How Great The Art

The last few weeks have been challenging. Snow day after snow day, and I love the snow. I think Monday was challenging to face after watching our New President pay tribute to the 500,000 we have lost. I still find myself in disbelief that all of this is happening. Without deadlines, with good health and no places to have to be for work, I feel I should be able to handle all of this easier. I tell myself it is good to be able to work out all of these bad feelings, as I approach a year anniversary of losing my mom. Last night I couldn't wait to watch a comedy movie or something to get me out of the sinking feeling in my gut. But, it all changed in an instant as I woke this morning (even if it was 4am). Just the sound of a bird chirping made me want to rise AND shine! Oh my goodness, how long has it been since I heard that beautiful sound? I think what we hear each day effects us as much as what we see. I know that is why I like London so much. I love the sound of their ...

I have been walking on the beach, whenever the weather would allow the last few weeks. Probably 8 out of the last 10 days. Sometimes making some discoveries and sometimes not. I would hope to discover something to write about. Yesterday morning I looked for a quote or song to share and I remembered some favorites from Jonathan Livingston Seagull. Nothing seemed quite right, so I shared something random from Lady Gaga. I watch Drew (Drew Barrymore) show every morning and she had me crying within minutes. Sometimes I stop writing in the morning, because the phrase "who cares" takes over my mind. And, all of these people outpouring their love for Drew just got to me. Then I kept seeing white flashes from the side of my eye. Thinking it was maybe caused by the crying, I really tried not to pay any attention. But, then I saw enough to know it was a bird. But, it was white and then I jumped up anxiously to see what bird would be flying or landing on my patio. It was ...

It's Fat Tuesday, do you know what that means? It means SO much for me. It was the day last year, I got on a plane by myself and flew to New Orleans for Mardi Gras. It was when I learned, as I was getting off the airport shuttle at my hotel, my mom is not going to make it and would probably pass before I arrived home on Thursday morning. I knew I was meant to be there, but was confused as to why this happened when I couldn't be with my mother as she passed. I was with her Sunday and contacted my sister to come up to be with my mom. As, my mom turned for the better on Sunday, I wasn't sure I did the right thing. So, I told my mom how Ian (my son) was playing in New Orleans on Fat Tuesday and I had off from work Tuesday and Wednsday. I asked her if she were me, would she go? She gave me her blessing. My sister had not seen my mom for a couple of years and I wanted my sister to have our mom to herself, too. So, as I got in the car to tell Glen what was happening t...

When I start a goal, most of all I want it to be realistic. Second, I want it to speak to me. I want it to be enjoyable and magical. As hard as I may try, I can't control that. I can not make it happen. But, there are times, especially when I am driving. Music takes a hold of me and gives me a big giant hug. It speaks to me and says you are on the right track and everything is going to be Ok. The time in my life I can give an example, was when I took a vacation, while Glen worked at the store in 2014. It didn't feel right, but I really needed the time and rest. I visited as many lighthouses as I could and heard the song by Ziggy Marley called Lighthouse every day that week. I haven't heard it since. The other day, while I was painting with every song that randomly played on my Google home device, spoke volumes to me. They were love songs with powerful words. I started video taping it. Each day the videos will be in my instagram stories. I have never gone in...

So, this is the second self portrait I did for advertising design. This one used pantone color sheets, and were cut with an excacto knife, a pen that was filled with ink for the drawing (I think they were called rapidiograph pens) individual rub on letters and rub on architectual elements for the trim. Each project when completed didn't look like much, but it cost a fortune. This was all before computers. It's amazing how much everything has changed. But, anyway my post is about how supplies cost so much. I prefer recycling rather then buying expensive paper. When I would spend a lot on supplies, it would make me tense and be afraid of waste, by making a mistake. I have been using my ebay money to buy supplies. And, I am so happy I wait long enough to see what I need before making a purchase. I finally got the nerve to buy some goauche paints yesterday. There was the brand name for $59.99 for six tubes. And, I ended up with Michal's brand Artist Loft, a set of ...

