May's Theme: The Rose - MOVED
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March / April's Theme: GREEN!
I chose Green as our topic for this time of year, because so many things happen around this time...many of which are celebrated with the color Green. Spring brings new growth, we wear green on St. Patty's Day and in April we celebrate our planet with Earth Day and share ways to Live Green. So...let's step into the world of Green and visit not only how different artist's view offer their own interpretation through the use of Green, but also the idioms & phrases relating to the word Green.
The Grass is Always Greener...
We’ve all had that thought of The Grass is Always Greener as we’re overcome by momentary envy delivered by that nasty Green-Eyed Monster. So, we sit trying to finish our Green Salad without letting the stress Turn us Green, knowing that we are waiting with anticipation to be given the Green Light on a big project we’ve put together, but the fact that we are a bit Green Behind the Ears due to lack of experience means that we might not get the go ahead. To soothe our nerves we try to think about more relaxing things, like going home to put our Green Thumb to work on all that beautiful Greenery growing in our Green House while dreaming of how nice it would be to have the Greenbacks to not have to work for a living!
For the artist, green is not a Primary Color, because it is created by mixing yellow and blue, or yellow and cyan, therefore it is considered an Additive Color. For those of us who work with an RGB Color Wheel and/or in a darkroom, Magenta is the compliment to Green. In traditional color theory, Red would be Green’s complimentary color.
Let’s explore Green through the eyes of these artists…
Living Green...
Green, in some cultures symbolizes hope and growth, while in others illness and envy. Green’s ties with nature are the most common associations however; such as regeneration, fertility and rebirth. This is where the Green Movement sprouted from and why some political groups, now calling themselves Green Parties, use Green as their symbol.
In nature, animals use Green as a camouflage to blend in with the chlorophyll of their surroundings, as does our military. In Ancient Egypt; Osiris was a god who was believed to be green-skinned. Green is also known to have significance with ancient witchcraft and evil due to its connection to faeries in early Folklore. Though in the modern world, green is often the color of walls in hospitals and buildings where people are under stress, because Green is a very calming color.
Until Next Time...
Live Green!
January's Theme: Cold!
In my part of the world, January represents a cold, blistery month so I thought perhaps it would be fun to explore cold through the eyes of many talented artists and through our own use of the English language.
In the world of Photography, Art and Fashion there is a Cool Color Palette because the feeling is often perceived as cold rather than warm. These colors are based on blues, greens, pinks, purples, blue-greens, magenta and blue-based reds.
Look for this as you view the work these artists who share their feelings of cold...
Come In Out of the Cold!
Cold refers to the condition (or perception of) low temperatures. Theoretically, absolute zero is the coldest possible temperature. It might be fun to note that the coldest natural location in the universe is the Boomerang Nebula at -257.15 ºC and even though Planet Mercury is close to the sun, during the night its temperatures drop to -170 ºC. Here on earth, Antarctica is the coldest continent and the lowest temperature measured on Earth was recorded at -89.2 ºC from Vostok Station.
We’ve all been victims of the chills and a stuffy nose when we Catch a Cold from any one of up to 200 viruses floating around. Origin of the term a Common Cold was derived from noting that someone who's had exposure to cold temperatures exhibits symptoms resembling that exposure and dates back to 1537.
Don't Give Me The Cold Shoulder Yet...
In 1606 Shakespeare is believed to have been the first to use the term Cold-Hearted and in 1816 Sir Walter Scott coined the term Cold-Shoulder.
Ectoherms, previously known as Cold-Blooded Animals include fish, amphibians, reptiles and invertebrates that regulate their body temperature from external sources, such as sunlight or a heated rock.
You can politely ask the waiter for a Cold drink or demand he take your meal back to the kitchen because your soup is Cold! We all know someone who has given up cigarettes by going Cold Turkey…And probably someone who got Cold Feet after making their New Year's resolution to quit smoking!
