Doodling to jazz, an A To Z Challenge: G ~> Benny Green: Monk's Dream

G was another tough choice, but I went with Benny Green. The plan was to do all greys, but near the end Green snuck in to the scene.

Doodling to jazz, an A To Z Challenge: F ~> Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong

 

 

So I was considering a couple other CD's for F, but then I thought that Ella and Louis could surely produce a joyful doodle. Went with my favorite complimentary colors to celebrate their duets. Here is Lets Call The Whole Thing Off.

 

Doodling to jazz, an A To Z Challenge: C ~> Sharel Cassity

Doodling to the jazz of Sharel Cassity by Wayne Stratz

The letter C ~> Two colors came together this evening as I listened to Sharel Cassity play her saxophone. Here is her quintet playing live.

 

L is for Love ~ the a to z of one word messages

Our First Love
was a fruit of the spirit
Lettering by Wayne Stratz
Background by Margaret Almon

Love. Lets get rid of all the extra words. One word suffices for now.

I Love You.

Our second Love
commissioned by my parents
Lettering by Wayne Stratz
Background by Margaret Almon

Our third commissioned love
celebrated a wedding anniversary
Lettering by Wayne Stratz
Background by Margaret Almon

This love is for sale
Lettering by Wayne Stratz
Background by Margaret Almon

F is for Faithfulness ~ The A to Z of One Word Messages

Mirror Image of the beginning
of our Fruits of the Spirit Project

I am humbled by the faith that occurs when a client contacts us to create a piece of art. If it is their one word message, they have asked us to create something intimate. What about nine one word messages?  What if they were inspired to celebrate the fruits of the spirit. 

No matter the size of a project, before we can begin, colors must be chosen. When our friends commissioned the fruits of the spirit, we had them over for pizza. Then we headed into our studios. Orange was good. Green was less favored. Then they left, but trusting us to take their hope for beautiful words, the colors they dig, and the faith that humbles us ~

The Fruits of the Spirit
words by Wayne Stratz
Backgrounds by Maragret Almon
Borders by Suzanne Halstead

A is for After this and After that

After the Deluge

A is for After thoughts. Wisdom is like that, sometimes it shows up a bit late. It shows up as good advice to avoid mistakes we have made already. It also shows up to pat us on the back when we have succeeded. And then it shows up randomly on an iPod.

Last night after doing my B post I told Mosaic Woman (who did her own A post) that I was going up stairs, putting on my iPod, and let Kurt Elling and Fred Hersch inspire a new design. The First tune to catch my eye was After the Dazzle of the Day.

After the dazzle of day is gone,
Only the dark, dark night shows to my eyes the stars;
After the clangor of organ majestic, or chorus, or perfect band,
Silent, athwart my soul, moves the symphony true.
by Walt Whitman

And as I drew and erased a design into being, I listened over and over and over. Slowly I realized that A could come after B.

After the game... came the celebration. Back in high school I saw the Phillies win the World Series. I remember watching the city after the game more than the game itself.

After 4 shows in 5 weekends... I unpacked the Fit completely and see it transformed from a crafting mobile into a gardener's vehicle.

After You've Gone... a jazz standard

After A comes C, possibly.

...