dj pettitt - gentle whispering hues

a few more photos

I'm still processing old photos, and thought I'd share a few more. During good weather, I take far more photos than I have time to process, so winter is a good time to catch up a bit.

The Great Blue Heron shots were taken at sunrise in Newport, Oregon.

Fall in the Rogue Valley, Oregon:

Somewhere in northern California:
Below is Crater Lake, Oregon. This is a panorama that I may have shown before, but I reprocessed it and like it better now. I took 15 shots- 3 exposures each, of 5 different sections of the lake. The 3 exposures from each section were then merged as an HDR, and the 5 sections were stitched together and edited in photoshop. It took hours, but I was quite happy with the result.

Lake of the Woods, Oregon:
Stone cottage and sheep in beautiful Italy:
Southern Oregon in late fall/early winter:
Bales of hay in Italy: Some of my neighbors watching a storm come in: Sunset Beach, near Charleston, Oregon:
After the Pelicans dive, the gulls surround them as they resurface, and try to steal their catch. I love that you can see the fish as the Pelican is swallowing:
Rogue Valley, and Mt McLoughlin:Near Klamath Falls, Oregon:

Finally.... a post and a catch up!

Wow. I'm hanging my head, and apologize that it's been so long since I last blogged. And I have no excuse... no new puppy or grand child, I'm not moving, didn't break my arm, and I haven't been traveling. I get going on my day, and just don't take the time to sit down and post.

Do come see me on facebook though if you'd like to hang out more. I post there almost every day. Easier for some reason. So what's been going on with me anyway? Would you believe I'm falling more and more in love with my camera?
Well, probably no surprise there, but I've certainly become even more passionate about photoshop and photography than ever. I've learned a lot since purchasing a good camera two years ago and deciding to learn how to use it. It feels good to finally feel like I'm "getting it".



 
I'm so excited about teaching in Australia again in April. Seeing all my Aussie friends again, and teaching 4 classes while there will be so much fun. I'll be staying a bit longer to go on a photo safari with Bevlea after the retreat, and I'm over the moon excited about it. An adventure in tropical Australia with friends and my camera... does it get any better than that? I'm so thankful for all the wonderful opportunities I've been blessed with.
And guess what?
I've been making totes again!
Well, I've only finished two, but I've figured out an easier way to make them that isn't so hard on my arthritic neck and shoulders, so I hope to get more made soon, and finally open my etsy shop again.
They're painted on both sides of the canvas using my photos as reference, and then made into a tote. These are about 10"X14" and 6" wide at the bottom. The crow is sold, and the English Sparrow isn't listed yet, but if you're interested in it before I list, just send me an email. Here's the back of the crow tote:
And a close up of the Sparrow before I added embroidery:
Below is a snippet of an embroidered piece that I have started. It will be the front of a tote. No painting on this one though:
I'm still trying to get a teaching DVD made, but it's tough for a lot of reasons, so as much as I want to do it, it will be awhile. I was really hoping to get something done before leaving in April, but it will have to wait until I get back. Sounds like a broken record, I know, but I really do want to do it, and I will as soon as I can.
Another version of the white horse: And a few more recent shots along with some old ones that I've reprocessed:

finished journal

Finished! You've seen most of the pages during construction, so I'll just show the spine, linings, and a few snippets of words and final embellishments. The book is 8" X 8" with a 4" wide spine.

working on a new book

Hello! I'm teaching this class again the first week in December, so you're seeing another version of the same goose on the cover. Since the workshop is in December, I couldn't resist adding some vintage silver trim on some of the pages. The workshop info is here if you would like to take a peek! I still need to add words here and there, a few tiny vintage rhinestones, and bind it all together. Oh, and paint the back cover, but I'm getting close!Beautiful sun print fern made by Elizabeth Woodford. 

 

smothered by daily beauty

The wall is silence, the grass is sleep,
Tall trees of peace their vigil keep,
And the Fairy of Dreams with moth-wings furled. Plays soft on her flute to the drowsy world.~Ida Rentoul Outhwaite Happy Autumn everyone. I haven't been creating much art lately, so my blogging has slowed. Although not creating much with paint in my studio, I've been smothered by daily beauty and Divine paint as I shoot fall color and create with my camera. Summer drew me out of my studio like never before. When I make myself work inside, I pine for nature, worry that I'll miss something beautiful, and it's nearly impossible for me to stay indoors. But as seasons change outside, they seem to be changing inside me as well. Suddenly, I'm able to let go and look forward to all of the lovely in the future instead of focusing on fading flowers and shorter days, and hanging on to every minute of now as tight as I can. It feels good to begin creating in the studio again. Here's a card I made to send my sweet Auntie. It's about 4.5" wide X 11" tall:
Wishing you all creative warmth in your studios today.

