The Lauren Tree

the path less traveled

2012-01-21T12:59:00.005-06:00

One of my best and dearest friends moved away to Alaska today. Well, she started a two-week long road trip to Washington state, and then she'll ride on a five-day ferry, and then she'll move to Alaska. I didn't cry as I watched her pack up all of her belongings into a small SUV, do an Austin Powers-like maneuver to get out of my driveway, and speed off in the brisk sunlit morning. I told her I'll see her next week - we'll do happy hour - and that was it. She was gone.

I've been thinking a lot about her decision to move. It was a hard one to make, but it was the right one because the path kept opening up before her. Cobbles and downed logs were cleared. The path widened upon the turn and showed her home. Sometimes the right decisions are those that seem impossible, those that are life-changing, that are the hardest ones to make. But once you choose and get over that hill, once you get past that point in running that feels like you're going to die, you start to breathe easier, slow and steady. And it feels alive and wonderful.

My friend is doing something that most people wouldn't dare dream of, doing something that is scary and exciting and adventurous. She visited Anchorage last September, decided that was the life for her, and by October had the plans swinging in motion. While I don't think everyone can do this - just pick up and leave - I do find her sense of focus, determination, and flat-out will to be at peace, to be happy, absolutely thrilling. It's enlightening. Inspirational. She was not a fan of Austin anymore. She found a place of pure inspiration. She went after it. Ergo, she is happier.

Trying to lead a life like that takes fearlessness that it will work out, faith that it will be okay, and, well, cojones that you can survive the negative degree weather! Even her voyage towards this new place is filled with illumination and possibilities, an exploration of both mind and nature. She said she was going to listen to meditation tapes during the entire two-week voyage so that she'll be a better person by the time she gets up there. I think she's already a pretty enlightened gal, but the fact that she's not just moving to one of the most serene and beautiful places on this earth, but she's bettering herself while on the path towards that incredible place has an unsurpassed admirable quality. I can't wait to see her settled in mind, body, and country when she has finally arrived, taken a deep breath, and poured into her Alaskan life. And yes, I will see here there someday soon. It'll be one of my golden checks off my life list. I'm just a little worried that I'll fall in love with Alaska too and have to pack up the old 4Runner!

I've known this girl for what, 6 years now? And it seems like it's been a lifetime. To old souls like us, I guess it should feel like we've always known each other. I wish her well in this new adventure and hope to keep some of her spirit along with me. Use it to help me soar above, weightless, with eyes focused on my prey, ready to strike and live full.

a glowing anchor

2012-01-03T13:52:00.033-06:00

I haven't written on this blog in a long time because my little jewelry business has definitely gotten neglected! Well not just that, but I haven't felt this is the right venue to express some of the other aspects of my life. I frequently write about my life, but I rarely share these excerpts as they are somehow too personal for this outlet. But I came across something that I realized I wanted to share, I needed to share -- an idea that helps to focus on what's important through life. It's not unheard of. Everyone's heard of the bucket list, right? I think there's even a website. But I had never visualized it like this before, perhaps because I thought it was for people in their 70s staring Death in the eye. But it's far from it because, well, you need a lifetime to accomplish it.

I was reading a book, The Pink Magnolia Club, by Geralyn Dawson and it gave me a revelation. One of the characters had created a "Life List" when she was twelve after her mother passed away from metastatic breast cancer. She refined the list over the years until she was 21, upon which she decided she would no longer add, change, or delete any more items, just cross them off. She bought an expensive gold pen and from then on would celebrate each item when accomplished with a dramatic ceremony involving a check mark and a bottle of fine wine. Her goals ranged from teaching someone to read to riding all the roller coasters in Texas to doing something "deliciously wicked." There were 32 goals in all, same as the age her mother died and the very age required to achieve all items.

It got me thinking. I have never had such goals verbalized before. Sure I dream. I think about what I want to do and vacations I want to go on, but rarely do I follow through because of work or because of medical bills or because small vacations and home improvement projects keep trumping those goals far more important. For whatever reason the monumental stuff doesn't seem to happen. And it makes me think that I am somehow wasting my life, floating through it. I feel rigid in my actions, scared and unable to move. Scared of what? I don't know. Life. Rejection. The doing. Hard work. Preoccupation. Whatever the reason, I feel cold, frozen, and floating above it all. Snow that never gets to fall.

But then something started to warm me. I happened to read the article, 30 Things to Stop Doing to Yourself, and it thawed my heart a little bit to the neglect I have been inflicting on myself. I was hooked with the first line, "Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending." Almost every statement slapped me across my face, shouted at me to wake up, shook me to not die from frostbite, yanked me from the dreamless cloud I was floating on. And I grew more aware of the limitations I was allowing myself to cling to.

And then another source of heat found me. I came across an article on the regrets of the dying. A nurse in palliative care noticed a pattern in the patients she cared for. They all seemed to have the same regrets in life and this affected me deeply to my core, as I'm sure it would most people. But to me this was the eye-opening, jaw-dropping, thought-provoking thaw to my soul: that people wanted more out of life than what they allowed themselves to have. And so the following regrets were noted:
1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.
2. I wish I didn’t work so hard.
3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.
4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.
5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.

With these revelations I have come to recognize the need for goals, to create my own life list. Life really is too short. My life is flashing before my eyes and I feel as if I am wasting it instead of living it. I need a breakthrough, a pattern changer. So many others live their own goals, crossing them off one by one. I thought I was too until I simply wasn't. Many people have already done what I have only dreamed of. But that doesn't matter. In the beginning of this new year that has already been promised to hope and the anticipation of things to come, I attempt the beginning of my life list. I am sure it will be edited over the years, but today I declare it mine, alive and warm to the touch. The birth of a glowing anchor, grounding me to the very life I crave. My requirements: (1) at least one goal must be achieved each year, (2) goals can be interpreted as the occasion presents, and (3) no more edits after the age of 40, only check marks.

My Life List
1. I will take in all the colors of an Indonesian coral reef.

Stephen Frink, Getty Images

2. I will give my time to others in need.
3. I will feel the spray of the Colorado River as I raft through the Grand Canyon.

Smoothwater

4. I will squint out over the mountainside on a hike in Montana.

5. I will adopt a dog from a kill shelter.

6. I will fish for salmon along an Alaskan river and eat it fresh over an open fire.

Humbolt State University

7. I will hike all the parks in Austin and appreciate the simple beauty in my own back yard.
8. I will zip-line through a tropical rainforest.

RainforestAdventures.com

9. I will learn every last bird in North America.

Harlequin Ducks/Howard Eskin/Focus on Nature Tours

10. I will swim with a diving iguana in the Galapagos.

Expeditions.com

11. I will go into a food coma eating too many tapas in a Barcelona bar.

Barcelona Travel Guide

12. I will do something deliciously wicked (yes, it's borrowed, but worth it).
13. I will find Orion and his dogs in a diamond sky before drifting off to sleep in Big Bend.

