My backyard: View from the studio (Photo: Kort Kramer)

I am very lucky to have a lake view from my studio window where I can watch birds frolic, fish and fly.  Ducks, pelicans, cranes, egrets, grackles, chickadees, crows, mockingbirds, hawks, vultures, loons, cormorants and a host of other species provide me with a show of flapping wings and glorious calls.

But by far the most spectacular and mysterious of these visitors is the Great Blue Heron. It silently swoops down with perfect grace. Then it patiently stands by the shore with sturdy long legs and focused intent. Its smooth deliberate moves make it a perfect specimen for the artist (and is much easier to draw than a hummingbird!). I enjoy watching and sketching this otherworldy wading creature. To me, it epitomizes patience and provides a good reminder for hyperactive humans like me to take it easy and go with the flow.

Through choppy waves and still waters, these stealthy predators exercise great patience. (Photos: Kort Kramer)

"The heron's majestic beauty exemplifies the need to develop good coping skills in the face of challenge. It exercises patient vigilance when hunting for food, even though the outcome may not be successful." ~Animals Divine Tarot companion book

Sketching the birds was easy, creating a bird-shapeshifter composition was not. Not all drawings are created equal—some flow on the paper with immediacy, while others require more patience and exploration. It took me a while to capture the essence of what I  envisioned and felt about Heron.

This is the process of working through a drawing until it feels right.

After a few frustrating sessions, I had to walk away from this piece. But when I came back, there he was—I saw the Heron-Shapeshifter surfacing from the water, breaking the impasse that had left me cold the previous days. He revealed himself to me when I stopped forcing him from his hiding place. He came to me like a fish between the ripples. I didn’t waste any time and went straight to the watercolor paper, like a heron diving for that prize. I triumphantly finished the drawing in a day’s time—a reminder that you can’t always force art, it has to come to you.

Here's the final drawing on cold press watercolor paper. Following my gut instinct, I decided to flip the design.

One last note from Hunt-Kramerville:
What would be a blog post without posting my kids’ drawings too! They see me sketching and drawing birds and wanted to be part of the fun. Kyra took a cartoon-ish approach while Connor couldn’t resist sketching a “robo bird”. I should read him Hans Christian Andersen’s The Nightingale so he realizes that real birds are better than fake ones.

Left: Connor age 11 Right: Kyra age 6

Poltergeist: Drawing and final watercolor painting

2011 is turning into the year of the unexpected. Instead of fearing the chaos of what seems like truncated routines, I’m learning how to accept the unexpected and to be flexible. Part of this has entailed taking on projects and creating images that I never thought I’d do: new subject matter, new methods, bold creative assertions and a sense of the spontaneous along the way. I’m also studying piano compositions that I never thought I’d learn–a structural pursuit in one way, but one must make time to practice! In between, there’s unpredictable life stuff to tend to. And you know what? It’s exciting to be in a bubble of this sort of chaos–where I’m sitting at the edge of my seat wondering what the day will bring.

I worked on Poltergeist while my husband, who had just turned 40 (Oh, the irony!), threw out his back and was bedridden for nearly a week. It was a tough time full of anxiety. It’s hard to see a loved one suffer—so I took my turmoils to the paper and cranked out this piece. An update: Kort is doing much, much better. Thanks to all of you who sent healing wishes during his recovery!

Painting in progress

As the ghosts paintings are drawing to a close, I’m starting to mentally prep for my bird project. What a nice surprise it was to get a parakeet for my birthday. Meet Kippy or Butterball (no reference to the turkey product please!), as I’m calling him more and more. He’s another studio buddy who chooses to perch and poop (doh!) on my lamp and watch me draw—no worries, art is out of poop range. He’s a sweet bird with impeccable taste and has adopted Timmy’s (studio buddy kitty) preference for classical or jazz music. Kippy is more than willing to let me sketch his beautiful plumage.

Kippy "Butterball" hanging out near my desk

I also have a new hamster. Meet “Evil Creature” (real name Pumpkiny-Pooh). Just look at those red eyes and you can see why this name just rolled off the tongue, with utmost affection of course. EC’s particular idiosyncrasy is that she loves tissue and toilet paper, as she aptly demonstrates in the following photo.

"Evil Creature"

Are you wondering how bird, hamster and cat get along? Well, the critters love the very chaos I just spoke of and are too sanguine to bother each other. There is a good energy in my studio that is conducive for happy creatures.

