From Rhonda at Horton House Press, Alaska
A Late Spring
We are having a very late spring here in Alaska. The roses have yet to bud. Google reminded me the other day of this, while showing me one of my photos of some Alaska Prickly Roses taken at this time of year, 2016. With this late spring also comes my late newsletter I wanted to get out in May.
Vision and Imagination
Along with my expectancy of spring flowers, I have been imagining a bounty of our Northern Red Currants growing in our yard. We have some every year, but far and few in between. They pop up randomly, but never in the same place. When I came across this photo of a Red Currant bush so lavish with its fruit, I decided to claim this as a vision for my own.
One day I hope to have some Red Currants growing in our yard just as abundant. For the meantime, I will settle on this picture and enjoy this bush from here along with some creative transformative printmaking to steward my hope. Taking this vision with imagination together begins my spring seed for a fall berry harvest of printmaking.
Taking a closer look at the red berry bush and focusing my attention to one particular area, I started with a drawing for a monotype print (monotype is a type of monoprint/a one-of a-kind print). I added some Northern Red Currant leaf shapes I had pressed and photographed a few years back. I will have to wait and look for these wild Northern Red Currant bushes in our own yard to get a good photo of the flowers to work with also.
I am not done yet, but look forward to more layering of colors to bring out the unfinished areas, add some shapes, along with some red for the berries.
I will be gathering photos and drawings of the flowers and fruit of other berry bushes that grow naturally in our yard. These include High and Low-bush Cranberries, Watermelon berries, and Rose hips. I also have a Cherry tree/bush and a new Blueberry bush. The Cherry tree is suppose to be a tree, but it looks more and more like a bush, such as a Chokecherry bush. It has a lot of flowers this year, so we will see.
On the Horizon – A Food Journey into Slovenia, Croatia and into Italy
This summer my husband Rich and I, along with my sister Marina (Chef Brancely), have the wonderful opportunity to go on a culinary arts adventure, or as our host Active Gourmet Holidays describes it, a “food journey” throughout Slovenia (our Grandfather’s homeland), the Istrian Peninsula of Croatia, Italy and back to Slovenia. We had this all set in 2020, but had to put it on hold due to the pandemic. Now we are able to resume our plans.
We will spend 9 days visiting family vineyards, orchards, small farms and kitchens for simple homemade dishes–like wild boar goulash and cold meats–kobasice and prosciutto, local specialities, while sourcing local produce, honey, wild asparagus and herbs.
We will visit cheesemakers, gourmet food shops for pastries and take part in cooking along with local chefs in making traditional dishes to these areas.
Our journey will take us into the woods to experience hunting for truffles with dogs that sniff them out and then to a country cottage to make pasta with the fresh truffles.
We will also have the opportunity to visit an artist colony with galleries and jewelry shops, a castle, medieval hill-towns, and seaside villages. I will garner all I can throughout this food journey to bring inspiration back to my home studio for my next big idea.
Local Events
– Alaska Biennial 2022 -2023
The Alaska Biennial has extended this years exhibit through Fall of 2023.
My monotype print Winter Glacier will continue to be a part of this show and can be seen throughout the summer season.
On view between now and October 16, 2023.
Please see info below, as well a link provided for more information.
"Imagination is more important than knowledge." Albert Einstein
Until next time! Have a most wonderful summer!
Please feel free to contact me with any questions at my email: [email protected]
You may leave a comment in the space provided below, which is very much appreciated . Thank you for visiting Horton House Press Studio Insider.
Thanks for a lovely and informative newsletter Rhonda! You are so talented and creative and a beautiful reflection of the Father! Enjoy your trip!!
Aww, thank you Kathy! My pleasure, and your very welcome. Glad to hear you are receiving my newsletter.
Amazing!
Thank you Beda!
Hi Rhonda,
We’re delighted to see your emails/newsletters. They always take us by surprise, with delightful new images, new projects, and new trips. (You do get out and about.) We love the subtle way you awaken interest in what you’re doing. And tasteful. Too many artists’ presentations are like used car lots.
Please, please, please, keep on doing what you’re doing.
And we’ll look forward to seeing it.
Big hugs from Maureen and Mike in Granada
Hi Maureen and Mike,
Your words of encouragement are so refreshing and motivates me to keep pressing on! I thank you two! It gladdens my heart also to know you find my newsletters interesting—I like the way you describe it—very original. How pleasant it is to connect! From that first night sitting down with you two over bowls of your homemade stew, we knew we were among kindred spirits.
Love you with big hugs from Alaska!
I can’t wait to see the finished print, Rhonda! I know it’s going to be beautiful! Thank you for showing is your process, you’re teaching this beginning artist a lot! And congratulations on the showing of “Winter Glacier” at the Alaska Biennial! I wish I could come to Alaska to see it in Anchorage! You never know!
I am so excited about your upcoming culinary adventures in Europe!
Awe, thank you Renate! I am so glad you liked the process photos. Thank you especially for the word of encouragement you gave me to go forward with these travel plans. It really helped to empower me! God bless you! That would be so awesome if you made it to Alaska. Hopefully not as dire of circumstances as Ukraine. Love you!
Great stuff in your newsletter. Thanks for sharing. And that trip sounds inspiring. I am so very happy to hear from you.
Thank you Melissa! Your very welcome! I will be sure to share after the trip. I appreciate you and always look back to so many good conversations!
Great newsletter, Rhonda! The new print is going to be so beautiful!
I must admit I am a little jealous of the trip to Slovenia you and Rich will be taking!
So good to hear from you!
Denise Clark Weston
Hi Denise, thank you! Oh, what a joy it would be if you could join us! We had such a great time over dinner at the conference last summer — I will always cherish your company!