December Whirlwind

Most of my December was spent painting commissions and selling my art, which was its own Christmas blessing. I was so honored that so many people gave the gift of my work to their friends and loved ones.

The last week of December has been spent in Hawaii enjoying the amazing things the island of Oahu has to offer. I decided to spend Christmas with my sister who lives and works here and let me tell you it has been awe inspiring. I have thoroughly enjoyed spending so much quality time with my "bestie". I wish we didn't live an ocean apart. Thank god Skype was invented to enable us to chat more frequently!

I think I have gained 40 pounds just off all the amazing noodle places we've been! After living in Las Vegas for the last 10 years, I have come to find foliage and the colors green and blue a very precious commodity. I have LOVED being in the midst of so much jungle and ocean. My favorite part of starting every day I was there was sitting in the window seat with the constantly cool breeze coming in, while I sipped my coffee and watched the multitude of birds feed off the fruit trees in the back yard. I loved watching the clouds and sun come up over the mountains each morning too. My sister and I went exploring with hikes up cliffs at the beach and into the jungle on other days. I have spent most of the week taking pictures of all the plant life I could and can't wait to go through it all once I'm home and able to start incorporating it into my work!

In the end, my trip was amazing with all that I was able to experience and see, but most of all was the time I was able to have with my sister and to have shared it with her. 

Books, Poetry, Art

Someone has been leaving mysterious paper sculptures in the UK, made in large part out of paper and books, with some extra materials here and there. No one knows who the artist is, but they are trying to spread a message, apparently, about the power of words, art, and imagination. Pretty darned cool.
Check it out!
Paper Art

Photo of a Photo

Found this very cool website, linking the past and the present through photography. A good reminder that we should all remember those who have walked before us.

http://dearphotograph.com/

Writing Comment

So, my sister (Constantly Constance) is the artist in my family, and I am the writer. She posts all about art and artsy-stuff, but I have been struggling to discern what I should write about writing. After much decision and social experimentation, I decided on online personals. I have steadfastly kept a profile on various websites for the sheer social psychological fascination of "people watching." Here is a very typical male specimen from a man looking for a lovely lady.

Italian Stud:
My name is steven and i would first like to start out by saying i am 6'1'' tall i have light brn hair with hazel eyes. I love to work out everyday because i enjoy having a nice body. I enjoy meeting new people and i am giving this site a shot because it seems to have a good percentage of matches. i am fun, caring i have a great personality and people say my pics dont do me justice!!!! Ladies lol anyway i hope u decide to hit me up if you want to get to know a great guy!!

To initiate my writing on writing debut, here are some of my comments about this fine master work that seems to represent many of the male characterizations online:
1) You have multiple thousands of characters that you are allowed to use to describe yourself. You barely used 100. That does NOT make you sound mysterious. This is one of those cases where less is just.... less.
2) If you start with a description of your physical body, WHEN THERE ARE PHOTOS OF YOU ALREADY, your paltry description becomes even more meaningless, because you are telling me something I can see for myself.
2b) If I haven't discerned just how similar to a Greek God you look in your photos, and your single sentence summarizing your physical stats didn't convince me, probably telling me your pics suck and you look better in real life isn't gonna do it.
3) You have chosen not to use capital letters with any consistency. Either you are a brazen non-conformist (unlikely) or really freaking lazy with the shift key (most likely).
3) If you use the word "stud" in your screen name, most likely.... no.....
4) No matter how fat, ugly, scarred, what a poor dresser, etc., men always say they want a girl who is "slender, or toned and athletic". Unrealistic wishes that will never come true say "what?"
5) Saying you have a "great personality" doesn't tell women (or other guys, come on now) what you are like. I mean, you could have a great personality for being an executioner, or a toilet scrubber, or a great personality for a sideshow freak.
6) What you are NOT saying says a hell of a lot more about you than what you ARE saying.

My challenge to everyone is to help grow this list of typical personal ad quirks, and perhaps we can develop it into a typology of some sort. :) The fun never stops when you trawl the interweb - have fun laughing.

Dig it

Jason Thielke


Using mixed media including laser etching, pencil, and paint on wood, Jason Thielke brings lines to life with a modern twist to contour drawing.

Fabric Designers

Here is a piece of fabric that I found online that I really like and find inspiring. It is a Japanese designer, but has a fun hippy vibe to it too. I am trying to integrate this pattern design into a series of paintings for my living room.