in through the bathroom window…

The weather is turning and there is a chill in the evening air, but she and her benefactor enjoy sitting out there with a glass of wine and listen to the crickets as night falls.

The kind-hearted husband is getting into the swing of things by making this perch using weathered wood from their backyard and left-over carpet from their interior remodel.

More finishing touches will be coming in the way of the painted glass panels, ramps and ledges for Bijou, …

…so that every day will bring a more beautifully outfitted catio for this very lucky cat! Watch for the finished product!

Cool Rides Hot Design!

Racing through the Albuquerque Sunport several times this summer, I had seen in swift passing the blindingly brilliant bling of the Low Rider exhibit that had been set-up at the end of June. Last week I had an opportunity, while waiting in the arrival area, to peruse the many amazing rides that commanded the concourse.

This powerful art exhibit of the unique Latino culture of Low Riders represents great personal pride and emotional attachment on behalf of the owners and artists (often one and the same).

These finished products are almost like songs…from memorials to love interests, family and friendships – they express heartfelt emotions to present and share with the world.

Once stereotypically  thought to be limited to the bad boys taunting law enforcement with their wild paint jobs, gleaming chrome, bold moves, wild suspension, blaring music in a defiant statement of cultural expression, these amazing art pieces have since been recognized by distinguished museums worldwide for their exquisite attention to detail and the stories they tell.

In this exhibit, these moving statements of artistic expression are all home-grown. Yes, each made here in New Mexico it makes it all the more relevant.

Visitors to the Sunport have this wonderful opportunity – up close and personal – to examine the seemingly flawless machines adorned with sensational color, pattern and design. “Kids” of all ages will appreciate this show!

Each as though a canvas for the artist…motorcycles, kid’s versions and cars adorned with glitter, shine, polish and paint colors all contributing to the each unique statement. From airbrush to tedious handwork and limitless patient detailing results in exciting assemblages.

There are also decades of photos featuring the evolution of the culture here.  

By highlighting these fine, local examples the City hopes to elevate the art form on its merits and dismiss some of the stigmas attached with the stereotypes.  

And we all will have a little fun imagining the thrill of taking a ride in/on one of these beauties!!!

Enjoying Creativity – How Do You Exercise/Express Your Creative Juices?

Have you ever had a moment or period of time when you longed to create something just for fun? It might be to crochet a blanket or knit a scarf.  It might be to build a model plane or learn how to cast a bronze. What have you longed to create?

It seems that everyone needs a creative outlet even though they might not recognize it as creativity. When speaking to a guy  about his interest in working on cars, he didn’t consider his work “creative.” To work on a car for purposes of enhanced performance, restoration, maintenance or repair all takes a certain amount of creativity. The thought process of problem solving and taking action requires creative thinking.

Gardening, painting, sculpting, carving, pottery, collage…there are so many outlets for relaxing creativity. The idea is to not do it under pressure. Lest one defeat the purpose of the relaxing aspect – just for fun – pure joy.

Yesterday I spoke to an architect who said that her creative juices needed exercising. Despite the fact that her daily work required lots of creative thought, it was not pure pleasure. It was not all fun. She wanted/needed another outlet. So she set forth, to do some creative design time, purely for her leisure. She started creating desert floral collages, in a size that could be shared, as greeting cards. She brought them to show me, with a modest timidity, and was most surprised and thrilled when I received her work with great enthusiasm!

Rebecca has found the medium of paper to be quite satisfying, It is clean and precise, crisp and conveys her intent. She loves flowers, lives in the high desert and communes with cacti and appreciates all flowers – and with that her exciting, yet quiet, introspective, personally satisfying, creative expression has found an outlet.

With positive feedback from several people, she wants to launch a re-sale card line! Now the creative process goes another step. She needs to establish a brand – at least a name for her card line. Will she want a logo? What about her entire experience can she list in words and cull and distill to result in the perfect identity?

There are two parts to this situation and the first is to recognize the need for and find an outlet for the relaxing exercise of expressing creative juices and the second is receiving positive reinforcement for your efforts. Inasmuch as the second might seem  unnecessary, it is a great affirmation and valid “feel good” feeling to create for the fun of it and have your work appreciated!

