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Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Christmas Angels and Free angel ATC
I found this very interesting article on angels at Christmas World. They have a very interesting site. At the end of the article I am giving away an original painting Angel ATC.
"Angels' in Greek mean 'Messengers'. In Bible, heavenly angels are mentioned as messengers of god. Christmas angels are perhaps the most popular form of angels that are used in our celebrations. Angels are believed to be immortal, who live in Heaven, and act as intermediaries between God and Humankind. Traditionally, pictures and poems on angels portray them having human bodies with wings sprouting from their backs. 'Wings' are said to symbolize Innocence, Virtue, Purity, Peace and Love, which place them above Humans though they are still under God. It was the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament of Christianity, which first mentions that angels had a human body and angel wings and could fly.
According to the New Testament, when people are sorry for their sins, angels rejoice. In Bible, nine ranks of angels are mentioned with Seraphim and Cherubim angels on top. Angels are headed by a chief angel known as an Archangel whose name is Saint Michael. We all have our guardian angels or angel guardians who protect us, look after us and comfort us in times of distress. It was in 1100 to 1200 AD when Christian doctrine about angels evolved rapidly, as in the teachings of Saint Thomas Aquinas. Saint Thomas believed that angels fill the gap between God and mankind; they are countless and immortal. According to Saint Thomas, angels have perfect knowledge except things that can depend on human choice and things that only God knows.
They were quite instrumental in birth of Jesus Christ and hence, play an important role in Christmas celebration and festivities. Angels were the ones that brought us the news of the birth of the Christ child. Gabriel, the heavenly Christmas angel brought the divine news to Mary and revealed that she was chosen to bear God's son. Another angel informed Joseph that he should marry Mary and look after the Christ. According to a legend, God appointed a small group of tiny angels, who were just learning their angel ways, to watch over Joseph and Mary on their journey to Bethlehem. Tiny angels did all they could and tried to do their best but could not help the couple to find shelter in the inn in the over-crowded town. Finally, they had to make do with the inn's stable.
They were so excited that they were to witness the birth of God's Only Son that flew closer to earth and sang sweetly. The fastest among them caught sight of the newborn child from stable's roof and instantly understood their mission was to herald the birth. They were so filled with joy and mirth that they burst into a glorious thanksgiving song that reached the heavens and was so melodious that it could be heard all over the Earth. A Christmas angel appeared to the shepherds near Bethlehem about the Christ Child's birth too. We still see Christmas angels singing and playing music in Nativity scenes who look so cute and benevolent that they catch young one's attention and fascination instantly."
click on for larger image
I painted this animated Angel with high grade acrylics on heavy mat board. The wing folds over and covers her.If you leave a comment your name will be added for a drawing the day after Christmas. Good luck! and..Have a Healthy and Merry Christmas!
Thank you for visiting!
Judy
Tuesday, December 01, 2009
Wonderful Christmas Time!
I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
With every Christmas card I write
(We hope to help you make those cards! Check out our Collage Sheets for inspiration)
May your days be merry and bright
And may all your Christmases be white.
And may all your Christmases be white.
What do you need for Holiday inspiration? Free Collage Sheets and some wonderful Images! Brought to you by Lynne and Becky ENJOY~~~~
Stop by Becky's blog to pick up your 300DPI sheet and images
Please join us and begin the Christmas season
by taking our gifts to you and turn them into
something beautiful to give to others.
Don't forget that there are so many people
out there who have no one to share the
holidays with. Perhaps you can use these
gifts to brighten up the life of a Senior
Citizen, a Veteran, the mothers and their
children in a shelter or someone who will
just smile because they have been touched
by a person they have never met.
We believe this is called "Pay It Forward."
May the magic of Christmas fill your heart.
Lynne Tears www.moonlightjourney.com
Becky Loyall www.moonlightjourney.com
Thursday, November 05, 2009
free autumn collage sheet from moonlightjourney
I wanted to share this lovely gift from Becky & Lynne of Moonlight Journey . They put together this free offering, to get us in the creating spirit of the holidays !! Be sure to check out their lovely website http://www.moonlightjourney.com/ for an array of fab collage sheets
Collage sheet by Becky Loyall
Please click on sheet and you will be taken to a 300 dpi page just right click and save to your computer. This collage sheet is for personal use only. You may sell the artwork you create but please do not sell the original pieces in the middle in a collage sheet or as a single.
