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Westport Sketchbook: Dogs at the Beach
Illuminara | November 30th 2009
The weather was beautiful yesterday, so I was elated to be out in the breeze, under the sun with the sea glistening. The dogs were out, full of personality, socializing. There were a lot of people taking pictures of their dogs (and of their kids, too read more
Premonition: Hologram Sky
Illuminara | November 28th 2009
I don’t know if this is a premonition, it could be very symbolic, but it was a graphic and strange dream I had last night. A friend was down near a beach, where the children were playing. She called to us. The children called to my children. As read more
Anticipation of the Majestic
Illuminara | November 27th 2009
I long to experience the spiritually majestic on earth. It is easy to imagine that must be experienced in some non-physical way, as though our bodies are a hindrance to spiritual radiance. Yet, often this “God is here on earth” bliss is f read more
Governor John Endecott and Thankfulness for Family
Illuminara | November 25th 2009
This is a portrait of Governor John Endecott, which hangs in the hallway of The Old State House in Boston. He is my mother’s nine-times great grandfather. He was appointed as first Governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony, having arrived aboard t read more
Krishna for my Jewels
Illuminara | November 20th 2009
My sister Julie also known as J.K. and called “Jules” or “Jewels” is getting married this weekend. Years ago, my other sister, DeAnne and I, were trying to be psychic and both had visions which now seem to have been premonitio read more
Musical Stairs Dream
Illuminara | November 19th 2009
A few years ago I had a wonderful dream I was walking in an urban landscape. A pleasant city, very futuristic. I was walking up the steps to the library, which was attached to the museum in this city. With each step I took on the great outdoor stairc read more
Tree Spirit State of Mind
Illuminara | November 17th 2009
I’m still so very drawn into the trees right now. I continue to create tree spirits in my sketchbook. I cannot stop thinking about tree life. I’m looking intently at trees and approaching them while I’m outside. I’m guessing t read more
Tree Spirits: The Entrance
Illuminara | November 15th 2009
For quite a while, especially when I was on horseback trotting through the woods, I noticed compelling entrances, “fairy doorways” near the roots of trees. Some of them are quite spectacular , featuring mossy carpets and lovely shaded bal read more
Thursday Horses
Illuminara | November 10th 2009
My friend flies with horses. She walks in air above them as they trot and she swims alongside them with the wind. She dreams of horses and her dreams turn into mare’s tails in the sky. Thursday cannot get here soon enough, but clouds are canter read more
Drawing in Books (as a kid)
Illuminara | November 5th 2009
My Grandmother Clayton used to sit on the couch, drawing. We’d join her, sitting beside her, and draw, too. She was very amused by my portraits of her. At home, I would seek any pristine, blank, white page (usually found on the first and last p read more
Sparrow Dream
Illuminara | November 3rd 2009
My sister told me she had a dream about me. In the dream I was talking to her, telling her all about a sparrow in a tree. She said the dream had a somewhat wondrous visual aspect and she was able to see a painting of a sparrow while I talked with her read more
French Cloud Dogs
Illuminara | November 1st 2009
Sometimes I dream I’m in France. It is always interesting and puzzling. I even seem to understand French when I’m dreaming I’m in France. Two nights ago, I dreamed of being in France with my family (I’ve never actually been to read more
Compo Beach Colors/Sketching the Sea
Illuminara | October 17th 2009
We live near the beach and my favorite thing to say to the kids is, “What color is the sea today?” as we drive by the vista of the Long Island Sound. Sometimes it’s bluer than even my idea of the color blue. But more often than not, read more
Drawing with Thread
Illuminara | October 12th 2009
My sketchbooks are filled with little pieces of cloth and sewn figures. They often spill out when I lift the sketchbooks off the shelf. In my twenties I’d sew and stuff small people, odd and funky creations, which sold sometimes in Atlanta wher read more
Manifesting: Life Study of a Man
Illuminara | October 10th 2009
In graduate school at the School of Visual Arts in New York City, I painted this person who posed for us during a painting class. It was a fast, gestural painting as most all figure studies tend to be in order to capture the gestures, the look and fe read more
Sketching Philip Pullman (and the children!)
Illuminara | October 9th 2009
Years ago when I met the extraordinary author Philip Pullman, I made sure to sketch his portrait while talking with him. I gave him one sketch but kept some for myself. I found that doing automatic writing in my sketchbook and making quick sketches o read more
Ancestor Love, Cowboy Dust
Illuminara | October 8th 2009
My dad and brothers just took a trip to Texas where we were all born. We moved from Texas when I was about nine. I have longed to know more about my Grandpa Clayton’s parents, grandparents and ancestors and for years it felt like sifting throug read more
Sketchbook Elves and Fairies
Illuminara | October 7th 2009
I cannot say how surprised I was to find these “elf heads” alive on my sketch book page one rainy day. Today is also rainy day. I always get mystical feelings when the rain comes, especially if thunder rumbles. I feel like going inward an read more
Orbs
Illuminara | October 6th 2009
In February, 2008, I dreamed an orb dream. A group of people were gathered. A young woman amongst them saw an orb. It shimmered. I went to her because I was excited–I saw the orb, too. The others did not see it. They watched as the orb seemed t read more
Past Life in England?
Illuminara | October 5th 2009
This is a sketch of Treyarnon Bay in Cornwall, England. My husband and his parents and brothers used to spend summer days there and we recently visited. While he was being struck by sights and sounds which brought him back to his boyhood experiences, read more
Drawing on the Train
Illuminara | September 29th 2009
I went to the city on my birthday. On the way back, I was in one of those train seats that faces other train seats, so you’re sitting knee-to-knee with people. Every time you look up, you see the person’s face directly across from you. Mo read more
God Save the Queen!
Illuminara | September 26th 2009
This is a caricature/editorial illustration I did of Queen Elizabeth II a while back. It is not fair to her at all, it lacks her beauty entirely. It does not radiate the way she does in photos or film/tape footage. At the time I made it, the shine ha read more
Sketch of a Girl
Illuminara | September 24th 2009
I love to do portraits. Over the years, I did many portraits of the children I taught. It was a big honor when the parents of a child hired me to draw their children. I always wanted them to be themselves, and to be comfortable. I thought my gesture read more
Precinct 10/Before 9-11 Part 2
Illuminara | September 15th 2009
After posting the “What do you have in your hat?” sketches of NYC’s Finest at Precinct 10 (see below, illuminara entry for September 14th), I decided to post the rest of this work. I hope Michael Petrillo NYPD at Precinct 10 will kn read more
Police Precinct 10, Before 9/11
Illuminara | September 14th 2009
I used to go around NYC and ask policeman and fireman if they were psychic. Then I’d sketch them while they answered me. On one occasion an officer took his hat off and I saw a holy card inside his hat, under a plastic cover. I was so touched b read more
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