It need not be commercial  – but “selling” your idea or creative project is even MORE flattering.  Although, it is usually not for compliment much less profit.

Creativity can be relaxing, if it is not in a demanding framework. It’s therapeutic. In pondering this subject, I wanted to know more. Seems that this is a complex topic that deserves more investigation. So,  I did a bit of reading…I found the Handbook of Creativity edited by Robert J. Sternberg from the Cambridge University Press 1999. In the first section – The Concept of Creativity: Prospects and Paradigms by Robert J. Sternberg and Todd I. Lubart it states “If one wanted to select the best novelist, artist, entrepreneur, or even chief executive officer, one would most likely want someone who is creative.”

It is true for those of us doing hiring – looking for that spirit that can see beyond…create…are desirable traits. Yet everyone has a certain creative element in their person. It is the degree to which they have it and in what capacity or direction which might be more applicable or desirable, for consideration  in a certain position over another.

The Concept of Creativity  further states that “Creativity is the ability to produce work that is both novel (i.e., original, unexpected) and appropriate (i.e., useful, adaptive concerning task constraints) (Lubart, 1994: Ochse, 1990; Sternberg, 1988a; Sternberg & Lubart, 1991, 1995, 1996).

The aforementioned seems obvious.

So is creativity a divine gift?  One that makes it difficult to study much less quantify or discern from another? That is not the purpose of his blog…but to not mention that query would be leaving something that one might ask – out.

As a professional designer, creativity is part of the daily job description. Yet you will find most designer’s exercise creative outlets that are different from their work. This spring I too launched a greeting card line. It was spawned from hours on the road between San Diego and Albuquerque, with the practice of harnessing myriad ditties that continually race thorough my thoughts. A sudden lightning bolt on one of those trips suggested that I doodle to accompany my ditties. Hence, DATE NITE CARDS were born in March of this year.   Little ditties and doodles to bring a smile, start a conversation, set a date, make new friends, rekindle the spark, celebrate friends, love, anniversaries, romance…

Paper Airplanes – Happy Joy

This week, upon arrival at the Denver airport, as I navigate this architecturally dramatic facility, I’m funneled with the masses making our way, from the gate area, to the trains, to the terminal. When suddenly, gracefully overhead as we ascend the escalator, large versions of paper airplanes hover above. Probably steel, but with the familiar fold and form of the simple paper origami originals, they were a whimsical attention divergence.


When I arrived at the top of the escalator, I realized that they were also above the escalator across the way so I walked over there (to the surprise of the masses with whom I had been funneling along). A couple in the crowd even called out “hey” or “ma’am” …I turned to see some were concerned that I had lost my way and expressed concern that I follow the pack. I waved to these helpful strangers indicating with my phone in hand that I was stopping to take a photo of these wonderful suspended planes.

This ignited a curiosity that led me to investigate a bit more. I have since learned that they are part of the Denver International Airport’s Arts & Venues Denver: Public Art Program 1994. There are 140 of these suspended would-be-paper (steel alloy) planes and they are the work of artist Patty Ortiz titled Experimental Aviation. A well-recognized artist and curator of contemporary art with decades of art management experience she “believes that art intrinsically is a social object and when placed as an action in relationship with the viewer ad participant that art carries a profound interconnectedness within real experience.” And there I was experiencing the simple loveliness and joy that these airplane sculptures conveyed, in context with the often monotonous air travel experience.

Kids who love paper airplanes never seem to grow up. I’ve written about this before, in the blog about Federico Leon de la Vega’s TEDx Talks a couple of years ago. Watch his Talk and see the final scene as the planes fly through the audience. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9j_pLgCr1U

Paper airplanes are timeless tools of communication set flying from one person to another often with a secret note inside. Unfold and discover the message. Like passenger pigeons of days gone by…but unlike their obsolete and ultimately extinct message-delivering cousins, paper airplanes are timeless.

Never taking up the art, it has fascinated me forever. Origami seems to be originated from the Japanese word for folding – ori – and paper – kami = Orikami. Japanese art is so fine in all of its forms. And back to the paper airplanes, San Francisco hosted a competition Origami-Palooza complete with education and presentation of many facets of origami work including the Paper Airplane Challenge. Last month “The Paper Airplane Guy,” John Collins, the world record holder for paper airplane distance was there to assist in honing your paper airplane folding skills to insure greater success with your paper airplane flying! https://japancentersf.com/events/origami-palooza-great-paper-airplane-contest/

My happy observation of this past week and my advice with it – grab a piece of paper and try your hand at folding and flying a paper airplane!!!!!

