Creative Everyday Life with Mary Lemmenes

Homey, Heritage Comfort Food--Applesauce Spice Cake

2012-01-26T12:52:00.000-05:00

It has been awhile since I have posted a recipe, so today will share my great-grandmother's applesauce spice cake recipe. In its original form, it called for "butter the size of an egg" and, interestingly, 1, 2, or 3 eggs. Apparently, our frugal ancestors used three eggs for a "company" meal, but fewer when baking for the family. Since their eggs were smaller than today's standard large eggs, we have settled on two eggs as the perfect number.

This homey cake, a favorite comfort food in my family, is a hit whenever I bake it. Individual pieces freeze well in a well-sealed container (handy for our household since it is a large cake and we try not to eat too many sweets). I will include the recipe for the cream cheese frosting, as pictured, although we also like it simply dusted with a bit of powdered sugar rather than frosted. The original recipe called for 1/2 cup chopped nuts; we like it better without them. And, yes, for readers with long memories, I have posted this recipe before, but it has been several years, so thought new readers might like hearing about it.

Heritage Applesauce Spice Cake

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups applesauce (a 15 ounce jar works)

2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/8 tsp. ground cloves

1 cup raisins

Cream butter & sugar together. Add eggs and mix well, stirring vigorously until fluffy. Sift dry ingredients into a small bowl (I don't bother sifting). Add raisins to flour mixture and sir in to coat with flour (this keeps them from sinking to the bottom).

Add dry ingredients alternately with applesauce to the butter mixture in two or three batches, mixing thoroughly each time.

Turn into a greased 9” x 13” x 2” pan and bake 35 - 40 minutes at 325 degrees F until a toothpick comes out clean (or nearly clean--do not overbake). This recipe also makes nice cupcakes; bake them only about 25-30 minutes.

Cream Cheese Frosting

3 ounces cream cheese, softened (I use low fat neufchatel).

2 Tbsp. butter or margarine, softened

1 tsp. vanilla extract

dash salt

2 1/2 cups (or as much of this amount as needed for good frosting consistency) sifted confectioner's sugar (I whisk it in a bowl instead of sifting).

Cream butter and cream cheese together well. Beat in vanilla. Gradually add confectioner's sugar, blending well. If mixture becomes too thick, you can add a few drops of milk.

Question of the day: What recipes or foods connect you to your ancestors and to good family memories?

Beach Scenes Are Enhanced by Shadows

2012-01-18T12:38:00.000-05:00

Now that we have returned from a refreshing week away, I return to the shadow theme with a few examples of beach scenes.

Reflecting about the importance of shadows in painting (and in any visual experience or art form), I realized how crucial shadows have been in some of my recent beach scenes. Views of the ocean or other large bodies of water and expanses of shoreline can be fairly bare and lacking in obvious shadows. Although such scenes can serve as excellent subjects for serene, minimalist art works, including an object or objects, either natural or built on a beach or dune, creates opportunities for drama in contrast of the lights hitting the objects and the darks of shadow areas.

Particularly at the ocean here in Northeast coastal Florida, the sunlight can be very intense, casting strong, deep shadows. Here are three examples. Each of them has appeared in a previous post or two; clicking on the links will provide more information about them.

In the smallest, 6" x 12" painting, "Away from the Crowd", a bright red beach chair contrasts with the softer natural hues and draws the eye. But try to imagine the exact same scene on an overcast, misty day--or with the sun directly overhead so that the shadow would not extend out. The scene would still be nice, but some movement and interest would be lost. Further, notice the subtle dimensionality in the clouds due to the warmer, brighter light on the sunny side.

In the 12" x 16" vertical, "Dune Shadows", I was most interested in the patterns of the fence and its shadows on the rolling surface of the dune. Again, it seems that the scene would be more static and less interesting without the clear shadow design.

Finally, the 18" x 24" "Spring Breeze" demonstrates the extent to which a bright day at the ocean creates contrasting darks and lights. If the sun were straight overhead, the sand would be more monotonal; the foot bridge would be plainer, and the clouds would again be flatter-looking. Even the sky would have less color variation and less apparent depth.

Question of the day: Do you find yourself drawn to scenes with strong light and shadow contrasts or to quieter views with subtler contrast?

The Importance of Shadows in Landscapes

2012-01-08T13:20:00.000-05:00

Recently, I have been reflecting on how important shadows have been in some of my landscapes and seascapes. Although a few scenes, either for reasons of the weather or for the perspective involved have few or no obvious shadows, most landscape painting and photography relies on shadows for drama, contrast, indication of light source, and pattern.

This will be the first of several posts about shadows, and I invite artists and non-artist viewers of nature to contemplate the subject with me. Today, the photos show a painting that originated from my interest in shadow patterns one afternoon, as well as one reference photo from the actual location. The rest of the scene evolved gradually, but the foreground shadows were both the starting point and my primary interest in the project. This is an 18" x 24" acrylic painting on gallery wrapped canvas adapted from a location on a private school campus in Jacksonville, Florida.

In early work, I sketched, then rough-painted indications of some of the darker value areas, as shown in a post about a year ago about the painting process. As the painting progressed, I wanted to create liveliness and interest in the shadowed grass, so tried to vary both the patterns and the colors in the shadows. One of the tricks my essentially mathematical mind played on me involved the patterns. Knowing that a nice balance of variety and related rhythms is most attractive to viewers, I painted in much of the grass and shadow area very quickly, trying not to think overmuch about what I painted where. Oddly, what I produced was a very regular, boring, repetitive pattern. Whoops--good thing that acrylics dry quickly and can be painted over relatively easily. In addition to the shadow patterns and variations in lighter and darker regions, notice the variety of colors--not corresponding to nature, really, but added for vividness and glow. This painting has a fairly strong palette to begin with, including the intense (and sometimes difficult to use) phthalo blue and a strong purple. All the darker tones in my palette appear in the shadows--purples, blues, greens, browns, and greys.

I am thrilled to say that our local son and daughter-in-law particularly liked this piece and accepted it as a second anniversary gift recently. Since it is among my personal favorites as well, it will be wonderful to be able to see it often.

Question of the day: Do shadows fascinate anyone else out there? There is so much one could say, both about actual visible shadows and about shadow as metaphor in life.

Meaningful Giving--Thinking of the Homeless

2012-01-03T14:39:00.000-05:00

Our weather has suddenly turned quite cold for Northeast Florida, with a few nights of hard freezes and days only into the low 40s, though bright and sunny. Last night, high winds just howled, adding to the chill. So, I am especially glad that I had completed a small gift to let just one homeless veteran know that people are thinking about him. Not wanting to seem to brag, I hesitated to write this post, then thought you might like to hear about this project. It's not much, but I know I am hardly alone and that many caring people are also doing for others this winter.

Since I had some soft, thick yarn left from another project and wanted to do some knitting, it seemed like a good idea to knit up a long, warm scarf for someone who needed it. The pastor knows a gentleman who comes to the weekly Second Harvest food distribution at the church who lives in a tent and cannot bring himself to use a city shelter (possibly a PTSD symptom). He said that he could pass an anonymous gift on to "Joe" (not his real name), so my knitting project was set. Of course, I wish I could do something larger and more lasting for "Joe" as well as for many other fine people who come to the food pantry. But, knitting a scarf provided some satisfaction, as I also volunteer in the pantry and give to the Second Harvest organization. The scarf is a simple four-row pattern that knit up thick and soft in this variegated, washable yarn. I was able to make it more than 60" long from my left-over yarn, so that it will wrap around the neck and again around to cover the face, if needed. I included a brief note with Christmas greetings and a reminder that people at the church care about you, Joe.

Question of the day: Our country has seen plenty and excess--as well as recent hard times. For those of us with more than enough, isn't even a small gift worth giving to raise some one's spirits as well as to help meet a need?

Ideas for Hosting an Art Reception

2011-12-08T13:57:00.000-05:00

As promised a few weeks ago, I will describe some of the planning and set-up details from the Open Studio Reception we held in early November (see photos in two earlier posts below). My studio is a small nook in (of all places) our master bathroom (this post shows the arrangement). People enjoy seeing such a novel and yet functional use of space. Also, it is surprising to me how many people are curious about how artists work and what our work space looks like. So, as we had two years ago, we invited a number of friends, neighbors, and acquaintances to join us on a Sunday afternoon from 2 - 5 to enjoy a party and see some paintings.

Our two receptions have been more elaborate than such events need to be. The main goal is to display artwork and, in a very casual and low-key way, to offer the pieces for sale. We wanted to make the occasion a fun party, too, so hired a piano player and offered beverages, appetizers, and small desserts each time. It's fun, but fairly expensive--and was a ton of work the first time before we acquired a catering daughter-in-law. In the future, I would like to try a reception with very simple food--maybe just cookies and punch, or cider with cheese and crackers.

I sent out postcard invitations to a wide list of people. The guest book information from the first reception was an invaluable source for the second. In order to encourage everyone to sign the guest book, I offer a prize drawing using the guest book signatures. Each entry is numbered, so late in the party, I simply put little numbered squares of cardboard (made in advance)--one for each actual guest book entry--into a bowl and draw the winners. A large poster board sign outside the front door read: "Please sign our guest book for a chance to win a prize." It listed prizes (this year, first prize was a $100 gift certificate toward any painting, second was a custom tote bag printed with an image of the same painting as on the postcard invitations). It gave the time of the drawing (4:15) and that you do not have to be present to win, which is an incentive to provide contact information in the guest book. This works very well; I am quite certain that every guest to both receptions not only signed the guest book, but provided an address and email and/or phone information.

Some of you might be interested in other details of the planning and set-up, but this post is long enough already. If you would like a description of my price and painting care information sheet and/or list of planning tasks essential to preparation for this kind of event, I will include that in a future post. Let me know. For now, I include photos of some recycled art bookmarks, an idea from Linda Blondheim, that guests enjoyed and purchased by the bunch. The process: After finishing the last couple paintings, I cleaned the palettes (always hate to waste paint) by stroking various leftover colors mixed with some white gesso in a sort of marbled pattern on the back of unneeded studies and a painting reject. Then, I cut them neatly into bookmark-sized strips, which creates interesting abstracts from the original paintings. These sold for $2 each, or 3 for $5. One photo shows the "fronts" and one the "backs" of the bookmarks.

Question of the day: In your area, do you see fewer people going to formal art galleries to purchase art? What are some other ways you see artists and craftspeople marketing their work?

A Very Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-26T16:01:00.000-05:00

I seldom show my family or post purely personal experiences, but felt like thanking God one more time with a few images from our holiday gathering. For both my husband and me, celebrating with a large extended family has not been possible for--well--for decades. Our siblings, nieces and nephews all live a distance away and are scattered in various eastern and Great Lakes states. Even our immediate family has not been able to gather very often, due to distance and other factors, until this past year. Our California son and his wife moved to the Atlanta, Georgia area a little over a year ago, and our other son and his wife live right here in Jacksonville, Florida.

We feel deeply grateful to have our four wonderful "kids" (have to count the amazing women the boys married as our own, too) fairly nearby. Last Thanksgiving the six of us celebrated in Jacksonville with a meal on Thanksgiving Friday so that one couple could gather with her side of the family on Thursday and to make travel simpler for the others. However, our Georgia daughter-in-law gave up considerable income to be with us on Friday and Saturday. So this year, we all met at their home south of Atlanta. None of us can stop talking about how terrific it was to be together again this year.

The photos show Sumry's beautiful table setting, the fantastic cooks (Ashley and Sumry--Husband, Mark did a lot of baking, too, and I made a dish, but had the easiest holiday ever), the expert clean-up crew (Dirk and Pete), and the guys watching the turkey deep fryer (until we moved south, I never would have believed that a fried turkey could be so juicy, non-greasy, and delicious--not to mention the under-an-hour cooking time). Extra points to readers who can untangle that ridiculous sentence! The pictures also show what gorgeous weather we enjoyed for the day.

This comes with prayers and hopes that all of you have enough of what really matters in life and that you live in thankfulness and peace.

Open Studio Reception -- a Great Party

2011-11-14T21:34:00.000-05:00

Our daughter-in-law outdid herself catering our Open Studio Reception last week. All the food was absolutely delicious, and the table looked festive and appealing. The irresistible desserts looked lovely on a buffet on the side, and our guests certainly did them justice. A fine calligrapher, Ashley made little signs for each dish so that there was no mystery about the food.

I would have liked more photos of the whole scene and the guests interacting, but hosting and mingling (and attaching those wonderful "sold" stickers to some paintings) were much more important. We were fortunate with the weather; although it was cloudy, the afternoon steadily brightened and became milder, but not hot. You see a few of the guests enjoying the gentle breeze in the backyard.

For the artists among my readers--and anyone else interested--I will soon post more information about the reception details. Important features of the day like the guest book, door prizes, sales tax, receipts, and studio policies all needed to be considered, planned, and set up in advance. You may find ideas for your own parties and for art marketing.

Question of the day: Isn't it fantastic that we can share events and information through blogs?

Set-up for the Open Studio Reception

2011-11-08T12:13:00.000-05:00

Our Open Studio Reception this past Sunday afternoon was a wonderful event in every way. It will take me a few posts to tell you all about it. The support of my rock (husband Mark), the incredible catering of our daughter-in-law, Ashley (with her able assistant, husband Pete), the classy piano music of our friend Greg, and the warmth and encouragement of many friends and neighbors made this possible. Given my shy, introverted nature, planning--even considering--this kind of event is extremely daunting. But my life has been enriched over and over by the times that I push myself way out of my comfort zone to achieve a new goal--like staging this event.

These photos were taken the afternoon before on a heavily clouded day. I had hoped for brighter weather on the day of the reception, but it stayed quite cloudy all day Sunday. Thus, some photos are too dark too show you, and none of them quite do justice to the display of paintings shown all around our home. In these, you see a pair of 5" x 7" marsh paintings atop a chest of drawers in our bedroom, scenes from two very different local beaches hanging in the guest bedroom (one 18" x 24" and the other 12" x 16"), and a 9" x 12" sanderling in the surf on a nightstand.

