December 8, 2009 In art, books & stuff, children's books, creativity, illustration, inspiration, words and language By Patricia Saxton

Art, Books & Red Rocks

Horsethief Basin. Happy Valley. Snowflake. Deadmans Wash.  Bloody Basin. Rainbow Trail.  Bumblebee. Cornville. Dead Mexican Creek. Dead Cow Gulch. Deadman Creek. Skull Valley Wash. Jackass Basin (am I allowed to say that?). Rattlesnake Canyon (yea, I want to go there, don’t you?). Yankee Doodle Trail. Moonshine Spring. Onion Mountain. Monkey’s Eyebrow. Big Bug Mesa.

The list of Arizona’s colorful geographic names goes on. While there seems to be a propensity for dead things, you have to admit they’re original.

Fresh from another journey to Sedona, I’m reminded that I never come away uninspired – not necessarily by the unusual names, but the rugged, compelling landscape. The drive from Phoenix to Sedona being one of my favorites, you go from Phoenix’s palm trees and rather uneventful, flat urban sprawl towards rolling hills and twisting roads, scrubby bushes and tall cactus, past black mountains and on up and up to the rich red and green gem that is Sedona.

This trip was no different in terms of my spirit soaking up the magical air, but different with respect to my agenda. There was little time to do to more than drive by the gorgeous rock formations, as most of my time was spent inside the Andrea Smith Gallery in Sedona’s famed Tlaquepaque Art Village. Different, but well worth it.

Friday night was the opening reception for my book signing and exhibit of limited edition prints from A Book of Fairies and The Book of Mermaids. Bitter cold by Arizona’s standards, it was warm inside the gallery with lots of great people coming in, a wonderful spread of yummy hors d’oeuvres provided by Ashley, one of the gallery’s gracious keepers, and beautiful guitar music provided by my very gifted brother, David Saxton.

Saturday was also cold, but the chill still didn’t keep away the nice crowds who made the event a success. In fact, we sold out of Fairies books … one woman even joked that I was giving some stiff competition to Sarah Palin. It was certainly a good kind of competition.

My thanks to everyone who came – I enjoyed meeting each and every one of you. As for the rest of you, if you’re ever in Sedona, and can drag yourselves away from the natural outdoor beauty, stop at the Andrea Smith Gallery where they’re sure to treat you well.

But of course, all good things come to and end. Driving east out of Sedona, saying my good-byes to one of my favorite spots – Cathedral Rock – I felt that sense of renewal emanating from the morning sun-tinged clay-red temple  … and knew I was already looking forward to another visit.

And I’m thinking, maybe Arizona should add another name to its grouping of unusually named things; something like  “Mermaid Mesa” or “Fairy Dust Springs”. Has a kind of charm to it, don’t you think?

(you can read more about my past travels in Arizona at http://www.saxtonstudio.com/patriciasaxton/arizona.html )

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December 2, 2009 In books & stuff, creativity, design, graphic design, illustration, inspiration, words and language By Patricia Saxton

Alphabet Books Rethought

Maria Popova of “Brain Pickings: curating eclectic interestingness from culture’s collective brain” (gotta love her blog name!!) posts endless varieties of creative workings from all walks of thought. Hers is a blog definitely worth a visit, a follow, maybe even a subscription. So, not to steal from you Maria (how do you actually find all this neat stuff?), but I too thought the alphabet books you posted were absolutely brilliant. They’re candy for designers. I want to make one. But in the meantime, here’s the link for the rest of you to take a look, and feel inspired.

Alphabet Books Rethought

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November 27, 2009 In art, books & stuff, children's books, creativity, design, illustration, words and language By Patricia Saxton

Sharing the Gift of Reading: Saxton Book Tour Happenings

Tis the season! … and there’s a lot in store for Fairy and Mermaid fans in New Jersey, New York and Arizona.

Skip the malls and head to Sussex, NJ on Saturday, November 28, for what sounds like a terrific showing of talented artists and craftspeople selling some top-quality American-made items at the Sussex Elks Lodge Arts & Crafts Holiday Fair.

The event runs all day Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.  I’ll be there with Fairy and Mermaid books, signing special notes for unsuspecting recipients.

The Elks Club is an active supporter of both Veterans and Disabled Children. Support the good causes and join the fun at: Sussex Elks Lodge, 152 County Route 565, Sussex, NJ. For more information call: 973-875-3990

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Next, I’m excited to be heading west to Sedona for the opening of my art exhibit / book signing event at the Tlaquepaque Andrea Smith Gallery. (Read more here.) The opening reception is Friday, December 4 from 5 – 8 p.m.. I’ll also be at the gallery on Saturday, December 5 from 12 – 4 p.m. Here’s the invitation in case you’re in the vicinity, or know someone who might be.

After Sedona, I’ll make a couple appearances in New York City at the much anticipated and highly rated  “Holiday Market at Union Square“. My publisher, Shenanigan Books, has a wonderful booth set up there through Christmas Eve – so if you’re going to the city, this would make a great, festive stop.

I’ll provide NYC book signing dates soon. In the meantime, here’s a sneak preview of the NYC Union Square booth. Hope to see you at one of these great events!

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November 23, 2009 In art, creativity, design, graphic design, inspiration By Patricia Saxton

Week 13: "52 Weeks of Peace"

During this week of one of the most American of holidays, traditionally filled with family, friends, food and football, we all give thanks for our bounty and our blessings, large or small. And I hope too, that each of you may find Peace draped within the folds of your own personal gratitude – and lovingly baked into your Thanksgiving feast.

All peace designs are shown together under the “52 Weeks of Peace” tab above.

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November 21, 2009 In art, creativity, design, inspiration By Patricia Saxton

The Marvel and Magnificence of Antoni Gaudi

A colleague recently returned from Barcelona, sharing with me his awe for Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi. When I researched some imagery, I felt I was glimpsing a grand, new artistic treasure trove. It’s not new at all, of course – but it is grand. In all my European travels, with all its magnificent architecture, I never saw gems quite like these.

It could be because when in Spain at the tender age of 16, my strongest impressions were Seville, the Alhambra, the beaches of black sand and the lude men – the latter of which discouraged my desire to go back to Spain. But Antoni Gaudi has revived my appreciation.

Gaudi lived from 1852-1926, and is known as one of the most important modernist style architects worldwide. “Over the course of his career, Gaudi developed a sensuous, curving, almost surreal design style which established him as the innovative leader of the Spanish Art Nouveau movement. With little regard for formal order, he juxtaposed unrelated systems and altered established visual order. Gaudi’s characteristically warped form of Gothic architecture drew admiration from other avant-garde artists.”**

Gaudi takes “thinking outside the box” to whole new levels. His extraordinary works, many of which reside in Barcelona, are movement and dance; they’re delicious, sugar-lined monuments with creamy icing; they’re all marshmallows and gingerbread, sand-castles, stone, glass and iron; they’re original, artistic, striking blends of sharp color and duotones. They’re fantastic. They’re illogical. They’re stunning. I marvel at the ingenuity and the boundlessness.

**References
Dennis Sharp. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Architects and Architecture. New York: Quatro Publishing, 1991. ISBN 0-8230-2539-X. NA40.I45. p61.
Muriel Emmanuel. Contemporary Architects. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1980. ISBN 0-312-16635-4. NA680.C625 1980.
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