Dogwood Trees and Spring in Indiana

This weekend we complete our time in Indiana with a stay in South Bend.  Michael is working hard with an enthusiastic pastel group which has been sold out for months with quite a few on the waiting list.  Michael Chesley Johnson likes to keep his plein air workshops small so everyone get's what they need out of the workshop so although he is unhappy to disappoint those who could not be accomodated this time, he hopes it is a great experience for those who did have an opportunity to take the pastel workshop.

Meanwhile I had an opportunity to photograph dogwood trees, pear trees, tulips, red bud and other flowering plants and trees against brick homes which make wonderful kaleidoscopes.  Architecture and trees both make great subjects and together they are superlative.

It's hard to believe, but in less than 1 week we will be back home on Campobello Island, New Brunswick, Canada where we have many projects awaiting us!  It should be a VERY, VERY busy summer!

Red Bud Tree and Dogwood Tree

Red Door and Dogwood

White Dogwood and Pediment

Taos Retreat End and the Beginning of the Long Trip Home

Tomorrow ends our Taos retreat and we begin to wind our way home.  Colorado, Nebraska, Indiana, New York, Vermont and finally Maine lie ahead of us as stops for at least one night.

Taos Gorge Bridge Seen in Multiple

 Taos Gorge with Rio Grande River Below

Fechin Windows in the Sunroom

If you want to read more about our Taos Retreat, see Michael Chesley Johnson's blog:

http://mchesleyjohnson.blogspot.com/2013/04/taos-plein-air-painting-retreat-day-4.html

We are still looking for a few good students for workshops in Acadia National Park in June and Campobello Island and LUbec this summer!

The Color of Ice in Arizona and the Granite Dells

After some very cold weather Willow Lake in Prescott was totally frozen.  In the first kaleidoscope you will see Canadian Geese sitting on top of the ice wondering what happened to their water.  Ice in AZ is blue since the skies are so blue and all the blue sunlight is reflected onto the ice.  The second kaleidoscope is of the Granite Dells in Prescott.  They are very ancient rounded granite formations which are wonderful to hike around.  I have included the original photos as well so you can see what I am describing.

We are enjoying a slightly slower pace this month which is very relaxing before the plein air season and my new renovation project in Lubec, Maine revs up.  Artist Retreat Studios and Gallery in Lubec, ME

all kaleidoscopes are for sale, please contact me

Our House for Sale, Santa Fe, and my New Fabric

As I walk around our community, I am mindful that we may be relocating to Santa Fe next winter so I am going to document our natural area in kaleidoscopes this winter.  For artistic income and the possibility that I could get a meaningful job in New Mexico, we are searching for a new house.

Anyone interested in a great house in a great community:  http://sedonahomeforsale.blogspot.com/ or zillow:  http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/10680-E-Oak-Creek-Valley-Dr-Cornville-AZ-86325/2135977500_zpid/  

Here are the kaleidoscopes for the week.  They are all from photographs I took of the Spring Creek Trail which is a short 2 blocks from my house!  It is amazing the variety of colors we get in our AZ fall and winter seasons.  It helps to have blue skies, brown leaves and bare limbs, and green and brown grasses all at the same time!

My kaleidoscopes in fabric are now available:  http://www.spoonflower.com/collections/37457  I have started with 30 designs, but plan to expand if I sell any!

The End of Fall and My Wonderful Hiking Group

The best thing about Sedona is all the wonderful hiking trails we have in combination with the best Fall climate I have found anywhere.  Several winters ago I joined a wonderful hiking group of women who have been hiking once or twice a week with their dogs since 1996.  This week we ventured out the Vultee Arch Road to the Secret Canyon trail.  The road is not maintained that it is probably the last time I will venture out there in a vehicle.

If you want to buy a few metal prints of some of my kaleidoscopes, please try this link:
http://fineartamerica.com/art/all/trina+stephenson/metal+prints.  You can also use the drop down menu and order cards and other items from this link also.

Isn't Southwestern vegetation great!

This one features the last red maple leaf of Fall in the center area!

the view through the arch in the red rocks where we had our lunch!

Come out and enjoy some wonderful weather and plein air painting opportunities:  

http://paint sedonapaintsedona.com/

Wonderful Vegetation at Red Rock State Park

We took an early morning hike at Red Rock State Park this AM.  I find it still hot in Sedona so we try to finish our hiking by 10 AM.  There were still some beautiful yellow cottonwood trees down by the Oak Creek, but my eye was caught by some especially large prickly pear cacti, some ancient junipers, and some sycamores which have lost most of their leaves so you can see the structure of their limbs.