As for the “boogie woogie”:
I officially started piano lessons at Bravo Academy, where my daughter studies music as well, under the tutelage of an outstanding professional. I haven’t had a formal lesson in 25 years, but that didn’t stop me. I went in holding my beloved Chopin book, with every intention of focusing on Nocturnes. Instead, Sivabruntha hands me Winifred Atwell’s Five Finger Boogie and tells me to play it. Um, I’ve never played anything but strict classical fare and here I was looking at a piece that, from my perspective, is a routine breaker! But despite my initial hesitation, it turns out, I love to boogie on the keys! It’s exhausting music but also invigorating for the mind, body and spirit. So in addition to a Chopin Nocturne, I am working on perfecting Five Finger Boogie for an upcoming late spring recital. I’m the first student of Sivabruntha’s to work on this, so I’m honored to be studying such an outstanding piece. I’m also glad that I’m being exposed to some incredible musicians that somehow fell under the mainstream radar, unfortunately.

Here’s Winifred playing her composition back in the 1950′s (I’m guessing) during the height of her fame.

Oh, and just a reminder–I’m smack in the middle of my forties and yet I’m far from being stuck in a malaise of middle age doldrums. It’s never too late to paint, play piano, or do things that you wish you can do. I find that it’s okay to break routines. Just go do it! I don’t mind being the oldest student of anything–as long as I keep learning and growing, I’ll never get truly old.

~ Lisa

The other day, we found a shivering baby bird on our front step. We looked up at the nest built over one of our hurricane shutters and assumed the worst. We gently picked up the fragile creature and examined it for injuries. Miraculously, other than being half-scared-to-death, it looked fine! Putting it back into the impossibly high nest was out of the question, so we decided to bring it inside for the night in fear that a predator would see it as a convenient meal.

Our family felt such sadness because we honestly didn’t think it would survive, but there is something about a distressed animal that brings out kindness and hope in most people. We had to try and save it.

“Birdie” was panting and shaking, but soon warmed up to us. She reacted positively to my 5 year old cooing at it and seemed content to be snug and dry in a makeshift nest that we made with whatever we had on hand.  Feeling helpless, we called a wildlife specialist and were instructed to return it to the same area where the  parents would be looking for it. At first I felt skeptical assuming the parents would have given up on its baby.

We put it in one of our planters, where it would have some shelter from the elements. As distracting as it was, I kept peeking out at Birdie, praying and hoping for that imminent reunion. Sure enough, the wildlife specialist was right! We spied two doves looking down at Birdie from the rooftop next door (at least now we knew what kind of bird it was).

I checked on Birdie and saw that it was pooping up a storm, so it must have been getting the parental attention it needed. But by nightfall it was still in the planter. Even though it was sprier, preening and trying to spread its tiny wings, we felt it prudent to bring her back inside for the night (where we live, the night creatures rule the land). The next morning, it almost seemed as if Birdie had grown overnight. It was wide eyed and respondent and no longer panted in our presence. We put it back into the planter while mom and dad were waiting nearby. Then we happily saw one of the doves feeding the baby. I cannot even begin to describe the joy I felt when I finally heard it chirping—it felt wonderful knowing that this precious life had a chance (and a voice) despite all the odds against it.

While caring for Birdie, I couldn’t help but reflect on Thumbelina and her desire to help the dying swallow in the tunnel. Everyone around her was dismissive of the creature, but Thumbelina was determined to nurse it back to health. She carefully gave it water and covered it with a straw blanket, tending to her new friend until it was well enough to fly again. Thumbelina saved the swallow and in turn the swallow saved Thumbelina.

Princess of Swords from The Fairy Tale Tarot

What can we learn from this? Birdie gave us a gift. It reminded us how precious every single life is and how much each creature contributes to our fragile ego system. The doves that we hear cooing around our house are nothing short of nature’s own brand of music. They add something to our every day and are reminders of the simple joys in life. Birdie didn’t give up hope on itself. Instead of languishing and dying like we feared it would, it survived and thrived and now has a chance to spread its wings and fly!

For me, this experience was an auspicious one as well. The next project I’m working on after Ghosts & Spirits Tarot will be focusing on birds. Birdie’s spirit will definitely be part of my creative process as I honor these creatures with pencil and paintbrush.

~ Lisa

Concept sketches for the Star card

But the biggest change for me was sending off The Fairy Tale Tarot into a realm called completion. I felt so many mixed feelings as I let this baby go. Of course, there is the initial euphoria of having realized a personal dream within the dictates of a deadline. But then there is the inevitable post-project comedown after releasing this 5 year mission to the anonymous never land of production, where its fate lies in the hands of others. I shall never do this project again and it is flooding me with all manner of conflicting emotions. It’s always amazing to see one’s work-of-passion make it to the daunting sphere of publication, but the reality of its finality is like an encounter with post-partum confusion.