In the Cold Light of Day when you've had the time to consider a situation objectively, you may break out in a Cold Sweat at the decision you’ve made to Leave Someone Cold. Of course it may Make Your Blood Run Cold when you think about the fact they may very well Knock You Out Cold when they hear your news!
Well, you know what they say Cold Hands, Warm Heart!
Until February...
Stay warm and inspired!
November's Theme: Santa! See you in January!!
Saint Nick, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle, or simply Santa is a wonderful historical, legendary and mythological figure who has brightened Christmas morning for so many children in cultures all over world. Though originally portrayed wearing bishop’s robes, today Mr. Claus is usually plump and jolly with a red suit and black leather boots.
To help you get into the Christmas Spirit, we will explore this loveable man who lives at the North Pole and visits countries all over the world on that one special night. Let’s step into the life of St. Nick through the eyes of some wonderful artists…
Santa Around the World...
In Germany, Nikolaus is usually celebrated on a much smaller scale than here in the United States, however children will put a boot, called Nikolaus-Stiefel, outside their front doors on the night of December 5th to December 6th. St. Nicholas fills the boot with goodies if the children were good. If they were bad, their boots are filled with charcoal.
In Denmark, children put out rice pudding or a bowl of milk for the Elves called Juul Nisse who come through the attic to help Julemanden the gift bringer who comes carrying a sack of goodies drawn by reindeer.
Swedish kids eagerly await a gnome dressed in red, Jultomten, who carries gifts and arrives on a sleigh pulled by Julbocker, the goats of Thor; God of Thunder.
In European Countries, English children await the arrival of Father Christmas, known to their ancestors as Christmas itself. Father Christmas also brings gifts to the children of France. Christkindl, known in some towns in Austria and Switzerland as a beautiful girl-angel is sent from heaven to bring gifts.
Ho Ho Ho Jolly Ol' St. Nick...
Why does Santa always go down the chimney? Because it soots him!
From Jane, age 13, Phoenix, AZ
What happened when Santa's cat swallowed a ball of yarn? She had mittens!
From Madison T., age 9, Connecticut
What do you call people who are afraid of Santa Claus? Claus-trophobic!
From Ethan, age 9, Mississippi
What do you call Santa when he has no money? Saint "Nickel"-less!
From Darla, age 6, Milan, Italy
What do Santa's helpers learn at school in the North Pole? The Elfabet!
From Ra Ra, age 13
What do you get if Santa comes down the chimney while the fire is still burning? Crisp Kringle!
From Morgan T., age 12, Washington D.C.
Until January...
Enjoy our Santa expressions and get in the mood for decorating, baking, wrapping and giving. Remember, it is not the gift nor the price you paid, but the love in which its wrapped and given.
October's Theme: Flying!
Doesn't every little kid wish they could fly? Artists have been painting every imaginable creature with wings for centuries. Whether depicting an eagle in flight or dragons and fairies, we are all captivated by the idea of having wings, of taking flight and being free.
I thought it would be an interesting theme this month. Let's explore how this simple word has been used in the English Language and share a journey to explore how artists fly!
As the Crow Flies...
Wouldn't it be great to get to your destination As the Crow Flies rather than taking the long way of traveling on a road that is miles away from where you want to end up and which can often double the time it takes? You are never too old to Fly a Kite, so why is it that when we want someone who is annoying us to go away we tell them to Go Fly a Kite? Like that's punishment? Our patriotic hearts will fly a flag for our country and every kid wishes they could Fly to the Moon!
We can Fly off the Handle when our temper gets out of hand and Fly from Someone's Wrath to escape their ranting. We love to try and catch that Fly Ball at a baseball game yet at that same sporting event we bat at the Fly that insists on landing on our hot-dog!
With our hectic schedules and busy lives, one might Fly from the Room when we remember we left the stove on or Fly Through the Door if we are running late for an important appointment. A wild animal mother who senses danger might suddenly fly at someone who approaches her nest.
A Fly on the Wall...
