Artistic Lie-sense

as in - if you lie down for a while, things tend to make a little more sense.
Am currently vacationing at Seashore Campsites in Cape May, NJ.

You've probably noticed that posting has become almost none existent. That's mostly because I've been spending more time in the studio and also because the initial purpose of this blog has been satisfied. I do hope that you'll peruse the Artists (links) in the right hand column. It will give you just a small idea of how pervasive these genres are. And I would encourage you to Google any Artists that have a broken link. For all the people listed, I have at least as many more that I've never posted about and discovering all this varied art work has been a tremendous inspiration and validation for me.

Labor Day Lite

Happy Holiday.

I've always had a soft spot for doing a painting on a holiday. There's something quite special about the combination of holiday feelings mixed with the anticipation/inspiration of making a new work.

The words say "What u gonna do" and the pieces of collage are quite personal. That red piece on the right is close to 30 years old and each of the others have their own special story.

I'm sure this will get one more layer of effort, (there's at least 7 so far) but for the moment I'm thoroughly enjoying the results.

600 Blog Posts

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Moron  2007

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Hard to believe we've passed the 600 mark in posting. It's been a fantastic journey. A special thanks to all my Followers and those who have me in a Reader and special thanks for those who list my site on their Blogs.
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My Blog is long over due for a make-over and lately I've been researching to do just that.
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Way back when, I wondered if there were other artists who used dots or writing in their paintings (silly me) and the answer, of course is an on-going, resounding yes. There are close to 600 more artists in my Favorites files waiting to be posted and it's become obvious that these are pervasive genres.

Encountering new artists and their oeuvres is always inspiring, challenging and reaffirming, but I'm starting to wonder if I should continue to post about them the way I do; wondering if I should take a new direction besides just spiffing up the blog and making it work better. Even wondering if it's time to retire the Blog.
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Your thoughts and comments would be appreciated.




If you haven't (lately) browsed through some or all of the Artists in the far right column, please avail yourself - it's a wonderful research tool.
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Happy Ha Ha Ho Ho

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Oh what fun it is to search for and then find wonderful, inexpensive surprises to give as gifts for Christmas.  What makes it even more funner is to wrap them in newspaper rather than store-bought gift wrap. It makes each gift even more personal, thought-out and interesting. They're always a conversation booster and bring an extra laugh to an already festive occasion.
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The top gift has a picture of an x-ray of an astronaut's suit. I inserted the rest of the article about that Exhibition into the wrap so he can read the whole thing if he's interested - it was a good read . . . .
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Wrapping-up Christmas

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Here's a short, funny Christmas story for you;
When I was in my teens it was all about gourmet this and genuine that and I was enthralled with the life of high society and everything hoiti-toiti. And my very special Christmas presents had to be fitfully wrapped; everything was very high class. Fast forward 40 years and now I try to get gifts that are fun and are Christmas-morning-memorable for under $20; which makes the shopping fun for me. I then wrap these treasures in newspaper, choosing pics(ads) that bring a smile or contain a sly joke and then simply write their name and apply a bow.

(Click pic to enlarge)

The gift in the front that says LIFE, is for Carol, my brother's wife and in the bottom right corner is a picture of a many layered cake. I wrapped it so the other section of the paper with the recipe is on the back and easily saved. Instead of the usual "oh isn't that pretty" about the gift wrap, the conversations go in other fun directions. So once I hand them their gifts and they have a little chuckle, it's rip & tear time with no compunction.
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Blooming Sansevieria

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Snake Plant, Sword Plant and Mother-In-Law's Tongue are all common monikers for the Sansevieria but few people know it blooms; much less smell like an Easter Flower.

(The flower stalk is just left of center - click images to enlarge.)

I was going through many of my photo albums this evening, looking for images of recent paintings that I could exhibit and came across these pictures of my sword plant. Deciding it would make for an interesting addition to the landscaping, I planted it outside for the summer. Later that summer a closer look revealed that it was blooming. The buds remind you of little bananas and there are small droplets of sap or nectar on the stems. When the blossoms pop open they look like tiny fireworks and have the loveliest smell. Each of the Easter Flowers that we love have a distinct and sweet smell and this is just one more. It soon starts fading though and you catch yourself burying your nose in the blooms for any last whiff of that intoxicating perfume.

This hardy little plant-that-could will sometimes take such abuse and just keep on going. It can go unwatered and in bad lighting and hold it's own. It's striking presence fits any decor and to see one bloom is quite a treat.

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Sonic Poof

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Have you ever wondered what a sonic boom looks like ? Probably not. Well, this is what one looks like - it's actually a physical event.

The image is from evil live and the caption reads quote A U.S. Navy sonar technician Roald Dejarnett captured an Air Force F-22 Raptor executes a supersonic flyby over the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74).
pic: Navy News unquote.