14. I will kiss the one I love under a waterfall in Hawai'i.

Destination360.com

15. I will stick my feet in the wet sand and glimpse the wild horses of the Outer Banks.

Outer Banks Vacations

16. I will take in a lost child and help him find himself.

17. I will learn to cook classic French food like my fellow tall lady, Ms. Julia Child.

PBS

18. I will create jewelry again with love abounding, with pride and grace.
19. I will write a book with reckless abandon.
20. I will become a federal wildlife biologist.
21. I will have children in my life (plurality noted).
22. I will own riverfront property and extend an open invitation for rope-swinging.

Patrick Kaine

23. I will take my parents on a vacation they deserve.
24. I will build a house for someone who needs it.
25. I will reconnect with old friends and even new friends, one by precious one.
26. I will mistake a manatee for a mermaid while paddling through a Keys' mangrove.

Sailblogs.com

27. I will sip scotch on the greens of St. Andrews and cheer my husband as he shoots par!

netherbyhouse.co.uk

28. I will hear my voice echo while rafting on an subterranean river in New Zealand.

markmaranga.com

29. I will wink at a lion while on safari in Africa.

Letocar.com

30. I will tell my family and friends how much they mean to me, over and over again.
31. I will play an entire 18-hole round of golf with my husband.
32. I will stroll through the lavender fields of the Provençal countryside.

John Millar

I am sharing this to hold my feet to the fire. I'm sharing this because I don't want to be the one to say ANY of those regrets when Death comes to shake my hand. I'm sharing this for others to consider this concept. Thirty-two goals for my 32 years here on earth. It seems like a hearty and monumental task, one that will take lifetime to achieve. So at the beginning of this journey my husband and I have decided to take a two-week trip to Scotland and Spain this spring for our 10-year anniversary. And I'm looking forward to checking them off!

aural and literary morsels

2011-08-19T13:21:00.006-05:00

A few weeks ago we had the pleasure of seeing Joanna Newsom again live, as she was in town to tape at ACL (Austin City Limits for those of you non-Austinites). It happened to be our anniversary weekend (9th...yikes) and while I was out-of-control ecstatic about seeing her again, I was worried my husband would be less than thrilled. I dragged him to her Have One on Me tour in November and while he was initially skeptical of her distinct voice and non-traditional ways, he walked out understanding a little more of why I love her so much...and actually liked her. You almost have to see her live to fully appreciate her musicianship and poetry; that or be prepared to spend long hours listening and analyzing her deeply intense music. But it was worth it. We both had an amazing time, shed a few tears (okay, well, just me), and had a fabulous sushi dinner beforehand. Thanks to my sweet husband, for always surprising me, for making me laugh till I hurt, and for everything we've been through together, then and now, you are my match, my soulful mate.
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WARNING: Going past this point will likely bore most of you to tears, so I advise to stop while you're ahead, but for the few who think they can handle it, I dare you to read the rest...all of it.

After this last concert, I started not just listening to her, but really listening. I have sort of become obsessed with figuring her out--not that I ever will--but just trying to understand more of her poetry and incredible diction, her powerful Shakespearean-like language. She's nothing like I've ever heard before. She's brilliant, actually, and I hope the literary world will come to recognize her genius as much of the music world has. As I am a scientist by profession and a naturalist and artist by heart, I find her poetry to be intoxicating, her allegories and descriptive use of nature to be powerful, raw, and beautiful.
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I finally wrapped my head around Emily, on of my favorite songs on her Ys (pronounced "yee's") album. The lyrics and my interpretation follow. Again, beware: they are both long, but completely worth it. I suggest listening too to get the full effect.

EMILY
The meadowlark and the chim-choo-ree and the sparrow
Set to the sky in a flying spree, for the sport over the Pharaoh
Little while later the Pharisees dragged comb through the meadow
Do you remember what they called up to you and me, in our window?

There is a rusty light on the pines tonight
Sun pouring wine, lord, or marrow
Down into the bones of the birches
And the spires of the churches
Jutting out from the shadows
The yoke, and the axe, and the old smokestacks and the bale and the barrow
And everything sloped like it was dragged from a rope
In the mouth of the south below

We've seen those mountains kneeling, felten and grey
We thought our very hearts would up and melt away
From that snow in the night time
Just going
And going
And the stirring of wind chimes
In the morning
In the morning
Helps me find my way back in
From the place where I have been

And, Emily, I saw you last night by the river
I dreamed you were skipping little stones across the surface of the water
Frowning at the angle where they were lost, and slipped under forever,
In a mud-cloud, mica-spangled, like the sky'd been breathing on a mirror

Anyhow, I sat by your side, by the water
You taught me the names of the stars overhead that I wrote down in my ledger
Though all I knew of the rote universe were those Pleiades loosed in December
I promised you I'd set them to verse so I'd always remember

That the meteorite is a source of the light
And the meteor's just what we see
And the meteoroid is a stone that's devoid of the fire that propelled it to thee

And the meteorite's just what causes the light
And the meteor's how it's perceived
And the meteoroid's a bone thrown from the void that lies quiet in offering to thee

You came and lay a cold compress upon the mess I'm in
Threw the window wide and cried; Amen! Amen! Amen!
The whole world - stopped - to hear you hollering
You looked down and saw now what was happening

The lines are fadin' in my kingdom
Though I have never known the way to border 'em in
So the muddy mouths of baboons and sows and the grouse and the horse and the hen
Grope at the gate of the looming lake that was once a tidy pen
And the mail is late and the great estates are not lit from within
The talk in town's becoming downright sickening

In due time we will see the far butte lit by a flare
I've seen your bravery, and I will follow you there
And row through the night time
Gone healthy
Gone healthy all of a sudden
In search of the midwife
Who could help me
Who could help me
Help me find my way back in
There are worries where I've been

Say, say, say in the lee of the bay; don't be bothered
Leave your troubles here where the tugboats shear the water from the water
Flanked by furrows, curling back, like a match held up to a newspaper
Emily, they'll follow your lead by the letter
And I make this claim, and I'm not ashamed to say I know you better
What they've seen is just a beam of your sun that banishes winter

Let us go! Though we know it's a hopeless endeavor
The ties that bind, they are barbed and spined and hold us close forever
Though there is nothing would help me come to grips with a sky that is gaping and yawning
There is a song I woke with on my lips as you sailed your great ship towards the morning

Come on home, the poppies are all grown knee-deep by now
Blossoms all have fallen, and the pollen ruins the plow
Peonies nod in the breeze and while they wetly bow, with
Hydrocephalitic listlessness ants mop up-a their brow

And everything with wings is restless, aimless, drunk and dour
The butterflies and birds collide at hot, ungodly hours
And my clay-colored motherlessness rangily reclines
Come on home, now! All my bones are dolorous with vines

Pa pointed out to me, for the hundredth time tonight
The way the ladle leads to a dirt-red bullet of light
Squint skyward and listen,
Loving him, we move within his borders
Just asterisms in the stars' set order

We could stand for a century
Starin'
With our heads cocked
In the broad daylight at this thing
Joy
Landlocked
In bodies that don't keep
Dumbstruck with the sweetness of being
Till we don't be
Told; take this
Eat this

Told, the meteorite is the source of the light
And the meteor's just what we see
And the meteoroid is a stone that's devoid of the fire that propelled it to thee

And the meteorite's just what causes the light
And the meteor's how it's perceived
And the meteoroid's a bone thrown from the void that lies quiet in offering to thee

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At the beginning of the poem, Joanna recalls a memory from her childhood, a time when her sister, Emily, and she were spying on bullies ("Pharisees") up to no good in the nearby grasslands of her home. In present tense, she sees the "rusty light" casting deep shadows on the life that surrounds her, the woods and rural landscapes, the shadows are steeply sloping like everything's warped, perhaps the way she currently sees life.