This is the project for advertising design I spoke of earlier in a post. It was done in goauche paints for an assignment to brand myself. I was thirty years old, which meant it was half my life ago. If you look in my hair, you will see there are two birds with their beaks meeting at the part of my hair. This was because even as I was doing a self portrait, I was married, I was still thinking of myself with two people in my mind. But, you can see the color of choice thirty years ago was blue and white. When I was interviewed for becoming a Resident Advisor in college, I was asked what my favorite color was and why. Phew....an easy question. Most were much harder. It was easy for me to say blue and the why was oh so easy. I remember saying it's the color of the sky on a sunny day, the ocean, the color of the teams at St. Catharines and Manasquan High School. All of the best things in my life are blue. What I love most is that hasn't changed in all those years, I ...

I am a little frustrated with myself. My Fridays haven't been the best. I get full of a feeling I haven't really figured out what it is, or how to deal with. But, this week, I hope to end that. But, I find myself being hard on myself. I don't really look forward to the weekend, because it is now like any other day. I wonder what I did all week, I am not feeling like I am finishing any projects. I signed up for the Create Christmas class and I love it. I love when I get the email of what theme and color scheme to use each week to create a design. I have the ideas and the follow through. After seeing everyone's work the first week, I saw almost everyone's design was digital. Computers were just being introduced in '89 and my advertising design teacher was going to school, herself to learn. What I did learn is the graphic software changes very quickly and you could spend a lot of money on hardware and software, and it is outdated sometimes in a year. ...

Developing a style should come easy, especially at the age of 61. But, honestly it is easiest for me to go back to my four year old self, who did't get a chance to be influenced by her environment, yet. When I am given too many choices, even with color it is really hard for me to focus. So, I thought of what really makes me happy, and that is the colors blue and white. I am glad it developed into my style. My house and wardrobe are full of it. So, coming up with 100 days of projects is a challenge. But, the ideas are there each day, and I am ahead already of what I want to do. This week I am focusing on my dishes and how they inspire me in my projects. My everyday dishes are Liberty Blue and were my grandmothers. I already told you the story of my good dishes. But, most of what I have was given to me. My family knows my style! And, that is a real treat! The card pictured is from my mom and dad. I found it the other day, and it really made me smile. It was given to...

As I go through the basement I am in a battlefield. Do I keep this or do I throw it away. Do I keep these memories alive or do I let them go. It is not a pleasant job. So, my approach is like an archiologist, but when it comes to certain things, it is like being an art curator. It is not like I haven't done this before. It took me four years going through 20 years of stuff. And, what is here, was mostly picked because of it's value to my heart. When I uncovered this greeting card pictured above. I knew exactly who gave it to me and for what birthday. It could represent me or her walking on the beach. We are still friends and love to talk about how a walk on the beach or visit to the inlet solves everything! As, my friend Laura is reading this I am sure she realizes I am writing about her. We have been friends since Spanish class. We still pronounce our names in spanish when we talk today. She is the first friend that signed a card to me: "Love ya". S...

There is nothing like a snow day! I love the thought of having the fridge full, electricity still on, and lots of windows to look out. I also had a few days away that really inspired me. Time with my daughter and family is a joy. I also took some time to stop at Winterthur in Delaware. I ended up buying a membership and plan on stopping there as much as possible this year. It is the fourth largest residence in the United States and was owned by the DuPonts. I had heard of it when I worked at Brielle Galleries. I knew they had the same dish pattern I have. It is pictured above, but it's edges are gold. Mine is from Mottahedeh. Mottahedeh is a New Jersey designer who makes china dishes from historical patterns. It is blue and white and I love it to this day. The tour of the house was available, which was fortunate during the time of covid. Tours are only on Saturdays. But, the garden tours and walks are what I am really interested in the future. What I loved the most...