Airstream Block Print Ready to Travel

Readers know I rarely use this blog as a sales 

platform - I much prefer to share art stories and insights,

HOWEVER this fun art story does end with a sales

pitch so beware; you are forewarned if you want to exit now.

Remember my little block print where I shared the carving and re-carving of a design I wanted to get right?  We were about to leave on a month long camping sojourn when I had an idea of what to do with this little jewel.

Matted in ecru, it fits perfectly in any 8 x 10 frame. I tucked a couple in our camper to take on the road.  My plan was to gift it to folks who were friendly and fun, enjoyed camping AND had an airstream.  (I'm not prejudiced but it is a take off on the airstream, see?).  I was going to take a chance, leave my comfort zone and meet some strangers.  

We were pulling out of Palo Duro Canyon State Park in Texas when I spotted a vintage Argosy camper (great history here), it was the shape of an AS but painted orange and cream...very cool.

We set up camp in Villa Nueva State Park in New Mexico and guess who pulls in?  Yep the beautiful Argosy with an adorable young couple and their gorgeous 3 little girls.  Bingo.  They had driven from CA to OK to acquire said RV and were just getting their feet wet.  They had an evolving plan to gut the piece and redo it.  Maybe a year of travel... We chatted a couple of times and they were sweet enough to stop by on their way out.  I thought they needed my little art piece and I hurried to retrieve my gift.  So sweet they were in receiving and...even better Momma (aka Melanie) is an interior designer!  Rave Interior Design  Can't wait to see where they hang it!  What a fun encounter - I'm anxious also to see how the Argosy evolves.

Feeling good about this beautiful encounter I was primed for my next recipient (at Ghost Ranch.)  We were in the campground when I spotted, not too far away, an older, shinier, larger model Airstream (I'm not up on knowing models and years).  Fairly soon a truck returned with a bike and a handsome young man.  I plotted and somehow we ended up in a really great conversation - he was leaving NYC and traveling (with all his worldly possessions) to CA where he might look for work.  James is a builder/designer and his airstream is also a work in progress.   You've got to check out his blog. He invited us in and as I looked around (think bachelor pad on wheels) I mentioned something was missing.  Without skipping a beat he answered, "yeah, a woman!"  Nah, I said "Art."  So I gifted him print #2.  His bio and his plans are as inspiring as Melanie's and her family's are.  Gee.  I wish them so much luck and good fortune.  

So the sales pitch:

I'm only going to mat 50 of these puppies and they are signed and numbered and ready for your recreational vehicle or to give to a friend.  Email me at art@cindymichaud.com and I will tell you how to pay via pay pal and get yours in the mail.  Oh, price: only $15.00 and $5.00 for shipping.  My husband declared me crazy but I do not want to eat these!  Fun to think where they might end up or who might check out my web and want a bigger painting.  (My first sale went to a really lovely photographer who had it Fed Ex'ed to her campsite in CA.) So there.  

Almost....I got a little carried away and you know I have a thing for "prayer flags."  Well a friend suggested the obvious so lookey here:

Camping prayer flags ready to bestow blessings far and wide.  The symbols represent the night, the plant growth, the camper folks, the critters and of course, the day.  Sending love and good vibrations across the land appropriate to each.

I am NOT making 50 of these and as colorful as they make my studio look it will be hard to part with any of them....hand printed, machine sewn, 15 feet of ribbon to hang....ready to age outdoors or in; pure joy!  Only $35.00 per set and $5.00 shipping which is about 5x more than you can buy imported, flimsy Tibetan prayer flags for.  But hey, this is art, each one lovingly handmade.
 (email: art@cindymichaud.com) 

In fact, I can't wait to hang mine during our next trip out...can't imagine having anymore fun meeting folks than we did this round but you never know.

COLORFUL BLESSINGS,

Cindy

Blessings on the Wind

I love the creative energy of a "workshop" so when friends

encouraged me to offer one on making Prayer Flags I

jumped right in.

We began by discussing the use of prayer flags and the traditional meanings behind the earliest ones.  (A beginners intro here) I made worksheets guiding us to think about the way we might take these traditional symbols and colors and "modernize" them for personal meaning.  It is important to know that the flags are meant to be infused (if that can be said) with intentions and blessings which then are spread over the land as they blow in the wind.  This project is as much about thoughts and prayers as it is arts and crafts.

We began by making print blocks from foam and stamping them on to the fabric.

Everyone designed a block but we shared or used parts of each others when the symbols worked.

These are just a few flags laid out to dry.

 Flags were also stamped, lettered, stenciled, painted on
and designed with any tool or color that added to the
intention it was designed for.  I loved how everyone
added their own touches and shared their thoughts.

As the flags dried we cut our ribbons and talked about where our flags were going to hang.  Everyone, surprisingly, were making their flags for a specific place and/or a particular person.  Carefully the gals pinned the fabric to the ribbons and the sewing began.

Pretty soon we were admiring the results and getting anxious to put our blessings in the wind.

I don't have any workshops currently scheduled but if you have a group that is interested just contact me and we can set something up.  Five is the max to fit into my studio but larger venues will work if you see this as applicable to something you want to do.  After all, spreading more blessings across this country of ours would be a good thing, no?

Intentionally ColorFull,

Cindy

Creating Community Prayer Flags

Tibetan Prayer Flags (Wikipedia images)

Photos of these flags have always caught my eye...they dance across the sky and remind me of a cross between kites and drying laundry.  I'd never paid too much attention to their meaning until a recent experience when a group of us were looking for a collective way to honor a friend's birthday.  The last thing she needed was more "stuff" so a gift would be a challenge.  Suddenly I remembered a string of such flags I pass every day on a curvy road in the mountains.  This string of color appears to be blocking a pull-over that could be treacherous, they serve as a warning.

Putting our heads and collective, varied talents together we decided to create our own version of prayer flags to honor our friend's new year.  Each person constructed one or two flags and I sewed them all together in a chain to be hung outside.  We took lots of liberties in our sizes and materials but if you are curious about the special colors and meanings of the traditional flags you can check this article on-line.

At the last minute (best laid plans...) we discover the birthday gal is headed out of town; but hubby to the rescue.  He kindly helped out by hanging the flags as a surprise at their campground to be discovered on her special day.

Aren't they gorgeous?  Every single contribution (and more than a few were gathered from out of towners) was different; but each offered up feelings and love not only for our dear friend but for the countryside over which they would fly.  Prayer flags are ephemeral, they naturally deteriorate and fade away...like little parts of them spreading joy over the world. 

morning view from the camper

We were amused that the installation art became quite the talk of the campground.  Our friends had to give more than a few tours and explanations of just what these unusual decorations were.  I also love this explanation for installing provided on-line:

When raising prayer flags proper motivation is important. If they are put up with the attitude “I will benefit from doing this” – that is an ego-centered motivation and the benefits will be small and narrow. If the attitude is “May all beings everywhere receive benefit and find happiness,” the virtue generated by such motivation greatly increases the power of the prayers.

from Radiant Heart Studio, Redmond, CA

I know these particular flags are powerful ones!  They were made and hung with love to generate creativity and happiness in all beings...and now they have a new home:

The meditation shade garden right outside her studio...a lovely place to ponder

and bask in birthday happiness!

There are so many ways to make prayer flags and many reasons to be involved in making, giving and hanging them.  This winter I will be thinking about how best to teach a workshop where we can each make and take our own, so let me know if you might be interested when spring rolls around. Meanwhile, I am

Joy Fully Yours,

Cindy