News- HGTV's Rate My Space Episode to Air Soon

One of my posts a couple of months ago was about being filmed for HGTV's Rate My Space. The show is coming up soon. It is May 8, 2009, at least that's what is posted today. A couple of weeks ago it was going to air on May 6 so I am not sure if there will be a change or not closer to the time it airs. In any case you can check for yourself looking for HRMR - 306 in their Episode Guide. 

Since I am not a main player in this show and I have no idea what they will include from all the filming Dan did I might only be on for 3 seconds so you'll have to watch closely or you'll probably miss me. The show will feature part of my studio as an inspiration space for some other folks. Here's hoping that they found some good clips to use. 

Painting - Naataanii's Hoop Dance, Honorable Mention

Naataanii's Hoop Dance 20" x 30"

Greenhouse Gallery's Salon International 2009

Honorable Mention for Artistic Excellence

Awarding Judge: Daniel E. Greene, N.A.

Video - First Attempt, Oil Painting Jared

This is my first (successful) attempt ever of making a video and uploading it. I am doing a small one here and one on YouTube 

The quality gets better as it goes along. Well, maybe.

Oil Painting Jared 8" x 10" hope you like it.

Free-for-All Friday - Forever, Marriage Metaphor

This is a painting I did a while ago. It is a metaphor on marriage. Obviously the wedding rings represent marriage. Putting 'marriage' on a pedestal shows high regard for it. A pedestal is a support or foundation of which marriage is that for a vigorous, productive society. Classical column design suggests the highest quality and antiquity. A polished river stone to show that over time imperfections are smoothed out by the course of 2 people learning to live together. It also stands for marriage as the basis for the construction of bigger things, one being a family. As well as a marriage can become 'rock solid'. Forever is etched deeply to show the commitment that is takes for a successful marriage and that it can last eternally. Some of the meanings of my marriage metaphor. 

If you see more or something completely different do share.

Think about it Thursday - Reasons for Marriage

Think about it Thursday is about marriage. A painting series I am doing is an Allegory on Alliance - Marriage & Meaning. So I am curious, what are the reasons for marriage in your mind? Why marry? What is essential in a marriage? Think about it.

Why I Like It Wednesday - Princess Bride

This week I have been spending a lot of time thinking about marriage. (For a future series of paintings) On Why I like It Wednesday I am posting one of my husband and my favorite movies - Princess Bride. What does it have to do with marriage?

Well, the movie is such a favorite that I had one of the quotes made for the wall of our bedroom.   

True love, you think this happens everyday

Princess Bride, True Love, and My Marriage. That's why I like it.

Blog Content

Well, I waited for more comments on the blog content and didn't get many. Well, one, thanks Tricia. So I talked to a few people about what they liked and didn't. And all of the stuff others liked or I liked. I thought I was going to pare topics down. Instead I will do the same topics just not every week but a couple of the things each week. Also, Monday is not my best get it going day so I won't do Mondays. Seems like a no-brainer but it did take me awhile to come to terms with that one. I like the art collaboration with the blog family so I want to continue that with you. It is the best. Thanks for checking in.

Free-for-All Friday - Pulling out a Domino

It's cause and effect week and I have been thinking. There have been several things that have caused my schedule, if I really have one, to not be on schedule. So I am pulling a domino, so to speak, so I can take a look at things. Besides the several things that have come up I have a couple of things that are coming up. I don't want to get my dominoes too tightly packed. So I am evaluating several things, one of them being my blog. 

I have my own ideas about my blog but I already know those. So, I am looking for your opinions about it. What's good about it? Not so good? Are some posts pointless? Any ideas about it at all? As always I like the comments and insights given here. (Like when you gave ideas about my website, which I haven't been able to figure out yet exactly what to do to make the changes.) So feel free to share it will have some effect I am sure. 

Why I like It Wednesday - Pop Up Books

Pop Up Books are my why I like it today. I think the tie in is obvious - paper, glue, scissors, imagination = pop ups and opening the book causes the pop up to well, pop up. Cause and effect.

Robert Sabuda is a master at the pop up book. I visited his studio in NY in 2004 and listened to him talk about his pop up books and passion for them. I need not say anymore after you see one of his books.

And here is another book I got that has some how-to info on making pop up books. How-to books are cause and effect type books in and of themselves. I loved making the few little pop ups that I have with the help of this book by David A. Carter and James Diaz.

Looking at these books and playing with the pages it's easy to see that, that's why I like it.

Art Talk Tuesday - Iconography

ICONOGRAPHY
\ˌī-kə-ˈnä-grə-fē\

an image, subject, or style that is traditionally or popularly used to 

represent, symbolize, or associate meaning to another thing

a visual image used to represent a religious figure

symbolism associated with an image

A classic example of a contemporary icon. The iconography of love has long been associated with the heart. It's symbolism is recognized by most people.

It relates to cause and effect because the creation of an art image can become an icon with associated iconography without that being the intent of the artist but the effect nonetheless.

Mini-Monday Painting - Cause & Effect

3/31/09

I love to push the first domino and watch the series of each hitting the next and falling down. It's pretty predictable seeing how they are set up but not always. Sometimes we stack things up nice and close in our lives and wonder when one thing is whacked why everything else seems to fall as a result. Sometimes you can grab a domino out of the line further down the series and it stops the falling process.