So she’d rather think about the sweet memories of her childhood with her sister, those that bring her comfort from the current state of despair she is in. Joanna reminisces on a day by the river where her sister, who is scientific in nature, was trying to figure out the physics of skipping stones. She remembers her sister teaching her the names of the stars and her promising to remember. But she doesn't. She remembers it wrong, because she's not a scientist and it was a long time ago, and perhaps didn’t take it so seriously. Now, straining, desperate to hold on to her sister and what they had, she recalls those definitions taught so long ago, a sweet homage to her scientist sister, a sad metaphor for their tumultuous relationship.

Joanna also remembers how Emily helped comfort her through a traumatic experience, which I respectfully think it is an ill-fated pregnancy and loss. This seems to be one of the many themes mentioned in several songs (Sawdust and Diamonds, Baby Birch, On a Good Day, etc.). It is simply heart-wrenching because it seems to have deeply affected her--and I respect her the more for it. Joanna calls attention to how everyone respects Emily, how “they’ll follow your lead”, or how she's this "great ship" or powerful sunlight that "banishes winter" (which is very interesting because Joanna speaks of the current "rusty light" in her life above). From the lines "threw the window wide and cried, 'Amen! Amen! Amen!'/the whole world stopped to hear you hollering"), I can’t help but think that Emily somehow divulged the secret, but it must have been by accident, because "you looked down and saw now what was happening," as she realized what she had done.

These traumatic events (including the accidental deceit) were devastating to Joanna who admires Emily so much. It spirals Joanna into depression, turning her whole world upside down. She was a mess both physically and mentally ("the lines are fading in my kingdom/...looming lake that was once a tidy pen/and the mail is late and the great estates are not lit from within").

Yet Emily helped Joanna when she had "gone healthy all of a sudden", which makes me think of loss of a baby (when you don’t feel sick during pregnancy, that sometimes means the baby aborted), although it could also be interpreted as the pregnancy itself, when you stop consuming alcohol/caffeine/etc. Whatever the case, needing a "midwife who could help me find my way back in," could be interpreted as Joanna literally or figuratively needing help or guidance to deal with the situation, help so she could find comfort in her despair.

So Emily tried to comfort her, encouraged Joanna not to let it bother her, but I get the feeling it was superficial in nature. By telling Joanna to “leave her troubles here where the tugboats shear the water from the water (flanked by furrows, curling back, like a match held up to a newspaper),” it makes me think that the comfort was shallow in nature. And it makes sense that Joanna was “not ashamed to say I know you better" as this falls in line with how Emily handled the situation.

Joanna realizes that there is no hope of letting go of what happened (“we know it’s a hopeless endeavor”), but yet they're still tied together as sisters, no matter how painful it is (“The ties that bind, they are barbed and spined and hold us close forever”). But just as Joanna starts to heal/forgive by writing a song (this one) about her ordeal, Emily leaves her to live across the ocean, likely Argentina or New Zealand, as stated in previous interviews (“There is a song I woke with on my lips as you sailed your great ship towards the morning”).

Joanna just wants her sister to come home now. She's restless and distracted after her loss, just like the listless wildlife in the dead of summer. Her "clay-colored motherlessness rangily reclines," makes me think she's restless while her roomy and malleable body heals. By the way, I love her imagery of clay throughout so many songs (Bridges and Balloons, Only Skin, Sawdust and Diamonds, Emily); it’s earthy, moldable, raw, and organic, a perfect symbol for a young woman’s vulnerable life that’s in tune with nature. Anyway, she's terribly sad ("bones are dolorous with vines") and misses her sister.

During this time at home, Joanna ponders over the starry sky with her dad. She thinks how we are all like meteors moving within God's universe ("we move within his borders"). "Just asterisms in the stars' set order" is actually one of my favorite lines. Asterisms are patterns of stars that are visible from a certain vantage point on Earth, but the stars of which are not always physically related and are often at varying distances from Earth. Knowing this, I love the interpretation that we're all just different patterns or perspectives in God's set design. I'm not very religious, but can't help but see so much of her writing as spiritual. Joanna thinks she could contemplate this, the meaning of life, of eternity or God for a "century, staring with our heads cocked" and "dumbstruck with the sweetness of being until we don’t be." She could philosophize the meaning of it all until the day she dies; but then again, her sister already told her what it all meant so long ago. She then remembers those sweet celestial definitions that are the aching allusion to their fiery relationship.

Delicate. Haunting. Genius. Thank you, Joanna, for your bittersweet, honest words, the tender morsels of which I eat up every day.

mist on skin

2011-08-12T14:15:00.007-05:00

I know I mysteriously disappeared off the face of the earth. I know I haven't made or sold any jewelry in a very long time. I haven't done much else of notable worth either. I should blame it on the many professional and personal trials that plagued me over the last months, but I think that would be cowardice. I simply didn't have anything exciting to say and ultimately, I just plain didn't keep up! But I wanted to provide a small glimpse, an explanation in my own metaphoric way as to what I've been through and where I am today.

So I finally finished the monumental professional challenge that was placed on my shoulders almost 17 months ago. It was stressful beyond comparison to anything I've ever done before...I hate to say it, but perhaps even more so than grad school! It challenged every aspect of my mental capacity, from dealing with clients, to dealing with staff, to dealing with my management. From improving my writing to improving my assertiveness. No molecule of energy could seem to be spared for my personal life, let alone the Lauren Tree.

I was horrified and humbled on a daily basis, at every twist and turn, every stub and stumble on this rugged mountain of a challenge. I had very few successes and even fewer smiles, but when they occurred, I relished in their fleeting warmth. I started to become stronger, more assertive, stood up for myself, handled people better, molding them with my kindness, sweet assertions, and innocent whip-yieldings. I started to fight, tooth and nail, scrambled towards the top of that mountain, kicking and screaming, pulling everyone with me like the bull that I am. When I finally peaked the mountain, I saw the sweet satisfaction of victory rolling through the undulating hillside like a tender mist. That view I helped create made me weep with exhaustion and joy, before starting back down again on wobbled knees, on stooped shoulders, and wiser eyes. And so I now stand on the other side of this mountain. Worn and beaten, but feeling the mist I created cool and light on my skin. Looking up to the glistening sunlight beyond.

So much went on in that journey—personal life and loss too, the tearing down and building up of spirit, faith, and strength. Now the many personal and professional challenges on that mountain have been conquered. And I'm on to a new little hill where my feet are falling onto a more familiar tread. It feels like the one I traversed so long ago, a sweet and easy climb. I'm working on jewelry again. I'm cooking amazing foods. I'm planning a series of landscaping projects. I'm starting to enjoy life again. And I can't stop smiling.

