Lake Russell

Thank God that autumn has finally arrived in the south. We left home for Calhoun Falls in the middle of a rain storm and arrived as the rains were moving out and on down the road. The fragrance of water-washed and sun-drenched pines was both welcoming and intoxicating. Patches of crimson and russet poked out amidst the greenery along the shores, or should I say beaches, of Lake Russell. One of my favorite sightings was that of a gramma riding her bright red electric scooter with a large metal basket attached to the handlebars. In the basket sat her 8 month old grandson with the most delightful look upon his face; the identical happy, self satisfied grin as his gramma.

Three Ring Binder Art Journal

While exploring the art of art journaling, I have come up with the idea of personal art through a small 3 ring binder. Personal art is the creation of art just for you, not to sell, hang on walls, or give to friends. It's personal. I fill the binder with a wide variety of accumulated papers. Some I keep as is and others I prepare with paint or stamps or....whatever is at hand. Then as the mood strikes, I write or paint more on the pages. The absolute beauty of this process is the FREEDOM you have with your pages. Sequence is irrelevant as they can be changed out at any point OR even tossed. You are in control! The following is one of the first completed pages. I had painted a very quick acrylic sketch of a bird and then the words just came to mind.

Oconee Point

Oconee Point is one of several Army Corp of Engineer Parks situated in Georgia and South Carolina on Lake Hartwell. This was one of our best camping trips ever. Fall was in the air and our site was right on the water. We could roll out of bed and go for a swim or an adventure in our kayaks. Since the kids were back in school it was VERY peaceful!
What a view!
Anything with bacon tastes great!!
Morning has broken.....

Lake Jocassee

The weather has broken and we are out and about again!! If you will look carefully at the top photo, a little to the right, you will see the corner of a hammock...a grand new addition to the camping experience! The weather and water were just right and all the little children were back in school so that the campground was very quiet. Lovely!


Nestled in the midst of a little forest (and right across from the bathrooms).

Nothing better than bar-b-qued chicken!

A very happy and handsome retiree!

I had brought a zinnia bouquet from my garden and when we left, I just put them in the midst of an old stump.

G Magazine July/Aug 2010

Arts: Lingering Gaze
Local artist gathers her observations on Greenville in handmade book
WRITTEN BY: APRIL A. MORRIS

Walking down the street, cell phone to ear, you may not have noticed the striking curve of a branch over the sidewalk or a butterfly soaring over the Reedy River. Observing and absorbing the world today is sometimes superseded by our engagement with technology or other preoccupations. Greenville artist Karen Lucci felt this disconnect and recently resolved to pause daily, look around, and record her “noticings” in a journal. From this practice has grown The Fine Art of Noticing, a homemade publication featuring Lucci’s musings.

Bound in heavy paper, actually her own recycled art prints, the tall, slim volume—twelve pages to be exact—is a pleasure to hold and truly a tactile experience. Miles away from a Kindle or an iPad, this hand-bound and stitched, self-published book contains a distillation of Lucci’s daily noticings edited by three writer friends. Each photocopied page features an entry set in Greenville, ranging from people and nature to memories and poetry. Lucci says she felt drawn to put pen to paper after working on stories for a nonprofit newsletter and weekly prayer e-mails. “I’ve always been a writer without realizing,” she adds.

Because the covers are made from several different Lucci prints, the outer image varies and often depicts a local scene. “It’s more than a card, but it’s got a poetry feel about it,” she says. And the publication’s popularity has proven to be strong. Readers have been purchasing copies in the initial run of seventy-five as gifts, especially for the person who has everything, says Lucci. And this summer she is working on a second edition that is scheduled to be released in late August—something that should not escape notice.



The second volume of "The Fine Art of Noticing" is now available. If you liked the first, you will equally like/love the second which is focused on literary sketches of my walks down Main Street and into the parks of Greenville, SC. The cover painting is a fabulous picture of local folks on the Liberty Bridge. Both of these books are now available at Liz Daly Designs on Main St. in Greenville, SC of course!

Garden

Some folks display their collection of dainty tea cups in lovely cabinets in the dining room. I, however, challenge mine to defy the elements and grace my garden with their pristine presence! My next "Noticing" book will be thoughts I have gleaned from my garden. And yes, that's me in my garden!

New Paint Job

I just spent a week repainting the lower level of our home. I had planned this for six months and am so glad that I had put aside a whole week. I'm not as young as I used to be (a ha) and it definitely took a while to do, but I am so happy with the results...especially the front door!