aaaahhhh

Gosh so much has happened since I last posted, I'll begin at random: inspired by a visit to a friend's garden down South I finally got round to building a raised bed for herbs (one thing ticked off my to-do-list) using planks of wood that were lying about and filling it with compost from our compost heap! Raising the edibles from peeing dogs was an absolute requirement. I popped in two plants - wild marjoram and peppermint - both had been waiting patiently in pots for a while now, in betwixt I scattered chive and parsley seeds: within 48 hours they are already sprouting!!

Summer arrived early and being outdoors in the garden is very tempting, more so than working on the laptop in the studio. Hence my online absence, apart from instagram posts which I'm able to do on my phone. My gardening has evolved over these 29 years and has become quite relaxed, I embrace almost everything that feels at home here; I checked all the plants in the book 'Wild flowers and plants in the Netherlands' and so far 66 plant species of the 175 mentioned in the book are to be found in our garden. A fact I'm very proud of and I haven't even identified all of them yet, so numbers might improve. There are some plants I don't want invading our space f.e. Japanese knotweed and giant Hogweed, so far so good. Indigenous flowers attract indigenous insects and birds et cetera. Next to check on my inventory list are the trees and shrubs, most of which were here when we arrived all those years ago. The Sweet Chestnut and Lime are well established and attract swarms of bees and as both trees stand next to the house their scents float indoors and the shade offers protection from the heat of the sun. Most glorious however is the day-long buzzing as countless bees flock & hum in their branches, it is quite a magical sound.

Less magical were Snoopy's pursuits in the back yard yesterday morning. Within the wink of an eye, amidst excruciating bird shrieks & fluttering feathers he managed to kill three young blackbirds.....it was very disheartening. Just as I thought we were getting along so well, after all raising such an energetic dog has at times been what we like to call a challenge and I've often shouted 'He has to leave!' after one of his escapades in the woods. Now I'm really fond of him and I think he rather fancies me too, so like in any relationship 'There are compromises to be made for it to work Snoop,' I tell him, 'killing birds is not one of them'.....Despite all that, for the foreseeable future at least we continue to muddle along, together.

the hazelstick grassbeds out back

They were meant to be full of flowers but the grasses took over. No sooner had I renamed them however, Poppies & Clover started appearing, I even spotted a few Flax and one single Evening Stock, duh.

Chicory and Teasel, both Common and Small, abound all over the garden, but aren't in bloom just yet. I love the Teasel, the name alone has me smitten. The Small Teasel grows taller than the Common one, its flower-clusters are shaped like small round white balls. Both types contain seeds that attract Goldfinches. Their antics are a delight to watch: they manage to hang almost upside down when nibbling the seeds, as the stems rock back and forth in Winter. Which is months away!

Intermezzo, one of my pet peeves:

I need hand cream, to moisturize my dry skin (f***menopause), what I don't need is advice on the tube telling me to 'celebrate each day'

Why? why do they do this?? all kinds of advice from people I don't know have no desire of knowing and yet they have the balls to come and tell me how I should be spending my time on this earth, this one precious life I have.....

The endless bullshit we have to endure on a daily basis is insane, absolutely insane.

I try to ignore it ALL, or most of it, but sometimes you just can't because you use the cream and there it is, bloody well go and celebrate the fuck off, I say.

So there, got that off my chest an' all.

Below a couple of photographs of the open studio weekend organised by WaardArt, which in my case took place in my studio and our sitting room; this year I was joined by photographer Femke Reijerman

These two (her's on the left, mine on the right) were sold to the same person, forever together! 

Despite working in different media we thought our pieces worked really well together; I think there is a similarity in sensitivity, letting the making process leave it's mark in the end result.

Summer Curtains

another project of mine, I've always loved how when the light shines through [hand]stitched cloth it resembles soft stained-glass

dancing in the room

below 4 images of EMMA TALBOT's installation Mother Earth, as part of a wonderful exhibition in Centraal Museum Utrecht 'good mom bad mom'

I'd only just 'discovered' her on instagram and, as luck would have it, was able to go see some of her work for real in Utrecht

Now that I'm no longer on the WaardArt committee (that sounds way more important than it was, but it did occupy much-needed head space, something I noticed once I was out) I feel like I'm on holiday and all sorts of ideas are popping up, such as an illustrated book with the latest girl-series; another one 'women, hares & birds'.....collaborating with who knows....I realise I've mentioned making a book* many times before, but now other peoples have been saying the same thing to me, so it seems more feasible as other folks are interested in them

* of course I've made quite a few all ready, one-offs that is, I'ld like to publish those too, post

The world is a wild place, with so much unrest, and at the same time there is beauty and joy to be found in the smallest of gestures and always in nature.

I've been thinking a lot about why I make art or should even continue doing what I do, everyone is shouting for attention, why add to any of it?

I can't help myself - is all I can say

'art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable' 

Cesar A. Cruz

amen to that