Blizzard # 2

Blizzard number two ( in 6 weeks ) greated us this past Friday night and all day Saturday. Good thing it's beautiful to look at. It stopped being fun when the power went out Saturday for six hours. We got off easy. Some folks are still waiting for power.Maggies' friends Julieann and Sophie walked down to play. She was delighted to have them throw snowballs for her to catch.

Our poor "Southern Magnolia" tree. It's very confused.

Our front walk. Looks like something from Jukkasjarvi. http://www.webbkameror.se/webbkameror/icehotel/index.php

Frederick magazine

I made a special trip to Borders yesterday looking for the latest American Artist magazine because a friend of a couple friends on Face Book whose friends I friended ( or they friended me, anyway we're all just super best friends now even though none of us have probably ever met ) is on the front cover ! ( Nancy Guzik ) But of course they didn't have the issue yet so I bought three other magazines instead. One is the Frederick magazine from Frederick, Maryland. I picked it up and started thumbing through it looking for something I hadn't seen before. But something jumped out with which I was very familiar . There was a spot publicizing The Artists' Gallery show for this month. A group show . A VERY nice group show and one I recommend seeing if you are in town. What did they use but a detail of my painting "Bat Wings & Twirrly Things".

Sorry to say this painting is not in the show. So if you do make a trip , you won't see this one. Last month I decided to resign from TAG. It's all a long borring story that I won't go into. Just to say there were numerous reasons none of which was the "straw". I'm not stopping painting. I have promised myself to keep at it. The past two years have brought successes I wouldn't have imagined before and I have other goals I hope are not too far out of reach. But I wonder too if such a thing as the Peterson principle pertains to the art world as well. Here's to never finding out ! It may not be the cover of American Artist, but hey, I'll take it. Even if it did come a little late.

KarmaTube: Burden of Genius

KarmaTube: Burden of Genius


Link

Burden of Genius

This is a wonderful talk by Elizabeth Gilbert, author of the book Eat, Pray, Love. I had seen the book but hadn't thought to buy it 'till today after listening to this short program. Although she is a writer, the points she makes hold true to creative folks of any medium. I think this is also timely with the beginning of a new year it gives us a new perspective, things to keep in mind when we start new work or go back to look at older pieces that perhaps didn't go as we planned. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. I'm going back for another listen. Please let me know what you think.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE ! AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR TOO !

White Christmas coming

This is a gift from friends in Sweden. Lucia Day is celebrated Dec 13.

Maggie Loves the snow and is waiting for me to come out and toss snow balls so she can catch them. If she weren't outside she would be pawing my leg to let her out. She'll have to wait awhile. I'm stayin' in for now.

This what we have so far today. There's about 20 inches of snow and it isn't stopping until tomorrow. Yea ! A white Christmas like I remember as a kid in western PA. As long as I don't have to go anywhere....LET IT SNOW !

Aqueous Open

This past weekend I was back in western PA and to the opening reception of the 63 rd Aqueous in Pittsburgh. This is an exhibit I recall my watercolor proff ( Robert Hild ) talking about when I was in college. ( Must have been a new one back then !)

The juror was Frank Graff, AWS,NWS,TWSA. From 221 entries from 26 states and Canada he had the task of choosing 60 pieces for the show and 12 award winners. I was honestly astounded when someone called last week to say that Indian Corn #8 was to receive an award ( They wouldn't say which or what kind of ). Turns out it was

the "Winsor Newton Award". The English

company is known for it's profesional grade
art supplies and the prize was a great travel set of watercolor paints.

The show is up through the 28th of November so if you find yourself in the Pittsburgh,PA area, stop in at the BE galleries on Buter Street.