2014 National Pollination Week

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June 16-22, 2014 is National Pollinator Week, and we are celebrating the beloved honeybee here at the studio. In conjunction with Gallery MAR in Park City, Utah Carol is offering an opportunity drawing for some lucky someone to give home to a Nature’s Bounty vessel. Place a recommended donation of $20 (or more), during the month of June 2014, to either Pollinator Partnership (www.pollinator.org) or Park City’s Swaner Eco Center (www.swanerecocenter.org) via Gallery MAR to be entered into this opportunity drawing.

Nature’s Bounty is an appeal for renewed appreciation and active conservation efforts regarding the miraculous honeybee.  Presented within twenty-five blooms of white clover this small jewel offers a radiant energy of divine, balanced Power in the repeated “3″ of the foliage (3 leafed clovers and one 4 leafed one too).  Three is a Divine Power number suggesting oneness and harmony. The honeybee population is declining at an alarming rate – these amazingly intelligent insects are responsible for pollinating nearly one-third of the fruits, vegetables and nuts we eat on a daily basis. Love almonds? Well, thank these little industrious workers for all of their miraculous pollination efforts.

The world’s honeybee population has been in an alarming decline for the past decade; and continues to decline today. In the mid 2000’s a virus threatened the vibrancy of the life of the honeybee; and today Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) presents the greatest challenge yet with its unique set of lethal symptoms; along with numerous other virus’. I hold a very deep and growing concern regarding the alarming rate of the honeybees continual disappearance (along with other bees and insects); and the yet inconclusive –or at least ineffective – results of the massive research completed surrounding CCD. One author, Michael Schacker, in A Spring Without Bees (2008), suggests we have the answers, for the most part, to their disappearance yet we have been unable, as a society, to accept the evidence which would strongly indicate a critical need to change many of our ways of living to insure their future with  us.  Schacker believes a major culprit to be our increased use of pesticides and our ever-increasing potency of them. His book presents an absolutely alarming, and very well documented collection of the history of their disappearance along with the research efforts and results. He also highlights the role of the EPA and its regulations and practices; as well as the role of major manufacturing companies of the many pesticides we use so freely today. It is clearly a book worthy of one’s time and deepest reflection.

The honeybee pollinates about one third of the food we eat today – including fruits, vegetables, and nuts.  Without these foods, our dietary intake would need to change dramatically leaving grave deficiencies.  The honeybee truly feeds us through its relentless work as an amazingly intelligent and organized colony.  I hope we are, collectively, able to wake up to the alarming cry of the honeybee and see in its disappearance the grandest of requests for us to re-evaluate, with very new eyes, our way of tending our natural world and our changing farming practices.  We can truly no longer afford to make decisions based primarily upon financial gain or ease of labor over the value of a healthy and sustainable source of nutrition and a balanced, non-toxic and sustainable ecosystem. In addition to the honeybee other bees, beetles, moths, butterflies and other insects also are responsible for pollinating our foods.

Join the focused efforts this year to dedicate your practices to exclusively organic, sustainable gardening including  many plants inviting our pollinators. Each of us can do our part and make an enormous difference – and, each of us will always needs healthy food for our bodies.

Read more here…. http://allemanstudios.com/bronze-works-companion-writings/vessels-by-size/6-inches-and-under/natures-bounty/.

Listen and watch Dave Hackenburg talk about bees and beekeeping and the weather on this short promo for the Weather Channel. Thanks weather folks for the opportunity. Thanks Dave for taking the time.

http://www.weather.com/video/weather-really-matters-to-bees-49164?collid=/news/staff-picks

Celebrating Mother’s Day within Each of Us

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Womb Of Life

Womb of Life, shown here, is suggestive of the notion that absolutely every event of our lives is intended to perfectly nourish us, while holding us, as we grow toward the transition of life beyond this earth at this time.  It also reflects and honors the beautiful process of being Mothered – held – nourished – loved without condition in all circumstance.

