LIFE ON THE SIDEWALK a photo essay

As most of you know I move in a wheelchair. My observations
are different than someone who walks. Quite simply, I'm lower
to the ground. So I thought it would be fun to share my perspective, literally.

I live on the sidewalk, which isn't always easy in my neck of the woods. There are a lot of streets without sidewalks.

Quiet Reflection Sunday- Listen

Put your ear down close to your soul and listen hard.


Anne Sexton

Hope you all have enjoyed the holidays.
I spend the time between Christmas and New
Year in reflection. I briefly look back and then move on to the coming year.


This year my focus is on joy. What brings joy
to my life and how can I, in my own small way, 
share that joy.

I thought it would be fun to hear from you about
joy. What brings joy to your life?

Have a wonderful, safe New Year.

Susan Hemann

Autumn- The Changing Season

Autumn is a season of transition. Melancholy sets in for me at this time of year. It's a time for remembering how life is always

changing. I remember years gone-by, loved ones long deceased.

And yet, in the back of my mind, I know there will be Spring.

I have been taking lots of photos this changing season. My hands refuse to cooperate with needle and thread. A shift is taking place

with regard to my artwork also. I have decided to remove color

from my photos, focusing on light and shadow. Winter time is a perfect time for black and white.

What kind of change is taking place for you?

Take care,

Sue

QUIET REFLECTION SUNDAY-Holden Arboretum

 Life isn't about finding yourself.

Life is about creating yourself.

George Bernard Shaw

I choose this quote because creating myself is about my connection with nature. When I was a young, single mother, I knew I would not get the chance to be in my studio 24/7. At that point, I realized that being an artist was much more than studio time. It is a way of life.

My family and I went to Holden Arboretum in Kirtland Ohio to celebrate my birthday. It is a marvelous place. They have a canopy walk which was wide enough for my wheelchair. 

Well, I hope you all have a wonderful Sunday!

Thanks for stopping by,

Susan Hemann

Hello everyone! I haven't posted for quite sometime. I had carpel tunnel surgery and my right hand is just now beginning to function.

With so much time on my hands, no pun intended, I've had to much time to contemplate my life, how I fit in this universe and how would I like to proceed.

I have been questioning my art work and what I want to say, as well as what type of medium. Loving so many mediums makes it difficult to focus.

Lately I have done a lot of observing. Taking lots of photos along the way. Hope you enjoy them.



Sue

QUIET REFLECTION SUNDAY

If a little dreaming is dangerous, the cure for
it is not to dream less, but to dream more,
to dream all the time.

Marcel Proust




Today I'm dreaming of Spring!
Hope your dreams are as wonderful.

QUIET REFLECTION SUNDAY

Life isn't about finding yourself.
Life is about creating yourself.

George Bernard Shaw


Hello everyone! There are so many books and people out 
there willing to help you find yourself. I say, let's look inside 
first. Find the special things already present. Try and build on 
those qualities. Be satisfied with what you have accomplished.

QUIET REFLECTION SUNDAY

Winter is the time for comfort,
for good food and warmth,
for the touch of a friendly hand
and for a talk beside the fire:
it is a time for home.

Edith Sitwell

QUIET REFLECTION SUNDAY

Watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you
because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most 
unlikely places.

Roald Dahl

Quiet Reflection Sunday

     Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul
     and sings the tunes without words
     and never stops at all.


      Emily Dickinson
      

Exciting News!!

I just received the Spring issue of Art Doll Quarterly and my doll
has been published! They had a contest asking for fairy tale dolls so I decided to make Baba Yaga. 

I hand dyed the fabric for her body and face. The pin she is wearing
came from Estonia. My grand mother was a world traveler. I hand painted her eyes. She was a labor of love. I remember reading
Baba Yaga stories to my children when they were young.

I want to thank the publishers at Art Doll Quarterly who selected
my doll for their magazine.

Quiet Reflection Sunday

When you do things from your soul,
you feel a river moving in you....

Rumi


Hello everyone! Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and
New Year's. A busy time of the year. I enjoyed my family being
together for the holidays, the baking, the eating and the celebrating!


