Nothing much

These are the new girls.
They're OK, but not my favorites.
Pretty stiff.
I really need to work harder and I need to get back to doing less structured folks.
I need to get into the studio more often.
I need to stop procratinating!

These girls are now hanging in a show with some very edgy art. I use that term loosely. Hate to be a snob, but to me a black bra that has been coated in a stiffening solution and then embellished with 2 eyeballs for nipples does not qualify as art. I know, and believe, that we all have the right to present our artistic views, but let's try to be a little more adult. This artist is well over 50 and should have a more mature vision. And if this is really his artistic vision, then he should be creating the bra and eyeballs himself, not just buying them and glueing them together.

Just finished her Thursday. I'm trying to get in the studio more. I had the opening for the Fused2 show which went well. There were to guys interested in my work, so that was nice. Good to get back in the groove...sort of. Now I have a show opening the 19th. Thought I'd do only the girls...the ballerina girls. So she's "The New Girl". I have another on the easle, not quite done. I'll post her when she's ready. My hope is that by posting paintings I will be motivated to paint more. Sort of like a year ago when i did "one painting a day" to get my butt in gear. Might have to resort to that tactic again!

Haiti, Avitar and an Italian restaurant

Having just read my daughter-in-laws journal post about the needs in Haiti, my heart is once again aching for the Haitian children, their families and the wonderfully selfless people volunteering in Haiti. Just donating money seems so simple and in a way selfish. It's so easy to just write a check. I admire the volunteers who have physically reached out to those in need. Some day, I hope that I will be that brave, that selfless,that loving. Until then, I pray that the angels of peace and safety will hover over Haiti and hold them all to their hearts.

Millions of peple have seen "Avitar". Tonight I saw it. My hope is that the millions who saw it came away with the same message that I came away with. That is actually so unrealistic. I guess I can only hope for 10% of those who saw it receiving the same message. I came away knowing that we have to pay attention. We have to open our eyes. We are all connected, our world, our universe, our souls, all living things. We cannot continue our prejudice and greed. We will destroy this world if we don't pay attention.We must pay attention. We must care. We cannot turn away. We must make the effort. I hope that this will stay with me and that I will make the effort.

Following the movie, we went to a wonderful restaurant. This is a family owned restaurant in a very Italian neighborhood. What a treat! The food is very nice, plenty of garlic and olive oil, and my first taste of fried romaine (olive oil, garlic, and a bit of lemon) loved it! It was the people who were the real joy though! Everyone seemed to know everyone else, and if they didn't they they seemed to really want to. I felt like I was visiting my friend's relatives...and by the time we left I felt like I might possibly be related! Can't really explain it but I'm looking forward to going back, and bringing my family.

Coming soon to a gallery near you?

So this is my next show

If you're in the area February 10 to March 8, stop by. There are some pretty fabulous artists in this (and I am not referring to myself...however, I'm not quite chopped liver.)

Sometimes sadness is lifted a little when it is shared

Well, at least I hope so. I'm not looking for sympathy, I just need to write about this very sad and tragic event. A dear young man has been taken from us. David is his name. He is the young man in the light blue shirt. He was flying back from a business trip and his plane crashed in the Gulf of Mexico. He was the pilot and had 2 friends with him. There were no emergency transmissions. Smoke was seen coming from his plane, then flames and within seconds it spiralled into the Gulf and burst apart. I pray that it happened so fast that he didn't have enough time for panic or pain, that all of them were spared this. David has three children who will miss him terribly. He also has many, many friends. He was such a well liked young man. He was married to my daughter for a short time. Sadly, it didn't work out. Our family liked him very much. We will miss him terribly.

This didn't work. I am still very, very sad. Tears are blurring the keys.

Lovely coincidence

Just spent a much too brief hour in a local coffe shop reading a tolerable book about Matisse in France, and wishing through it all that I could travel there. When I was topping off my
to-go cup at the coffee pots, two young girls shared the space with me filling their cups and speaking French.

They're BACK!

So no pictures, but there are more deer tracks in my front yard.
I'm just wondering why the deer aren't being "harvested" for food for the poor and homeless in the Chicago area. There is such a huge deer population in this metropolitan area, it seems to me that their meat could benefit the people who have little or no meat. The Forestry department could handle the "harvest" of the deer, (and the geese for god's sake too!) and then the meat could be frozen and sent to the food pantrys to be served in the missions and soup kitchens. Who do we need to suggest this to? It just seems like such a no-brainer!!!