Laughing Horse Art

Here's my horsy buddy-TREAT!

2011-10-12T10:45:00.002-06:00

"Treat"

I just was reading one of my favorite blogs (emilyandjoshashdown.blogspot.com) and read how they have just started learning how to ride horses. I wanted to put my pic of Treat into my comment but couldn't figure out how to copy/paste it. It wouldn't work. So I thought I'd just post my buddy's pic and tell about it with a link to my blog.

So, Emily and Josh, I'm in love with this horse. I grew up riding horses all the time when I went to my friend, Jane Garff's, ranch. We had so much fun. I wanted a horse of my own so badly but with a divorced working mom it could never be afforded. I loved to go with Jane whenever I could. I think she probably got tired of me asking when we were going to ride the horses but Jane has always been one of the kindest people that I know. She humored me a lot. We even did barrel racing and herded cattle (nasty horse flies!).

"Deseret Livestock Ranch" - the ranch house (commissioned by Jane)

Jane's ranch was "The Deseret Livestock Ranch"-biggest in Utah-and it was sold to the LDS church. They use it a lot now for Pioneer Trek, I've heard.

So we grew up and I didn't ride much at all. I even had a scary experience in college when I was in a horseback riding class where my my saddle turned and I fell off (always always check the cinch!). I had to get back on the horse to go back to the stables and ride down and up through a gulley first. The horse knew I was shook up-so he proceeded to try to scrape me off on the bushes (didn't work). Just keep this place in mind-Dimple Dell.

"Hot Date" (that's Cliff, my son, in New Orleans)

Many years later I was doing a print signing at Granite Furniture in Orem and a gentleman asked if he could trade me an Arabian horse for my painting of New Orleans. I wanted to cry! I had always wanted one but didn't know where I could keep it or if I could afford it. I had to decline.

Recently a friend of mine, Becky, that owns 2 horses asked me if I wouldn't MIND going riding sometime. I said, "Mind! You must be kidding me! When can we go!?!" So I have become her new riding buddy because her kids are not available to ride and her husband has a bad back. Wow! So wonderful! She's teaching me all the stuff I never learned-like saddling the horse, cleaning up, grooming, etc. etc. and she is so patient. She's teaching me how to do everything properly. Best part yet is that I get to ride Treat, a beautiful red chestnut Morgan. I love him! But now I'm finding out that Treat has some funny little quirks that I have to learn to work with. Like he kicks out his back leg when he's first riding and that can be a little unsettling. So Becky rides him around for a big until he gets his kick out of his system. I didn't know that when you take the saddle off that horses love to roll in the dirt. They paw the ground like a cat first. It's so funny to watch.

Now. Remember Dimple Dell? Guess where the stable is and the riding is....you guessed it...across the street from Dimple Dell. You can imagine what I thought when I learned that. Memories are oh so cruel but I thought, "I don't care. I'm doing this no wonder how afraid I am". And. I am!

Unfortunately I just had hand surgery in September. So I'm a little out of commission for a while but I'm looking for some riding boots. So, Emily, if you find a good deal or a second gently used pair in a 7 1/2 let me know. Because I want them!

Emily and Josh have fun! If I hear of my horseback riding opportunities I'll let you know. Horses are so wonderful. They're one of Heavenly Father's choice creatures.

"My Paradise" (mine all mine but I'll share with people I love and I know they'll be there too)

We all love bonuses-right!?!

2011-09-27T12:05:00.002-06:00

Gracie just told me today that if she gets 1,000 subscribers to her company blog she'll get a big bonus. It's very fun and you'll be glad you did. Who ever knew that office supplies could be this fun and you could do so much with them. Please subscribe at: http://blog.shoplet.com/ . Oh and becoming a follower doesn't count. Thanks! It's my bday today and this would be a great present that doesn't cost anything. She's my daughter, you know.

The Snow Queen takes over the world or, at least, my mosaic

2011-09-20T16:06:00.002-06:00

So the theme of this piece is the Snow Queen. Do you remember that old Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale? I'm not sure, exactly, how I'm going to tie it in as I'm reading the fairy tale right now. My son, Charlie, loves that story and since I didn't do a graduation painting for him-it's going to be his.

When I finish all the edges I'll be able to post the final picture and tell how it ties in with the passage from the story. Until then think of these crystal clear flowers as lilies floating on a pond that's streaming over the earth..........

Oh, just to remind you all of a few of my other heart mosaics I decided to post some. All are named after famous literary heroines. The 1st one is Becky Thatcher from "Tom Sawyer" by Mark Twain. The next 2 are labeled. The 4th is Meg March from "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott. The fifth is Olive Chancellor from "The Bostonians" by Henry James. The 6th is Lucy Manette from "A Tale of 2 Cities" by Charles Dickons. The 7th is labeled and the 8th is last but NOT least Scarlett O'Hara from "Gone with the Wind" by Margaret Mitchell.

9/11-comment, I must

2011-09-12T19:00:00.000-06:00

So the 10th anniversary came and went. I was amazed at how I felt just as bad as I did back then. It was like it had happened just yesterday. Even though it has been that long I still have terrifying flashbacks of Chris, Charlie and Gracie and I standing in a room in one of the buildings. Not to say that we were in that particular room but we could have been since it was only 3 weeks before that we had been to the top of 1 tower. I have this horrible visualization of us having to make a choice of staying or jumping. Then I have to tell myself to not "go there" and jerk my thoughts away. Have you ever had that happen? When you had something happen or a possibility that is so frightening that you have to stop yourself from thinking about it? Probably everyone does. Maybe if I focus on it and wear out the scene I might be able to reduce the power of the bad situation.

Okay. Time to get out my book on cd and listen. Distract my thoughts and move on. Like to the fact that I've got lots to do around here and sitting at this computer is wasting my time..............

Masking tape - useful when you can't wait all day for the glue to dry

2011-08-22T22:30:00.000-06:00

Finally I'm at the end of adding petals with shards of glass. Of course they were slipping all over the place and I needed a way to hold them there. Only a few more pieces to add when this layer dries. Then it's on to figuring out what will go on the outside edges of the mosaic.

Building the crystal clear flowers

2011-08-16T12:06:00.000-06:00

I had to go back to the D. I. (Thrift Store) to get some clear glass to smash. While looking I found plates that were a gorgeous violet and a plate that's sage green-all glass. Anyway, I had a smashing good time (couldn't resist) and filled several plates with my new treasures.

Building these flowers is not a day project because the glue needs to set for just about each layer. If you notice that it looks white remember that it dries clear and I worked on it last night. It's a delicate and dangerous process using razor sharp glass and I should be wearing some gloves (dummy) but haven't. Anyway, they are going to be like a chrysanthemum type flower. At this point I'm thinking 5 is nice and I started a new smaller one last night.

When finishing the outside edge it doesn't feel quite right to use more china. It's busy enough already. So I think I'm going to see if Chris can get me some kind of copper cording to wrap around it. It will give some more zing but have the plain surface I want.

You can see from this photo that this is the effect I want-shimmering flowers that one doesn't notice at first glance. The light will pop them out. Any colored ones would have been too busy for this.

Excerpt from "Being an Artist" by Lewis Lehrman: "Even though I'm my own boss, I feel guilty if I'm not painting"(quote by artist, Arne Westerman). And look at me-here I'm working on this great mosaic but the nearby easels are haunting me! Time to put pressure on my son and his wife to figure out what they want me to paint for their wedding painting. I have to move on with that and my brain is already going crazy about new ones for Chris and I.

Grouting is a mess

2011-07-27T13:59:00.001-06:00

As you can see I have put the tile on the wood with a tile adhesive. Now I mixed up some grout with water and applied it to the tile with a Popsicle stick. As I was doing it a few of the small bits of china came out. I'll repair that after I've finished grouting. It's easy to reapply them. After I was finished grouting I took the same Popsicle stick and scraped off what I could from the broken china and glass surfaces. It's really a gloppy mess. So you'll want to wear rubber gloves and not one of your new shirts like I stupidly did. Duh. Now I'm going to let it dry for several hours to clean the grouting and make it look tidy.

Okay. I let it dry and started the cleaning process. This actually took me about 3 hours on and off. When I had sponged it all off I found holes where the grout had not filled in. So I had to regrout several times. I enjoy this process because it's so fun to see how it's going to turn out.

One important thing. It's not a good idea to just pour the mucky grout water down the drain as it can clog it. I always flush it down the toilet gradually. When I worked at a dental lab they had a special trap under the sink that the plaster from the models could filter down to. Since I don't have that I use the toilet and that works just fine.

Mosaic over the kitchen sink-Cooooool

2011-07-19T13:21:00.000-06:00

This is a project that I've stewed about for quite a while. Originally I was going to do a mosaic of Gerber daisies but I just couldn't make myself do it. It just looked dumb and too normal. I can't do that with mosaics. My tendency now is to do more abstract things that have fun 3-D elements added on top.

So I started over. Actually I was seriously considering throwing out all my broken china and glass because it takes up a lot of room in my studio and it haunts me every time I go in there. So I thought I'd at least do one more thing for now. If I feel like I've had enough of mosaics after that I'll pitch it all. I can always go back to the thrift store and buy more cheap.

Back to the project. I spent several hours last night in heaven working on the placement of this and listening to a very good book on cd. My idea of a great evening. Now I need to get my husband to cut me some wood to put this all onto. I'm probably going to need some support bars on the back because this could be quite heavy when done.

I'm so excited about this! I think I'm going to do 3-D clear glass flowers on top. Notice the 1 blue item? That's a chunk of glass that broke in the shape of a heart. I'm going to try to incorporate that on there somehow.

Jet Blue fun!

2011-07-18T23:34:00.000-06:00

This is what we've been doing a lot lately since we get the free flights: TRAVEL!

Hot Cocoa-the rose that stays hot!

2011-07-12T10:26:00.002-06:00

I was at Millcreek Gardens yesterday buying a miniature rose bush for a friend to honor her mother that had passed away. I just could not resist getting this floribunda rose bush for us. And by the way-if you don't know what a floribunda is then let me tell you. It's a rose that has about 7 blooms on 1 stem instead of the tea rose that just has 1. The tea rose is what you see in a bouquet. I usually don't like floribundas as much for flower arrangements because they're more difficult to arrange but who cares when they're as gorgeous as this one. Anyway, this prize winning variety is called "Hot Cocoa". Hopefully you can see that it' a burnt orange in the middle and surrounding that is a mocha/orange/purplish color. I read about them last night and people commented that they're very difficult to photograph and get the true color. I had to play around on Photoshop because the initial photo was too bright and didn't show the brownish color.

Apparently this variety is very disease resistant and grows on it's own root ball. Another thing I didn't know for years is that most rose bushes are really a lovely variety grafted onto a wilder rose root ball. Why they do that, I don't know. But I had a yellow rose (replaced by this yesterday) that had turned into junk the last 3 years at least. For probably about 10 years it's was a beautiful producer and bugs and diseases didn't attack it at all but the wild rose took over and ruined it. At that point you might as well just pull it out. That's what the rose expert told me yesterday. That's okay because I know I'll love "Hot Cocoa". She said that I will really love this because they produce all summer even when it's very hot. My kind of rose! I have to bring them in the house all summer long and usually in the middle of summer I don't have much at all to do anything with.

By the way-the one I bought for my friend is called "Smoke Rings". I really want to get that one also. It's very similar to the other one and they would be so great in the same arrangement together. For a miniature it's just delightful and that's next on the list along with............... I may have to go get that today.

P. S. Can you imagine how beautiful it would be to reproduce this color of rose with the glass mosaics like my rose in the middle of the last post's entry called "Scarlet"? With the green rose leaves surrounding it? Good thing I didn't toss all my mosaics covering my table in my studio.

Sometimes letting your art "stew" can be a good idea.....

2011-07-05T20:36:00.001-06:00

Top: "Scout" from "To Kill a Mockingbird"
Bottom: "Scarlet" from "Gone with the Wind"

Do you remember these broken china/glass hearts from about 2 years ago? Well in case you don't-they're from a series dedicated to famous literary heroines.

You know how something just doesn't do it for you sometimes? Well, I just started messing around more with these 2 broken china/glass hearts and I like them a lot better now. They just needed some pizzazz. I liked them so much they're hanging on the wall now in a grouping. They were for sell but not any more.

I forgot that I had a black and white outer border on "Scout" before. It think that just had to go.

Okay! Now my painting is done.

2011-06-22T00:10:00.000-06:00

After evaluating my painting after a few days I decided it needed some more splashes of "life". It needed more color to reflect the sunset. Now it's done and ready for the final finish and framing.

Baba Ganoush and tikka masala curried chicken-greek heaven!

2011-06-18T15:54:00.002-06:00

At our house Charlie fixes the best Greek food. It is so delicious with the Greek pita bread. When Charlie cooks it's such a treat. The same with Chris. They just have a special flair that I don't have. Anyway, if you can make some of this you'll be in heaven. The Tikka Masala sauce is actually from a packet make by Sukh's Gourmet Indian Foods and the Baba Ganoush was from an internet recipe.

Finished! Red Butte Garden

2011-06-16T12:11:00.002-06:00

So here it is. I switched to oils. Did some veils and glazes. I wanted the sunset version because I thought this would be more romantic. It's for a wedding present, after all. If you look closely on the sidewalk you'll see who it's for. I hope they will like it and not stick it in a closet some where (could happen-one never knows).

Added bonus: Look on the left and you'll see the actual original underpainting. I was in a hurry and didn't have time to trim. Kinda fun to see, though.

Grand Rapids Music video-very fun!

2011-06-03T22:10:00.002-06:00

I was watching the news tonight and there was a story about Grand Rapids, Michigan. I didn't catch the full story but I think it talked about how that city was a dying city. In response to that the whole town put together the best music video ever. It is so fun. Here it is:
Grand Rapids Music Video

Just sit back and ENJOY!

Grand Rapids Music video-very fun!

2011-06-03T22:01:00.000-06:00

Red Butte Garden-5th step

2011-05-22T20:43:00.002-06:00

This is the last step before I start with oils. At this point I have only done acrylics. The basic painting is where I want it but it definitely needs a lot more pizzazz and that will be brought about by lighting and veils of color. I really like this final step because the painting comes to life this way. A lot of that has to do with the Winsor and Newton Liquin that I mix with the oils as a medium. That will add depth and vibrancy.

I wish I could say that I'm doing a lot of painting on canvas. That's not the case right now. I've been putting a lot more of the paint brush on the wall, floor boards, window trim and heat vents. You get my drift here, don't you? It's home improvement time.

At least yesterday we had a window in between rain storms to plant our vegetable and flower gardens. I felt like we were in a race and it proved to be true. As I worked this morning at my computer the rain just came pouring down. If they tell us on the news that we still have to be careful with wasting water I'm going to scream. Remember the days when you could hear the children outside laughing and running through the sprinklers? What about washing your car in the drive way and hosing off the sidewalks. Now you don't even see sprinklers running during the day. It's all at night because that's the most efficient way to water. No one would think of letting a hose run unrestricted. Now we have to listen to those leaf blowers clearing the sidewalks and breath the fumes from them. I remember when a broom and strong arms cleared off the debris. Okay that was probably a 100 years ago.

