A Big Behind

Sorry I didn't get a chance to post for you all yesterday. I had a terrible case of the Monday's and the day seemed to drag on forever. Today is off to a better start, but I am still behind. I have such a hechtic week leading up to a big wedding event this weekend. I have taken on day-of-coordination duties for a friend of mine and the big day is this Saturday. In addition to being the ring leader I have also helped organize a great deal of the decor. Most importantly, there will be a beautiful hand painted banner being used in the most creative of ways at the close of the ceremony. I don't want to give away too much, so I will upload a little sneak peek later this evening. You won't get to see a photo of it in all it's glory until next week, but I promise it will be worth the wait.

In the meantime, here are some older images to keep your eyes happy.

Today's Useless Trivia:

Brought to you by a fellow blogger and friend.

Ever seen a goat faint?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=we9_CdNPuJg

TerrorTerror911

As I mentioned before, I would like to have a complete body of work available online. Here is a piece (Terror,Terror911 Acrylic on Poster Board) that dates itself. Unlike most of my other pieces, I do not enjoy reminiscing over my days spent completing this painting. Part of the beauty of any artistic outpouring is that for the both the creator and viewer/reader/listener it can often evoke a very specific memory linked to a very specific feeling or very specific point in time. Art, no matter your medium, is always personal.

Today's Useless Trivia:

The cost to build the Empire State Building was $40,948,900.

Puppy Love

Marriage does not mean the end of puppy love! My husband and I consider our puppy-dog our little son. Since I don't come by art models very often, Jet, my pooch, is my constant stand in. He never seems to mind that I'm staring at him and sketching or incessantly clicking away with the camera right in his face. It took me forever to get this shot... but the batman effect is priceless.

Today's Useless Trivia:
August is the month when most baby's are born... I guess that means that November is the month when most babies are made.

Past Paintings

I would like to start posting images of past completed works so that I have a full and well rounded body of work online for you all to see. You can really get a feel for an artist's style when you see all of their pieces lined up and juxtaposed. I can't avoid mentioning that it is helpful for me as well, or any young artist to occassionally see a cumulative collection of their work. It gives you a sense of where you have strengths and weaknesses as well as helping you to harness your personal aesthetic. The first painting, BodyLines (acrylic on canvas), was actually inspired by the logo for the no-longer-in-business Wachovia bank. It hung in my entryway for a long time... too long actually. But now that it is off the wall I miss seeing it.

The second painting I am including today is titled Lovers Allegory (acrylic and collage on glass). I painted this for my husband when we first started dating. Now it hangs in a nook by our dining room. It was a challenge working with glass and trying to create a collage that would allow light to pass through, but in the end it was rewarding. There are wires that are twisted around the entire painting that function as hooks and allow me to hang it easily.

Today's Useless Trivia:

Yesterday I got so caught up in my top ten list that I forgot to give you your random tidbit... so today you get two!

1. A "sysygy" occurs when all the planets of the our Solar System line up.

2. The ZIP in zip code stands for "Zone Improvement Plan."

Top Ten Coolest Things Found at the Intersection of Art and Food

10. Andy Warhol: Wedged between the classic Campbell’s paintings is this little gem.... it brings out the Hamburgalar in me.
9. Green Eggs and Ham… Dr. Suess's perfect balance of art, food and literature.

8. Beautifully prepared, plated and photographed food. I think we have all been served food that was pretty as a picture, and we've all seen a painting that looked good enough to eat.
7. Martha Stewart: The crafting, cooking, planning, organizing and business empire building Queen. The quintessential home maker, Martha's recipes are the perfect collision of crafting and culinary arts.

6. The movie Chocolate. It is the perfect combination of the best things life has to offer: Johnny Depp and Chocolate.
5. Jidlo: a short by Jan Svankmajer- a long short, but totally worth it. Ever seen a man eat his pants and shoes? http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x23oru_jidlo-aka-food-jan-svankmajer-1992_fun1992_fun
4. Patianne Stevenson (right) Sculptural and painted representations of food. Always good to pay it forward to another artist.
http://www.patiannestevenson.com/
3. I love you with my Ford by James Rosenquist http://www.guggenheim.org/exhibitions/rosenquist/highlights2.html

2. Anissa Mack: Pies for the Passerby The best combination possible: Food as Installation Art.
http://www.npr.org/programs/atc/features/2002/june/pies/index.html

1. Playing with your food... It's my new craving:

http://www.fresh99.com/zoomed-in-food.html

Sketch

Here is a sketch I did last night. I'm pretty happy with it, especially considering I didn't have a model, which is crucial. It was fun to play with my technical pens and watercolors, which I hadn't done in a while. It just may be time to invest in some watercolor paper and masking fluid. "She smiles the secret smile because she knows exactly how to carry on." Sheryl Crow; Run Baby Run

Today's Useless Trivia:

In honor of election day...

The housing market is a huge issue in today's political debates. Monopoly, however, has been unaffected. Values on the Monopoly gameboard are the same today as they were in 1935.

Silhouette of Summer

Over the summer I painted this mural on a portion of the fence in the backyard of the home in which I grew up. While I love the painting, looking at it is bittersweet... summer is over and that means I have to wait seven frigid months before I will again be able to enjoy a hot day by the pool sipping beer and picking crabs. Until we meet again my little Maryland blues... I know this is about oysters, but here is something to remind us of childhood and our days together.

http://www.ruthannzaroff.com/wonderland/walrus.htm

Today's Useless Trivia:
The first Eskimo Bible was printed in Copenhagen in 1744.