So I look forward to exploring my cobwebbed creativity and dust-lined ingenuity. All those projects that have silently awaited my attention. So thanks for being patient with me! I’m working on a new line of fabulous vintage chandelier earrings that are simply stunning! Stay tuned!

family reunion

2010-09-08T15:10:00.004-05:00

This last weekend Ryan and I went home to San Antonio to celebrate my father's 60th birthday. It was my brother's first time home since Christmas and so it was a joyous occasion all around! We did nothing but hang out, laugh, dance, and eat...

Ryan & I

Kale & Oma

Sally & Ken

I did, however, convince the fam to go to the zoo on Sunday afternoon under the guise that it was a family reunion! Grin. I used to work at the San Antonio Zoo and have wanted to see all their improvements since I was last there in 1998. The exhibits were impressive, but I have to admit I did not feel the same as I did over a decade ago. I received a new camera for my birthday in May and in photographing the animals I noted a hint of sadness. Call it anthropomorphic projection. Call it a decent zoom lens. Call it whatever you want. All I know is that even though these guys have more room now, it's still not the uninhibited wild...

Look how sad this guy is! I think it hit me to the core, even with the lighthearted familial references. Anyway, Happy 60th, Dad! It's a zoo out there!

farm & market

2010-09-08T13:59:00.008-05:00

In June, a group of us trekked out to Blanco, Texas for their annual Lavender Festival in the heart of their quaint little town. I had always wanted to go and it was every bit as fabulous as I imagined! On the way out of town we stopped at one of the lavender farms. Not only did they have all things lavender: both sweet and savory food, cookbooks, bath products, you name it, but they had the best little market with fresh organic produce, cold soda pop out of a glass bottle, and homemade ice cream. Finally scrolling through my photos, I forgot how much fun that day was...
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farmhouse chic

2010-08-25T09:06:00.010-05:00

I finally decided to decorate my kitchen after 3 years of staring at blank windows. My kitchen was remodeled with a French Country concept in mind before we bought the house, so expanding on that idea was not only easy, but exactly my style...Farmhouse Chic. I don't know if that's phrase designers use or not, but it's essentially a fabulous mix of old and new. Old World botanical prints and glamorous chandeliers. Rustic antiques and stainless steel. Toile and tailored stripes. Dried wheat and mirrors. Here's a nice representation of what I call Farmhouse Chic...
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These last few are straight up French Country/Farmhouse, but they could easily work in a few modern pieces and be absolutely fabulous! Sigh...

So with the help of my fabulous interior decorator, Lindsey Naslenas, we will be transforming the kitchen this week. Stay tuned!

used car dreams

2010-08-19T08:01:00.008-05:00

I bought a new car! Well, it's actually not new and not really a car...so I bought an old SUV! A 1997 4Runner to be exact. Sounds weird, but if I was going to purchase a used vehicle it might as well be something that I've always wanted. I remember back in high school there was this boy who had just gotten a 4Runner for his 17th birthday. I had such a crush on him. Well, to be honest, I really had a HUGE crush on his car! So when the time came for us to purchase another vehicle I decided that my used car dreams needed to be realized. Don't get me wrong. If I had the choice of a new car it would not be a 4Runner. No where close. But for what it is, 1997-Kensley is high-fiving 2010-Kensley...

Mine's black

And by the way, I know old SUVs are not fuel efficient. But it is recycled. ;D

thoughts on a lizard

2010-07-28T13:49:00.016-05:00

Such a blissful lizard life to never encounter man.

Unaware of human truths and imprints on the land.

Dreaming only lizard dreams. Thinking only lizard thoughts.

Running only lizard trails, never getting caught.

Well, this lizard encountered me; was fate that he be caught...

His lizard head faced me and he cocked his head to stare.

His lizard arms embraced me as if he just became aware.

His lizard eyes traced me and they squinted to a glare.

I stared right back, then let him go to think his lizard thoughts...

wood ocean

2010-04-19T17:00:00.006-05:00

A fibrous current pulls grainy tides back to shore.

book love: prodigal summer

2010-04-17T18:36:00.020-05:00

I am immersed in Barbara Kingsolver's Prodigal Summer for the sixth year in a row. It's one of my favorite traditions that I look forward to every year during spring's first bloom. The book speaks of the complexities of human interaction, ecological hierarchies, and organic farming, of love and loss, passion and grief, of "extravagant procreation" and rural simplicity.

Kingsolver's flowing poetry cascades in and out of three delicately interconnected storylines. In Predators, an aging wildlife biologist becomes distracted with a torrid affair while studying the recovery of an ecosystem by a pioneering coyote family. In Moth Love, a widowed farmer's wife comes to terms with the inheritance of a dilapidated, tobacco-destined farm and a family consumed with misunderstandings. And in Old Chestnuts, a proud retired teacher attempts to single-handedly revive the extinct American chestnut while battling his old-fashioned views with an unruly petite neighbor and her organic philosophies.

I've never written about a book before and its hard to make something you love so much not sound cheesy or contrived. You want others to experience it too, to take in the amazing ebb and flow of the novel that moves you to multi-year reflection. But when I read what I just wrote above, I realize my interpretation somehow turned Kingsolver's masterpiece into cheap romance novel dust jacket! Hence, the reason why my day job is not being a writer and I will keep my musings on this topic short.

Bottom line: I love this book not only for the pure enjoyment of it, but for its beautiful character development and teachings of ecological principles, for righting the wrongs made by ignorance and miscommunication, and celebrating the subtle complexities of life, be it human, coyote, luna moth, American chestnut, or any other extraordinary species, both here and gone.

field collection

2010-04-15T12:36:00.008-05:00

I couldn't help but take just a few shots of some incredible central Texas landscapes this last week. This is what the hill country looks like from a wildlife biologist's point of view...

Up close and personal...

In admiration of the rejuvenated Pedernales River...

Some other flowering beauties...

Pink Mimosa

Spanish Dagger

Field of Sunflowers

And last but not least, weathered wood. Half my jewelry is reflective of twigs and branches, of all things wood. I wish I could do field work every day!

p.s. If you can't tell, I finally figured out how to make my pictures HUGE! From now on, better fabulous photos! Speaking of, these pix were taken from an iPhone. Can you believe it?

feast for the eyes

2010-04-12T12:50:00.012-05:00

My obsession with spring flowers has come to its peak this year. Everything is so unbelievably vivid right now! Emerald grasses. Chartreuse oaks. A roadside Monet of wildflowers. I haven't seen this many bluebonnets, Indian paintbrushes, Mexican hats, and sunflowers going full-out bonkers like this since I don't know when. It's almost as if my eyes are starving and those fields are the creme brulee. Take my spoon and crack that crust!

And I'm not one for gloating, but even my modest yard is in full bloom! My favorite columbines are like these little yellow comets, like little shooting stars coming home. Scarlet roses. Indigo salvias. Fuchsia bougainvilleas. Even baby cacti!