P. S. If you scroll down to the May 4th post you can see the previous steps.

America's Favorite city! San Francisco! Well Maybe........New Yorkers?

2011-05-18T11:10:00.001-06:00

Just read a comment from someone about how they are so sick of the nickname "Frisco". Well I searched San Francisco nicknames probably in 1996 for my painting of California Street in that fair city. I always thought it was a good title and still do but I don't think everyone would agree upon it being every American's favorite. To a New Yorker that's blasphemy. Probably holds true with New Orleans, LA, Chicago and Seattle. What's your favorite? I remember years ago seeing a big poster with a giant New York City and the rest of the country was miniscule. I thought that was quite funny but I've been told that that's often how New Yorkers feel. Well, I guess it's great to love where you live. I happen to be a big fan our ours, Salt Lake City. Well, usually. Right now I'm so tired of the dreary weather and hoping to somehow have some summer this year. It really doesn't seem like it will ever happen.

Sprout salon a la Cliff!

2011-05-13T13:52:00.000-06:00

Cliff, my oldest son, is a great hairstylist and I was so excited when I saw his latest style ad for his salon, Sprout. The model is the lovely Lorien, his wife. Isn't her hair just the coolest ever? I love it on her. By the way-Sprout Salon, for all you east coast people, is located in Baltimore. It's in the Hamden area. Remember the movie "Hairspray"? That's where the story takes place. If you go to Hamden it has all these funky little shops with lots of "Hairspray" memorabilia, of course. Sprout is right in the midst of the fun. I love to go visit Cliff and be treated to their wonderful all natural products. You've gotta go east coasters! You will love it!

Red Butte Garden-1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th steps

2011-05-04T14:06:00.003-06:00

4th Step-Adding flowers and bringing out the individual plants by defining them.

Also brightening the path. I'm working from a photograph and decided that the composition didn't lead the eye in. So I reorganized it to have the path be more inviting-therefore creating some movement to an, otherwise, placid scene. I plan to overlap plants over the path and shade it more. As it is now it stands out too much. I want the eye to be led in-not overwhelmed.

3rd Step-Starting to lighten the plant areas and change some plant colors.

2nd Step-I painted the sky and used a mixture of Veridian green, emerald green, Cadmium red light and Burnt Sienna brown to establish the plant area. I also blocked in the path using white, Ultramarine blue, Cadmium red light and a yellow.

1st Step-This is actually the beginning of my parrot painting but this painting started out the same way.

Lovely greens and parrots-it's done!

2011-04-06T11:29:00.004-06:00

The final step on this acrylic painting was to layer on top OILS. This is how I brought in the lighting that perked this painting up and brought it to a finished state. As you can see I lightened the sky even more in the background and let the light touch the edges of the birds. Because the birds were a darker value they popped forward. This is really such a fun stage.

Now all that's needed is a title and final finish. I left that off to take the photos because it's too shiny.

Below are the different steps:

Vote for the greatest Yoga Teacher-My daughter-in-law, Lorien-please!

2011-03-30T14:57:00.003-06:00

Please vote for Lorien: http://talentsearch.yogajournal.com/view/2539

Well, she is the best and I can say that because we all took her class when she came here at Christmas. We moved all the furniture in our family room, got on our comfy wumfies and Lorien taught us all. Talk about soothing and thought provoking. The only bad thing is that she has to live in Baltimore. I know. I know. The best hair stylist, my son, Cliff and the best yoga teacher, Lorien live far far away. Life just isn't fair but it's great when we see them and they treat us to their talents. Life is good.

So please click on the link above and vote for lovely Lorien.

This entry is for you, Carrie!

2011-03-30T14:44:00.001-06:00

Okay, this is the next step. I have a little more acrylic to do and then I'm switching to oils to beef up the lighting. I know this is kind of a crummy photo but we just got a new computer and we haven't gotten Photoshop put back on it. Apparently it's not compatible with our new Windows. So we have to buy a new Adobe Elements. When we get that I'll properly trim and enhance this photo.

San Xavier Mission-I feel dreamy

2011-03-21T14:44:00.000-06:00

It is such a dull day here in SLC and so I thought I'd post one of my old paintings that is filled with light and glowy color just to perk everyone up. I also feel a little spacey today having just gotten off of work and having a very hectic day. I think I'll go take a nap and continue the dreams. Hopefully I'll have some energy when i wake up because I really should get something done.

I have to admit that all the news about Japan has been crushing. I look at the Japanese people and see my grandson, Brandon. Thank goodness he's here in the US and not over there.

And now for something different, Harbour Island-can you hear the Bahama roosters?

2011-03-13T22:11:00.000-06:00

Our anniversary dinner at a great Italian restaurant next to the swimming pool, I mean, ocean!

Chris and I went on a anniversary (27!!!) trip to the Bahamas last week. Oh, it was so gorgeous. We actually flew to Nassau and spent 1 night. Then flew to Eleuthra Island and took a water taxi to Harbour Island. I have to tell you the difference between Nassau and Harbour Island is like night and day. Nassau was beautiful but it was filled with honking horns and bad traffic. Harbour Island, on the other hand, is mostly golf carts that kind of jaunt down the road. If you happen upon a Bahamian they politely wave you on with a friendly smile and kind word.

If was so lovely there. We stayed in the Bahama House Inn-a wonderful bed and breakfast. John, the owner, makes you feel right at home from the start and fixes a great breakfast every day. We had a wonderful ocean view room. Well, it was perfect. I highly recommend staying there. The maid service was superb and it was spotlessly clean. Gorgeous foliage and even a Tiki house in the backyard for parties.

You can see the Atlantic at the top and the Caribbean at the bottom

Harbour Island is famous for the pink sand and we even brought some home. The beaches are so beautiful. On one side you have the Atlantic with all the waves and on the other side is the calm Caribbean. Unfortunately because of the cold front up north it carried down to where we were by being very windy. So not ideal beach swimming weather. That was disappointing but we did go in some. The water was like looking into a swimming pool. Crystal clear.

All day long you could hear these silly roosters crowing-especially early in the morning. They're all over the place, wild, along with hens and chickens. At night you can see them flying up to roost in the trees. We walked by a cemetery and there were horses grazing. That's something you would never see in our town.

The big deal in the way of sea food is the Conch (you know-like Conch shells that you listen to to hear the ocean sound). I did try some of that but the best sea food we had was at the Sip Sip Cafe for Lobster fajitas and coconut cheese cake. Oh, we went to a local fruit stand and asked if they had any fresh coconuts. The owner must have been about 85 and he told me to wait a minute. Before I knew it he had climbed a roof and gotten me a fresh one, drilled a hole in it and I had the best drink-along with the meat inside. Delicious! His name was Anthony and he's a celebrity around the island. He used to be a monk.

We tooted around on our golf cart looking at gorgeous multimillion dollar estates. Even the least expensive shacks on the island are 1 million-no kidding! Only the outsiders pay any taxes. The locals don't have to. They have the lovelies pastel houses.

This estate had the Atlantic on one side of the property and the Caribbean on the other (imagine that!)

We just didn't want to leave. It was too sad but hope we can return someday and bring our kids. Forget about Nassau. Just go straight to paradise on earth, Harbour Island.

Can't remember the name of this beautiful hotel but notice the conch shells around the front desk

P. S. I have to give credit to Grace and Dave. They were the ones that discovered this all last year and we just went in their footsteps. Grace researched and found all this out. Thanks to them!

The Atlantis Hotel, Nassau

*A side note: On Nassau there is a fabulous world class hotel called the Atlantis. There is one other in the world in Dubai. It is incredible with amazing fish tanks that go on forever. We walked around at night. Outside, looking up at the hotel we felt like we were in a science fiction movie. It was "other worldly", unreal. There are pools with sharks swimming around and we heard that there is even an escalator water slide. We didn't see that. But it's definitely very worth seeing. You can even pay for a day pass to the water park areas. We didn't do that.

Green Parrots more visable now

2011-03-11T12:31:00.000-07:00

Just quickly I wanted to show what I did now. First of all I decided that the parrot's eye on the left didn't look right. I had just thrown it in there before. So I fixed that. In examining the beaks I noticed that they were more of a combo of alizarin, burnt umber, phalo green and a tad of cadmium right light. After jumping around and working more on the feathers I decided that the sky needed lightening. That's what I did next. Now I know the background leaves need some lightening also but I think I'll do that with an oil glaze (remember you can put oils on acrylics but not the other way around).

I'm beginning to really like this painting and it looks great in my green and yellow kitchen but this is for my sister-so that's the way it goes. I hope she'll love it. But still more work to be done, of course.

2 more steps on the green parrot painting

2011-03-08T21:30:00.000-07:00

As you can see the parrots are at last beginning to take shape now. Notice how the underpainting adds life to the overall feel of the painting. I have quite a ways to go but it's moving along. I added some larger leaves in the foreground to create an "overlapped" composition and, therefore, depth. This will draw the viewer into the scene without feeling stilted.

Little Closeup jewels and Winter vegie soup (for Nancy)

2011-02-23T16:33:00.001-07:00

Did you ever look at a painting and notice that there is just one spot that by itself was independently beautiful? It's like it could just have been the painting by itself without anything else around it. Here are 2 of my quick paintings where I have zeroed in on my favorite parts. They're both of Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake City. I, especially, love the way the first one turned out. It was one of those that I felt was never that great. So, several years later I went back in and changed some things. I just really like how the lighting turned out around the pine tree. Plus I added little sprinkles of pink flowers and that added some delicate interest to finish it off. The 2nd painting always worked for me without any later fixing. Just wanted you to see these. It goes to show you that if a painting isn't working all the way you might want to take out the trusty scissors and cut that part out-of course leaving enough to restretch it onto some frames, if large enough. If not you'll need to mount it flat on a heavy duty plywood board or just foamcore board and frame. Then, voila! A new painting that you'll love.

Second of all-this part is for my buddy Nancy from the "Lemon Verbena Lady" blog. Look, Nancy! See the parsley that I dried out of the garden added to my soup today? You would be so proud of me!

Gorgeous lights in NYC restaurant

2011-02-20T21:57:00.000-07:00

Tonight I just felt like I wanted to write about something. While searching through our NYC pics back in December I came across this great restaurant that we went to. I wish I could tell you the name but can't remember what it is. Gracie will set me straight on that, I bet. Anyway they are famous for their chocolate and we had the MOST DELICIOUS cup of hot chocolate that I've ever had. I mean it was so good that you wanted to grab the pitcher and drink the whole thing in one gulp but you couldn't because it came in these little cups that were sized for savoring. So great. Anyway, the lights were so beautiful and I had to take a few pics.

Of course, being a Utahn, I have the mentality of, "I can make this." I know. I know. We can be so maddening. How do you make any money when there are all these "do it yourselfers" all about (I experienced that frustration first hand with selling my art here in Utah). But I really could see doing that. They were that unique.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-14T21:42:00.000-07:00

"Ozma" from "The Gnome King of Oz" by L. Frank Baum

(Ozma is a character in the book)

The colored glass symbolizes the gems in the earth mined by the Gnomes. Ozma is the lost princess of Oz and the green glass represents the Emerald City. The granite and granite type pottery/china is indicative of the Gnome King's kingdom.

Well, it seems appropriate that I would post a pic of one of my broken china hearts to celebrate the day. I'm about to embark on another learning experience with 10 and 11 year old girls making them for the first time. It's going to be so fun! I'll post a pic in a few weeks to show them off to everyone. Just like to keep everyone anticipating something exciting.

Fussy Fru Fra = Blaaaaa when painting leaves

2011-02-09T22:02:00.003-07:00

Step 8

Well, I'm back to the parrot painting. Remember that, a while back? Sharpies on canvas are a whole lot more fun, I think. Anyway, here we are again. Now the painting at the top is the last step. Do you think I actually wanted the fussy fru fra to be the main picture at the top of my blog? No indeed.

Step 5

Anyway, so last night I made a very half hearted attempt to paint some leaves in the background of the painting. Remember it's a good idea to do the background first. That way you don't have to be careful around the main subject matter. Leaves take a special knack and, as you can see, from step one below that it is boring beyond words. And why is it boring? Because there's no movement. It's static. Well, as my teacher, Robert Rumel, told me, "Sometimes you have to ruin a painting to fix it"-I proceeded to do just that.

Step6

To begin this process I pulled some natural sponges out of the drawer and began step two (ruination without a care in the world-good plan of attack). When using a sponge it's real hard to get tight in your painting and I wanted things to loosen up. As you can see I went to town on this and what do you see now? Step three-movement! Voila! Now, I know this isn't the greatest but it's a better base than what I had before. Now I can build on it. Paintings are like sculptures in that you have to build up and build up. That's what the Masters did.

Step7

Now I have something better to work with. Oh, I put a green wash on the birds last night-being careful to allow warm and cool. While I work every area I'm constantly keeping in mind how I can make each element become a "star". I want subtle contrasts that will pop things out and create life and interest.

Side Note: I want you to notice the effect of the under painting on the birds. Now I'm going to layer, layer, layer and leave a small glow of the orange underneath. It will make the painting breath life by not appearing flat.

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

My finished calendar! Yay! I'm done!

2011-02-03T23:15:00.002-07:00

Well, you guys-I did the actual calendar part 3 times! First I thought it would be cute to have each month individually pinned with a colored pin (boooo, such a dud, dumb). Then I thought I'd make it one piece and I just couldn't bare to not do pretty colors and designs in each square that I thought the numbers and letters could be written on top of. Chris said, "How can we ever read them?" I told him that he never looks at the calendar anyway. So, never mind (in MY mind I was thinking, "Yuck. This looks awful but, oh well, I want to be done with this!).

When I put the black letters on top you could hardly read them. I held it up under the pictures and it looked so bad. It competed with my design (this after instructing my friend how you need to have restful areas in a piece of art-duh) and then I continued putting the numbers on. I screwed it all up! I put 12 next to 23. I sabotaged my own success because I really didn't like it. Then I thought I would just cut out some canvas and patch them. Oh boy. That was a lousy idea and I knew it. So I purposely cut into it to ruin it.

For the 3rd time I started over (each time having to drag the sewing machine back upstairs-I knew the last time I took it down that I was jinxing it. I would mess up for sure and have to drag it up again-which I did). So, then, I went for simplicity but as meticulous as I could get it. I was so afraid I'd mess up again I penciled in the whole thing first. The pencil lines I had drawn on had to be erased. You guessed it-it smeared the lead. I had to wash it, blow dry it and then iron. Whew! It's done!

When you don't like the calendars-I say, "Make your own" with Sharpies!

2011-01-27T15:56:00.004-07:00

So, the title tells it all in a nutshell. I just couldn't find what I wanted at the stores and nothing on line that I wanted to pay any money for. The more I looked the pickier I became. Nothing held a candle to my "The Art of Ornament" from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston calendar that I have been able to buy for 2 years straight. None to be had at the stores this year. So I decided I was going to let the artist, Eugene Grasset- that did the art work in them -be my inspiration. As you can see I flourished. It just sprouted out of me and in such a lovely way. Some of you might remember my sandals that I used Sharpies on a while back. I decided to do the same, in a sense. I bought untreated canvas material and bought a big set of Sharpies. Then went to town.

