folkhearts

Creative Painting, Las Vegas

2011-06-01T10:26:00.000-07:00

The class offerings for 2012 Las Vegas Creative Painting are online now, and I have two really interesting classes (smile) that you will want to take:

"Roses and Hummingbirds" on a crackled background. This is painted on hardwood framed board called a cradle board, so it is ready for display.

"Foil Lovebirds" is a quick two hour class that uses aluminum foil as a base for some of the elements.
Fun!

To see the photos up close:
http://www.folkhearts.com/Classes/index.html

To go to Creative Painting to sign up for class #182, and #210 (my name is first here :-)
http://members.cox.net/vegaspaint/teachers.html

Heidi England /Silver Palette Award

2011-05-20T10:21:00.000-07:00

Heidi England, recent classes, Japan

This week an American Folk Artist received the Silver Palette Award from the Society of Decorative Painters. This is a high honor and well deserved. Heidi England has taught folk art painting for 40 years, zig zagging across country and continent.

I have had the privilege of painting with Heidi for many years. Her designs are counted among my favorite possessions. It is wonderful that her talents and dedication have been recognized by the membership of the prestigious Society of Decorative Painters.

Nominated by her peers, Heidi was chosen for these qualifications:

1. Promoted and stimulated interest in tole and decorative painting

2. Elevated and maintained a national level of quality of tole and decorative painting.

3. Has been instrumental in dispensing information about tole and decorative painting.

4. Has lent distinction to the field of tole and decorative painting.

In response to a note of congratulations, Heidi had this comment:

"This Silver Palette represents 40 years of teaching ! I hope to continue to represent our Society and all my wonderful teachers that I have had through the years !"

Thank you Heidi! We look forward to sharing many more years and happy painting hours with you!

Rose Project

2011-04-26T14:24:00.000-07:00

As a fund raiser for Society of Decorative Painters, several artists were asked to paint a metal wall pocket. These will be auctioned at the annual conference in May. For me, the subject had to be roses.

This time I used these two reference photos, crackled the background, and used artist's license on the colors. As I sketched the roses, I did not worry that every petal had to be exact, as long as the form was correct.

The use of JoSonja's Gel Retarder made the painting delightful. Gel Retarder allows you to place and blend the colors like oils.

Get In the Habit

2011-04-24T09:09:00.000-07:00

How many times has JoSonja Jansen told us, "make yourself a comfortable place to paint, make it beautiful as possible, then paint at least 15 minutes a day...."?

This article about How to Develop Good Creative Habits in Just 21 Days echos the same message, and even goes a step further in giving you goals for the 21 days. I think you will gain from reading it. I'm already up to step six, just have to work on the 7 to 21 part.

The previous blog entry about forgiving yourself for procrastinating fits very nicely with this article.
I have found that if my work area, or even house is messy, I just don't feel like painting. However, get it all spruced up, and everything in it's place and all of a sudden the creative juices just start flowing.

So, let's get going, shall we?

http://emptyeasel.com/2011/04/12/how-to-develop-good-creative-habits-in-just-21-days/

Procrastination Revisited

2011-04-05T19:21:00.000-07:00

I usually always glance at articles or titles that include the word "procrastination," because I'm sure I won't see anything new. Woah, I LIKE this article. It was in a recent "O" magazine. I snapped this with my iPhone while waiting in the doctor's waiting room. I think you will like it!

Zentangle

2011-04-01T18:57:00.000-07:00

Wondering if I am one of the last people to find Zentangle? Who knew it was such fun and a popular way to doodle? I'll be on the hunt for the perfect purse now, but you'll have to look at some of these videos to know what that means. More ideas are sprouting in my head to apply this to decorative painting!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgwUroh4YV0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrJI2b9du4g&feature=more_related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_ptLbVmFzg&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6h0XuK95omE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5EV5pOBT2A&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hscfey5N-pY&playnext=1&list=PLBD3D0BA0360EBF2F

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6pvfC2nPTs&playnext=1&list=PL6D2E7F06C321710C

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kn6Pw1WKk4w

Fraktur References

2011-03-26T15:50:00.000-07:00

This is a fraktur picture taken from one of many that are available on the Dover site as graphics that you can make a free "e card" from. In addition to the card feature, you have some nice samples of early American folk art to refer to.

Here is the link, enjoy!

http://www.dovercards.com/Folk%2520Art/Folk%2520Art.html

Color Wheel

2011-03-23T22:18:00.000-07:00

Maybe you read the post on mixing color and would like more information. This link to an online interactive color wheel may just give you "too much information." It is fun to click and put together a sample palette though.

I've always felt that obsessing over color isn't necessary. Most of it is intuitive. God made the colors of the world simple. Based on just the three primary colors: red, blue, yellow. Amazing isn't it? And yet an endless variety of hues and values are available. Take a look and have fun.

http://www.gotcs.info/

Just remember though, art should be fun, not work :-)

Mixing Color

2011-03-21T19:00:00.000-07:00

Many decorative artists do not like mixing colors and thereby missing out on fun and endless options in painting.

Today in About.com, Marion Boddy-Evans discussed six different ways to mix paint. We employ at least the first five regularly in our painting. Realizing this may encourage more freedom and less frustration in not having the "perfect" color. One factor is knowing your product. You need to be very familiar with the colors you use and how they look when broken down with medium. Solution? Paint often and play on the palette a bit.

1. Physical Mix (mixing on a palette)
2. Incomplete mixing on a palette--brush blendling
3. Wet into wet--mixing on the painting
4. Scrumbling, or broken layers
5. Glazing or layering
6.Optical mixing--placing colors in close proximity and letting the eye blend them, such as pointillism.

Here is the link:

http://painting.about.com/od/colourtheory/tp/ways-mix-colors.htm?nl=1

Behr 2010 Color Selection

2010-06-01T08:41:00.000-07:00

In the process of choosing paint color for our remodeled bathroom, I ran across this page on Behr's site.

It has a short blurb about the colors forecast for 2010. Although it may be a bit late in 2010 already, I found the colors very pleasant to view. I loved the fact that they mention fine art and folk art in referencing the colors.

"Folk art blends with fine art and retro design with reclaimed detail." Sounds just like what we are all about.

Take a look and read:

http://www.behr.com/Behr/home#vgnextoid=672ec85ef5e54210VgnVCM100000516310acRCRD;channel=INSPIRATION;view=6

Goals

2010-05-25T09:54:00.000-07:00

The Why, What, How Path to Success
by Clint Watson

This article is by Clint Watson, former art gallery owner/director/salesperson and founder of FineArtViews. You should follow Clint on Twitter here. It was originally published in FineArtViews in March of 2007. We have republished it today as a "classique" since the idea is still relevant.
Setting specific but flexible outcome targets tied to specific general goals and then reinforcing the proper habits to achieve those goals is the surest path to success.

A few months ago I wrote about embracing success by developing habits. In the essay, I denigrated the traditional idea of setting goals with specific outcomes and deadlines in favor of developing more general and desirable habits. The idea, though correct, may be incomplete. Perhaps there is a place for goals after all.

For example, every success book I've ever read states that written goals increase the likelihood of success. And every single one espouses setting SPECIFIC goals...the more specific the better. I, on the other hand, have been more of an evangelist regarding developing habits and character. And I still am. But lately, I've been experimenting with setting goals and I must say, there is something to it....if done properly.

Let me explain.

As an artist, let's say you follow the traditional advice and set a specific goal of painting 60 paintings this year. That's five paintings a month. OK. That's fine as a goal but what if you only finish 48 paintings? Did you fail? Traditional goal setting would make it appear that you did fail, which is why I believe that traditional goal setting itself fails. It seems contrived and artificial. It's OK to set the WHAT (60 paintings this year). But you should also write down the WHY. WHY do you want to paint 60 paintings this year? Let's say the why is to have "enough" paintings for a one person show. Keep asking WHY and digging. WHY do you need enough for a one person show? Perhaps you want to have an event that showcases your work, an event that gets attention, an event that impresses people, an event that makes people remember your work. You're looking for the WHY that really satisfies your soul. Now, hypothetically, let's say halfway through the year you've finished 25 paintings and you have an idea for a grand 12 foot long masterpiece....so you paint it over the next six months. Now you finished the year with only 26 paintings. Did you fail? No! Not if you go back and look at the WHY you set the goal in the first place. You wanted an impressive body of work, that will garner attention, impress people, etc. Twenty-six amazing paintings make an enormously bigger impact than 60 mediocre ones.

The WHAT must be flexible. The WHY is the "real" goal. The WHY is the outcome that will satisfy your goal. After all, when you diet, your goal is not to limit your consumption to only 1500 calories a day. Your GOAL is to look good. We all know if a 3000 calorie-a-day diet came along that made us look good....we would all be flexible and drop the 1500 calorie a day "goal."