This is a meaningful picture for me because I worked for a furniture moving contractor for Lockheed Martin in Marietta, GA a while back. Our work took us to almost every building in the plant. I've got more stories than you've got time to listen. What an experience it was to help with the set up, and then watch the big presentation and roll out of the F-22.

You'll find another great image of a different plane/different angle Here.
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The Party's Over

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That's the song I tend to sing when we come to the end of our vacation each year, to the great annoyance of everyone. Today is our last full day at the campsite and for our last supper, we'll be having pizza and french fries on a deck overlooking our favorite beach. We'll then enjoy one last swim in the ocean as the sun goes down.

We made a cool sand castle with a concave courtyard one day. Another day, a huge four foot tall clown face staring into space, which we watched deteriorate as the incoming tide began to consume it.

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Wednesday I had the pleasure of taking my niece to the Philadelphia Museum of Art; a much delayed birthday present.

She was pretty much in awe, but finally loosened up, once we got to the contemporary galleries. I wanted to take a pic of her jumping, so we could send it to the Jumping In Art Museums Blog. Her ankle was still sore so this is what we came up with.
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Tomorrow we'll pack up and head for a campsite in Elizabethtown, PA. Then Saturday we'll make the final push to go back home. It's been a wonderful two weeks of being on vacation.

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Regular posting will resume next week.

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Getting There

can really be fun . . . . .

This is my youngest brother and his family.

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Took A Little Trip

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to my hometown of Williamsport, Pa for a couple days. A change of scenery is always good for the mind; stale ideas are suddenly seen as such and new ideas start to take their place.

When I started this blog, it was to share the findings from my searches for artists who incorporated dots or writing into their paintings. In a way it almost seems boring now; like I'm still trying to make the same point in every post. I thoroughly enjoy the search for and discovery of these artists and their work, but feel that my presentation is becoming stale - at least to me. So I hope you'll bear with me as I get my wits together.

In the mean time, Thanks for your patronage and please help yourself to the Artist's Links in the far right column.

Image is from tryharder.

Name That Plant

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This is a pretty unusual plant that I've had for some years now. The leaves are so thick, they remind you of beaver tails. The leaf in the pic on the left is roughly 8" long and 4 and a half inches wide. My plant has bloomed three times now and it takes at least 4 or 5 months from the time the buds first appear, until they open. The buds remind you of jingle bells and when they finally do open, (and this is the widest they open) the flower falls off in the next day or two. Each of the four petals is very fleshy and thick; much thicker than the leaves. There were three buds; the first flower took over 4 months to open and it may be another month till the others open.

Can't remember where I got it and several times I've tried to search the Internet to no avail. The leaves make me wonder if it's a succulent and the buds are so slow to open; could it be in the orchid family ?

If you know what this plant is please leave a comment. And it'd be interesting to know why the flowers fall off so quickly after having taken months and months to open.

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OK !

Now I'm "feelin it" and am ready for bed. Yee Haw !

Yup, I can live with this now.

I really don't know what I'm doing with this html thing. So far the changes have taken and nothings blown up or disappeared. I'm happy with the look, so it's time to move on and get to bed before 3 in the morning.

There's a very long version of how I worked in this furniture warehouse down in Georgia. It was an absolute mess - the kind of mess where you need to take "before" pics. Anyway, I transformed the place into an actual functioning, clean, organized warehouse - no mean feat !!! And here I am standing in the very last section that needed attention.

This is the kind of feeling I have right now - of accomplishing something against all odds. Perseverance is a really cool thing.

Best Vacation

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There are vacations and there are really good vacations. This year we had a really good vacation. It's amazing how the smallest things can make a difference. From beginning to end we had a great time.


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But now it's time to get back in the saddle and paint and post. . . .

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Disapperaing Flamingos

Had a great 5 day mini vacation in my hometown of Williamsport, PA to celebrate my birthday. As the days went by I realized just how crucial it is for me, personally, to get away now and then. Some people can handle the same routines. I'm one of those who need to get away and see things from a distance; someone who needs change.

If you take Rt 15 south through Williamsport and cross the new Market St Bridge and head thru South Williamsport, there's a very sharp left turn before you come to McDonalds. This house with the group of flamingos in the front yard and a large wooden one by the door (disguising the mailbox), is to your right, on that corner. Having passed it several times, it seemed foolish not to take a pic. So sure enough one afternoon I stopped, put on the flashers and got out and snapped a few. Admittedly these aren't all that creative, so the thought was to go back and try again. The next day I headed in that direction and couldn't believe my eyes. They were all gone. The mind started racing - surely my little visit and photo session had nothing to do with their disappearance. . . . . Maybe they're going to mow the grass . . . . .

At any rate, it was a strange sensation and quite fortuitous to have taken the pics when I did. And really ! How often is it that you spot a flock of 28 Flamingos ?

click pics for larger view

Birthdays Back Atcha

Well, I ain't a teenager no more and I certainly don't set the timer on the camera and take a pose. But I am looking forward to celebrating another birthday come 4/10/08. Taking a couple of days off - not sure if it'll be two or three or the whole weekend.

