DANITA

Just home from my Friday night trip to Barnes and Noble. Alligators DO eat birds!! And fish.....and snakes.....and crabs......and insects. How tasty could an insect possibly be to something the size of an alligator? Oh well, that answers our question about the birds.

I came home with treasures: March/April 2009 cloth*paper*scissors and March/April 2009 Somerset Studio. I am eager to read this Somerset Studio issue. There is an 8-page spread on Danita in it, and her art is on the cover! How exciting! If you are not familiar with Danita's art, check out her Blog: http://danitaart.blogspot.com/.

Congratulations, Danita!!!

Spring Is In The Air

Wow! What a glorious day we had here in Charleston! Talk about Spring Fever! It was 75*+, sunny skies, birds singing (many, many birds), children out playing, alligators out sunning, and you could just feel Spring in the air. I love Spring ~ a new beginning! I noticed that my vinca vine on the front porch is going to bloom. I was happy it survived the winter. How exciting! I had plants all over the porch and the steps last summer. Once we get back to Roanoke, I will get all my pots out and start my porch plantings.

I've posted a picture of the little bud that is getting ready to open and pictures of some of my flowers from last summer and fall - hopefully, they will inspire you to think Spring and flowers! It's coming!!!

Those two gators live in the pond around the corner from us. They have been out sunning every day this week. Sometimes there is an egret or a heron standing right next to them and I wonder if they ever become lunch for the gators. Maybe gators don't eat birds ~ I guess I should do some research.

Frida Kahlo 1907 - 1954

"I am not sick. I am broken. But I am happy as long as I can paint."

~Frida Kahlo

Mexican Artist

VIVA LA FRIDA!

Mexico's most famous woman artist, thought to be mentally disturbed, struggled through much of her life lonely and bedridden. A critic said of Frida, "It is impossible to separate the life and work of this extraordinary person. Her paintings are her biography."

Frida Kahlo has many followers, is highly respected and fans duplicate her art in all forms - paintings, jewelry, shrines, clothing, etc.

Self Portrait with Necklace of Thorns

Paul Klee 1879 - 1940

"A drawing is simply a line going for a walk."

~Paul Klee

Swiss Artist

Castle and Sun

Gustav Klimt 1862 - 1918

"I have the gift of neither the spoken nor the written word, especially if I have to say something about myself or my work. Whoever wants to know something about me ought to look carefully at my pictures and try and see in them what I am and what I want to do."
~Gustav Klimt
Austrian Artist

This painting, Tree of Life has always been one of my favorite paintings by Gustav.

Cute

How cute is this guy??

Just one of the few creatures roaming the mostly deserted beach during the cool winter months here in South Carolina. I love it when it's just the beach, the ocean and me!

Pablo Picasso 1881 - 1973

"The artist is a receptacle for emotions that come from all over the place; from the sky, from the earth, from a scrap of paper, from a passing shape, from a spider's web."

~pablo picasso

Spanish Artist

Pablo Picasso Self-Portrait 1907

Interesting:

Picasso was baptized Pablo Diego Jose' Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno Maria de los Remedios Crispiniano de la Santisima Trinidad. These are names honoring saints and relatives. Added to these were Ruiz and Picasso, for his mother and father, a Spanish custom.

ARTFUL BLOGGING

Stampington & Company (http://www.stampington.com/) has the most wonderful magazines for the artist, stamper, quilter, dollmaker, blogger, scrapbooker, etc. The FEB/MAR/APR 2009 issue of Artful Blogging is the 3rd volume and I think it is the best so far. I read this issue from cover to cover in one sitting. It is filled with inspiration, blogger stories and helpful information for the beginner blogger. Tools to Get You Blogging, Blogging Etiquette and How to Take Great Photos of Your Art are just a few of the topics covered in this issue.
I still consider myself a beginner in the world of blogging. This magazine gives me the inspiration to become a better blogger and it is a joy to read about the featured bloggers, how they got started and what they are doing to make their blogs interesting ~ causing people to become followers and eager to read what they have to say and/or show what they are creating.
If you haven't read an issue of Artful Blogging yet, pick this one up. It is definitely a keeper!!
Since I have started to read and follow some blogs, I am finding that most bloggers out there have the same insecurities and we all want the same things ~ to share our interests and thoughts, show our creativity and learn from each other. And the fact that I am making friends through blogging is just one of the perks!!! There are many extremely talented people out there and I feel blessed that I can read their words or see their art just with the click of my mouse.

A Favorite Quote

I would like to share with you one of my very favorite quotes:

The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn, like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars...
~Jack Kerouac

I sometimes feel like that. Occasionally, I well up with feelings so strong that I feel I will explode. It can be brought on by something as simple as stepping into a room showing an art exhibit of something I like. It can be as simple as walking alone in the snow on a brisk dark night, the anticipation of getting together with old friends for an evening of good conversation, standing at the edge of the ocean staring out at the unknown beneath all that water, the magic of Christmas Eve, hearing a powerful group sing the Hallelujah Chorus, every single time I hear Kirk Franklin sing the gospel song "Why We Sing", and when I just recently received a video clip of a 12-year-old schoolgirl singing "Ave Maria" while auditioning for American Idol, I was immediately engulfed in goosebumps and tears of joy filled my eyes. You know the feeling you get when you are at a theater - the play is over and everyone stands and yells and claps and whistles? I love those feelings! They make you feel good inside, glad to be alive, and you forget about the evils of the world and you are just happy to BE. I think if you have ever felt this way, you understand what I'm saying. I just know there are wonderful things in this world that make me mad, desirous and burning with emotion.
Anyone else feel this way?

