I still find that art and writing are permanently entangled deep in the creativity cells of my brain. Hard to decide each time I sit at my desk which path to travel down. But a new art supply is a sure way to make art the priority--even if I do have to include words in the final product. My newest purchase is a set of 40 Caran D'Ache Neocolor II Watercolor Crayons. These thick waxy rods of luscious color are a joy to work with and quite versatile. You can draw or scribble on watercolor paper and then brush with water to create rich color on the page. You can dip a wet brush to the end of the crayon and then paint. But my favorite way to use these crayons is to create backgrounds for my poetry. I scribble all over the page with several colors and then rub over the page with a baby wipe. Whatever is on those wipes probably shouldn't be placed on a baby's tender skin, but on water color paper coated with the colors from the crayons, I achieve rich vibrant color for backgrounds or to color in drawings.

Give it a try and let me know how it comes out. Would love to see the works you create.

I know, it has been a long while since I posted, but writing for me takes many avenues and recently it has been down the path of fiction. I had a short story published which was a nice reward for years of writing time and energy. It is also an incentive to continue on that path for a while. But at the heart and soul of who I am lies poetry. Reading poems, writing poems and reading about poets. Add that to the goal of incorporating my own poems into my art work and Renee becomes a very busy lady.

But this blog is important to me and so are my readers so I will forge ahead. I am interested in hearing from those of you who write haiku, or haibun or create haiga. I'd like to form a little online group to share our practice.

As spring unfolds and becomes summer I will be more consistent here and hope to find more readers to befriend.