from pipestone, minnesota to jamaica

coffee, watercolor, acrylic, collage, pen on Lama Li paper

From Pipestone, Minnesota to Jamaica by way of the Studio in the Orchard on the cusp of nature’s wild.

My demo for the Tuesday evening Muse group this week.  We had all prepared our paper with strong coffee stains to give that aged feel.  I had started this piece weeks ago and left it hanging with the image of my Norwegian grandmother’s home on the Minnesota/South Dakota border.  That and the frozen land with skiers trudging and then a palm tree?  Just the kind of nonsensical to get the Muse interested.

I have some Daniel Smith “Pipestone” watercolor that seemed like a good start.  Pigment mined in the town where my grandmother lived and I believe the stone is used in Native American ceremonial pipes too.  It’s the Indian red/pink color.  But when I got to the palm tree the colors got more tropical and then I thought the somber Lutherans could use some color too.  In fact I think I’ve spent a lifetime seeking out more color, more Wilde to mix into my very practical WASP inheritance.  The Studio in the Orchard (mine) has become the bridge into the land of color.

And lately I’ve been spending time with Bob Marley who sings, “Don’t worry, be happy”  “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright” under my palm tree painting Jamaica colors.  I finished Andy’s painting last night and now it’s hanging in his room.

collage, acrylic on canvas, 24″ X 18″