Have You Listened to Your Heart on a Quest to Create ART?

When do you know when to listen to a sign? What opportunity changes your life? From romance to career changes and all manner of life’s opportunities – what catches your attention? What switches on inside and makes you take notice? Having someone cross your path and not realize he/she is your soul-mate. We’ve seen many movies with this elusive thread woven through the plot. One of my favorite songs, about such would-be near-misses, is “If He’s Ever Near”  in which Karla Bonoff pines…

They say just once in life
You find someone that’s right
But the world looks so confused
I can’t tell false from true

And love’s so hard to find
In this state of mind
Oh I hope I’ll know him
I hope I’ll know him
If he’s ever near

…her yearning hits a cord.  What is a sign? How do you know? What action do you take? It’s not always particularly obvious.

Recognizing opportunities is what separates many successful people from the rest of the world. Taking chances, when those signs make their appearance, is the other factor. Risk-taking is a scary leap into the unknown, but so often results in great reward when it is a true calling and approached with dedication to seek and meet the challenges.

Seems from many with whom I’ve spoken, a true calling is pretty clear. It taps into a passion and ignites a level of excitement and enthusiasm that is hence to fore unmatched. It becomes an irreversible path forward. Like an involuntary propulsion. Thrilling for some – terrifying for others. Which type are YOU? Perhaps you find yourself in the middle – healthy respect for the trepidation, but curiosity for what’s in store!!!

Twice this week I have met with artists who are each taking an enormous leap into a new life direction. One who might not be ready for me to blog about her adventure has leaped from a 30+ year life in Mexico… to a year-long reunion in Arizona with family tapping into the vibrant art scene in Sedona…then a soul-searching move to New Mexico where she invested her savings to start a new independent life…and after exploring her options and searching introspectively for her personal needs, happiness and goals has decided, after yet another year, to sell her new home and return to Sedona to pursue what she firmly believes is her calling. She took leaps, explored options, followed leads and returned to what she initially thought was the right place for her, but which had contingencies that masked her true indicators. She did not want to have imagined constraints rule her decision. Now she realizes that it is her choice, her viewpoint, and ultimately her quest for joy. Her focus and grace have inspired me on many levels and I hope to share her story once she’s ready!

Yesterday I was visited by a Renaissance artist whose enthusiasm and self-effacing manner bring sunshine to every event!  Kim Jackson has a new-found passion!  Having mastered her profession in the arena of photography (http://www.kimjacksonphotography.com)  she had an encounter that looks like will change her life path with new-found joy.

Sprinkled at my reception desk, I was presented with an array of amazing little jewels. Kim spread a collection of painted rocks and miniature paintings in a scattering like pebbles and fallen leaves. Only these jewels were painted with such detail and expression that I was arrested – awestruck.

Her own words about this turning point in her life is enchanting.

Last summer I was gifted a painted rock by a 4 year old girl about to lose both of her dogs – the rock read “Love”.

I was touched and photographed it to share with my instagram followers, which lead me down the #paintedrock hashtag. The first artist’s post I clicked on – she does amazing mandala dot art – shared what kind of paint she used and gave other general tips. By that afternoon I had a rainbow of colors and was painting my first rocks.

Kim was there to capture the family on the eve of having to put their two dogs down. The little girl presented her with a simple yet profound object and message that resonated so strongly with Kim that it sparked an idea that lead down a path…

 My rock art (art rocks) style has evolved in the last 10 months, and at the beginning of May 2018 I painted my first 2D “little dessert” and bird paintings – supposed to be gifts for Mother’s Day. With encouragement from a fellow artist I have approached galleries and received warm reviews on both the stones and little paintings. 

Although Kim’s photography still plays a significant and pleasurable career role in her life, this quest to explore other of her creative energies and talents is proving to be an exciting and potentially lucrative path.

