Progress

Thids in progress..

Thids' bezels are soldered now.  She can, technically, wear clothes but there really is more to do.  I think the next step will be to get rid of the excess..

Thids is dying to interview for the guest blogger position.. who knew.  She mentioned how she's always wanted have a radio show.. or to own her own station.
That tells me something..

Interviews won't begin until the characters are finished.

I forewarned her,  "no politics".
She asked,  "Is being an advocate for the earth political?"

Aliens

'Barnacles' 18x18" oil pastel; Kathleen Faulkner

The lowly barnacles 

We see them everywhere around here.. on rocks, piling, boats..  little aliens that we don't think twice about.  

The barnacle attaches to hard surfaces with the top of it's head .. 

to live there forever.  

When the water rises,  the  dancing feather 'legs' come out and wave the food in ..

amazing if you think about it  

The plot thickens

I've started work on another shadowbox and thought it might be fun to share the process and the story.  More about the story later but, first,  let me introduce you to our characters.

Meet Thids.  She is being clothed with an old pottery shard and a piece of circuit board found out there  somewhere.  I'm planning some graphite work on her as well as movable arms..  maybe.

I'm thinking she would be a good fit for the 'Guest Blogger' position I'm starting to think about.  

I guess we'll see what develops.  

This is all a work in progress..

characters

A listen

'Rockweed' 18x18" oil pastel;  Kathleen Faulkner

I lean into the piling.  It is covered with a banquet of life: seaweed and kelp, barnacles, mussels.. and billions of creatures, right down to the most basic, who call this spot home.  I close my eyes and, with my ear close, listen to the sound of it. Water sounds, bubble sounds, scurries, tiny scratches.. the sound of an eagle, the lapping of water.

It is a city, a country, the world.. a universe.

Altered internet image; author unknown

'Flex'

'Flex' 18x18" oil pastel;  Kathleen Faulkner



Mussel is a bivalve and my favorite to eat.

I first encountered the lovely mussel while living in Astoria, Oregon. We would drive to the ocean whenever possible.. only a short jaunt away... build a bonfire  and collect ocean mussels.  

Later, with wine and song, we'd eat those mussels and have brilliant dreams later in the night.  

The key to great steamed mussels is to Not overcook them: three or four minutes at the most. 

Place cleaned mussels in a pan with garlic or onion, wine, salt, pepper.. cover and shake.  When mussels open, they are done.  Serve with large portions of bread for sopping up the broth and generous amounts of wine to bring out the song. 

I live next to a Universe

'Salish Neighbor' 18x18" oil pastel;
Kathleen Faulkner

Walking to the water's edge I spy the kelp and barnacles.. the water ripples gently.. cormorants sit on pilings.

Just like where I stand, there is a whole world under that rippled surface.. a universe.  In the ocean world there are areas that have never been seen, species yet to discover..

Here on the Salish everything has pretty much been discovered, scientifically, at least that's the thought.  

Here on the Salish I discover something new everyday and, as I look out over the water, I think about that universe below and that I've never been there.