A hint of this, a touch of that

Purple coneflower with bee

"Summer's lease
hath all too short a date."
~ William Shakespeare

There has been a hint of fall in the air in Wisconsin all summer, with temperatures mostly in the 70s - ideal for me, but the cause of much complaining among most Wisconsinites. In Wisconsin our weather and sports are always the biggest news items, and are discussed and reported as if they were cosmic events. People who sit in air-conditioned comfort all day complain that it is not hot enough outside. Personally, I'm grateful for the opportunity to have open windows and comfortably cool evenings, perfect for sleep.

News of the record-setting heat in the Pacific Northwest, the torrential rains in the eastern states and provinces, our strange summer, and unusual weather patterns the world over fall on deaf ears to most people I encounter in my little part of the world. Since we often have cooler weather than "normal" here in the Great Lakes region, I hear comments daily about how global warming is a left-wing myth.

Personally, I think we should get away from the scientific term "global warming" and let a marketing guru name this world crisis of climate change. Something that really brings across the human factor in the problem - and the solution. How about "3C2M" - for "cataclysmic man-made climate change."

OK, maybe not.

I've been neglecting my other blog, A note from your Mother *, lately. It focuses on environmental issues. If I had the time and inclination, I could post something every day, and never run out of topics, but it depresses me to do the research, gather source information, photos and links, write my little heart out, only to have the feeling that it's not reaching many people. Who wants to read about all the endangered species, pollution, and exploitation going on in the world?

Purple coneflower with unidentified iridescent bug

"All conservation of wildness is self-defeating,
for to cherish we must see and fondle,
and when enough have seen and fondled,
there is no wilderness left to cherish."
~ Aldo Leopold
(American ecologist, forester, and environmentalist)

Art is so much more fun to make, look at, write about and read about.

I find tremendous pleasure in making art and will be focusing on that much more in this blog in the future, but I know I will soon begin posting on my environmental blog again, as well. Environmental advocacy has been near to my heart most of my life, and despite all the sad news about the polar bears, penguins, oceans, dramatic changes in weather patterns, etc., I can't just bury my head in the sand and ignore things because they are unpleasant.

Am I rambling?

I've heard and read often that women in menopause can become overwhelmed with ideas and creativity. I've always had a head full of ideas, so that may be why I'm feeling even more driven lately.

Anyway, I'm working on some papier mache projects made from recycled items. I love the fact that I can do a little and go away and do something else while the thin layers dry. It's the perfect project for me right now because I don't have a lot of space to work in, or large blocks of time to devote to artsy projects.

More pictures will be coming shortly!

*My "A note from your Mother" blog has been deleted.

Me a la Chagall

"Art
seems to me
to be primarily a condition
of the soul."
~ Marc Chagall

I found this early self-portrait of Marc Chagall in an art book recently. It was done in 1914, oil on cardboard. I'm always fascinated by early works of the masters, and Chagall was no exception in that his art changed as he grew as an artist.

Since I had cardboard and oil pastels, I decided to try another quick little self-portrait, this time a la early Chagall. And since it is a self-portrait, I took some liberties with reality, and made myself as thin as I hope to be again soon.
:0)

As I start trying new things, I'm going to try to remember another quote I heard recently:

"I didn't fail.
I just found 10,000 ways it didn't work."
~ Thomas Edison

I think my next attempt may be something in papier mache. See? This is what happens when I push aside my "artistic" creativity for decades and get a little encouragement after I try creating something artsy again! Thanks, everybody! I'm having a wonderful time trying to find my niche.
:0)

I also would really like to thank all my followers - those who have been with me for a while, as well as all the new ones who have signed up recently. I really appreciate your interest, comments and friendship!

In Johnny Depp's shadow

Originally, this first post after my short break was going to be about the day trips Mr. C and I took through the beautiful Wisconsin countryside this last week.

Because we saw many bucolic farms along the way.