This week's theme is Cause & Effect.

The 1 domino represents a couple and each successive domino things they choose in their lives. The last domino off to the right represents over time a growing family. It happens to show the 2 for my husband and I and the 9 for the 8 children we have and 1 son-in-law. The domino laying down shows inaction, inability and no risk. It's safe. It won't have the chance or opportunity to be knocked down. It also is blank to show emptiness, lack of growth, immoveable on the one hand and calm, stability, and rest on the other. The curvy pattern for the twists and turns in life.

3/30/09 I didn't want you to think that I dropped off the end of the earth so I am posting Mini-Monday even though I haven't finished it yet. It's about half way done. I have a couple of things to do tonight, like pick up my Mom from the airport, and I didn't know when I'd be able to post later. 

This week's painting inspired by having to shop for a car after the car accident.

Art Talk Tuesday - Happy Accident

HAPPY ACCIDENT

[hap-ee  ak-si-duhnt]

the development between ability, action, and accident toward a delighted outcome

There isn't a definition that I found for the words painters use to describe the happening of a happy accident. I'll describe why I came up with my definition.

First, ability. There has to be some kind of ability or aptitude that the person is putting forth, some starting point for the process.

Second, action. It's in the doing that there is opportunity for discovery.

Third, accident. In the process there is some expectation from the deliberate ability and action. In the accident there is a misstep but isn't defined as a mistake because of the fortunate or lucky outcome.

In my research I think 'happy accident' is similar to the original meaning of serendipity, the 1557 definition, not today's definition.

Serendipity: 'were always making discoveries by accidents and sagacity, of things they were not in quest of'

'the unintended consequences of intended actions'

'looking for one thing and finding another'

'discovery of things unsought'

(from the 1557 publication in Venice of The Three Princes of Serendip) 

Serendipity: How the Vogue Word Became Vague - link here

Today's definition doesn't really take into account the sagacity of serendipity. Today serendipity is just a chance discovery with a chance event without any deliberate effort. Despite most artists possibly not being able to define it they definitely know it when they see and feel it. Though I can't remember a specific painting I know I have had it happen. 

Mini-Monday Painting - Accident

You'd think I'd do something like spring given the time of year. But, this week's theme is ACCIDENT, since my teenage daughter had a car accident Friday afternoon and our car is totaled. And the other car. So accidents have been on my mind a little this weekend. (She is fairly fine. Very sore.) We spent the afternoon in the hospital for tests. My other daughter, Alisha, flew in the night before to visit for the weekend so she was part of this adventure too. And that is who inspired today's Mini-Monday.

Alisha works in a state mental hospital and is familiar with difficult patients. Because of her aptitudes she is often asked to accompany patients to the hospital. She was in her element when she got in 'work' mode with her sister. It was different to see her in that way. But it's made me think of how helpful it is to have someone who can assist, aid and give relief during times of stress, like accidents.

The painting has folded metal to represent the metal of the car accident. It's a cup because I often think of people as vessels, things being put in and things going out with the ability to store for future use. Alisha is a no frills kinda gal. The X & O to represent the emotional and physical love and relief. Green because of the renewing affect that the aid generates. Not much of a vacation but it was a help and pleasure to have her here especially in response to the accident.

This week's painting inspired by Alisha.

Free-for-All Friday - New Nickname

Not a whole lot was coming to me for today. I mean, there were lots of ideas flowing but for Fridays the idea has to have some element of fun and out of the ordinary. That's why some of my ideas get axed. But here is one that is interesting and definitely I don't know where it will go. For today's Free-for-All Friday i'd like you to come up with new nicknames for me. Some of you know me well, some of you know me only from the blog. It doesn't matter where you know me from. I haven't had any new nicknames for a long time so this can be fun. I'm curious what will show up:)

Think about it Thursday - Your Nickname

I stayed up until 6 am last night/this morning, got 3 hours of sleep, then went to go pick up another daughter from the airport that is visiting this weekend. Then I slept an hour this afternoon. So it may be Thursday night for you but I think it's really only Thursday morning for me. 

Think about it Thursday is about your nickname. What sorts of nicknames do you have? And how did you get them? Or if you don't have one why is that? Do nicknames change us? 

I have a few nicknames. One my extended family and a few close friends call me - Shan, Shannie, or Shannie Wannie. Then there is one my Uncle Wayne gave me Tai Tai and pretty much he and my Aunt Les are the only ones who call me that. It came from some movie of a woman being very submissive and servant like. Hummm... so not like me, it was given more as a joke but it's one that has stayed. Another one. My middle name is 'Francine Kuu Iini'. When I was young I couldn't say KOO-OO I (the i like in ink) I-knee. So I would say 'Queenie' my shortened version. From that I've always had this underlying queen-thing going on. I had a couple of teen nicknames that weren't necessarily positive, though no one meant to be mean with them, and they never connected with me. 

Mashaide posted that she has several nicknames that she only likes her family to call her. I understand the feeling. I remember one time someone using one of my nicknames, who hadn't previously used it, and it startled me because it felt like an uninvited intrusion. But, then over a short time it became very natural. These nicknames make a special connection with me and the person using them. I think it's changed me in that I feel like I belong in a special place to someone else. That is a good feeling.