These are the images that illustrated my first blog post on August 1, 2009. They were accompanied by a brief paragraph:
Bees are gathering pollen in squash blossoms. The raspberry canes are loaded with berries, so it's a good day for making jam. I use the long cooking method, with 3/4 cup sugar for every cup of crushed berries. By using 1/4 to 1/2 unripe berries, the jam is sure to thicken.
That was it, though on the same day I also published two posts with images of recent textiles. At the time, either there weren't the do-it-yourself websites widely available, or I didn't know of them, so in order to have an online presence after losing my NYC gallery I decided to start a blog. I knew that I wanted to combine my work with the natural world around me, and at the beginning I did that, in very short blog posts, published 5 or 6 times a week, sometimes more, with more than one post a day. As time went on, I wrote longer posts, and tried to balance the subjects between my work; the artwork of others, both contemporary and historical, with a bit of writing on other fields such as literature and film; and the natural world, including my garden, the woods, and as a tangent, recipes.
I wanted to explain to my longtime and new readers, during this anniversary month, how my thoughts about keeping up with this blog have changed over the years. At the beginning, I would just toss off a thought or two; I would often show work in progress, step by step. Now I show only finished work because I'm not interested in showing my progress; now I only write a post if I feel I have something substantial to show and write about. Since I've now written so much, many subjects have been covered; take a look at the "Some Favorite Posts" on the right sidebar of the blog to see some of them. The result of this is that I may write posts 2 or 3 times a week, or sometimes less. I still love doing this: I love sharing my work and my ideas about it; I love the process of writing, as it helps me to understand my thinking; I love taking photographs.....I will just do it less often.
Dear Altoon, As a relative newcomer to your work and blogs, I wanted you to know how much I appreciate them. I have shared them with friends. Thank you!!! kathy
ReplyDeleteIt's an amazing body of work Altoon. My heartiest thank you for all that you have shared.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing all this goodness.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for the kind comments.
ReplyDeleteEveryone is happy when a new one appears.
ReplyDeleteWe know you have a life in between.
Thank you.
I tell people to go read your blog if they want to see what it can be -- and so they can read what you have to say on many subjects. I'm impressed with how you've kept this up, too. I'm glad you still like doing it!
ReplyDeleteAltoon, I've always enjoyed your work, and for awhile now -your blog. You are very good here. I've been blogging for 9 years, much like yourself, very eagerly at first. Eventually one must slow down because it can take a good amount of time, with photos and words -these are needy things. As is art. I hope you keep on, as it is quite good, and you do what I had hoped to do so well.
ReplyDeleteThanks again. Hearing from you is encouraging, and though I won't post so often, I will keep going.
ReplyDeleteI'm a lurker on your blog. Although I am a scientist, I enjoy reading art blogs. I enjoy reading blogs about the process of making in general. Thank-you for your generosity over the years in showing your processes. It is time consuming, and I understand why you will slow down your blogging.
ReplyDeleteI'll continue to read.
Thanks for reading, bmgm. I'm pleased that someone in another discipline enjoys reading these posts.
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