I want to tell you that pencil eraser doesn't erase well at all on canvas. So I learned from that and did some sketches in my trusty work book-I mean sketch book (remember remember?). I also figured out my color scheme. Being a big believer in using your own photos when necessary I went through a bunch of my flower pics that I had taken. Then used some unusual flowers that had meaning to me. So, folks, these are all my own original designs (please keep that in mind, right?). After I made my plan I carefully drew it out. Then the fun part began. Because of the nature of the untreated canvas lovely textures developed that I wouldn't have even known. I had no idea how much you could use these markers like regular paints. The bleeding characteristic of these pens lent itself to a more watercolor type look. I loved it! Plus you can blend the colors (you're welcome, Sharpie company).

As I was working on the color I was careful to keep continuity in my colors. Notice how I tried to use the same colors more than once (almost all) throughout my composition. This gives movement to the design and keeps the eyes wondering around to discover, hopefully, new delights constantly.

At the end I scrutinized it and realized that part of the success in the sandals was the thin ballpoint outline I used that make things stand out. I hope you'll notice that I only used it sparingly as I wanted some edges to be soft and recede more. This made some of the designs, the stars of each picture, pop out.

You know, I feel quite happy about this. Oh, the calendar part. Well, I left some extra white material that I didn't draw on that I'm going to just put a new month on when they change. I just can't keep up with this every month. That seemed a little obsessive to me.

Art History Moment: Yes, finally here's one. Eugene Grasset, it turns out, is one of my favorite decorative artists that was reintroduced in the 1960's. He was part of the Art Nouveau (spelling please?) in France during the late 1800's and early 1900's. I forgot that I love this style! Actually Grasset was born in Switzerland and moved to Paris. He was heavily influenced by Japanese prints, Near Eastern art and medieval stained glass. At first he worked in textile designs and graphic ornament. Then branched out to bigger projects. He taught at the Ecole Normale d'Enseignement du Design school. A big believer in using forms from the natural world-he wrote and illustrated the book "Plants and their Application to Ornament".

Poster artists during the 1960's reinterpreted his style to modernize it. I can remember many a rock concert poster that had the same feel to them. They were just what a fairy tale lover (me) from that era would love to own. And I did. I wish I had them now. Drat.

Love the newspaper ideas

2011-01-22T15:04:00.002-07:00

Julie Jacobsen from a photo by Eric Ostling in the Salt Lake Tribune

Once again I had fun drawing from a newspaper photo. This one struck me as so beautiful. Do you remember a while back reading about how if you make a mistake make it look like you meant it? Well, I didn't make a mistake on this but I just didn't like the way her leg was posed. So I blended it into the fabric. I'm sure you can see that now. The composition looks more pleasing to me. Before it just looked awkward. What do you think?

Another one of Chris' hilarious but useful projects!

2011-01-18T14:48:00.001-07:00

When I saw this today on Gracie's blog I just HAD to post it on mine. It is so hilarious! First off-let's just answer your question: no, Gracie and Dave don't sleep in a bunk bed (how unromantic). When we went back to see them in NYC in December she showed us her favorite spot in the apartment-the heater. She said she spends hours on it waiting for Dave to finish studying. So, a light bulb went off in Chris' brain. He decided it would be fun to build some kind of platform over it where she could perch comfortably. Luckily for her she came to SLC at the beginning of this month and Chris set to work making it with his usual junk in the garage. You know it had to be under 50 lbs for Jet Blue. It was a real challenge. Plus he wanted to send some of his tools for Dave also. They packed some of them in her checked bag (this is fine with Jet Blue if not motorized). Anyway, you can well imagine her in the airport lugging that big thing along with her checked bag and carry on as Dave was waiting outside. I don't know how she did it but my kids are always hauling heavy stuff in the airport and suffering (Cliff at Christmas time-that was awful one year). Anyway, they took it home and you can see that the queen gets the best part (as usual-ask her brothers). Dave is squished on the bottom.

Just love it! Ha ha ha!

Plenty of fresh costume ideas

2011-01-13T21:30:00.000-07:00

Gracie has started a new blog thecostumeproject.com. At the top of her blog are some drawings that are by me. It's so fun that my sketches have come to something. Who would have known that my little doodles would ever have a life outside of my sketch book. But here they are on the top of a very original and interesting blog. Gracie is so good at this now since she has several other personal blogs and is the blogmaster for shoplet.com. I call her the blogmaster because I feel like she can do just about anything she wants. It's amazing to me.

Anyway, you'll find some creative ideas. So check it out.

Do you ever feel scattered all over the place? Well, I do right now. I have so many projects and I need to focus. My new one is genealogy and it is daunting. Our church is constantly telling us that we need to do this and I have been trying but it's like this big stumbling block. I have a slew of information that needs to be organized but I just look at it and want to run away. Some really nice people in our church have been trying to help me get going. They came over yesterday with an organized file of some of my ancestors. Today's project, for me, was to put them into a filing system that I could feel good about. Well, it took me all day, off and on, to buy the files and just put this stuff in them. My husband, Chris, came home and just laughed. He pulled out a marker and wrote "Penske file" on the front. Any of you Seinfeld fans will recognize what episode that is about. George goes to work for a company and spends about a week with an accordion file on his desk. He does nothing else but play drums with his pencils and other stupid things. When the boss comes back to the office after a trip he is furious that this is all George has done. Do you get the correlation to my files? I threw it all together and that was good enough for me. Blaaaaaa. I'll get going but I'm having a hard time. Fortunately, Gracie is helping me now.

I wonder if I can play the drums with my new markers I bought today.............

.

Merry Christmas-a little late

2011-01-01T22:29:00.000-07:00

So, the annual Christmas dinner was a huge success. I wish my whole family could be there but it was great having all that we did have. Cliff, Lorien and Kyra came all the way from Baltimore. Let me just tell you that it's so great to see Cliff so happy. Anyway, Suzanne, my sister, and her husband Michael came even though they're Jewish-such good sports. Gami, my mom, came-even though my husband, Chris has to literally carry her in the house like a baby. Then there were Chris, Char and I. That sums it up. It was a delightful dinner and we frosted gingerbread cookies afterward.

Okay. I've been just a little behind but tomorrow I go part time with my job-YAY! I'm soooo happy. Incidentally-can you believe that all these years I've been reading, writing, you know, a normal literate person, I thought when you are happy about something the correct spelling of yay is yea. Duh and double duh. It's not yea it's yay. So I hereby change my spelling of one of my favorite words. YAY!

Yes! My very own Sharpie sandals!

2010-11-22T22:01:00.001-07:00

Okay, you guys. Remember my drab yellowed white canvas sandals? Well, here's the glorious new life for them. I have had so much fun coloring with my Tropical Sharpie set.

I just don't want to stop and now am thinking of what else I can color on. I can't wait until I can wear them next summer. They definitely are much more fun than plain old white. What do you think?

They show her "heart"

2010-11-21T22:45:00.001-07:00

When I was looking at my favorite Facebook pages (my kids, of course) I came across a photo of our sweet Gracie Beth. It brings tears to my eyes because it reflects exactly how she is. She has such a tender heart and you can see that from this photo taken in NYC. Thanks to her I have a well organized blog that actually looks attractive. She took my designs and made them look the way I envisioned them. You know how that is when you can see something in your mind but don't know how to present it and don't have the skills.

I just had to post this as it is one of the photos that makes me remember how much I loved raising this girl.

Green parrots taking shape

2010-11-19T13:37:00.000-07:00

Baby steps. That's what this painting has been-baby steps. I feel like I can never just make a huge stride but at least I'm doing something and moving forward. I like the idea of having the orange underpainting but might bring it more to a redish orange. It would give it some difference from the background leaves. Subtle differences that make each part of the painting stand out in it's own way.

The next step in my painting of birds

2010-11-15T11:28:00.000-07:00

So, here it is and it's not much to look at it but I'm still in the underpainting phase. Unfortunately I just haven't had much time to work on it recently. I got good news that I can go part time with my job in January. I can hardly wait! It's like my life has been almost on hold for the last 6 months. It drives me crazy.

Preventing the encroachment of the mighty Weber River

2010-11-07T22:15:00.000-07:00

As I said over a month ago we discovered this year that there was a terrible problem developing with the river next to our cabin. We had such a ferocious spring run off that the river restructured itself and tossed around, willy nilly, huge trunks of trees and boulders. It even created an island that never used to be there. The worst of it to us is that it has increasingly gotten closer to our cabin and shrunk the space that we claimed as our own between the 2 (even though that part is public but no one could do anything with it). If it kept up at this pace we would have had the river right next to our cabin. Moving things around would have been a joke by ourselves. Our neighbors were having the same problem. So we all went in together and hired a heavy duty backhoe driver to move everything back to where it was before and shore up the banks with rocks.

Saturday Chris and I drove up to see what had been done. I'll tell you it was money well spent. This guy did a fabulous job and I've taken pictures to prove it. In the pics you can see the large pond that is down the path. It's so cold up there that the pond has started to freeze over. Chris tried to tease me and put his foot on the ice. I wish I had had the camera on him when his leg punched through the ice into the freezing water. Thank goodness he was on the shore. I kept telling him I didn't want to have to go in and get him!

On the way home we drove by a farmer's field just outside of Peoa, Utah. There are 3 buffalo that live there and they are so cute. I just had to get out of the car and take their picture-especially after my story last week about our adventures with the buffalo in Washington. Anyway, they were so dullsville and didn't care at all that I was close to them. I was smart enough to stay on the other side of the fence but they didn't look at all that ferocious. I know. Buffaloes are very unpredictable and not to be trusted. Did anyone see the youtube video about the man that has a buffalo as a pet? It comes into the house and lays on a rug and watches t.v. It's even housebroken! Look it up for yourself.

One more thing. I just have to add a picture of the gorgeous Thousand Peaks Ranch that we drive through on the way to and from our cabin. A branch of the Weber River flows through there and it's probably about the best fly fishing any where around but it's totally out of bounds for anyone except whoever has a permit. So, you drive by and your hands itch to just get a hold of a pole and experience fishing at it's best but it's not to be. I just love the rust colored willows. It's a paradise and we're so lucky to be able to go through there often during the year.

"Life is good award"

2010-11-04T22:52:00.009-06:00

Well, I am so slow to put this on my blog but I knew I had to put a little thought into it. Mooncat Farms has awarded me this and I'm very honored! It is required that I pass it on to other worthy bloggers. That I will do but after I answer the award questions first:

1. If you blog anonymously are you happy doing it that way; If you are not anonymous, do you wish you had started out anonymously so you could be anonymous now?

I like the way I have it now. It's not in my nature to be anonymous. You know how artists are "out there".

2. Describe one incident that shows your inner stubborn side:

Oh, I am a little rebel. My husband can attest to that. I just refuse to go along with certain things that I feel are ridiculous.

3. What do you see when you really look at yourself in the mirror?

Probably what everyone else my age sees: that there are new wrinkles, etc. but I think I look pretty good for my age (I hate that sound of that...blaaaa).

4. What is your favorite summer cold drink?

It's the same as my favorite drink all the time...Diet Coke. Well, actually, I've changed that. It's now Zevia. Zevia is a natural cola without sulfuric acid to eat away your bones. It also has some caffeine. Yea!

5. When you take time for yourself, what do you do?

Head down to my studio, eat lunch with friends, read, garden, walk outside, and work on my blog.

6. Is there something you still want to accomplish in your life? What is it?

Own my very own horse/horses. I never have. Finish my Art History degree. I'm so close it hurts.

7. When you attended school, were you the class clown, the class overachiever, the shy person, or always ditching?

I don't fit into any of these categories. I was part of a group and we laughed ourselves silly. I just had too much fun in school-especially junior high.

8. If you close your eyes and want to visualize a very poignant moment of your life-what would you see?

Wow. I can I pick? Too many but I have to tell about something that gives me shear delight and it's part of one of those moments. I remember laying out by my cousin's swimming pool in Santa Monica when I was a teenager all by myself. I could hear the propeller type airplanes overhead. Just the whole space in time together with the sun, the pool, the warmth and carefree day just gives me such a wonderful feeling.

9. Is it easy for you to share your true self in your blog or are you more comfortable writing posts about other people or events?

Well, I would say I share "myself" a lot but not too much. My daughter told me I better not write one of those tell all blogs that make people cringe. So you won't get any cringe stories from me. But you can't help but get a real sense of my personality by the tone in my blog.

10. If you had the choice to sit down and read or talk on the phone, which would you do and why?

I am a readaholic. Does that tell you what I would pick? I do like to talk to certain people but not for long because I have to talk to people nonstop for 8 hours everyday with my job. I'm talked out most of the time.

My vote for some great blogs (and I know there are so many more out there!)

1. Shoplet.com blog (Okay, I know it's my daughter, Gracie's, work blog but you'll see that it IS a great one-never dull).
2. My Crappy Photography-great great photographic creativity.
3. The Yard Art Game - sometimes a little spicy but it's such a guilty pleasure.
4. Magnon's Meanderings - Wow! I just love to hear about the countryside of France.
5. Lemon Verbena Lady - get out in that garden and start planting-you can't help but be inspired!
6. Urban Sketchers - well I don't think they know I exist but I don't care-it's so dang interesting!
7. Josh Pincus is Crying - you know, anyone that tells all the cool stories about dead celebrities and illustrates it gets high points from me-it may be a little too spicy for some.

buffaloes-Old photos-dumb parents

2010-11-01T23:41:00.004-06:00

I was looking at some wonderful photos that are on mycrappyphotography.blogspot.com of buffaloes. Josh is such a great photographer. It reminded me of something that happened in Sequim, Washington, many years ago-probably 17. Here is what I told Josh about our experience:

"We went to the Olympic Game Farm in Sequim, Washington (right before you board the ferry to go to Victoria). It was great! Animals all out in the open wondering around. We bought a bunch of old hamburger buns and drove our van through the park with the doors open. Animals would get in the car to get the food. We saw a baby buffalo-so we called to it. Before we knew it an adult came up to the car and put it's head in the window and opened it's mouth for hamburger buns. We just started throwing them in and it was stacking them in it's throat. We were laughing so hard and it was slobbering all over the radio controls of the rental car (whoops). It was ridiculous that we did that because we realized later how dangerous it was. My husband watched on another occasion where some people tried to get one in a trailer and it smashed the whole thing. Then he told me how dumb we had been".

One thing about that place that really strikes me all these years later is that it really was not a safe place for just letting people drive through. I mean-just look at the flimsy fence where the bears were. But it was so fun. The bears weren't just laying around. You could see them fighting each other off in the distance. It really was a wild animal type park.

So I thought I would post some of the old photos. You can tell how long ago it was. Gracie and Charlie still had white hair! Charlie is 26 now and Gracie is 23.

The baby buffalo

But the photos of the buffalo's tongue is so grotesque. I just had to show everyone. I'm not kidding-it was so hilarious but it wouldn't have been if any one had been hurt.

Lindsay, Gracie, Chelsie and Charlie at the Buchart Garden

(Unreal lighting)

Dumb parents, right?

P. S. If you want to be dumb you can still go there. Here's the link Olympic Game Farm. I can't believe it's still around!!!!!!

happy halloweenie!!!