Altogether, I showcased 17 paintings of coastal North Florida scenes in various sizes and prices. I sold two immediately and have several people considering investing in some of the larger pieces. Last time we held an Open Studio Reception, two major paintings sold about two weeks later, once patrons had time to think it over. I always offer a full refund for any reason because it is important to give buyers a chance to try a piece out in their home or business to make sure it works well for them. All my artist friends tell me that selling even one piece at this kind of event is good, that giving people an opportunity to see the work is the main purpose. The first time we tried a reception like this, I was truly amazed to sell a total of 8 paintings (counting those sold later as a result of the showcase) and of course, did not expect a repeat of that.

Then, to my surprise, I sold a painting that was not for sale! A gentleman was asking about my earlier work and admiring a scene of dunes and sea that I had done on heavy art paper about 8 years ago--early in my painting career. I told him that it had never mounted properly and pointed out some air bubbles under the work. To encourage myself, I had framed it anyway because I liked the way it had turned out. However, I had never offered it for sale because of the mounting flaws. Undeterred, he made a fair offer for the piece--and I made a totally unexpected sale.

Question of the day: Don't you just love it when an unexpected bonus comes your way? I give thanks for even the very minor serendipities in life.

New Small Painting of a Tropical Beach--Fantasy Get-away

2011-10-30T20:35:00.000-04:00

Our week and weekend have been crazy--in a good way. I don't have much time right now to write a post, but don't see a better time in the next couple of days.

So, here's a quick post to show you a small new piece, painted on 5" x 7" gallery wrapped canvas, where the image wraps around the sides. I gave this tropical scene as a gift to friends for whom it has special meaning. In planning the composition, I used a blend of my imagination and reference photos from a very special vacation to Belize from some years ago and from a beach in the Dominican Republic. When we lived in the Atlanta area, our church sent groups to the DR for a number of years, bringing simple medical services and helping seed some small enterprises in mountain villages. I was fortunate to be able to go on several of those trips. Given the difficult drive down the mountain to the airport on the northern coast, we convinced ourselves that we really needed to go down the day before our morning flight back to the U.S. Thus, the group spent the final afternoon and evening of each trip at a small beach resort--not too hard to take :>).

So this is a departure from my usual focus on painting the beauty right here in coastal North Florida. Hope you enjoy it as a fantasy get-away; I added a hammock just for you.

Question of the day: What would make a perfect dream vacation for you?

Open Studio Reception Coming Soon

2011-10-22T19:42:00.000-04:00

I am excited that we are again opening our home (and my little art studio) for a reception in a couple of weeks. Our local daughter-in-law, Ashley, will cater, which will make this event much, much simpler for me than the previous reception two years ago. She makes amazing party food and is a super hostess, too. Again, we are fortunate that our friend, Greg Spiess, a super party pianist, will provide music for the gathering.

A number of items on my planning list are checked off, leaving a task list that seems manageable. It was a wonderful feeling to put a big batch of postcard invitations in the mail this morning; a few more await completion once I locate addresses.

If you are reading this, you are definitely invited! What a treat it would be if blogging friends from far and near could be magically transported to our home in Jacksonville, Florida to join us. But perhaps some of you are nearby and as yet not personally known to me; if you are interested, come on down!

The postcard invitation, pictured here front and back, really looks great. On the advice of some artist friends, I order business cards, postcards, etc. from Vistaprint online and have been pleased with the results and the reasonable price. I even was able to order a nice tote bag imprinted with the same image, which will be one of the door prizes for the day. Now, to finish the last couple of smaller paintings which will be displayed (and for sale) all around the house.

Our Visit to Georgia and FDR's Warm Springs Home

2011-10-15T12:23:00.000-04:00

We have returned from a delightful week with our Georgia son and his wife; they completely spoiled us while we were with them. Although we lived in the Atlanta area for about 9 years before moving to Jacksonville, Florida, visiting their home shows us a completely different side of the city from our old stomping grounds in the northern suburbs. Both areas are beautiful, with hills and gorgeous natural vegetation. But now we have an opportunity to be tourists again, taking drives (while they are at work) to places we have not seen before. Poking around wherever we are (including near home) adds a creative dimension to our lives.

This time, we drove to Warm Springs, GA, and toured the "Little White House", seeing the grounds and home of the modest retreat where Franklin Delano Roosevelt stayed whenever he "took the waters" to soothe the pain of his polio and to increase his mobility. The exhibits, short film, and personal possessions housed in the museum on the property fascinated us both. Seeing the personal side of this great man was more moving than we had expected. The cottage (seen in these photos) is charming and surprising in its simplicity. FDR unexpectedly died in this house; he felt ill while sitting for a portrait (now displayed in its unfinished form in the museum) and doing presidential paperwork. He retired to his bed and died within a few hours from a cerebral hemorrhage.

The historians have made every effort to keep the home and outbuildings unchanged from that day (except for welcome modifications, like air conditioning). The buildings just inside the gate housed Secret Service personnel and the few servants who cared for FDR, his family (when they came), and visiting dignitaries who sometimes stayed in two simple guest rooms in the rustic home. One photo shows a custom built 1940 Willys Roadster equipped with hand controls; a 1938 Ford convertible fitted with the hand controls Roosevelt himself designed is in the museum. He drove both for pleasure and to keep himself in touch with ordinary people, visiting and listening to the stories of both black and white rural Georgians whenever he was in residence. Another photo shows one of four Marine Corps Sentry Posts just off the corners of the cottage.

Here, we were reminded of the formidable challenges FDR faced as president of the United States through the Depression aftermath and World War II. But more striking to us was the vivid depiction of his personal pain and struggles and his daily courage as he continued to work at a punishing pace and to encourage the nation. FDR's nobility of spirit shines clear. We saw his heart for others and his generosity in establishing the nearby Roosevelt Warm Springs Institute for disabled children and adults and in his work to remove the stigma and loneliness of polio and other disabling conditions and injuries. Our visit to the Little White House was memorable.

Question of the day: What historic site in the US would you recommend people visit (even those of us who are not history buffs)?

Painting of a Wooded Path

2011-10-02T10:25:00.000-04:00

Here is the painting of a wooded path I showed you as a work-in-progress a couple of posts ago. Loosely based on a scene at our nearby Kingsley Plantation (which has appeared in a few previous posts and some other paintings), the piece is nearly finished. I have adjusted the light and shadow patterns on the path and have added some details in the upper right quadrant (the intended focal area). There will be a few more adjustments, but nothing that will be very noticeable in a snapshot. At least, that is my current thinking. Sometimes, I get a new insight after putting a nearly complete piece away for awhile.

However, I am wary of overworking a painting, a real temptation for a detail-oriented perfectionist like me. So, it's smart to stop before I feel that a piece is totally "there" and put it away for a time. I am much more likely to detract from a work by continuing to fiddle with it at this stage than to improve it much.

Given the sort of person I am, painting has been very good for me. Artistic pieces are never "perfect" or "correct" in the same sense that something like an algebra solution is. I am learning to enjoy the process above all and to let go of the need to keep trying to improve a painting that is "almost there". In art, there may be no "there" there--as someone said in another context. Looser work with some imperfection is often fresher, livelier, and easier for viewers to relate to. Stiff, overly fussy detailed work misses the mark in terms of communicating an artistic vision. Nature, after all, achieves its beauty in the variations, asymmetry, and yes, imperfections of living things and natural features of the landscape. So, for a representative landscape painter, letting go of perfectionism is the perfect approach.

Question of the day: What recent project or undertaking has proven to be a helpful corrective to your personal tendencies?

Early Autumn, North Florida Style

2011-09-27T20:58:00.000-04:00

In North Florida, we do get distinctive seasonal change, which I truly enjoy--especially the coming of autumn. However, our autumn is quite different from the season I grew up with on Lake Michigan's shore. Although some of our trees change color, many are evergreen--or have leaves that just curl up and turn brown before they drop. Whatever "typical" autumn changes come this year, they are still a month or two away. I do miss the brilliant colors of autumn in places we have lived before. But even here, with the sun slanting at a lower angle and a softer hue in the sky, I still feel the same lift to my spirits as always. Some of you may find autumn a bit sad, a kind of ending. For me, it has always been enlivening. Maybe that's because I loved school and the beginning of the new school year. Brand new pencils, marching band practice, football mums from a special guy, and Orion rising in the night sky, are all a breath of fresh air. In fact, this is the time of year I am most likely to start a new venture, to renew my exercise program, and to make resolutions as the lifting of the heat provides me with newfound energy.

Here in coastal North Florida, late-blooming flowers are an early autumn bonus that comes with slightly cooler nights (and finally, sufficient rain). Our mandevilla vine waited even longer than usual to bloom this year, but has been lovely. Off and on for awhile, I have been working on a small painting of these brilliant blooms, but have not yet achieved the colors I want. It's frustrating. Florals can be much more difficult than you might think, and I am always impressed by the lovely paintings of accomplished floral artists. Maybe I'll need to be content with enjoying the real thing.

Question of the day: Have you lived in distinctly different climates at different times? How do you feel about the beginning of autumn?

Open Studio Class--A Creative Community

2011-09-20T12:27:00.011-04:00

On Saturday, I again traveled over to Gainesville, Florida, for Linda Blondheim's Open Studio Class. For this class, we each bring our own works in progress (especially those that seem not to be progressing :>) to Linda's retail loft studio above the Paddiwhack shop. We work at tables or bring an easel and enjoy ample opportunity to ask for advice and direction as we plan or paint. Linda is an ideal art teacher; she respects each student's vision and style (never trying to push us to paint her way), yet offering keen insights and helpful suggestions to help us do our best work. I wish she were nearer, as the drive takes me over an hour and a half each way--but it's all well worth it whenever I can make the trip.

Six of us came to paint this time, so we had plenty of kind encouragement and the inspiration of participating in a creative community for a couple of hours. At her Art Notes blog, designed as a kind of on-line journal describing her work and thoughts, Linda has posted a photo of this delightful group with the pieces we worked on. In the photos here, you see several of us at work with Linda's guidance. In the background, you can see the amazing paintings Linda shows in her Paddiwhack loft. I include a photo (not the best shot, I fear) of my 16" x 20" woodland path "work in progress". The path itself needs the most work. Once that is in better form, I will spruce up other areas, especially the intended focal point in the top right quadrant, with a double trunk tree and some red-orange wildflowers catching the sunlight. Hopefully, I will have the final version to show you fairly soon, although I alternate working on this piece with several smaller paintings that are on a deadline, so it will take some time.

Question of the day: Under what circumstances do you prefer working alone on a project, and when do you prefer a creative community?

Painting Process--My Easel Set-up

2011-09-08T21:02:00.000-04:00

Today, you see a typical set-up at my easel. For most paintings, I place an old piece of heavy poster board against the easel behind the canvas so that I can tape things to it for reference. Nearly all my landscape pieces are studio paintings based on actual scenes, so the main reference photos go up on the board first. Below, you see one of the marsh reference photos I am using for these small paintings. The other item you see in this easel photo is a sheet of paper with a couple of quick sketches and other notes. Many of you know that I am a planner, rather than painting completely spontaneously. However, the amount of advance planning varies for different paintings. This is a relatively simple example for a pair of 5" x 7" salt marsh paintings, currently in progress.

In the photo of the sheet of paper, you see that I have done minimal sketching for these pieces. Given their rocky progress to this point, I may have done better to prepare more detailed value studies, planning the balance of lights and darks--but I didn't this time. I also did less in the way of color studies than I might do for larger works, but I did explore some of the possible gold and buff mixes for the dry winter grasses. Notice (learned this the hard way) that I recorded the tube colors used for each mix and also wrote down the colors used for sky and water (though without a sample patch) and the list of tube colors for this particular limited palette. Some artists probably can do with less written down, but I often am working on several pieces at the same time, so one may be set aside for awhile. It definitely helps to have notes about color blends used when I return to a work in progress after some time has passed.

Linda Blondheim, my painting mentor, suggested this blog post topic when I journeyed over to Gainesville, Florida on Saturday for one of her Open Studio Classes. I am thrilled that she is offering this class again; she had stopped for a number of months, and I missed the guidance she offers painters with any work they bring to the gathering. When Linda saw this set-up, she felt that others might like a peek at my typical messy work board. You can find earlier posts on similar topics by entering "painting process" in the blog search box, top left of this blog. The June 28, 2010 post in particular shows the planning materials and easel set-up for a study of a shore bird--somewhat like this board. And, as always, you can click on a photo to enlarge it and see more detail.

Question of the day: What triggers, tools, or processes aid you in creative endeavors (whether "artistic " projects or creative problem solving and everyday living)?

Happy to Be Back Online and Back Home from Vacation

2011-08-28T21:20:00.000-04:00

I am delighted to be blogging again on our brand-new IMac. Have missed all of you and hope to begin catching up on visits to your blogs as well.

Part of the reason it took awhile to post again is that Mark and I (and the intrepid Shih-Tzu traveler Magnolia) have been on the road for a couple of weeks to spend time with members of each of our families. After a rich time with people we love, we are happy to be home again--especially after putting over 3000 miles on the car. (Little known fact: if you try to type "miles" with your right hand on the wrong keys--due to ineptitude on a new style of keyboard--the result is "nukes". Glad nothing we did involved even one nuke, much less 3000!!!)

Our road trip took us from our North Florida home to Wisconsin via a visit in Tennessee. Oh no, here comes the "what she did on her summer vacation" part! Not to worry, friends, will keep it as brief and painless as possible. The photos show scenes from a hike to Cataract Falls in the beautiful Smoky Mountains where we enjoyed a weekend family reunion with my siblings and their families at a wonderful, affordable lodge just the right size for all of us. From there, we drove to Wisconsin to see Mark's siblings and their families--may show you a few photos from there in a later post.

Question of the day: Well, not really a question; a hope and prayer that all of you have loving, supportive friends or relatives in your lives.

Technical Difficulties--Will post again when I can

2011-08-13T17:31:00.001-04:00

My beloved 7 1/2 year old IMac is in a coma, and I think I will let her go this time. So, I am typing from another computer, but don't have access to my photos, etc. I plan to take my time choosing another computer and will not be posting or visiting all your wonderful blogs for a few weeks. I look forward to communicating again later in the month.

Creative Refrigerator Cleaning--Summer Salad with Peas and Carrots

2011-07-28T20:26:00.000-04:00

This refreshing summer salad is a repeat post from July 2010; we've enjoyed the tasty, nutritious cold version of traditional peas and carrots often since I originally "created" (i.e., adapted a recipe) it. Many readers have been using my recipes, so thought it might be of interest to any of you who did not see it before. By the way, given my previous entry, be assured that I have my permission to copy my own blog posts--others do not :>). Remember, too, that you can use the search box in the upper left corner of the blog home page to find entries on particular topics; just type in "recipe", "travel", "painting", etc.

