Maruman X

WOOHOO

2009-02-01T05:16:00.000-08:00

Finally got my Maruman from Jennifer and was delighted to find she has made sketches of both her homes inside.
This has been a truly wonderful project, thank you all so much for taking part.
I have been flicking through my little book constantly since it's arrival, in awe of all the amazing talent.
What a piece of art to own and cherish!
What an heirloom to leave behind!

THANK YOU!

A peek at the final entries...

2009-01-23T11:25:00.000-08:00

...from Jennifer into Anita's Maruman "A Taste of Home".

I have two homes now, so one side is Maine and the other Bali. I'm off to the post office, Anita.

A Little Peek from Margaret...

2008-10-20T13:52:00.000-07:00

of my artwork in Nina Johansson's book "Multitudes.

(click on images to enlarge)

A bit of zen like freedom...

A bit of calligraphy and color play...

...and a bit of the ancient southwest desert...
a step back in time to one of the first art exchanges ever! LOL :)

An artistic array of marks, colors, styles, and charm
fills Nina's little Maruman
"Multitude."
I don't want to let her go...
as that will finalize of my portion of our Maruman exchange.
But professionalism calls...and Multitude flies again.
I now will wait like the rest of our faithful fans
until
the last three books cross the deep blues seas
and safely arrive home.

"The Big Reveal..."

2008-10-10T00:34:00.000-07:00

Of my COMPLETED Maruman sketchbook

"Journey" (Click on images to enlarge...)

I cannot wait until the rest of the Maruman sketchbooks
are completed and safely return home to their respective owners...
What joy and excitement they will bring!

Thank you Anita, and Nina, and Jennifer
for sharing your talent and your little corner of the world with me.
Personally...
this has just been the most wonderful,
liberating...
endearing and imaginative
artistic experience ever!

“Every production of an artist
should be the expression of an adventure of his soul.”
~William Somerset Maugham

PHOTO#1...ARTISTS' CREDITS:
Pages 1-6...Margaret Storer-Roche (Me)...Arizona U.S.A.
Pages 6-15...Nina Johansson...Sweden
Pages 16-20...Jennifer Lawson...Maine, U.S.A

PHOTO #2...ARTISTS' CREDITS:
Pages 21-22...Margaret Storer-Roche
Pages 22-26...Jennifer Lawson
Pages 27-35...Anita Davies...U.K.
Pages 36-37...Signature stamp "petals" of all 4 Artists
Pages 38-40...Margaret Storer Roche :)

"Anita's Artistic Gift..."

2008-10-09T16:14:00.000-07:00

...in my book Journey!

What a delight to at last open my own book

and find all this beauty inside!

Thank You Anita!
(Click on images to enlarge)

"The greatest gift is a portion of thyself."
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

P.S.

I was so secretly hoping that Anita would paint one of her famous

English roses in my book...and she did! WooHoo!

She never disappoints! :)

Margaret´s pages in Transitions

2008-10-01T14:17:00.000-07:00

These are Margaret´s beautiful pages in Jennifer´s book Transitions. It landed safely in Stockholm a week ago. I thought I´d photograph these pages, since scanning doesn´t quite give the whole width of the images that belong together, but Stockholm´s been gray and rainy, and I´ve been coming home later than usual from work, which means LIGHT for photographing has become an issue. Lamps just don´t do it. I gave up tonight, and scanned the pages paired up in twos instead. I hope you can imagine how they belong together.

Below, Margaret lets her drawing continue from Anita´s. This is what is so great about this project, you get to intertwine your drawings with the other participant´s artwork where you think it fits, and to me that´s incredibly inspiring.

As I´m sure you can imagine, flipping through this book is quite spectacular, and knowing that the pages left in it are for me to fill is a bit scary...

Journey's Last Journey

2008-09-26T14:13:00.001-07:00

She's on her way home Margaret!

Nina's entries in Anita's Maruman

2008-09-21T11:52:00.000-07:00

I haven't found any time to scan (as you know it is time consuming) Nina's beautiful pages in Anita's Maruman "A Taste of Home". I quickly took these photos, which are a little out of focus—sorry Nina.