2010-10-30T10:06:00.000-06:00

Last week I had 10 and 11 year old girls come to my house and decorate little pumpkins. We only have 1 hour to do these things. So how do you clean out a pumpkin and carve it in that space of time? You can't unless they are a lot older. Anyway, I just went into my studio and scrounged for materials to decorate. I have an abundance of sequins and beads left over from the prom dresses that I hand beaded and sequined for Gracie. So that's what we used. Oh, there were 2 girls that couldn't come-so I made a few. It was very very fun and they loved it. Then the highlight of the whole project was that they had to deliver them to a "lady in need" in our neighborhood to cheer her up. It's such a good project.

I hope you will all have a fun and safe night!

Step 2 and 3 of the new painting

2010-10-28T11:12:00.001-06:00

Okay. So today I put a heavy wash over the brilliant underpainting of red orange, plum and magenta. Today's wash consists of white, cerulean blue and ultramarine blue. This is the sky that will be behind the leaves (of course). Even though not much sky shows through it's nice to do this first so you don't have to add the sky later as an after thought. Notice I'm careful to let the underpainting show through because I want the redish hue to remain as the underpainting of the green leaves and green parrots. You know the complimentary color of green is red. So this will give the painting life by allowing the red to barely show through. I'm also going to do another underpainting on top of that. And I haven't even gotten to the drawing of any objects. Now you can see why my paintings take such a long time. Yes, it does take a lot of patience to go through this and it's hard when I want to start on the beautiful parrots!

I've been using this method for about 20+ years. I was always a "get it done" artist before and this was good discipline for me to make myself do. It just pays off to do the outlying areas of the painting before you get to the main subject. That way you won't have to be careful painting around things.

I had a few minutes more to spend on this before work. So I did step 3. Remember what I said about doing the things that should be done first? Well, I didn't listen to myself (see-now don't you feel better-I didn't listen to my own advice). I started in with an orange underpainting for the leaves and said, "Uh oh". I noticed I should have done the branches. Off came the orange and I did the UP (underpainting) for the branches. I noticed that they're kind of an orangey brown. So I thought blue would be great as the UP. Then I decided I wanted to be a little more creative on that and I did a cerulean turquoise (my fav color, you know). I know I'll have to add some bits of branches later but this is a good beginning.

What to do when your white shoes have turned yellow and you're on hold

2010-10-26T22:51:00.001-06:00

ANOTHER beginning project (as if I need another). But but but this is a practical one. I bought these very pretty white sandals last year and they were/are so impractical. Never buy white sandals that are made out of canvas material and expect them to remain white. It doesn't happen that way. If you could look at the bottom of the shoes you would see they have no wear and that's because they've hardly been worn at all. Can you believe that the stupid things pick up every little bit of dust, etc. So, fussy person that I am, I have tried everything to get them white: cleaners, toothpaste (yes, that works on Keds), putting them out in the sun on a very hot day. All it did was turn them yellowy. I think the glue has something to do with this. Sooooo I decided to use some Sharpies and turn them into funkadelic sandals for next year! These are new tropical colors and I'm having so much fun coloring when I have to wait on the phone. It might not turn out the best but, what the hey? They were going to be worthless anyway. So, I'll let you see them when I'm done.

By the way-notice my trusty sketch books in the picture? I'm using some patterns that I made up a while back. Waste not/want not the trusty designs!

Here we go again.....

2010-10-25T23:04:00.000-06:00

I just thought you'd like to see the beginning stage of my new painting that I'm doing for my sister. She and her husband love birds. So I went to the zoo a while back and found some beautiful green parrots to paint. Can you see that now with my underpainting? Probably not. But that's what this is going to be.

Okay. So I went to the store to buy some lemon pepper and it was outrageously expensive! So I thought, "I'm making my own!" Hence, the bowl of ground up lemon peel. I tried drying some first and it wouldn't even grind in my food processor it was so hard. So I decided to grind it first. Then dry it. It's going to be great. I just know it. Our family goes through a lot of it. It's so good on raw veggies like cukes and tomatoes. I cover a turkey or a roast with it before baking. It's wonderful on cooked green beans. We just use it all the time.

The last pic is of some beautiful flowers from our garden. I just had to show them. You know, I'm becoming a huge fan of gazanias and blanket flowers. They are my 2 new favorites.

drawings that flow and move

2010-10-23T15:04:00.001-06:00

Just another drawing from my sketch book that I thought you'd like to see. I never know where I'm going with these things, my doodles, until I see something begin to develop. I've always liked the way this one turned out. I think it's because of the movement in it and the "anyone" quality. We don't see their faces and it could be anyone that you would like to imagine. It has an old fashioned feel to it-like the old melodramas in the 1800's. That's why I entitled it "Old Fashioned Actresses".

cool cool art made from photography paper and clips

2010-10-20T21:42:00.001-06:00

I just had to show all of you this really really neat sculpture. It's so beautiful and you've got to see the rest of it on my daughter's blog, http://blog.shoplet.com. There are more pictures of the whole project that are unbelievably beautiful. I wish I had thought of this. In a way it makes me think of Chihuly. He does the most incredible glass sculptures. When we had the 2001 Olympics in our fair city of Salt Lake they had an exhibit of his work in Symphony Hall downtown. After the Olympics they purchased one of his sculptures. It's fantastic and is in the entry way. It sure is a talking piece that I never tire of. Come to think of it we saw a show, probably on PBS, of his workshop and how they blow the glass. If you can locate that you'll be very entertained. It's so dangerous! I don't know how they do it.

The "Bathtub" Porsche and my coolest car! Wish I still had it!

2010-10-19T09:21:00.000-06:00

The '65 "Bathtub" Porsche

Well, this is not the greatest of photos but it's very old and second generation. It's glued in a scrapbook. Anyway, I came across this today and realized that I haven't ever posted a picture of it. It's actually my cool car #1 as I also had an '66 MGB (same color) just out of high school. That one has to be #2 because it roasted your legs in the summer (engine was over them) you had to spray starter fluid in the carborater (is this not spelled right? Even spell check doesn't know) before starting it every time-even after sitting for 10 minutes and it had no syncro mesh. The lack of the syncro mesh made it so you had to double clutch when down shifting from 3rd to 2nd and this is the car I learned how to drive with a stick shift-I was very good at it but it took a while..

The Porsche was a true joy to drive. Even though it was so old (I had it in the end of the 70's and early 80's) it purred like a kitten and you just couldn't help but feel like you owned the road. Unfortunately it was NOT a good family car and everywhere you parked it someone would steal or attempt to steal every thing off of it. It also was never the same after the drive to Yuba Lake in Utah over a sandy dirt road. It got into the engine and it never was the same after that. My first husband and I had to take it to California to sell it and get a good price after many hours of work getting it back in good condition.

So, I did have an opportunity to drive like a race car driver and enjoy every minute of it!

The White Queen

2010-10-18T22:22:00.001-06:00

Okay. So this is really ridiculous but here I am as the White Queen from "The Chronicles of Narnia". I am so tired tonight after being on the phone for work, nonstop, for 9 1/2 hours. I just don't know whether I'm coming or going these days. But I love Halloween and dressing up. This was from my old work place, the dental lab, and I really got into this costume. A week before Halloween I put a punch bowl on a desk with a plate of candy (was supposed to be Turkish Delight) and didn't tell anyone what it was for. It was the introduction to my costume. If you've not read or heard the story-the White Queen is a meanie and keeps a little boy prisoner by feeding him Turkish Delight candies. This costume was probably more fun to make than to wear-especially the crown. It was a special challenge.

So HAPPY HALLOWEEN (I'll be working the whole time at the call center. Do you feel sorry for me? No? You shouldn't because I ended up doing this because I traded so I can be with my daughter and her husband when they came to visit).

P.S. I look so plain and pale because I had white mascara on and everything else was supposed to be washed out looking.

Kyra smiles!

2010-10-14T11:49:00.001-06:00

Only time for a quick post today but just wanted to show our little granddaughter, Kyra. This is the first real smiley picture we have seen of her. Can't wait until Christmas when they are all coming. Then we can see the smile in person.

Forrest and Anne Walden-2 remarkable people

2010-10-10T22:22:00.001-06:00

As I was searching through my pictures I came across this great old photo from the 1960's of my grandparents. Actually Anne was my step grandmother but since I never knew my biological grandma, Clara, Anne was just the same. Anne and Forrest were married in their later years after Clara died of breast cancer when she was 62 (and I've been told she was an incredible person also). Anne Critchelow had never been married before. They were married, I believe when she was in her 60's. But they grew up just down the street from each other.

If you think that some women are brave and tough then you never have seen the queen of them. When Anne was a young woman she went to Johannesburg, Africa, in the early 1900's to work as a secretary, all by herself. We loved to sit on her stool that she had gotten from an African tribal leader. I wish I knew what happened to it. Anyway, this lady was like an Auntie Mame. She always drove a Chrysler Imperial, had big floppy hats, a cigarette in one hand, dachshunds at her feet and a "dearie" out of her mouth. What an influence she was on me. I remember one time reading a book to her and I said I couldn't read the word. She told me that I should never say that-that I could do anything I wanted to. Anne would quit smoking only to start up again because she had gained too much weight. What a character she was. I just loved her.

Forrest was a self made man that lost his father when he was very young. He used to deliver his mother's baked goods in his little wagon. He started out as office boy at Strevell Patterson Hardware in Salt Lake City, Utah and worked his way up to president. I remember sitting at my grandparent's home and strange men would come to the door. My grandpa was always giving them money. He helped everyone. Nobody loved his dogs like grandpa or played the piano more beautifully, by ear, than he did. He never had had a lesson. I loved their house. It always smelled wonderfully of pipe tobacco.

Such memories. But I think that my siblings and I turned out the way we are in many ways because of Anne and Grandpa. Or as we called her "Annie Wannie". Wow. I can't wait to see them again some day.

this is part of my day-how about yours?

2010-10-05T08:57:00.001-06:00

Every day when I look at my email and sometimes more than once I go to this site. If you click on the button it automatically gives food to an animal. My nephew, Forrest, told me about it and he's a hawk for phoney sites/emails. So I knew it must be reputable. Anyway, as I get older and older I love and respect animals even more. You might want to Bookmark this and make it part of your day. The site has other worthy causes to take part in also: The animal rescue site.

Grace and Dave are here! Skyping with Kip and Brandon

2010-10-03T14:15:00.000-06:00

Just a quick posting of us all at Bucca di Beppo, an Italian restaurant near here. We had a great time and ate way too much rich food. Dave got an AP for his IPhone that's a calorie counter. I don't think anyone will finish the leftovers now that we know what we ate last night. I ate one ravioli and thought the whole time-yikes.

Saturday night while the guys were in a church meeting Gracie and I went through her room to try to get rid of stuff. It was ridiculous how much junk was in there. But will be great for someone else. We also Skyped with Kip and Brandon. It was great. Gracie hadn't seen them, except in pics, since her wedding last November. It's hard to watch Brandon because he's like a twirling top. A cute twirling top. I'm so glad for the technology now to keep in touch but it doesn't make up for actually being together.

Kitty and Flounder-unlikely buddies

2010-09-30T22:23:00.000-06:00

I came across this photo from 2006 the other night and put it on my desk top. Now these 2 are gone and it makes me sad. I loved seeing them play with each other. Kitty would forget every once in a while that she couldn't really eat Flounder and I would have to remind her of that. They were so funny.

It reminds me of what my son, Cliff, told me years ago about a lady he worked with. She had a cat that used to sleep in the bottom of their bird cage and the birds would jump all over it. I bet that cat had hours of grooming ahead of it.

Snydermille-never to go again-our family retreat

2010-09-29T22:44:00.002-06:00

I just came across this painting that I did of Snydermille. It's actually a good way to see how I use the under paintings. This piece was done specially for my husband's nephew, Spencer, and his wife, Lisa, for a wedding present. Snydermille is a large piece of property owned by our church and designated for my mother-in-law's neighborhood to use. On the land was a huge building that could easily sleep 40 people. The living room was big enough to have large tables (4 or more) set up, 4 large couches, a t.v., plenty of space to put up a few quilts and still have an area for the kids to play four square. And the kitchen had 2 stoves and refrigerators. In the bedrooms there were many bunk beds that the kids would drag around and make forts. Once a year my husband's family would plan a get together for several days. It was a chore getting everything packed but we had so much fun playing games, doing projects, eating, eating, and eating.

This little town is located right before you get to Park City ski resort in the Wasatch Mountains. Surrounding it are the outlet malls and in Park City there are lots of fun things to do. If you look walk straight up the hill from the building you will come to the Ski Jump for the 2002 Olympics. In fact the FBI rented our retreat to stay there during the games.

We often involved our kids in projects for charity like the Festival of the Trees (benefited Primary Children's Hospital). We helped make ornaments. One year, when Kip was in the Navy, and on a ship we made gift bags for all the men on his ship. It was unbelievably touching to hear how they loved their presents. I think the kids maybe enjoyed it more than the men.

My in-laws, Marge and Tom, were the ones that arranged this fun for us every year and footed the bill. They're both gone now. So Snydermille is just a memory-memories of pinatas every year filled with treats. I'm sure sad that we can't go there any more. I won't miss the bugs that seemed to be everywhere and cleaning the place when we were done. But the togetherness we felt was, well, PRICELESS.

Photos that are striking and could be a painting

2010-09-27T09:48:00.003-06:00

I saw a story on my home page for MSN today about a guy that collects odd but striking photos of all kinds and ages. It reminded me of a great one I took of Cliff, Grace and Charlie when we rented a house in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. They were in the pool when a big storm moved in. I just had to post it for you all to see. I love it. In fact it's going to be my next sketch for now. Maybe I'll do a painting of it some day.

Every once in a while you see a photo and it says PAINTING.

Of course I would change some of the composition to make it work better. They're too spread out. Incidentally, I did that with my last painting, "My Paradise". I completely took the horse that's on the right and moved it from the left-then overlapped it with the horse with the kitty. It made it flow better. Plus I used the "Golden Mean" when I organized the focal point. I'll talk about that later (if I haven't already-must go back and check).

"the rape of europa"-i'm in shock!

2010-09-24T22:24:00.000-06:00

Every once in a while I see a video that leaves me in shock and thinking for days on end. Chris and I just watched this and it was fascinating but truly tragic. It's about the stolen art during WWII by the Nazis. If only it could be all found. I've posted probably the most famous of those not recovered, "Portrait of a Young Man" by Raphael (valued at $100 million! I think that's what they said). There are so many that are lost still in this point in time. What has happened to them all? In the video they talked about when the generation that stole them passes away then their children won't know what the history was and they'll try to sell them. Then they might come to light. I looked around at my paintings and thought how awful it would be to lose them. They're so much a part of me. I'm always afraid of theft and fire. Fortunately I keep transparencies and slides in our safety deposit box to prove what I have. But losing the originals would be so painful.

Anyway. If you want to be totally mesmerized I suggest you rent this video. You will not be bored. I guarantee it. I said to Chris that his dad would have had a lot to say about this if he were alive and watching as he was in the Italian campaign. He must have seen a lot of this going on-the destruction of the art treasures.

Not too long ago a piece was discovered in our museum at the University of Utah that belonged to one of the Jewish families. I remember it well. The museum was wonderful about giving it back. It is featured toward the end of this show.

