Denver Art Museum and Downtown Denver!

The one thing I was determined to do on my trip to Colorado, was to visit the Denver Art Museum and their very cool new Hamilton Building (2006) designed by Daniel Libeskind.

The architect said, "I was inspired by the light and geology of the Rockies, but most of all by the wide-open faces of the people of Denver."

Well, I thought the building was pretty fabulous but I supposed it is telling (what a geek I am, that is) that from certain angles, it looked to me like an Imperial Star Destroyer from Star Wars. See? Such a geek.

Lao-Tzu 1991-94

Mark di Suvero

industrial I-beams and cut sheet metal

(It's 30 feet high, weighs sixteen tons ... and it's my favorite color!)

There is a great exhibition going on called Marvelous Mud: Clay Around the World on view through September 18, 2011.

It

includes 8 exhibitions, including blue and white porcelain, works from the Amazon,

colonial Mexico and contemporary pieces from their permanent collection.

My favorite exhibition under the "clay" umbrella was Overthrown: Clay Without Limits. Here are just a few of the pieces. (below)

detail Apoptosis 2010-11

Martha Russo and Katie Caron

Porcelain, paper clay, glaze materials, pigments,

paints, vintage tools, hardware, silicone, LED lights etc.

The glowing orbs looked so amazing in person!

You Are The Palace,

You Are The Forest 2011

Jeanne Quinn

Porcelain, glaze lustre, wire,

electrical hardware, and paint

I loved this piece. It was my favorite.

It was very large - large enough to walk into - but still very delicate ...

The white porcelain looked so organic and the threads looked like spun silk.

The light was amazing. Just beautiful!

Collecting the edges 2011

Clare Twomey

red clay dust

The clay in its finest form of a

delicate powder commands

a language of gentle poetry, romance,

depth, and natural wonder.

~ Clare Twomey

You can walk on this piece that is made of clay!

It's quite disconcerting actually.

It wobbles slightly and you think it will break!

Yes, those are Tess and my feet!

Mast Year 2011

Mia Mulvey

Stoneware, porcelain, cable ties, and pins

In my work I am inspired by science and in it

our ability to discover wonder.

~Artist Mia Mulvey

Detail Bouquet of Flowers in a Vase 1670s

Maria van Oosterwyck

from the permanent collection (obviously not clay!)

After our wonderful museum visit, we headed to the main restaurant area downtown for some al fresco dining of salad, mussels and a cocktail. It was a beautiful evening!

It was so amazing getting to spend time with Tess in person (we have very long phone conversations!) after so many years. It was as if not a day had passed! I don't think we stopped talking for three days straight! It was wonderful and as I said before, such a gift!

Tess and I riding back to our hotel on a bicycle rickshaw...

Love you Tess!!!

She was

the same inside as I am,

from the same kind,

I sensed this instantly ...

~Anna Swir

Manitou Springs Margarita Break

Two posts ago, I wrote about visiting Garden of the Gods with Tess and Kimberly and I mentioned our "margarita break" in Manitou Springs. Well, here it is. And here also is one of the the groovy little shops we went in. (Where I found lots of things I wanted but didn't need.)

Red cowboy boots are definitely involved in my fantasy parallel life in Colorado. I would also be sporting that leather fringe jacket (below) which I think I could actually pull off in L.A. (with the right pair of jeans, of course.)

For some reason I was obsessing over a little antique fishing creel basket. Or I guess that's what it is. I mean, I wouldn't really use it for fishing but I could see myself in a white cotton sundress and cowboy boots collecting wildflowers in the hills with it. You know, a realistic use. ;)

Groovy outdoor map of Manitou Springs

Clay or Resin? You can click on it to enlarge ...

Ruxton's Trading Post ...

I love the boots in the middle, however in jeans you'd miss the red so ... maybe the ones on the left?!

There he is! I knew I'd find him in here! John Denver reminds me of road trips in the late 70s, with my family in the GTO, pulling the tent trailer and listening to Rocky Mountain High on the 8-Track tape player ... can you hear it?

... But the Colorado rocky mountain high
I've seen it rainin' fire in the sky
The shadow from the starlight is softer than a lullabye
Rocky mountain high ...

Isn't it awesome? I love fringe!

Doesn't everyone need a fabulous fish basket? I mean, I probably don't need the animal skull behind it, unless I want to get all "Georgia O'Keefe" in my paintings, but really ... isn't it a great basket?

The Loop where we got our yummy margaritas, just below Pike's Peak.

There are natural springs all over Monitou Springs that are supposed to have various healing properties.

This one was carbonated and tasted like Pellegrino.

He climbed cathedral mountains,

he saw silver clouds below
He saw everything as far as you can see
And they say that he got crazy once and he tried to touch the sun
And he lost a friend but kept his memory

Now he walks in quiet solitude

the forest and the streams
Seeking grace in every step he takes
His sight has turned inside himself to try and understand
The serenity of a clear blue mountain lake

And the Colorado rocky mountain high
I've seen it rainin' fire in the sky
You can talk to God and listen to the casual reply
Rocky mountain high ... Colorado

~ John Denver

lyrics from Rocky Mountain High

P.S. ... Oops! Here it is! On the rocks with salt. ;)

More beautiful Colorado to come!

Until then ...

Hope you are having an amazing week!

Blessings and light to you my friends!!