The Falling of Leaves
Autumn is over the long leaves that love us,
And over the mice in the barley sheaves;
Yellow the leaves of the rowan above us,
And yellow the wet wild-strawberry leaves.
The hour of the waning of love has beset us,
And weary and worn are our sad souls now;
Let us patt, ere the season of passion forget us,
With a kiss and a tear on thy drooping brow.
william butler yeats
Good news for bad moods The Painters Keys
When I am feeling blue, I notice I am more intune with my work & feel more satisfied with the outcome of my art. Do you relate to this article?! ;)
a letter from the Robert... The Painters Keys
Dear Izabella,
You may have noticed the odd times when something is irking you, putting you into a bad mood, and you sit down at your easel and do good work. While it's not as pleasant as when you're in a good mood and everything is coming up peonies, it works to your benefit in another way. In my experience, a bad mood helps the attention span and the critical faculties--not necessarily to be more creative--but with a wider vision and a sharper focus.
Before you start to rub me out as a certified nutter, I have to tell you that Professor Joseph Forgas at the University of New South Wales in Australia has now produced research that shows people in a negative mood are more critical and more attentive than regular happy folks.
Sadness, he found, actually promotes information-processing strategies best suited to dealing with demanding situations. Other bad-mood benefits the professor found included less gullibility, improved assessment of others, and memory improvement.
In my case, as a kid I might have been "blessed with a sunny disposition," as my mom used to say, but it was in my quieter, reflective moods that I made my art. Darker moods came and went, and I remember doing the odd decent thing while in them. Fact is, I still do. I'm wildly curious to know if anyone else might have noticed something similar.
Perhaps the good-work-in-a-bad-mood syndrome has something to do with the simple realization that when all else fails one can still paint. It's as if art is a sanctuary and a safe haven from life's inevitable disappointments. All humans need some sort of escape from whatever irks them--drudgery, boredom, failure, penury, barking dogs, unpleasant companions--a mighty long list if you decide to think about it. Personal art-making, with its complex creative demands of audacity, application and focus, as well as its perceived nobility, fills the bill.
No human life is all joy, none is all pain. It may be necessary to have a bit of one to gain more of the other. Surely, all moods are worth exploring. While a good mood is way ahead of whatever comes next, this is where I tell you to joyfully jump into your bad moods, watch yourself, and see what happens.
Best regards,
Robert
PS: "Whereas positive moods seem to promote creativity, flexibility, cooperation, and reliance on mental shortcuts, negative moods trigger more attentive, careful thinking, paying greater attention to the external world." (Joseph Forgas)
Esoterica: Bad-mood guys like Beethoven are no shirkers when it comes to turning out the work. Whole schools of poetry, art and music have been founded on anger and misery. "Sunny dispositions" might be missing out on something. Bad moods are, on the other hand, bad moods. You don't want to stay in them too long--maybe just enough to be focused, attentive and a little extra critical. A bad mood could be good for you.
visit Izabella's blog at http://izabella.typepad.com
Monday, October 19, 2009
WE'RE HAUNTING Y-O-U
Myspace Glitter Graphics
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Outsider Artists tribute to Edward & Bella Twilight
Be sure to leave a comment for the drawing, of a digital collage sheet created by Lynne of Moonlight Journey
Izabella created the piece, "Dammit Edward why aren't you real!!!"
closeup of beautiful Edward sparkling away.....
and here is Izabella with Edward Cullen!! .....
with a little help of her favorite editing program...photoshop!!
Deborah has created several digital collages of Edward and Bella. She invites you to save all three of these images to your computer. The resolution of these images as posted is about 120 dpi. If you especially like one of her three Twilight collages and want to be able to make a high quality print of one of them, feel free to e-mail her at deborahbohm@embarqmail.com and she will e-mail you a high quality 300 dpi image of your favorite of the three displayed here! Additional collages are $3.00 for each 300 dpi image you want e-mailed to you. (Purchased collages will NOT have her name on the image.)
Twilight 1D
Twilight 2D
Twilight 3D
Becky Loyall created a giveaway also....Be sure to leave a comment for the giveaways.
and here is the original digital piece, by Becky...
Monday, October 05, 2009
GET READY TO FALL INTO FALL!