Well, just when you think the world doesn't have any surprises-then you hear about something marvelous like one of these art objects coming to light. I wonder how soon this will happen again. One can only hope.

Dustin! Art and Frame Station genius!

2010-09-23T11:34:00.001-06:00

Just got home from having "My Paradise" framed and, WOW, am I happy! I just had to show you all the finished product before I hang it. Don't you agree that it completes the picture? I have to listen to Dustin because he just knows what is the best. He's in Murray, Utah-just in case you want to know.

In other art project news.......I got set to start my sister's painting today and remembered that I left my acrylic paints in Baltimore so Cliff and Lorien could paint her pregnant stomach casting (yes it's the shape of her tummy and they paint scenes on it). Well, he said today that they're not planning on doing anything. So, the paints are coming back home where they belong.

Slowly progressing art project news-I have been making an attempt at the new mosaic for my kitchen but have to be so careful with my wrist. Maybe I'm just not cut out to be a mosaic artist. I just hate having physical problems. It's so inconvenient, you know. Oh, and here, also, is our neighborhood project. Lucky me to have my drawing on here. This one is of Thanksgiving Point, Utah. The carousel is all topiary and my drawing doesn't do it justice. It's so beautiful.

And now for something different

2010-09-21T21:53:00.001-06:00

Just thought you would all need a little comic relief ! One of Cliff's more intelligent poses. No one would guess that he would grow up to be a very successful hair stylist in Baltimore. In fact about 3 years ago he was chosen the best stylist in the city newspaper there. Since then he has been on a t. v. show called "Split Ends". He told me there is another one coming up but I can't remember what it's called. Why did that little twerp have to move so far away? He's the best at what he does and I have to go clear across the country to have my hair done by him. That's just what I get for encouraging him to be an independent adult. Hmmmmm.

Chris and Char take a hike!

2010-09-20T22:05:00.002-06:00

Does this look fun, or what? The guys really enjoy going on hikes together and this was one they took a few weeks ago to "Meadow Lake". Fortunately they went without me because I think I would have been dragging. It turned out to be kind of a hard hike at that. Chris ended up falling against his back pack and cracking a rib. That was the extent of their injuries and they said it was well worth it. I love to see my family having fun!

Thinking of Kip

2010-09-08T08:59:00.001-06:00

Can you tell it's from my sketch book? Ha ha.

9 years ago I was sitting in church and thinking about my son, Kip. He was in the Navy and out to sea a lot of the time. Part of that time was spent south of India during the 9/11 aftermath. I'll back up. Kip joined the Navy just before he turned 21. Nothing was going on much militarily for the U. S. in the world. It was a safe choice and one way to get himself going in life. We were very proud of him for making that decision-although none of us were big on the idea of enlisting in the military (I was very against it in the 70's because of Vietnam). But this was a brave venture for him. I'll never forget seeing him board the plane, walking through the gate, with his baseball cap on backwards. You know-la de da-no care in the world. What an awakening he got! Boot camp was unreal but he made it through. When we went to his graduation from it we were amazed what a different person he had become in a few short months. Just amazed. Although it was miserable a lot of the time (got sent to a room where they cranked up the heat and made him, and others, do exercises for hours-for him, just because he asked someone to pass him some food while in the galley)-he told us and we could see the accomplishments he had achieved.

So, he chose to go to school in Virginia Beach to learn how to be a radar tracker. No big deal, right? He chose Japan as the place he wanted to be stationed and his first ship was called the Vincennes (do you remember when one of our ships accidentally shot down an Iranian plane-I think it was-in the gulf?). He said, "Don't worry, Mom. We'll be the last ship to be sent into the gulf." In August of 2001 there was a big emergency out to sea, just east of China. All of a sudden things starting happening with the military. It was active, big time. Kip's ship was sent to this area and he said he now had to track hundreds of fishing boats. It was incredible.

You all know what happened the month after that. We didn't hear from him for weeks to see if he was alright. That's when his ship was directly south of India for quite a long time. We didn't hear from him much and it was often from a phone booth in an undisclosed location. We didn't know about him being south of India for quite a few years after. We didn't see him for 1 1/2 years. Wow. Such adventures.

One can see why I was thinking of Kip in church-praying a lot. I call this drawing above "Thinking of Kip" because he LOVES to fish. He could sit out by the lake by our cabin for the whole day by himself just trying to catch 1 fish. We all went fishing at a "guaranteed to catch a fish" fishing hole where we caught a lot. Kip cleaned all our fish. Cliff and I tried to help but we spent more time over at the hose washing our hands. Kip would eat all the fish that no one wanted while in scouts. I have a picture of him when he was about 7 kissing a fish he caught at the cabin.

Now he's out of the Navy after 9 years, raising his son, going to school, and working part time as a mailman in California. He's a terrific father and wonderful man that we are very proud of .

Blue is my favorite color and this bird knows it

2010-09-03T09:12:00.000-06:00

A few days ago I was in the kitchen getting some stuff done before I had to start work. The patio door was open and I heard squawking outside. I thought it was just the friendly magpies and I love their sound. So, I looked outside and saw a brilliant blue bird fly into the trees in the next yard. Then 4 more flew by! They were so gorgeous. I ran inside and grabbed my camera. Luckily for me one of them flew to a branch that was in the open and I got a perfect shot. Again I don't know the exact name but I'd call it a blue bird. Any of you know? I just love birds. Well, I love animals.

When a girl gets desperate she turns to ANYTHING to fix her hair!

2010-08-28T22:10:00.009-06:00

So, Chris and I went to the cabin again on Friday. It was a beautiful day but seemed a little threatening, weather wise. We decided to go on a long walk and took a different route-one not taken before. One of our favorite places outside of our cabin association, Alpine Acres, is called Holiday Park. The Salt Lake City pioneers started coming there in the 1800's for summer vacations. It still has beautiful old log cabins from that time period. We love to walk through it. There are even some horses to pet. Anyway, we were in awe of how gorgeous it all was when the weather changed and it started raining. Oh, how I hate my hair when it gets wet and dries like a wispy broom. Plus it's flat on the top. So I wore Chris' hat to protect it some. I needn't have bothered. It ruined my hair. Oh well but today I was desperate to make it look better. In the cabin we have an old hot curler set that is probably over 30 years old. It still works great but I didn't have any clips to hold in the curlers. So, Chris said he would be happy to anchor them with tie wraps. Oh, he just loved it. The old "Blue's Brother's Movie" was playing in the background and he was dancing away while putting those things in my hair. At one point he said, "Take me to your leader!" He kills me.

But it was so radiant this morning and we went for an early morning walk looking for the wild life-hoping to catch sight of a moose or some deer. Because of the rain the foliage was covered with tiny diamonds of light. I tried to take a picture but the camera didn't capture how magical it looked. As you can see it was very green and smelled so wonderful. Unfortunately the nasty pine beetles have been devastating the lodge pole pines and there are dead ones everywhere. It's so sad our favorite pine tree that has a twisted trunk is dead. We have quite a few that we're going to have to chop down or they might smash our cabin.

As you can see I've included a small sketch I did of our funky hillbilly kitchen. The combo sink, cook top and frige is probably at least 40 years old. The burners still work great but the frige conked out a few years ago. I made the curtains and we use the frige section for storage. I actually drew this on the 5th of July but added color to it today. Anyway, the cabin is very fun but way too small for our family. We've got to build a new one someday-very soon.

Just a few little ditties/starting a new painting

2010-08-22T20:55:00.003-06:00

Hi there. Well, these, again, are my sketches from church. The horses I just finished and I believe they are some from a place called Wheeler Farm by our house. You know how much I love them and I would love to do more. But my next painting is for my sister. It's going to be some yellow and green birds because she loves them so much. After that I owe paintings to our 2 married children (last year's 2 weddings), Cliff and Gracie. They still haven't figured out with their spouses what they want. I also have another wedding painting, small, for a niece. I wish I could work on them more often. That's okay.

The other sketch is of my 2 sons, Cliff and Charlie, and my niece, Wendy, with her daughter, Zoe. I think I probably told you this before but I really don't worry about exact likenesses. It ruins the freshness of the drawings and that's a crime. Besides I kind of like the characterization of them. It makes it fun and not like a photograph. Whoops! I forgot about Flounder, the birdie. He's important too.

Speaking of Flounder-that reminds me of the time (about 7 years ago) when Flounder woke Gracie up (he lived in her room) by saying, "Hi there! What's ya doing? Floooouuuunnnder!" He had never spoken before and he was an old bird. That's rare. But Gracie said it made her sick because he talked in my baby voice that I use to talk to my pets (well, what can I say? I love animals but I do go overboard sometimes). From that day on he talked a lot but it was always the same thing. I loved that little guy.

Besides all of this going on I'm just a working fool. Not much I can do about it right now.

This is what we do for fun around our house in the summer

2010-08-15T17:02:00.001-06:00

My husband, Chris, gets these dreams. You know something to build and build it big and very cool. One of these dreams was to build a giant movie screen to show movies in the neighborhood. Then everyone can get together and have fun-plus get to know one another better. He built a prototype about 3 years ago and it was, well, okay. It was mostly not great but when he secured it to a fence at a park by our house it worked well enough to watch "The Wizard of Oz". But it was rickety, no kidding.

So, this summer, instead of buying canvas and dealing with that he bought an old sign from a sign company. Flipped it over to the white side, built 20 foot high metal supports and bolted it to our trailer. Charlie was his partner in crime. They concocted some kind of complicated pulley system to hoist the sign up like a sail. Well, guess whose trailer is out of commission for the summer? You are right. But we don't care. Last week we tested it. He drove it across the street (wiped out one of the big branches of a tree in front of our house) and got a projector connected to some speakers-we watched most of "Shrek" as a test from across the street. It was a huge success! So, several days later we invited some of our neighbors to watch "UP!" As you can see it was just as great as going to the drivein movie theater-only it's free and not crowded. Now it's going to be the traveling screen for the rest of the summer. It works great in our neighborhood because we have underground wires. We figure we can get in a least 4 other movie nights.

So what is going to happen to all the materials, you ask? You know. Stored like the rest of his "great junk" in our backyard or garage. But where are 20 foot poles going to fit in? That's what I want to know. Hmmmm. I'm not too worried now. I'm too busy eating popcorn and watching movies! Yea!

P. S. I retook the picture of my painting and it is better but I still have to get a pro to get it right. Maybe it's just my picky perfectionist eyes. Do you think?

Okay I'm cringing because of the poor photo of my painting! It's lopsided!

2010-08-10T12:50:00.000-06:00

Just had to let you all know that I'm going to redo this photo when I get a chance.

At looooooonnnng last-"My Paradise" is done!

2010-08-09T00:08:00.002-06:00

So, here's the finished product everyone! Now take into account that I'm not a professional photographer. I have to get some pro pics taken by Brady Donley. At least I've got to get a hold of him first as he's often running all over the world taking fabulous pics of golf courses, Antarctica, Africa, etc. As you can see this could be straighter but it was windy today and Char was having a hard time holding onto the painting while I tried to take some pics for my blog.

It has all the elements I want in Heaven, EXCEPT for my family and a huge body of glorious water to go swimming in (shark free, of course). I am very happy about how it has turned out and even happier that it's all done now. I can start on my large mosaic for my kitchen. That will be my little treat. Then it's on to the paintings that I have promised to do for others.

Oh, if you want to see the steps to this painting you can go back in the blog and watch the process.

It's the Albion Basin again!

2010-08-01T19:59:00.000-06:00

My sister, Carrie, and I went on a very fun hike to the Albion Basin. It started out to be a perfectly awful day. We looked stupid when we put on cheapy plastic tarp rain coats that we stole from the men's backpacks in our basement. But we weren't going to give up on a wonderful time together. The parking lot was full that was by the beginning of the trail. So we had to park in the first lot. We had no idea until we got out of the car how far away it was. By the time we got to the trail we realized that we had stupidly left our water bottles in the car. The teenager that was in the guard's hut just happened to come along on a four wheeler. It was kismet! We asked him if he would go to our car and get the water. I must admit it was an idiotic thing to do but I gave him my car keys, fully trusting that he wouldn't take off with my Subaru. I know this would be a more interesting story if I could say he did. But he was great. Saved us a hike back to the car. My husband thought I was a nitwit and I was.

One of my favorite vistas on the hike is when you reach Cecret Lake. Because of the strange late beginning of summer this year there is still some snow in the mountains. We were so surprised to see a floating iceberg on the lake still in the middle of July!

Now the only disappointment to me was the fact that probably 80% of the flowers were not out yet. There were tons of Indian Paintbrush just ready to burst forth. We missed it. I'm sure it's even more glorious up there now but we still had fun reliving our childhood memories of when we were little girls in Brighton happily drifting through the mountain meadows.

I should tell you that the clouds magically disappeared-along with the mist and rain-and the sun burst forth to make the day perfect!

this is supposed to be an art blog-you say

2010-07-25T12:55:00.001-06:00

Here's a little ditty I did in church a few weeks ago and thought I'd share. It's another scene with friendly monsters/creatures. In addition I'm adding a few pics from our cabin. The Uintah Mountains are so heavenly.

Sorry there isn't more dialogue but I've got the wrist brace on and it's hard to type. I don't dare type a lot without it. What a drag.

This is the turn off of the main forest road that goes to our cabin. We should put a sign here but we never have. Anyway it's around 9 miles of dirt road. If you get lucky and drive on it after it's been graded (several times a summer) then it's not all washboarded-bla. Chris used to let the kids sit on his lap and drive when we hit the dirt road. One time Charlie clipped off the side mirror on the truck doing that.

Our new stream behind the cabin. The river has gradually created little sideways. I love it! But Chris said this is not good as it will eventually creep over to the cabin. So we're going to have to have a rock moving party and divert the river back where it was. I want to at least keep a little brook for the kids to play in. Anyway, it's so gorgeous!

Logan Canyon-You gotta see it

2010-07-24T23:13:00.001-06:00

Okay. I know. I know. Not much happening here and I don't dare type too much because I'm finally getting my carpal tunnel to calm down. But I had to post a picture of gorgeous Logan Canyon. Chris and I drove through there last Sunday on our way to my favorite lake in Utah-Bear Lake...soooo amazing. Anyway, it was about 8:00 in the morning. It's definitely at the top of most scenic drives in the U. S. A.

A little yellow beauty

2010-06-28T22:06:00.000-06:00

About a month ago we had a few birds in our backyard that we had never seen before. They were so beautiful and, we thought, unusual for Utah. My son took a picture of one in the pine tree next to our backyard. I just thought I'd post it on my blog and wondered if anyone knows what it is. I could research it but no time right now. I also asked my author friend, Bob Tarte (he wrote the wonderful book entitled "Enslaved by Ducks") if he knows. Now I'm waiting to hear back.

What happened to me?!?

2010-06-27T13:32:00.000-06:00

The Pie that Chris and Charlie made. Chris put a skull and crossbones on it because he bet Charlie that I would say he was an "idiot" for doing it. They both lost. I just looked at it and said, "Hmmm. Well, this looks interesting. Skull and cross bones, huh? It will still taste good." And it did. Best part: I didn't have to make it.

Well, this has been the most boring blog, almost, ever, lately. I have just been glued to my new job-3 weeks of training and now into the job itself. I'm thinking part time is looking awfully good right now.