Every day I watch my cannas progess into their glory. They slowly leaf out and I can't help but appreciate each day for what it brings anew. I inhale the sweet intoxicating aroma of the Texas mountain laurel tree, my favorite little tree in Texas, the one I named my jewelry company after (with a twist of my middle name), and I am transformed. Renewed. Ready to take on the world.

Yet somehow, in the back of my mind, I can't stop myself from thinking that each day is another day closer to the burning resolution of summer, one less day to have these little treasures around.

So what can you do? I guess the only thing that can be done. Take it in and enjoy every fleeting moment.

new etsy postings

2010-02-11T17:24:00.006-06:00

I've updated my Etsy website with a few more pieces, so check them out here! I hope you enjoy browsing!

Blackbird

Snowcapped

Twiglet

let 2010 begin

2010-01-03T15:45:00.010-06:00

So it's been since, what, November? I know, I know. But 2009 really took a toll on me with being out of town so much for work and being exhausted the few weeks I was in town. So thankfully 2009 is banished from existence and 2010 is finally here! 10 is of course my favorite (and lucky) number, so only good things can come from this beautifully symmetrical year ;D

However, I don't know if I started off 2010 in a way quite what I had in mind...I somehow found myself getting a tattoo. Now hold on. It is actually something that I've been wanting for about 8 years now and because I'm 30 and it's now 2010 and I'm holding this year to a higher standard, it seemed like the timing was just...right. Especially because of the meaning behind my chambered nautilus tattoo.

So why a chambered nautilus? Because it's the symbol of what I strive to be for two reasons. First, many moons ago I read Oliver Wendell Holmes' poem on the species and it blew me away. You can digest the entire poem here, but below are the two stanzas that hold my attention just a little bit longer...

The Chambered Nautilus by Oliver Wendell Holmes

Stanza 3

Year after year beheld the silent toil
That spread his lustrous coil;
Still, as the spiral grew,
He left the past year's dwelling for the new,
Stole with soft step its shining archway through,
Built up its idle door,
Stretched in his last-found home, and knew the old no more.

Stanza 5
Build thee more stately mansions, O my soul,
As the swift seasons roll!
Leave thy low-vaulted past!
Let each new temple, nobler than the last,
Shut thee from heaven with a dome more vast,
Till thou at length art free,
Leaving thine outgrown shell by life's unresting sea!

So it may seem weird that so much of my life has been defined by the writings of a man who was born over 200 years ago, but I can't help but find such lovely meaning in Holmes' simple analogies: Live life in the present, always looking ahead. Make each passing year better than the last. And let the past balance you, but never hold you back.
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The second reason why I love the chambered nautilus is because it represents the quintessential Fibonacci sequence. I briefly discussed this in a March posting, but I really didn't do it justice. The sequence is a series of numbers that builds upon the sum of the preceding two units, which, as it turns out, makes a spiral. Spirals are found everywhere, in flowers, trees, galaxies, shells, tornadoes, even our inner ear. Everything has the same rudimentary design, and hence, everything is connected. My favorite quote is by John Muir who once said, "when you tug at a single thing in nature and you find it attached to the rest of the world." And so a chambered nautilus, the perfect representation of this connectivity, is what I chose. I'll post pix when the tat heals and looks more like a nautilus, not a naughtiness.

So where does this leave us? Me and a tattoo at the beginning of a symmetrical year. Hmmm...that doesn't sound as promising as when I first started writing...

...UPDATE (1/25/2010)...

Here's the tattoo, healed and permanent!

catalogue

2009-11-15T15:58:00.003-06:00

So I'm working on a catalogue of my jewelry to provide to boutiques and I'm really getting into it! Maybe my calling was a graphic designer in another life? I just wish I had more sophisticated equipment...Word isn't cutting it anymore! ;D

falling for fall

2009-10-25T12:50:00.005-05:00

Just a few moments of fall pleasure in the woodlands of east Texas. I'm normally obsessed with the amber and scarlet hues of fall, but I'll take what I can get in this lovely butter glow I found during this week's field work...

lost in maples

2009-10-20T12:43:00.018-05:00

I've been waiting and waiting for central Texas to succumb to fall, to those cool nights in the 40's that trigger the inevitable preparation for a long winter. Fall is my absolute favorite time of year and even in Texas one can find a hint of New England color. If you know where to look, you can see trees ablaze with vivid amber, scarlet, saffron, and emerald speckling the landscape.
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So I keep waiting for that perfect weekend to go hiking in one of my favorite parks in the hill country, Lost Maples State Natural Area, a remnant from the Ice Age that supports relict bigtooth maple trees. These beauties are GORGEOUS in the fall and could give New England a run for its money! Here are some past pictures from TPWD's website and Laurence Parent.
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When I found out that Lost Maples started to see leaves turning 6 weeks earlier than usual this year due to the summer's severe drought, my heart guiltily started beating faster. Early fall foliage? At least something aesthetically pleasing would emerge from a season of debilitating stress! But to my chagrin, because of the recent (and much needed) heavy rains most of the trees are continuing to hold onto their leaves...for now. Which, I keep telling myself, is good. We need the rain. Yup, yay rain. So until the weather cools, I guess I'll keep waiting to be lost in those firey maples.

lately

2009-10-19T15:13:00.014-05:00

Here are some of the latest pieces from Lauren Tree Jewelry! I will be posting these and others on Etsy soon. Enjoy!

Snowcapped

Saffron

Corona

Reaching

Morning Dew

Creekstones

Wood Grain

Flower Bud

Horizon

Sapling

Budding Twig

Strata

fall flowers

2009-10-18T17:03:00.007-05:00

Around this time of year I usually endure a fretful pruning of the barely surviving plants and mostly dead flowers in my flower beds. This year's record rainfall in October gave us a sweet reprise from the inevitable fall browning of the plants. I wish I could have taken photos two weeks ago, but I just fixed my camera so bare with me! I worked like a slave to keep this bed alive all summer with no love in return til now...

Some other beauties...

And the piece de resistance, my double-blooming hibiscus with a double bloom! Four times the lovely!!!

homage

2009-09-14T11:06:00.017-05:00

I'm here paying my respects to someone I've come to love and admire immensely. Okay, so it's a tree, but it still means the world to me. We bought our home in March of 2007 for three reasons: close proximity to downtown/UT, the beautiful refurbished interiors, and the massive Texas red oak that spanned our entire property. Since then, this mighty "heritage oak" has fallen on tough times.

Last May's hail storm and what had to be a tornado brought down a girthy little branch -- ah yes, so big was this little one that I couldn't wrap my arms around it (yes, that would qualify me as a tree hugger) and it engulfed the entire back yard when it came down, missing our eaves and fence by only a foot (luckily).

So comes the drought of 2009 when Lady Luck took a back seat to Murphy's Law. Coming home to two massive tree limbs on your roof does not bring one comfort. It was actually my worst nightmare realized. Drought apparently stressed the old beast to the point of collapse and our roof was in its warpath. Surprisingly, shockingly, our house sustained little damage, which makes me thankful for owning a 70-year old home that was built to last. But that's about all I'm thankful for. Our half of the oak is now gone and the other half is scheduled for removal. All that urban habitat, shade, and food supply gone in two days of chainsaws and trailers.