Nina's painting of Stockholm which follows both Anita's and Margaret's pages.

Her sneakers and lamp follow, which leave me a few pages on this side for my taste of home...

Nina's living room which is followed by the books below and connects to Anita's teddy bear and her books which connects to Margaret's books and then it's my turn.

After I finish my pages it will go home to Anita.

I hope to scan these beautiful images after Thursday's move.

What A Journey

2008-09-14T02:06:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning I started a journey into Margaret's maruman.

As I went about my day; taking my eldest to cricket, washing 4 loads, taking a walk with Harry, cooking etc... Margaret's little book kept calling to me, like a magnet it drew me and before I knew it I had completed my pages.

Just the small section on the sign off page to complete and journey will be, once again, flying through the air.

I had such a great day with her!

Jennifer's Entries In Journey

2008-09-13T17:11:00.000-07:00

How selfish of me to keep these beautiful paintings to myself for so long, sorry for the delay.
I shall delay no longer....These are Jennifer's entries into Margaret's maruman 'Journey'...

Mmmmmmm!

"DEPARTURE...!!!"

2008-09-09T19:56:00.000-07:00

Jennifer's little Maruman, "Transistions", and I landed at Sky Harbor International airport in Arizona early this morning returning from northern Illinois and a month of midwest "adventure". Hence, after having endured a thorough photo/scanning session this evening, she and I both are looking forward to a well deserved rest tonight!

But...come the morning..."Transistions" will depart, yet again. This time she will be flying solo to visit a bit with Nina in Sweden before she finally, finally heads home to Jennifer. This little traveller certainly will have many "miles" of creative experiences tucked between her pages! The wonders she will have seen...Lucky, lucky book!

Below, are three little peeks of my 10 pages in Jennifer's book...

"Transitions", you have personally taught me a great deal...It has been a rewarding adventure exploring my imagination with you by my side!
Bon Voyage! :)

"ARRIVAL...!!!"

2008-09-09T16:10:00.000-07:00

TODAY...HERE IN ARIZONA...
of Nina's gorgeous Maruman "Multitude"!
And do I ever mean GORGEOUS!!!

Here are full views of the pages added by Anita...
Now,
why not grab a quick "cuppa somethin'"...get super comfy...and
be prepared for great joy!
You can click on each image to enhance your viewing pleasure.

I wish each of you could hold one of these books in person...
to be able to soulfully breathe in the spirit of each artist...
to sense a bond of kinship with each
by simply cradling their imagination in your very own hands.
It is truly blissful and inspiring...and definitely humbling!

So, that being said...are you ready?

Okay...
Presenting...the "artistic brilliance" that is Anita...Ahhhh!

A taste of home leaving town

2008-09-08T12:54:00.000-07:00

A peak of my pages in Anita´s Maruman, A taste of home. I´ve had fun with it. The book is going to USA now, to see a new home.

Journey is off to the Fens

2008-09-03T04:56:00.000-07:00

Margaret's Maruman sketch book, "Journey ", has spent the past two weeks here in Maine. I have finished my entries and it is ready to go to Anita in the Fens, its last stop before returning home to Margaret in Arizona.

My first sailing experience. A week cruising downeast through the Penobscot Bay.

Late summer bouquet at the local farm stand near the beach. It's pick our own and as much as you can carry for $5.00 using a good old-fashioned honor system of cash placed in a slot. If you don't have enough money you come back later and pay what you owe. It's wonderful to know that this trust and good will still exist in the world.

My Multitude Peeks

2008-08-26T16:11:00.000-07:00

I finished my pages in Nina's beautiful book 'Multitudes' some time ago, approaching it much like I did Jennifer's...by the seat of my pants and on the spur of the moment. I like the looseness and electricity that comes with no planning, it's daring and spontaneous...Exciting!
I'm holding off sending the book forward to Margaret until the end of the month, at her request, but thought I'd post some teasers for you now.

A long journey to Maine

2008-08-19T15:46:00.000-07:00

Margaret's Maruman called "Journey" just arrived from Nina in Sweden. It was very fun to open the package and see such distinct and unique artistic styles and the different geographic locations that influence their work. Below are Nina's pages depicting her own journey this summer.