However, the ultimate secret to achieving the goals still lies in the HOW. And that's where we get back to habits. In our fictitious example, you would need to develop a habit of painting every day to take "enough" action to achieve the goal. I still believe habits are the most important step. In fact, even if you'd set no goal and just made it a habit to paint every day, you'd still be 90% there.

So the bottom line is:

1. Figure out your "big picture" goals (The WHYs)

2. Set specific goals, so you have day-to-day targets (The WHATs)

3. Be flexible with the WHATs because a better path to your WHY may present itself at any time

4. Develop the HABITS you need to reach the big picture goals (The HOWs)

The formula in short: WHY, WHAT, HOW.

Sincerely,

Clint Watson
Software Craftsman and Art Fanatic

PS: I left out WHO and WHEN because they should be obvious. WHO is YOU...WHEN is NOW.

Procrastination

2010-05-15T09:14:00.000-07:00

Creativity and Procrastination are permanent bedfellows for many artists. Why do we do this? It seems to be all wrapped up in our self valuation. Not evaluation, but valuation. We get an idea, a good idea, or we get a commission. The second involves a deadline, the first does not.

The idea may come to fruition if :
1. time allows
2. all supplies needed are at hand

Have you ever gotten a good creative idea and then by the time you have shopped and purchased all the supplies you can't remember what you were going to create? Happens to us all the time, especially since we have to have a travel day to procure such items.

The commission hangs up on niggling little thoughts:
1. what if my work isn't what they were expecting...
2. maybe it's not good enough...

So the procrastination begins.

With the creative idea, we need to write down and sketch out the bones of the idea and then remember where the details are; another problem in itself, unfortunately.

The person commissioning our work thinks we are good enough or they wouldn't have asked us. I've seen this line in a signature of a graphic designer, and it is funny and sad:
"I love deadlines, I love the sound they make when they go whooshing by."

If you would like a good read here is one for you:

How to Be More Productive, Part 1

Painting

2010-05-15T08:32:00.000-07:00

Last week was great, allowing enough time to catch up and finish some pieces. I’m getting an idea to paint a rose picture each day. I think it would be a nice way to stretch a bit. We’ll see how that goes. Here is a picture of one rose canvas painted very quickly, and two JoSonja pieces I finished. I love the Peter Peter Pumpkin eater tin.

Create Stripe--Color Fun

2010-04-28T18:47:00.000-07:00

Want to "play on the computer" a bit with color and lines? This site lets you endlessly rearrange colors, shadings, widths and angles to create stripe patterns. Why? Thinking it might be a way to increase some background options for web pages, I decided to experiment for a minute or two.

You have to create a profile to save your stripe creations, so you can search for "folkhearts" and find the ones I've made. If you don't want to save them, you can just keep playing. Make your choices and click on the box with the arrows and your changes will appear.

Warning, it's kind of addicting :-) The color choices are endless. Have fun!

http://www.stripegenerator.com

Decorative Painting--Florals Day 5

2010-04-23T16:56:00.000-07:00

Here we are, all through for the week. Students for the next class are arriving, we are packing and clearing out. Many will be staying for next week as well.

We glazed the lid of the tea box, and worked on the new floral technique on the underside of the lid. It is a sort of sketchy type of technique involving dry brushing. It almost crosses over to water color. Jo is trying to decide what to call the technique so people will understand what it is. We weren't a lot of help as it is a hard technique to describe. It is lovely and can be quite soft. I will try to post a picture of it on Monday.

While we were painting, Jo told us how she began as a painter. I think someone asked her what started her on this path. Her first teacher was at an adult education center, and that dear teacher traveled 1000 miles a week, doing a circuit of the classes. Can you imagine? Thank goodness she did make that effort. She had learned to paint on the east coast and was familiar with the styles of the HEAD Society, which is still in operation, faithfully publishing books on early American folk art. I don't think I have that name right, I'll correct that later too as I have several of their books at home. It was a pleasant afternoon, and a good time was had by all!

Thank you to all who wrote and told me they enjoyed the blog. I'm going to try to keep it up at least weekly. Here's one more pic of a lovely tea set that was painted by JoSonja.

Florals Decorative Painting-Day 4

2010-04-22T21:43:00.000-07:00

These days are really packed. Sometimes I have to stop and think, just what all did we do today?
We continued on the tea box, beginning the highlights, and then bringing them up as the day progressed.
Leaves were addressed three times at least. So far I have 16 pages of notes on the two pieces, with still one day to go. BTW the title of the tea box is Vintage Florals.

We are going forward at a steady pace, and will start and hopefully finish the reverse side of the
lid tomorrow. Jo says it is a fun technique. It is very soft compared to the styles we have been using all week. We have been using Kleister throughout these florals in two techniques, sideloading and tipping.
We were encouraged to practice and become proficient at it.

Sue Tripp came in today with her lovely spread of goodies. One of the treats was called "Frosted Grapes."
Here's the recipe:

Sue's Frosted Grapes
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
8 oz. sour cream
1/3 C. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 C. nuts, optional
Grapes of choice--these were large, lovely, and seedless
Mix the first four ingredients well and fold in the nuts and grapes. Chill.

I was able to finish the Garden of the Golden Finches plate and take this picture. After I took it, I decided to glaze back the white narcissus just a bit. Maybe it's good to take a quick picture for evaluation purposes.

Decorative Painting--Florals Day 3

2010-04-21T21:19:00.000-07:00

The wind is realllly howling in Eureka today! JoSonja finished with the Garden of the Golden Finches plate and we worked on the Tea Box. The vase holding the bouquet looks very nice and was much easier to accomplish than we expected. We shaded the flowers that were based yesterday and finished the vase.

On the plate we spent a good bit of time on the roses, there were only two, but the layering technique requires passing over them several times.

Because of the many colors and combinations of shading and highlight, Jo made us a "cue card" which is a color map progression of the color options. That has proved very helpful. Allows the left brain a bit of a rest and eases the concentration of listening to instructions.

Yesterday I had eleven brushes to wash, tonight I fared a bit better. Homework was finishing leaves, and I'm almost done with that. Tomorrow more of the Tea Box.

Florals Decorative Painting-Day 2

2010-04-20T20:07:00.000-07:00

It's another rainy day in northern California, so perfect for painting; we covered a lot of territory today in JoSonja's class.

We started the morning with the soft border of birds and leaves on the Garden of the Golden Finches plate, using a brush that I don't know how I missed--#5 Kolinsky Long Pointed Round. That's a really nice brush--makes nice one-stroke leaves and has a great point. In the afternoon we sketched a bit, focusing on trumpet-type flowers, and then began both the red and yellow roses. Immediately following the afternoon break--we began and completely based in the Tea Box floral and vase. It was all toned with Provincial Beige and looks lovely already. If you are just joining this blog, scroll down to see JoSonja's finished pieces.

Here is a peek at one of displays in the studio:

Florals Decorative Painting

2010-04-19T19:04:00.000-07:00

Today we started with sketching flowers; the better to understand the painting. We are using some toned colors and Kleister to make the strokes transparent and to add layers. As we finished the day, we had base coated all the elements of the Garden of Goldfinches. Details must be added, but are best done over dry kleister! Tomorrow we will continue and begin the Tea Box.

Here is a photo of some other pieces JoSonja has done using the new Vintage Collection which are not yet available, but can be mixed. See these colors in a previous post.

Prepping for Florals

2010-04-18T21:08:00.000-07:00

Even though I thought Saturday was early enough to arrive, I find that many of the class members have been here since Wednesday! Guess that puts me in the slacker category? The prep has not been difficult, and I've included photos of our projects for the week. My plan is to keep up this blog with interesting tidbits, hope that works out!

The brown background you see is one of the new colors (still not available) called Expresso. You can make it with Brown Earth + Burnt Umber 1:1.

Creativity

2010-04-02T07:46:00.000-07:00

We are all born creative. There is no question about this to me. But just like a "calling to a profession" we also have a "calling" to a particular area of creativity. Sometimes we discover this because of genetic imprinting and family history, and sometimes in just clicks for us. Creativity is something that also can expand into other areas of our lives. It is good to practice creativity. Have you found it?

I love articles on creativity and the encouragement of creativity. This one is interesting and informative.

http://fineartviews.com/blog/18237/creativity-and-balancing-your-brain

Smalls to Paint

2010-03-23T21:12:00.000-07:00

Cleaning up in the studio can bring on surprises. There is a dark corner in the studio I am trying to improve. What a pleasure to uncover some small tins, long forgotten. These would be perfect to display a vintage style strawberry, acorn, or heart. They are handy to hold small bits or jewelry.

