Category Archives: Uncategorized

Artists Crush- Black Mud Studios

A friend once called me a ‘crush-a-holic”. When I incredulously asked what she meant, she said “you crush on everyone ALL the time!”  In defense, I said not everyone: artists mostly. And not forever.  “Yes”,  she said- “that’s why they call them crushes.”  :)

Ok, I do tend to crush on visual artists, or their art.  And dancers.  And performers, especially drummers and bass players. And pretty much anyone who shows mastery of their creative trade in a public setting.  Since I can’t draw a straight line, my longest running crushes are on visual artists.  Writing a song or score- no problem- but sculpture, painting, life drawing seem mystery skills; to be around experts makes me SpongeBob giddy.  Evidence of artist crushes I’ve shown on this blog previously are here. And here.

So, I’ve decided to add a category of new posts called “Artist’s Crush”. It will feature Artists doing almost any creative endeavor that is hopelessly crush worthy, and will include folks making art beads whose work inspires fun, finished jewelry. ;)

So, I have mentioned lots of artbead artists on this blog before, but in this new forum- I hope to delve deeper; interview them and find out some cool day-in-the-studio wisdom. For now- the artist who’s work is inspiring mine is- Charlene at Black Mud Studios.  And though I haven’t interviewed her yet, I wanted to share a recent challenge she gave me.

I’ve been working with her stoneware pendants for sometime. Charlene and her studio are in Ontario, Canada. Her pendants are sizable, beautiful with unusual detail, and well-priced. Her natural & gloss finishes are just plain fun to design with.

Recently, before placing my Spring order, Charlene challenged me to make her a necklace that could match multiple pendants. At first I thought- ‘ah, piece-o-cake.’  But then, I find out she wears only short necklaces- 15.5″ (gulp.) And that she wanted them to match interchangeable pendants (2x Gulp).  Of varying finishes/colors (3xGulp).

I wear short necklaces all the time, so no fear there.  [After my 20th necklace breaking onstage when changing instruments, I finally learned.  Of course, it always happened mid-show, the quietest part.  I would fold up my accordion, slip it overhead to trade out with bass or ukulele, and POP! A tiny sound & 200 beads scattering across a wooden stage in 10 directions.  The crowd always gasps as if I've broken an arm. ;-]

So short length means there isn’t a whole lot of space to be elaborate in the design, since what is visible in front- is less than half of the necklace.  I studied Charlene’s new finishes, and tried several things.  One is a finished piece but the rest can have pendants easily attached to front or back clasps. I just love her leaf details! The one on the far left is a dogwood design.

These are generously large pendants!  We’re talking 3-4+ inches many of them. So If you like large focals- Charlene’s is the place to get them.  I experimented w/ U and V shaped necklaces, and learned that unusually shaped pendants look great in the V-shape.  Still trying different things- but stringing with large stone chips and pieces is looking right. I’ll post soon to my Etsy store.

Another reason to love Charlene’s work- mermaids! And Seahorses. Bees and sugar skulls!!

Charlene makes lots of buttons, cabachons, links, cool bracelet links, sea creatures, leaves, and other amazing fun pieces, and usually shows us right away on her  Facebook page here.

So stop by Black Mud Studio on Etsy or FB and see what Charlene’s kiln is cookin’ up!

New Torch and Sass CD~ Available

“The artist is nothing without the gift,

and the gift is nothing without work.” — Emile Zola

This is a quote that artist Anne Choi engraved on a new silver bead.

She says “I’ve heard people speak reverently about talent, as though it’s the only thing an artist needs. I think that for an artist, having a talent is just a beginning. Without persistence, exploration and appreciation, a talent withers and is lost.”

I understand the persistence part, and the exploration.  But never thought much about the appreciation.  I think I would need to make music whether I performed it or not.  But nothing motivates more than a room full of people wanting to celebrate.  I’m reminded of my early days, playing bars, a TV in the corner with playoffs,  soundscape punctuated by wild shouts of joy with sudden scores.  Ah, the old days ;)

Appreciation is a motivator. But I play my heart out these days, regardless.  In part I think because my band & I have so much fun playing together.

So I’ve done a terrible job of the daily poetry post!  ;(.  But I think I’m doing a great job w/ new videos, booking the tour, and getting our music out into the world!!  Crazy busy now.