Though I have never met anyone who wasn't annoyed and more than irritated by a Fly buzzing around, we often wish we could be a Fly on the Wall when something particularly interesting is happening behind closed doors and we weren't privy to the gossip! Some people like to go Fly-Fishing, but they better hope they don't come home without dinner or the Fur Will Fly!
Sadly, we can become the victim of a Fly by Night operation where the people we trusted with our money decided to Fly the Coop. You could say; "Gail, those shoes are stunning" or instead be hip around your grand-kids and get the same point across by saying; "Girl...Those shoes are fly!"
Let's not forget the Classic Movie "The Fly" (though I prefer the 1986 remake with Geena Davis and Jeff Goldblum), "Fly Away Home" a wonderful movie based on real-life of a little girl who raises orphan geese, and of course that classic song; "Fly Me to the Moon" written by Bart Howard in 1954.
Until Next Month...
Take flight and let your imagination soar!
Thank you once again for stopping by for a little inspiration and visual stimulation! Join us again in November for our next theme.
September's Theme: Cats!
Cats, can anyone truly resist them? At the very least, even if you are not a 'cat lover', surely you must have moments of awe when you watch how easily a cat can change their mood from aloof to comical in the blink of an eye.
So, whether you are an Ailurophilic (cat lover) or an Ailurophobic (an unusual fear of cats) you will enjoy this visually purrfect exploration into the world of cats and the artist's who share their lives.
We'll start our journey with my own artistic visions which can be found at
PAWSitively PETrageous "Where Pets Shop for Their People".
There's More than One Way to Skin a Cat...
Probably the most popular reference to that phrase was by Mark Twain used in A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court in 1889: “she was wise, subtle, and knew more than one way to skin a cat”.
Cats, whether you like them or not, have made quite the contribution to our human culture. An old-fashioned usage of Cat was defined as a woman who maliciously gossips and yes...she Let the Cat Out of the Bag by disclosing a secret, oh how Catty! Cool Cats can be found in Jazz Clubs, but if you are a Cat on a Hot Tin Roof you must be in an agitated state. You can look like something the Cat dragged in or you can look like the Cat's Pajamas.
People often quarrel Like Cats and Dogs and you can Play Cat and Mouse, albeit considered an act of cruelty. If you Put the Cat Among the Pigeons you could introduce a disturbing new element into the 'game'.
To Bell the Cat is to take the risk of a shared enterprise upon yourself and you might even feel Like the Cat that's Stolen the Cream having achieved your goal...Or you could See Which Way the Cat Jumps before committing yourself.
We can Grin Like a Cheshire Cat or Look Like the Cat that Ate the Canary and in general, like cats, we are an inquisitive species which is why we often say that Curiosity Killed the Cat...poor cat.
When the Cat's Away...
Okay, before we visit some of the finest and perhaps the largest selection of feline greeting cards on the planet, let's test your cat savvy knowledge...
Did you know that the nose ridges of a cat are in a pattern that is as unique to the cat as our fingerprints are to us?
Those of us who have 'talkers' know that a cat will almost never "meow" at another cat, this sound is reserved for humans (and sometimes the dog).
Did you know that the Giraffe, Camel and Cat are the ONLY animals that walk by moving BOTH their left feet, then BOTH their right feet, when walking. This ensures speed, agility and silence.
Watch your cat when it plays or offers a paw. 60% of cats are either a "righty" or a "lefty" rather than ambidextrous.
Until Next Month...
It's been a pleasure sharing our artistic vision of Cats with all of you this month. So, I guess I'll go have some Catfish for dinner follow that with a nice long Catnap and dream of the Catskill Mountains where I can sip Catnip Martinis!
Thank you once again for stopping by for a little inspiration and visual stimulation! Join us again in October for our next theme.
Sorry for July / August Update!
I'm moving, so my blog updates are behind...my apologies! I will return later in August or September at the latest with our next theme and carry on monthly from there.
Thank you for stopping by and keeping in touch...chat with you soon!
Doreen
June's Theme: Stripes...
In the United States, probably the most common visual that comes to mind when we think of stripes is our Stars and Stripes American Flag.