Peter Ompir>modern

2010-03-12T08:50:00.000-08:00

These are examples of the Ompir vintage style. I painted them in February, and like the richness of the technique and style.

JoSonja's new Vintage Collection colors

2010-03-12T08:14:00.000-08:00

These are the new colors from the new "Vintage Collection"
by Chroma for JoSonja's Artist's Colors. The February
design class mixed and played with them...nothing like new
colors / combinations to inspire!

The new set may be available the end of March. They will be in a boxed set (2 oz) or individual bottles (6 oz).

Vegas Creative Painting 2010

2010-02-26T10:52:00.000-08:00

The decorative painting show in Las Vegas was great as always. Word is attendance was up and the booths seemed busy to me. There were good vendors so it was not a problem to find things to buy! My puchases included tin and wood. Creative Painting classes include those for decorative painting with acrylics, oils, watercolors, colored pencils. Styles include everything from folk art to fine art.

It is always good to see friends and everyone is cheerful if not too exhausted :-)

News: the 2011 Creative Painting Las Vegas will move to back to the newly rennovated Tropicana with room rates at $69 per night. Super!! There is lots to do and see at that end of the strip and hopefully the navigation inside the Trop will be as convenient as it was before. See you there!

-- Post From My iPhone

Faux Buttons

2010-01-18T21:14:00.000-08:00

Today was a rainy, windy day in our part of California. My facebook friends reported nesting with pans of lasagne, chili, and chocolate chip cookies. I however have whipped up a batch of faux buttons. These will be embellishments on the rose class I will be teaching at Las Vegas Creative Painting in February. At least no calories are involved here :-)

Let's Fix the Economy

2010-01-10T19:55:00.001-08:00

Today in the Everyday Cheapskate column by Mary Hunt she lists what WE can do to fix the economy.
The suggestions are good and a lifestyle we should ascribe to.

Trimmed up, here is the list:

1. Stop living on plastic
2. Get out of debt
3. Rein in frivolous spending by
4. Saying "No" to yourself more often
5. Work more, earn extra if possible
6. Buy American-- check out http://stillmadeinusa.com/ and http://madeinusa.com/

You can read more from Mary at http://everydaycheapskate.com

Challenge: Six Months

2010-01-06T18:15:00.000-08:00

It's very hard to stay challenged in your art, especially without a deadline. So what to do?

The picture at the left, "Balloon Launch," was a stretch for me, but it felt good.

How about a six month challenge for ourselves. Set a personal goal and see where it takes you. We don't have to do a painting every day, although that would be a wonderful exercise and time well spent!

You are welcome to join in, reporting your progress and sharing finished work here. I believe the more you create, you will continually be inspired to create even more.

Let's just start.
Vicki

-- Post From My iPhone

Magazines We'll Miss

2010-01-04T09:57:00.000-08:00

25 Magazines Down in 2009

In 2009 25 magazines met their demise. I was surprised to see this list, some of which I have subscribed to or purchased, including Country Home, Domino, Gourmet, and Hallmark. Even Playgirl didn't make it (no I never purchased that one).

We'll see what the future holds. Victoria went down and was resurrected. I do miss SketchBook, wish it would make a comeback.

iPhone/iPod Tips

2010-01-03T19:38:00.000-08:00

A lot of artists are using iPhones and iPods. This is a link to some neat tips, some of which I did not know.

http://www.ugnn.com/2009/12/15-secret-iphone-tips-and-tricks/

New Year goals

2010-01-03T16:30:00.000-08:00

Will try to be more faithful to this blog. Afterall, I have so many interesting things to share... :-)

-- Post From My iPhone

Credit & Comments

2009-11-01T16:58:00.000-08:00

The 20 ways to stimulate your creativity is worth considering carefully. Personally, I think #6 should be #1, as that is a stumbling block.

20 Ways to Stimulate Your Own Creativity

2009-11-01T16:51:00.000-08:00

http://www.bitrebels.com/geek/20-ways-to-stimulate-your-own-creativity/

What distinguishes a creative person from one who isn’t? Aren’t we all creative on some level? I believe the answer to this question is yes; however, there are definitely some people that have an easier time staying in a creative and inspired mindset than others.

According to Mark McGuinness, “We can probably all recognize the classic image of the artist or creative person. A Romantic, willful, sensitive, temperamental, tortured soul, a perpetual outsider with a mysterious and misunderstood talent. A bit like a cross between Lord Byron and Vincent Van Gogh.”

I’m writing this post for everyone that knows they are creative, and also for those that doubt their ability to be creative. I hope some of these ideas light a spark within you so you can realize your own greatness!

20 Ways to Stimulate Your Own Creativity:

1. Keep a notebook and pen with you at your desk, in your car, everywhere you go so you can always record your ideas as you have them.

2. Learn to ask more questions. Ask “What if?” Don’t be afraid to have what seem to be completely crazy ideas. Learn to think beyond what seems obvious.

3. Daydream. Learn to use your imagination. You must see it in your mind before it becomes a reality. Become a master at visualization.

4. Become more spontaneous. Don’t concern yourself with what others think about your ideas.

5. Follow your intuition. Follow that little voice inside; it will never let you down.

6. Do not compare yourself to others. This is a quick creativity killer. Be nice to yourself.

7. Try new things. Visit a museum, go shopping, a change of scenery will reboot your creative mind.

8. Brainstorm with your family or friends.

9. Read, read and then read some more. Whether you are reading a book, your tweets, the Internet, just read. Never stop learning.

10. Take a bubble bath.

11. Learn to become comfortable with the silence. Quiet your mind. Go within, there are nuggets of gold in there if you can quiet your mind and explore yourself. Get in the moment.

12. Try new foods. Milk, spinach, salmon, whole grain pasta, tofu and sunflower seeds are all proven to make you feel happier and more creative.

13. Sleep or lack of it. It’s funny because it is shown that sleep can recharge your batteries and make you feel more creative, but also hacking your body and not sleeping for extended periods of time can trigger insane amounts of creativity.

14. Listen to music. (This one is my favorite!)

15. Physical exercise definitely stimulates creativity.

16. Take a walk in nature, breathe in the fresh air, appreciate and become inspired by nature.

17. Stop doubting your own ability to be creative. Believe that you are inherently creative.

18. If you hit a wall creatively, walk away and do something else for a while, then go back to your project. When I do this, the answer almost always magically comes to me.

19. Learn to take more chances, put yourself out there a bit more, trusting yourself.

20. Last but certainly not least, fall in love with what you do. All creative people have this in common. For example, I love to write. I write for the same reason that I breathe, because I have to. It is who I am and I love it. Find your passion and do it. And then do it some more.

St. Pat's Day in Eureka

2009-03-17T08:43:00.000-07:00

JoSonja and Yukiko model hats made for St Pat's by Sherry Bunn.
We're ready for another full day of painting.

Dennis Jerry Gary relax before the expo

2009-02-25T22:20:00.000-08:00

Arlene and Vicki

2009-02-25T22:09:00.000-08:00

The Purse

2009-02-25T22:03:00.000-08:00

Expo day 1

2009-02-25T21:59:00.001-08:00

Very busy day today, which is just the way it should be! Took photos and hopefully won't take forever to upload them.

While shopping yesterday I became enamoured with the new (I think) Vuitton look featuring the stylized rose on their bags. Yes I took a snap but the colors are even more intense. So today I worked on a version of it; harder than it looks of course!

The first day of expo is always fun, seeing old friends and talking to everyone.

Not lots of new stuff, but I was working and not really able to scrutinize closely.

More tomorrow.

-- Post From My iPhone

TI fireworks

2009-02-24T20:30:00.000-08:00

2009-02-24T20:18:00.000-08:00

Wynn

2009-02-24T20:07:00.000-08:00

Vegas--2

2009-02-24T20:04:00.001-08:00

It was a beautiful day in Vegas today. We checked into the conference and ran right into Chezza and her cousin Mary who now lives in the US. Did more shopping, but bought little. Still really loving the Wynn and its convenient location.

Work starts tomorrow early with the Expo.

Will try to remember to snap some pictures there. The Riviera is really under some renovation, that is a good thing to look forward to.

The waterfall is just outside the entrance to the Wynn. I enjoy l looking down from our window and seeing all the tall pines they have installed. We can't decide if they are Monterey or scotch pines.

The view of Treasure Island is also from our view--tried to catch the fireworks and the cool sunset!.
-- Post From My iPhone

2009-02-24T08:05:00.000-08:00

Creative Painting--Las Vegas--1

2009-02-23T20:03:00.000-08:00

We have arrived safely to find mild weather and sunny skies; very different than the buckets of rain we left behind!

