Jennifer Hammond Landau: Artist in felted wool

Written Wednesday night:

This morning Mary Kaye and I drove to an art quilt meeting (SAQA of Northern California and Northern Nevada) in Walnut Creek, CA. We passed burnt hills and drove through smoke -- and then the scenery looked “normal” again. 

At the meeting, artist Jennifer Hammond Landau led us along the creative path of her life so far -- she has a prevailing interest in wool, from the nettle-filled fluffy stuff right off the animal's back to her refined felted wool pieces. 

Love,

k

Jennifer Hammond Landau

burnt hills

 Next three photos show Jennifer Hammond Landau's work and material.

Next three photos show work of others at the meeting.

Painted on iPad, then printed and quilted

Combined processes: Printing and piecing

Or was that paint on top? I can't remember

3-D

Witches or goddesses?

Words and glitter and paint

Written last night:

Dear Friends,

Words and glitter and paint! It sounds like art a kid would make … a slightly older kid … me.

Here’s part of my latest painting. It’s got lines of poems referring to stars; here, Andrew Marvell’s The Definition of Love  and Juliet in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.

I know — it looks kind of messy. 

Love,

k

Amaranth: It's not bitter -- it's beautiful

Written last night:
Dear Friends,

Did you ever eat amaranth? Until tonight, me either. That’s why I love the farmers market. The farmer told me to sauté it  with olive oil and garlic. It’s not bitter — it’s beautiful; I had it with a side of polenta. 

Love,

k

Painting that made me forget about zucchini

Written last night:
Dear Friends,

It’s hot here, but cool in the morning and evening. 

Yesterday the police broke up the demonstration in front of the ICE offices across the street. Tonight they’re back, on a smaller, quiet scale, and without the line of tents along the sidewalk.

I just got home from dinner with Mary Kaye and Leigh. We went to Frank Fat’s a few blocks from here. They said it used to be a politicians’ hangout, but they don’t think politicians hang out anywhere anymore.

Earlier today I had fun painting.

Love,

k

Sunflowers at night

20" x 20"

Paint and zucchini

Written last night:

Dear Friends,

I burned dinner, or part of it.

I was painting and forgot to check the zucchini. 

I love painting, and luckily had more zucchini, so I threw these out and made more.

I’m lucky to have paint and zucchini.

Love,

k

Zing! can't get past the cover

Written last night:
Dear Friends,

I love my Sundays, even if they happen on Monday.

That was today — uneventful, unless you count that I drew an apple and finished a book — The Ten Thousand Things by John Spurling. It’s for the Crocker art book discussion — fiction about a famous Chinese artist drawing all the things in the universe, or at least his universe, and everything else that is happening around him at the start of the Ming Dynasty. Talk about "lost in a book" — I was just lost! I need to read it again, with a map of China and historical timeline. I like the apple, though. I guess I have 9,999 things left to draw.

Love,

k

Just a simple Sunday visit

Written last night: 
Dear Friends,

Tonight Zing! and I are tired, and so must Wes and Jennifer be, because they've got jet lag as well  They are long-time Tallahassee friends — mother and son —  who stopped to see me on their summer California visit. I know they came to see me (well, Zing! more than me, maybe!) because today I learned once again that — much as I love it -- there is not a lot of allure to Sacramento itself. We had lunch at dog-friendly Zócalo restaurant and then wandered around the Golden 1 Arena plaza and over to Old Sac, where Jennifer somehow got us the last tickets on a riverside train ride. Yes, we could have gone to the museums, the Capitol, the Zoo … but this was enough, when what you want most is just to talk to old friends anyway. 

Tomorrow they head to more “interesting” spots. Today was great.*

(On re-reading this, I see I haven't -- maybe can't -- convey how deeply I feel about what seems to be just a simple Sunday visit. Thank you, Jennifer and Wes!) 

Love,

k

* I shouldn't disparage Sacramento too much -- they did get the general feeling that California might be a little bit ahead of Florida -- appreciating our many midtown murals, the Mexican music at Zócalo, skateboards as regular transportation, and the rolling watchdog/ computer-guard at Golden 1 Plaza.