Although I often plan meals carefully, some dishes and menus come about sort of accidentally. I hate to waste food, so track our fresh fruit and vegetable supply in order to serve foods as close to their peak of freshness as possible. A few weeks ago, a bag of fresh, peeled, petite carrots proved very disappointing--not very sweet or appealing. So, I had planned to lightly cook and season them, but cooked carrots did not fit well into the next few nights' meal plans. Planning to enjoy BLTs with some yummy tomatoes and a partial pack of bacon left from making something else, I went on-line to search for carrot salad recipes.

The most promising recipe, Pea and Carrot Salad with Shallot Vinaigrette sounded nice, but shallots aren't a staple in this refrigerator (and I had no intention of running to the store). After several other changes to the recipe, I came up with a salad Mark and I both enjoyed. The amounts are approximate and can be adjusted to your family's taste preferences. If you are interested in the original recipe or in the nutrition facts, go to www.foodfit.com.

Pea and Carrot Salad

2 cups raw baby carrots, chopped in 1/2" chunks

3 cups frozen petite green peas

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

2 Tblsp. lemon juice

2 Tblsp. red wine vinegar

1/4 tsp. sugar

1/4 - 1/2 cup finely chopped sweet onion

2 Tblsp. olive oil

1 Tblsp. snipped fresh parsley

dash of salt

generous grinding of black pepper

1. Steam (or boil) chopped carrots for about 3 minutes, until slightly tender, but still crisp. Stir peas into same pot of hot water just enough to thaw them and drain off water immediately (the peas will taste very fresh and sweet this way).

2. Whisk the mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, and sugar together. Stir in chopped onion, then whisk olive oil in, mixing well. Stir in snipped parsley and season with salt and freshly ground pepper.

3. Gently toss the peas and carrots in the vinaigrette and serve a room temperature or chilled.

Question of the day: Do you tend to follow recipes, read and then adapt them, or make up your own dishes without a recipe?

Beware of a Known Art Pirate

2011-07-22T00:07:00.000-04:00

On a recent visit to Susan Roux's lovely blog, I learned of a person who apparently steals and photoshops the original paintings of others and then markets the result as his own work. Very low behavior, indeed.

Susan has given me permission to provide a link so that my readers are also warned.

Please let me know what you think of her suggestion to "friend" this person on Facebook in order to see if any of my (or your) art work has been fraudulently used in this way. I hesitate to contact him in any way, in case that would make him aware of my paintings. And what action could I take if I did discover improper use of my images? Beyond that, he is unlikely to be the only internet art pirate out there. Life in this Brave New World is complicated.

Question of the day: This sort of piracy is beyond my level of expertise, and I am tempted to simply "play possum" about the whole thing. Yet I certainly do not want my hard work to be stolen. What do you (both artists and others) think?

Jacksonville Beach Painting Progress--Focus on Sky and Sea

2011-07-13T21:18:00.000-04:00

It has finally been possible to get back to the Jacksonville Beach scene I began painting a few weeks ago, a small piece in a panoramic format, 6" X 12". Sky and sea were my main interest in this little study, which I worked to keep quick and minimal. Although the piece is not finished, I wanted to show you its present form. The birds are just quick-sketched in with white and grey tones and need some adjustment. There will be a few other refinements in the clouds, beach sand, and waves, but the basics are all here.

As I mentioned a couple of posts ago, working more quickly was a goal for this piece. I work slowly and include a great deal of detail in my larger paintings--perhaps too much at times. The point of this exercise was to help me fight a tendency to be too fussy and instead to take a breezy, minimal approach, intentionally working in shorter sessions.

The palette is very simple: ultramarine blue, cerulean blue, paynes grey, cad red light, a touch of burnt umber (a warm brown), and titanium white. The top photo shows the entire piece; the other is a detail shot. This has been a satisfying study, and I am looking forward to more exercises in a breezier style in the future as well as to planning some larger paintings in my more typical style.

Question of the day: Are you trying something at least a little new and different this summer?

Still Here

2011-06-26T20:20:00.003-04:00

I am sorry for my absence from writing and visiting blogs for the last couple of weeks. It has been an extremely busy time--mostly in a good way.

I hope to have a more extensive new post ready for you soon, but wanted to say hello in the meantime. The photo shows a view of our beloved St. John's River, this time from the wide lawn of a Victorian home whose owners hosted one of Mark's Master Gardener events a couple of weeks ago. It is a lovely, characteristically Jacksonville, Florida view. Life is definitely too short for painting all the beauty in our area!

Creativity, Spontaneity, and Planning--Starting a Beach Painting

2011-06-13T11:29:00.000-04:00

My regular readers (bless you, one and all!) know that I am a planner. Too a fault! Even in my creative endeavors, I plan. Previous posts have described my usual painting process (if you are interested, enter "painting process" as a search term in the box in the upper left corner of this blog). However, I know planning and taking care with things can be overdone--especially in projects like making a painting. You will chuckle to hear that this week, I am "working on spontaneity".

Since the flurry of finishing paintings for the exhibit at Paddiwhack, I have been working on a vertical piece showing a curving path. It has been moving ahead very slowly, and recently seemed as though the adjustments I made to try to improve it were making things worse. Some paintings are just very stubborn, even though they looked like a great idea in planning and sketching. The best response is sometimes to put it away for awhile and to begin a new piece.

This time, I decided to plunge into the new piece with minimal planning, no sketches, and no tonal studies. It seemed that I had become too careful, too picky over details--and, stuck. What appealed was to start a smallish piece in unusual proportions (12" x 6") with a fairly low horizon focusing on an interesting sky. With a few reference photos and four paint colors (so far), I forced myself to quickly lay in the first coat for the piece in about 20 minutes. It was fun!

Here are a couple of the reference photos--including one of our Shih-Tzu, Magnolia (aka Maggie) tearing down Jacksonville Beach--one of her favorite spots. The block-in of the painting is rough, but seems like a good start. The sky is a mix of cerulean blue and white near the horizon and ultramarine blue and white further up; the ocean uses the same colors, plus a bit of Paynes grey near the horizon. All blues are tempered with a bit of Cadmium red light to neutralize them (tube colors sometimes look phony in landscapes). The beach under-layer is mostly Cad red light and white. This will be adjusted, as our sand is actually somewhat grey-beige, but I want a warm tone present in both the sand and the clouds (which are yet to come).

Question of the day: Am I the only nut who sometimes needs to "work at spontaneity"? How do you overcome creative blocks?

New Marketing Flyer for Gainesville, Florida Exhibit of Paintings

2011-06-05T19:36:00.000-04:00

I am very pleased with the look of my new marketing flyer, prepared for the exhibit of my paintings at Paddiwhack in Gainesville, Florida. I think you can enlarge it by double-clicking on the image. A few posts ago, I showed you the grouping of paintings there and the Artist's Statement written for that show (it is framed and standing near the paintings). Both these publicity pieces will be useful in other contexts as well; I did not want to go to the time and expense of preparing and printing them just for this six week event.

I am grateful to painting mentor Linda Blondheim for excellent advice, generously shared, as I wrote and prepared these materials and to Lori Taylor of Trends Home Decor for layout assistance and low-cost printing for both pieces.

Whenever I visit other artists' shows, I pick up any well-done publicity pieces that are available. For one thing, I enjoy visiting their blogs and web sites and sometimes strike up an email correspondence with some artists, so like to have their contact information. The other reason I keep these materials on file is that they are helpful when I need to prepare my own publicity materials. Of course, I do not copy what another artist has to say. But, as you know, if you have tried to write any publicity piece from scratch, it can be very difficult. For me, it is doubly difficult to write about myself and my work--even though I enjoy sharing the works and their stories. I just feel blocked and shy about it. Viewing and reading the materials of others helps me get started.

So, I hope that others among you might find the ideas, layout, or other features in this flyer useful. Do not plagarize please :>), but feel free to use this or the artist's statement from the earlier post as a springboard for your own publicity materials. As I am inspired by all of you and your creativity (and I don't mean only the practicing "artists" among you, but all the bloggers who share thoughts and visuals), I hope that you find something stimulating or fun in this post.

Question of the day: Do you also find preparing publicity materials--or any necessary writing you are called to do--difficult, especially getting the process started?

The Lovely Kanapaha Botanical Gardens In Gainesville, Florida

2011-05-29T19:46:00.001-04:00

A couple of posts ago, I mentioned that Mark and I had visited the Kanapaha Botanical Gardens in Gainesville, Florida for the first time after dropping some paintings off at Paddiwhack. The gardens are well-established and extensive without requiring miles of walking to see various types of gardens and natural environments. In fact, one can see most of the gardens with less than two miles of strolling. The natural features include a view out over a large lake, so lush with vegetation that it's hard to see, and the Kanapaha Prairie beyond it, in a long view from a high point (at least high for Florida :>) in one of the photos.

Other photos show the hummingbird garden, with gazebo and some bright red flowers and an interesting fallen tree that forms an archway over the path.

I am glad to be posting again after traveling to Charlotte, NC to help a friend who will be relocating there. When I returned and tried to sign in, Blogspot seemed to be experiencing difficulties. It took a couple of days and some work to reestablish and post on this blog. Soon, I will be visiting your blogs as well, now that we (I hope) are up and running again.

I hope all readers in the United States are enjoying a relaxing, yet meaningful, Memorial Day weekend as we honor and remember all those who have served us and our country in the past, as well as the many Americans currently serving us in military service. Our gratitude is sincere and profound.

New Painting Exhibit at Paddiwhack in Gainesville, Florida

2011-05-20T15:22:00.000-04:00

I know I said that I would post my new flyer next, but couldn't resist showing you this lovely display of eight of my coastal North Florida landscape paintings. I am thrilled with the grouping the owner mounted Wednesday afternoon in the prime exhibit area of Paddiwhack in Gainesville, Florida. The photos (double click to enlarge) also give you a small glimpse of the wonderful, eclectic collection of goodies sold in this fine shop.

Mark and I dropped the paintings off early Wednesday afternoon, then had a glorious, fresh, well-seasoned lunch (we LOVE breakfast-all-day places) at The Flying Biscuit Cafe a few doors down in the same strip mall. We spent a couple of fun hours at the Kanapaha Botanical Gardens--which I must show-and-tell about in another post soon.

As we had done in our visit a few months ago (see 1/31/11 post), we brought a chilled bottle of good wine in a cooler and purchased lovely cheese at The Fresh Market next door to Paddiwhack, a rosemary baguette and a couple of other goodies at the Upper Crust Bakery down the row. I'm telling you, this particular strip mall has terrific stores (feel so privileged to have my paintings in this popular Gainesville, Florida spot!). We joined my beloved painting mentor, Linda Blondheim, in her studio/showroom loft up in the back of Paddiwhack for wine, gourmet snacks, and good conversation.

By the time we returned to meet Linda, the owner had hung my paintings. They will show here for six weeks, through the end of June. The top photo shows six of the pieces on a side wall just to the right as customers enter the store. In the second photo, you can see a two more, one on a blue partial wall just before the large main section of the store, and the other on the back of a piece of furniture which faces into the shop. The small honey-colored frame standing on a chest in the corner displays the artist's statement I showed you last time with my business cards on a pottery stand next to it. The flyers I made for the occasion are on the highboy beneath the six pieces. This show is an amazing opportunity, for which I am very grateful.

Question of the day: Isn't life astonishing sometimes? How did I get here from taking a painting course just for fun not too many years ago?!?

New Artist's Statement--Landscape Paintings in a Gainesville, Florida Shop

2011-05-17T20:27:00.002-04:00

Tomorrow, we will deliver a collection of eight landscape paintings to Paddiwhack, a delightful shop in Gainesville, Florida. I have been working hard to prepare the pieces for the exhibit; they will hang in a featured nook in the front of the store for six weeks. Two new publicity pieces are also ready, a flyer for people to pick up, which I will show you in the next post, and this framed artist's statement. You should be able to click on it to make it larger.

Details of New Painting and More About the Painting Process

2011-05-06T15:38:00.001-04:00

The Lyons Club Park Boardwalk painting got off to a decent start in terms of composition, but some other aspects of the process were unsatisfactory at first and required revision. For those of you interested in the painting process, that is the topic today. The photos are close-up detail shots of the new painting I showed you last time as well as a photo of the entire piece.

As I mentioned last post, I shifted the viewpoint a bit from the reference photo, but you could see that I retained the basic elements of the scene without radical change. I raised the horizon line, which often seems to land in the horizontal center of my photos, because a painting should (almost) never be cut in half by a major element or line. I made small, grey-tone sketches of several possible compositions to consider and gridded over them horizontally and vertically into thirds (resulting in nine smaller rectangles). I try to place my focal point near the intersection of two of these lines, which is pleasing to the eye (these are sometimes called "sweet spots"). In this piece, I regard the center of interest as the area in the upper left third where a single tree stands and the boardwalk comes to a point and makes a sharp turn to follow the river bank. That is such a compelling angle that the viewer's eye is inevitably led there. But I include a path over to the right and then visual paths up, down, and around so that the viewer's eye will naturally move through the entire composition and find other areas of visual interest as well.

I thought I had chosen a perfect palette for this painting, but needed to change it along the way. I use a limited palette for each work, meaning a selection of certain tube colors which will blend well to create the entire range of color variations for the scene. Even though the viewer may not notice the use of a limited palette, the result is more pleasing and harmonious than using many randomly chosen colors would be. The palette I choose varies with the subject, weather, and season. This painting has no tube green at all; greens are blended from blues and yellows, and modified with red, purple and grey. After one change, the final palette consisted of cerulean blue, cobalt blue, paynes grey, dioxizine purple, cadmium yellow light, yellow ochre, cadmium red light, buff, and white. Although the photo is almost entirely in greens and blues, I wanted a livelier scene and added shades of purple in the water. Then, I used burnt sienna (a favorite color) to add a range of tones in the marsh grasses. This was a mistake, in my opinion. The burnt sienna did not blend well with the blues and purples I had used, so I put it back in the drawer and experimented with other shades for the grass. Some of our North Florida marsh areas include a sort of brownish burgundy grass that seemed likely to fit in, so I worked that into various spots in the grass along with some buff and greenish blends. This particular burgundy is a blend of cad red light, paynes grey, and a little purple (used with care--the purple is strong).