This is my first attempt at blogging from my iPhone. In a attempt at bravery and simplicity, we left the MacBook at home. We'll see how this works out :-)

I am using iBlogger which is supposed to be able to upload photos. This is an iPhone app.

We are lodging at The Wynn. It is a five star hotel, I think the first one we have ever experienced. It is lovely and brand new. My dear friend Cazzie will be pleased to note that it is directly opposite the Fashion Mall and conveniently connected with a raised street bridge!!

Now we have to worry about being ruined for lesser star accomodations!

Leaving today for Vegas.

2009-02-22T08:40:00.000-08:00

Jean Bourdichon

2009-02-10T22:59:00.000-08:00

Today we looked at the work of Jean Bourdichon, 1457-1521. His botanicals are perfectly amazing. He was an artist to the French royalty, and clicking on his name in the title will take you to see some of his work at the Getty Museum.

"Promenade dans des Jardins" is a french book that showcases the botanicals, and can be seen on the Amazon.com.fr site. If the link does not appear here as I hope it does, please google it, it is a treat for the eyes! You can also find it at: http://editionsouestfrance.fr. The book is compiled by Michele Bilimoff.

Design & Color 2/09

2009-02-10T07:59:00.000-08:00

Today is another gray day in Eureka as we start our second day of instruction with JoSonja Jansen. Even though the sky is damp, our creative spirit is not the least bit dampened.

Each year for this class, JoSonja leads us to find the creative force within ourselves. Sometimes this is agonizing, but growth is a natural product.

No, I'm not going to share what we did yesterday, as this info may spoil the next class coming up.

If anyone reads this today though, I have a great offer for you. This came in the email on Sunday, Hearst magazines one week offer of yearly subscriptions of great magazines for only $5 each. I've ordered three. The link is enclosed, enjoy!

France, Italy, and Home

2008-05-01T08:37:00.001-07:00

We enjoyed our visits to Cannes/St.Paul deVence and then Florence today. Our bags are packed and labeled. We muster tomorrow morning at 6:15 a.m. and then bus to Rome for trip home. Amy called me accidently on my cell phone, planning to leave a message. I was using it for an alarm though, so we were both surprised when I answered! It was 4 a.m. here, unfortunatly!
See most of you soon!
Vicki

Morocco, Gibralter, and Sea

2008-04-29T15:32:00.000-07:00

Today is Monday, April 28.

Yesterday we wandered around Casablanca in North Africa. The Atlas mountains shield the area from the harsh heat of the Sahara. It is one of the largest cities in Africa. Casablanca is very modern and clean. We arrived on a Sunday - many of the stores closed in the afternoon which frustrated Vicki. We did go into the food market area that had stalls of every vegetable, ton of flowers, fish, and all sorts of meat including horse meat.

This morning we are sailing in the Straits of Gibraltar where we dock in Gibraltar for the day.

dennis

As Dennis has told you, yesterday was Morocco (pronounced MOR-o-CO) for the day. We did a little tour of the town and saw the huge new mosque. It looks like the younger generation will be changing things a bit. We were told that the previous king had 100 wives, the current king only one. Our guide said this was because of a different generation. We weren't sure if it was because of the wife! Many young people had modern dress, and some with their muslim dress and head scarves, but with blue denim underneath. Everyone was checking their cell phones, so nothing new there! We had 20 minutes to shop in the only store that was opened for the benefit of the Grand Princess cruisers. The beaches in Morocco were very beautiful.

Today was a blissful change. Finally a first world country after 16 days of cruising and visiting 3rd world countries. Gibralter is over the top with shopping opportunities and is a duty free port as well. Only 2.6 square miles, half the size of Rhode Island, but an economic leader with only 3% unemployed and practically no crime. Hooray! We walked into town, all round and back to the ship. After being in Brazil, Senegal, and Morocco, the shopping was just about too much to take in. Culture shock had set in! We actually had a news channel today as well, after 16 days with no world news.

Tomorrow is a sea day, and then to Cannes, France. That should be enjoyable as we are set to do a tour on a small town with a vibrant art community.
Vicki

April 29, Tuesday

After sleeping in a bit this morning, we took in the last of the art lectures. This time the subject was Siena, a city located between France and Rome. Our lecturer had spent a year of art study there, and know the subject well. It is virtually the same as when it was established, and was very modern for the times with an advanced system of flowing water. I need to go here some day, so it is added to the bucket list!

Later today is the last art auction, maybe more on that later. Dennis has purchased me a lovely white rose corsage for the tonight's formal dinner.

The art auction went nicely, and I won a trivia card because I knew what chiaroscuro is. The formal dinner was very nice with lobster and prawns. Afterwards we went to the last musical dance show; and it was really outstanding. Next was a "champagne waterfall" made of 754 flutes stacked in a pyramid. People could stand on a platform with the maitre'd and pour champagne while having their picture taken. Now this was happening after the show at 11:15 pm. The whole lot of passengers seemed to be out in their formal wear for free champagne. There was a congo line and dancing. We retreated after just about an hour, as it was sooooo warm. I could feel the heat radiating off Dennis' suit coat and that is not a good thing for him! Up tomorrow early for our trip into France.

FYI: I didn't see any other person with a corsage, how special was that??? I was wearing black lace, so the white rose showed up beautifully. Thank you Dennis!

Dakar, Senegal

2008-04-24T16:09:00.001-07:00

Our ship docked this morning around 7 am. As we headed into port we passed Ile De Goree, a major slave center until the suppression of the slave trade in the early 19th century. More than 40 million people were eventually shipped to the Americas from Goree and similar ports. One of the tours went to the island where today today there is a Historical Museum recalling its slave history.

We went on the tour of the city. The weather was comfortable ( it is winter here). The bus ride was comfortable. But the sights were unsettling. This is a third world country with an unemployment rate around 50%. The city had high rise buildings and lots of nice cars. But at each stop for a photo opportunity we were besieged by people trying to sell goods or begging for money. The last stop was the artisan marketplace. Rude stalls were pushed together with very dark and narrow walkways of uneven ground. Venders would each entreat the tourists to look at the wares. Picture taking was difficult because of the tight quarters. We had barely gone into the area when we decided that it was too uncomfortable to proceed. We turned around and went back to the bus. Culture shock. Brazil was similarly needy, but these people who were very attractive, seemed much more desperate.

At one o'clock the lines to board the ship were long. We were tardy in leaving the port - after 2 pm.

dennis

2008-04-23T15:34:00.000-07:00

Guess it won't upload images today, so another time....

Last sea day before Dakar

2008-04-23T15:26:00.001-07:00

Yesterday (2nd sea day from Brazil) we watched the art auction. This is the second or maybe third art auction day, another will be today. It is very educational to attend as the auctioneer is very knowledgeable about the artists represented and has many stories to tell. This is good practice because soon you feel you know the artist and want to buy something from them. He also discusses art styles and terms. The prices are very reasonable as well and you can snag a very nice serio-lithograph (sp) or limited edition print for good prices.

We were inspired to pull out the small amount of art supplies we brought, just a few brushes, small water color tablets with 140 lb paper, watercolor pencils, and a few felt tip pens. Dennis sketched and painted a scene from Dominica and one from Venice, while I was inspired (because of the auction) to paint a weird colorful abstract bird, and then a much calmer wc of "Three Waves." ah well, perhaps more today.

Later we attended the Captains Circle Reception with free drinks and canapes.
They gave away three bottles of champagne by random drawing, and recognized the three "most cruises" people. They went from 51 to 55 to 105 cruises! The lady who won the most had already won my admiration since I had talked to her some days ago. She walks for an hour a day and when home bicycles for an hour, regardless of the weather--she lives in Ohio!! Snow does not stop her. Did I mention that she is 87 years old? You would never guess it with her straight back, firm skin, all decked out in a gold lame suit with three inch red heels. Wow, I have a new heroine! She goes on three cruises a year. This was the third "formal" night. One more to go.

This morning we attended the art lecture on Pop Art. As I listened, I was thinking that it is not a big step from folk art. This movement began first in England in the 1950's and U.S. in 1960's. It was a rebellion against the abstract impressionism which was prevalent at the time. It is characterized by themes and techniques, and celebrated post-war consumerism and "democratic" subjects like Coca-Cola which was the same to the poorest and richest. It took the "highbrow" out of art. Notable artists of this style are Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, and Jasper Johns. The similarities to folk art are:
1. they used very familiar subjects
2. they made no apology for mass production
3. they took the "highbrow" out of art and made it "art for everybody"

One of the definitions of folk art is that it is art of the common people for the common people, representing their daily lives.

The photos attached in the batch yesterday are all from Dominica. We pronounce this "Do-min-a-ca" but natives pronounce it "Dom-a-neek-a."

The photos today are of Brazil. I was slow remembering how to upload the photos. I will be more current with future postings.

