Totally exhausted ... Late day at work today, we are in the middle of our busiest season. We had open enrollment for our benefit package, (have I ever mentioned that I hate change)? Dentist visits scheduled. Enrolled in photography class at a new school tonight, since Photo Shop II was canceled. Mandy called, might have Chicken Pox "AT 18" , had dinner with my Mom at Olive Garden. Sharing a photo with you from my back yard (taken this morning), and ... going to bed early!
Good Night
*** Coy ***
This time we get up close and personal.
After posting my Giant Amaryllis entry last week, I ran across THIS in Stephen's Sometimes Photo Blog and thought I would try it myself.
Although my results were not near as great as Stephen's, I thought some of you might appreciate a closer look!
Aint' Mother Nature Grand?
*** Coy ***
Today was a pretty quiet day, this was the first weekend in months that I did not have somewhere to go and something to do!
Late in the afternoon I hoped in my car and headed out with nowhere in particular to go, (yes even with the price of gas this week).
When my kids were growing up, this is something that we would do all of the time, we called it Aimlessly Wandering <-- click. Today was my first shot at trying this alone.
There are not many back roads around here and most streets do not lend themselves well to pulling over long enough to take a photo and my quest for exploring imperfection has lead me today, to the Japanese concept of Wabi-Sabi.
Thanks Louts Martinis <-- click. I never heard of Wabi-Sabi, until you left this comment --> Hey! I see what you mean. "Paint more, Write More, Dance More" ~ YES! And yeah ~ it is OK to fail, an issue I wrestle with all the time; it's not a mistake, it's a learning process. And then there's that whole 'wabi sabi' thing.
Admit it ~ you miss the black leather journal ;)
Comment from txsguinan
According to Leonard Koren <-- click
Wabi-Sabi is a beauty of things imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete. It is the beauty of things modest and humble. It is the beauty of things unconventional.
I did get a few shots that I liked today and a lot of good ideas. I will need to take Mandy with me next time, we are very accustomed to one of us dropping the other off with camera in hand, long enough to get a shot or two and then circling around for the pick up.
We started doing this years ago when my son was in a photography class in High School. Odd I know, but just something that we do! The photo above is one that I took today, I think it is a good example of Wabi-Sabi.
Happy rest of the weekend to you!
*** Coy ***
Crocus, Tulips or Daffodils here, but ...
the Giant Red Amaryllis by the back door won't let you forget that it's spring!
I love this time of year ... even here in Sunny South Florida with our mild winters, spring is still a time of reawakening. Mother Natures brilliant colors remind us how great it is just to be alive.
*** Coy ***
I've spent a lot of time this past year, trying to reconnect with the artsy side of me. Like most Moms, when I was busy raising my kids a lot of things had to be put on the back burner and now that Mandy has moved out, I'm sort of playing catch up.
I've spent a lot of time and energy learning how to create this journal, I knew absolutely nothing about the web when I started here a year ago and I'd had to learn completely by trial and error.
My digital camera has rekindled my love for photography, there's a lot to be said for the instant gratification that one gets from being able to shoot, download, edit, upload and post from home.
Taking Photo Shop classes is starting to affect the way I see things, the way I post things. I'm so looking forward to the intermediate classes that start on Thursday!
Dreamweaver class started tonight, it was so awesome. I have not had the luxury of time needed over the years to take classes, this one is going to be so much different that the Photo Shop class.
The classes are held at a local High School, it's part of a community enrichment program that the school system here offers at night. Tonight's class was filled with quick, knowledgeable people more my own age, 30's and 40's, as opposed to the delightful beginners in my Photo Shop class who were mostly artsy folks in there 60's &70's. BTW, that's a photo of my school that you see in the collage above.
The web design class may prove to be a bit of a challenge, it's possible that I may end up having trouble keeping up with the crowd, but not tonight:-) My experience here with journals is paying off and I'm really looking forward to getting familiar with the program.
In the 2 hours that the class of 18 or so spent together tonight, there were already bonds beginning to be built and ideas being bounced around, I've missed that. We even had an opportunity to discuss the further needs of an advanced class. It looks like we are leaning towards marketing as the next course the instructor may create for us after we complete the basics here! Should be interesting.
The classes that I am most looking forward to taking part in however, are the ones that will be offered at the face and body painting convention I'll be going to at the end of May. I have never had any real art instruction although in my sister's party decorating business we find ourselves surrounded by creative mediums of every kind.
The clown you see above is my friend Karen. She is not in full costume and makeup in that photo but it's the only clown photo I can find of her right now. Karen teaches Clown University, she has helped many of the clowns in this area to get started by teaching them to apply their makeup, create there costumes and personalities and of course, to face paint. If I do decide to take up face painting after the classes, I doubt that I would choose to dress as a clown, but you've gotta admit ... those shoes are pretty cool!
Karen and I work together and we are both going to the convention, I'm so looking forward to the costumes, the paint instruction, the ball and mostly just spending a full 4 days away from home with such a large group of artsy folks.
Oh yeah, the silly chicken above is a bubblegum egg laying, wind up that I gave to my friend Dave at work yesterday. Dave is Jewish and I thought he might appreciate such a novel little Easter treat, yep the chicken walks around ejecting colorful egg shaped gumballs from his butt ... anyone care for a cackle berry?
*** Coy ***
is the greatest form of flattery, so ...
there is one notorious J-land artist who might know exactly what that feels like once he takes a look at the windmills in the mind of this wild eyed, slightly troubled guy wearing his bow tie and hankie in the midst of bright and cheerful yellow colored surroundings.
Have you ever written a story, created a character in a play or painted a picture solely from your interpretation of someone else point of view? That's what I did today (I know, I need to get a life).
I've been playing around with colors & collages for a few day's now and after exchanging E-mail about different perceptions of art with a friend that views the world so much differently than I do (sort of), I was inspired to create the gent you see above.
All in fun, this is my interpretation of colors and thoughts through the eyes of my friend! I have nothing more to say today, my one day weekend is almost over.
Good night all
*** Coy ***
The Glinka colored flower in the pocket should be a hint to the identity of the mystery artist <-- click.
Addendum, You guys guessed right away that the mystery artist was Albert. Michael also mentioned this looking like a self portrait of Dali, the self part won't work but can you see a slight resemblance?