This painting came together a bit more quickly than sometimes (I am a sloooow painter). If you have any other questions about the painting process, please feel free to ask either in a comment or to email me (see profile for address). I enjoy sharing "shop talk" with interested readers.

Question of the day: What aspects of the painting process (if any) are of interest to you?

New Painting--Lyons Club Park Boardwalk on the St. Johns River

2011-04-27T10:43:00.000-04:00

Join me on a spring walk in Lyons Club Park along the St. Johns River in Jacksonville, Florida. This new painting is nearly finished, but rather than waiting to post it, I decided to show it to you today. The revisions I still plan to make are so minor that the differences are unlikely to be noticeable in a blog photo. The piece is a 16" X 20" acrylic painting on gallery wrapped canvas, so can be hung without a frame. The scene wraps around the painted edges.

Today, I am showing you the painting and one of the reference photos I used. Next post, I will include some close-up photos of details in the painting and more information about the painting process.

You can see that I departed from the reference photo in terms of the viewpoint, the palette (colors), and some other details. The painting's viewpoint is a bit further away at a higher point along the walk by the marshy river bank.

Among the Jacksonville area's many lovely parks and preserves, Lyons Club Park is a well-kept jewel. Birds sing along wooded trails, and fish and other water creatures are abundant. We saw a number of people fishing along the bank while others paddled up to shore in canoes and kayaks. The water currents are varied and interesting as the St. Johns River runs straight north (unusual in the Northern Hemisphere) just before it turns east to flow to the ocean. We are on the east bank of the river looking north. The Trout River flows in from the west (out of sight from this view), and both rivers rise and fall with the ocean tides. So, the water is almost always in motion--sometimes lazy and sometimes powerfully choppy. Ripples and waves can run in nearly any direction, changing throughout the day, and sometimes swirling in eddies caused by the confluence of outgoing rivers meeting an incoming tide. It's a perfect place for a refreshing and renewing walk.

Question of the Day: Does your area treasure and preserve its natural habitats and beauty?

Quick, Easy, Lean Pork Stir-fry Recipe & Cooking Tips

2011-04-14T20:56:00.000-04:00

Today, I made a quick and easy, lean pork stir-fry for the two of us and thought you might enjoy the recipe and some cooking tips. It's a bit of an exaggeration to call this a recipe given how simple it is--but it is healthful and delicious.

Although I love cooking with fresh fruits and vegetables and making my own sauces, etc. from scratch, sometimes I want to make something truly quick and easy with less chopping and fussing. Especially now that we are back to just the two of us and have lots of other creative, interesting things to do, I want some evening meals to be quick and easy.

I served this stir-fry on basmati rice, a very light, fluffy alternative to our family's usual brown rice. One warning, though--this rice is extra "foamy" as it cooks. Even though I thought I was watching it carefully, it boiled over at one point--something I have done before. Use an extra-deep pot for basmati rice (yes, I'll try--once again--to remember that :>). Also, it sometimes cooks more quickly than the package instructions indicate; if it starts to stick, just take it off the stove and keep it covered until it is fluffy and the water is absorbed.

Start the rice first; it will be done about the same time as the stir-fry. A couple of my favorite kitchen tips follow the recipe.

QUICK & EASY PORK STIR-FRY FOR TWO

2 small boneless pork chops (6 or 7 ounces total) or other lean pork

1 Tblsp. or more chopped, fresh ginger root (see tip below)

canola oil & sesame seed oil

bottled stir-fry sauce (I used Kikkoman brand)

1/2 large onion, or to taste

16 oz. bag frozen stir-fry vegetables (I used Walmart's Great Value brand, sugar snap pea stir-fry vegetables--they are quite good)

1. Trim fat off pork, if desired, and cut into small pieces (maybe 1/2" square) or strips. In small bowl, stir pork together with chopped ginger root and a moderate amount of stir-fry sauce (I don't measure, but probably used about 2 Tblsp.). Set aside while you do step two.

2. Chop or sliver the onion. Heat oil in medium sized skillet or wok. I use a combination of maybe a tablespoon of canola oil and a teaspoon of sesame seed oil (see tip below). Saute onion lightly, about 2 minutes.

3. Add pork mixture to skillet (with more oil if needed), and saute over medium-high heat until pork is done through--about 4 or 5 minutes. Let it brown a little and stir often.

4. Again, add a dash of sesame oil and pour frozen vegetables into skillet. Pour a couple more tablespoons of stir-fry sauce over--more if you wish. Saute, covered at first, then without cover, stirring off and on, until vegetables are heated through and crisp-tender. This only takes a few minutes--don't overcook them.

5. Serve over rice. Fresh fruit is a delicious accompaniment.

One photo above illustrates some simple tips from my kitchen. Even when our boys were home, and we needed to pinch pennies on the food budget, I splurged on a few high-flavor ingredients. A small bottle of Sesame Seed Oil is well worth its cost and lasts a long time. Combined with another vegetable oil (I use it with canola oil in Asian style cooking), it adds a real flavor punch without destroying our goal of keeping saturated fats very low.

We also love fresh ginger root in any number of dishes, but find that it shrivels and goes bad before we finish even one long "knob". So, the first time I use part of a new piece, I quickly slice the rest into "coins", maybe 1/4" thick (no need to peel) and freeze them in a small zip bag. Then, we are never without, and nothing is wasted. Even straight out of the freezer, it is simple to peel and chop the amount you need for a recipe. If the coins stick together, hold under cool running water for a few seconds to separate.

Question of the day: What are your favorite quick meals or cooking tips?

Another Sign of Northeast Florida Spring--Flocks of Goldfinches

2011-04-05T14:22:00.001-04:00

Each year, once in the fall and once in late March or early April, we enjoy flocks of migrating goldfinches and smaller numbers of other finches in our coastal North Florida yard. Sometimes, they stay in the area a few weeks; other times, they are here (at least in our yard) only a few days. We felt privileged to be home a few days ago to watch a flock in our backyard. Because they swoop in and out quickly and flit around, it was difficult to count them, but we had somewhere around 30 goldfinches that afternoon--possibly more. About 1/3 of them were males. Their song is sweet, long, and canary-like--a lovely spring chorus.

Finches love the thistle seed feeder we keep out for them and were also happily cracking the larger safflower seeds in the companion feeder. Most of all, they delighted in wildly splashy communal baths in the shallow birdbath at ground level. With trees, vines, and bushes nearby for safety, they seemed to feel free to frolic and sing up a noisy storm of joy. In my birdbath photos, some of the goldfinches are a fluffy blur of splash while others prepare to chase them out for their own turn.

I didn't dare open a door or window or step around to the back to get photos, so the best I could do was to give my simple little Canon its maximum 4X zoom and shoot through the patio door windowpanes. I hope you enjoy our cheery friends, too.

Question of the day: Don't you marvel at the beauty and variety of life on our precious Earth?

The Beauty of Spring--A Blossoming Fringetree

2011-03-26T20:01:00.000-04:00

Here in coastal North Florida, our azaleas are already dropping petals, and the wonderful flowering bulbs I grew up with in Michigan, like tulips and daffodils, do not flourish. However, we are enjoying our second round of spring flowering. I hope that wherever you are (except for my southern hemisphere friends, that is :>), you are beginning to see signs of spring emerging.

When we added a cutting garden of strictly native plants last year, the fringetree a landscape designer recommended was past its blooming time of the year. Given his description and the pictures in our North Florida native plants books, we eagerly looked forward to seeing our little fringetree sapling in bloom this year. It has truly exceeded our expectations, with bright white clusters of fragrant, wispy hanging blossoms that almost seem to glow against darker green foliage behind them.

For those interested, Gil Nelson, in Florida's Best Native Landscape Plants, describes this as a slow growing small tree which can live over 50 years and is "among the most trouble-free small landscape trees". It also bears a blue, olive-like fruit that attracts birds. According to Nelson, although it is most often seem in traditional southern landscapes, its range extends from Pennsylvania and New Jersey on down to North Florida and west into Texas. The botanical name is Chionanthus virginicus. Perhaps some of you are familiar with this tree; it is a completely new delight for me.

Question of the day: What are your favorite spring flowers or flowering trees? Are you seeing signs of spring where you are?

Beautifully Restored Native American Mission--Mission San Xavier in Tuscon, Arizona

2011-03-17T14:39:00.001-04:00

While we were in the Tuscon area, we and our friends visited Mission San Xavier, a lovely old Catholic mission on what is still a Native American reservation. Restoration work on this National Historic Landmark seemed nearly completed, and it is stunning. Constructed in a Spanish Colonial Baroque style in the late 1700s, the church still carries on an active worship and community service ministry. Decorated and gessoed sculptures and wall paintings glow in the cool interior, although the angle of the sun made photography challenging while we were there--some areas too bright and sun-washed and others too dark. A couple of my interior photos are clear enough to show you the color, painstaking detail, and interesting subject matter (a blend of Biblical and colonial themes) of the sanctuary and masonry, dome-like vaults. Another photo shows some of the native plant landscaping near a small side chapel. Inside the chapel, memorial icons and pictures, some quite recent and some very old, honor those who have been buried from this church, as the sight and scent of many dozens of candles quiet visitors who pause inside.

Question of the day: Have any of you participated in restoration work? I think it must be fascinating.

Thank you to all of you who continue to visit. I apologize that circumstances continue to make my posting less frequent that I would like, and I am grateful for your understanding.

Enjoying a Radical Change of Scenery--Visiting Tuscon, Arizona

2011-03-08T20:59:00.000-05:00

We recently returned from a visit to friends who winter north of Tuscon, Arizona--the first time I had seen any part of that state south of the Grand Canyon. It would be difficult to imagine a more radical change of scenery from our lush, water-rich coastal North Florida home than this area. Stately Saguaro cacti, every one branching differently, tower over most of the dry vegetation (at least it was very dry in early March). Prickly pear flourish, with paddles in yellow and even purple as well as green. Rough mountain ranges rise several thousand feet above the already high desert landscape.

Our friends treated us to some of their favorite sights, including a drive up Mount Lemmon and a visit to a local park that featured native plants in a natural setting. The photos represent a small sample of the interesting vistas in these two attractions. Later, I will post photos of a visit to a beautiful old mission.

Although I love the ocean, rivers, creeks, swamps, and salt marshes in our home area, the desert has always fascinated me. The unique life forms that adapt to conditions in all the various types of deserts I have visited are amazing--though it requires patience and deep quiet to spot the animals. However, I must confess that it is difficult for me to imagine living or staying long-term in this arid land. We happily drank in the green, green sights of home after our journey.

Question of the day: Do you also return home from travel more grateful for home than ever?

Exploring--Off the Beaten Track for Painting Subjects

2011-02-28T08:10:00.000-05:00

Last post, I showed you a 2009 visit to Kingsley Plantation in the Timucuan Preserve, here in Jacksonville, Florida. Today's photos are from our visit to the plantation with out-of-town friends a couple of weeks ago on a pleasant, bright day. After viewing the ruins of the slave cabins, the buildings, and exhibits, we wandered the extensive property. I am always drawn to water, so took a trail by the river, where views of marsh grasses and small islands added charm to the view.

I took a number of photos, as I usually do in interesting coastal North Florida areas, hoping that some will provide inspiration for landscape paintings in the future. In addition to photos that might, with cropping and a few adjustments, become the basis for a painting, I take various photos to help me remember details. The bark or leaves of a particular tree, the mud at the edge of a river, a close-up of salt marsh grasses, a cloud formation, or any number of other details can provide the information I need back in the studio. Without good photo records, studio painting would be guesswork and would not result in the kind of expressive, yet representative, landscapes I like to paint. Of course, not every painter works this way, and many wonderful paintings evolve by other methods. But, for me, "making it up" does not produce the kinds of interpretations of actual locations in our beautiful area that I try to paint.

You may enjoy imagining how you would use these photos in a painting. The view of the path is intriguing, but lacks the variation in color and in lights and darks a painting needs. Guess I'd imagine more breaks in the trees on the left to add more sunny patches on the shadowed walk, then intensify the drama of the bright area where the trail curves out of sight with sunlit tree trunks and foliage. The river view has multiple possibilities; one would be to use a 6" x 12" canvas I have and paint a narrow panoramic view.

Question of the day: Do you, too, find yourself captured by a scene off the beaten path that other people might pass without noticing?

Exploring--Right Near Home--Kingsley Plantation

2011-02-25T15:12:00.000-05:00

Within the Timucuan Preserve on the northern edge of Jacksonville, Florida, an immense cluster (more than 98,000 acres altogether) of preserved natural and historical sites, stands a well-preserved former sea island cotton plantation with some surprises in its history. Kingsley Plantation nestles beside extensive salt marshes and passages out to the sea and to navigable rivers. In fact, ships from England could follow waterways straight to Kingsley's dock to deliver goods and load precious sea island cotton for the voyage back.

This free attraction, run by the National Park service, is accessible by road, boat, canoe, or kayak. The house and kitchen buildings (currently closed for renovation) are smaller and simpler than some of the grand old plantations you may have visited in places like Virginia. But, like those Virginians, Kingsley's owners owed their prosperity to the slave labor of countless individuals. In one of the photos, you can see the remains of slave cabins (24 of the original 32 are visible, arranged in a semi-circle) that were built of tabby. Tabby is a concrete material made of sand, water, and lime extracted from shells, mixed with whole shells and pieces, which was widely used for building in the coastal South. Another photo shows the critter that calmly snuffled nearby while my brother and I explored the cabin ruins, barn, and other exhibits on a bright January day.

Although it's tempting to write about this plantation at length, I'll spare you that. You can find extensive information on-line if you are interested (ditto for the Timucuan Preserve). However, the history of this plantation has a couple of unusual aspects I'll mention. When Zephaniah Kingsley acquired the land, he brought his wife Anna and their children along--not so amazing, except that Anna, who was a native of Senegal in West Africa, had been his slave at one time. Further, given that Zephaniah liked owning land better than managing it, or even living there full-time, Anna eventually came to manage the plantation on her own--an unusual achievement for that time, to say the least. Unlike many of the large plantations in other areas, in which overseers drove so-called "gangs" of slaves in the fields every moment of daylight, Kingsley employed the "task" system of work under Anna's management. Individual slaves were assigned a daily task and were free to rejoin their babies, till their own gardens, etc. once they had completed the task. This is not to suggest that their lives were easy, but it does seem marginally more humane than driving people to work every daylight hour.