Now I have to get to work because this book has not finished it's journey.

A Taste of Home and Journey

2008-08-12T13:06:00.001-07:00

An update from both "A Taste of Home" (Anita´s book) and "Journey".

These are the images that Margaret has made in Anita´s book, "A Taste of Home". I am afraid the circumstances around taking these photos weren´t the best to show the fantastic colours in these pages, but I didn´t want to keep you waiting any longer, so I decided NOT to wait until tomorrow or the day after to have the opportunity to photograph in daylight. I think you can still get a good glimpse here.

And then a sneak preview of my work in Margaret´s "Journey". This book went on a journey with me, 700 kilometers north in Sweden and then back to Stockholm again.

"Journey" is now on it´s way to Jennifer in the US!

Jennifer's Entries In Multitude

2008-08-06T17:49:00.000-07:00

Feast your eyes....

Jennifer's Book Transitions Arrives...!

2008-08-05T13:20:00.000-07:00

...TODAY...In the Desert Of Arizona!

(and a sigh of relief is heard around the world!)

Are you Ready for what follows?

It shook me to the core...and made me quiver in my boots!

This sketchbook exchange simply ROCKS!!!

Presenting Anita's art in Jennifer's book:

Click on photos to enlarge...

Transitions and I are going to have a ball!

Lots of surprise ahead for us this next month...WooHoo!

Stay tuned...the other sketchbooks should be posted soon!

Multitude Has Arrived In The Fens

2008-07-29T18:18:00.001-07:00

...and here is part of Jennifer's additions to Nina's book which I am simply enjoying for a while before making my own additions.

It's a Bird...It's A Plane..."

2008-07-23T19:14:00.000-07:00

NO! ...It's Anita's Maruman..."A Taste of Home"...

...boots dusted off...looking as "spiffy" as ever...winging her way

eastward away from the blazing heat of the Arizona desert

with fiery crimson colored skies painting her way

the cool green forests of northern Sweden

and the anxiously anticipated artistry of

Nina Johansson.

My, we had such fun together!...She will be greatly missed! :)

Next to arrive for a desert visit is Jennifer's "Transitions"

sent all the way from Anita in the fens.

I have open arms and a tall cool drink awaiting her! :)

Multitude is ready to leave Maine

2008-07-23T15:42:00.000-07:00

I have finally finished my pages in Nina's Maruman called "Multitude". It is on its way to Anita tomorrow. Please forgive how long it has taken me to pass the baton. There is a lot going on in my life these days...

"Brand New Peeks...!"

2008-07-21T16:29:00.000-07:00

...Here they are...Fresh from the scanner...

A few teensy-tiny peeks

(to assure the surprise of the "big reveal" for each receiving artist...)

of my 10 new pages in Anita's Maruman sketchbook
"A Taste Of Home..."

Stay tuned...

our little adventure only gets better and better and better!

I cannot wait to get my next book!

JOY!...Margaret :)

Margaret´s Maruman arrived!

2008-07-10T02:27:00.000-07:00

Margaret´s Maruman, called "Journey", arrived safely in Stockholm a few days ago. Since then it has been on a journey (which kind of suits the book well, doesn´t it?) through a large part of Sweden. I haven´t added anything to it yet, but I will somehow make use of the book´s new location when I start working on it.

I wanted to show you Margaret´s stunning pages in the book, they are so inspiring:

As if these pages weren´t enough, there are the cleverly designed sign-out pages too:

I won´t post the covers, I´ll leave that to later participants in the book. They are incredibly beautiful, but I wanted to save some bit of surprise for the rest of you! I´ll be back with a little sneak preview of my own pages in this beauty when I´m done.

My 'Transitions' Teasers

2008-07-08T17:24:00.001-07:00

As promised, a few sneak previews of my 10 pages in Jennifer's 'Transitions' Maruman.
All sketched from imagination and completed the same day...I had so much fun!

Smokin'

2008-07-07T16:38:00.001-07:00

Started my entries in Jennifer's 'Transitions' Maruman today.