Having felt overworked, overwhelmed and over the hill for the better part of the last couple of weeks, it was delightful to wake up last Friday morning feeling downright invigorated. Much of it can be attributed to the fall weather and looking forward to all that it means- Halloween, kids and candy, pumpkins - with Thanksgiving and toasty evenings in front of the fire to follow shortly. Although I spend lots of time with my family year ‘round, we are starting to enter that time of year that’s especially rich with traditions and special family times. One of the advantages to being a grandma is that you not only get to enjoy those traditions yourself, you get to watch your grandkids become part of those traditions.
I went with my daughter and my four grandkids – ages 2 to 12 – to pick out pumpkins last Friday. Now I’ve seen pumpkins out front at local Wal-Marts and in grocery stores and other various places, but I am telling you that those might as well be plastic pumpkins as far as I’m concerned. It won’t be the RIGHT pumpkin unless you go out and hunt for a pumpkin that just calls out your name. Where I live that means you either go to Bonnie’s Punkin’ Patch or you go out in a field and pick one yourself. Our family happened to do both this past week!
Bonnie Rausch is the proprietor of Bonnie’s Punkin’ Patch and she is as fine a gal as you are likely to find. Her husband “Dan the Punkin’ Man” is gone now, but the place they built together still stands as a landmark here at the outskirts of Winamac, Indiana. Their kids and grandkids help her maintain the place and when you arrive, you just can’t help but get all fired up with enthusiasm about all things autumn. My daughter Trish always picked out her Halloween pumpkins at Bonnie’s and now she takes her kids there to pick out theirs. I must say that I don’t think there’s ever been a time they’ve gone to Bonnie’s that they haven’t dragged me along with them. And I must also say that I’m doggoned happy about that. We’ve picked out pumpkins in dry weather and in rainy weather, in warm temperatures and in downright frrrrrreezing temperatures – and in lots of weather somewhere between the two. While I might admit to grumbling a bit when the weather has been especially gnarly, WHATEVER the weather, bypassing Bonnie’s and buying a grocery store pumpkin has never even come up as an option.
Watching those kids at Bonnie’s look over each and every pumpkin, pick up this one, put it down and go try out another one – and seeing the smiles on those precious faces when they realize they’ve just found “The One” – well, I guess that’s what those credit card commercials would call “priceless.” Also you just can’t leave without looking around at Bonnie’s many knick knacks, autumn gourds, flowers, husks, homemade jams, and handmade crafts. It’s fun just to hang out at this special place for awhile. This year Bonnie showed my grandkids Emilie and Patrick how she makes ornaments out of corn cobs. Of course Bonnie being Bonnie, she ended up giving them each an ornament and she gave Charlie a sweet little “chalkware” pumpkin guy. Will and I ended up with a string of cats and pumpkins and Trish picked out some beautiful mums!
Going to Bonnie’s with my family got me in the mood to create some good old fashioned Halloween art! And even some new-fangled Halloween art! It puts a smile on my face even just to write about it. I've shared a few photos of our most recent expedition to Bonnie’s Punkin’ Patch! I’ll also add a couple of simple Halloween themed collages I’ve whipped up as a prelude to my full out Halloweenarama session that I’m planning for this next weekend! I’ve noticed some really great Halloween art here on the Outsider Artists site done by some of the other artists. I am trying to make up my mind which collage sheets to order from here for myself. There are at least four I just don’t think I can live without so I will be doing some ordering after I post this. In addition to the collage sheets, there are some great seasonal ACEOs and cards made by some of the other artists, too! I’m embarrassed to admit I have yet to get any of my own Halloween or fall art up yet this year. Well what can I say? I just got invigorated Friday!! Here’s wishing you the same wonderful feeling of exhilaration and excitement that I’ve been blessed with this week!
Deborah~ http://deborahbohm.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
“Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all.” - Stanley Horowitz
“Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.”
- George Eliot
“There is a harmony in autumn, and a luster in its sky, which through the summer is not heard or seen, as if it could not be, as if it had not been!”
- Percy Bysshe Shelley
“On the motionless branches of some trees, autumn berries hung like clusters of coral beads, as in those fabled orchards where the fruits were jewels . . .”
- Charles Dickens
“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.”
- John Muir
“Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree”
- Emily Bronte
“I, a light canoe will build me... that shall float upon the river, like a yellow leaf of autumn, like a yellow water lily!” - Hiawatha
“Now Autumn's fire burns slowly along the woods
And day by day the dead leaves fall and melt.”