So, we did go to Las Vegas (no pics-Charlie took the camera to San Diego). That was so wonderful. Lots of swimming and looking at the new hotels. I've gotta tell you that the Aria wins our vote as the coolest and most beautiful one that we saw. We wanted to look at the Vdara but ran out of time. The Aria is all contemporary, which I don't normally like much but this was soooooo cool. Waterfalls that didn't look real. I just can't fully describe it. You've just got to see it for yourselves.

I got terribly sunburned because of the Doxycyline I've been taking for my ocular rosasea. I just couldn't figure it out because I had put tons of sun block on and constantly applied it. It was splotchy like a rash. When we left the hotel to go out on the Strip and look at more hotels the sun just lighting on my skin for even a minute felt like it hit the frying pan. I had to run from shady spot to shady spot. That's not easy in Las Vegas. I wondered what in the world could be the matter and then I remembered the dr. saying I would be photo sensitive. I took Tetracycline for years and never had this happen and it was supposed to be like the other med. The dr. should have told me he wasn't kidding. But then he was such a bland bedside manner dr. Anyway, that wasn't a fun part of the trip but we still went all over the place.

I just had to show you all my gorgeous hollyhocks. They are a new breed for me and the most beautiful I've ever seen. The plants are gigantic. Love em love em.

That's all for now. I'm just going to have a very relaxing day, I hope. Fair warning for the future to all my friends-now that I talk on the phone all day for my work I'm going to be a dud for having long visits that way. I mean, after 8 hours of that it is so tedious to come home and get on it again. In person and short phone calls for the most part will be the best for me.

Guernica - What has always stuck in my mind about Picasso

2010-06-01T16:26:00.002-06:00

Okay. There is a work of art by Picasso that I just always think about. It's called "Guernica". It's a painting about the bombing of the city of that name in Spanish Basque country in 1937 by the German and Italian forces. It was ordered by the Spanish Nationalist forces during the Spanish civil war and led by General Francisco Franco. The little village was kind of like a "testing site" for German bombs. A precursor to the Blitzkrieg of Germany. In other words-it was bombed to smithereens. Picasso was commissioned for a large mural in the Spanish exhibit of the 1937 World Fair in Paris. It struck a cord in the world of the horrors of what a human can do to another human being. It's such a graphic representation. While it's not what I'd like on my wall-it really does fulfill an artistic mission to try to better this world. I have never been able to get it out of my consciousness. Now it can be stuck in yours.

It must have inspired me in some way when I did this small drawing a few days before 9/11. You can read about it in my post earlier on (I think I mentioned it twice before this). You all might think that I copied Picasso but I really wasn't even thinking of him when I did this. It was truly an inspiration from my feelings over the horrors in Ireland-the little children that had to be guarded on their way to school. Then, like I said, 9/11 happened I think 3 days after I did this.

The weird guy in the faux painted wall

2010-05-31T21:20:00.002-06:00

11 years ago my sister faux painted my bathroom and right in front of the "you know what" I have seen this little toreador guy. He just about speaks to me-he's so real. I don't mean realistic real but it's like it's a creature that is begging to be released from the wall. I have said over and over to myself, "I've got to draw that little guy sometime". Well, I finally did. This is what he looks like. He's a strange little fellow that evolves right in front of your eyes. You can see more than one set of eyes and things appear where they aren't supposed to be. I can now see how Picasso could have been inspired. I have to admit to the world that this art history major and artist has never liked his work. I don't care if you pick the later works or the earlier. I just don't care for it. Now that I can understand how he could have been inspired to do Cubism I have a little more appreciation for it BUT I still wouldn't put his art at the top of the list of what our world should be known for. Just not my fav.

Now here's another inspiration for you. Last night I tried to talk to my son, Kip, on Skype. His webcam is really doing awful things, picture clarity wise, but cool in the impressionistic painting department. So, I took a picture of how bad it was to send to him. I could make a very fun painting out of this. Don't you think? It's kind of like Kip looking through a rainy window. It's got such a pointillist/Seurat kind of feel to it.

whew! not much time to blog this week. we lost our Grandpa J.

2010-05-28T18:58:00.001-06:00

I've started a new job and the training is so time consuming and exhausting that I haven't done a bit of blogging at all this week! I love blogging and feel bad about it. The training is going to be for 3 more weeks. So, I know my posts will be short and not too interesting but I'll try to put a few things together. Hopefully I'll have time for a little bit of art.

Grandpa and his tie collection that he kept in an old trunk

Tonight I'm going to watch an old movie with my family called "Good Neighbor Sam" with Jack Lemon. I just love him. He was such a great actor and certainly deserved more than one Academy Award. Anyway, we all need to relax around here as it's been a bad week in more ways than one. My father-in-law, Tom, passed away on Tuesday in the middle of the night. He was 92 and so miserable. It really was a good thing and we're glad that he's now with Marge, my mother-in-law and Judy, their daughter. We will miss him and hate to think of all the changes. No more Grandma and Grandpa's house to go to any more. WE are the grandparents now and that's just plain old strange. Our kids move up a step also. We all advance forward to a new stage. Life's like that.

Tom was a child during the depression. His dad came from Denmark and had a large family to support. As I remember Tom's dad was a brick mason and worked on the Manti LDS Temple. Tom grew up in Salt Lake City on the other side of the railroad tracks. They were dirt poor. When he was 8 years old he took the trolley into downtown SLC to sell newspaper until it was dark at night. He was so afraid he would get lost during the day that he didn't go outside of about a 2 block area. At night, in the dark, he rode the street car home all by himself. He served in the CCC's and in the army in WWII. As a child he had a struggle growing up with a step mother that was very cruel. Some people would treat their family the same. Not Tom. You couldn't find a better father and tender hearted husband. He loved Marge until the day he died and it was vice versa. She loved Tom. They would do anything for any one and could be seen delivering veggies from their large garden to all the neighbors. When our children were too little and we couldn't get to our own garden to till it we woke up one morning to the sound of the tiller. Tom was out in our backyard tilling the garden for us.

Tom and his little boy, Chris-my husband!

I could always rely on him to help me out if my car broke down during the day. He loved everyone in the family and our children adored him. He was a great man and will be terribly missed by all of us.

My 5th Grade eyes but not MY eyes and a 12th grade issue

2010-05-20T21:53:00.001-06:00

Yesterday I came down with a cold and I've been feeling quite yucky today. I really wanted to just stay home but, as it turned out, I couldn't. You see my father-in-law is very close to passing over to the other side. My husband and his siblings decided to give him a priesthood blessing. So, Charlie and I drove over to the care center to be a part of it. It was amazing but so so sad. We lost my mother-in-law in the space of about 10 minutes last year and Tom has hung on all this time. He is such a wonderful man and we all love him. So, you must know that that added to my cold made me feel not quite my chipper self. I just couldn't think of a thing to talk about.

Luckily I took at look at Cro Magnon's blog a little while ago and saw a wonderful early drawing he did of 2 people dancing. It got me thinking about something that I felt magical about just like he did with his. My drawing, actually, a water color painting, was one that I did when I was in 5th grade. As you can see through my 5th grade eyes I was able to see how to paint these Asian ones. On the bridge of the nose you will notice that I made a mistake and had to glue some paper to it and repaint that part. But the teachers were amazed by it and I remember feeling like I didn't know how I could paint like that. I guess that was my first "muse" experience. Something/someone other worldly helped me with that painting. I've kept it ever since in an old dilapidated portfolio. It's a treasure to me.

I have also included one of my failures but, I have to say, that it wasn't my fault. Actually it was a triumph soured by my 12th grade art teacher. I won't name names but he has passed away. It was for a competition for the Utah State Fair. I remember so well getting out an encyclopedia to see what a real ram looked like. Then, from that photograph, I distorted the whole image in a completely new way. It doesn't look like a photo, does it? When I turned it into my art teacher-as he was supposed to enter them for us-he told me that I had cheated and copied the drawing. I insisted that it was completely my original idea. Being a jerk-he did not enter it and I, of course, didn't win. I also had a very fun painting that I did in his class and it was missing. He said he didn't know what had become of it. Some students and I searched his room when he wasn't there and guess where we found it? In his personal portfolio in a closet. He done me wrong. Oh well. It all came out okay. His unkind behavior did not hold me back from going on to love and live my art. So, take that Mr. _________!

Pushing the limits and Big Daddy Roth

2010-05-18T19:19:00.001-06:00

I came across this delightful characterization of Cliff last night and couldn't resist posting it on my blog. I had so much fun turning his head into a triangle. Now I think I could push it further and just might do it. It's fun to exaggerate a drawing as much as possible.

Art History Moment: Don't you just love how unorthodox I am about this? It's not what you think? Right? Anyway, I got to thinking of a cartoonist that I loved when I was in the 6th grade-Big Daddy Roth. His cartoons were everywhere in the mid '60's and you could get these really cool models of his creations. My favorite was "Rat Fink". This was definitely not a girl thing to do back then but I was a little kookie for a typical girl. I loved putting these together. Dang it but I don't have a single one now. Big Daddy's work really appealed to the surfers and tied in with hot rod cars. You know-everything that went along with the Beach Boys and Jan and Dean. Unfortunately he passed away but it's possible to see his images if you Google them. Another cool thing is that his wife runs a museum of his work that is right smack dab in my state of Utah! Actually in Manti, Utah. I didn't know that and now I'm going to have to go check that out. Incidentally Manti is home to one of the most beautiful LDS temples. Just a gorgeous setting and old time architecture on a hill.

I know. I know. He's not Rembrandt but he was an American original and back then there was nothing like this.

Ocean scenes are not my thing

2010-05-17T21:18:00.002-06:00

Funny thing about us artists-maybe not everyone. Many of us are always afraid that someone will find out that we are IMPOSTORS! Even the most accomplished ones. We are deathly afraid that we will be found out. My biggest fear was the dreaded OCEAN SCENE. I had never done one before. I mean, formally. One day I was teaching an adult and she said that that was what she wanted to work on next. Uh oh. My time had come. Now my secret would be revealed. She would find out that I'm not the teacher that I wanted everyone to think I was. It was towards the end of the class and I told her that we didn't have time to start but would begin the next week. Soooooo, for the next week I was like a fiend. I went to the art store and bought one of those cheesy Walter Foster How to Paint books on the ocean. I did practice paintings after paintings. Lots of drawings also. Until I felt I had a handle on it. Then the following week when my student was all set up I said calmly, "Okay. Let's begin". Inside I thought, "Whew! That was a closey". Above is one of my practice drawings.

I think it's okay to admit that we can't do it all. I don't know very many artists that actually can whip out a drawing of everything perfectly. That's why we have the artists' "morgue"-a file of reference photos just for our information. I love the internet and being able to Google any image I want. It sure beats the old World Book Set that I sold for $50. It became woefully inadequate. Actually it always was but I didn't know the difference.

It seems like I have written about this experience before but I couldn't find where I had. If you've heard it before-please forgive me. I can't remember everything-just like I can't draw everything, you guys!

Permission granted - Heeeerrreeee's Kyra!

2010-05-16T22:14:00.000-06:00

These photos are not great. I need to do some work but at least I can show the world our new grand daughter-of course the cutest in the universe!

A beautiful baby girl named Kyra born in Baltimore

2010-05-15T18:14:00.001-06:00

Cliff! Playing the piano that Charlie bought for baby Kyra. Showing his piano playing skills (he should have after 5 years of lessons!).

I'm back, you guys! Cliff and Lorien have the most beautiful little baby girl-it was a thrilling in home natural child birth. I would post pics but I'm not sure how they feel about that. Must get permission first. Anyway, I was a little anxious about how it would all work out. I shouldn't have worried because the midwife and her team were fabulous.

Baltimore is such a gorgeous city. I went for a walk yesterday when I wasn't needed in the house. I just can't get over how lush it is. The neighborhoods are so interesting to me. I would have walked on forever but I was afraid I would get lost. Really they weren't consistently the same like in other towns. Where my son lives, at least, most of the houses are on very large lots and a lot of gigantic old trees. I just walked around with my eyes and mouth wide open-oohing and ahing. I'm sure I really looked like a nitwit. It seemed like there were wooded areas slicing in and out of the residential areas in a very random manner. It's like a jungle to me and looked so fun for kids to play in. Cliff said they did look fun except for the poison ivy that's very prevalent all over Baltimore-leaves of 3, let them be (Cub Scout leader for many years).

So, I'm back to the real world for me and I have to say I'm sad to leave their happy little family. But I'm thrilled for their happiness

Char our star and a break for a week

2010-05-06T15:02:00.004-06:00

"I've Been a Good Toy, Santa" by Julie Jacobsen

Hi! I'm going to go visit my son and his wife on Saturday. She was due to have their baby girl last Sunday. I'm hoping that little twinkle toes will come while I'm there. We sat and sat waiting for our other grandchildren-then had to go home with the baby still not born. I hope that doesn't happen this time.

So, I won't be able to post for a little over a week. Coming back refreshed is always a positive, though. I hope I'll be refreshed. At least I can get away from the dull weather here where I live in Utah.

The painting above is of our son, Charlie. When he was about five I found a huge reindeer that had been on display at a store and was for sale. The price was so low I didn't think twice about buying it. Well Reindeer became Charlie's buddy. He'd get mad at us and throw himself on Reindeer for comfort and, as you can see, he napped on Reindeer. He was a "good toy"-worthy of Santa's attention. It brings tears to my eyes to think that Char is now all grown up-graduating from college with 2 degrees in finance and math, with a minor in philosophy. This is it! This week he is out of school and out in the job market. Who ever hires Char will be a lucky employer, indeed. All our kids, except one, worked at the neighborhood Baskin Robbins. When Charlie would have a day off other employees would call him for help and he'd go over there. They would call because they couldn't get the safe open. Charlie would go over and patiently do it for them even though he was working at another job. He still would help them out! See what I mean? Dang good employee.

See you in a week!

M. C. Escher Drawing Exercise

2010-05-05T14:17:00.002-06:00

Who is the most worn out overexposed design oriented artist? M. C. ESCHER. As you know, Escher was a fabulous artist that combined mathematical type drawings with exploding whimsy. He was my favorite artist IN THE 70'S but he's just about been ruined for me now as, well, he's like someone else we all know but I'm too polite to say his name. Anyway, one of my favorite images of his is of this rolly polly lizard rolling around. I didn't find that in my search but here's one that I really like also.

The drawing exercise today is to take something and turn it into another thing but GRADUALLY. I got this exercise from my college art major days (I did learn something there). I turned a cat into a pencil. It was so cool and I would still have it to show if I hadn't had a big flood in my basement when the washing machine hose burst during the night. That's another story.

Here's one I did using the "One 2, buckle my shoe" nursery rhyme. My drawing is so rudimentary, it's embarrassing, but I came across this in an old sketch book that I used when I was teaching my art class. I worked on what they were doing so I could show them what I meant.

HAVE FUN! I would love to see what you do if you can show it to me. Please! Comments, as usual, are very welcome.