This month we will explore all kinds of stripes and head out on a quest to see how other artists see stripes. Here we go...
Exploring Stripes...
Stripes was a very funny American comedy film made in 1981 starring Bill Murray. Speaking of comic...there was S.T.R.I.P.E. (Special Tactics Robotic Integrated Power Enhancer) a fictional superhero who first appeared in DC Comics September 1941. The White Stripes is an American Rock Group that may one day have a concert in the town of Stripe, Northern Ireland.
There are Striper fish, also called Striped Bass which apparently have earned their stripes by becoming the state fish of Maryland, Rhode Island, South Carolina, New York and New Hampshire. When it comes to animals, stripes seem to be a fairly common theme. The stripes on a tiger serve to disrupt the visible outline of the animal in tall grasses. Zebra stripes are unique to each individual and it has recently been discovered that zebras are dark animals with white stripes, not white animals with black stripes. It is also believed that the stripes on zebras are how they recognize one another, and that their stripes act as camouflage from their main predator, the color blind lion, when grazing in tall grasses.
How I See Stripes...
One of my main passions in life is animals. I love them all, though I do of course have some favorites such as cats of all sizes, both domestic and wild. I am always inspired by nature, light and color which I hope to pass on in my work.
May's Theme: Wave Tones...
Wave Tones is a series of four photographs that were inspired by the variations in the ocean waves shot over a period of only a few minutes. This intrigue with waves and how they can be both subtle yet dynamic at the same time, led me to choosing Waves as our theme for May’s journey into a realm of visual stimulation and artistic inspiration.
The "Wave Tones" Series is available for licensing only. Clicking on the image will take you to my Art Licensing site to view the entire series.
Let's ride the wave!
Exploring the Waves...
Radio waves move at the speed of light, lightening can produce natural radio waves while artificially generated radio waves give us computer networks, satellite communication, radar and broadcasting capabilities. There are sound waves which move through gases, liquids, solids and plasmas, while seismic waves allow us to record movement through the earth's core often in the form of earthquakes which can cause tidal waves to form.
Some of us fall asleep or get massaged to the sounds of ocean waves while others have waves of nausea from motion sickness. We learn how to wave good bye before we can even walk, yet generally speaking people usually don’t like to make waves. Many folks like to ride the wave and our country has survived a wave of cholera. Sometimes we feel a wave of disgust when we open an unidentifiable container from the back of the fridge and swear it's breathing, yet having a microwave to make quick work of those leftovers is no longer a luxury, but a necessity.
Are You Catching My Wavelength?
New Wave is a genre of music from the 1970’s and also popular in that era was the permanent wave so a woman's hair would hold a curl. When the temperature becomes intolerable for a specific region, we call it a heat wave which we then hear about on the air waves. We wave our hands as a greeting and we wave big foam hands at sporting events, or if you prefer you can do the ‘wave’ along with a thousand other spectators to show your support.
Drag racing in the back alley is often kicked off when a pretty girl waves a scarf, while Nascar races end with the winner anxiously anticipating the waving of the checkered flag. When we see someone we were waiting to meet at a restaurant we wave them over, yet when we are annoyed at a fly hovering around our food we wave them away. Some people pay an employee to wave a sign on street corners in the hopes of bringing in new business, while others get a wave of panic while trying to cross the street.
Don't Wave Me Off Yet!
We wave a fan in our face to cool us off and wave a sign with a name on it to pick someone up at the airport. We wave a white flag to surrender and wave the person sitting on our bumper to go around us while waving a fist out the window.
There are waveguides, wavelengths and wave fronts…and lets not forget “Long May She Wave” and “Amber Waves of Grain”.
Invoking the Power of Red
Red has been a strong color that symbolizes both love and war. Red is hot, strong and can stimulate conflicting emotions. Red is cupid on one shoulder and the devil on the other. Red has a physical effect on the human body by increasing the rate of respiration and raising blood pressure. The expression 'seeing red' gives anger a visual effect that shows in the natural flush of the cheeks.