- William Allingham
Forever Jann
AUTUMN
will begin to FALL. HAPPY days to all of you. We are all sooooo busy
creating new pieces of art work. Have a beautiful day and create
something you love.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Artful Blogging -Izabella Blue
Artful Blogging Star
Lookee looke! Look who is an Artful Blogging star! And they gave her 5 pages! (2 1/2 spreads!)
It is our own sweet Bella! our founder here and owner of Izabella's Blue Yaaay! I don't remember how long it's been because my memory is bad but when I first became aware of altered art and ATCs and started blog surfing, I discovered Izabella's art. It is so unique and with a sadness that drew me in. Her blog, which is a whole experience to visit..fascinated me so much that I decided I wanted to have a new blog. I had started another one but had trouble with it. Bella being fairly new to Typepad herself guided me ..sometimes having to literally spell it out for me! lol! But due to her patience and friendship I finally "got it".
Now...she is featured in Artful Blogging! Congratulations Izabella!
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Altered Composition Book
I’m in love with school supplies. There is something about cracking the spine of a composition book that sends shivers down my own spine (yes I am a nerd). I also like working on something I can create in a reasonable amount of time and that I can use. I believe it is called “Functional Art!” Who doesn’t need a journal or a place to write down recipes, lyrics, poems, or inspiration for art projects? Print out and try the instructions below for making an “Altered Composition Book.”
General Supplies and Tools
Composition book 7.5"x9.5" black and white marbled with cardboard cover
Paper/ephemera
Stamps, stickers, embellishments
Ribbon
Glue: I prefer Golden Gel Medium, permanent glue sticks, Modge Podge in matte
Instructions:
- Lay your composition book open on a sheet of paper to determine how large to cut your primary pieces.
- Stop at the spine so that you have a separate piece for the front and back covers of the book.
- Cut and glue desired paper to the front and back of the composition book, not covering the spine.
- Antique papers/edges with ink or with a light wash of watercolors using brown, red, orange and yellow.
- Glue desired papers to the spine, overlapping the edges of the front and back covers. NOTE: if you want a book mark, glue a ribbon to the spine before you glue your papers. The ribbon needs to be long enough to fold over the top side and into the book.
- Allow time to dry before proceeding. TIP: while drying, place the book under a stack of books or a heavier book. Protect your work by using wax paper with the waxed side towards work. This will help paper dry flat.
- Glue layers of ephemera to achieve the look you are going for. Allow for ample drying time in between layers so that items dry flat. Once complete allow to dry under book for about a day.
- Seal piece with a layer of Modge Podge or Diamond Glaze to protect
Need Inspiration? Use one of the Outsider Artists collage sheets as your theme for your book!
Congratulations to Joy Northrop (joytotheblog@blogspot.com) for winning the ATC contest from my last post! Joy has already received her ATC and reciprocated with a beautiful ATC of her own- Thanks Joy!
Let me know how yours turns out! Have questions? Leave a comment and I'll try my best to answer!
Amy Flowe
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
Outsider
August what a glorious month to begin a Journey that will take us on a new adventure. A new adventure for us right along with you.
We hope it is a Journey you will enjoy with us as the lazy days of Summer arrive full force.
All of us here at Outsiders have found Solitude in Cool Fresh Air sitting at our Computers and Art Room desks sipping a tall glass of Lemonade while creating and expressing our love for all types of Altered Art.
What to create you ask!
There is a wondrous World full of exciting and fantasy filled pieces just waiting for you to explore! Then allow your Artistic Expression to shine through. We hope our Artwork and Collage Sheets give you inspiration and then your own adventure can begin! Cutting, Pasting, Painting and Embellishing! Jump in and enjoy the ride.
To begin this month I Thought an ACEO Swap would be a fabulous place to start! So jump on in and leave a comment if you would like to participate and I will get you paired up using a random name generator.
ACEO SWAP THEME:
The Lazy days of Summer!
Please comment by August 10th 2009 after that you will be paired up with your partner.
Please leave your blog or email address in the comment so that I can send it to your partner for mailing information.
All cards must be sent out by August 30th 2009
MOST OF ALL HAVE FUN!!!!
Happy Creating until Next Week!
