Gina's Beautiful Handcrafted Journal

I sincerely hope that my son Rick doesn't read this post before Saturday - it's about his Christmas gift that I commissioned from my friend and fellow artist Gina Mitsdarfer. I always have trouble finding something special for him but when Gina showed me a journal she had made for her trip to Ireland this fall, I loved it and knew Rick would, too. See her Ireland journal here.
For his gift journal, she crafted a brown leather wrap cover that closes with a silver Celtic dragon ornament, and the inside paper is beautiful ivory. Gina includes touches like pockets and envelopes to hold notes and tickets, and her hand painted divider pages are amazing. It's a perfect blend of form and function - the thought and craftsmanship she puts into her work is inspiring. Thanks, Gina, this is a treasure.

Almost Finished?

I think it may be - this piece is interesting. It doesn't have a name yet, something about Venice and Doges and such probably.I knew I wanted to use a Tarot card and thought I knew which one, but found I was holding them against the work and "letting" them tell me which one to use. It turned out to be a different one, The Moon instead of the Page of Staves. Yikes, I'm losing it! But it was fun.

Raven Rocks

Cynthia Wenslow (aka the lovely Raven), talented artist and art advocate from Austin, included me in her series of Texas Artist Portraits and the results of the interview and her photographs taken in my studio were posted today:
Texas Artist Portrait Project: Lyn Belisle
I am so grateful to have been included in such a visionary project by a woman who does everything with grace and flair - thanks, Cynthia!

Godbye My Lady

My favorite of four new works was happily someone else's favorite at last night's opening of LaVida Gallery in Southtown. It's my new art venue, and the owner, Carole, has been wonderfully supportive. When I brought in four pieces at the last minute, she hung them in a great spot
And my collage, Lady of Anjou, sold! I even got to meet and talk to the buyer.
The opening itself, held on the established First Friday art night in San Antonio, featured musicians, food and wine and a lovely courtyard for visiting outside on the balmy evening.
It's nice to be a productive artist with a sale - Carole wants more work and I think I'm on a new creative track with this series, not too far from what I've been doing with the Kindle covers, but a bit more narrative.
Carole hung my work on a vivid green wall - I wondered about the contrast, but it worked! See for yourself.

Body of Work

My dear, beautiful and exotic long-time friend Ann Lyneah Curtis was in San Antonio this weekend for a show of her exquisite body sculptures and I got to see her after far too long between visits. Tall and regal, Ann personifies the free spirit that comes through in her work. See what I mean at her website, Masquerade Life Casting.
At her opening, her friend was wearing a paper cast body corset that laced down the back and was a replica of her own torso - it was adorned with funny, bawdy ceramic ornaments. She looked fabuous and was the subject of questions and photos.
Ann is passionate about her work - she's been doing this for over a quarter century. She's cast faces, big beautiful bellies of pregnant women, groups - and anything else you might imagine. We made plans to get together in the spring when I visit her studio in the Hill Country. Here are some pictures from the opening.