Thanks to the support of my husband Billy, I feel extremely lucky to be given a chance with a second artistic medium – something I never dreamed I would be able to do. I’ve lived my entire life thinking that I could not paint well. While feeling blessed to make a career out of my photography, this is an exciting new direction, I am excited to see where it leads.

I see Kim as a precious stone, of many facets. Although she will still pursue her love of photography and capture people’s lives and many story chapters, Kim will make room for this blossoming career move into the exploration of creating art directly from her heart to her hand.

This sentiment has been so profoundly stated by Federico Leon de la Vega as he references a similar heartfelt expression regarding the (very personal and possibly evolutionary level) value of handwriting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9j_pLgCr1U

Federico prepares a prp for his TEDX Talk. “From my head to my mind, from my mind to my hand, from my hand to the paper, I place in your hand, so you may fold it and keep it near your heart.”

Some things cross your path unwanted and certainly change your life. For the undesirable things, I recently read this phrase  by Glennon Doyle “Your wound probably is not your fault, but your healing is your responsibility.” Well, you might very well have caused your wound – but either way, taking charge of the healing is your responsibility. Which makes me realize that which we have all been told so many times –  that your destiny is in YOUR hands.

As this relates to art – do not be afraid to explore your creative tendencies. Do not feel you are not worthy or good enough. Experiment. There are so many examples of late bloomers in life. A prime example are the magnificent Portraits of Courage by George W Bush. He dabbled and played with a wide variety of subjects before he hit on portraiture. His abstractly artistic interpretations of people too shape and he discovered that these seemingly primitive paintings had intriguing representation, expression, character, beauty and appeal. The path led him to a powerful platform for veterans, fund-raising opportunities, heightened awareness and acknowledgement of sacrifice.

https://www.bushcenter.org/exhibits-and-events/exhibits/2017/portraits-of-courage-exhibit.html

As stated on the website, this exercise has become significant:

A VIBRANT COLLECTION OF OIL PAINTINGS AND STORIES BY PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH HONORING THE SACRIFICE AND COURAGE OF AMERICA’S MILITARY VETERANS — AND HIGHLIGHTING THE WORK OF THE BUSH INSTITUTE’S MILITARY SERVICE INITIATIVE.

A great article on the accidental painter is here in The Artists’ Network

“These portrait paintings aren’t great but they are gutsy, because it is gutsy to show your artwork period, but it is really gutsy when you know the work isn’t perfect and you do it anyway, because it matters to you.

We could all learn a little bit from this–to embrace our abilities as they are right now, and then to simply let the work go…”

It’s not about a perception of being great or even good enough – most artists never really believe that they are. It is about following your passion – in this case, artistic expression. You might be surprised at what happens next! Believe in the power of ART!!

 

 

 

The Accidental Art of Beet Paint

This week is a bit spontaneous as it has been a busy one. Lots in the mill so upcoming blogs will have some good fodder. But our anniversary punctuated the center of this last week, on Wednesday night, and I couldn’t resist sharing this delicious coincidence. These splendid short ribs drizzled with a roasted beet root reduction made a sensational presentation. The fresh greens and artful placement of whipped potato dollops with a handsome chunk of juicy, perfection – tender boneless beef atop – all laced with the fabulous fuchsia tumble of tender baby beets and their sassy sauce was an aromatic and visual treat for the senses.

I cut away at the magnificent morsels scraping the gooey beet paint as I went along…

Good ’til the last drop, I hated to be finished. As I ran the edge of my fork over the hot pink cochineal-like residue of all that was left of my delectable dish, the waiter came by to clear and exclaimed- “a heart!” And so it was. An artfully noteworthy finale, to a wonderful evening. Happy Anniversary!

 

Valentine Expressions

You know…we designers design for our clients and ourselves around themes, we design around events, we design around seasons and of course we design around the trends…it all keeps the commerce of products and materials in motion.  And at this time of year, we see focus on wine clubs, pajama grams, stuffed teddy bears in enormous sizes, hearts, hearts, hearts…and roses natural red or gilded, it’s Valentine’s Day!!!

But it’s fair to note that all seasons have valid design consideration. Setting the scene, enhancing the moment – either for you, your family or a romantic encounter, the holidays and especially this one, evoke a desire to create a scene that conveys love and romance.