This post is slightly revised from my April 26. 2009 post (I have to say that this year's January was rather thin on bright, warm days like the one pictured here :>). We revisited Kingsley Plantation earlier this month with friends visiting us from Pennsylvania and enjoyed it just as much. Unfortunately, funding limitations have slowed work, and the house and kitchen building are still under renovation. They seem to be nearing completion, so we hope that we can see them later this year restored to the way they looked in Anna Kingsley's time. Next post, I'll show you some photos from this recent visit that may become paintings at some time.

Question of the day: If you were a local tourist guide, where would you take visitors and what would you want them to understand about your home area?

Growing--A Completed Commission--Jacksonville Beach Scene

2011-02-16T09:51:00.000-05:00

I have been working on this commissioned piece for awhile now and am thrilled that my client loves the way it has turned out. The client is a former neighbor who has moved to Virginia and wanted a small painting to remind her of their time here in Jacksonville, Florida. She had admired a similar painting I had made, a 12" x 16" acrylic on gallery wrap canvas but wanted a smaller version. This is 9" x 12" is also painted on gallery wrap canvas--she liked the contemporary look and the fact that it will not require framing.

The new piece has brighter colors than the original and a couple of pelicans--a common sight over the Atlantic Ocean off our coast. The client had particularly wanted one or more pelicans in the scene, which proved to be a challenge on this scale. I needed to make them recognizable even though they are a bit less than 3/4" long from beak tip to tail. We emailed back and forth, with me lightly painting in possibilities and she suggesting modifications. She was always enthusiastic and flexible, letting me know what she hoped to see, but always adding, "But use your own artistic judgement; I trust you completely." As any artist will attest, that is a model client! It has been an absolute pleasure to paint this scene for her, and I hope that it will remind her of good times here in coastal North Florida as she enjoys her new home in Virginia.

The photos show the completed work with pelicans, a close-up detail, and the original painting that gave her the idea for this one. Her piece is brighter, with more contrast and more intense color than the subtler original. She says that it is exactly what she had hoped for. How great is that?

Question of the day: Isn't it fascinating to discover the range of preferences among different people in terms of art work?

Savoring--Healthy Comfort Food--Pumpkin Black Bean Soup

2011-02-07T20:36:00.004-05:00

We love soup in cold weather, and I recently tried a pumpkin black bean soup recipe from a magazine ad. It said the source is HomeMadeSimple.com. We loved this rich-tasting savory soup and found it a nice change from our usual homemade soup rotation. It also happens to be vegetarian--actually meets vegan standards, I believe--with nutritious black beans as its protein source. This amount made the two of us two dinner meals, one with corn muffins from Jiffy mix & salad and one with grainy bread & fruit (fresh pears and grapes). In the future, I might make more and freeze some or use some for lunches. It is delicious, easy to make, low-fat, and low-cost.

I changed the printed recipe just a little. Instead of pureeing all the beans; I left one can whole because it seemed that the result would be more interesting. I was skeptical of the 4 tablespoons of olive oil called for, but ended up using about 3 because the seasonings went in so early and were sticking to the pot. Also, the final step said to add 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar just before serving. I used 2 tablespoons, which is plenty. Some people might prefer just one tablespoon or none, but it adds a pleasant zing to the flavor. And we had no pumpkin seeds to bake for the garnish--you might like something crunchy on top, but it was yummy without any topping. Some may like a dollop of sour cream on top, which would blend well with the moderately spicy flavor.

PUMPKIN BLACK BEAN SOUP

3 - 4 Tablespoons olive oil

1/2 to 3/4 cup red or yellow onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tablespoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon each cinnamon & allspice

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

salt to taste (I use just a dash)

2 cans (16 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed well

1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes

4 cups vegetable broth

1 can (16 oz.) pumpkin puree

1 - 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar

baked pumpkin seeds for garnish (optional)

1. Heat olive oil in large pot (5 quart size or more), add chopped onion and saute 2 minutes on low-medium heat.

2. Add garlic and seasonings and cook until onion softens and browns.

3. Puree one can beans and tomatoes with about a cup of the vegetable broth. Add pureed ingredients, pumpkin, second can of beans (whole), and rest of broth to your pot.

4. Simmer until thick, about 40 - 45 minutes. If soup does not thicken enough, simmer it uncovered for several minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. Before serving, stir in balsamic vinegar. Top each bowl with baked seeds, if desired.

If you try this soup, let me know how you like it. We will definitely have it again.

Question of the day: Can anything beat soup for warming and satisfying us in chilly weather?

Exploring--Unique Shop and Linda Blondheim's Painting Loft

2011-01-31T10:00:00.000-05:00

On Friday, Mark and I drove inland to Gainesville, Florida, home of the University of Florida and of Paddiwhack Gallery, a unique treasure trove of art, furniture and accessories for the home as well as jewelry, wearable fabric art, and so much more. Our primary reason for the drive was to visit Linda Blondheim, my dear friend and painting teacher and mentor, in her new loft overlooking this large gallery/shop. Linda greets clients and friends there four afternoons a week in a warm, homey space full of her gorgeous central north Florida landscape paintings. Linda brewed us excellent coffee, offered us comfy chairs, and we enjoyed a long chat about a variety of topics. After awhile, Mark brought up our cooler with a nice bottle of Chardonnay. He had also found rolls from an excellent bakery in the same shopping area and mixed nuts from the Fresh Market next door to Paddiwhack.

What a lovely afternoon! If you are ever near Gainesville, don't miss the experience of spending time with Linda, who manages to combine the best of southern hospitality and a welcoming down-to-earth warmth with a lively mind and a sincere interest in her visitors. Two of the photos show Linda's loft (one with the artist herself seated at a table); the third photo is a small glimpse of Paddiwhack Gallery showing a nook in the front of this large, goodie-packed shop.

Come May and June, I will be the featured artist with paintings in this nook, which is just to the right of the front door as people enter. Of course, I am excited and honored to have this opportunity. Since I had not seen the shop before, you can imagine my delight in getting a look at the space where my work will hang and an opportunity to meet the owner and his knowledgeable staff. They answered my questions and offered advice that will help me prepare my exhibit.

Question of the day: What would make a perfect day's outing for you?

Savoring--Completed Landscape Painting--"A Sunday Afternoon in May"

2011-01-21T11:09:00.000-05:00

"A Sunday Afternoon in May" has proven to be a satisfying project. Last post, I showed you some aspects of the planning process, beginning with the reference photo, which is posted again here so that you can see the ways in which I have changed the original scene to create an effective composition for a landscape painting. The St. Johns River actually flows behind the bushes in the photo, but was not visible from that point of view. However, I wanted to use the point of view in the photo because of the lovely patterns the foreground shadows made--as well as the interesting verticals of the tree trunks.

Rather than go on about the painting process from last post's sketches through to completion, I will just let you join me in this delightful park-like spot on a private school campus in Jacksonville, Florida. I built the bench just for you.

Question of the day: Wouldn't it be fascinating to time-travel to scenes painted by the Old Masters and compare the actual location to their interpretation of it?

Growing--Planning a Painting Composition--Jacksonville Park Scene

2011-01-13T21:22:00.001-05:00

A new 18" x 24" landscape painting on gallery wrapped canvas is nearing completion. I am pleased with the way this scene is turning out and will show you the final version soon. In the meantime, here are the original reference photo, an early line sketch on the canvas, and the first painting stage--blocking in the darkest areas.

As we explore our wonderful coastal North Florida scenery, I take a variety of reference photos for landscape painting. Some photos, like this one, comprise an overall view of a place I might paint in the future. Others record odd bits of information: everything from close-ups of particular tree trunks, to interesting cloud formations, to ripple patterns on our rivers or ponds. One wise word of advice for landscape painting I have heard from more than one instructor is, "Don't make it up." Of course, we do use artistic license to move elements around or to add, say, an appropriate water bird to one of its favorite habitats. However, for me at least, it is crucial to see and photograph the actual water bird or examples of a particular variety of tree in order to paint them convincingly.

While studying reference photos, I make rough sketches of possible compositions based on that location. I try the horizon fairly high, then lower; place only a few tree trunks in the scene, then sketch it with more trunks in a different pattern. In the sketches (often with 5 different grey to black values of markers on cheap paper), I also vary the values, placing the darks, mid-tones, and lights differently each time. A composition with equally distributed values is usually much less interesting than a composition with mostly one value, some of another, and just a bit of the third main value.

For the scene in this photo, I decided to leave out some of the bushes behind the grassy area to reveal the river running behind them. A bench or chair would appear near the riverbank to invite the viewer to enter the scene and rest awhile. Choosing what seemed the most promising small sketch, I outlined the major shapes on the canvas with vine charcoal, which rubs off easily later and which acrylic paint covers well. In some compositions, I begin by "sketching" with a brush and paints in the family of colors I plan to use (more about the palette chosen for this piece in the next post), but for this one, the balance and rhythm of the lines seemed important to place first.

In the top photo, you see a beginning placement of some of the values, especially some of the darkest areas. The foreground shadows first attracted me to the scene and will provide a visual path to the focal point (the bench and its surroundings). The other darkest elements will be some of the tree trunks and the hanging branches at the top of the canvas. Unlike some paintings, this one was pleasing even in the early stages; the composition and value "map" felt right.

Question of the day: As in other creative pursuits, including problem-solving in work and daily life, we are all very different regarding the degree to which we plan ahead. Clearly, I am a planner--how about you?

Exploring--Sculpture Garden in Warwick, New York

2010-12-29T20:57:00.000-05:00

Friends in Warwick, New York introduced us to an amazing local collection of iron sculptures in a bucolic natural setting. After a phone call to the descendants of the artist, Frederick Franck, we were granted admission to the grounds and were the only visitors that afternoon savoring this quiet, almost worshipful, setting. Pacem in Terris, the name of the property, aptly describes both the goals and subject matter of the art and the experience the visitor receives.

Originally from the Netherlands, oral surgeon Frederick Franck gradually evolved from being a hobby artist in the 1930s to devoting his full time and attention to what he described as a pilgrimage of "seeing". Some of his works testify directly to the horrors of war and violence; others more subtly suggest the beauty and preciousness of all life, our environment, and peaceful living. He described his art as the central spiritual quest of his life, a search for "seeing" in the deepest sense. Some of his works are in the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum, and the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine, all in New York City, and elsewhere around the world. But I cannot imagine that seeing his works in any other setting could equal the inspiration of viewing the pieces on the grounds of his simple former home (now a small museum and bookstore).

These photos, from our memorable time at Pacem in Terris, show one of my favorite sculptures, the plaque about its meaning, and the rushing stream near the restored 18th century watermill Franck and his wife, Claske, lived and worked in for many years. If the photos are not clear, you may click on them for a larger view.

I have just been rereading sections from a book I purchased there, Fingers Pointing Toward the Sacred, a sort of memoir of parts of his lifetime spiritual quest in various cultures, including his account of interviews with Pope John XXIII, the Dalai Lama, Albert Schweitzer, and others. The book contains a number of his moving and evocative spare line drawings of people and places. The activity of losing himself in seeing and drawing formed a kind of meditative practice for him.

This season of renewed hope for "peace on earth" and for the coming New Year seemed an appropriate time to recall this remarkable artist and seeker and to show you one of his works.

Question of the day: Well, more of a thought--in my life's journey I have learned and benefited most from the wisdom of thoughtful, people who do not claim to be wise. I had that feeling of deep learning as we experienced Franck's art and as I read his reflections.

Savoring--Elegant Holiday Dessert Bar Recipe--Hungarian Pastry

2010-12-18T13:35:00.001-05:00

When I made this dessert to bring to a holiday gathering, people raved about it, as always happens. Hungarian Pastry is elegant and festive looking and is melt-in-your-mouth yummy. The recipe is a family holiday favorite, originally given to my mother by a friend with Hungarian roots decades ago. Although we always called it Hungarian Pastry, it probably has an actual Hungarian name--if any of you know, please share its real name.

Preparation takes some time, but, in my opinion, making any kind of bar is simpler and less time-consuming than making cookies (all that placing individual dollops of dough and lifting them off the cookie sheet one by one :>). Made in a rimmed 10" x 15" sheet (sometimes called a jelly roll pan) and cut small, the recipe makes a generous number of bars--two platters full (the photo shows just one). One of the photos shows the kitchen tool that simplifies spreading layers--not the first time I have showed it to you. A staple in my mother-in-law's kitchen, we have these angled spreaders in several sizes. I used one about a foot long for this recipe. Then again, a kitchen knife will do.

HUNGARIAN PASTRY

1/2 pound butter (2 sticks), softened to room temperature

1 cup white sugar

3 eggs (separated)

2 tsp. vanilla

3 1/2 cups flour

1/4 tsp. baking soda

dash salt (up to 1/4 tsp.; I use less)

1 tsp. baking powder

20 - 24 oz. jar raspberry (or other) jam

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

1. Cream butter and sugar together well in large bowl.

2. Carefully separate the 3 eggs--put whites in a different, medium-sized bowl and set aside. Put yolks into the butter/sugar mixture.

3. Add vanilla and mix well again, until fluffy.

4. Sift the dry ingredients together (full disclosure; I don't bother to sift) and add gradually to creamed mixture, blending well.

5. Spread this soft pastry mixture on a 10" x 15" rimmed baking sheet and press out until firm and even.

6. Spread jam over the pastry layer, covering as well as possible. If jam is very thick, you can stir it first.

7. Beat egg whites until stiff and spread over jam with a light touch. It doesn't hurt if the jam and egg whites mix a little here and there, but they should be as separate as possible.

8. Sprinkle with chopped nuts.

9. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 - 40 minutes. Check toward end of time to keep nuts from burning. The egg whites will split here and there.

Cool in pan on wire rack. Then cut into fairly small bars (your call; I think I cut 64 bars, 8 across and 8 down).

May all your seasonal treats be sweet and beautiful. We joyfully and gratefully celebrate Christmas and wish all you other Christmas celebrators a merry and meaningful day. And we pray that all of you enjoy a happy and healthy New Year. Especially for those whose 2010 has been difficult, we pray for better times ahead.