Thoughts on Education

2010-05-03T20:22:00.004-06:00

Yesterday I finally got myself to get out all of my old "stuff". You know the stuff I'm talking about that us girls like to keep-cards, pictures, articles, event tickets. Well, it wasn't all my stuff because a lot of the stuff is everywhere around the house in little nooks and boxes. But I felt I could handle taking care of this. That means sorting and organizing. A long with that I wanted to weed out 95% of it to make it less stuff. Well, you know what happened. I just couldn't quite do it. I got rid of probably 25% but these people that wrote these notes, etc. were talking about MY life! And from their treasured viewpoints. Well, I just organized it all into envelopes and stuffed all of them back into the filing cabinet from whence they came. But I did get rid of a little. It always takes sooooo long to do this because you have to stop and reread almost everything. That's why I dread it but, as usual, I came across treasured items.

I want to share one of these with you. It was just a little piece of paper that I had cut out from who knows where:

"Herein lies the real value of education. Advanced education may or may not make men and women more efficient; but it enriches personalty, increases the wealth of the mind, and hence brings happiness. It is the finest insurance against old age, against the growth of physical disability and against the lack and loss of animal delights. No matter how many there may be in our family, no matter how many friends we may have, we are in a certain sense forced to lead a lonely life, because we have all the days of our existence to live with ourselves. How essential it is, then, in youth to acquire some intellectual or artistic tastes, in order to furnish the mind, to be able too live inside a mind with attractive and interesting pictures on the walls. Learning is an ornament in prosperity, a refuge in adversity and a provision in old age." -Aristotle

I've had people that have asked me why after so many years I would want to torture myself with going back to school. I look at them wondering why they would be so silly. Yes, it is hard. And, yes, the first time I had a test I said to myself, "WHY AM I DOING THIS?!? I FORGOT HOW HARD IT IS!" But once I kicked myself a few times I settled down to doing something I've always enjoyed-learning. I love to learn. I love to read. I've always loved it. I've always loved the things that go along with it like office supplies-new notebooks, pencils, erasers. I can't imagine falling in love with a Kindle, or something like that, like I would a brand new ever so fragrant book.

I don't care what happens to me (well, yes, I do-I'm just getting carried away here) if I can still read and learn I will be quite satisfied. I have a vivid picture in my mind of my stepfather in the care center. He had macular degeneration so bad that he had to use a magnifying glass to read. But that man, until the day before he died, still was as sharp as a tack.

Now, if you are reading this now you are one lucky person! I can't remember the percentage of illiterate people there are in the world but there are millions. We have been blessed to have this skill. Why are we so lucky? I don't know. Maybe it transfers to the other side someday. That's what we believe in our church. The learning we do now is more than important.

So, I plan to keep learning.

Art History Moment:

Of course it's about the painting at the top of this blog. "Aristotle with a Bust of Homer" by Rembrandt. Rembrandt is such a master at creating mood with lighting. His images are so 3 dimensional and you get the feeling that they have always existed on the painting support. In this painting there aren't many colors but it's not needed to convey the feeling of intelligence and humility. Two extremely brilliant philosophers. In order to be teachable you have to be humble. Aristotle and Homer must have been humble men as they absorbed so much knowledge and wisdom in their lives. It's hard to believe that the quote above was written so many centuries ago because it's as modern as today. Don't you agree? Wow! Just had to add this after I looked at the painting again. It's the perfect triangular composition! Notice how the eye is constantly led around the painting never stopping at one point. Cool.

How to Fix Pastel Mistakes

2010-05-02T13:14:00.001-06:00

I want to talk about giving your eye a rest. I may have brought this up before but I'll touch on it again because I think it's very important. If you don't have a peaceful area in your work then it's going to seem frantic. In this drawing that I did of my daughter and her grandma's dog you can see a barren part where the sidewalk is. It adds to the calmness of the image. Part of the moment in time-casually walking the dog on a toasty summer day with nothing to rush you. That's part of the beauty of grandparents' homes. They're refuges against the storm of everyday life. I hope that's conveyed in this drawing of Gracie and Sophie. So remember to put a little "peace" into your art work.

The other photo has to do with a little tip I got off of another blog. I can't remember which (sorry and drat) but it has to do with pastels. I was reminded of it because whenever I look at this drawing I think of it's sister drawing-the one that is/WAS in pastels. I say "was" because I happily ripped it up and put it in the trash. I'm not an accomplished pastel artist, at all. So, of course, the most important part of the whole drawing was my daughter's face and I smudged it. Blaaaa. It sat in a drawer in my studio for quite a while just waiting for me to discover how to fix it. Here's the tip:

The packing tape that ate Chicago (bought by my husband at his favorite close out warehouse. My son, Charlie, said it will probably last us the rest of our lives and I think he's right. Notice the paper clip? It's there for a reason-other wise you will NEVER find the end again. Never means never.

1. Take a piece of clear packing tape and place it on the drawing where you want to remove the pastel. CAREFULLY let it stick a little-a little is key here- and pull it off. You might have to do it multiple times but don't be a dumb bell like me and scrape it on to make sure the tape is sticking because it will pull up the pastel paper also and then it's ruined. Be patient and do it in stages.

2. Then spray the area with a spray fixative for pastels. Be sure to buy the workable kind. Then you can just rework the pastel on top of it. Now I would test it out before you try it on your very nice drawing that needs fixing. You might hastily do what I did and that way you can spank your hands and start over.

I like the pastel pencils because they seem to have more control to them and, if you remember from my post about mosaics, I'm not into messy art as much as possible. These keep your hands relatively clean.

Yet some more progress on the horses and cats

2010-04-30T20:57:00.001-06:00

This view is a tad askew-tilted a little-sorry.

Just a quick post today. I worked on the horses and wanted you to see what happened. The horse on the left needed some pizazz. So, I lightened some areas and put a burnt sienna glaze on it. Then darkened some of the shadowed areas. Then it seemed harsh. So, I put a beige-mostly white-veil over it and toned down the boldness of it. Mostly the veil went on the lighter areas. A veil is some medium-remember I use Liquin by Winsor Newton- with some color. A glaze uses more of the medium and is more transparent. Veils are so great for pushing your background back and other things that need to recede. I'll tell about that more later.

Then I worked on the little kitty-lovingly as I miss my kitty that looked just like this one. It's a matter of lighten and darken, over and over. The horse on the right was sort of a short forward paint job. I still have more work to go on all of these but thought you'd enjoy seeing it. The veil on the horse on the left gives it more of a dreamy quality and I like that idea because I've already named this painting as my paradise.

Oh, and I decided to show you the progress of my hollyhocks. It's getting there. I will show you the older version as soon as I get a chance. My broccoli cheese pie is done, it's 9:00, and I'm starved.

Mosaic with broken china-new project!

2010-04-29T11:23:00.002-06:00

I am having just toooo much fun now that I'm out of school. I have a spot above my kitchen sink that really could use a little personality. As you can see it's a long narrow strip. So I thought a broken china mosaic would be just the thing. It will be my biggest mosaic project, yet, but I'm up to the task after doing all of the broken china hearts (see earlier posts to view some and also a tutorial). My daughter is a terrific photographer and she took a pic of some flowers that we gave her for graduation quite a while ago. I'm going to use that as my starting point for the composition. Normally, you know what a stickler I am for getting permission, I would get authorization for using another person's photo but I think my daughter is okay with my using this. After all she might end up with the mosaic someday-maybe as I have 4 kids. She has a better chance since it's from her idea.

So, my first step was to measure above the sink and decide how I thought it should look. Artist that I am-I thought, "Oooooh. smaller related mosaics on either side would be so pretty also!" So, I'm going to make the main one a little smaller than I had originally intended.

Above you can see some of the china I needed and the pic. Locating the orange china was really holding me back but I found some-plus some glass plates. I love to mix the china and the glass because the glass gives the work sparkle. Oh, your local thrift store is your best bet. It's so entertaining because you can tell them not to worry about wrapping it carefully. You'll get an odd blank stare that really is funny! I always have mercy and tell them I'm an artist. Then they get it.

This second step I do love so much-even though it's messy and noisy (not a big fan of messes). SMASHING THE CHINA!

Here is where you can take out all your aggression for the week. So, you might want to save this event for when you are really needing it. When I first started doing the hearts I had lots and lots of china to smash. It got old after a while because I wanted to get it done and clean up the mess. I like the paper bag because it seems to be thick enough to do several pieces before you have to get a new one. Don't worry about having the right sizes and shapes because you won't know until you start the design what is needed. You can adjust them later with the tile cutter (that you will definitely need).

There. That's better. Left brain artist that I am I like things to be orderly or I just go nuts. I really like the thick paper plates because you can fish through them for pieces but BE SURE TO WEAR GLOVES when you go fishing. I have gotten some nasty little cuts because, after all, isn't broken glass and china dangerous when it breaks in the kitchen? Yeah. You know it (sorry I fall into the stupid lingo of our household but we have fun!).
Step 3: You can see under the plates the white sheet of paper? That's where I'm going to build my design. Notice I've left a border around it in case pieces fall off. It just gives you something to slide your work around if you need to move it. Now if you were REALLY organized you would have the wood for the finished piece underneath that you could lay the paper on top of and pick that up if you need to. But I don't know if I would go to that trouble yet because, whoever is cutting the wood, might be crabby about helping you and that would further delay your work. Okay. I know. I know. But I have my husband do it because he is sooooo good at cutting wood (notice I keep him thinking that?) and I don't want to go into his domain unless I have to. He has other thoughts about neatness in the work area. He's an electrician and you can well imagine all the stuff he has pulled out all the time on the work bench. That's his job. Anyway, you might change your mind about the size, etc. Good to wait, I think.

So, not we, I mean I am ready to begin. I haven't yet because I'm working on my horse/cat painting at the same time. Oh, I also have the flower painting going. See how smart this is? When I get bored, stuck, mad at one of the projects I can just turn around and do something else. This is so freeing and sometimes you've go to take that break to see things differently.

Art History Moment: Just reflecting on my class I came across some works from the Gothic period of the 1400's. This is that excruciatingly awful time of the Black Death. Yuck. That's why I love art history. You can't study the art without the history along with it. These poor people. They didn't realize that it was their sanitary conditions that brought it on. The rats thrived on it. Even if they didn't have a problem in their particular village-all they had to do was get something off a ship from Asia and take it home to spread the disease. There were lots of rats on the ships. So gloomy, I know. So here we have a print from the 1400's. It's European and I can't tell you the artist (it looks like possibly German? A woodcut or etching?) I learned in my Human Heritage class that along with the plague came the witch burnings. Some anthropologists think they were a scapegoat to take the attention off of tithing and noble excesses. Interesting? Marvin Harris, noted anthropologist, says that the church and the ruling element invented the witch craze to create a new enemy for the suffering-dying from plague, starving, landless-peasants, to focus their wrath on. Incredible. Oh, and it was a good way to keep women under control too. Did you know that the old nursery rhyme, "Ring Around the Rosies", is all about the plague? Apparently one of the signs of the sickness was a ring around an area of the body. The "ashes, ashes...." well, you know what that means. Posies? You got it. Fascinating. I love history.

Friends and horses-alright! Progress on the painting.

2010-04-27T15:02:00.002-06:00

The other Julie. Julie T and Julie E. (maiden names). You know we never have a dull time together and always laugh! That's one of my favorite sports.

Well, I deserved a little break, still. Would you believe that I was all set with my popcorn last night after my final to watch the Masterpiece Classic. Just really enjoying my comfy chair. Started the show and realized that this was part 2. Grrrrr. Oh well. They had a recap of the week before. I'm thinking I will see if I like it. I like it and after about 1/2 hour the screen goes blue and I couldn't even blame anybody except myself! That's always a drag when you want to say, "You guys! Who turned off the recorder in the middle of my recording? You knew I had that going, didn't you. Men!" But you can't because it was dummy you. So, I got my exercise ball and bounced in front of the computer to get rid of my tension while cheering up with an episode of "The Office".

Today I had lunch with one of my childhood friends, Julie. We have known each other ever since before kindergarten. We can't even remember when we met. We went to a good Chinese restaurant-good and cheap-and reminisced about when we had substitute teachers and how we would hoot at each other like owls. Okay. Well, that was so long ago that I can barely see it through the mists of time. I did love junior high. Lots of fun with friends.

On the way home I drove by some horses and because I had my camera with me I took some pics of one of my favorite animals. This bunch were a little feisty and 2 of them were trying to kiss each other It was so fun. I'm always looking for good reference photos and I need one of horses to get the feel for how to paint their hair. That's coming up on my painting. As you can see, I worked on the bushes and the trees in the background.

Just wanted you to show the latest progress. If you want to view how it looked, before, just scroll back a few days and you can compare these pics with the other one.

Notice how I keep it vibrant because of the brilliant under painting that I still allow to show through?

Took my final and now I'm going to relax!

2010-04-26T22:04:00.000-06:00

Would love to post tonight but I just have to have to go make myself a bowl of popcorn and watch a Masterpiece Classic that I taped yesterday. Now, I know I deserve it as I studied so hard. Time for some R & R. Until tomorrow........

911 drawing revisited

2010-04-25T23:19:00.001-06:00

Drawing by me done a few days before 911

Tomorrow is my big final in my class and it's going to be a killer! I just can't wait to get it over with but I sure know a lot about human nature that I never knew before. I worry about losing my testimony of God in all of this because there's a lot of philosophy getting thrown around. Actually I've had some "aha" moments about how wise our Heavenly Father is. I reposted my drawing I did a few days before 911. You've seen my work. You know this is not my style but this strange imagery came out as I was feeling so sorry for the children in Ireland being threatened on their way to school. Funny how that subject dropped when 911 happened within a few days after. Not a word was reported about it.

That was a horrible historical moment for our country but through my faith and insights I have every once in a while-you could call it personal revelation-reflected on the fact that I know that Heavenly Father knows each one of us. I've felt his love so many times. I have been struck by his wisdom as part of the "ahas". It's hard to explain but just, in short, I feel his presence in my life. That's what is important.

For more about the strange story about this drawing if you look back under the category of artist's life-you'll find it. It actually starts with the eerie photo of Charlie, Grace and I in the building that's connected to the beginning to the entrance to the World Trade Center Mall (3 weeks before 911)-that's under personal thoughts. Then there is an entry about the above drawing. It's one of those artistic experiences that you find hard to believe and know that there is definitely something/someone out there.

Horses and Cats--Oh my!

2010-04-24T17:56:00.003-06:00

"Julie's Paradise" - unfinished painting by Me (notice the addition of the poppy leaves-not there before). The stage as of yesterday. I know. I'm getting to the cat (the small blob on the back of the horse)

Good good good. Finally I'm disciplining myself to get back into the studio and work on finishing my painting. Just thought I would show you where I'm at now. In the future-talking to all of you-if I want to do a painting surrounded by poppies will you please remind me how I could hardly force myself to do this one? Oh, no! Just as I had that thought I envisioned one surrounded by another kind of flower. Doomed. I'm doomed. Oh, well. It's a nice kind of doomed.

*Picture directly below was the stage of painting before yesterday's concentrated effort. The next 3 are from yesterday and, even if I do say myself, I quite love the way the poppies are turning out (notice how I say that NOW after I have worked hours and complained constantly about them?). You know, I don't know how I ever made them work out. It must be that angel that's got my back.

