strike, lockout, blessings

   Here is the picket sign I carried, hanging out at my house, and the poster I made for the city council meeting. The blessings in disguise calligraphy is not by me, just a reminder.
And here we go again, next strike May 1,Tuesday.

rhea as a young lady

 

  I found a photo of my grandmother Rhea age about 16 with her hair in buns over the ears. She had gorgeous thick hair. This was way before she ever knew us. I did this little painting from it, to get to know her better.she made it to close to 100, but this is before all that.

old portrait

    I think my brother roy took this glamour shot of me around age 17, when he first started doing photography. Wish I still looked like that. Very 60s.

fruits

  I have been trying to grow grapes all my life. The little vine in my yard wouldnt do anything and now all of a sudden I have fruit. I am thinking of taking some up to Mendocino as a literal tithe, the first fruits and all. They taste good too.
I love the song we used to sing at Webatuck," and every man neath his vine and fig tree shall live in peace and unafraid."

  Here it is , and every woman neath her vine and fruit trees, shall live in peace and unafraid.

landscape of grief quilt photos

landscape of grief, quilt for my father

   I made this quilt as a mourning quilt when my father Daniel Crystal died. I had to take a ride on the grief train, whether I wanted to or not. I made it from regular fabrics, photo transfers, and pieces from his flannel shirts. Later I made a couple scarves from his suit. I put in animal totems ( wolf, bear, eagle, owl) and images that made me think of him.The photo transfers include the earliest Crystal family portrait, where he is a determined looking 12 year old, and a photo I took of him sitting on a boat on the beach in Humboldt County on a visit. in Jewish tradition, you tear your garments. I tore strips of his clothing and made a fringe.In the ninepatches, I included some words about him: activist, photographer, lawyer and teacher, father and friend, humanist and mentor, anti-fascist and gadfly, a loving and generous man, survivor, collector and magpie,gardener and nature lover, writer, scholar, fighter for social justice. made 2001 and exhibited at one of his 3 memorial services. Daniel Crystal November 16 1913-May 9, 2001,
for pics see the next entry.

revels with matisse,new photos

  I got the quilt back from Lydia and took some new shots. This one will be on display at the Kaiser show this winter probably. Made to celebrate Hope Hale Davis' 100th birthday.sShe lived another year and was still teaching right up until the end. They dont make them like that anymore. She was truly a salty New England lady. Lydia has kindly loaned it back for me so I can share it.  She retains the pink slip.
Shown 2012 in the Ala. County Arts Commission Show at the Oakland Courthouse , and the E.B.H.Q.  show. I guess I will have to give it back soon. The little elf with the leaf hat is a photo transfer of a painting I did, me as a little girl photographed by my father and then painted by me, grown up.