the funniest sayings....

 Blogs are like sharks, they have to keep moving or they die!

Since I have no photos of sharks I had to resort to finding some copywright free ones on the internet.  I think it's interesting that the two that appealed to me the most were tattoos.  Hmmm... No. not for me. definitely don't like needles.

I can't remember where I heard this but I really found it funny and somewhat true so thought I would share.  And, yes, I have been feeling like mine is getting quite repetitive and dull.  I need some Art imersion inspiration and soon!

How do you choose?

My favourite thing to bring home from a vacation is a piece of art; a print or photo or a piece of pottery or glass... (And yes... a handful of rocks). I will still likely do that but now that I have my own collection of photos ~ I can display my own art. So how do you choose from such a large selection?

I think it might not always be the best technical photograph or the most awe inspiring but the ones that bring forth a memory of a place or person that I want to see every day.

When sweetie and I went to Hawaii in 2008 (I can't believe it was that long ago) I took over 1300 pictures. Some were very obviously not contenders for display, but many captured  some wonderful memories. This one in particular takes me back to the day we spent trekking through the most amazing botanical garden.  I managed to fill both of my 4GB camera cards that day.  It was sweltering hot, but once we reached the base of the garden, I realized we were deep in the midst of a real rainforest.  It was the most humid place I have ever been.  The sweat just dripped off us. It was also one of the most beautiful sites I have ever seen. The flowers were literally dripping from the trees and for a West Coast gardener, it was Eden.   If you are ever on the Big Island of Hawaii, you really must make time to see it.

Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden

Without fail every morning of our Hawaiian vacation we would grab a coffee at the Starbucks in King's Shops at Waikoloa then head out for our day of exploration. In front of the Starbucks was this gorgeous koi pond.  I took many pictures of the koi and this picture just takes me right back there. I can smell the kona coffee now.

Kings Shops at Waikoloa

This picture was also taken at the botanical garden.  I love the perspective and the pop art rendering of it.  The original photo is okay too!

This is one of my favorite photos of the entire 1300 or so from that trip.    I had put the camera down on the glass table top on our lanai and pushed the button.  This is what was captured.  I love it. 

And the view .... there I am again... drinking a glass of wine... watching the sun set in Hawaii.

Painted garbage cans! What's next?

Yesterday Gladys and I painted a garbage can.   Now I know that sounds odd but I have to tell you it was the most fun I've had in ages.  It's a gift for her son who undoubtedly has a great sense of humour.   She got this idea from a set of pasta bowls that she is giving him, and from the fact that his family is so large they need a full size garbage can in their kitchen. Hard to imagine isn’t it!

The first picture really makes me smile because Gladys is the only one there with a head. (And NO she isn't standing in the can).   For quite a while the fat chef’s were all headless. It was most disconcerting. Once they got heads it even got weirder because none had faces yet. We decided to finish the faces with sharpie pens so the paint has to be really set for that step. I can hardly wait!  Our base coat was Krylon paint for plastic and it was fantastic coverage.   http://www.krylon.com/products/

I love that I remembered my camera for this event, and  I love even more that I can record it in a blog. Now I will have this day forever. Yay!

The more art blogs I read the more I am beginning to realize it isn’t just about the photos or the art that is being produced. It’s about the process and the recording of time going by (so very very quickly).   We are all making a visualtrack of our lives.  Am I allowed to makeup words here?  

Well, Yes I am.    This is my blog.

Here a brief look at our progress ~ with one bonus picture of the cutest (and he knows it) dog in the world.
Fat Chef Weekend pic's slideshow

Popping Pop Art

Sometimes a picture just screams out at me, it is just begging to be saturated with color. I’m not sure what this plant is, a lovely ground cover of some kind I bought a few years ago. Every fall it is covered with these ruby slipper red berries and then the leaves start to turn the most delightful mix of green, yellow and orange and purple.

When I took the picture I had no idea there was blue in the background because the berries were hogging all the attention  :)  Some plants are like that, they just have to be the center of the universe.

Sweetie bought me some Mums at the Heritage Fair this morning.  I think this one looks like fire in color, and in black and white I wonder if you couldn't see the shape of a flower... would you know what it was?

the pull of the Moon

This photo manipulation may be a little pedestrian but I love the look of it. What is a blue moon? 

Can you believe Man actually walked up there over 40 years ago.  Where will mankind be in another 40 years?  I certainly hope I am around to see.

Poetry in Motion?

Last Christmas I bought my niece a magnetic poetry kit. She had seen a box I had for myself that I had never opened. My problem with the kit was I had no where to compose my poetry. So when I got her one, I realized that she would have the same problem. The solution... I bought a pre-cut 14" MDF circle from Home Depot and painted it with Metal paint (not paint for metal... paint that contains metal). On top of the metal paint I put a couple of coats of chalkboard paint. While I was doing this project I decided to give the same treatment to an art canvas I had hanging around.

Now we both have a movable surface to compose poetry with our kits, and if we get really inspired we can illustrate them with chalk. You would be surprised how fast time can go by when you are looking at a bunch of words that can be strung together to make movable art!

Anyone can do this.... check it out here.  Happy composing

http://www.magneticpoetry.com/

Art Therapy - Everyones cup of tea?

I have only read one blog, it was Oprah's 21day cleansing diet and it's sad fact that before I do anything I usually buy 10 books about how to... How out of character to jump into a blog ~ but I just clicked a couple of buttons and ta da! ... here I am and I have no idea what I am doing.

What I like to think is that there are lots of people like myself looking for a way to express themselves through Art.  We just haven't found our medium yet.  You know the type (you may BE the type ) ~ I've seen you in my drawing, stained glass, ceramics, bonsai, landscaping, water color painting, pen and ink classes ..... you get the picture don't you.

My good friend Glady's and I like to call it Art Therapy (note the capital A & T). My latest endeavour is photography and picture manipulation, and NO I haven't taken a class yet...
There are tons of free programs out there for amateur photog. Can anyone recommend one that might stand out from the crowd?

And what are you doing for your version of Art Therapy?

And yes, Gladys I did update the pictures here after you made your comment.  I have an almost neurotic need to edit this blog.  And the tree really looks more sinister in black and white doesn't it.