Becky
www.whymsicalmusings.blogspot.com
Monday, July 20, 2009
Sunday, July 12, 2009
For The Love of Lace
Origins of Lace
Some have said that it originated in Egypt, but it was never discovered in any mummy's tomb, on any wall or sculpture. Whatever the pictorial or actual remains of this poetic tissue there isn't any documented evidence.
This ethereal textile named by the Italians "punto in aria" (stitch in air) did not exist before the fifteenth century by the European woman, forming her contribution to the Renaissance.
Fanciful stories have been woven to account for the invention of the art and the honor has been claimed by both Venice and Flanders. Yet it did not at once spring into being in full perfection, but was rather an evelotion, and came out in degrees. In "punto tagllato" (cut point) we first perceive a grouping in it's direction, for with the piercings of white embroidery we have a lighter effect. In drawn work "Punto tirato" another step was gained, and in network we have a decided advantage. Upon this net the pattern was darned in, and in France it was called "lacis" the nearest word we have to lace. After these efforts came a total emancipation from all foundations, and the "punta in aria" was an assured fact. The first lace, it is thought, was made with the needle (point), the pattern being traced upon parchment or paper, and the outlines marked by a thread, caught now and then to the paper, to keep it in place. Upon this scaffolding the slight superstructure was built, and the method is still the same.
Soon afterwards the bobbins came in as a factor, and the needle and the bobbins remain to this day the only means employed to produce hand-made lace. So that all of it resolves inself into the two generic kinds -point, which is made by the needle, and pillow, by the bobbins; or there may be a composite article made by both.
From The London Wonan's Home Companion - 1898
My love of lace started as a child as I watched my grandmother make the most beautiful crocheted lace with her nimble fingers. I was fascinated with how she could creat these delicate edgings. Iand asked her to teach me and I would sit with her for hours...and I've been crocheting ever since. My collection grew from my yearly gift of a set of beautiful pillowcases, edged hankerchiefs, to hunting in antique shops. estate sales and yard sales. Here is a small sampling of my collection. The hunt continues....
Some of my stash. Grammie's nightgown. Great grammie's bag, edgings
These are some that I picked up in antique shops and flea markets. Look at the second picture at the sleeves and see how intricate they are.
This last one is a piece that I made.
Click on any of the photos for a closer look. Thank you for looking, I hope you enjoyed seeing some of my collection. There are a few more over at my site. JMKOriginals
Sunday, June 28, 2009
A Mad Tea Party in every sense of the word!
I am still bemoaning the fact that I can't win Judy's marvelous earrings from her Tea Party creation. That being said, here is my offering of a truly mad, mad, MAD Tea Party. Thanks to Ingrid Stroebeck who gave me a gift which supplied me with the mad hatter image and thanks to granddaughter Em who is my perplexed and somewhat irritated Alice.
Happy Partying to All. XO Deborah
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Mad Tea Party All Weekend here!
Vanessa Valencia of A Fanciful Twist is having her annual Mad Tea Party today! To celebrate with her we are having our own type of tea party although a little different. To start off we have poor little Alice with her teapot and teacup wandering lost in the dark forest..looking for the party......(oh..by the way..if you leave a comment you will have a chance to win this teacup and teapot made into earrings! ( I'm having camera problems so poor Alice has an awful glare on her face..) Come back later to see more pictures...hopefully!
Have fun checking out all the other Tea Parties and thank you for stopping by here! If you come by again you just might see more! I won't do the drawing until Monday so you have all weekend to visit here!
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
ashes and snow
The Vision of Ashes and Snow
“In exploring the shared language and poetic sensibilities of all animals, I am working towards rediscovering the common ground that once existed when people lived in harmony with animals. The images depict a world that is without beginning or end, here or there, past or present.”—
Gregory Colbert, Creator of Ashes and Snow
Gregory Colbert's Ashes and Snow is an ongoing project that weaves together photographic works, three 35mm films, art installations and a novel in letters. With profound patience and an unswerving commitment to the expressive and artistic nature of animals, he has captured extraordinary, unscripted interactions between humans and animals.
His 21st-century bestiary includes more than 40 totemic species from around the world. Since he began creating his singular work of Ashes and Snow, Colbert had mounted more than 30 expeditions to locations such as India, Egypt, Burma, Tonga, Sri Lanka, Namibia, Kenya, Antarctica, the Azores and Borneo.
The show first opened at the Arsenale in Venice, Italy, in 2002. The Nomadic Museum, the permanent home of Ashes and Snow, debuted in New York in 2005 and is charted to travel the globe with no final destination.
