Hello, December...

Dear Friends,

I hope that you enjoyed your Thanksgiving! We spent ours in the mountains outside Asheville, North Carolina, where my family has rented a house just about every year since 2004. We stopped going when Dad couldn’t make the trip anymore, but after he and Mom died, my brother and I started up the tradition again. Hot tub with a view, hikes in the forest, weather of all kinds, and reading by the fireplace … I look forward to this trip all year. John was even able to come for a couple days :-)

November brought a tiny trip to New York, the start of a writing class, and the final rehearsal for my chamber choir's December concert, which is coming up next week. More photographs and bits of news in my Life Latelyblog post . December will find me getting work ready for my Velvet Winter exhibit at the Meadowlark in Dayton and prepping for my bookbinding class at CCAD. There's still time to sign up!

Today I'm simmering up a big pot of soup stock with leftover turkey, and I think we might get our Christmas tree too.

Cheers for now!
~ Claudia

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The Magpie Consort

Three concert dates are coming up next week. We'll be singing a cappella works of Renaissance composers as well as traditional Christmas songs & carols. The program lasts just over an hour. Hope to see you!

• Wednesday, Dec. 5 at 7:30pm.

• Saturday, Dec. 8 at 7:30pm

• Sunday, Dec. 9 at 3pm

Tickets are $10 at the door. 
Click HERE for location details.

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Bookbinding Classes

Introduction to Bookbinding will cover basic structures and binding styles, including the wrapped-board cover, a no-glue-required hardcover binding.
REGISTER HERE.

Projects in Bookbinding gives students the opportunity to work on a project of their choice for the 5-week session, be it a book of writing, visual imagery, or a combination thereof. Intro to Bookbinding is recommended but not required.
REGISTER HERE

Life Lately: November #2

I don’t know if it’s the colder weather, the shorter days, or maybe he’s missing Copper too, but Sherman’s been extra-interested in keeping me company lately. I’d even go so far as to say he is being sweet. (?!)

Voted! John registered, cast a provisional ballot, and the whole experience was very festive! We ran into neighbors and had a grand time.

Back in May I took that day-long writing workshop through Gotham Writers in New York, and I’ve been keeping up with my scribbling. I thought it was time to get a little more serious and find some guidance, so I signed up for some one-on-one time via their mentorship program. I just had the first phone session with my teacher and I’m so excited.

Okay… three years since we moved in and I just now had my first “party.” I haven’t wanted to invite anyone over because, well, there are still unpacked boxes in the living room (yikes) and books in stacks on the floor instead of on shelves, etc etc. But whatever! Fellow Magpie Consort members came over to help put the fall mailing together, and I put a smorgasbord of food together. 500 envelopes got stuffed in a jiffy. Our concert is coming up, so come hear us sing :-)

Late autumn walks at Griggs Reservoir. The ice storm pretty much killed the autumn color, and our Japanese maple was only starting to turn red (I’m sad about that.) Whatever leaves were left on trees are now brown and blowing away, but the grass is still bright green. For some reason I stopped going on my daily walks last year and I miss them, so I’m starting back up.

Just before Thanksgiving John and his oldest daughter and I visited friends in New York for a very quick day and a half.

I spent Thanksgiving week in Asheville, North Carolina, where my family has rented a house in the mountains every year since 2004. We stopped going when Dad couldn’t make the trip anymore, but after he and Mom died, my brother and I started up the tradition again. Hot tub with a view, hikes in the forest, weather of all kinds, and reading by the fireplace … I look forward to this trip all year.

John was only able to come for a couple days, but we managed to get in a few walks in the woods.

I hope you had a good holiday! Is it really time to get a Christmas tree??

Life Lately: November

It's November! Leaves are in full-color glory everywhere I go (except in my own front yard—everything is still green!) We've had cold and rain these last few days, and it makes me happy to wear my favorite sweaters, light candles at night again, and bring the houseplants back inside.

Sad news for me recently: my 18 year-old kitty, Copper (Miss Kid to those in the know) was at the end stages of kidney failure and also may have had a stroke. Our vet came to the house and Copper passed while snoozing in my lap, just as the Wednesday tornado test sirens went off... she left this world with great fanfare! I can't even say how much I miss her and it's difficult to write about it at the moment. (sniffle)

I finished off October with a monotype workshop at the Phoenix Rising Printmaking Coop downtown. I thought I’d try recreating one of my favorite Wolf Kahn paintings. Basically we used watercolors and water soluble crayons and colored pencils to paint on an acrylic plate, then transfer it to paper by running it through a press. It was a fun class and wound up giving me ideas for some future projects. I am still figuring out how I want to print my color work, so experiments are enlightening!

October also brought a trip to Florida to see my brother and the gang of nutty folks I call friends on the Space Coast.

Kinda looks like the Last Supper, doesn’t it?

Also while visiting, I caught my brother’s cat, Pi, taking selfies with my phone…

I sewed up two dresses last month from the same Fancy Tiger Sailor Top pattern, one in a linen floral, the other in a fun orange and grey checkered flannel. I LOVE how they turned out! I think I’m going to add patch pockets to the flannel one.

I read a book (now re-reading!) that’s actually changing my life. James Clear’s Atomic Habits. (He lives in Columbus, people!) The theory isn’t new—baby steps are the best way to make big long-term changes—but his presentation really gets down to the heart of WHY that is, and, HOW to make those tiny changes simpler and more doable. It’s a mindset shift really. His website’s a great place to start: jamesclear.com

Why, right off the bat I was inspired to rearrange my studio! And as of October 22 I haven’t left a single messy pile on any of my work surfaces! (thank you, James!)

Choir rehearsals are going well! We even landed a little gig singing at the Ohio Theater on December 21 for one of Ballet Met's Nutcracker performances! The season is already feeling festive and I hope you can make it to one of our performances if you're in town. Click HERE for details.

Last but not least… Register now for either or both of my bookbinding classes! Taught through Columbus College of Art and Design's adult education program, classes take place on the CCAD campus on Saturday mornings beginning January 19th. 

Introduction to Bookbinding will cover basic structures and binding styles, including the wrapped-board cover, a no-glue-required hardcover binding.
REGISTER HERE.

Projects in Bookbinding gives students the opportunity to work on a project of their choice for the 5-week session, be it a book of writing, visual imagery, or a combination thereof. Intro to Bookbinding is recommended but not required.
REGISTER HERE

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Save the DateS!

December 5-9 — The Magpie Consort's winter concert program, All is Calm. Details HERE
January-March 2019 — Velvet Winter exhibition at The Meadowlark restaurant in Dayton, Ohio.
January 17-March 23 — teaching Introduction to Bookbinding and Projects in Bookbinding at CCAD's Saturday morning program. Details above.
June-September 2019 — Flying Adventures exhibition at the Springfield Museum of Art in Springfield, Ohio. Reception date to be announced.