Sidra Kaluszka Artist of Many Things.

If you are in Virginia remember to go out and vote. I was early voting number #1710 for my small city yesterday! Election day is Tuesday Nov. 4th!

#vote

I have been going through audio books on pure binge cycle since around this time last year. New term for me today "2E".

Hello world, my name is Sidra and I'm 2E!

#glutenfree #organic lentil oat #bread. Whole lentils, rolled oats, and physllium husk. It's so nice to have finally found a few simple GF bread recipes with whole ingredients vs. buy these 20 types of flour and additives.

That's so exciting! Do you do a wild ferment or get brewers yeast? :)

Plant #love for all <3

#Nativeplant indigo bush, #monoprint with soy #ink tinted with #watercolor.

#Appalachia, #virginia, zone 7a/6b.

I went from a spring of rejection to a busy fall show schedule! Jurors like the winds of fate are also fickle. Perhaps some of you might actually be close enough to go check out one of them.
#art #shows #cyanotype #watercolor #nature #japaneseamerican #womanartist #appalachia #virginia #nrv

I love going out in the evening after the temps start to drop this time of year. I have lots of bees that curl up in the asters to sleep for the night. Sometimes they cuddle with other bees too <3

Thanks for posting! Now I need to figure out how to meet this guy, he lives the next town over from me!!!
I'm working on year 8 as well :)

That sounds cool! I had to look it up. I'm in kind of an ethnic food black hole.

I hit my record this year with my trombocini! Over 4ft long and 15+lbs. I donated it to the soup kitchen :)
And this is the chef that was going to cook it up.

I like doing lactic fermentation of green cherry tomatoes, garlic, oregano, hot peppers, black pepper. I have also done basil and parcely. Green tomatoes also work great for making sweet pickle relish, one of my friends calls it chow chow. :)

Honestly I'm struggling, but I still managed to do some good in the world. I donated my new personal record 4+ft, 15lb squash, & a few others to the soup kitchen. The chef who has been cooking my squash donations for the past few years was kind enough to pose.
#foodsecurity #farmtotable #hope

So.. Is a slushy the frappuccino of the soda world??

First slushy in probably 20 years. Adult me apparently prefers frappuccinos now.

The dwarf tomato project has been such a fun seed base to dive into!

Pictured: Garden with a range of green native plants growing around a small 9 gallon, approximate 21inch round black micropond. In the pond are 4 containers, 2 with native irises (past bloom), and two with pitcher plants. Both are tall, around 15 inches. One has smaller pitchers that are a little bit ruffled on the edges. The top 3-4 inches are colorful, White with deep red veining. The second has smooth pitchers. The very top of the pitcher is a coppery bronze that then leads to copper stripping a few inches down the pitcher. The fully grown copper pitchers are about 3 inches wide, while the red/white ones are about 1.5 inches. This pond has had: damsel flies, tadpoles, blood maggots, rat tail maggots, and a number of other things I can't identify.

I'm glad to add these pitcher plants to my 9 gallon micro ponds. I picked these up at Botanique Nursery in VA. A super cool place to nerd out. (yes micro add environmental interest for local wildlife)

#nativeplants #watergarden #garden #pitcherplants #littleshopofhorrors #organic #japaneseamerican

Pictured: On top a printed off photo with 3 red pears standing upright in a line on a mostly white surface. Below on a small approximate 4x6 inch piece of paper are two red pears similar to the ones photographed above. The pears are deep read with hings of burgundy and orange red, topped off with brown stems. Pears are a bit asymmetric with textured skin and satin highlights. Surface does have some layering of watermarks typical of the medium are present.

Finished up doing a small #watercolor study on Arches oil paper. It's not my best work, since it's just a study. My goal was to learn how this paper handled the medium. It has some perks and downsides. Holds a surprising amount of paint, while allowing for lift.

#learning #art

Not sure if I miss pizza or burritos more, after having to go gluten free.

At least I have tacos.

Totally miss a good bowl of ramen too. :'(

Today I voted in the VA primary. Today's the last day of early voting.

(getting my eyes dilated Tuesday, I don't think I would be able to read the ballot that day)

#Vote #bipoc #JapaneseAmerican #artist #democracy

I'm waiting on approval for a long term meeting space. If that falls through I have had two other organizations reach out and offer me space for this.

I really hope we can make some magic happen <3

I'm actually doing it! Times are jacked so I'm working on building a grassroots community support group in my town. We will focus on networking, community building, bartering, gardening/exchange/environment, education, small business know how, and of course food insecurity!
Be the change you want.

Guess who just bought some more native plants?!?!!!

<<<<< This girl! <3

Woop Woop!!

(Also came home with a jar of duck weed and tadpoles!!!!!)

Beautiful, rustic raised bed pond, about 4x8ft, and 2 ft deep. Filled with an assortment of plants. Iris, water lilies, & grass with dappled sunlight. Framed with rustic grey weathered wood planks.

Looks like I might have a new life goal. A raised bed pond, because why not?!

Think of all the native plants I could add to this!

USA, NC, Chapel Hill Botanical Garden.

Long dangle earrings about 4 inches long. Argentium sterling silver, with white/cream mother of pearl shell, that have a pearl mounted in the middle, then attached to a length of chain to form a long dangle. Consisting of 5 shells in graduated size, and a few extra pearls here and there. Topped with hand made french wires. Argentium sterling silver has a slightly higher silver content and is more tarnish resistant. Shells were gathered over the years from coastal Virginia beaches. They make a tinkling noise with the shells bumping into each other.

I just finished putting together this fabulous pair of argentium sterling silver, pearl, and shell #earrings! They were a special #commission to go with a necklace that I had previously made. Requirements were #shells, #pearls, #silver, and BIG.

#womanartist #japaneseamerican #bipoc

I had a raven drop a half eaten slice of pizza into my bird bath, then come back half an hour later to eat it after it was softened up.

Why hello there beautiful! Is this on bronze fennel? If so I have some of this too! :)

Say hello to my little friend!

Planting natives makes a huge difference!

Eastern Black Swallowtail Butterfly, VA, Zone 7a (formerly 6b)

#nativeplants #environment #butterfly #caterpillar #friend #organic #garden

I love luna moths and haven't seen them in years. I have planted some native persimmon seedlings in my yard specifically because they are listed as a host plant for them :)

two dangle earrings with 8mm faced amethyst mounted in hammered copper with a dark patina on them. Arched door shape with stones on he bottom.

Continuing to learn in the studio. First time trying to set faced stones. Winging it based on my resources.

Hammered copper, with a surfer patina, and amethyst.

Tumbler for polishing is a disappointment though.
#womenartist #jewelry #learning #earrings #bipoc

VA zone 7a (still closer to 6b). False Indigo Bush. This is the first year it's bloomed. I will admit the blossoms aren't as showy as I hoped. I thought it might look closer to a butterfly bush. However, the small flowers were in no way a deterrent from the bumble bees finding it!
#nativeplants

Appalachian Dream Catchers. Up-cycled canning bands are used as the ring. With a spider web on the inside using remnant wool (store yarn, hand dyed, & hand dyed/hand spun), and cotton. They have labels with my facebook, instagram, and bluesky handles.

Say hello to my Appalachian Dream Catchers :D

Embracing the Appalachian way (and Asian) of holding onto things till you find a new use for them. The canning bands are past their prime for canning but will live on in dreams.

Plastic free, using remnant wool & cotton yarn.
#Appalachia #dream