Question of the day: What is your family's favorite holiday dish or treat?

Growing--A New Home for a Painting, a Surprise Sale

2010-12-08T09:54:00.001-05:00

"Look to the Hills", one of two versions of a lovely view at a conference center in Warwick, New York, has been displayed at Trends Home Decor on Hendricks Avenue in Jacksonville, Florida, for several months. Some of you may recall a post several months ago about the two versions I painted of this scene, based on a peaceful, renewing place we love. On Saturday, I phoned Lori Taylor, the Trends shop owner, a very sweet person and wonderful supporter of her artists, offering to bring in a new piece ("Spring Breeze", a Jacksonville Beach scene finished and posted on this blog a couple of months ago). Knowing that she has mounted an "angel wall" of special pieces for the season and that the shop is fairly full, I suggested that I could take one of my other paintings home for awhile to make room for the new one. That worked for her. A note: you can use the search box in the upper left corner of this blog to enter terms like "Trends Home Decor", "Look to the Hills", "Spring Breeze" or "paintings" for more photos and information.

She had decided to keep the Florida scenes I was showing in her shop and to rotate this New York landscape out for awhile, so we took it down. I set it aside on a chair while we chatted. Then, a couple came in to ask her about buying two brightly painted Adirondack chairs displayed out front (she sells unique home accessories and furniture in addition to moderately priced original art works). The woman came in to browse while her husband arranged payment, and she spotted my painting propped sideways on a chair. "Oh, I love that!" she said, "Don't tell me you just bought it, and I missed out." I was happy to say that is was still for sale, and we began to talk. Discovering I was the artist who painted "Look to the Hills", she described what it meant to her in more detail, how peaceful she felt it was, and how well it would fit in their bedroom.

Talk about serendipity! The pleasure of meeting the couple who took this piece home and of hearing how it spoke to them was delightful. And if I had taken it straight home instead of chatting with Lori for awhile, we would have missed each other, and that particular piece would not have found its new home.

Question of the day: Where would we be without the occasional perfectly magical connections and moments that sparkle in otherwise ordinary days?

Savoring--A Creative, Thankful Family Gathering

2010-12-02T20:26:00.000-05:00

With a brand-new daughter-in-law marrying our Jacksonville son this past January and our other son and wife newly moved from Southern California to Atlanta, this is our first year ever to gather the six of us around our very, very thankful table. Each person contributed to a delicious meal, and our "We Are Thankful For" poster garnered many written thoughts of gratitude throughout the day. Although creativity and beauty may not be the most basic essentials of life, it is difficult for me to imagine a meaningful life without them--in some form. The beauty of our Thanksgiving table was a gift from our Atlanta "daughter", whose artistry shines in everything she does. The photos show the table before dinner and the centerpiece she created, which is still lovely. My husband read a Psalm, and we all gave thanks for God's love and care. Family, good food, home, beauty, love, and our spiritual life--we are truly thankful and hope that all of you are experiencing blessings and gratitude in your lives as well.

Question of the day: With many people in difficult circumstances around the world, I don't want to be insensitive or glib. But, do you think it is possible to live with a sense of gratitude through both ups and downs?

Savoring--Maintaining Our Weight Over the Holidays--Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-22T11:23:00.000-05:00

Several years ago, a Woman's Day article about maintaining one's weight during this treacherous season started me on a course that helps year-round. Although I have mentioned it before, it seemed worth posting again this year. At my age (old enough to know better, thank you), losing weight is harder than ever, so over-indulging for a couple of months and then trying to lose those extra few pounds is very difficult.

The genius of this particular program is that it does not involve depriving ourselves of anything at holiday meals and parties. Of course, limiting or skipping certain foods can help maintain weight, but it's not fun. These suggestions all involved adding healthy foods to our diet over the six weeks or so of the season. How cool is that? Beginning with fruits and vegetables, they increased one food group each week, the list including lean protein, dairy products, high-fiber foods, and others. The idea is that the more we fill up on good stuff, the less likely we are to go way overboard on other foods. It may not work for everyone, but it helps me--and is more satisfying than worrying over eating less of special holiday foods and then feeling deprived.

The first week, the article advised adding more fruits and vegetables to daily intake--especially vegetables. Although we have all heard this advice before--and many of us do eat several servings of veggies each day--there is always room for more. We eat a variety of fresh fruits and some dried fruits at breakfast and several servings of fresh vegetables with every dinner. However, our lunch is less likely to include vegetables. If you frequently have a salad for lunch, you are way ahead of me--making salad seems like a lot of work during a busy day, and unless I also make a healthful dressing from scratch (more work!), topping the salad reduces its nutritional value.

For us, keeping a platter of cut-up fresh vegetables in the refrigerator simplifies grabbing them for lunch and snacks. I also try to make large batches of stir-fried vegetables, ratatouille, etc. at dinnertime so that there might be leftovers to warm with lunch. The platter in the photo includes a few of our favorites (aren't the colors appealing?). Another favorite treat is jicama, cut into crunchy sticks--give it a try if you are not familiar with its mild, slightly radish-like flavor. Having the platter ready guarantees that we will eat these healthy treats frequently.

Question of the day: Do you have a strategy for controlling weight during the holiday season?

Growing--Cypress Swamp Painting Is Finished

2010-11-11T20:03:00.000-05:00

The final version of this painting of a cypress swamp based on photos from our visit to a wildlife preserve in Punta Gorda, Florida may not look dramatically different to you from the "in progress" view in a previous post. However, in "person", the adjustments are quite noticeable. The background was developed more fully, then a wash of greyish blue softened it and pushed it back so that the cypress trunks stood out more. Additional texturing draws attention to the trunk furthest to the right, where the ripples from a critter that briefly surfaced create a subtle center of interest.

Although this 8" x 10" acrylic piece on canvas board started as a study, I have invested a fair amount of effort in its development as it became more interesting to me. I hope that it represents the tranquility and beauty of our precious wetlands for viewers, as it does for me.

Thank you to all of you who continue to check in regularly. It looks as though my postings will continue to be irregular for the next couple of months, but I will post as often as I can.

Question of the day: Why do swamps get such a bad rap in stories and movies, always serving as a setting for sinister activity, when they are actually quite wonderful?

Savoring--Black Bean Pinwheel Appetizer Recipe

2010-11-01T15:39:00.001-04:00

Our newest daughter-in-law, Ashley, (she and Pete live here in Jacksonville, FL) loves to organize and throw a party, especially for Halloween, and her parties are wonderful. This year's party was her biggest ever, and we enjoyed it very much (isn't she sweet to invite her parents-in-law along with their many young friends?).

I haven't posted a recipe for awhile and always get rave reviews for the appetizer I brought to the Halloween party, so thought you might enjoy it, too. NOTE that it is a MAKE-AHEAD recipe; for best results, you need to chill the cream cheese filling for a couple of hours before spreading and then chill the rolled "logs" before slicing. I have trimmed some of the fat from the original recipe, and it still tastes great--have also spiced it up a little. Of course, you will adjust ingredients to your own taste. I serve these with a bowl of salsa; spooning a bit on top of the pinwheel adds a little zing. Some guests like the pinwheels best just as they are.

You need a light touch to spread the cream cheese layer over the black bean layer. Just drop spoonfuls onto the bean layer and gradually spread it over. Of course, they taste fine if the layers mix, but look nicest if they stay mostly separate. You can see that I am far from being a perfectionist about them. I include a photo showing the tortillas spread and ready to roll. The other little photo shows my favorite spreading tool, which we have in several sizes. My own mother-in-law introduced me to this efficiently shaped spreader, which is super for many uses (frosting, anyone?). The platter shown is about 2/3 of the total number the recipe makes--I had a second, smaller plate full, too. And the family loves snacking on the trimmed ends from each roll.

BLACK BEAN TORTILLA PINWHEELS

5 10” flour tortillas or wraps (or about 6 or 7, 7” ones)—I like using the mixed grain tortillas or the sun-dried tomato wraps (which I think are a little thinner than tortillas)

2 15 oz. cans black beans (30 oz. total), drained and rinsed—Place in food processor & process until smooth, adding cumin to taste (I use about ½ tsp.). You may also mash the beans—they don’t have to be perfectly smooth.

Cream filling:

1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened (I use Neufchatel, the lower fat kind)

1 cup low fat sour cream

1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Monterey Jack (or other) cheese

1 bunch green onions, chopped or about 1/3 cup chopped red onion

½ tsp. garlic powder

¼ cup drained, chopped green olives with pimento

Instructions:

1. Cream filling spreads best if it is chilled a couple of hours after mixing. I do not always have time, and it still works—they are just harder to roll.

2. Warm tortillas if they are stiff—

Otherwise, just go ahead & spread thinly with black bean mixture.

3. Then, spread a thin layer of cream cheese mixture over beans. Don’t spread either mixture all the way to the edge.

Roll up tortillas tightly, wrap in plastic wrap & refrigerate until well-chilled.

Cut into ¾” slices. Serve with salsa.

Question of the day: Sometimes I think I could live on appetizers--how about you?

Exploring--Autumn in the Smoky Mountains

2010-10-25T19:32:00.000-04:00

We have just returned from a wonderful vacation, enjoying visits with family and natural autumn beauty. Driving through the Smoky Mountains this time of year is a delight, although I should have taken more photos on our way in when it was sunny:>). We had been delayed by heavy traffic on the way and wanted to keep going, so I promised myself photos at several scenic overlooks on our way south again. However, the Smokies lived up to their name as we drove back through the park, so my mountain vista photos are quite subdued. The mountain stream right next to the main north-south drive through the park, bubbling through a mix of autumn colors and trees still green, provided my best photo op that day.

We had come from the Atlanta, GA area after several days with our older son and his wife in their new home. Although they are not exactly around the corner from Jacksonville, we are thrilled and very grateful to have them so much nearer than their long-time home in Southern California. We then drove to Gatlinburg, TN to research a lodge we hoped would prove to be a good location for a summer 2011 family reunion of our immediate family, my three siblings, their children, and grandchildren. One of my brothers and his wife met us there, and we judged the lodge to be perfect for our purposes--hope the rest of the family enjoys it as much as we expect they will. It is surprisingly affordable, with 12 bedrooms, each with a private bath, an amazing kitchen which will easily handle our meal preparation needs, large dining room, two lounges with fireplaces, a pool table, and more. Since our family members live in various cities, we have few opportunities to gather all of us together, and we look forward to the reunion.

A couple more nights enjoying time with our son and dear "daughter" ended our delightful autumn vacation--now home again.

Question of the day: What natural beauty are you enjoying this season? I love our fall beauty, but also know it is spring for our southern hemisphere friends--love to visit your blogs and get a sense of our larger world.

Savoring--Nature, Relaxation--Life is Good Today

2010-10-18T08:04:00.005-04:00

Did you need to look at the smaller photos to figure out what the larger photo shows?

It is, of course, the view from our backyard hammock. We are thankful to have cooler weather to make this a relaxing place to hang out again. The smaller photos show one more view from the hammock, looking toward the house, and one of the hammock itself. Y'all should come on down!

I truly hope that all of you have taken time lately for the renewing relaxation of spending time in the fresh autumn air. Wherever you are, whatever your responsibilities or troubles, you deserve at least a brief break doing nothing beyond breathing in natural beauty. A nearby park will do if there is no peaceful place at home. Three deep breaths--don't you wish everyone around you paused for three deep breaths several times a day?

Question of the day: Where is your favorite place to breathe deeply?

Learning and Growing--Cypress Swamp Work in Progress

2010-10-12T20:16:00.000-04:00

I just got back to this cypress swamp piece today after working on a new, larger landscape painting for awhile. I had mentioned in my last post that I was using Linda Blondheim's e-critique service in the early stages of this 8" x 10" study. She was complimentary of the overall composition at the point I showed you last time, but asked, "What do you plan as the focal point?" Even though I was liking it in that form, with the simple pattern of cypress trunks against a soft background, it did need something more to draw the viewer's eye. The reference photos (seen in the previous post), as you may recall, came from our visit to Babcock Wilderness Adventures, a tour of extensive, varied preserve areas near Punta Gorda, on Florida's Gulf Coast.

I experimented, just lightly sketching one or more egrets or other wading birds in various spots in the scene, but they seemed "too much" somehow. I liked the simplicity and relative emptiness of the piece and wanted just a hint of something more. But what? Walking past the pond in our neighborhood just as a frog, turtle (or some critter) put a nose up gave me an interesting idea. Perhaps I could suggest the rich underwater life in this swamp without showing any particular creature by painting in some ripples to suggest that a frog, fish, or maybe even a gator had broken the surface of the otherwise still water. So, here is a start in that direction, which I hope will add a subtle hint of life.

I will continue to texture the nearest cypress trunk to the ripples (right foreground). Now that a subtle center of interest will be there, I will reinforce that with more contrast and texture and will tone down the trunk in the left foreground just a bit to avoid competing. There is also more work to do (as you can see) in developing and filling in the background and in completing the water and reflections. This one is developing slowly, given its relatively small size, but I am completely enjoying the process and am in no hurry. Given that I may paint the scene in a larger format later, I believe that taking care with composition and values now will be well worth it. Even if this is the only version ever, it is providing a pleasant creative journey.

Question of the day: Do you suppose that the tranquility of the cypress swamp I am representing has influenced my mood and pace in this work? The process has not caused any frustration--unlike some other slow-to-fruition works. Thank you, Florida Wilderness.

Learning and Growing--Painting Process for a Study of a Cypress Swamp

2010-10-05T11:36:00.001-04:00

This work-in-progress is an 8" x 10" study using reference photos (I have posted two of them) from our visit to Babcock Wilderness Adventures, near Punta Gorda, Florida, on the Gulf Coast. I am considering what to paint on a 30" x 40" canvas waiting in the closet, which is larger than anything I have attempted so far. So, I am planning a few studies to try out some possibilities.

I first made full-page black and white copies of a couple of my photos to help me see the layout clearly. I love color so much that I have trouble seeing the "values" in a potential composition. "Value" refers to the relative lightness or darkness of objects, as if on a grey scale, and interesting value variation is a crucial element in good composition. Failing to consider value relationships can lead to a bland result, even if colors are varied and pleasing. I decided to make the sky and some of the background just a half-tone darker than they look in the photo so that the sunlight on the cypress trunks would draw the eye as the lightest areas in the piece. The reflections in the water also needed to be darker for the contrast and sense of mystery I hoped to achieve.