But either way - I'm outta here !!!

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ThisRenault 17 is probably the most favorite of all the 12 vehicles I've owned in my life.

1st car - Renault 16

Swerved to miss a car on a rain slick road and ended up spinning around and going down a hill backwards and across 3 lanes to hit the curb at the bottom and break my axel. Got that fixed and enjoyed it muchly. On the way back from one of several trips to Florida it died in SC and I thumbed home and later friends towed it home. The carburetor was busted and it sat in the garage. Came home one day, and with a big smile my mom took me out to the garage and told me to crank it up; she had glued the carburetor back together. It actually worked.

#2 - Triumph Harold

Every time we made a sharp left turn I'd have to grab onto my girlfriend so she wouldn't fly out cause her door didn't latch. That was always good for a laugh.

#3 - VW Sunbug Convertible

The only new car I ever owned. Took a two week vacation and drove it out to California and back. Saw the prairies, Bad Lands, Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, Reno, Las Vegas, San Fran, Redwood forest, swam in the Pacific, Los Angeles, Grand Canyon, St Louis and a bunch of states too numerous to mention.

#4 - Peugeot

When I moved to PA to manager store, also got a mobile home and remodeled it - one night it dawned on me that I had too many bills. So I traded my VW Sunbug in at a used car lot for the Peugeot and some cash. L O V E D it. But then I rolled the thing and totaled it.

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Yup ! That's the windshield in the passenger seat.

#5 - Renault 17

I was stylin in this thing. Took a four day weekend and drove up to Niagara Falls, up through Canada and then down through Sou St Marie. But then on the way back from a tennis game with my buddy, one night, we crashed. Wasn't all that bad, but enough to total it. All tree accidents were with the same insurance company. But 3 was enough and they canceled me.

I think that was my favorite. It's a toss up between it, the Sunbug and the Peugeot.

#6 - Ford Fairlane (older)

My first American car. I used this for a while and it got me to Georgia and eventually just died.

#7 - green Dodge Pickup

Pretty cool till my friend and I did a tune up on it, put the plug wires back wrong and bent 6 push rods.

#8 - used VW

Got me around for a while. Kinda fun.

#9 - some big old used car - don't remember the brand. Just remember thinking I could work on it and fix it. NOT

#10 - Toyota Tercel - small tin can

#11 - Honda Accord - very nice, served me well

#12 - Ford Escort, 4 dr hatchback.

All stick shifts but two, only one new car, only 3 American made - ain't it great ?

Christmas Again

We had this fantastic ice storm; actually, that's not the best way to describe it. There was lots of wet, clingy snow and then rain and then freezing temperatures - repeat several times and then the sun comes out the next day and it's all sparkly and spectacular. The common complaint that could be heard everywhere is that the pictures people took just did not convey the beauty we were seeing and surrounded by. Every branch, trig or anything that ice could form on - it did. And it's been that way for a couple of days. Everything just sparkles in the sunlight.

Visiting Gallery Joe

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The really great thing about digital photography is that you can have pics without ever printing or paying for printing AND you can also delete, delete, delete. But the bad thing is that we're never organized from the start, and so a year or two later things are pretty much lost and need to be found. So the last hour was spent going through some picture Cd's that I had burned over the years that overlap here and there and are a total mess. BUT, they are correctly labeled now and I was able to find a wonderful picture that brings back fond memories.

It's been long enough now that I don't remember when, but Dale and I went to see all the art galleries in Old City, Philadelphia, PA. What a cool experience. So there's Gallery Joe across the street. we walk over and go into this tiny establishment that specializes in drawing. There's a small front gallery and then we walked 'round into what used to be an old vault and there were three watercolor panel just hanging there. As we stood in that small, quiet room and looked at the monochrome scene before us, we were transported out into the cold silent woods. You could almost hear the snow falling and maybe a Chickadee nearby. Talk about your virtual experiences . . .

You can visit Gallery Joe online. (Looks like they spiffed up the vault.)
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Inside My Tent

Well,

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this kinda made my day. Was looking for a better photo of myself for the blog and went through a lot of pics that I hadn't looked at for months and years. Think I was around 30 in this pic. It was about a year after moving to Marietta, GA.
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AHhhh the memories.
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If There's

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a painting with writing or graffiti or cursive in it - I'm there. . .

So there we were in Old City, Philadelphia - overcast, kinda drizzly (my kind of day). We had seen almost every single gallery in that area and were nigh unto sensory overload. We came out of Snyderman-Works Gallery and thought we were done and about to head back to the bus and supper and home - when someone spied the most unusual thing up under a tree a couple doors down. Awww, another gallery. But how unique and different and cool. It drew us all in, just like a magical story. The Bahdeebahdu Gallery is magical. This picture doesn't give you a clue and words cannot describe the wonderful time we had there. What a perfect end to our day. You must check out this hilarious, wonderful, fantastic Gallery that is different from anything you've seen.
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