Virginia A. Spiegel

As you know, summer is my time for inspirational living rather than spending too much time in the studio.  I focus on two things in June:  my landscape gardens and the Boundary Waters.  I’ll be reporting on the Boundary Waters as well as some upcoming exhibits in July.  For now, here are a few things I’m enjoying in the garden:

I have a new little camera for in camp in the Boundary Waters (Nikon L100).  So I’m out giving it a whirl now.  This is Mary Rose rose from David Austin.  It survived my ill-advised burn-off of the big front bed.

Nigella or love-in-a-mist.  These, as most of my flowering plants, are almost done already. The seed pods of these plants are fantastic.

I have walking onions only because they are so very weird and architectural.

You know me and milkweed.  I’m still interested in their shape in every stage.

I wouldn’t want Maggi (thanks to you and Melanie for the comments) to think my last post was all that I appreciated about England.  Every day out walking brought new delights:

The joys of being a little bit lost.

A fine place to stop for lunch.

The beautiful stone walls (Andy Goldsworthy explained)

And now my thoughts (and efforts) turn to Trip #15 to the Boundary Waters.

Dry Wall Top and Sky

Travel is always good for the mind, body, and soul.  Just back from a glorious trip from England.  I was captivated, as always, by the textured, the accumulated, the graphic, and the quirky.  To wit:

Unbelievable layers of paint gone pale.

Ancient and new juxtaposed without care.

One of my favorite phrases.

Curbside self-service egg delivery.

Once December comes, I’m always looking for peppy things to make me happy (and the winter seem shorter).  I came in to my studio yesterday and noticed all the cheerful blue.

Do you like my “Blue Moo?”  Really it’s a WittFitt “chair.”  I found my “Blue Moo” after seeing an article in the local paper about schools using these “chairs.”  If you are like me, sitting and sewing for hours on end (even with breaks) just kills my legs.  This seems to be an excellent solution.  I have absolutely no affiliation with WittFitt, but love the product and their customer service.

Notice the rolled art quilt (Boundary Waters 51) with the blue backing.  It’s rolled because it is my entry to a hush-hush juried invitational.  I hope to finish it up early in 2010 and MOVE ON.

This is not Photoshopped in any way.  The sun came up through the clouds and snow this morning and the world was pink.  I went out later in the normal white world and it was a photographer’s dream.  Shoveling, not so much.

Wild at the Edges:  Inspiration from a Creative Life evolved by keeping in mind the kind of book I like to take to bed with me (maybe with a glass of wine or a mug of hot chocolate) and peruse as the spirit moves me.

You will find encouraging thoughts about life and art, hidden treasures of poems, close-up photos of art and nature and, last, but not least, a very personal view of the driving forces behind my creative life.

Preview Wild at the Edges here.

25% of all profits from this book will be donated to the American Cancer Society through Fiberart For A Cause.  Fiberart For A Cause has donated more than $190,000 to the American Cancer Society.