Above is a picture of an owl I made for my daughter's Christmas
present. It is made out of hand dyed linen and items from my piles
of found objects. The wood came from a tree that was cut down
in my neighborhood. It is so much fun to make things from the 
heart. Luckily I am at the point in my life where I can work for
pleasure. I spent thirty years of my life making things for others
and teaching. I truly enjoyed those years, but to work for the sheer
enjoyment is a wonderful gift.

My word for this year is quiet. So encompassing. Do you make goals or resolutions? I would love to hear about them!

Have a wonderful day. Sue

Quiet Reflection Sunday

praying for the people of France

praying for the world at large

It seems to me that we are fighting WW III.
Not in the style of previous world wars, but 
rather a  different kind of war. A war of hatred
and injustice. A global war of intolerance.

There is nothing new about religious war, but
this has an edge that is different. This is not just
about land or my faith is better than yours.

I truly don't know how it can be stopped.
I am normally an optimist, but this has me
stumped. They say it starts at home, but when
our children are being taught hate, how can we
hope for a brighter tomorrow?

Normally I don't write about negative issues, 
but everyone needs to talk so we can all find
a solution.

Does anyone have ideas or solutions?
I would love to hear, brainstorming is a good
way to solve problems.

Quiet Reflection Sunday

Each leaf plays a note in the
symphony of autumn


Hello everyone, it has been a long time since I posted a Sunday reflection. I had decided to 
close my blog, but have missed it so much.  


Hope you all had a lovely summer and have 
been enjoying the splendid fall. The colors in Ohio
have been spectacular this year. I have been
enjoying the warm weather as well. 
 Hibernation season is almost upon us.

As we move into the holiday season I hope to
keep in mind the "reason for the season". Hopefully I am not to busy that I forget love, charity and all the wonder of the season.


I'm curious, is anyone starting a new tradition
this year? It's always exciting to try something 
new. I will be thinking of a new tradition myself in the next week or two.

Hope you all have a wonderful week and thank you for stopping by.

Sue

Saying Goodbye

I just wanted to let everyone know that I will be closing down
my blog. It has been fun and I am grateful to all my followers.

I am headed in a different direction now. I'm going back to school
to finish my degree in art history. I have been wanting to do this for a long time. It is now the right time.

I will still be around on Facebook and Twitter and I hope to see you all there.

Good luck in the future.

Thank you,

Sue

Quiet Reflection Sunday

When you pray move your feet.

African proverb

Quiet Reflection Sunday

Always be on the lookout for the presence of wonder.


E.B.White

Quiet Reflection Sunday

And Spring arose on the garden fair,
Like the Spirit of Love felt everywhere;
And each flower and herb on Earth's dark breast
Rose from the dreams of it's wintry rest.


Percy Bysshe Shelley


Ah Spring and poetry go together. I can hardly wait
for the leaves to turn. Saw a robin the other day!
This photo was taken at a park not far from my home.
It is my favorite spot. Hope you have a wonderful
Sunday. I will be busy painting with my grandson.

Quiet Reflection Sunday

Keep your face to the
sunshine and you cannot
see a shadow.

Helen Keller

The Dye Pot

I've been busy with the dye pot again.

I call them my experiments. It feels like I am a scientist, madly working 
in my lab.

So I had some indigo and white fabric
and I wanted to see what it would 
look like dyed. As you can see from
the first picture, I laid some silk
ribbon and coins on the cloth. Then 
I rolled it up around a copper tube.

Meanwhile in the kitchen I had a 
large pot of water boiling to which
I added turmeric. Love turmeric, it 
is good for you too.

So once I had rolled the cloth around
the copper tube, I tied it on, varying
the spaces between ties. 

I then stuck it in the pot and boiled away for an hour. I turned the pot
off and left it to sit for 24 hours. 
After 24 hours I took the cloth out,
unrolled it and hung to dry. 

I like the lines the silk cloth made
on the fabric and the yellow color.
The copper coins did not show up,
or change the color of the dye. I'm
not sure why, but I will leave that 
to the chemists and just enjoy the
fabric. 

Note: I did run it through the dryer
and I pressed it to heat set the color.

Also, once I removed the fabric 
from the pot, I rinsed it out.

Hope you will try dyeing with 
natural products. It is great fun.

Have a good week. 

Sue