The actual scene has a cluttered appearance that is fascinating in nature, but not necessarily good in a painting. So, I decided to concentrate on the powerful cypress trunks themselves, to have some semi-abstracted vegetation on the far bank, and to leave most of the rest out. That one diagonal line in the photo is appealing, but just stole the whole show in my preliminary sketches (even though it was not intended to be a focal point), so I regretfully left that out, too.

I'll say more about the palette colors and later composition decisions when I post the final version--it is nearly done. Today, I wanted to show you the way I revised the scene before painting. Given that I was leaving out so much, the piece needed (in my opinion) a few more cypress trees. So, I played "cut and paste" with the photocopies until I had a pleasing arrangement of five trees, receding to the far bank. A rough line drawing helped in assessing placement.

Linda Blondheim provided very useful advice, as I was using her e-critique services during the early stages of this study. After getting the piece to the stage in the photo above, I had put it away while I completed a larger work and now am ready to finish it. Linda's question, "What do you intend as the focal point?" had me experimenting with a few possible finishing details. Soon, I will show you the result.

Question of the day: I love to hear about other people's thinking processes--in any context, whether is has to do with art or not. Do you find that interesting, too?

Exploring--Cleveland, Ohio, Blossom Center, and Lake Erie Islands

2010-09-29T20:46:00.000-04:00

I apologize for being gone for a couple of weeks, both from posting and from visiting your blogs. Nothing is wrong here--just have been swept away by happy life events. I will try to be a more active blogger in October.

Since I have not yet tormented y'all with any posts about "What I did on my summer vacation", here it comes :>). This past summer, we enjoyed a wonderful road trip to visit my sister in Salisbury, MD and my brother in Cleveland, OH. Of course, time with family is priceless, but I also enjoyed exploring both these interesting locations.

The first photo above shows a view of the Cleveland skyline as seen approaching the dock after a river boat tour on the Goodtime III. Fond memories of the interesting sights on the Goodtime II umpty years ago put this Cleveland attraction at the top of my list of things to see and do during our visit. The glut of photos from this ride in my IPhoto album indicate the many interesting sights, including Cleveland's iconic Terminal Tower, seen from every side as we followed the winding course of the Cuyahoga River. It is the distant, pointy-topped building on the right here. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is the modern building on the left, designed by world-famous architect, I. M. Pei.

The second photo shows a quiet beach on one of the Lake Erie Islands. We explored Put-in-Bay, a touristy town on one island as well as lovely natural areas, all by golf cart (the line for bringing cars onto the ferry didn't seem worth the wait that day).

Finally, another nostalgic event--we attended a stunning performance of some of our classical music favorites at Blossom Center, summer home of the world-class Cleveland Symphony Orchestra. I think the last time we were at Blossom Center was in the 1960's. It is as breath-taking as ever, with the gorgeous wood of the stage area, the acres of wooded grounds, and the amazing acoustics that allow all listeners, even those on lawn chairs or blankets on the edges of this natural "bowl" to hear every lovely note.

Question of the day: Do you know a city or town like Cleveland, which is much more attractive and interesting to visit than many realize?

Learning and Growing--Painting Process on Dune and Beach Piece, "Spring Breeze"

2010-09-14T11:38:00.000-04:00

Today's post is designed for readers interested in my landscape painting process and in composition design in particular. The photos above show earlier stages of "Spring Breeze", with the final version at the top. The lower left photo is quite early, with some elements, like the sky and footbridge, more developed and others, like the wildflowers, just barely indicated. It was a real challenge to get the balance and focal point to work well on this piece. My painting mentor Linda Blondheim provided invaluable advice during a couple of months of using her e-critique services. With her guidance, I gradually added more curve to the path--even the second version of the path in the photo on the right changed further later on. The evolution of the path illustrates how landscape artists sometimes need to adjust features in the actual scene for a more pleasing composition. The first version reproduces the way the path actually looked in my reference photo, but adding curves and more variation provided a much more graceful lead into the scene. In a departure from my usual process, I painted the footbridge in a fairly detailed form early on because I was strongly drawn to the sharp shadows cast by the railing. Since that area was my intended focal point, I worked to render the bridge in correct perspective from the beginning.

I have no idea how often I painted out and revised the wildflowers on the left side. Although they are a major element, I wanted them to balance, but not compete with, the footbridge and its interesting shadow pattern. An important step in solving the overly even seesaw look of the foreground was to make the left side dune higher. At one point, I cut some scrap paper into a much higher dune shape, taped it (with masking tape) to the canvas, and emailed that image to Linda. She agreed that a higher dune made the composition more interesting than having so many elements on roughly the same level, but suggested going a bit lower than the line of my cut-out. However, I hesitated before revising the dune so radically because Jacksonville Beach dunes are not that steep. We landscape painters vary, I think, in the degree to which we are willing to change the actual scene when we work from nature or reference photos. For several days, this work-in-progress stood on the fireplace mantel for consideration while I worked on other paintings. The need for a greater variation in line won out over realism. Also, since steeper dunes grace some nearby beaches, the change was not completely out of line.

If some of you are interested, I will talk about the process of painting the sky and clouds in "Spring Breeze"in a future post. It can be difficult to achieve a semi-transparent, wispy effect with acrylic paints, so sharing our methods could be fun.

Question of the day: More of a reflection than a question this time: For me, achieving an interesting balance of compositional elements in a painting, with both dynamic tension and restful features, seems like a metaphor for a set of life skills we all need. What do you think?

Savoring--Butterflies, At Mandarin Gardens and In Our Yard

2010-09-07T14:46:00.003-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, my master gardener husband suggested a unique "date" to see the butterflies at the Mandarin Gardens demonstration garden on Jacksonville's south side, his favorite place to volunteer. Because our weather continues to be fairly hot, we opted for a morning visit and then breakfast out afterwards. It was fantastic, just sitting quietly among the flowers and watching the butterflies and other pollinators work their magic. I resisted pulling out the camera for awhile in order to soak it in--then took on the challenge of capturing photos of very active butterflies. I'll keep the photos small, but you can always click on them to enlarge (sometimes a second click will give you an even closer view).

Master gardener that he is, Mark has also developed our yard into a haven for butterflies and hummingbirds, so I will share some photos from our yard as well as from Mandarin Gardens. According to my field guide, the photos taken at Mandarin Gardens show a Gulf Fritillary (orange with just a few black markings--seen on both yellow and lavender flowers) and a Long-tailed Skipper (brownish one on a bright orange flower).

The monarchs are just beginning to grace our yard on their way to Mexico; I took these monarch photos this morning. This one looks like a male because of the black spot on a vein of each hind wing. Although I can't always tell a Monarch from a Viceroy as they fly by, I know the Monarchs have been up north for awhile because the milkweed Mark plants for their caterpillars to eat has grown very tall rather than being stripped down to nothing (the yellow flowering plants shown alone in a photo above--very different from what I called milkweed as a child in Michigan). The black Palamedes Swallowtail photos were also taken in our yard, earlier in the summer.

Question of the day: Aren't butterflies amazing--beautiful and captivating in a special way and also so helpful to plant life?

Learning--New Painting of North Florida Beach, "Spring Breezes"

2010-08-30T15:14:00.000-04:00

Adapted (fairly freely) from a photo I took at Jacksonville Beach, this painting shows a dune crossing at a relatively quiet spot along our amazing off-shore island. Wildflowers were loving the early spring warmth (hint, the photo was not taken this past, unusually chilly, winter) on a March day. "Spring Breezes" developed slowly, even though I had made sketches and careful plans. Something about the look of it seemed lifeless to me along the way in spite of the bright blossoms. Fortunately, I was scheduled for another month of e-critique with my painting mentor, Linda Blondheim, and she helped me realize my original vision--plus.

Today, I won't go through the whole story of the evolution of this piece. Perhaps I will post more details about the painting process soon, but for now, have decided to let it speak for itself. After all, if visual art needs words, we are not fully doing our job :>). Of course, some visual art is meant to be paired with words or other media, and that can be wonderful. That was not the plan in this case, and I hope it stands alone. You can click on the photo to enlarge it and see more detail, but I also have some detail photos to accompany a future post about the painting process. Just one note about the scene: If you are familiar with Jacksonville Beach, you know that our dunes are not really this high. Hence my earlier disclaimer about freely adapting the actual scene--using my "artistic license" again, friends. Just one more thought before I close for today:

Question of the day: For me, the paintings that I have struggled with most sometimes grow on me, even becoming favorites. Does that happen for you--whether in visual arts or any other challenging undertaking?

Growing--Nice Display of My Paintings in a Shop

2010-08-23T15:49:00.002-04:00

The owner of Trends Home Decor in Jacksonville, Florida, has honored my work with an attractive grouping in a prime location in her shop. She likes the way these five pieces look in a grouping, and I am surprised myself by how impressive they look the way she has arranged them :>). Somehow my work looks more like real art displayed in her shop than it does at home (at least in my view). Sometimes we don't give ourselves enough credit for our own work and can benefit from the respect others give it. I think that is true at times no matter what kind of work we do.

A previous post recounted the serendipity that led to this unexpected opportunity to display paintings for sale and described Trends in more detail. I would highly recommend Lori Taylor's fine shop and the lovely, affordable art, home furnishings and home accessories she offers. If you are in the North Florida area, stop in to see for yourself. Trends Home Decor is located at 3919 Hendricks Avenue just south of Emerson in the San Marco area of Jacksonville, Florida. Note: If the paintings above are difficult to see, just click on a photo to enlarge it.

Question of the day: When have you had an experience that provided a welcome, different perspective on your work, your life, or yourself?

Exploring--Mediterranean Turkey--Our Cruise in a Gulet

2010-08-18T22:08:00.000-04:00

In contrast to the strange, other-worldly landscape of the region of Cappadocia, Turkey, which I showed you a few posts ago, today I am reminiscing about a sail on Turkey's south-eastern Mediterranean coast. When we visited Turkey several years ago, we were able to skip out on our guided bus tour for four glorious days and nights sailing the gorgeous turquoise waters--and then hop onto the next bus tour with our chosen itinerary that came by. The wonderful Pacha Tour Company arranged it all in advance, delivering us directly to the dock and picking us up in Anatalya harbor after our sail to continue our journey.

Given that I have just reread all my journal entries from this segment of our journey, this could be a very long post :>). Instead, I will try to give you a flavor of the mini-cruise and let the photos tell the rest. We sailed in a gulet, a lovingly kept wooden boat about 70 feet long and maybe 20 feet wide. Our captain, his father, and his 15 year old son comprised our congenial crew. Eleven passengers stayed in the six cabins, all beautifully panelled, as you can see in the photo. Our bed was at least as wide as a queen and somewhat longer, filling the area under two generous windows, which let in the October breezes, comfortably warm in the daytime and pleasantly cool at night. With ample storage in drawers under the bed and a closet on one end wall, we were cozy as could be. The door to our spotless bathroom on the left side of the picture is standing open (actually closes at right angles to the cabin door). The bathroom had a porcelain toilet and pedestal sink, wide handy shelves with a rim to keep things in order even if the boat rocked, and a hand-held shower. There was hot water whenever the engine was running and for at least an hour after we anchored each night.

Days were lazy, with four lovely meals (including an afternoon tea) prepared by the 15 year old (along with all his other chores, I don't know how he made such great food in the little galley, but we loved it). We explored the coast at a leisurely pace, with frequent extra stops at anchor so that we could swim in the crystal clear, silky water in peaceful coves. There were optional dinghy rides to coastal towns like Kas and Kalekoy, which you see in two photos above (Kalekoy, that is)--one shows the town crowned by an old Byzantine fortress, and one looks down from a street on the hill to the harbor and boats anchored with ours just beyond the docks.

The whole journey was magical, with quiet opportunities to stare deep into the water--the rocks, sea floor vegetation, and an occasional critter clearly visible, even in 50 - 60 feet of water. We could read, sketch, sun, lie back and watch the sky, or socialize with other passengers, two German couples, several Dutch people, and a Canadian man. With encouragement, our captain gradually opened up and told us about his life, speaking gently in limited English (his son's English was better), and "grandpa" just fished and grinned as he communicated his love of life on the water in a good-humored sort of sign language. The cruise was delightful and interesting in its own right and also provided a laid-back interlude in our time in Turkey.

Question of the day: Do you also enjoy time out on the water, at home or when traveling? I can't seem to do without it.

Savoring--Summer Flowers, Indoors and Out

2010-08-13T11:11:00.000-04:00

For us, appreciating nature's beauty is an essential element of creative everyday life. We also love the trees and plants in our own yard and the birds and animals that come around. My husband particularly likes gardening and growing flowering plants--luckily for me. I like bringing flowers indoors, but didn't have the right kinds of plants in the yard for it. So this spring, we chose a spot to plant a cutting garden.

Because we are committed to planting North Florida natives as much as possible, and because this is a unique ecosystem--not tropical, and yet not friendly to many of the flowers we knew from other parts of the country--it has been a learning experience. We presently have mostly yellow and purple flowers, with some reds (the colors I wanted for bringing into our home).

So, here is a quick look at our cutting garden in its very first season and at a modest bouquet I gathered to celebrate our return from a couple of weeks away. I am glad to be back to blogging and apologize for the gap in postings. Even though I had two posts written in advance to post automatically while we visited relatives, more time has passed than I intended. I also hope to get back to a more regular schedule of visiting all your blogs soon. It seems to be a slow season for blogging in general with fewer visitors coming around than in the spring. Hope you are all enjoying a fine summer (at least those of you in the Northern Hemisphere; I need to remember that some of you are looking toward spring's approach :>).

Question of the day: How is your summer going? For those of you who blog, has this been a busy or a quiet season in blogland?

Learning--Cappadocia in Turkey--An Other Worldly Scene

2010-08-04T13:07:00.001-04:00

Once again, a delightful encounter with local Turkish people has sparked memories of our incredible journey around Turkey in the fall of 2003. One recent Saturday, the Amity Turkish Cultural Center here in Jacksonville, FL presented their monthly Turkish cooking lesson. My friend Dee and I enjoyed learning how to make a very sweet soft cookie-like dessert called seker pare. Then, we were served a delicious Turkish lunch--all free and all presented with grace and friendliness. We will definitely return for another cooking lesson! I wrote about another of their events in a recent post when they treated a group of us to a Ramadan style breaking-of-the-fast meal.