Prickly Pears--Looks Like Fabric Art!

Ancient Tree How Old Are You?

Twisted Together-- a sycamore love Story

Mushrooms and More Mushrooms

After over 5 inches of rain this week, the mushrooms have exploded.  I took lots of pictures this week, but one particular picture led to a series of kaleidoscopes.  I actually only used the top one, but the hidden colors were amazing.  You will be seeing mushroom kaleidoscopes for a few more weeks as I explore all these interesting shapes!

mushroom with green center

mushroom with blue center

mushroom with cream center and brown star

mushroom with brown center

Spiderwebs and The BOOK

A series of 8 kaleidoscopes-- all of them have a spider web in them with some more obvious than others:

My book is done with 155 images!

http://www.mixbook.com/photo-books/nature/kaleidoscopes-emphasizing-geometry-in-nature-and-symmetry-7849036  You can preview and order from this link.

Next week I have a series of red sunflowers for you which are probably my most striking images yet.

Poppy in My Garden--3 Different kaleidoscopes

I was going to do a series on spiderwebs, but I took a photo today of a poppy I grew from seed that I knew would make a great subject!  Here is the original photo:

I am deep into finishing my book of the best kaleidoscope creations of the past year.  I expect to announce it next week!

Sneezeweed, Smokebush, and Gooseneck Loosestrife

These odd sounding plants are in their full glory now in my Campobello Island gardens.  Although a little dry this summer, I don't think I have ever had a better year for my garden than this one.  My mints are over 4 feet high, my sunflower is over 5 feet high, and everything is doing incredibly well.  The fireweed has passed though and the old-timers say when the fireweed goes to fluff, the cool weather is not far behind.  Well the fireweed is beginning to "fluff"...

We are winding down the Friar's Bay Studio Gallery and have repopulated the Gallery with paintings Michael has brought back from the St Andrews show today.  Come visit us at 822 Route 774, Welshpool, NB E5E 1A6.  Don't use your GPS or Google Maps to find us as they seem to have wiped out all the data on the Island for those of us on Route 774 and despite lots of effort, I can't get the addressing corrected.  See our directions at:  http://www.friarsbaygallery.com/  I would be happy to give you a tour of my gardens!

Below are kaleidoscopes of the 3 plants in my title today!

Gooseneck Loosestrife and Spinner

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Smokebush

Sneezeweed in Full Bloom

You will have to visit to see the plants from which I have created the kaleidoscopes!  Maybe you will take home an original painting with you!

Bald Eagles on Campobello Island 50th Year Bridge Celebration

Kaleidoscopes at bottom of blog--see the bald eagle in these photos!

This was a big weekend on Campobello Island as we had two events celebrating history and many important people visiting the island such as members of the Roosevelt Family, Senator Collins, Senator Harkins, Member of Parliament John Williamson, and the Minister of Culture, Tourism and Healthy Living in New Brunswick.  As usual the Roosevelt Campobello International Park Commission and Employees did a fantastic job putting the events together.  One of my favorite moments was when a bald eagle paid a visit to Mulholland Point just moments before the Bridge Celebration began.  I decided to do 3 kaleidoscopes from 3 different pictures this week each featuring the bald eagle.

Campobello Island is a beautiful place and I truly hope the proposed wind turbine doesn't drive us and many others to sell our properties and leave this wonderful paradise in search of a less industrialized and quieter place.  I don't travel 3500 miles twice per year to live for 6 months within earshot of a wind turbine and I am sure others will feel the same.  We hope our nascent town government makes the appropriate decision and does not issue a building permit or endorse this poorly sited project in the heart of historic Welshpool.  Join us in our fight!  http://campobelloheritage.ca/links.htm

Bald Eagle on Post at Mulholland Point

 

Bald Eagle in Flight at Mulholland Point

Bald Eagle on Post by Beach Roses

3 different kaleidoscopes from the same picture at Head Harbour Lighhouse Area on Campobello Island

Pictures of water make very interesting subjects for a kaleidoscope as they are very dynamic and have lots of movement.  For this week, I am going to display the original photo first and then the three variations:

Rocky Island

off East Quoddy

Rocks in Water--Lionshead

Rocks in Water--Colours

Rocks in Water--Patterns

As always, these are for sale in an 8" by 8" format, $50 framed