Linda's Magic Workshop - Linda Britt Design

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc708o22RPY&t=119s       Take a moment and look at all the donated art in the video on youtube!  Recently Tis Art Gallery in Prescott AZ enjoyed their 3rd annual Art Swoop Fundraiser for Art Education.  It helps support many art classes for students and kids and is a fun event.  Local artists donate work - this year we each donated a 12" sq 'painting' or a piece of jewelry we made.  Attendees buy a ticket and at the appointed time 'swoop' in to select their choice of art.  Fun to be had. This is the first year I participated and helping the art community support education classes felt important.  Art is such an individual avenue to express oneself that all ages benefit from participating.  My mother was an artist, an art educator and a woman of substance.  She would be happy I was part of this event!  Thanks, Mom!

So many wildflowers are still blooming.  It's because we've had so much rain I think.  Just had to share them with you.

All of a sudden it is Friday!  I look around at a few projects I've started and decide they will be good for another week’s post – once I finish them. It’s time to take inventory for the week.  You know, just go over what I really did!  It seems I enjoyed nature by taking walks between storms.  And I want to share some of that lush area!   Watson Lake has a lovely walking trail that is pretty flat.  I live in hilly terrain and need to find flatter places to walk because of my knee.  The lake is the place!  No ‘bathtub ring exists on the rocks anymore since we had so much rain.  First time I can remember the water level is this high in 4 years.  Weeds and wildflowers are in bloom.  Butterflies, grasshoppers and whip-tail lizards play on the trails and in the rocky areas.  A red-tailed hawk circled over head and barn swallows played around the water’s edge.  What else did I do? ...

Inspiration comes in many forms.  This fall I've been fascinated by seed pods.  We have lots of thistles and grasses and bushes.  My camera goes with me most places and my eyes try to see these forms in different lights and positions.  Today I'm sharing some of the photos with you.  Enjoy!  

 Getting ready to leave Yesterday was a red letter birding day!   Peter and I went to Willow Lake, Prescott AZ to see if indeed over 100 American White Pelicans were visiting.   We could see a large white mass at the edge of the lake as we parked, took out our cameras, tripods, binoculars and the scope!   We were armed and ready! It’s a short rocky walk to the water’s edge and we were not the only humans looking.   We walked as close as we dared without alarming them and set up the equipment.   As the sun warmed the pelicans, they started swimming toward the center of the lake and eventually took flight.   It was mesmerizing to see them ride the thermals as they flew to their next destination.   1st section of panarama 2nd section of panarama 3rd section of panarama Swimming to the center of the lake Riding the thermals

The 'Supper Quilt'   Yesterday, two friends and I went to see "The Supper Quilt" at the Smoki Museum in Prescott AZ.   I don't quilt but I appreciate the creativity and skill involved.  The quilt was supposed to be amazing.....and it was!  You might like to check out the website and learn more about it.   www.thesupper.net The back of the quilt was hand dyed in lovely vibrant colors - rust to purples - and the quilter, Don, had a matching shirt.  Nice touch!  Back of quilt  The quilt has 51,816 one-half inch squares forming the picture.  The time, creativity, and skill are remarkable achievements and I'm so glad I was able to see the work.   If you get an opportunity to see it, be sure to take it!  Detail  Detail 

Isn’t it interesting how each of us looks at the world and sees different things?   On a recent trip to Willow Lake here in Prescott AZ, I walked to the water’s edge.   It was a lovely late morning and the water shimmered.   The rocks on the other side caught my eye.   Maybe it was the morning light and play of shadow that held my attention so that I could see the rocks and their reflections making new shapes and patterns.   I was so glad I carried my camera!

Male Gambel's Quail Prescott’s parks are open on Wednesdays with no fees.   Today we took advantage of this and went to Watson Lake and Willow Lake.   It has rained a lot here and we were expecting normal to high water in the lakes but we found low water levels.   The bird populations were reduced also.   Willow Lake - low water - great reflection! If we had not stopped and really looked we would have missed lots of action.   I found myself thinking, “here I have my camera but not much picture material”.   That’s when I remembered to stand still and really look.   All at once two groups of Canada Geese flew from Watson Lake into Willow Lake while I was standing still.    Canada Geese Flying In The Mallards and the Grebes were swimming with their babes.    The Cormorants were sunning and drying their feathers. Mom Grebe and Babe We had our scope and found lots of Red-winged Blackbirds mixed with Yellow-headed...

May 26 (mark that date on your calendar!) I’m teaching a silver metal clay class at Bead-It in Prescott AZ.   I placed a limit of 5 people on the class so if you are interested call Bead-It (928-445-9234).   Yes, this is free advertising!! We are going to make a pendant from 10 grams of silver clay with a fold-over bail with tiny clay shapes and a CZ gemstone.   Because I want the class to be somewhat cost effective, I ordered 10 grams of silver clay for each student.   I’m used to having packets of 50 grams of clay to work with and I really need to know how big a piece the students can make from the 10 gram packet.   10 grams of silver metal clay next to a penny My task was to make a pendant as an example and to show at the bead store enticing students to sign up.   Yesterday I designed and made the piece.   And yes, I used every bit of the clay.   Today I torch fired the pendant and finished it.   It was my first time t...

Sunday my friend, Luanna, and I went to the ‘Chalk It Up’ event that was held in a parking lot here in Prescott.   I’m one of those people who save the pictures from chalk artists that friends send me in emails.   It amazes me how three dimensional those pictures are….you know, the ones that look like you could just walk into a hole in the street and you know it’s just a picture! This was Prescott’s 4 th annual ‘Chalk It Up’ event and I was ready to be impressed! Many of the artists (artists of all ages) started drawing on Saturday and by Sunday afternoon, the art was well underway.   It was a hot day and the artists were getting sun or were shaded by umbrellas and friends.   There was music, popcorn, sodas, and hoola hoops! Looked like everyone was enjoying themselves as we walked down all the aisles deciding which work of art would get our vote. The idea was great!   Give the artists a free box of colored chalk, a patch of parking lot (ashalt) and let ...