The best part was that it started raining the day after the tree cracked and continued to do so for a solid week, you know, when we have a hole in our roof. That Murphy and his law really stuck it to us this time. Just think, if that tree had held on for one more week, hell, one more day, it could have been saved (or at least I like to think so).

I mourn for the loss of that beautiful majestic beast and will pay homage to it by planting young oaks in its wake, so that one day the neighborhood wildlife and I can enjoy the simple pleasures that come from living near such a presence. Plus, it makes all my necklaces that were molded from pieces of that tree that much more special. Tear.

hiatus abandoned

2009-09-13T11:19:00.013-05:00

Finally back from no-man's land, I vow to be more diligent this fall in my writing and creativity. This summer was far too exhausting, but with fall comes peace and time, time to reflect and be inspired. Some highlights from the summer to prove that I wasn't just sitting on my lady lumps. ;D

Lindsey's and Vain's Wedding, Wisconsin, July 2009

Mom-mom's 90th Birthday, San Francisco, August 2009

Family Reunion at the Cliff House, San Francisco, August 2009
Our little getaway to Napa for our 7th anniversary, Napa Valley, August 2009
Hanging with baby Finn in New Ulm, August 2009

Don't get me wrong, I haven't been completely unproductive. Here, I'm wearing one of my latest creations while dancing it up in celebration of a friend's birthday, September 2009...
Now off to Etsy editing...I'm back...

a cleansing

2009-06-25T13:34:00.021-05:00

The last couple of weeks I had the privilege to do some field work up in North Dakota. I immediately thought of Fargo when I found out I was leaving. All those "you betcha's" and "don't cha know's" and "I think I'm gonna barf's" from a quirky pregnant cop in one of the best Coen brothers films (perhaps of all time) swam in my mind as I was imagining a barren wasteland of a country. That may be the case in the dead of winter, but my adventure would take place in the tender beginnings of spring. From the moment I peered out of that plane down into the vivid green hillsides, I realized I was in for a visual treat, some stunning eye candy, and I greedily licked my lips...

The topography was incredible. Every morning we'd drive up through the Killdeer Mountains and I desperately tried to affix my eyes to the road to keep from involuntarily gawking at the glory of those contoured beasts.
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Photo by North Dakota Tourism/Gerald Blank

I would have hardly called my job "work." I was riding around all day on an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) while flushing birds and looking for their grass-cupped nests of paint-speckled eggs and tender nestlings. All the while, finding all sorts of other wildlife.

My only regret is not taking a picture of a scampering buffalo calf that I glimpsed while driving through. Reminded me of this...

Photo by South Dakota Tourism

And what I took away from this experience was this: a renewed sense of peace, a cleansing of my mind, body, and soul--something that I was not aware that I needed. My job is mostly spent indoors writing technical reports--the exact opposite of why I got into this field. I rarely get to do the field work that I so enjoy and only for a few short months in the springtime. Mostly, I go home, water my garden, and listen to the neighborhood birds -- that's about the only nature I get day-to-day unless I go hiking around Austin on the weekends (or herping at night). But with the temperatures being 105+ lately, I would rather not have a recreational heart attack, thank you.

So the rare chance to be in 70 degree weather was deeply refreshing. I realized that the thing I was solely and soully obsessed with to the core was that beautiful marbled sky. It must be all that clean air, the limited human intrusion, or maybe the location in the northern hemisphere. Whatever it is, I couldn't drink enough of it through my thirsty eyes.

I'm glad to be back, but I will never forget the impression North Dakota left on me. It grounded me again and reminded me why I love what I do--like meeting up with an old friend I haven't seen in years. Would I recommend it? You betcha, hon!

new logo

2009-06-04T17:43:00.006-05:00

Noticed the new logo and layout? I'm still playing around with the colors for the blog (the white is a bit stark), but I'd like to officially introduce the new logo for Lauren Tree Jewelry Design! Thanks to Bella Gúzman for the amazing work! I highly recommend using her company, Highwire Creative, for any graphic design project. I couldn't be happier!

earthly delights

2009-06-04T16:26:00.015-05:00

Ask me why it took so long to upload photos of some of the latest pieces? All I can say is that it's been a busy couple of months! But a little motivation like preparing writeups and photos for my upcoming website finally kicked me into high gear. So here are a few photos of my latest designs. Oh, FYI the background is this amazing flatrock I collected while on a bird survey in north Texas. I'm obsessed with the intense lichen variation...Momma Earth in her finest!

Winter

Carya

Bluebird

Carved Initials on Bark

Sapling (sushi-plate ring)

Reeds (sushi-plate ring)

Old Oak (sushi-plate ring)

Blackbird (sushi-plate ring)

may gallery event

2009-05-19T10:24:00.006-05:00

The East End Gallery is hosting a Body Canvas Bash this Thursday from 6 till midnight. Free cocktails and viewings of body art in the making! The gallery also has a collection of Lauren Tree jewelry, so come on out!

East End Gallery, 1101 Navasota Street Ste. 4, Austin, Texas, 917.703.7352

UPDATE (6 June 2009)

Two of my dearest friends in Austin, Lisa and Kelly, were "canvases." Some pix from the night...

cog & pearl

2009-05-19T09:28:00.003-05:00

One of my NYC friends told me about Cog & Pearl, an amazing little boutique in Brooklyn that sells all kinds of fabulous handmade gifts. Check them out here!

n♥

the next decade

2009-05-12T11:10:00.020-05:00

This weekend I turned 30 and have been thinking a lot about what this next decade will bring. Looking back, my twenties were filled with good friends, good laughs, studying hard, working hard, finding my college sweetheart, marrying my college sweetheart, discovering new foods, discovering the first of the wrinkles, insecurities, shedding insecurities, the terrifying unknown, the thrilling unknown, buying a house, maintaining a house, making friends, making enemies, making time for my husband, jobs I hated, jobs I loved, surviving deaths, surviving births, surviving the day-to-day doldrums, searching for a creative outlet, finding a creative outlet, planning a family, planning for our future, living for the now. Whew!

And what will the thirties bring? I think this quote from one of my favorite films, Before Sunset, sums it up: "When I was younger, I was healthier, but I was racked with insecurity. Now I'm older and my problems are deeper, but I'm more equipped to handle them." I hope my thirties will be like that. I see myself now as much more confident in my job, in my marriage, in our decisions for the future. I see good things for my little jewelry business, the Lauren Tree. I may have to balance my day job with this business for a long time, but I know in the end it will be worth it. There's still a lot of creativity in me yet. As I am a Taurus, I am extremely patient and stubborn. It's taken me a long time to work up a website and make batches of jewelry, but I'm okay with that because it will be exactly what this control freak wants!