Today we painted a bit more, and watched the art auction again in the afternoon. Our dinner friends each scored some of the art; we just watched and took notes. The weather today was very different, cool and no humidity. We are near the African continent now.

We have practically NO news here, and it seems quite strange that the news channels seem to be out of range but we can still get ESPN. What's up with that???? I checked a news website and found that Hillary won the Pennsylvania election, so the drama for the Dem. candidate goes on. We really don't really have any further info, so if someone wants to report it would be nice....
XOXOXO
Vicki

Three Days to Africa

2008-04-22T17:38:00.001-07:00

Three Days to Senegal, Africa

April 21, 2008
We are on our way from Brazil to Africa. Yesterday in Brazil was a tiring day, mostly from the heat and humidity. We had late dinner with our table friends and then watched Fernando, the Comedian Hypnotist. He asked for volunteers, started with about 18, and gradually narrowed it down to six. He let the others go, one at a time because he could tell they didn't easily fall under his influence. We observed this as he would lift their arms and let them fall. You could see which ones didn't fall quite as dead weight. It was interesting, but we're not converts. He was selling tapes and also giving seminars during the three days on how to lose weight, quit smoking, and other OC problems...ha!! He said that he would not make anyone cluck like a chicken or bark like a dog. He just made them do other embarrassing things, like perform like they were a rock star, listen their phone ringing in their shoe, etc. Clarice and Ella attended his lecture today, will see what they have to say tonight.

We slept in today, the room is so dark with the curtains pulled, you can't even detect sunshine outside. Last night we moved the clock forward one hour. We will repeat this for the next two nights as well. Soon we'll be 7 hours ahead of California time. Therefore, because of the 10:30 am breakfast, we've skipped lunch. Everyone raves about cruise food, but I'm really getting almost bored with it. The late dinner seating is nice because it is served very slowly, taking 1.5 to 2 hours to finish. We're not used to eating so late, and besides, we think they are drugging our food to keep us sleepy all the time. Less problems for them that way, I'm sure.

We have yet to try the hamburger or pizza. That will happen if we really get bored with the food offerings. For our afternoon snack I had ribs in a great sauce. (Dennis) Tonight I will have rib eye.

We attended another art lecture, this time on Picasso. We had already watched a nearly two hour TV program about him, so knew more than was talked about in the short lecture. The main point of the lecture being the topic of what influences artists and their styles. The influence is caused basically by everything they see, feel, experience. This also influences the "periods" they go through. Picasso is a great example of this because he was successful very young, lived a long time, and had many "experiences." These were mostly female. However, he was certainly not afraid to reinvent himself over and over as he experimented with other's styles (his friend Matisse), cubism, etc. He executed beautiful realism in his early paintings as well, before he began to broaden his styles. Sometimes he returned to previous styles, changing them a bit. All very interesting.

Everyone carries around books. Some do suduko, word puzzles, or sleep, but most are reading. I've finished two books so far. The only excitement today was the frenzy at the T-shirt sale table...boy these (us?) old folks can act like piranas. Note to self: "TRY not to be less impatient as age advances, t-shirts are not THAT important."

I'm very unhappy with my packing this time. The shoes that seemed fine at home are causing me problems when I try to walk the deck. Clairice (who was checking on signing up for the extended tour) was talking about being over weight on her luggage and already planning to perhaps dump some clothing. She is going to bring me a pair of socks tonight. Hopefully that will help. It's beautiful and sunny outside today.

The Rainbow:
At about 4:45 pm today we observed a full rainbow with a double a ways behind. The foremost rainbow ended in the water about 50' or less from the ship. We have observed a rainbow here before, but not nearly so close. We figure the pot of gold had already been captured by the cruise lines. Hmmm. Or maybe the owners of the oil tankers. Hmmm.

It is Tuesday, 4/22. The ship has one more day before reaching Africa. Our cabin is close to the art gallery, which we have to walk through every time we go someplace. They are constantly changing the art pieces, so each day is like a new art show. Selling art is a big deal with the cruise lines. Tomorrow is the third art auction. The cruise line operates the art business like Cosco; they buy in huge quantities - originals and prints - and offer them at auction at very reasonable prices. Today some works sold at opening bid of less than $50; others, some of the originals sold for thousands. Prior to each piece being sold, the art guy tells a bit about the artist - sometimes very interesting and educational.

The colors inspired us finally to go upstairs by the covered pool and do some art work ourselves.

We walked over a mile again today; that is the distance it takes to walk the deck 2 times and a few yards. It is generally pretty busy. The ship is large enough for thousands of passengers to spread out so it doesn't seem crowded, except at the lunch and breakfast buffets.

dennis

Brazil

2008-04-20T15:44:00.000-07:00

Saturday, April 19 was the celebration of the pollywogs crossing the equator. The crew put on a mock ceremony with Neptune and his wife, costumes, lots of whipped cream and chocolate wasted.... We're to receive a document commemorating the event. It is very warm, but seems like nearly everyone on board was at the ceremony.

We watched "August Rush" in the theatre, it was very good.

It is Sunday, April 20. This morning we docked in Fortaleza, Brazil, the fourth largest city in the country. We spent the morning touring the city. The highlights were a cultural museum, a theatre, one of the many beaches the area is famous for, a cathedral (of course), and a four level market place. Lots of colors throughout the city. Many of the building facades were brightly painted, and there were many multi-story buildings. A police car seemed to show up at each stop our bus made; they seemed intent on protecting the tourists.

The city certainly showed the extremes of the economic levels. Streets were not crowded because it was Sunday. The beaches were getting busy. Our tour guide, Elena, is one of 12 children. They are proud of the racial mixtures. She said in her family she has siblings that resemble more of their black heritage, and some that resemble the European heritage, and all in between. It is not unusual for three generations to share the same household because of their income level.

Because they are so near the equator, they have 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of dark. There are two seasons, rainy and dry. We are at the end of the rainy period now. The temperature is about the same year round, day AND night! There is a wonderful sea breeze that comes in, and all the apartments are set to take advantage of it, view not withstanding.

We made it back aboard on ship in the early afternoon. This evening we went out to the deck to watch the sunset and the ship's departure. Two dolphins entertained the passengers and the occupants of several other smaller craft. Our departure was to be 5 pm, but it was after 6 pm when we left

Devil's Island

2008-04-17T19:08:00.000-07:00

It is April 17. Today a noon we drop anchor at Devil's Island, famous French prison island of history. Tonight we will be at sea for two days and then stop at Fortaleza, Brazil. The water has been a bit choppy during the night. We have been having great meals. Everyday they set up tables of merchandise for sale.

Today was predicted to be hot, sunny and humid. However, it was cloudy, warm and humid, along with an occasional DOWNPOUR. We were advised to have water, two pairs of socks, and rubber soled shoes, hats and umbrellas.

We were all gathered around the "public" areas of the ship, and had collected the tickets for the tenders that would shuttle us to the island. After the first cloud burst, and after they had lowered several tenders (small crafts that will shuttle 150 persons), the captain came on the loud speaker and said he was canceling the visit to Devil's Island. Pooey, I really wanted to collect a rock from there. At dinner it was shared that the captain had said there was a 16' wave and it was too dangerous. Devil's Island is actually 3 islands - our ship looked larger than two of them. Everyone was satisfied to bypass this stop. We spent the day by the covered pool reading and eating cookies.

dennis

3 Continents

2008-04-16T19:00:00.000-07:00

We're on our way to Dominica from Fort Lauderdale. The water here in the middle of the ocean is a pure Ultramarine Blue color, so unlike the color from Monterey north. The engine at the back churns the water to an aqua color.

Haven't gotten sick, but the rocking really keeps me sleepy, not to mention the lack of sleep (about 42 hours) from Friday morning to finally getting our heads on a proper pillow last night. All sea day today and tomorrow.

They have so many activities going on we can't do it all. We went to a lecture today on identifying good art...ha ha! This will be an ongoing lecture, tomorrow doesn't seem quite as relevant, but we'll see. After learning about the six elements of a painting, we reviewed VanGogh's "The Langlois Bridge at Arles," and "Woman in a Purple Robe" by Matisse. We learned that "art is a message without words." The six elements are line, color, form, space, shape, and texture. There must be a real interest in art here. We walked past the art auction and it was packed with people. The free champagne may have been a factor, but people were definitely bidding.

Also walked our first mile on the deck, which was interesting because you get to go up and down steps as well as just walk. I can now understand how people can be blown off a deck. We're really trucking along here; the sea is quite calm, so the captain is going pretty much full speed ahead. Three times around the ship is about 1.3 miles. We are on level 5 (no upgrade, Shannon), so have plenty of opportunity to use the indoor stairs. Our dinner table mates are very nice. A couple from Fairfield, CA and an couple from upstate NY, immigrated from Russia.

