The First "Frit" Sighting

Those of you familiar with wildflowers may understand that "call". Living here in Jacksonville, OR, I've come to be acquainted with this silly sounding name for a plump, richly colored, trumpet-like rare flower. We here in Jacksonville even have an entire month we celebrate this blossom, we post children's drawings of the flower all over local business windows and have a hike-a-thon in April in search of the first "frit". The Scarlet Fritillary (Fritillaria recurva) is from the Lily Family.


So the other day, when Roland, Cody and I'd gone on a short hike and I'd stumbled across my very first "frit" sighting, I was thrilled. We've lived nearly 5 years here and on most of our hikes, it was more in the heat of the Summer, when all the lilies were long ago wilted. Among nothing but grey sticks, stretching across a dry, high ridge, this lil beauty glistened with it's robust color. Of course, she had to be the beginning for a new journal first entry.


My painted version shares the page with the starting sketch from our Ashland First Friday Artwalk for April. These pigment tubes are 'on sale' from a peer studio artist and was something I could quick sketch out on a bustling Friday evening. I played with the copper metal flakes to add the sparkle of the metal lid in which the tubes lie. A pleasant, colorful start for a new journal. And you know . . . the journal continues and continues :)


Happy Creating!

Our FIRST ~ First Friday Ashland Artwalk

This entry is in celebration of our Studio 8 finally feeling together!! Ashland has a monthly "First Friday Artwalk" which is usually well attended between locals and visitors (especially during the Shakespeare Theatre Season, March through October). Since the Art Center has not officially had it's Grand Opening yet, I wondered how well attended this event would be.

We'd worked through our "sun challenge" where the bright, full sun flooded over our original watercolor and pastel paintings. We found we couldn't use curtains or UV protective film in the windows so finally found a way to flip all four of our work/display positions. In the new arrangement Bonnie and my originals aren't hit by direct sunlight and Thalia and Lindsey's jewelry sparkles in the direct light. A perfect solution!

Having all us four studio-mates together, the first time since the contract signing, felt festive. We gathered around 5pm to get the studio ready, spread out our light refreshments (ginger snaps, cream cheese and apples) and I continued working on a collaborative piece I'm doing with two other wonderful women artists (but that's a whole other post). By 6pm the place was swarming with curious faces and warm smiles of friends who'd come to congratulate.

I loved chattering with people, showing them the process of this combined artistic effort in my collaborative piece and introducing them to my studio mates. Many had never been into the Art Center before and were awed at the size, layout and potential for the community and artists! I, personally, have found that this decision to "take that leap" and rent this space (which has included: stepping out into a more public venue, communicating with peer artists, sharing my thoughts, processes and dreams) has been one of the best things I have done. I'm feeling rewards of independence, integration and invigoration, tumbling at me faster than I could have imagined.

I thank you for following these misadventures of this adventurer through life. My only hope is that by my escapades I can encourage, even motivate another to try new things in life. The benefits are unfathomable. Come on . . . join me!