Do Better

"Do Better"  ●

Last Summer, I came across this quote by Maya Angelou. I loved the quote, and decided to use it in a Scrabble assemblage piece. 

So far I've made 4 using the same quote. The first 3 can be seen here. Each one is different and unique, yet the message is the same. They have all sold. I think it's because the words are simple, yet poignant and powerful:

"Do the best you can (un)til you know better, 

then when you know better, do better." Maya Angelou

                      

 Found wood and vintage wooden hanger are covered with various papers and tissue, scrabble tiles spell out the quote. Chop sticks and metal embellishments finish the piece.

My apologies to everyone for my absence on this blog . . .  after the holidays, we went away on vacation - we spent 10 glorious days on Kauai, and then after we got home, I think I just got lazy about posting . . . But I am back now, hoping to get back on to my weekly posting schedule.  I am far behind, and have lots of new work to show you. 

 

Husband Walter and a glorious sunset, Kauai, Hi

 I do hope everyone is doing great.

It's a New Year, with new opportunities to make good art!

Do Better . . .

"Do Better"

A couple of weeks ago, I posted a piece, titled "Do The Best You Can" on this blog.

I was working on it during my 'open studios' weekend, and one of my early visitors said, "please call me when this is finished, I want to buy this piece to hang in my office . . ." 

Well, wouldn't you know, on the last day of open studios, another visitor fell in love with the then finished piece and bought it. So the following week, I got busy and made a new one for the first customer.  (she said she like the color purple, so I used more purple colors on her piece).

Then, I decided to make a third piece to hang at the gallery.  Here are all 3. All are similar, but each is one of a kind. 

The quote, by Maya Angelou: 

"Do the best you can (un)til you know better, then when you know better, do better."

"Do Better" ●

"Til You Know" 

"Do The Best You Can" ●

1" thick piece of oak butcher block covered in bits of text, images and tissues is the substrate for these. Scrabble tiles framed in wood spell out the Maya Angelou quote. A vintage wooden hanger tops each piece and a metal embellishment finishes each one.

Do The Best You Can

"Do The Best You Can"●
Dr. Maya Angelou passed away last month. A few weeks before her death, I started working on a scrabble art piece with one of her quotes, a favorite of mine. I finished it last week.

"Do The Best You Can (Un)til You Know Better, 

Then When You Know Better, Do Better"

 ****

Dr. Maya Angelou April 4, 1928 -May 28, 2014,
A remarkable woman who lived a remarkable life.
I started this post a week ago. There is so much that can be said about the life of Maya Angelou, a truly amazing human being. The post became long and repetitive, soon I realized there was little I could add to what has already been written about her life and the lessons she taught us.
In the end I felt I could not do justice to the extraordinary life that was Dr. Maya Angelou.

Instead I will attempt to live my life in a more meaningful way by remembering her words:

“My great hope is to laugh as much as I cry;

to get my work done and try to love somebody 

and have the courage to accept the love in return.”

Rest in peace, Maya.