For Captain Greg: our Captain is Andrea Poggi from Genoa, Italy, a 1971 graduate of Nautical Institute in Genoa. The sea is "slight" less than 4' swells, the wind is moderate (force 4) from the SE, water temperature 27c. Outside temperature 79f, 100% humidity. 20.3 Knots
Theme: "Princess, the cure for the common cruise." Our table mates say however, that since Carnival bought Princess, that the service/amenities have been downgraded.

I ordered my bottle of CabSav (thank you MJ) and discovered they have no sommelier. I only had one glass as I did not want to be any sleepier than I already was. I ordered the prime rib. The waiters seemed a bit stressed and service a bit slow lasting from 8:15 to 10pm. The west coast people went home to bed, while the NY couple went to see the late live show.

Our room is tucked in a quiet corner. We have no one on three sides and the end is an access only by crew, an emergency exit of some kind. It is also on a good floor with the library and lots of activities close by. One weird thing about this room is that there are twin beds on both sides on the walls. They are closed up, but you can whack your head on them as I did last night. I told Dennis if he wasn't good he would have to sleep on one of those bunks. This must be a room for people with kids, we think, and the queen bed is usually made into singles against the wall.

As we got ready for the first formal night, I plunked down on the bed to take off my walking shoes, and unfortunately Dennis had placed his glasses on the bed...right where I plunked. The purser thinks that *maybe* the upholsterer can fix them, one doesn't know until he tries. So we'll see if he can work some magic tomorrow.

Tonight was the Captain's reception with free drinks and a speech from the man himself. It was short, and he spoke glowingly about the ports we would visit.

We enjoyed a nice dinner and were surprised with a special chocolate cake and an anniversary serenade. That was very nice, and I told everyone that neither of my kids had remembered our anniversary, although it is a crime to forget theirs. :-] After dinner we listened to the band, danced one dance and exited when they announced that karaoke would begin next.

The internet connection is faster than we've previously experienced, but still very pricey. When I showed up at the internet cafe with my beautiful, fast, and efficient MacBook, the guy immediately made rude remarks. I smiled sweetly since I've had so much practice with this inane attitude from my little brother, Mike :-) And yes, it hooked up just fine.

One more from Anaheim

2007-06-09T20:58:00.000-07:00

This is a photo of our table taken by Arlene Rounce. That's me peeking around our "Big Foot" centerpiece. Yvonne Thompson is on my right. We brought three of the redwood trees home and home to keep them going all summer to be planted in the fall.

After we arrived home late Tuesday evening, I actually accomplished quite a bit on Wednesday. Thursday, however, was a different story. Needed TWO naps between the morning and evening classes. Hope everyone else didn't hit that wall. I've found some more silk scarves. Painting them the easy way was just too much fun!

Monterey

2007-06-04T21:31:00.000-07:00

We've just spent a very relaxing two days in Monterey. The weather has been wonderful. There were many children at the Monterey Bay Aquarium and it was fun to watch their amazement at the exhibits. The sun fish has grown huge, and believe me, it was always pretty large.

As we lunched at a bay view window, an otter was active in a kelp bed. A mother seal pulled herself up on a small group of rocks followed by her young offspring who used the opportunity to nurse while she sunned herself.

Later as we parked facing the ocean, Dennis spied two dolphins jumping in and out of the water near a kelp bed. As we continued to watch for about 30 minutes, it was interesting to notice that no one else noticed them. A man on a bench had his binoculars trained a different direction while his wife watched the little chipmunks scurrying around. A number of people walked by and jogged by, and no one glanced their direction at all.

Although they are not rare, we have never observed dolphins here. It made me wonder how many times something unique and interesting has been right under my nose and escaped my attention as well. A little too much preoccupation, a little too much busyness, and a wonder goes unnoticed. Guess that probably happens every day, but let's all try to be more observant.

Anaheim Banquet

2007-06-02T23:53:00.000-07:00

Some last photos for you. Details: the banquet was sold out. Chapters decorated the tables but did not sit where they decorated. You'll see the photos of some of the winners when you look at the photos (see Links at left) go to the banquet page.
The first prize winner I did not get a photo of but was one by Nation's Capital Tolers.

More details: the Hilton room block was sold out, thanks to the generosity of JoSonja for doing the free audit of the quilt with some of the patterns and instructions. Next year Trudy Beard and Bobbie Takashima will do this for block residents.,

We will begin a program called Paint for Peace, Pass It On which are wooden painted cards that are passed from one ill or wounded veteran to another for inspiration in their healing. Well known artists will provide patterns for these on the SDP site.

The lucy winner of the JoSonja's quilt was Pat Burkhart, Burkhead, or Burkout (we weren't sure) of Illionois. Sure hope she appreciates it as much as I would have... :-)

We are on our way home tomorrow with a slight diversion to Monterey for a couple of days before returning to hot country.

SDP Wed/Thurs/Fri

2007-06-01T19:37:00.000-07:00

Sorry, not many photos today. Once the expo opens, they frown on cameras. :-) Photos are under links at left.
My class went well yesterday, so I was happy about that. Then, just in case I wasn't tired enough, Dennis decided we should walk over to DownTown Disney again for a nice dinner. It is a lovely walk, but not short. When we returned it was dusk and all the little white lights were displayed on the trees, and the daylillies looked white against the greenery.
Today was all day in JoSonja's booth demonstrating fabric painting. After painting and creating the wonderful quilt for SDP, she made a DVD on the process and patterns. I don't quilt, so I have been using the technique on shirts and then decided to try it on a silk scarf. The silk scarf would be the most unforgiving of mistakes and susceptible to paint stiffness. I was so pleased that the technique worked beautifully. The scarf is so soft that you cannot even feel the paint.
Let me explain that I have been "aging" this scarf for about 15 years because it is so much trouble to stretch it on a frame, use the resist, etc. It was a minor miracle that I could find it to bring! I have a bit of more work on it and it is done. Tomorrow is the last day of the convention and expo. I got into a cherry mode before I came when my friend and student Carol Lovett gave me two nice bags of washed cherries that she had picked. One bag made it along on the trip and became the inspiration.
When Carol Jean Petty walked up to me I was thrilled to see her decked out in a gorgeous outfit adorned with cherries, even had earrings too, but she always dresses just perfect.

Since I didn't have many photos, I took a few out the window. It is a dark window and a cloudy evening, but you can see the strawberry field quite well.
Tomorrow night is the banquet. We've been invited to sit with the Orange County girls, that should be fun.

SDP day 3

2007-05-30T22:46:00.000-07:00

Today started out slow and then picked up speed! More photos have been uploaded, so check out page 2 if you go to the SDP photos link on the left.

The election has been held, and I and three others were not chosen to serve as Board Members at Large, but the girls that did get it will do an excellent job. Any of us would have, no slackers in our bunch!!
Prez Elect: Linda Biedermier
Sec./Treas Judy Westergard
Board Member at Large: Mary McClean, Phyliss Gibbs, Corky Dunlap

This is all I can report on at the moment. The meeting went a bit longer than planned, and many of us who had to be on the Expo floor for the people lined up waiting found it necessary to leave right after the election. The MDA/CDA's were to be announced. I was told that 299 boards were sent in for judging. That sure seems like a lot!

The meeting was really nice with a great presentation of snapshots of Priscilla Hauser over the years to a Ethel Merman version of "Everything's Coming Up Roses." It was great. THEN there was a girl who is a professional story teller who told of Priscilla's life over the past 35 years since the society was founded. That was really well done, very very funny and good.

So we got to the Expo floor just a few minutes before opening. There were lots of ladies shopping. I am working in the Chroma booth, so I had to send Dennis off to hunt for me. He did snag a very nice item for a special friend (in Australia). I guess she won't know if I use it before she gets it, right????

Tomorrow promises to be very busy again. Expo opens at 10 am, and I have a class to teach at 1 pm. Probably more pictures tomorrow. I'll keep Dennis busy with the camera.

One neat note: In the elevator we had to make room for a nice guy with a surf board. He is here for the convention and is signed up for two classes--he was just going to catch a few waves in his down time. He is from Florida. I was jazzed that a youngish man (30?) was a member and taking classes. I also saw him at the Annual Meeting, so he also came and voted.

SDP is in pretty dire straights financially, so finding new painters to belong is essential, and Plaid and Deco Art are setting up contests for a membership drive.

Thank you to those who have sent me messages, I understand if you don't want yet another password (it is your Google PW if you have one).
Hugs to all.