Cheers to a new decade of thrills & spills, successes & failures, wrinkles & promotions, family & friends (both new & old), hearty laughs & lots of beautiful jewelry!

spring's definitely here

2009-04-24T13:05:00.016-05:00

So I've been laying low these past few weeks on the blogging, trying to finish my silver pieces before I write again, to make this grand finale with beautiful photos and descriptions. But that's not life. Life is working 60 hour work weeks, surveying till the wee hours of the morning, and balancing marriage, family, and friends while still trying to find the time to work on jewelry. Spring is our peak survey season at work and every year around this time I survey for several endangered species, my favorite of which is the Houston toad, the species I did my Master's thesis on and whose survival may be severely threatened if another drought hits central Texas. I haven't been able to hear Houston toads much this season and it saddens me to no end that their future is so uncertain. What a cutie...

Although I've never been a bird person, another favorite endangered species of mine is the golden-cheeked warbler, a beautiful neotropical songbird that sounds like it's singing La Cucaracha! Always a fiesta in the woods!

Surveying toads till midnight and birds at dawn has left me exhausted, but I love it and wouldn't change it for the world. I've just never had the task of making jewelery during this time, so I've honestly been a bit sluggish in this last batch's finale. Plus, I'm starting over from scratch with a new logo and web design. Yes, I'm back to square one, but I believe in my heart that getting it right early on will only save me time and money down the road. As for the jewelry, all the pieces are out of the kiln and polished, and I'm now working on the construction. I can't wait to get these done! Hopefully, by this weekend!

At least I'm having a little fun in the meantime. Here's Ry and I at a friend's wedding, Easter weekend 2009 and a shot of my childhood friends at a reunion that took 7 years in the making!

off to the kiln

2009-04-06T11:18:00.004-05:00

I finally finished carving my latest batch of fine silver jewelry: 4 rings, 7 pendants, and 12 sets of earrings. This took much longer than anticipated, mainly due to the extensive hand polishing. I will definitely be purchasing a Dremel in the near future to speed up the polishing process. But until then, my hands will be thoroughly in shape! Now the pieces are off to the kiln to be fired! I can't wait to see how they turned out. Stay tuned!

the imperfect balance

2009-03-19T12:46:00.019-05:00

Whenever I can, I make molds of twigs and bark pieces, of leaves and other gifts from nature to use on my fine silver pieces. I love recreating nature in its element (snags and all) when handcrafting jewelry. Nothing in this world is perfect and in this imperfection lies a simple beauty. Although symmetry has been known to exhibit qualities such as good health and beauty (in faces, gemstones, etc.), there also lies hidden allure in asymmetry.

Wabi-sabi is a Japanese aesthetic centered on the acceptance of transience, of asymmetry, simplicity, and intimacy. It centers around three simple realities: nothing lasts, nothing is finished, and nothing is perfect. Story of my life! ;)

I find it fascinating that asymmetry has also been used in aesthetic design techniques throughout the centuries to balance proportions in a more inconspicuous way. People use it in floral arrangements, Feng Shui, etc...

If you've ever heard of the Fibonacci Sequence (building upon the sum of the preceding two units) or the Golden Ratio, using asymmetrical proportions sometimes just feel "right" to the eye. Its proportions can be found everywhere, in flowers, trees, galaxies, shells, tornados, even our inner ear. I love this concept--it played a major role in shaping my artistic philosophy, but I'll have to save that discussion for another entry...
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I've been fortunate to come across some amazing stamp art to incorporate into my fine silver pieces. These stamps reflect the beauty and asymmetry of nature and I'm so excited to integrate them into the design of a piece! I ultimately want to start creating stamps with my own sketches, but until then I will graciously incorporate these lovely reflections of nature's imperfect, but brilliant art. Here's one of the stamp designs. Love. It.
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new on-line boutique

2009-03-11T19:34:00.005-05:00

What a sigh of relief! I finally set up one of my websites, my on-line boutique http://www.laurentreejewelry.etsy.com/. Of course I only have my semi-precious stone and vintage pieces up right now, but you get the idea. All my silver pieces are currently at the East End Gallery (located at 1101 Navasota St, Austin, Texas 78702). I'm making about 15 additional silver pieces to be finished in about a week, but I'm trying to dedicate those to local venues, especially since SXSW will be here before you know it! Man, there's just not enough hours in the day...

carved affection

2009-03-10T13:01:00.024-05:00

One of the latest inspirations for my fine silver jewelry has been carved initials into wood. That may seem a bit ironic coming from a full blown tree-hugger that a defiled tree trunk would be so beautiful. But so many funky and amazing things happen to trees and, like our skin, tree bark is supremely remarkable in its recovery. I've seen trees grow into and out of rusted cars, around fences, and even over signs. Some tree funkiness...
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For the most part, I think of carved initials on a tree as a kind of tattoo or funky scar, a history of love embedded in nature's solemn guardians. Only when profanity is involved or when someone kills the tree do I get upset. Some love scars...

So be on the lookout for my latest idea...personalized carved initials in a fine silver piece of bark. And how in the world is anyone supposed to do that without a website? Well, it's coming. I should have a first draft in the next two weeks. In the meantime, Etsy is my goal.
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Cheers!
KLG

UPDATE (4 June 2009)

Here's my first stab at interpretation with my husband's and my initials...

Carved Initials on Bark

february gallery event

2009-02-25T17:02:00.027-06:00

The East End Gallery will be hosting an art exhibit event on Saturday, February 28th from 5-10pm, featuring the artwork of local Austin artists Kerry Awn and Cindy Raschke (a.k.a. Crash) with free knock-out punch and munchies! I will be attending the event not only to meet some amazing local artists, but also to answer any questions people may have about my pieces currently being displayed at East End. And I'm very much looking forward to it as this will be my first event as a true artist.

Kerry Awn

Crash

East End Gallery, 1101 Navasota St, Austin, TX 78702, 512.479.0100

UPDATE on 18 March 2009

My friend just forwarded me some pix of the gallery event so I thought I'd provide an update to this entry. We had a lovely night. A group of us went to the Blue Dahlia Bistro next door and then stopped in to see the beautiful art on display at the gallery! Some display pix of the Lauren Tree's fine silver pieces...

A final treat...here's Ryan with our friend's baby, Carmen, at dinner. Cuties!

loving the logo

2009-02-24T12:37:00.014-06:00

I finally narrowed down a logo that I really love! After months of piddling around with photos and design ideas, I ran into an old coworker, Mindy Bonine, at a recent function. We talked and turns out she's a computer guru and has agreed to design and manage my website (coming soon!). All I can say is what a relief, since I had no idea how to design a website, nor knew how to license it, etc...

Apparently, the first stage of website design is finding a logo you love and everything else (web design, business cards, Etsy heading, etc.) falls into place after that. Here it is, mind you this is a rough mock up of the real design and some of the placement/ fonts may change, but you get the idea.

I never thought I'd go with warm colors. I've always been a cool, blues/greens/grays girl (as evidenced by this blog design), but the colors in this logo are bold and cheerful yet still maintain that raw ecological quality, just like I want Lauren Tree to be. Thanks, Mindy, for all your hard work! I can't wait to see how the website turns out!

pmc lesson

2009-02-19T13:10:00.021-06:00

I finally had a chance to set up a proper workshop in our studio this past weekend. I can't tell you how good it feels to get organized and be productive. I did, however, accidentally lacerate my leg while cutting the plastic drawer organizers with an exacto-knife. But five stitches and two glasses of wine later, I was back in business. If you haven't noticed by now, I'm a complete klutz and I'm worried that this business will be a bit detrimental to my health. I've already received a 3rd degree burn and now a laceration for Lauren Tree and I'm hesitant to say, "what else?"