Final drawing for the Star card

The Star card speaks to me at the present: resonating with my need to let go, mentally gestate and drink up the nourishing light of inspiration before fully immersing myself in studio activities anew. Even my editor told me that I deserve a break after such intensity. And despite my conditioned need to keep working (the ol’ keep on drawing if you wanna eat), I know that she (and those around me who witnessed my years of dedication to this tarot deck) is right. I need to take time to read, sketch, dream, journal, socialize and allow external stimuli to refill my well with renewed creative zeal. I’m entering a season of adjustment from feelings of being an accomplished fairy tale painter to a girl sitting in front of her clean, empty drawing table, an unfamiliar sight after many years of constant artistic activity. I need to allow myself to organize my thoughts and my space before engaging in another spate of blissful creative chaos. And I know I will. This is not the first time I have finished a big project…but I will never have the thrill of doing The Fairy Tale Tarot again! For now, I will enjoy this peaceful interlude and allow the muses to go play outside for a while, with me as the quiet observer sketching without obligation. Soon, I will hold printed tarot kit in hand and will have a host of new feelings to process .

The Star from The Fairy Tale Tarot, watercolor painting

Symbols and meaning:

The Star Maiden flies into the center of the tree thus connecting the spiritual world with the earthly plane: merging the different layers of consciousness. A spiral circulates from her chest, expressing her desire to go be liberated from the confinement of limited ego-driven thinking. The dying leaves are being released from the branches and flow freely. The full moon symbolizes birth, death and resurrection. Lunar activities preside, when fragments of the waking state fill our dreams at night. The faces in the trees represent the collective unconscious and our ability to access ancient knowledge while we dream.
***
It is important to be receptive to dream messages as a means of gaining greater insight and wisdom about our past, present and future. By becoming more aware of our inner dream life, we can become more proactive in our waking lives—actualizing those hopes and dreams that reflect our deepest desires.

~ Lisa

Meeeeeow - The Amazing Timmy!

As many of you may already know via twitter and facebook, my beloved cat and faithful model for many paintings was recently the victim of a senseless crime. Though I’ve always been hesitant to let my kitties outside, there was something about Timmy that made us acquiesce to his desire. He loves to sit out front by my flowers, drinking in the sights and smells from his little patch of habitat.

Timmy is not your typical cat. He is a charming feline to all those who make his acquaintance. He possesses a playful lightheartedness and appears void of aggression or hostility towards anything regardless of what the natural order of things tends to dictate. Birds, ducks, frogs, lizards and all manner of animals would meander by his spot without taking much notice. It’s as though other animals can sense Timmy’s placidity and feel safe in his calm presence. I have a feeling he delights in visitors from the wild and takes pleasure observing his fellow animals. Lots of humans know Timmy as well. Even my community manager gushed about his particularly good-natured temperament after she had stopped by. Timmy is especially gentle with children and seems to connect with their innocent puerile antics. Whenever my kids rode their bikes or did chalk drawings on the driveway, their old faithful furry buddy would roll around near them as if he too was in recess mode.

Connor Talking & Timmy Listening

Timmy was a known fixture in my front yard…perhaps making him a vulnerable target. One day we noticed something was wrong. His left eye became swollen and his usual spunk gave way to extended lethargy. Our first thought was that he had been stung, or had a toothache, or had a stroke. We were not prepared for what came next.

When the vet called with x-ray results, it was as though someone had punched me in the stomach. Lodged in his occipital bone area (just missing his eyeball) was a BB gun pellet. This shocked everyone, even the vet. The fact that it had penetrated his face made the vet think it had occurred close range and was the result of pure maliciousness. I could not fathom why and how anyone would have done this to such a loving animal. The vet hypothesized that Timmy’s overt friendliness had put him at risk. “Timmy is such a sweet friendly cat, he may have gone right up to his attacker oblivious to the danger before he was shot.” We were devastated! Even the officer who took the police report shook his head and seemed genuinely disturbed by the incident.

Dick Whittington's Cat - concept sketches

Timmy is now indoors (permanently) and in great spirits. As much as he loves the outdoors, we’re not taking any chances. He is as loving as ever and has been enjoying his convalesce and the copious love that is being showered on him. We feel optimistic that he will be okay. Hopefully over time, we will all heal from the sadness of what happened and appreciate our dear fuzzy friend that much more for the remainder of his years.

These images are my way of honoring an important member of my family.

Timmy as the Magician card (winded cat) for Fantastical Creatures Tarot

Timmy as Puss in Boots (Mentor card) & Dick Whittington's Cat (Prince of Wands) in the Fairy Tale Tarot

~ Lisa
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