COLOR

I was sitting in my studio this morning staring at my paint trays thinking about how colorful they are ~ so I thought I would take a picture of them. I don't clean them because the colorful globs of paint that build up on them make me happy ~ I love looking at the new colors that end up on them after any art project - they are little works of art on their own. Then I walked around the house and looked for other colorful things (that aren't already packed for the move). I found things in the closet....on the bookshelf....my marble collection....my quilt collection....my happy sun painted on the wall....and my studio is always full of color! I was surprised at the simple colorful things we have in our homes that we probably never even think about. I've posted the pictures I took this morning. Aren't they fun? Walk around your own house and look for unexpected colorful things and then have a colorful day!!!

LOVE WISHES

Sending Valentine's Day Wishes, Kisses and Hugs!!!

OUT OF TOWN

Good day, my friends.
I just wanted to post a message to let you know I am out of town and will be updating my Blog late Sunday or early Monday. It always saddens me to go to someone's Blog and find nothing posted for a long period of time ~ and here I am guilty of just that. Life does get in the way of Blogging sometimes, doesn't it?
I am in Virginia painting walls in preparation for our move back here into our dream home. Once back in SC, I will be heavy into packing as much as I can in order to get this move underway. I am SO excited to move back. More on this another time. Just know that my art and my Blogging is suffering because there is so much to get done for the move.
Please don't give up on me. In time, I will be posting many pictures of the beauty of Virginia, and my thoughts on the same. The Fall season is outstanding here ~ I almost can't wait. But, Spring too, brings much beauty to the Roanoke Valley!! I will definitely share that beauty with you.
Back to the wall painting..........
Have a joyful day!!!!
Audrey

Collage Unleashed Book

Hello friends.
I am just returning home from my Friday night trip to Barnes & Noble. I look forward to this little trip every Friday night after my husband and I go out to dinner. I am addicted to that place and I should stop going because I have SO many art books already and I can't go in there without buying another one. Each week another selection of wonderful art books seem to appear just for my personal pleasure. The temptation consumes me. Tonight's purchase - Collage Unleashed * Paint bind Stitch Play by traci bautista. I couldn't resist. It sounds fun! "Dripping paint, washes of color, layers of fabric, transparencies and more come together in collage as you've never experienced before." Now, how could I not buy it? I am itching to dive in and soak up all the information in the book.
Sorry I haven't posted since Monday. I truly don't know where the past four days went ~ it was Monday and now it will soon be Saturday. OMG, it will soon be March and then it will soon be Spring. YAY - Spring!! The birds will sing and the flowers will bloom and the world will be a happy place. ???? Now in the REAL world, the birds will sing and the flowers will bloom, but the world.......well, I won't go there!

With that said, I am going to brew a cup of tea, snuggle up in the bed with my new book and read till the eyes can't stay open.

Any other B & N addicts out there??

MOM'S BIRTHDAY

My sweet Mother, Susan, is 92 today!!! I am taking her to The Olive Garden for lunch ~ she loves their Chicken Parmesan. Dealing with spinal stenosis, she has good days and bad days and thankfully, she is feeling real good today! She is a dear, dear, woman who gave me all the love she possibly could throughout my life..... she now lives with my husband and I. If you are fortunate enough to have your mother still living, cherish your time with her. I have been told that once you lose your mother, it leaves a hole in your heart that you physically feel. I am thankful to be taking her to lunch today!!!
Some things she loves: God * her children * violets * poppies * the color lilac * cameos * anything Victorian * poetry * books * flower gardens * butterflies * the warmth of the sun * days when she feels good * going for rides * Virginia * old postcards * angels
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!!!! I love you.

EXPERIENCE

Do it, try it, feel it. Stop going through life as if it's some kind of virtual reality, and start living! Let an earthworm crawl up your arm. Sit with a dying person no matter how scared you are. Jump in the mud if you've always been clean; retreat in silence if you've always been boisterous. Eat Indonesian food. Camp. Take off your shoes and walk in a fountain. Lie down, belly to belly, on a moist patch of earth. Start singing when no one else is. Dance before anyone else does. Travel alone. Live together. Turn off that TV now! Work on a farm, hold a baby chick. Go into that cafe you'd never imagine going in. Smile at the woman next to you in line, and mean it. Experience a full-spectrum life and chalk it all up to experience.
~from Words of Wisdom for Women by Rachel Snyder

Random Charleston Photos

There just wasn't enough time to see everything. I am posting a few pictures. So many beautiful fountains.......sculptures........windows.......the architecture of the houses.......you really need to go downtown many times to see all the beauty. We had a great day ~ just spending time with our friends was the best part!