Not unlike the pregnant, glowing woman, every one of us is indeed expectant at this very moment. Each of us, both men and women alike, are carrying within our very being something miraculous – something to be nourished and carried into its exact moment of being born into our world. Our world at large quickly recognizes mother in the pure physical sense of honoring our physical mothers (which is surely a lovely and worthy sentiment) yet we honor our birth mothers without equal reflection upon the miraculous mothering process of which each of us consciously or subconsciously are always engaged.  We were born of our mothers into this world with rich and perfect purpose. Each person on this blessed earth holds, within him or her, some gift (large or small) waiting to be offered to our world – no one is exempt. It is when we honor these potent seeds within – these miraculous gifts  -that we are able to fully experience the essence of both belonging and contributing. Our gifts may feel hidden, not unlike the visual essence of the child still being nourished within the mothers’ womb, not yet visible or fully known to our world.  We need not see clearly the precise colors of our inner dreams and nudges; we need simply to acknowledge their presence with awe, expectancy and gratitude. Expectant mothers and mothers of children of all ages will do nearly anything to protect their children.  How lovely it is when we too offer this same unconditional love and protection to that which is uniquely being born from within each of us. Where we direct our grateful attention is where we will find the focus of that attention growing – in other words, what we place our focus upon is what will grow in our lives for better or for worse. My prayer for Mother’s Day is for each of us to offer moments of reflection, gratitude and deepest expectation of what might lie within us – waiting for its moment to be born. Expectant mothers feel the baby kicking in the womb from time to time, and we too feel quiet nudges from time to time that we often simply ignore or suppress.  May you allow yourself to truly feel these nudges and respond to them with utter trust and expectation.

Whether you have a living, physical mother to honor this day or not, may Mother’s Day, bring you an ever grateful and expectant heart, as you celebrate not only the many honorable mothers of the worldly sense, but more so, as you honor the mothering miracle within your soul everyday. Together, may we courageously bring birth to the diverse miracles within, and bless our world deeply and miraculously.

Everyday Miracles

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Today as I gaze through the window beyond my desk looking into my spring garden and watching the birds dance around the feeders, I am distracted by a glimpse of my large Christmas cactus just to the right of the window.  She bloomed beautifully the week after Christmas (close enough for me) and today she boasts one very pregnant bud!  A few weeks ago she did the same but the bud dropped before opening. I was distracted for several weeks and failed to water her as regularly as I should have and here she is once more graciously attempting to capture my attention.  I bought this cactus the day my beloved grandmother made her transition from this earth, in celebration of her and the many gifts she bestowed upon my life. She grew the most extraordinary plants, one of them regularly were  gorgeous Christmas cacti. She sent one to me years ago that accidentally was neglected on the porch when a frost visited during the night. I was deeply saddened to lose it. When I bought this one years ago on the day she transitioned, it was tiny. Today it looks just like one of her heroes in its grandeur.

What is she trying to convey I wonder?  Perhaps she is suggesting that we (I) can expect little miracles anywhere and anytime regardless of the assumed “rules of nature”.  Little miracles sprinkle our days, I believe, and we are often asleep to simply slow down enough to recognize them.  Something as simple as this lovely bud wanting to bloom in springtime is enough to bring a broad smile and warm reminder to me today (and a gentle, loving “hello” to grandma).  I believe we forget miracles are indeed for everyone and in every season. Today I hope you are open to welcome some unexpected miracle in your life – as small as an unexpected bud or bloom or as large you might dare to dream!

