raw/cooked

 

Kristof Wickman's exhibit closes this week on November 27.  
He is the first artist featured in the Raw/Cooked series at the Brooklyn Museum.

collographs

Last week, Fionnuala sent us home with a 1-gallon Ziplock bag.  Inside: the stuff dreams are made of.

Our assignments was to create a collograph in preparation for our second makers' gathering to be held during the brunch hour at her house on Saturday, where we'd be experimenting with the art of printmaking.  After struggling with my typical desires to have everything "just so", I finally surrendered to the process and came up with something I was quite happy with.

 

After a brief tutorial on the printing press, we set to work mixing color and inking our plates.  

*Apologies for the dark photos--I'd temporarily misplaced my camera battery charger and was using an unfamiliar substitute :)

jammin'

photo: Hana Pockat

photo: Hana Pockat

A few weeks ago I hosted a lovely group of friends for tea party and instructional meeting, during which we made and canned homemade jam from the berries we'd picked and frozen (with this purpose in mind) earlier in the season.  

As the weather turns cool, our outdoor excursions together may likely be replaced by what we hope to develop into a series of gatherings that aim to share with each other our varied talents in the fine and domestic arts.  

Next up: printmaking with Fionnuala.

Maine

Bexx was a beautiful bride!

berry picking in Hopewell Junction

A couple of weeks ago, through cool and misting weather, the girls made a small morning pilgrimage north to Fishkill Farms.  After an immediate cider doughnut fix, we made our way through the fields, scavenging the last blueberries of the season on our way to harvest the first blackberries.  We stopped also at the nectarine orchard and filled our sacks. 


It was such a nice jaunt out of the city, and we were back by one o'clock.  The next day I made an improvised jam and quickly preserved the stuff before heading out of town.

 Recipe (all quantities are estimates):


10 nectarines, washed and roughly diced with skin on
1 T lemon juice
1 1/2 c sugar


Cook over low heat, stirring often, until liquid gels.*
Spoon into sterilized jar and seal.


*I test this by dipping a cold spoon in the mix and letting it cool to determine the desired consistency.