We even took a day to drive up to Door County - that's Wisconsin's version of Cape Cod. It's located in the little thumb of Wisconsin, north of Green Bay, on the state's eastern edge. Door County is a peninsula which juts out into Lake Michigan, so it has a beautiful bay along its western shore and Lake Michigan on its eastern shore.

It's tradition to stop at Wilson's Ice Cream Parlor in Ephraim. Wilson's has been in business since 1902, and its exterior hasn't changed much since the early 1900s. The food and ice cream are delicious. Since Door County is famous for its cherries, we couldn't resist indulging in cherry sundaes.

There are several scenic little towns located along the shores of Door County, including Sister Bay.

I always enjoy visiting Door County, even if it's only for the day.

Today we took a drive into the state, toward the small in-state towns where time seems to stand still.

One town in particular caught our attention, because there were old cars on display, as well as many visitors driving and walking about.

When I saw the bank, it finally hit me. This town is Columbus, Wisconsin, where Johnny Depp filmed some of the street scenes for his movie, Public Enemies.

The bank is on the National Register of Historic Places, and was used for the exterior bank shots.

Today was the town's Public Enemies Celebration, and there were pictures of Johnny Depp everywhere. There were old cars and people dressed in period costumes all over the small Columbus downtown. There were events planned throughout the day and into the night, but we had to leave. There was an old dog with a weak bladder waiting for us at home.

I must say, though, that today was a nice surprise. I had planned to take pictures of some of the Amish farms in the area, but I completely forgot about the original reason for our trip today.

So this post is actually about how everything else seems to be pushed into the shadows whenever I see enough pictures of Johnny Depp. I have this sudden urge to see a movie . . .
:0)

The Wisconsin countryside, farms and barns will just have to wait for another day.

I'll see you all again in a few days. I hope to begin working on some more art again next week, too, and hope to have something to show you again soon. (And I need to work off that ice cream sundae and a few other goodies I indulged in this past week.)

See you then!

Honey, Spiders and Chicks! Oh my!

I'm back at it this week. Joe is running errands and picking up some of the new Skecher's walking shoes for me. I'm sitting WAY too much! House is quiet. Started painting this JUST BEE thing. Will show you the results soon.
This was pretty spectacular. A big iron sculpture at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham. We went to watch APR www.goapr.com/race/ race last Saturday. Click the pic and you'll see the baby spiders ready to attack the army of Porsches!
Andrew has a VW TDI cup race in Chicago this weekend. I sewed on this big patch which sewed up the zipper on one side. Decided this wouldn't work too well. Wish him luck! Race #5!
I painted this for the APR team last week! It was fun to do and I even added a screw! A bit of Checkered flag stuff on the side you can't see here.
Got the living room painted too. What a chore. Like moving. But it's done and looks GREAT!
Amazingly enough, I got this done while they were here. It's in the Etsy shop. JOe likes this one.
Thanks for all the great advice and sweet comments for me this week. I was tearing my hair out for a while! Have a great weekend y'all! I plan to.
Love,
Ronnie

THIS is an art blog???

An Art Blog.
You've seen them...a piece of art or two posted each day, a bit of talk about art history and how to market your work.

Lately, saying this is an Art Blog is a stretch. My art is getting all entwined with my life. Or lost in it.
See the picture above? I took this months ago for another purpose, but it seemed to work. Paint brushes all clean and idle, unused. That's laundry piled on the kitchen table. An illustration of what my life has become. Wax lips, some candy cigarettes. A bottle of X (seemed like a good idea at the time).

This is my husband, Joe. He's trying to enjoy a piece of cake at a friend's house, but he is also looking at me, while I take the picture, knowing it may end up here on
THE ART BLOG.
Being an artist can be detrimental to your heart, mind, soul, pocketbook, your flower beds...
your rugs, your toilets, your relationships (see Joe above), the oil filter in your car...(add more HERE if you like).
It's a matter of balance. I used to have it. It left. Where and how does the art fit in without creating problems in other parts of life? Not quite there yet. Obviously! That's the task at hand.
One of my blog friends, Sandy Mastroni said to ask for Help. She's right. Sometimes I forget.
Have a good beginning to a great week loved ones,
Ronnie - living life in a small town in Georgia, USA

Two more awards!