To that end , my blog is brief. Enjoy that which brings you joy. Revel in the happiness that presents itself. Create beauty where you can. And as we are want to say….art and good design can almost always bring a better scene to anyone’s place on this precious planet.

So be it a candy heart with a common message of joy, a product acquired to create a scene, a piece of jewelry to promise, a token to send love, a greeting of friendship, a message to offer support, it is all about connecting.

I decided to paint a bowl for my sweetheart. Yes, I had passed this guy’s booth, encouraged others to partake, had appreciated his talent, but never ventured forth. This year, I enjoyed sitting alongside Victor in the shade, with the waves lapping the beach, and soft music wafting through the  air…allowing a moment of focus on an artistic expression, a blank canvas (my bowl) to say Happy Valentine’s Day to MY Valentine.

Here is the finished result.

Connecting. We at PATRICIAN DESIGN support local artists and hope that the next time that you need a gift, want to send a message, or desire a creative addition to your personal space, that you will consider local talent to fulfill that need. OR do it yourself DIY!!!

Wear ART – Shop Local – Support LOCAL artists –  Need we say more?

Ok…we provide the greatest FREE gift wrap to get you on your way!!!

XXX000 Happy Valentine’s Day – (it’s Tuesday – better get prepared!!!)

PATRICIAN DESIGN

Hearts Are At The Heart Of It All

Su mundo es corazones. Artist Paola Alonso Rangel is at the heart of Vallarta and literally that is the name of her shop, Corazon Vallarta, where she thrives amidst the bustling activity in the old town, on a busy street corner, with much traffic flowing by both in vehicles and on foot.

p1120692

A man carrying a frightening large pane of glass about 6 feet long by 3 feet wide effortlessly and without intimidation marches down the street with taxis and buses bouncing by him. I cringe at the site and the young shop attendant, Nidia, shrugs with a smile and says “It’s Mexico.”

With Valentine’s Day nearing, this exciting little shop offers a wealth of opportunities to find just the right gift to say “be mine!”

Paola’s little Chihuahua, Pecas (Freckles), suns on the front step seemingly oblivious to all the activity swirling by. She is front and center of all that is happening in Corazon Vallarta.

A designer and hands-on artist of nearly everything she sells in her shop, Alonso Rangel is a model of organization and time utilization. She has her machine fine-tuned and knows just what it takes to create, prepare, produce and market her work.

20170128_115901

In the well-lit back room of her little tienda, she has all of her art supplies neatly organized on sturdy shelving sparing not one square inch of available space. Her computer plays soft Spanish songs that, with the fan blowing gently, creates a pleasing atmosphere where she designs and paints with a couple of assistants to assemble and package her work to sell.

As is true of most urban storefronts, the fine grit that is continuously accumulating from the dusty streets and vehicles in passing contributes to the concerns of successful retail presentation. Hers and others in this type of scene perhaps suffer more due to the cobblestones which collect and distribute ongoing layers of the sooty, dusty, fines.  So everything is kept painstakingly clean and wrapped in cellophane  – just another stage of the process that makes her conscientious practices so impressive.

From colorful wooden puzzles, picture frames, key hangers, boxes and magnets, the expansive home decor and gift collection, on which she collaborates with her brother in Guadalajara, is a treasure of her designs and creativity. All manner of colorful animals with whimsical expressions are the subjects of her puzzles with a bit of flowers and fruit in the mix for a generous variety of choices. Alonso Rangel designs all of the pieces while her brother and his crew with a manufacturing studio in Guadalajara do all the mill-work, brilliantly colorful painting and glossy lacquer finish.

20170129_100543

Other of her work is comprised of original one-of-a-kind creations on canvas and wood, heart-themed all in keeping with her heart-felt passion for  corazones.

She efficiently sets-up her own assembly line of stages of production, with Pecas supervising closely, so that her by-hand (hecho a mano) originals are always filling the walls and shelves and being lovingly selected by customers to take home.

Steel heart sculptures, wooden cut-outs, carvings, and more are the multi-media of her continually, seemingly endless creative concepts and body of work!

20160205_155241-copy

Thank you Paola for all of your inspiration – by design!

p1120692-copy

 

Nature’s Valentine’s Greeting!!!