...Rode by the seat of my pants

...Threw caution to the wind

...Forgot that I don't do much imaginative sketching

...Ignored the fact that Jennifer's sketches seemed to know EXACTLY where they were going

...No planning

...Sketched whatever came into my mind, as it came into my mind

...HAD A BALL!!!

As a result, I finished all of my 10 pages today and it is currently 'cooling down' on the studio table.
Will scan some teasers for you once it's cold enough to touch! LOL!

MarumanX In The Newspapers

2008-07-04T09:26:00.000-07:00

My newspaper column was based on the MarumanX project this week, if you'd like to read it you can find it on my blog HERE.

I have picked up extra copies of one of the papers my column is printed in for Margaret, Nina and Jennifer so I can send them each a copy!

Transitions - Jennifer's Entries

2008-06-30T13:35:00.001-07:00

Ready?...Brace yourselves...

Basking in the Fenland sun...

Wonderful!

CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE

Multitude is in Maine

2008-06-30T13:13:00.000-07:00

Nina's Maruman just arrived at my home in Maine. Of course, her work is even more beautiful in real life and I now have the dubious task of adding to it...

Soon, I will have to figure out a plan for my ten pages in Multitude before I send it on to Anita, but for just a moment I am going to enjoy it's beauty.

Transitions Has Arrived

2008-06-30T03:59:00.001-07:00

Wooohoo, Jennifer's book arrived this morning and brought the sunshine with it, giving me the chance to photograph outside in the garden.
Lots more pics for you to see, including the amazing contents...Will upload once I've finished scanning.
(These folding sketchbooks are NOT easy to scan!) LOL!

You can relax now Jennifer, 'Transitions' is a little bent and dented from her journey but other than that she seems to have survived the ordeal and is glowing.

A Taste Of Home - My Entries

2008-06-30T03:52:00.000-07:00

Thank you Margaret, so pleased it arrive safely.

You can see more pictures of my entries on my Flickr account HERE.

A Picture...

2008-06-28T16:13:00.000-07:00

... is Worth A Thousand Words."

How True! :)

I can't wait to get started in this beautiful book of Anita's

which arrived here in desert of Arizona this very morning

after only 6 days travel from the Fens in England.

So,

sit back, get a "cuppa", and just enjoy!

"She's..."

2008-06-24T19:27:00.000-07:00

GONE!

"Gone like a freight-train, gone like yesterday,

Gone like a soldier in the civil war, bang bang!

Gone like a '59 Cadillac...

Like all the good things

that ain't never coming back,

She's gone...! "

But...unlike the song... my "Journey" will eventually return home.

Nina now anxiously awaits her in Sweden,

and I sit here in the desert night

just reflecting and thinking

about how wonderful this all is!

Ah-h-h-h.

My artspace sits calmly now, awaiting the possibilities of a new day

and the arrival of a very special package from England.

"Gone" by Montgomery Gentry from the You Do Your Thing Album

And off it went!

2008-06-24T01:39:00.001-07:00

This yellow mailbox swallowed my Maruman yesterday, it´s on it´s way to Jennifer in USA!

Ready to send to Anita

2008-06-23T11:35:00.000-07:00

One more peek before I send.

I couldn't send it without some sort of cover. So this AM, in between family activities, I managed to throw something together. It is being packaged and shipped today.

It's gone!

2008-06-23T02:59:00.000-07:00

'A Taste of Home' has left The Fens and started it's long journey to Arizona to stay with Margaret for a while.

Fingers crossed!

"A Few Little Peeks Before Packing..."

2008-06-22T14:40:00.000-07:00

...up my little Maruman friend

"Journey."

This week she begins her international travel adventures...

Flying

5,427 miles from her home in Arizona

and crossing the deep blue seas of the North Atlantic.

First stamp in her passport....Nina in Sweden.

Ahhh...

What joy and excitement "Journey" must feel!
Wish I could go with her! :)

A Taste Of Home Is Ready To Fly

2008-06-22T11:16:00.001-07:00

Spent some time finishing my 10 pages in my Maruman today and now it's all ready to fly over and get a 'taste' of Margaret's home between it's pages.