Wear Teal Day and Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month

Friday was "Wear Teal Day" to promote awareness and education about Ovarian Cancer. The whole month of September is actually Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month.

Looking at the "awareness" bracelets that are sold, as well as t-shirts and other gear for Ovarian Cancer, much of it looks more like turquoise or aqua, which is just fine with me. (I have quite a bit in my wardrobe already!) What is impossible to read on my bracelets below are "Ovarian Cancer Awareness" and "Fight Like a Girl!!"

It's important to educate ourselves about our bodies and pay attention to what is going on with ourselves. In this case, knowledge really is power. If something doesn't feel right, ask questions. And if your doctor blows you off, find another doctor. Don't give up on feeling like your best self. And remember, no one knows your body better than you do!

Information on Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer from the Mayo Clinic Website

Symptoms of ovarian cancer are not specific to the disease, and they often mimic those of many other more-common conditions, including digestive and bladder problems.

When ovarian cancer symptoms are present, they tend to be persistent and worsen with time. Signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer may include:

• Abdominal pressure, fullness, swelling or bloating
• Pelvic discomfort or pain
• Persistent indigestion, gas or nausea
• Changes in bowel habits, such as constipation
• Changes in bladder habits, including a frequent need to urinate
• Loss of appetite or quickly feeling full
• Increased abdominal girth or clothes fitting tighter around your waist
• A persistent lack of energy
• Low back pain

When to see a doctor
Make an appointment with your doctor if you have any signs or symptoms that worry you.

If you have a family history of ovarian cancer or breast cancer, talk to your doctor about your risk of ovarian cancer. In some cases, your doctor may refer you to a genetic counselor to discuss testing for certain gene mutations that increase your risk of breast and ovarian cancers.

To help or to find out more, you can check out these sites ...

Ovarian Cancer National Alliance

National Ovarian Cancer Coalition (NOCC)

Gilda Radner Familial Ovarian Cancer Registry

Like the nails? ;) (I saw Cabaret recently! thank you Sally Bowles!)

Women in particular need to keep an eye on their physical and mental health,

because if we're scurrying to and from appointments and errands,

we don't have a lot of time to take care of ourselves.

We need to do a better job of putting ourselves higher on our own 'to do' list.

~Michelle Obama

Garden of the Gods

And while I stood there

I saw more than I can tell,

and I understood more than I saw;

for I was seeing in a sacred manner

the shapes of things in the spirit,

and the shape of all shapes as they must

live together like one being.

~Black Elk

Black Elk Speaks

I was given a gift. The gift of airline miles! Well, the real gift was being able to see my friend Tess after almost seven years! We meet at around 20 and became roommates and the closest of friends. We shared everything ... red lipsticks, 90s spandex dresses and our hearts. We laughed a lot and cried a lot and I knew we would be friends for the rest of our lives. That was 20 years ago.

Last week I went to see her in Colorado. We BBQd with her family, visited, went into Denver (more on that later) and went, along with her sister Kimberly, to The Garden of the Gods outside Colorado Springs. It was incredible. You can't believe as you approach, these incredible red rock formations that seem to come out of nowhere!

It was a very warm day and we weren't aloud to drive up to the parking near the rocks because of a bike race. After hanging out and watching a film about how the rocks where formed, we decided we'd return later in the day when the road reopened, rather than hike up and pass out.

We headed to the "old west" town of Manatou Springs for Mexican Food and Margaritas and came back to the "Garden" later to thundershowers and the road still closed. We went back to the visitors center to pick up a few gifts hoping the road would open up sooner than later.

There, Tess found and gave me the gift of a little silver hummingbird charm for my charm bracelet. With a beautiful view of the sculpted stones, we said a prayer of gratitude for our friends and family. Just as we were beginnig our prayer, Native American music started playing from the speakers. Tess, Kimberly and I smiled and I thought of the women's spiritual/meditation group we were all in together back during the late 1990s.

Right after the prayer, we saw that they had reopened the road to "the Garden." As we left the visitors' center to make our way up to the rocks, several hummingbirds flew around just above our heads.

It was perfect being there later in the day. One by one the deer came out ... we could hear bats in their rock caves and the light was amazing! It was so beautiful. I could imagine the history of this magical place and a time when the Native American Ute tribe spent their winters there, in the protection of the rock formations. The air was warm and wet and I could almost hear the ancestors speak.

Here is an prayer I want to share from the Ute Tribe that seems to fit this place, in such a beautiful way...

Earth teach me quiet~

As the grasses are still with new light.

Earth teach me suffering ~

as old stones suffer with memory.

Earth teach me humility ~

as blossoms are humble with beginning.

Earth teach me caring ~

as mothers nurture their young.

Earth teach me courage ~

as the tree that stands alone.

Earth teach me limitation ~

as the ant that crawls on the ground.

Earth teach me freedom ~

as the eagle that soars in the sky.

Earth teach me acceptance ~

as the leaves that die each fall.

Earth teach me renewal ~

as the seed that rises in the spring.

Earth teach me to forget myself ~

as melted snow forgets its life.

Earth teach me to remember kindness ~

as dry fields weep with rain.

~ An Ute Prayer

I loved this place. I feel so grateful for all my varied Colorado adventures on this trip. As I mentioned in my last post, I went a little crazy with the camera but I guess that's no surprise!

Anyway, more adventures to come!

And until then ...

Have a beautiful weekend, my friends!