So when you least expect it…nature speaks. On a silent coastline on a great lake in the wilds of Wisconsin the stones on the beach offered a hidden alphabet of opportunity. Upon making this discovery, I searched for and collected just the right pieces and sent a love note to my sweetheart. Wishing he were there to share in the wonderful adventure that was hiking through the enchanted woods to this lakeside hideaway, I did the next best thing and found an expression of LOVE , took a photo and messaged off to him…technology and instant gratification – well, across the miles…

20160809_182944-copy

The lovely white stones were amazing…I don’t know the geology…could probably Google it, but suffice it to say they were white and soft, angular but smooth, bleached and clean – massed in a thick bed for miles along the shoreline. I wish I could have taken buckets of them to do something…fill a large snifter, layer in the sink for the water to spill over and remind me of this scene, touch and fondle – they were so special, so uniform in size – such a natural phenomenon of raw beauty.

Paired with the rough, elegant, weathered, driftwood that was scattered along the rubble and upon which I carefully placed the stones, the composition was truly a work of art – inspired by  nature and assembled by my eager fascination with the media.

20160809_182212-copy

Take away…love is all around – OH! has that been said before? Well…love IS all around us and to find an actual, natural formation of alphabet letters that allowed the simplest expression of literal words, to be transported across the miles,  was magic.

Art…design…nature…find it!!! Happy almost Valentine’s Day!!!!

Would A Love Letter Be The Same Without Handwriting?

After having seen Federico Leon de la Vega’s presentation at TEDX Talks in September and after having seen some of the work in progress over the past couple of years, it was a treat last week to be in his studio to see the collection exhibited up close and in person!

Presented on fabulously enormous canvases and a few smaller studies, these bold graphic statements compile a contemporary collection that is quite astounding. The premise is quite provocative.

The idea that handwriting is a basic human means of communication having evolved into the very personal flowing script of cursive that each individual can call their own – in their own style – it’s almost as personal as a fingerprint. It is an extraordinary human function that should be protected, revered and certainly not lost to the fast-paced technology of the digital age!

Making one’s mark on a surface…a piece of paper…to convey a thought, idea, instruction, story, a doodle on a paper towel – a love letter.

20170117_120810

With Valentine’s Day approaching, it brings to mind the idea of love letters. We read them throughout literature and listen to them in songs. We hear of them being saved over time by recipients in treasured boxes tied with ribbon to be read over and over or merely saved for others to find long after…

These magnificent oil paintings convey the art of handwriting. They celebrate the simplest marks of hand to canvas with brush and paint looping in circles and jutting in spikes – the primary strokes of handwriting. These primary strokes are the foundation of mastering the control needed to make the continuous flow of letters that become each person’s personal interpretation of the alphabet in cursive style and an exclusive means of communication.

Style – handwriting conveys personal style. Look at yours. Is it always the same or do you mix it up? Do you stay consistent or do you express different styles of your own handwriting for different purposes?  Look at your friend’s handwriting – would you recognize it anywhere?

federico-signature

It is thrilling to walk among these great canvases with their color and  bold strokes. It is arresting to realize that they are so simple yet so complex in what they are saying. We must recognize the value of handwriting. We must not let it be dropped from our schools’ curriculum. We must continue to see the importance of the pure, mind to hand, raw emotion.

Powerful spikes require starting and stopping – control.

Loose loops also require control to maintain uniformity.

20170113_194255

After control is learned, expression can take over resulting in that personal style that becomes each individual’s identifying handwriting.

20170113_194522

Federico reminds us in his talk, about how we might have attempted to write a love letter for the first time and how many times it was crumpled because it wasn’t quite right. The failed attempts of recording our feelings as we strive to say the right thing, to express our deepest emotions. Yet once accomplished, those words hand-written mean so much more than the same words conveyed by type or digital communications.

“From my heart to my mind, from my mind to my hand, from my hand to the paper I place in your hand,  so you may fold it and keep it near to your heart. No delete!”

The digital world is all around us. We cannot escape it, nor should we. However, the human evolution and the brain’s development that mastered the art of handwriting is a place that could be diminished and lost if we do not continue the art and practice of personal expression through this extraordinary medium.

All we need is love – sent via a personalized handwritten letter from the heart. Here’s to a Happy Valentine’s Day !!!