The title Ashes and Snow suggests beauty and renewal, while also referring to the literary component of the exhibition—a fictional account of a man who, over the course of a yearlong journey, composes 365 letters to his wife. The source of the title is revealed in the 365th letter. Colbert's photographs and one-hour film loosely reference the traveller's encounters and experiences described in the letters.
Colbert, who calls animals "nature's living masterpieces," chose to film animals in their native habitats in an effort to be true to each animal's voice. The film can be viewed as a work of art as well as a poetic field study. The film was edited by two-time Oscar-winner Pietro Scalia. It is narrated by Laurence Fishburne, and the musical collaborators include Michael Brook, David Darling, Heiner Goebbels, Lisa Gerrard, Lukas Foss, Nusrat Fateh Ali Kahn and Djivan Gasparyan.
The Ashes and Snow exhibition includes more than 100 large-scale photographic artworks, a one-hour film and two nine-minute film haikus. None of the images have been digitally collaged or superimposed. They record what the artist himself saw through the lens of his camera. While Colbert uses both still and movie cameras, the images are not stills from the film. These mixed media photographic works marry umber and sepia tones in a distinctive encaustic process on handmade Japanese paper. The artworks, each approximately five feet by eight feet, are mounted without explanatory text so as to encourage an open-ended interaction with the images.
Ashes and Snow at the Zócalo Nomadic Museum closed on April 27, 2008 in Mexico City. The exhibition will open in Brazil in 2009.
Ashes and Snow is a must see website, its slow to upload.....I love the music & the words he speaks...very surreal http://www.ashesandsnow.org/ full of inspirations!
Be sure to check out the handbound books with his works, that are available for purchase.
Be sure to check out the handbound books with his works, that are available for purchase.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Pets are not OUR whole life , but they make OUR lives whole.
Well here it is my time to post. I thought it might be fun/interesting to share with all of you photo's of our beloved pets. These are the animals who share OUR lives and bring us sweet bliss. And I like to think, if we feel happy it only improves our art work. Thank you for spending time viewing OUR new blog ... much hard work goes into every art piece we create. I hope you will come back often and you purchase something from us that will satisfy your art cravings ! I have included afew good quotes and again, WE appreciate YOUR visit!
Blessed regards, FOREVER JANN
MY PRECIOUS FRIEND
" I LOVE YOU WITH ALL MY HEART. EACH DAY YOU GREET ME WITH SUCH AFFECTION
AND UNCONDITIONAL LOVE. I WILL NEVER BETRAY YOUR TRUST. YOU WILL ALWAYS
HAVE MY BEST CARE AND ATTENTION. SOME SAY YOU MAY NOT HAVE A SOUL,
BUT WHEN I LOOK INTO YOUR BIG BEAUTIFUL EYES, I KNOW IN MY HEART
THAT GOD HAS PREPARED A SPECIAL PLACE FOR YOU." - D.MORGAN
Animals have these advantages over man: they never hear the clock
strike, they die without any idea of death, they have no theologians to
instruct them, their last moments are not disturbed by unwelcome and
unpleasant ceremonies, their funerals cost them nothing, and no one
starts lawsuits over their wills. ~Voltaire, letter to Count Schomberg,
31 August 1769
If all the beasts
were gone, men would die from a great loneliness of spirit, for
whatever happens to the beasts also happens to the man. All things are
connected. Whatever befalls the Earth befalls the sons of the Earth.
~Chief Seattle of the Suquamish Tribe, letter to President Franklin
Pierce
The great pleasure of a dog is
that you may make a fool of yourself with him and not only will he not
scold you, but he will make a fool of himself too.
~Samuel Butler
“People that hate cats, will come back as mice in their next life”
“A cat has absolute emotional honesty: human beings, for one reason or another, may hide their feelings, but a cat does not.” Ernest Hemingway
“It is difficult to obtain the friendship of a cat. It is a philosophical animal...one that does not place its affections thoughtlessly.” Theophile Gautier
“A kitten is in the animal world what a rosebud is in the garden.” Robert Southey
“The only creatures that are evolved enough to convey pure love are dogs and infants.” Johnny Depp
I think we are drawn to dogs because they are the uninhibited creatures we might be if we weren't certain we knew better. They fight for honor at the first challenge, make love with no moral restraint, and they do not for all their marvelous instincts appear to know about death. Being such wonderfully uncomplicated beings, they need us to do their worrying. ~George Bird Evans
Dogs have given us their absolute all. We are the center of their universe. We are the focus of their love and faith and trust. They serve us in return for scraps. It is without a doubt the best deal man has ever made. ~Roger Caras
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Welcome! Let's talk photography.