Tucson Museum of Art

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Seen And UnseenCarol Donates in Support of the Tucson Museum of Art

The CRUSH event, in support of the Tucson Museum of Art, is a 28 day event beginning March 7, 2014 and culminating with the  CRUSH Gala on April 5, 2014. Included in the events will be appraisals and auctions by Bonhams, International Auctioneers and Appraisers.  Celebrity chefs, Doug Levy and Ryan Clark will both prepare and serve exotic cuisines coupled with wine pairings. Celebrate the art in pARTy and experience a world of wine, food, and art in the lobby and courtyards of the Tucson Museum of Art in historic downtown Tucson. Taste more than 100 different wines from famous wineries and sample fantastic foods offered by 26 different local restaurants. Bid on fabulous items including wine, art, travel, services, and more in the silent auction. The CRUSH Party will be held Friday, April 4, 2013 from 5 – 9 PM
 at the Tucson Museum of Art. The  CRUSH Gala will be held Saturday, April 5, 2013 from 5:00 – 11 PM 
at Loews Ventana Canyon. For more information please visit www.tucsonmuseumof art.org.

Carol Has Been Invited to Exhibit at Texas Tech University Museum Event

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The Museum of Texas Tech University debuts its’ first Art on the Llano Estacado Art Exhibition and Sale on June 5th-7th, 2014. Thursday night, June 5, features the celebration of the artists, sponsorship, and awards. Friday, June 6, will be a ticketed invitation-only reception and intent to purchase sale.  Saturday, June 7 (from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm) the public may view and purchase art. The event will be held in the Helen DeVitt Jones Sculpture Court at the Museum and will feature 40 nationally recognized artists. Carol was honored to be invited as one of the 40 distinguished artists and will participate exhibiting five of her bronze vessels.

The Art on the Llano Estacado Committee invites you to participate in this new and exciting event that will bring together a select group of professional, living artists with serious collectors from Texas and New Mexico. The art will focus on quality and create an exhibition unique in its diversity of style.

For more information, contact Kay Davis at kdavis3507@aol.com or (806) 792-4363

Richard Diebenkorn Inspires us to Follow Our Hearts

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While driving to work at the foundry last week I was delighted to be able to stop in Palm Springs Art Museum to view the current Richard Diebenkorn exhibit.

Diebenkorn is known as one of the most significant California artists of his lifetime. The show presents the work of his Berkeley Years (1953-1966) while he lived there with his family. The obvious influence of the work of Henri Matisse  on Diebenkorn was beautifully apparent and moving.  The entire exhibit is both stirring and relaxing under a dramatic umbrella of nearly 100 works.  While his expressions are typically vibrant in color, many of his works in pen and ink quite surprisingly, truly captured my heart on an intimate plane surely as rich as his vibrantly colored ones.

One of the most intriguing, and to me perhaps one of the most profound, aspects of his work is his courageous movement out of the realm of abstract expressionism, while highly successful, and into the realm of representational  expression despite serious public criticisms.  He seemed not to care nearly as much about the public’s reception of what he created as he did his own integrity and growth as an ever-evolving artist. His powerful and courageous practice continues to be a deep inspiration toward that ever longing call for each of us to simply continue to grow with a steadfast internal compass listening to the heart above and beyond the world’s response.  His Berkeley years surely expanded his contribution to our world of art despite the publics inability to appreciate its evolution at the time.

The exhibit continues through February 16th.  For more information please visit http://www.psmuseum.org/palm-springs/exhibition/richard-diebenkorn-berkeley-years-1953-1966/

Cottonwood Bud Harvesting

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Sarah Jaroskye recently posted a blog, which captured my heart, and I thought I would share it with all of you.  She has begun harvesting Cottonwood buds and making therapeutic oils with them.  Her spirit of asking permission before collecting the buds (a beautiful Native American tradition) and thanking the tree after (perhaps even with a gift of some kind) touched my spirit reminding me of the ever-flowing gratitude we each might offer Mother Nature daily.

The Cottonwood leaves have always captured my attention with their lovely soft, heart shaped leaves. What a timely post this was as we soon will celebrate Saint Valentine’s Day with hearts floating everywhere. Perhaps, if the season permits, some of you might find some buds of this beloved tree to harvest in honor of Valentine’s Day?
The rich and earthy resin of the leaf buds is often referred to as “Balm of Gilead”. One variety or another of the Cottonwood grows throughout North America and they are indeed a favorite in the blooming season of many bees (I  love seeing those bees ever vibrant!).  The herbal actions of the resin extract include: anti-fungal, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic (pain relieving).