SDP day 2 additonal

2007-05-29T18:54:00.000-07:00

We went for a bit of a walk to air my brain, so now I'll start again.
The Hilton internet is $12.95 per day. Too much. But my Mac Airport app picked up a different server called "Feather", which was $29.95 for seven days, so for the convenience, I signed up. Apparently that caused the whole network to shut down (:-)
'cause I was unable to make a connection at all. Thus begun the support call saga. Then I decided to try dial up through my free ATT number (hotel fee $1.50) no luck there either. It was only one call to AT&T and about seven calls to Feather/Earthlink.
But now.....all is working.

Yesterday was really nice and not too crowded with activities. I did not sign up for any classes this time because I am running for an office, teaching a class, and working in the Chroma booth. That's about enough for me. Hubby is taking two classes.

We saw lots of friends and took the photos that I mentioned on earlier post. We walked to DownTown Disney and had lunch/dinner at the Rainforest. It was a beautiful walk, shady and completely lined with tall yellow day lillies and purple agapanthas. The Teacher reception was very nice. Got to visit with JoAnn Karph of Washington, and we admired the lovely classes offered. Next off to the Chapter MarketPlace. Lots of people there visiting and purchasing the clever and beautiful things offered.

This morning we attended the JoSonja presentation that was a bennie offered to people booked at the Hilton. Jo showed us her method of fabic painting that is durable and soft enough to be washed and "needled" for quilting. She told us how she made the wonderful quilt "Angel Song." SDP asked her to do a quilt for a raffle fund raiser, and she graciously accepted. She has worked it for 1.5 years. It is entirely hand stitched, no machine work at all. Jo has made a packet with DVD instuction and patterns for those who would like to have it. I have watched the DVD and she goes into great detail.

Next we went for a walk and found a nice lunch at Quizno's across from the convention center next to the Desert Inn Hotel. Very fresh, tasty and reasonable. We also noticed a fruit stand just down the street, so we may shop there soon. We can see the field from our 13th floor window. It seems so incongruous to see a big field (strawberries?) and the many people working there, bent over the rows with houses, hotels and freeways surrounding it.

Had to go to the election rehearsal at 3 pm. No, I haven't written my speech yet. We went for another walk, it is wonderful weather here, and now I'll get a bit of painting done and think about that speech. The annual meeting is tomorrow at 5pm, then the Expo opens from 8 pm to 10 pm for registered.

BTW, I've added a link here on the left side down towards the bottom. That will take you directly to the photos. Hopefully you'll see one of your friends there. I've gotten to hug Heidi three times now!

Day 2/SDP Anaheim

2007-05-29T16:55:00.000-07:00

boo hoo, my blog was lost after I tried to post it, getting very frustrated!! Will try again later, perhaps!! Here is a link to photos we took yesterday:

http://homepage.mac.com/vallwardt/PhotoAlbum54.html

SDP Here We Come

2007-05-27T20:02:00.000-07:00

Today we began our trek down the middle of California headed to the Society of Decorative Painter's conference in Anaheim. We chose to only drive 400 miles today in order to be "fresh" for the trip over the grapevine and into the LA traffic. It might not be too bad because of the holiday, or it might be worse, we'll see.

I am planning to blog daily activities and photos from the convention center as I am able. The internet service at the Hilton is $12.95 per 24 hours, which is verging on highway robbery, so I don't care to support it. I do have a dial up number, so we'll see.

Just so you don't get bored this week, here are a couple of entertaining videos to watch. The first one is of Robert Genn taking an afternoon off to do a landscape on his birthday. Nice music accompanies it, and do note that he puts in the background after the main elements. He is using acrylics; video goes for about five minutes. His writings are quite interesting as well.

http://clicks.robertgenn.com/persistence-creativity.php

To entertain you further, spend about 3 minutes and watch a clever fellow doing portrait work with ketchup and french fries at McDonalds. There are just sooooo many clever artist's in the world! God never short changes His people on creativity, you just have to recognize and expand it. As the fellow says, "paint is much friendlier to use, but it is just a matter of working with the product to get the feel for it." Now I do believe I've said that a few times myself!! You'll never look at those french fries the same way again.... Enjoy.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=1gvGDsIYrrQ

Art and Imitation

2007-05-06T17:11:00.001-07:00

Robert Genn covered this subject recently in one of his Twice Weekly Letters. In decorative painting, we are criticized for this, but imitation is nothing new in the art world. Old masters studied older masters to learn technique. It is still taught in art schools today.

I really liked this comment to the subject by Asterio Tecson: "Learning by copying another artist's work is not imitation but more of discovery...."

As an art instructor I have taught novices to paint for more than 23 years. Show them how to use a brush, how to use the paint, and how to use a design; then watch the magic begin. Give them the chance to learn the use of the tools before causing them to come up with their own subjects. Allow learning through imitation so that discovery can begin. One prefers flowers, another animals, another folk art. Every style requires some helpful knowledge of medium and tools. There are those who are self taught, and I say good on them! However, most of the musicians and media artists of the world benefited from teaching, yes? I think we would have precious little music to listen to if not!

Robert Genn responded to one post with this comment: "In my experience, collectors seldom, if ever, ask if a painting was painted by someone with a fine arts degree."

To read the Robert Genn's letter and comments, go here:
http://clicks.robertgenn.com/learning.php#InesEpperson

Final Day/JoSonja's West Coast Sampler Class

2007-04-27T21:43:00.000-07:00

Very nice day, didn't finish the St. Nicholas of the Snows, but the end is in sight. We started and finished our "Garden Memories" metal tray. Lots of fun, easy colorful painting and then we sanded it down! Sort of reverse antiquing?? We all liked it and see lots of possibilities for it.

I forgot to mention yesterday that Phillip Zimmerman a well known icon painter and his class of about 8 people stopped in yesterday. How did I forget that? Brought in some samples. He and Jo talked a bit and the whole class enjoyed the studio. He was teaching at a studio in Ashland and they drove down. I bet they didn't realize how far that trip was!! Jo was very interested in his work and said she may invite him to come and do a class here.

She told us that we all need to go home and join the art guilds in our cities. This is interesting since I had just joined ours a couple of days before I came over. She said she is working on doing a class with a study on canvas, but wants to investigate and find Belgian canvas as we have to go top drawer. I don't know what Belgian canvas is at the moment, but will in the future. Jo said we need to start doing some canvases. In the course of the day she also said we need to perfect our liner and lettering skills because it represents professionalism in our work. So there, get busy!

The Angel Song quilt was shown to us, it is beautiful. Did I mention this already? It was a couple of days ago. They will have a DVD available for sale in Anaheim on the quilt, I assume patterns and all. It is really really nice, so buy those tickets!! It is completely hand painted and hand stitched. Totally.

Everyone said their good bys. The lady who owns the quilt shop at the end of the block came and said thank you for all the business from our class--guess the girls spent good there.... We finished the day by going to Ferndale and visiting our friends Marnie and Fred. Heading for home tomorrow morning.

Day 4/JoSonja's West Coast Sampler Class

2007-04-26T22:06:00.000-07:00

OK, we're all sort of pooped now. The Owl and Pc was fun, the Hindeloopen was colorful and fulfilling, and now we're down to detail--faces, cross hatching, and coat embroidering. Tomorrow we'll finish the sled up with rosemaling and lots of liner work.
Well, we probably won't finish. However, the metal floral tray looks very promising in the fun and fulfilling department. People are making plans for packing out, the questions of "when are you leaving" have started... it must be Thursday!

Short message tonight, Grey's Anatomy is on. Closed up the studio one more time.

Sue Tripp came in with the Thursday tea treat. It was so good to see her, she used to live in Anderson and is a beautiful painter. She has taken it upon herself to bring a treat in every Thursday that Jo has a seminar. Isn't that just wonderfully generous of her? She's also a very good cook! She brought several goodies in, a banana pineapple cake that was perfect and sliced nice and thin, and some black olives marinated in rice vinegar, olive oil, lots of garlic and basil. She is supposed to send the recipe. There was much more as well.

Guess that's it for tonight, final details tomorrow,
Vicki

Day 3/JoSonja's West Coast Sampler Class

2007-04-25T21:48:00.000-07:00

Still typing away here! Today I finished my Hindeloopen School Box. Jo brought in the prototype for ours which she had purchased in Holland. Ours was made exactly the same. At first I assumed it was a "decorative" interpretation, but apparently children did carry these boxes with the slide off lid; precursers to our backpacks so to speak. There are special decorative holes at the top through which straps were attached and the children could carry them or sling them over a shoulder. They could be painted or not, but wouldn't you want your child to have their own "special" school box decorated in Dutch traditional painting?