Welcome to our new home! We Outsider Artists are excited to have this new forum to share our art and our thoughts with you. We were proud of our Outsider Artists website but we all agreed that a blog could represent us in a more meaningful way. I think it will allow for a more interactive experience. We all welcome your comments and invite you to sign up for our newsletter if you haven’t already.
I have been driving myself crazy with what to write about for my initial post on our new blog. The problem was not a lack of ideas – it was an overabundance of ideas!! I decided to start by writing about my decades long passion for photography. I love to take pictures and I love to use my own photographs in my art.
I first started taking pictures when I was in third grade. My parents gave me a little brownie box camera when we took a family trip to Washington D.C. I remember being very careful about what I would photograph because there were only about twelve photos on a roll of film and I wanted to get the White House, the wax museum, Washington Monument, etc. I had to make sure each shot was perfect as there were no second chances. It is kind of funny to look at those ancient fuzzy black and white pictures now but I remember that experience so fondly. Imperfect as the pictures are, looking at them takes me right back to that time.
After all of these years taking photos, there are several guidelines that I tend to follow when taking pictures.
First and foremost, if in doubt as to whether to take the photo or not, TAKE IT. I have often regretted the pictures I didn’t take but I have never regretted the ones that I took. (Hah! At least not since I don’t have to pay to develop film!) If I decide I don’t like the photo in question, digital photography makes it painless to delete it at any point. I suggest waiting awhile before deleting a photo as you might just see it with new eyes the next time you look at it. If the lighting is a problem, most basic photo programs make it a breeze to hit a button to lighten the shadows, increase contrast or other basic operations to enhance the quality of your image. I have taken pictures in ridiculously low light and obscenely blinding light. Few are not salvageable. Many are compelling BECAUSE of the poor lighting or odd element.
Second, don’t take a photograph. Take LOTS of photographs. A shot doesn’t have to be perfect. On the other hand, I have found that it can take 5 or more shots to get a good one. Just keep snapping away. You are more likely to get what you are going for if you don’t just cross your fingers that the one or two shots you took are going to turn out great. You don’t know if the image will be blurry or be recorded on a bad spot on your photo card or if that smile is going to be THE smile – with eyes open – that you have your heart set on. The more photos you take, the better the odds that you will end up with a great picture. Sometimes the one you didn't expect or plan turns out to be a masterpiece.
Photographs of people are usually more interesting and compelling (for me) than pictures of buildings or objects (with an emphasis on “usually”). People are living beings, with fluid expressions, feelings, postures, etc. Photos that include a person tend to be far more appealing to me than a photo of a thing. I figure I can purchase a better picture of the Taj Mahal than I can take myself. Because of that, I will include a person or people or some oddity in the Taj Mahal photo that I take to make it different and more unique. Get up close and personal. If you don’t like that approach, ditch it for what works best for you, but at least give it a couple of tries.
For crying out loud, don’t pass up taking pictures because there is no special occasion. I photograph special occasions, sure, but I also photograph typical ordinary everyday activities, more formal “mood” shots, the utterly mundane and the truly outrageous. I love them all. I sometimes pose a subject but more often I just shoot what’s there with little or no preparation. Some of my favorite shots are just my kids being kids. (Oh – a nod to grandson William who borrowed my camera and got a PERFECT series of eight photos of his little brother Patrick getting his first touchdown! That boy did a better job with those pictures than I could have! In fact, I was so excited that I probably wouldn’t have gotten ANY of that momentous event!)
I love creating all kinds of art. Photography is an art form all on its own, no doubt about it. But BONUS!! When you are crazy for altered art, your own photographs will provide you with images that are uniquely your own.
Here are a couple of altered art cards that I created using my own photos: Niece Patty.
Granddaughter Em
In honor of my first post on our new blog, I am now offering a collage sheet with some of my own photographs. I might offer more in the future. Be sure to check out the great collage sheets offered by all of the artists on this site! (You can purchase my new one, below, in the collage sheet section or in my own little section here on this blog.)