I was recently honored to be one of the first recipients of the new Stroke of the Brush Award, which was created by my wonderful new blogger friend, kj, in honor of her two blogger friends, Soulbrush and Snowbrush.

Thank you so much kj! KJ's blog is so much fun to visit. She shares wonderful words and images of her life in New England, and provides wisdom and advice on how to live your best life.

The Stroke of the Brush Award "recognizes and celebrates the willingness to take risks, speak honestly, act with integrity, and in the process create and share colors and/or words that stroke our curiosity and brush aside our differences."

It was incredibly difficult to narrow down my list, since there are so many worthy blogs on my blogroll. I have chosen the following six blogs, which represent the great variety of wonderful blogs and talented bloggers on my list. So it is my great honor and priviledge to award the Stroke of the Brush Award, in no particular order, to:

Silke at Metamorphosis
Grace at Through My Hands
Jennifer at At the Table in My Sunroom
Delwyn at a hazy moon
Angela at Letters From Usedom
Audrey at Stage 3! Who Me?

I was also recently gifted with the One Lovely Blog Award by Jennifer at At the Table in My Sunroom. Thank you so much, Jennifer!

Jennifer's blog is a feast for the eyes and mind, with incredible photography and thought-provoking posts. Please be sure to visit her beautiful blog!

I am very pleased to give this award to four beautiful blogs I've recently discovered:

Jackie at Teacher's Pet
kj at Options Associates: For a Better World
Soulbrush
Marion at Dragonfly's Poetry and Prolixity

Please be sure to stop by these blogs if you have not already done so. Each is unique and beautiful, as are the bloggers who blog on them.
:0)

I'm going to be a bit scarce in Blogland this next week. My husband, Mr. C, has taken some much-deserved time off from work, so we'll be spending some quality time together. I'll be lurking, reading your posts and commenting whenever I have the opportunity, though!

See you again soon!
:0)

Me a la Modigliani

I was paging through one of my art books a few days ago when I came across this painting by Modigliani, and I thought I'd try doing a self portrait Modigliani style. Like last time, I used my Caran D'Ache Neocolor II watersoluble crayons and had a wonderful time.

I don't usually sit with my head tilted like this, but it does look a bit like me, with a Modigliani twist.
:0)
I wonder what I should try next. Definitely something more complicated and with more texture. Hmmmmm. . . . . . I'll be back with more soon. This is fun!

Dust if you must . . .

Whether your life is filled with riches or struggles, it seems to me that this poem speaks to us all.

Dust if you must . . .

Dust if you must, but wouldn't it be better
to paint a picture, or write a letter,
bake a cake, or plant a seed;
ponder the difference between want and need?

Dust if you must, but there's not much time
with rivers to swim, and mountains to climb;
music to hear, and books to read;
friends to cherish, and life to lead.

Dust if you must, but the world's out there,
with the sun in your eyes, and the wind in your hair;
a flutter of snow, a shower of rain,
this day will not come around again.

Dust if you must, but bear in mind,
old age will come and it's not kind.
And when you go (and go you must)
you, yourself, will make more dust.

Remember, a house becomes a home
when you can write "I love you" on the furniture . . .

(Author unknown)

I don't know where this last week has gone. It's been almost a week since I last posted, and I'm happy to say that I've been busy, but haven't dusted even one thing!

"Besides the noble art of getting things done,
there is the noble art of leaving things undone.
The wisdom of life consists
in the elimination of nonessentials."
~ Lin Yu Tang

"It is not enough to be busy,
so are the ants.
The question is,
'What are we busy about?'"
~ Henry David Thoreau

I can never resist just one last meaningful quote, especially when it's something a remarkable woman has said:

"The bitterest tears shed over graves
are for words left unsaid
and deeds left undone."
~ Harriet Beecher Stowe

I hope you are all making the time to do what's important to you, and enjoying time with people you cherish.