So my new CD Torch and Sass hits the streets next month.  And Yoshi’s- Oakland has invited us back for our CD release party!!!!  Eeee!  AND I’m thrilled to have on hand advanced copies of Torch and Sass (CD or MP3) that you can be the first to order anytime before the official May 23th release date- by ordering through my website (Bandcamp)/Paypal.  You can listen to songs before you buy  here.

100% of every purchase supports getting my band on the road for tour dates both here in the US and Europe.  I’m working on the Southern states (Sept.) and the East coast (Oct.) now.  What cities should we play??    (Thank you in advance…!  :)

This is a painting of Mae West in the murals of Coit Tower San Francisco. I’ve just started covering Mae West’s “Mr. Deep Blue Sea.”  I just love her nobody’s-fool attitude on screen.

Day 18: Becoming Poetry

Someone said to me yesterday “poetry becomes you.”  I wondered what that meant as he walked away.  If I were to think that about another poet, here is what it might mean.

Poetry becomes you
when spaces inside find daylight
mixed with motion, a faint swirl
like when dressing, how your shirt
falls in a slow ripple cascade
as if a window just opened, moves
grace in folds, sheer and delicate
down your back.

Poetry becomes you
when nuance wells up between
thoughts, like leaves in wind most
won’t see, but one catches your eye
as it twirls over and over to the earth,
cat calling and whistling at you
all the way to your feet.

Poetry becomes you
when words hidden from air
in books, lost in time archaic
float back languid past pen over paper
liquid in language from a dream
triggered by a lyric, how she signed her name
swirls of L and J- all captured in your net
for later, held close behind your back
as he walks toward you, smiling.

Poetry becomes you
when the hairy ogre in the pink hat
red shoes too small for his feet, the one
no one will admit, but is sitting right there
confessing, or lying and smelly, says
something about his pain, starts to scream
or is that you actually screaming
mute button on, pen dipping the well
hand who’s muscles have forgotten
hieroglyphics but who find the words
just a few, for the one thing
everyone is thinking but
won’t say.

© 2012 Tara Linda  V.3

Day 15: Child Poet

He is standing in my path
when I round the corner
10 years in his sweet brown eyes
shifting from one foot then the other.

His medusa long hair, tendrils
matted and wriggling at the waist
might snag me if I fail to stop
so I stop.

Hi-my-name-is-Myles-and-
I’m-raising-money-for-my-school-and
I write poetry… would you like to see one?
Confident, he places the page
in my open hand, 8 stanzas long,
and Xeroxed. Did you write this?
Yes & my brother types them
for me. His words about hope and

a pain he knows…and games, and how
words help him “see through” … he is
looking past me now, maybe counting
minutes until he can join his brother.

Did you know it’s national poetry month?
I ask fishing in my pockets, no he says.
Sell your poetry, $1.00/poem.
He looks up intent. And the next person you meet
tell them that you are a Poet
with a capital “P” and that your words
will change the world.

Inspired in Oakland: Immersion Composition Society- Playtime!

It’s a sunny day here in O-town and I’m insanely crazy excited because it’s ICS day!!  Immersion Composition Society or ICS is when songwriters sequester themselves away to write songs all day.  On our own, we write as many songs as we possibly can, record them roughly at home, then get together that night for a listening party. And we only listen.  ICS started in Oakland, and has now gone global. ICS is the single greatest thing that has helped my songwriting over the years because it is all about:

  1. Setting time aside to write;
  2. Creating space & playtime with the Muses;
  3. It’s all about quantity- how fast can you write lots of songs;
  4. Kicking the critic to the dust, no editing;
  5. Playtime with the Muses.

I’m redundant with the Playtime part because besides leaving the critic in the dust, creating has to have space to be playful, silly, & outrageous too. It has to fly & float and take us wherever. And honestly- I may write 10 songs in one good ICS day: 8 of them are crap.  But the more you do this- set time aside for your art- the more quality comes out of those sessions.  Probably half of my music now is written in these kind of ICS days.  I do ICS solo too -but getting together with other artists around town is pure awesomeness.

I’ve been thinking about my own struggle lately with the poetry challenge (30 poems in 30 days); why some nights does it feel like work to finish a poem whose inspiration came so sweetly? I get to the 11th hour and I’m stressing about…edits…the sound…is it good enough. But this isn’t what the prompt is about: the month of April, for poets everywhere, is supposed to be when we set aside time & space to play with our poetry Muses; to invite them close, daily; to listen and respond to them; to actually write. We are meant to be Oracles; to spout & spew, to play with our art & to just put it out there! And isn’t it true- that for all of us, that in our best work- you can actually feel that playfulness?