Last year when I moved into my new home I inherited a mature jojoba tree and harvested its seeds with utter joy. I was able to enjoy a beautiful, soothing jojoba oil and also thrilled a massage therapist when sharing with her. Infusing oil is a simple process simply be certain the buds or seeds are completely dry and use a quality carrier oil. Sarah chose a simple olive oil for her Cottonwood buds. I used an organic apricot oil with the jojoba.

There is a rich connection we appreciate when we not only notice, rather with deep gratitude, collect and harvest the plethora of gifts nature spills upon our earth. It allows us to truly experience the deep roots we share and invite the entire realm of nature into our lives as a natural extension of ourselves.

You may read the full post and directions for the harvesting of the Cottonwood buds here: http://urbanfarm.org/blog/1645-cottonwood-bud-winter-wild-harvesting

Seeds Of Harmony Wins Award

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SeSeedsOfHarmony_tbeaseleds of Harmony was selected among  650 global entries to be included in  the 2014 Four Points Juried Bi-Annual Competition. Reginald Charles Adams, Executive Director at Museum of Cultural Arts Houston served as the juror selecting 90 works for the exhibit and designating an Honorable Mention Award to  Seeds of Harmony.  The general public may view the show at http://www.fourpointscontemporary.com/2nd-bi-annual/.

Epiphany Blessings to You

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Happy Epiphany!  Today, January 6th is Epiphany – the 12th day of Christmas and nearly forgotten by most. In Christian tradition, it is the day the wise men/women completed their journey  – following the wondrous star – to the Christ child. For me, it holds deep and rich inspiration to reflect upon “what Light DO I follow in my life and what Light am I committed to following in this new year?  What is it that truly navigates my path and directs and informs me as I journey?  In Christian tradition it is all tied to the grand celebration of the birth of Christ – to a new birth in our souls. What is it you have given birth to in this season regardless of your religious or spiritual preferences? ? And, it is perhaps helpful to remember that often a new birth requires allowing something else to die – to make room for a new beginning – a truly new birth that we are able to nourish and allow to grow and bloom in our lives.

The winter season, in most climates, brings us indoors more than outdoors while nature moves through its progression of letting go and resting in preparation for yet another spring of new budding and growth.  As we witness from indoors or outdoors, the shifting quiet response of nature to the winter season, may we feel invited to embrace the same quiet time of preparation for ourselves. Appearance wise, it looks as though some of nature is actually dead – barren branches and skeletons of trees starkly marking the landscapes. The skeleton is the bone – the foundation upon which all future budding and growth will sprout. – the foundation upon which all our bodily systems function in miraculous harmony.  As nature requires this season of rest – of dormancy – perhaps we might serve ourselves well to do the same?  Take time to sip that extra cup of tea….take time to enjoy a short nap….take time to sit quietly and simply ponder all the immense wonder surrounding us always.  I like to call this “power lounging”…..taking a few minutes to fuel the soul and truly awaken the spirit.  Happy New Year to you and Happy Power Lounging in 2014 as you quietly prepare to allow a new birth to flow into your life.

National Pollinators Week

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This is National Pollination Week – a week for not only celebration but even more so a welcome reminder to create lifestyle choices and habits that protect our beloved and vital pollinators. Six years ago the U.S. Senate’s unanimous approval and designation of a week in June as “National Pollinator Week” marked a necessary step toward addressing the urgent issue of declining pollinator populations.  Pollinator Week has now grown to be an international celebration of the valuable ecosystem services provided by bees, birds, butterflies, bats and beetles. The growing concern for pollinators is a sign of progress, but it is vital that we continue to maximize our collective effort.  The U.S. Secretary of Agriculture signs the proclamation every year. [Read more…]