I'll be back soon, hopefully with another attempt at something creative!
:0)

Daisy Rose

After reading all the sweet comments left on yesterday's post, I've decided to show you something else I just did!

I probably should mention that I am currently in my third phase of a kind of creative frenzy when I draw and paint and want to make decorative things. My first was when I was a child. Up until the age of 14, I was drawing all the time. My very favorite thing to draw at that time was faces. I absolutely adored sketching faces!

My next phase started about 10 years ago, when I painted dozens of watercolor flower paintings, and made hundreds of pieces of jewelry. I sold or gave away almost everything, but I never took pictures of anything. It was before I had a digital camera, and it didn't seem important at the time. Everything I did was for someone else.

"The primary benefit of practicing art,
whether well or badly,
is that it enables one's soul to grow."
~ Kurt Vonnegut

When I picked up those children's crayons a few days ago, it was almost as if my hands remembered that joy of drawing again. So I took out some watercolor crayons I had been saving for "just the right project." If I wait for that perfect project, I'll never use them, so I just jumped in and let my hands make something without my head getting too involved.

That's how Daisy Rose was born.

I must also confess, that I sometimes am afflicted with a rather annoying habit of making up rhymes, poems and songs.
:0)
This is why this portrait of Daisy Rose includes the words:

Daisy Rose was her name,
she had a loving heart.
And everywhere sweet Daisy went
A buzz was sure to start!

Buzz, buzz!

The smell of crayons on a warm summer day

"You know you are over the hill
when you start to use
your own children's hand-me-downs!"
(This is something I find myself saying a lot lately!)

I found a tin of long-forgotten crayons yesterday. They were hiding in the back of a closet, in a collector's tin celebrating Crayola's 90th anniversary in 1993.

When my children were younger, I always made sure they had plenty of art supplies so that their creativity would be nurtured and encouraged. When I saw all the wonderful colors, still vibrant after all these years, and smelled that wonderful familiar wax crayon smell, I couldn't help myself.

I had to draw something!

It felt wonderful to let my inner child out, to draw something freely, without any pressure to make ART.

It's just a crayon drawing of a cat in a window. And I think this is exactly what I needed to get myself drawing and painting again. No pressure - just pleasure. What fun!

Goings On for the 4th and a Friend's Retirement

It was a good 4th of July. Family gathered at my 82 year old mom's house. She loves to party! Then she likes everybody to leave so she can get a good night's sleep with her little dog Rocket.
This is my mom and a son and his son! Looks like a game of rock paper scissors.
Water was certainly the theme. A lot of water logged kids as well as adults.
Little guy says enough is enough. NO paparazzi please!
More water logging.
Light is getting low and the older sons are enjoying the lake and Jones Grape sodas interspersed with a few adult beverages.
Andi and Ana decided to bring a new tent for its inaugural. Pitched it in our backyard 10 feet from the lake and went kayaking first thing the next morning. Brilliantly absurd idea!!!
Shifting gears to the week prior, Joe and I traveled to Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida for an old friend's retirement. This is their quarters on base where they threw a great party the night before the official retirement ceremony. If you want to see pictures of that go to my facebook page and look for JETS!
Here's the happy (they don't know what's about to hit 'em!) retiring military couple.
Lots of good comfort food....
and Nancy's famous Bourbon slushies! Holy moly YUM! Look at the smile on this girl's face!
And here's their motto to live by. Surprised!? I'm not. Whoo Hoo indeed!
After the festivities Joe and I kicked back at a little cottage on the base near the Pensacola lighthouse.
A bit of history. You'll have to click the pic to read the fine print.
One last look at the white sand beach and then it was time to return home. Boy am I ready to be home. Ten days for me to get some painting done before we have to go again.
I hope you're enjoying the summer!
Love and hugs,
Ronnie - tortured wife of retired JOe