Most Hindeloopen (this is an area of Holland for which this style is representative) is done in a very toned palette. I brightened mine just a smidge while some others have really jazzed their color up. Instead of Willow (dull soft yellow green) background, I've seen Oakmoss with Napthol Crimson roses painted on it, and Moss Green (bright yellow green) with a Napthol Red Light/Rose Pink rose. The whole piece is very nice. Everyone liked painting the bird, and the complaining started with the roses as you may guess.

As you may guess, we had a very full day with this painting. Only a couple of us finished. JoSonja says that the Hindeloopen is very casually painted, so I took her at her work and painted fast. I now have two projects finished and that is probably a personal best! I do have my camera with me, but neglected to bring the USB cord, so you'll have to wait for some photos. Sorry about that!

Tomorrow (is it Thursday already???) we will start the "St. Nicholas of the Snows" sled. This is a large piece that almost resembles a tray, so would be very handy pressed into use for serving as well as a nice decorative piece.

We're not happy with the Clarion's dinner offerings tonight. Beans for the third day in a row?? Guess I'll leave a little evaluation form filled out. Last Feb. it was pretty nice. Brekkie is always good though. Speaking of food--Noella brought in her old family recipe of antipasto. Yummm. She says Billie Colley has the master copy of the recipe, so I'll try to snag a copy tomorrow. We had a good rain last night, gray morning, lots of afternoon wind, and now sunny again...or at least it was until it got dark outside :-)

That's it for today...
Vicki

Day 2/JoSonja's West Coast Sampler Class

2007-04-24T21:34:00.001-07:00

What I did today: Finished my Owl and the Pussy Cat, I do believe! Started the Hindenloopen box. Up to score on that one.

What I learned today:
***JoSonja: don't worry if you don't sell a piece of work...#1, three years is not too long to wait for it to sell. BUT,#2, consider taking it home and antiquing it, and it will usually sell. #3, raise the price.
***Quote from Kafe Fassett: "be emotional about color."
***"Kas" is the dutch word for armoire
***There are two kas in the NY Met Museum that have single or few fruit completely surrounded by grape clusters. Jo thinks they may have inspired Peter Ompir in his artistic style.
***Nils Ellingsgard says that true marbleizing is an art in itself. Therefore when using it for an accent on a folk piece, make it a very fakery faux marbling! And this we proceeded to do on our hindenloopen school box..
.
Newsflash: Next year's furniture piece may be the nutcracker box. This is a tin piece that Jo painted last year, but you would have had to see it to know what I'm talking about. Has the whole story of the nutcracker ballet on it.

Day 1/JoSonja's West Coast Sampler Class

2007-04-23T21:44:00.000-07:00

Whew, shorter note tonight. We're finishing the Owl and the PussyCat tomorrow and starting the Hindeloopen piece, but that still leaves two more projects. The Santa sleigh and the floral tray...hey, that rhymes!

Since I wasn't painting the clock, I audited the first two hours of the class, taking notes. By the end of the two hours--you guessed it--I felt I needed to paint the cute couple. So, to the back room I went, picked out another piece and began prepping, again. I stayed there til about 3:30 pm and had all the other pieces prepped as well. Then I went back to my seat and began painting the Owl and the PussyCat. Tonight I stayed til 9 pm and have the pattern on the Hindenloopen piece and am underway with the O&PC box.

Things I learned: Edward Lear wrote the poem in the 1800's and became famous for it. He started a sequel called the "Children of the Owl and the PussyCat" but never finished it. He also made up a nonsensical word called the "runcible" spoon. Nowdays there is a runcible spoon. Their's was silver and was mostly used for pickles, but ours is now known as a "SPORK" and they are plastic. I'm sure you've seen them, they have them in the breakfast/dinner room here...half fork, half spoon. BTW, we had taco makings tonight.

Also learned that Henry VIII was fond of "StarGazy Pies." This is a pie made of whole pilchards (fish like sardine) and they made the pie of them and pull the heads up through the top crust so they looked like they were gazing at the stars.... Dennis asked what they did with the bones, but Barbara Mills said they have very soft bones like the sardine, so you just eat them.... Hope you've already had breakfast and this isn't too much information!

Dennis has been walking to Old Town Eureka each day. There are two "tall ships" in the bay for the week. You can board and inspect. They are fully functioning ships with a live in crew. They also have an agenda of appearances throughout the year.

Not such a short note afterall... and BTW, it is Noella Albertazzi. No wonder I couldn't remember her last name!! She's a great seat mate though, we haven't painted together for several years, so we're catching up now.
'nite all,
Vicki

A week at JoSonja Jansen's Folk Art Studio

2007-04-22T21:38:00.000-07:00

Mz Arlene Rounce has requested that I give updates on my week here at JoSonja's. We'll see how the resolve continues, but here's the first installment:

We made the trip to Eureka,CA in about three hours (from Redding). We arrived at about 3:30 pm, which was very good. We did get rained on a bunch, but it was and is now clear here. I was the last to show up, some have been here since Thursday prepping. Ooops. It's a good thing I don't cave under pressure! Several people thought I must have come earlier and picked up the pieces to prep at home. How funny is that?

The class is VERY full with 30 people. No room to wiggle. My seat mate is Noella from Lake Tahoe, previous owner of the Apple Tree in Maryland (I think) Noella's last name is completely escaping me at the moment, but hang on, it will come tomorrow. Helan Barrick is here, JoAnn Karpf, Kathy Hickinbotham, Kathy Ownby, Barbara Mills, and Ruth Rupp. Most of these people belong to Decorative Brushes and/or have painted recently with us. Kathy Ownby painted at Heidi's in January. But I digress.

So I splashed paint happily on my first project, accepted Barbara Mills' gracious offer to use her traced patterns (yea, scored again)!! About this time it is now 5:00 pm and Bill Colley closed the studio.

We came back to the hotel and shared a table with Helan and Barbara while we partook of ravioli's and salad for dinner The Comfort Inn provides a light dinner every night--another score! Dennis and I walked to Target to get some water and misc. and I found an iTunes boom box I may *need.* We came back to the room, got settled around and I proceed to place Barbara's pattern carefully on to my newly prepped and lightly sanded clock piece...and guess what???? With my stylus poised, I discovered that I had left my transfer paper cleverly resting under my palette paper at my studio seat. NO SCORE!!

So, now I've decided to write 'chall. and may not even paint the design of the owl and the pussy cat; I am getting other vibes from the clock, no kidding!! I love the other pieces, so they will be painted as offered.

You can be sure I'll be at the studio when it opens at 8:00am.....
That's it for now..

You decide:

2006-10-29T22:36:00.000-08:00

Seedless Black Grapes

2006-10-29T08:58:00.000-08:00

Last week I bought a delicious bunch of grapes. I washed them, and as I popped a few into my mouth, I wondered to myself "what colors would you mix to get this grape color?" This led to a little mini quiz in my classes. I gave everyone a grape or two and a piece of paper and asked them to jot down the colors they would use to duplicate the grape color. The results were varied, but not drastically different, I have very smart students! Artists "feel" color I believe.

This week on About.com there was just this same topic on the color black, so I've added the link here for you to see. Black really isn't black you know! Also try to read the link on how Prussian Blue was invented.

http://painting.about.com/od/colourtheory/a/JimMeadersBlack.htm

http://painting.about.com/cs/colourtheory/a/prussianblue.htm

Morgue File

2006-10-25T22:23:00.000-07:00

A "morgue file" is not at all a creepy type file. It is a file that contains clippings and snippets of things that you save for future use. I have a morgue file of photos, magazine clippings, and interesting articles relating to painting. I try to keep it simple, with just a few folders. They might include: Landscapes, Children, Folk Art, Animals and Birds, Florals.

It's no fun to keep them too neat and organized; as you lift each one they greet you like old friends, and you remember why you liked them in the first place! Perhaps this time they will be just the inspiration you need for a new work.

Start your file today with some manilla folders or brown mailing envelopes with the clasp so they can't slip out.

If you would like a nice web source for photographs by topic, look here: http://www.morguefile.com/
Happy Painting!

Mr. Feathers visits Rhode Island

2006-10-23T20:58:00.000-07:00

This is Mr. Feathers, a very proud folk art rooster. Vicki designed him and recently taught him to a class of artists in Providence, Rhode Island. He has a band of decoration in the style of early american painting.

copyright 2004 Vicki Allwardt

Definitions...

2006-10-23T20:13:00.000-07:00

folkhearts: fōk-härts, noun

(possible definitions per Vicki Allwardt:)
1. two or more folks (regular people) with heart
2. folks who like hearts
3. folks whose hearts are for folk art

folk: fōk, noun (per Webster’s)
1. group of kindred tribes forming a nation
2. the great proportion of the members of a people that determines the group character and that tends to preserve its characteristic form of civilization and its customs, arts and crafts, legends, traditions, and superstitions from generation to generation
3. a certain kind or class of people
4. people generally