The other part of this post is the DESTRUCTION of my painting!!! Ha ha ha ha ha (maniacal laughter). I told you before-many pages back, that it was okay to throw away a painting when it's not going to work no matter what. Then I related a little while later how I almost got my husband to take a chain saw to another-thank goodness he wasn't in the mood to do it at that crazy time. Back to this one. In another post I showed this one and said that I was going to work on it and show you the progress-the post about sometimes you have to ruin a painting to make it work. Well, I just plain old DON'T CARE ANY MORE about this one. I made a print of it when it was at a very good point. I have a record of it. I wish I had done that with another painting I did of a blue house in the avenues (calling all garbage men: anyone have that one?). So...to make sure I don't change my mind this time I cut it with my scissors

and it went into the waste basket last night (sound of hands spanking each other). What a relief that was!

Grant Clawson: Utah Artist

2010-04-23T22:34:00.010-06:00

Well, I had more stuff to put on here today but for some reason my camera won't load onto the computer and Charlie, my son, isn't here to figure it out for me. Drat. Must wait until tomorrow but this is the main thing I wanted to post. Grant Clawson is my neighbor and we are so fortunate to be able to see his work all the time. Whenever he finishes a major work he invites our neighborhood to come to his studio and enjoy it. He sets up chairs in front of the painting and answers everyone's questions. We also get to see all his other great work. He and his wife, Irma, are very hospitable. They make everyone feel at home. Some of the paintings are so large that he has to have a 2 story high ceiling to accommodate them.

I wanted to put a link on here but realized that because this is for a periodical it will change. So here is the article in it's entirety. I know it's long but I couldn't cut out any of it. It's worth a read. Grant has had some very bad health and Irma was hit by a car. They are an amazing couple. Just love them!

Portrait of President Monson by Grant Clawson and the artist on the right

Portrait of an artist: Grant Romney Clawson
By Trent Toone
Mormon Times
Published: 2010-04-22 00:18:08
MURRAY, Utah -- Grant Romney Clawson is the most famous Mormon artist no one has ever heard of.
For the past 42 years, his brush has created hundreds of precious paintings depicting the Lord Jesus Christ, the prophets, scriptural scenes and other gospel artwork. His works hang in LDS temples and church-owned buildings around the globe.
"I am like a guy who is famous in a way because my paintings are all over the world, but no one knows my name," said Clawson, a self-described perfectionist. "I believe I was born to do this. I feel like the most blessed guy who ever lived. What a privilege to paint portraits for the prophets. It's beyond my imagination. I thank my Heavenly Father every day."
LDS artist Grant Romney Clawson poses with his recently completed portrait of President Thomas S. Monson. The painting will hang with the other presidents' portraits in the Salt Lake Temple. Photo: Trent Toone, Deseret News
Sitting in his home studio on his favorite 50-something-year-old wooden dining chair (one leg held together by a pair of C-clamps), the longtime freelance artist for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recently completed his portrait of LDS Church President Thomas S. Monson. He devoted approximately 325 hours to perfecting the prophet's likeness on canvas.
The painting will hang in the council room of the Salt Lake Temple next to its 14 predecessors, all but one painted by the 82-year-old Clawson.
"Brigham Young was already there," said Clawson, who is President Young's great-grandson.
Not too bad for a guy who taught himself to paint.
Clawson was first interested in art at a young age, but almost gave up when a fifth-grade school teacher accused him of tracing an assignment he had worked on at home.
"I was very distraught," Clawson said. "I wanted to be recognized as an artist at school."
The heartbroken lad was sitting outside the school reflecting on what had happened when he had a spiritual experience. He said his mind was opened to see a day in the future when he would paint for the temples of the Lord. "From that day forward, I knew what I was supposed to do," Clawson said.
Years later, after serving in the army as a cook in Korea, Clawson had a 16-year stint with KSL-TV. He started as a floor manager and worked up to production manager. He takes credit for discovering Dick Nourse, KSL's longtime award-winning television news anchorman.
Clawson, who has been painting portraits of LDS presidents for decades, poses for a portrait in his Murray, Utah, home. Photo: Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
"My brother was my boss. I told him, you need to see this guy," Clawson said of Nourse.
But Clawson's heart wasn't in television; it was in art.
In 1957, he began painting on the side and entered as many art contests as he could find. The more he painted, the less interest he had in a television career.
One day he was walking through the Salt Lake Temple and saw a 1964 Harry Anderson painting of the Lord Jesus Christ ordaining the apostles. He describes the experience as "an awakening."
In the late 1960s, through a series of events, Clawson was given the opportunity by Elder Mark E. Petersen to paint an enlarged version of Harry Anderson's "John the Baptist Baptizing Jesus." After months of work, it was accepted, and Clawson was commissioned to produce several more enlarged paintings, which now hang along the wall at the North Visitors Center at Temple Square.
The paintings are admired by people from around the globe, like Yair Koshet, a recent Temple Square visitor from the Middle East.
"They are very beautiful," Koshet said. "It's a wonderful idea to tell the story with vivid images. Having lived there, the landscape and scenery is also very accurate."
Clawson also painted the 66-by-14-foot mural titled "Go Ye Therefore" that resides in the lobby of the Church Office Building.
If you look closely at his paintings, you will find the faces of Clawson's family members. Take the face of a sibling, son or daughter, add a beard, long hair and ancient clothing, and you have another subject in a scriptural depiction.
"Jesus at 12 in the Temple," by Clawson, hangs in temples around the world. Photo: Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
"It's the greatest compliment to be in one of his paintings," said Megan Clawson Doezie, Clawson's youngest daughter and art agent. "He has a way of making everyone feel important. It's fun to go to the visitors center and see the faces in the paintings."
While Clawson has produced several original paintings, both religious and nonreligious, much of his church-commissioned work has involved painting enlarged murals of Anderson's smaller originals. Each time, Clawson added his personal touch to small details.
When Anderson saw the size of the mega-canvas in the Church Office Building, he said if he ever had to paint something that big, he would faint.
"He was just trying to make me feel good," Clawson said. "He was a master artist. I learned a great deal from him. He has been a big part of my life."
Clawson has drawn inspiration through the years from daily reading in his Book of Mormon. The influence of the Holy Ghost has also played a role in his numerous paintings.
"I have only missed about 20 days (reading) in more than 20 years," he said.
His other daily chore is to record his hours, details and thoughts in his spiral-bound journal. He has filled 38 such volumes since 1968.
Clawson and his wife, Irma, are the parents of six children, 12 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. They are all big fans of grandpa, but so far no artists have emerged to take up the brush. They have, however, already started to stake their claims on his artwork.
"Rather than watch the family tear each other apart after he is deceased, they say, 'You want it, take it,'" Doezie said.
In addition to LDS art, Clawson has also painted for the western art market. He has even done portraits of some of his grandchildren. For more on Clawson's art, visit grantromneyclawson.com.
Clawson doesn't know how many more projects he will do for the church, but he has enjoyed associating with church leaders and seeing others enjoy his many pieces of artwork over the years. He credits his wife, family and friends for their support.
Perhaps now people will know his name. http://grantromneyclawson.com/
________________________________________

Just couldn't resist this funny comparison

2010-04-22T09:36:00.001-06:00

What do you think? Cliff looks the same in both pics-don't you think? Ha ha! I just noticed this again today and had to post it!

Just so you can see-he was a very happy baby. He just never has liked being awakened and funny how he'd get that same expression as an adult. I'm sure he didn't just wake up in this photo. Oh Cliffy! Funny guy. He's our oldest and will be 32 next month and a daddy for the first time!

Liking/loving what is best in yourself = confidence!

2010-04-20T21:49:00.002-06:00

Julie Jacobsen - My work - too lazy and busy to sign it tonight. I'll fix it later. I need to study!

First I want to start with some dandy advice from a great actress, Rita Moreno. Now, for all of you young kids-Rita was in "West Side Story". She was not the female star-that role went to Natalie Wood. But she is a huge star to me. I'm going to lay it on you right now. This is her advice for aspiring starts: Quite your whining, "don't complain. Get so good at what you do in life that they'll beg you for your services." She said that on a Thursday as she received a Walk of Fame Star on Hollywood Boulevard. Wow. Just soak that in everyone. These are pearls of wisdom and I need to heed it time and time again. In other words-don't let the trials in life keep YOU from achieving what is meaningful to you. Got it? I hope so. Will you remind me of it someday if I get whiny? Thanks. Now that's a good friend.

That's why I like my drawing above. Yes, it's another drawing I did in church when I was supposed to be listening and I was. But I hope you can sense that at the time I drew that I was quite satisfied and happy in life. I still am. Remember what I said in a post a long ways back that our sketches really tell how we are feeling about the world? This one reflects how much I love being a mom. But I'm not just any mom and I think you can see that also.

"Country Road Cottage" - LeConte Stewart

Art History Moment: I want to talk to you about a very famous Utah artist (speaking of keeping it fresh!), LaConte Stewart. I went to an exhibit of his-he's long since passed away-where they had searched to find as much of his work as they could. It was held at the Church of Jesus Christ , Latter Day Saints (us Mormons) Museum in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah. Talk about inspirational. I wanted to go home and whip out any old cardboard box and get to work wherever I was (really...don't do that. Remember our little talk about using the best art supplies that you can afford....think lasting quality...got it?). Some of the paintings in the exhibit were just that-painted on pieces of cardboard. They are all about freshness and just going for it. I hope you can feel that from the sample I have displayed here. I wish you could have seen these paintings in person. In the painting, like the example above, you could just feel the heat rising from the road. Truly wonderful!

Zombies by Josh Pincus

2010-04-19T22:56:00.002-06:00

Okay, you guys. Just when you think I'm obsessed with zombies I have to explain that another blogger named Josh Pincus commented that he really had zombies to show the world. So, I took a look and it was very fun to see and read about. So one more time....let's hear it for the zombies! This time Josh Pincus style.

A zombie is a reanimated human corpse. Stories of zombies originated in the Afro-Caribbean spiritual belief system of Vodou.
One origin of the word “zombie” is “jumbie”, the West Indian term for “ghost”. Another is “nzambi”, the Kongo word meaning “spirit of a dead person.” According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the origin is from the Louisiana Creole or Haitian Creole “zonbi”, and is derived from Bantu. A zonbiis a person who is believed to have died and been brought back to life without speech or free will. It is similar to the Kimbundu nzúmbe ghost.
But, zombies were brought into popular culture by director George A. Romero in his shoestring budget film “Night of the Living Dead”. Originally conceived as an allegory for the dire times of late-1960s society, “Night of the Living Dead” emerged as a cult classic. A film historian described it as “subversive on many levels”. Although it is not the first zombie film, “Night of the Living Dead” is the forefather of the contemporary “zombie apocalypse” genre of horror film, and it became original model of all zombie films that followed.
Filming took place between June and December 1967. Props and special effects were fairly simple and limited by the budget. The blood, for example, was Bosco Chocolate Syrup drizzled over cast members’ bodies. Roasted ham was used for consumed flesh. Costumes were purchased at second-hand clothing shops, and mortician’s wax served as zombie makeup.
Romero produced the film for $114,000, and after a decade of cinematic re-releases, it grossed some $12 million domestically and $30 million internationally. On its release in 1968, “Night of the Living Dead” was strongly criticized for its explicit content. In 1999, the Library of Congress included it in the National Film Registry as a film deemed “historically, culturally or aesthetically important”.
And in the course of the entire 96 minutes that the movie runs, the word “zombie” is never spoken.

Here's a link to Josh's Blog - Josh Pincus is Crying

Monday Art Day - Ancient Civilization

2010-04-19T00:28:00.001-06:00

I know. I know. This doesn't look like an ancient civilization with all these teenagers at Halloween but I really stretched the theme. We can do that on Monday Art Day and that's part of the reason I think it's too much fun! Okay, so here's the deal. Who do you think was the only dummy to dress as an Egyptian princess, Hatsepshut, in October for Halloween in Salt Lake City, Utah? Yeah. Me. Okay, I found that out. I almost froze to death and stayed out the whole night. It was so long ago that I don't even remember if I got sick. Dare I say it? Okay, I will-1965! Gag, gag, choke, choke. Don't get out your abacus (oh, horrors! I admitted that I know what an abacus is! I should have said calculator...fiddlesticks) and figure out my age. It doesn't matter. I'm still a fun person even though I'm....now stop it! I'm saying that to myself-not you. I have to go to bed before I start telling all my secrets (well, they aren't that interesting-so don't feel bad that I didn't tell and there aren't that many either).

So, I did this in stages so you could see the process:

Oh cool! Sharpies sharpies sharpies!

2010-04-17T23:24:00.003-06:00

Well, I always have said for years that if I listen to my kids I will find out about great new ideas. Case in point: When my son, Cliff, was about 12ish I finally listened to him about leather Keds/sports shoes. He kept telling me that they are better than canvas for several years. I wouldn't listen to him. I thought leather would be the worst for kid's shoes. At last I gave in and found out that the leather is the best and canvas shoes are a dud. Tonight I looked at my daughter, Gracie's, blogs that she has joined and noticed http://www.sharpieuncapped.com/default.aspx. Wow oh wow. It is too much fun. Now I want to buy all the sharpies they have. Have all of you looked at the variety of Sharpies these days? I had no idea that they have oil based ones. On the Sharpieuncapped blog I saw a CAR that someone had drawn designs all over the place with a black, you guessed it, Sharpie. Too cool for words. Now I should know that Gracie would be a genius about this as she works for an online office supply company called shoplet.com. She knows her company's products and then some. I say "then some" because she spends all day looking at blogs to try to find out original ways to use the products that her company sells. I think you'd find her office blog, http://blog.shoplet.com/, very interesting and it isn't just because my daughter writes it.

You should check it out. One of the things I really like about it is that she presents services and great ideas that people do-like the guy that wraps gifts in a very creative way. I always like it when someone goes out of their way to support others. I mean, we can all use a helping hand every once in a while, right?

Whew! I finished the baby quilt and pillow and now can get back to some art work-although I have a final next week in my class and if it's like the last test it will be a humdinger-must get studying.....blaaaaaaaa.

Quick Paintings/Keeping it Fresh

2010-04-15T21:37:00.003-06:00

Holiday Park, Utah - acrylics

It's late. I've had a hard day substitute teaching, computer class, no lesson plans, etc., etc., whine, whine, whine. I decided I'd show you some FRESH paintings that I have done (since I don't feel very fresh right now).

Every once in a while I just prep quite a few canvases with a general under painting of a red violet, diazonine purple and cadmium red light. I don't mix them together. I just put blobs on my glass palette and then blob the colors on haphazardly and quickly on the canvas. I let it be thick or whatever. It's just quick. Then I dry it thoroughly.

("Blue House/Gardner's Village - acrylics)

After that I get a photo that I HAVE TAKEN and paint quickly. It's a great way to force yourself to just see the contrasts of colors, values (lights and darks) and composition. I just go for it and let things fall however they do. Because I've practiced so much with these artistic elements I kind of know what I'm doing.

So, I can zero in, quite quickly, to the essential elements-get them in simply. I've managed to come up with quite a few jewels.

I do have some that aren't my favorite but they often turn out to be a find for someone else. I've sold a lot of these. Because I don't have to spend a ton of time on them I can price them very reasonably.

("Gully/Hogle Zoo, Utah" - acrylics)

I just thought you'd enjoy seeing a few.

("Park City, Utah, Houses" - acrylics)