 

Summer memories

As I went out last evening to shoot the last of our vibrant, summer color, it hit me that as much as I love the crisp, moody days of autumn,  winter is coming, and it isn't an easy adjustment for me. Suddenly it seems that Tulla and I are taking our walks earlier to avoid the cold and dark, and T-shirts have been covered with vests and hoodies.I'm thankful that although cold and wet, there is much beauty to look forward to during the winter months. I don't look forward to muddy doggy and  kitty paws that need drying several times a day, but the beauty of bare tree limbs, frosty dried leaves, pods, and twigs, and sweet winter birds bring smiles of anticipation and make the adjustment a bit easier.Still, I'm going to savor every day while breathing deeply and enjoying the rich, colorful leaves dancing and floating on gentle breezes as long as I can. Wind Has Shaken Autumn Down ~ Tony Johnston

Wind has shaken autumn down,
left it sprawling on the ground,
shawling all in gold below,

waiting--for the hush of snow.

Walking through the autumn leaves
Scattered on the ground
Seeing the kaleidoscope
Of colors all around.

Listening to the trees' song
As the wind comes rustling through . . .
May autumn's lovely magic
Bring happiness to you.

 

Petroglyph Point and Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge

I had such an amazing day yesterday filled with sunshine, birds, lava beds, and incredible ancient petroglyphs. I've wanted to view the ancient art at Petroglyph Point in Northern California for a quite a while, but the only other time I've been there I didn't realize where it was, and I had spent too much time on other adventures that day to fit it in. Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge and the lava beds are only about 2.5 hours from here, so I'm going to make it a point to go more often throughout the year. I can't wait to return and explore the pictographs in the lava beds that I wasn't able to visit yesterday. I also look forward to  photographing more of the many different migratory birds in the area. A few of the birds I was able to capture yesterday include the beautiful White Egret, lots and lots of Canadian Geese, Western Grebes and hungry babies (LOVE those red eyes), many busy Gulls, a few White Crowned Sparrows,
and these mystery birds...anyone know what they are? Oh, and there were Killdeer too. Another favorite with intense red eyes. Pretty amazing place huh? It was such a perfect, relaxing day.

glorious autumn

I'm loving the glorious and sometimes inexpressible joys of autumn...or almost autumn!
Evenings here in southern Oregon have cooled, and for a bit longer, the days will continue to be perfect; most highs around 80 degrees
with golden light and a slight breeze.
The following poem by George Eliot expresses it well.
Delicious autumn!
My very soul is wedded to it,
and if I were a bird
I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns. ~George Eliot. May inexpressible joys surround you today.

 

 

Finished the book... it's ready to journal in.

Here's the finished journal (sold) that I made as a sample for my workshop this weekend. The covers are 6X9 canvas panels. The front cover includes a painted and collaged photograph:Spine with vintage buttons:
Back cover is a painted canvas panel:
I added faux crazy quilting and hand stitching on the lining of the front cover (faux because of the raw edges). On the right is a signature-wrap:
More faux crazy quilting and hand stitching on the inside back cover:
6 Signatures:
Painted and embellished pages:

book pages and recent photos

I'm making a journal to use as a sample for my workshop in Jacksonville, OR next week.
I've used this goose photo quite a few times, but I'm not tired of him yet, so I painted him again for the cover. Here are more of the pages:













I've also been getting out to take photos as often as I can.
Winter is coming and I won't be able to go as often, so I need to fill up to hold me till spring.
I explored Lower Klamath Basin in southern Oregon, and northern California a couple weeks ago and fell in love.
It's only a 2 hour drive, so I plan to go back before snowy weather arrives.
Fall is beautiful there, but the mosquitoes were almost unbearable. I have a fabulous natural bug oil from All Natural Herbs, so I was fine, but I wouldn't even attempt getting out of my car without it. I've never seen so many bugs! See all the little white dots in the photo below? Those are all mosquitoes. I moved inland and south a bit, away from the bugs, and the day was perfect.



The highlight of the day was a Bald Eagle allowing me to get a few shots before he flew. What a thrill it was to get photos of such a magnificent bird!
I've also been taking photos of peacocks, and decided to paint this one.
I'm so in love with these birds!
I photographed these two at Wildlife Safari in Winston, Oregon.
Here are a few more shots from the safari:








Hope you're enjoying whatever season it is where you live!