This is going to be nerve wracking waiting for them to arrive at their destinations!

Multitude is ready to travel

2008-06-21T03:22:00.000-07:00

Another sneak peek from my own pages in my book. I´m ready to send this baby off to Jennifer now. I can feel it is anxious to get going. :)

A little Bit More

2008-06-20T15:36:00.000-07:00

A peek into my second spread in the little folding Maruman entitled 'A Taste of Home'.
Just one more spread to do now. Been in Coltishall this week but hope to find some time this weekend if I can decide what to paint!

Maruman X "Transitions" peek

2008-06-19T18:37:00.000-07:00

Here is a peek at two of the ten pages in my Maruman called "Transitions". I have finished all ten pages and I am ready to pack it up and send it to Anita.

Sneak peek in Multitude

2008-06-17T14:52:00.001-07:00

These are two of my first four and a half pages in my Maruman called Multitude. I go around with a "multitude-lens" before my eyes and draw what I think fits the theme, and something completely different from this has caught my eye today so the rest of my ten pages will be something utterly non-botanical... ;)

I have re-opened my box of Kremer pigment watercolours recently, and I used them for these particular pages. These colours are very unlike any other watercolours I have tried, with a lot of funny behaviours that you can´t really predict... If you are curious about them, I´ve written a bit more about them on my own blog.

"And So I begin..."

2008-06-15T14:21:00.000-07:00

It has been said:

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."

Lao-tzu 604 BC-531 BC

So in that light, my first step is

to introduce you to JOURNEY my little Maruman friend,

born from and centered around the quote:

"I go to Nature to be soothed

and have my senses put in tune once again."

-John Burroughs

Journey's theme or central focus will be zen-botanical...

keeping her open to historical, realistic or

imaginary floral/botanical journeys of the artistic spirit.

I hope you will each enjoy this new adventure of ours

and have your spirits renewed

as we journey together 17,566 miles across the seas

and

into our imaginations.

Relaxed Beginnings

2008-06-14T16:35:00.000-07:00

A little teaser of my first spread in my Maruman entitled 'A Taste Of Home'.

So pleased to have started, once I did the subject choices were almost instinctive in this first batch and I felt quite relaxed as I sketched my way through four and a half pages.

Here's hoping the other six and a half go as smoothly.

I'm off and running...

2008-06-11T11:55:00.000-07:00

This is a peek at my Maruman X project titled "Transitions". I have not done a cover and may not get to that before I have to ship. We'll see...

Summer is a very busy time here in Maine. After our long, cold, dark winters, summers always seem to be one big celebration. Next Wednesday my family arrives from California. A good old fashion family reunion. Let's hope it doesn't rain. There will be little time for this project so I am on it, now!

Multitude front cover

2008-06-05T09:06:00.001-07:00

So, here it is. I decided to follow Anita´s example and just dive into this project head first and start posting here at the same time. My Maruman is still empty, but I named it, and the title is for all participants to interpret exactly as they wish. I will not give any directions or wishes for this book, I just want it to have a life of it´s own, and let all participating artists fill it with the thoughts and subjects they have in mind. The only theme is the word "multitude".

Now I need to get started filling my own first pages in it. Ooh, this is going to be so exciting - I can´t wait until I get my hands on the other Marumans in this exchange... :)

A Theme

2008-06-04T05:57:00.000-07:00

Woohoo, we're off!

Now I finally have my Maruman I've been staring at it with a blank expression wondering what to put in it...That's been harder than I thought it would be.
Today I set myself the task of making a start and put my theme down in print!

With each Maruman travelling so many miles I thought it would be nice to see a little of the destinations planned for it. My theme; 'A Taste of Home' will hopefully provide me with a flavour of each stop it makes before it returns to me here in England.

I was lucky in the respect that the Maruman cover is duck egg blue, a colour that trickles through my home with it's chalky delicacy, so I decided to use up some of the fabric samples and beads from soft furnishings that help to make my home the soft, tranquil place I love for my cover treatment.

Now, cover all sorted, theme officially decided, I'd better make a start on some artwork to fill it with.