Did I mention I like rocks?

This is the Nature alter that I created on the beach at Fort Warden last year when I was at ArtFest. It was part of one of the best classes I ever took, Anahata Katkin's Creative Instincts. We went to the beach as a class in the morning and built our own alters, took pictures of them and then created art in the afternoon based on those alters. Most people brought back one or two of the things from their alters, some left them there. Not me, I brought back every single rock, pebble or piece of kelp. And reassembled them into an alter so my house mates could see. And packed them in my suitcase and brought them all home to New Mexico - yes we have rocks here, but these were special enough to pay the extra weight fee for my extra heavy suitcase. They are very different than the rocks I pick up around here. They are smooth from the water and have a slightly salty smell and ooohhhh, the colors! Lime green, teal blue, almost white, smoky grey. One is almost square, another egg shape, each so unique is was worth every penny it cost to get them home. Hey, I brought home shells too, to offset the weight, okay?

I have lots and lots of New Mexican rocks and lots of rocks from Colorado and even some I brought back from the streets of Paris and the white cliffs of Dover. I will continue to bring them in and give them special places so I can see them. I do wonder sometimes if I will know when enough is enough. Or is it more is better? Did I mention I like rocks?

PS: I did it!! Figured out how to put a picture in. I'm blogging now, oh yeah...