Anyway, I thought I'd highlight some of the processes of precious metal clay (PMC), the medium I use for my jewelry. I find it absolutely fascinating--fine (99.9% pure) silver particles held together by an organic, clay binder and when fired, the binder burns off leaving only the fused fine silver. Brilliant! It's moldable just like ceramic clay, one of the only art forms I've ever really been passionate about. This is what some of my recent pieces looked like after I dried them, but before firing. They've taken on a chalky texture that's easy to etch and sand.

After firing, an intense polishing session begins. Here, I've finished polishing and am combining the fine silver pieces with sterling findings and chain to finish out the product.

Here are some of my recently finished products. I'm really into big, flat rings or what I call "sushi plate rings." I'm also in love with bare tree limbs and twigs. I think there's something so unique about that look, like you're seeing the inner soul of a tree, the bare bones so to speak. Raw and naked, it's truly beautiful.

You can find these pieces and others at the East End Gallery, 1101 Navasota St, Austin, TX 78702, 512.479.0100. I'm still working on the website, though I finally have a logo I like! Baby steps, right?

gallery nod

2009-01-29T11:34:00.015-06:00

I'm excited to say that the East End Gallery will now be carrying various pieces of Lauren Tree Jewelry! I've been working on some really fun pieces, mainly earrings, but I'm especially looking forward to finalizing some of my latest PMC pieces. I've had so many ideas lately and can hardly keep track! Thanks, again, to East End for starting Lauren Tree off right!

East End Gallery

1101 Navasota St. Austin, TX 78702 917.703.7352
www.myspace.com/austineastendgallery

artist's getaway

2009-01-18T20:54:00.036-06:00

My oldest and best friend, Beth, and I decided to take a trip to Santa Fe for some R&R and some artist inspiration for Lauren Tree. It was unbelievable! From the sincere people to the amazing art, Santa Fe was a complete artist's getaway, chile peppers and all...

Taking the time to relax at the world renowned Ten Thousand Waves made all the difference. I was at peace listening to the gurgling streams, meditating near the koi ponds, and enjoying a world-class massage. Beth got buffed from an amazing salt glow and we were both revitalized and renewed. My only regret is not taking advantage of their japanese-inspired bath houses, but we agreed a little skinny-dipping with random old ladies would negate any good vibes we had received, so c'est la vie.

We say no to nude.

We checked out the famous Shed and had an extremely hot, but good lunch! Well, not really good, just hot! Heed our advice: just stick to the cheese enchiladas everywhere in New Mexico. You can't go wrong and you won't end up with a burned hole in your stomach like we did from the pork simmered in Hell! Needless to say, after we downed a few margaritas to cool our insides the remaining food experiences were amazing! We ♥ food and spirits!

We also toured the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum and ate at the O'Keeffe Cafe (I recommend). This was my second time to visit the museum and it was just as profoundly beautiful as my first live experience with her work. I will always have a soft spot for Ms. O'Keeffe--she made such an impact on the art community with her bold interpretations of complex flora and her other vivid analyses of nature, forcing people to see the intense beauty that nature usually holds secret. Very inspiring.

But the highlight of the trip was randomly stopping in Heidi Loewen's studio for a porcelain pottery lesson! Heidi taught Giada De Laurentiis while she featured the town of Santa Fe in one of her shows. I've dabbled in sculptural ceramics, but never had the courage to take on the wheel. But we both made several large bowls--it was so much fun! We even caught a glimpse of Heidi at work after the lesson, using her own hand-smoked techniques to create one-of-a-kind vessels. And I can't wait to update you with our finished products! Stay tuned...

Good times were had in Santa Fe. And I thank my oldest friend, my other half, my ShiBe, for this histerical trip, no matter how crazy!

♥, LaKe

fine in 2009

2009-01-01T12:12:00.024-06:00

2009 is finally here! We've just finished our New Year's Day pancakes and I'm lounging with my sweet hubby, Ryan, and my 3 fat cats, Maxwell, Lexi, and Noah (a.k.a. the "fatties") after a wonderful and LOW-KEY new year's eve party hosted by Lisa and Craig Crawford. Thanks, guys!

Ryan and Kensley

Maxwell, Lexi, & Noah

The Austin Tribe, NYE 2008

Life is good. This is the first time in 8 years that we haven't thrown a NYE party and I have to say it's surprisingly fabulous! Nothing to clean up, no tired bodies on the hardwood floor, no insane Champagne hangovers. Don't get me wrong--I love throwing parties and we throw the kind of bashes that last until 4am and only because I have to kick everyone out! But I've been a bit overwhelmed with Christmas this year and, frankly, with Lauren Tree. I know I'm still new at this and it will take a while to get a groove down, but juggling an intense job in consulting and making jewelry has been so much more than I ever thought it would be!

That's why I'm looking forward to 2009 and all it's amazing possibilities! I'll be getting two websites up and running soon for Lauren Tree: http://www.laurentreejewelry.com/ and an Etsy website. And I think Lauren Tree will really start coming together. I've got so many ideas for some amazing pieces. I can't wait! It's just a matter of finding the time to do it.

My friends and family are healthy and beautiful. Two of my friends had unbelievable babies in 2008 and I've got two more friends about to pop! Our 70 year old house is holding up. Our fatties are, well, happily plump! Ryan and I have solid jobs in this economic crisis. I am truly blessed. And I look forward to the trials and laughter that are to come this year.

Happy. New. Year.

Ryan and Kensley, Cape Cod, October 2008

a taste...

2008-12-30T13:45:00.009-06:00

Wood Grain

Fine Silver Pendant & Czech Crystals Over Gunmetal Chain

Birdhouse

Fine Silver Pendant on Sterling Chain

Budding Twig

Fine Silver Pendant & Saltwater Cultured Pearl on Sterling Chain

in the beginning

2008-12-30T10:21:00.014-06:00

When the proverbial "they" refer to the phrase in the beginning, they might refer to something of the past, describing what it was like at the start of it all. Well, I am in the beginning. Wading in the thick of it. Finally.

My name is Kensley Lauren Greuter and I am first and foremost a biologist, a lover of science and nature's wonder. There's also an artist inside that has been bottled and shelved my whole life, or, rather, for another life. I am surrounded by a family of artists, of painters and photographers, but have always gravitated towards Nature, her order and adventures. I let her paint for me. And was oblivious to my own unease.

Recently, I have started creating pieces of jewelry that represent a time in my life that is rich with natural beauty and adventure. A balance of sorts. And with this balance of art and nature I have found a certain peace. This is an introduction to my blog for Lauren Tree Jewelry...a little piece of nature, a little piece of myself. A tribute to my love of blooming laurel trees, morning hillsides, breathing forests, simple twigs, creekside grottos, turning leaves, and evening trills (among so many others). And of course, beautiful pieces of jewelry...