Let me leave you with this - Grab your camera and take some pictures!! Take photos when you usually do and take them when you usually wouldn’t. Surprise yourself with your own creativity. See everyday things in a new light.
I hope you have fun exploring our website. Learn about the artists and see the range of work we do. This is a new site for us, so there will be more art added frequently with a new main post every week. We are so pleased you stopped by. We hope you will come again and again.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Queenly Attributes
Many women of strength and great talent have lived in our history. Reading about them brings me strength and encourages me to create and share the talents given me. Elizabeth the first had such a woeful life, no husband and much loneliness….Yet she ruled with a fair hand and much dignity. She was beautiful and was sought after by many men to be their Queen, but eluded all for the one she loved she could not have. Following is a poem she wrote and also a few facts you may be interested in.
'When I was fair and young'
Questionable Authorship by Elizabeth I
When I was fair and young then favour graced me;
Of many was I sought their mistress for to be.
But I did scorn them all, and answered them therefore,
Go, go, go, seek some otherwhere,
Importune me no more.
How many weeping eyes I made to pine in woe;
How many sighing hearts I have no skill to show;
Yet I the prouder grew, and answered them therefore,
Go, go, go, seek some otherwhere,
Importune me no more.
Then spake fair Venus' son, that proud victorious boy,
And said, you dainty dame, since that you be so coy,
I will so pluck your plumes that you shall say no more
Go, go, go, seek some otherwhere,
Importune me no more.
When he had spake these words such change grew in my breast,
That neither night nor day I could take any rest.
Then, lo! I did repent, that I had said before
Go, go, go, seek some otherwhere,
Importune me no more.
Queen Elizabeth I (1533-1603)
Elizabeth I (7 September 1533 – 24 March 1603) was Queen of England and Queen of Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called the Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was The Fifth and last Monarch of the Tudor Dynasty and Daughterof Henry VIII, she was born a princess, but her mother, Anne Boleyn, was executed three years after her birth, and Elizabeth
was declared illegitimate. Her brother, Edward VI, cut her out of the succession. His will was set aside, and in 1558 Elizabeth
succeeded her half-sister, the Catholic Mary, during whose reign she had been imprisoned for nearly a year on suspicion of supporting Protestant rebels.
Artwork by Becky Loyall Visit me at: www.whymsicalmusings.blogspot.com
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Memorial Day Tribute
Let Us Remember On this Memorial Day, put aside all things for just a moment and think of what this day means. On this Memorial Day, we are free to enjoy a family outing, a picnic, a trip to the beach. We can go where we want, do what we want, say what we want, worship the God of our choice. We are free. We as Americans are free to protest. We are free to criticize our government. We are free to learn, to read books, to sing songs out loud with wild abandon. We are free to talk to our neighbor - or not. We are free to go and come as we please without a passport or permission needed. We are free. The reason we are free is this... someone, somewhere, somehow endangered their life to safeguard our freedom. Duty, honor, country were no mere words. Men and women stood proudly for the cause of life & liberty. All gave some, some gave all. And we are eternally grateful because we are free. In Flanders Fields
By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)
Canadian Army
In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Welcome to our new home...
Being the first to post on our new Outsider Artists blog, I want to welcome you to our new home. Why a blog? We wanted closer contact with you, our fellow artists and devoted customers, and longed for the ability for you to learn us individually, not just through our art, but also through our voices. A blog seemed like the logical choice- so here we are- the same group of girls moving forward in an effort to promote a stronger understanding of the art we love and the people we love to share it with.
Each artist will post on topics that will include art challenges, swaps, techniques, free images, and the random oddity that strikes our fancy and inspires us at the moment. You can also view and purchase our work in the galleries. Please make yourself at home and share with us what inspires you…
-Art Giveaway-
Amy Flowe 5/2009
Monday, May 11, 2009
FOR SALE
- Please click the boxes below to see what's for sale from each of the artists!!
Collage Sheets 4sALe
- Digitally Delivered Collage Sheets available from ALL of our artists!!!
Gallery
- Please click on the photo albums below to explore previously sold art works from our artists!!!
Free Images
- These images are free for the taking, compliments of Outsider-Artists. Just right click and save each one to your computer. Every effort has been made to use only copyright-free images. If we have used an image that isn't compliant, please bring it to our attention and it will be removed with our apologies. Enjoy using them in your artwork!
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