Today's photos show the strange landscape and early fortress and dwellings in a region of Cappadocia in central Turkey. It looks so much like another planet that it served as a location for the filming of several scenes from one of the original Star Wars movies.

In a photo above, I am standing in front of some volcanic rock formations on an overlook near our hotel in the region. The odd cap stones are a different type of rock that wears away more slowly in the elements than the softer rock lower down, resulting in the characteristic "fairy chimney" formations. Mark is looking out over the Goreme valley where people from about 4000 years ago in Hittite times carved out homes and villages from the rock. Early Christians also used them as places of refuge and worship; we saw some Biblical wall paintings in a large area once set up as a chapel. This entire area is preserved as an Open Air Museum, but we also saw villages where some of these old carved out cave-homes are still in use right beside much more modern structures. The vertical view is of The Citadel, the highest point in Cappadocia, which was carved out as a Hittite royal fortress. You can click on any photo to enlarge it and view more detail. It was truly amazing to see this unusual region--also humbling to realize how long there have been established civilizations in Turkey, unlike my Northern European ancestors, who were barbarians by comparison not so many centuries ago.

Question of the day: Can you believe that the New Testament chronicles Paul's journeys to Cappadocia without ever once mentioning the weird scenery?

Savoring--A Refreshing Summer Salad Recipe with Peas and Carrots

2010-07-27T08:21:00.000-04:00

Pea and Carrot Salad

2 cups raw baby carrots, chopped in 1/2" chunks

3 cups frozen petite green peas

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

2 Tblsp. lemon juice

2 Tblsp. red wine vinegar

1/4 tsp. sugar

1/4 - 1/2 cup finely chopped sweet onion

2 Tblsp. olive oil

1 Tblsp. snipped fresh parsley

dash of salt

generous grinding of black pepper

2. Whisk the mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, and sugar together. Stir in chopped onion, then whisk olive oil in, mixing well. Stir in snipped parsley and season with salt and freshly ground pepper.

3. Gently toss the peas and carrots in the vinaigrette and serve a room temperature or chilled.

Question of the day: Do you tend to follow recipes, read and then adapt them, or make up your own dishes without a recipe?

Growing--Painting Process--Using a Limited Palette

2010-07-21T19:16:00.000-04:00

When I first started painting, I used whatever paint colors I thought would best mimic the actual landscape that was my subject or sometimes used my "artistic license" to attempt to improve on nature, choosing whatever colors I wanted. Although this approach can work, and some of those pieces turned out well, I have been more pleased with the results of using a so-called "limited palette" approach. That means using just certain selected paint colors throughout one painting. Two happy results of this change were that the pieces seemed to have better internal unity and were more pleasing to the eye (in my opinion) and secondly, that I discovered a tremendous power and range in color blends. Even a limited palette can produce amazing variety in color and tone. Rich neutrals result from combinations of opposites on the color wheel, like producing an earthy, warm brown from mixing red and green (which can be varied with different reds or greens from the tube) or like the range of lively greys emerging from purple/yellow or blue/orange combos. Alternatively, one can use the opposite (complementary) color in small amounts to soften a tube color. For example, a too-strong blue for painting a realistic sky color can be knocked back with the right orange, or even with a few drops of burnt sienna.

The painting in today's photo shows early spring wildflowers at Jacksonville Beach against a white fence, photographed near an oceanfront home. A dear friend purchased the painting at my Open Studio Reception this past November, so I visit it often. The other photo shows some of the palette experimentation and notes that led to the palette used for the piece. Other color combos I tried and rejected for this particular painting are saved in a file for possible future use. The colors used here are cerulean blue, paynes grey (which is also bluish), sap green, cadmium red deep, burnt sienna, Naples yellow, buff, black, and white, with a touch of orange added later for bright highlights in the flowers. This May, I started a second painting from the same set of beach photos, one which includes a nearby bridge over the protected dunes down to the beach, and am using this identical palette again. If some of you are interested in this topic, I will include palette details in an occasional future post showing paintings. Please let me know what you think.

Question of the day: I think I have asked this before, but can't resist again--where would be without color in our world?

Learning--Turkish Connections--Ramadan

2010-07-14T12:26:00.000-04:00

We absolutely loved our journey to Turkey in the fall of 2003. All aspects of our time in Turkey were memorable--the art and culture, from ancient civilizations to the present; the beauty of the land, from the abundant harvest and fertile fields, to the mountains and the sparkling, aqua waters of the Mediterranean; and, most of all, the gracious, welcoming Turkish people.

Recently, I was privileged to enjoy two events presented by our local Amity Turkish Cultural Center. We, our son, and his wife joined with a church group in a Ramadan style evening meal, a treat given by the Cultural Center. Since Ramadan falls during our calendar's August this year, daylight is long. Observant Muslims eat something before sunrise and then do not eat or drink until after sunset each day of the month of Ramadan. So, rather than their usual practice of sharing an actual Ramadan meal with others in the community during their celebration, they took pity on us non-Muslims by bringing us a typical meal last week when we all could eat at 6 p.m.

After a brief introduction to the meaning and purpose of Ramadan, they invited us to a buffet with Turkish style macaroni and cheese, rice with vegetables, meatballs and potatoes in sauce, a huge salad, and Turkish baklava--all very delicious. But the best part of the evening was that some of the local Turkish Cultural Center members joined us at each of our round tables and freely answered any questions we had about Ramadan, their faith, or their lives in the U.S. It is hard to describe just how friendly, gentle, and gracious they all were and how open both to sharing and to listening. They truly embodied the mission of the Amity Turkish Cultural Center, which is "building bridges for peace."

In a future post, I'll tell you more about the second of their events that I enjoyed. Telling you about our experiences on that amazing journey to Turkey will also come later (otherwise this post would be verrrrry loooooong :>). This photo from our time in Turkey shows one of the minarets of the magnificent 16th century Sulaymaniyah Mosque in Istanbul, associated with the great Sultan Sulayman.

Question of the day: What cross-cultural experiences have been meaningful for you?

Savoring--Favorite Baked Beans Recipe

2010-07-05T21:03:00.001-04:00

For the Fourth of July gathering at our friends' home, we were asked to bring baked beans because all our friends love our family recipe. My sister-in-law gave me this recipe years ago (thank you, Betty), and my husband, a connoisseur of baked bean dishes, prefers it to any other. Since it calls for canned beans, it is relatively easy.

If you try this recipe, I know you will probably end up modifying it to your family's taste. We have made a few changes to Betty's (also yummy) original recipe. We leave out the 1/2 pound ground beef that the recipe said to brown with the bacon, and instead of partially draining the cans of beans, I fully drain them and even rinse them in a colander (except for the pork & beans). This will eliminate a lot of the salt--we think it also eliminates some of the sulfur compounds that build up in the can and make canned beans extra gassy.

You can use between 3 and 5 cans of beans in the amount of sauce given. Of course, fewer cans of beans make for a juicier dish. And you can use your family's favorite types of beans. For nice variety in size and color in the dish pictured, I used 5 cans total--one very large can of pork & beans (a 2# can, I think) plus 2 one-pound cans each of butter beans and black beans.

MIXED BEAN BAKE

1/2# bacon, cut in pieces (I use Gwaltney's 40% lower fat bacon--it's delicious.)

1 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup ketchup

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. mustard

2 tsp. cider vinegar

3 - 5 cans of beans, including one large can of pork & beans, partially drained

and 2 - 4 other types, well drained and rinsed

Brown the bacon, adding onions once the bacon starts to crisp. Drain well on paper towels when done to your liking.

Combine the ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, and vinegar in a large bowl and mix well. Add all beans and mix well. Finally, stir in bacon and onion and turn into a large casserole (3 quart size if you are using 5 cans of beans).

Bake uncovered in a 350 degree oven until hot and bubbly (from about 40 minutes for 3 cans of beans to about 50 minutes for 5 cans.).

Enjoy!

Question of the day: What are your favorite summer party side dishes?

Learning--Planning Stages of Painting Process

2010-06-28T20:26:00.003-04:00

Last post promised some details of my planning process for paintings, so here is a fairly simple example, a 9" x 12" study of a sanderling skittering and feeding at the edge of the surf. The original reference photo shows the bird on the right side of the scene. In another photo, you see doodling and notes on printer paper. Sketches explore possible compositional arrangements and combinations of darks, lights and in-between values. These rough sketches are in grey-scale markers in 5 tones from lightest to darkest--depending on the subject, I sometimes sketch in soft pencil or colored markers instead.

I have misplaced the original messy experimentation with paint colors for this piece, but in the lower right corner of the paper, you can see the results--stripes of the tube colors I chose: cerulean blue, burnt sienna, Paynes grey, black, and white. Then beside the paint colors are a few of the possible mixes that provide a warmer grey in the foreground, gradually going cooler and bluer in the background. Those of you who paint know what interesting greys you can make by mixing a brown (here, burnt sienna) with any blue or bluish color (cerulean or Paynes grey), plus white for lighter versions.

Another photo shows the usual set-up at my easel. On a large foam board, I tape the reference photo(s), a larger scan of the reference photo in black and white to aid in planning tonal balance, the sketches, notes, and palette plans (basic colors and a few important mixes). All are right above the painting I am working on for easy reference. Finally, you see a photo of the completed study, which was a good learning experience for me.

Since I have written about this study previously (enter "sanderling" in the blog search box above for earlier posts), I'll stop here for now. Please let me know if you enjoy entries about the painting process and what aspects in particular you would like to hear about. Since my painting personality tends toward a combination of some planning and some discovery and revision as the work emerges, there are varying bits of preliminary work on the shelves from each work I have completed.

Question of the day: Would you enjoy an occasional post like this one? What other topics would you like us to discuss?

A Quick Hello and Answer to a Painting Question

2010-06-21T11:44:00.000-04:00

I am planning some posts to answer some reader questions about my painting process. In particular, I will show you some of the stages of planning a composition, choosing a palette, and other details of preparing to create a coastal North Florida landscape painting. Artists differ greatly in their approach to the early stages of a work. For me, some time spent planning on paper helps the painting process. Believe me, I've learned that the hard way by thinking I had a workable concept and jumping in too quickly. Fortunately, acrylics allow for painting right over all the ""whoopsies" and "what was I thinking" areas. Even with careful planning, there is still a fair amount of revision as I go along with many adjustments for some of the pieces, while in other works, the plan works out more quickly and smoothly.

That's a preview to one or two posts coming soon. Today, I need to devote most of my on-line time to presenting this week's works in progress to Linda Blondheim for her e-critique services.

So, I will quickly post a photo to answer a question a few of you have e-mailed to me, "What is gallery wrap canvas?" I like the contemporary look of well-finished, unframed pieces. Some prepared canvases are stapled to their stretching boards along the sides so that a frame is necessary to cover the stapled edges. Gallery wrap canvases are more neatly stretched and are stapled to the boards on the back. I like to continue the scene right around to the sides of these canvases, as in the above photo of the autumn marsh scene. Of course, buyers who prefer framed paintings can still frame these works. But I finish the backs and wire them so that they can also be hung without a frame.

Keep those questions coming! I enjoy the conversations we have.

Learning and Growing--Painting of a Salt Marsh

2010-06-12T19:57:00.001-04:00

This painting, on 12" x 16" gallery wrapped canvas, has been a long time coming. I have felt stuck and put it away a few times. As I worked on it in May, it reached "near completion". Yet, I was uncertain about the best solution to a couple of issues. The foreground grasses were problematical, sometimes seeming too bland; then a change would overdo the variation in tone and color. Bland wasn't good, but I did not want the foreground to distract from the egrets (intended to be a focal point) or from allowing the viewer's eye to move about the scene. You may want to enlarge this image to get a better view of the egrets and other details.

Knowing that I would be working with my painting mentor Linda Blondheim again in June, I waited for her advice. I mentioned her e-critique service for painters in two February posts, the last time we worked together. Between her suggestions and some experimenting on my part, the piece is now in a good place. There will still be minor color adjustments with transparent glazes on the lightest grass tips and perhaps on the tree mass furthest forward on the right. These will be subtle enough that they will not show much in a photo. So, I decided to go ahead and show it to all y'all.

Although the reference photo was taken one January, that was a mild winter (unlike this year!), and the salt marsh did not look completely winter-like yet. Also, some of the color changes I made to pump up the visual interest of several areas slanted the scene toward a late autumn in look. We have hiked the wooded and marshland trails in Fort Caroline National Monument several times, both on our own and with family members visiting from other parts of the country. Every trail turn reveals new natural beauty in this park, part of an immense preserve spanning thousands of acres near the mouth of the St. Johns River here in Jacksonville, Florida.

Question of the day: Isn't it interesting how some creations seem to come together in a flash (not only for painters, but for all creative individuals), and others unfold slowly?

Grieving--Suffering and Loss in the Gulf

2010-06-07T20:36:00.001-04:00

It's hard to say precisely why it has been so difficult for me to write a post this past week. Somehow, when I begin writing anything, the devastation of the oil leak in the Gulf comes to mind and makes my topic seem trite. Although the present locations of oil coming ashore are quite far from us, and although we live on the Atlantic Ocean rather than the Gulf, it all seems very near and threatening when our sea birds fly overhead.

So, today I will express my grief and utter frustration with this ongoing disaster although I cannot offer any new insights. My sympathies are with the families of the workers killed in the initial explosion. The threat to marshes, shoreline, and all the life that flourished in this rich ecosystem before this accident is immense, with no end in sight. The destruction of the livelihoods of countless families is severe and ongoing. What more can any of us possibly say? We pray, but wish we could somehow do more.

The news footage of oil-soaked brown pelicans is particularly heart-breaking, as they cannot possibly understand their own suffering. Although not the most beautiful of birds, they are amazing creatures, graceful in flight and precision in motion diving for food. To me, they seem symbolic of all the loss and suffering that has occurred and that will continue for years, possibly decades. The healthy brown pelican pictured here proudly refused to yield an inch of its chosen territory on Jacksonville Pier when we walked out there several months ago. It is a magnificent bird. Considering the larger picture of human and natural devastation, I feel my share of responsibility as a consumer of oil products and can only mourn.