Power ties in the executive world are red, celebrities walk on the red carpet, flashing red lights warn us of danger and red stop lights alert drivers to stop. In China, red is the color of happiness and prosperity. Brides wear red in some cultures and red is the color of mourning in South Africa.
With Red Letter Day, the Red Carpet Treatment, and Painting the Town Red such common things that come to mind in our society, is it no wonder that the color red can be so visually stimulating and provide such inspiration to artists?
How Other Artists FEEL Red...
"This painting is filled with reds and beautiful earth tones. I named it "Burning Promise" as it reminded me of a day dawning and filled with beautiful promise."
Itaya
"Three in one collage. 1.Red velvet - Original version is Oil on Linen, 120cmX 90cm. Portrait of the beautiful Karen. Was to be a matching piece for Blue Velvet, but the later sold so fast it got postponed till now. 2.Portrait Of A Woman - Original is oil on canvas. 3. Patch Of Sunshine - Original is Oil on Linen 150cm X 55cm. Portrait of Karen, my own little patch of sun, for her birthday card this year." David Wells
"It was my intention with this image to bring out the vibrancy of the red in these Californian poppies, and so some petals are in their original color with the background in mono. The glow of the red is especially emphasized in the emerging bud. The red poppy is delicate and fragile and has a short life in bloom. Each November in the UK it can be seen everywhere on people’s lapels when it comes into its own as the symbol of remembrance of the war dead. With so many current wars, it is particularly poignant. The black and white backgrounds adds a sombreness to echo this, but the vibrant red still engenders hopefulness and life. The poppies are from my garden in Glasgow, Scotland, UK. "
Simpson Visuals
Roses are Red, Violets are...
The red rose that we know today, the rose that sends a message of love and romance to the person we give it to, the rose that artists paint and poets write about was first introduced to Europe from China in the 1800's. The red rose can be traced back to the Greek and Roman mythology where it was tied to the goddess of love. The red rose was used to decorate marriage ceremonies and was thought to be a primal symbol for life. Throughout history, the mystique of this rose has been a source of inspiration.
The Red Hat Society!
The Red Hat Society was founded by artist Sue Ellen Cooper from California. In 1997, Ms. Cooper gave a friend a red fedora for her 55th birthday. Enclosed in her gift she included a copy of a poem by Jenny Joseph. The opening lines read:
"When I am old I shall wear purple with a red hat that doesn't go and doesn't suit me."
This gift was so well received, that eventually several women friends of Sue Ellen bought purple outfits to accompany their red hats and held a tea party. Through word of mouth, the Society received national publicity in 2000 and Sue Ellen Cooper established "Hatquarters" to accommodate the hundreds of requests coming in to start chapters.
I made ProSeller this week on Zazzle! Less than six-months after getting my shops rolling and particpated in my first ProSeller project. At Zazzle Head Quarters they want to change the art in their office which are 52-52-inch screens used as cubicle dividers, and they want to choose that artwork from their Zazzle artists. I was inspired to create my first colossal digital painting!
I took bits and pieces of 5 photographs, then took the composition into Correl Painter and painted it with oils using a Wacom pen and tablet.
Tonight I was chosen as one of 10 Featured ProSeller Stores on the Zazzle Home Page...ahhh its nice!
The January 2010 Salon of Art Newsletter, My Point of View, is released! In addition to some fun new Valentine's Day cards and gifts, we have some great Kids Projects this month, we continue our Senior Canine chat by talking about the Geriatric Canine and we've added a Featured Artist Section and a Book Review Section...so much great stuff! ENJOY!Check out My Point of View here
Please visit our brand new store Business Expressions!
Grand Opening January 9th, 2010!
All designs by artist Doreen Erhardt.
Also, mugs, mousepads, ties and shirts to honor the memory of lost pets
One of my new designs Got Cats? comes in pink and blue. Show here on a Jewelry Case Clock which makes a great stocking stuffer or gift for only $17.99!
See more Got Cats? at these links
Many great stocking stuffer ideas under $10 to help your budget this year!
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