So suddenly, I get this now- going into my ICS songwriting day: its about playtime. Where is all this crazy joy coming from? I think I’m excited b/c songwriting is pure bliss in general- but really, I haven’t set time aside to just creatively play since writing songs for my last album.  How can we keep our art fun? By setting aside time to play with our craft- to spill paint, to make junk, mistakes, outtakes; to work so fast that who knows what will happen.

You can edit later.

Here is an example of a song born out of my second ICS years ago. I meant to go back & change the words; I was restless for something to happen.  I could feel my Muses hovering that day, but couldn’t figure out what to do with the energy. It came out fast! A punk song.  Later with the band, I slowed it way down, imagined myself in a NYC lounge, modulated a bit, and gave it to a jazz band.  It’s on my new album. ;)

tara-linda-restless-1

Who knows what instruments or genres I’ll be with today.  But I stocked up on food last night; instructed all to ignore me. I just need to find my mics for recording. And if that fails- I will record old skool to an old boom box!  or my phone!  Haha! (don’t let the demons of technology distract you…)

I give myself permission to be silly, off beat, ridiculous, b/c the clock is ticking. And now, I can feel the Muses come closer…

I wonder, what is the first thing my Muse would say to me? This will be my first prompt for the day.  Oh wait…I can hear it already….

“And where have YOU been?!”    This will be my first song title of the day.  ;)

Slow Down~ It’s raining… & 2 Cool Give-Aways ~ for Beads

Today’s rain is a great reason to slow down just a bit…

Mixing songs for the new CD came to a halt last week when the 13th Muse showed up with another song. All the way from Cuba (more on him later- I had a poem ready to post about the encounter when my computer crashed.  But I’m not going to complain since it was the day the world was meant to end…).

So we started recording this fun new son Cubano tune “One Sweet night” on Monday, and I’ll be  writing/singing this one in Spanish. Hopefully back in the studio early next week.

Over the weekend we started shooting a fun new music  video- all over San Francisco. yay! Rehearsing new music last night. Bringing  new bandmates into the fold.  Life is spilling over.

Since I can’t post finished songs yet- or make much jewelry now, I’m going to start posting more about the artists who are über inspiring & prolific where & when i’m not ;)   like in jewelry.

Here is an artist/designer whose work I adore now- Kristen Gluckman (Matsudabunch) makes these cool sterling silver charm necklaces that are edgy & fun. I treated myself to one because this weekend I have a gig sitting in w/ SF punk band Ready! Ricochet. On accordion!  This is a lil’ ironic- because i started on drums in punk bands.  And let’s just say that punks don’t normally wake up thinking about accordion players.  ;)

And here are 2 very cool give-aways!  If I could stop to learn anything right now (beyond jazz chords on my accordion)- HOW to enamel metal beads is high on my jewelry todo list. And the artist i would want to learn from, Barbara Lewis, is  publishing a new book about it Called “Torch-Fired Enamel Jewelry: A workshop in Painting with Fire”. To celebrate the release of her book, she is hosting this giveaway- a $75 value!  Go to her blog here to find out the details of how to win. 

And here is an uber cool Give-away of wares thrown in by a BIG group of amazing artists and hosted by Art Bead Scene: Check it out here & enter to win!  Winner will be picked on May 30th

Photo is from Lorelei’s Blog.

Gift for Elma

It’s Elma’s b-day today.  I made this for her and gave it to her last night before we took off to see the Cult (!)   Woo-hoo! fun show.

It’s made of nuggets of carnelian- a stone I can’t get enough of these days.  To me, carnelian is a harbinger of Fall;  warm and grounding.  There are also hematite chunks and rounds, jade and sterling.  The pendant is removable, etched onyx pendant with a dragon on one side

& phoenix or…peacock? on the other.

Elma is really special; a very grounded, wise, woman who is a bundle of energy & the *coolest* mom on the planet.  She’s creative (sews & makes jewelry) and is always going out to see shows and other fun cool things.

Elma- I’m so glad you were born & I feel very lucky to have you in my life as my buddy and concert date! (Thank you Mandy for connecting us~ we miss you!!!)