It's Spring -- Bless the Baby Birds!

I couldn't resist sharing a childhood experience with you. The story probably accounts for why I love birds and delight in painting them.

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He was pink, blind and featherless when I found him lying in the bright spring grass. His lifeless three-inch body brought back a rush of memory and I was eight years old again, looking down on another fragile baby bird.

"Tufted Titmouse" drawing

He had fallen so far from the nest that I convinced myself his mother would never miss him. Carefully, and with a modicum of shame, I scooped the tiny fledgling into my cupped hands. I would nurse him back to health and become his protector. In turn, he would be my friend, my pet. He could perch on my finger and I would teach him how to do tricks. He could sing for his supper. Surely mother would let me keep him.

"Courtship" pencil drawing

She shook her head when she saw him; a bad omen. But when she gave me an empty matchbox, I grew hopeful. We stuffed the matchbox with tissue and laid the bird gently on the soft white sheets. His head wobbled back and forth as his tiny body struggled to get up. The dark swollen eyes were closed, but the hungry beak gaped wide in a perpetual state of readiness.

My mother went for the “crumb jar;” the kind you fill up with leftover toast or stale bread until there are enough pieces for croutons or crumbs on a casserole.

We moistened a small chunk of bread in warm milk; and while mother left to prepare dinner, I dropped soggy snippets of bread into the bird’s open mouth. The feeding lasted until the tantalizing smells from the kitchen and the clatter of dishes distracted me.

"Berry Picking Time" 16 x 20 acrylic on panel

It was nearly bedtime before I remembered. I skipped to the back porch, half expecting birdsong to greet me. Instead, I slammed into a cold wall of silence. I held my breath and peered into the matchbox. The bird’s too-large head lay angled against the white tissue, his pale colored beak hung open. The bread I had pushed down his throat earlier was now stuck like a gummy wad of dough. I yelled for mother.

"Hut Two Three Four" drawing

She came quickly with tweezers in hand. “He’s too weak to swallow,” she said, making one final effort to remove the dough from the tiny gullet. “He’s not breathing,” she muttered to herself. And then seeing my tears, she added, “It’s not your fault. He’s too young, that’s all. His eyes aren’t open. He has no feathers.” In spite of her words, I cried. Sad lesson learned -- end of story, or was it?

Returning to the present and my adult moorings, I studied the baby bird at my feet. If I left him here, a neighbor’s cat or a hungry hawk would surely destroy him or a child’s bicycle could crush him unawares. Impulsively, I scooped him into my hands. I had to give him a second chance. Who knows? This time I might succeed; and, perhaps, redeem my childhood guilt in the bargain.

"Star Billing" mixed media on 14 x 18canvas

Beat the Heat -- Summertime Brain Slog is just Ahead

"Fairy Glen" 11x14 acrylic on canvas

Somewhere in the last few weeks; I lost my “MoJo.” Maybe it’s the heat, which is already in the 90s here in Florida, along with muggy stifling air. The rising temperatures came early this year, and with them the beautiful Poinciana flowers weeks before their time. Early blooming brought one of the worst hayfever seasons in years.

I planted some cool weather flowers in February and they never took off because the season turned hot too soon. My brain wilted along with them. I'm going to cooler climes for a few days and maybe that will revive me.

(work in progress)

My weird and wild “Fairy Glen” painting is finished. After allowing myself “off the reservation” so-to-speak, I’m ready to get back to more serious painting. When this happens, I usually think "portraits" or at least a close-up view of something earthy and lovely. I haven’t zeroed in on what, just yet. My canvas is 20 x 20 so I must find what I consider the perfect subject.

I’m in one of those moods where I have to clear my head. I need some time and space to collect my thoughts and review some of those old photos and files labeled “to paint.” If all else fails, I’ll get close to nature and see if I can scout up some ideas

.

With Bruce (Caitlyn) Jenner on the cover of Vogue, I know my meanderings must seem impossibly boring. Perhaps that’s why I’m seeing such strange artwork these days. Artists are trying to outdo each other in the category of sensuous, sensational, and stunning. The world of nature has suddenly lost its appeal, and people are going gaga for “Gagacious” curb appeal.

There are still some outstanding paintings and photographs happening on web sites such as Red Bubble, Fine Art America, Art Span, Etsy and others. There are also juried competitions not only in your local art galleries, but online. While you’re cooling down and trying to get a grip on your own art career, Google for these contests and enter them. They can not only inspire you, but give you a sense that you’re not so bad after all should you snag a win.

(From an old Stereopticon card cc 1898 by Strohmeyer & Wyman) Anfinsen Art on Etsy 

One thing I’ve learned is that you can’t create in a vacuum. Your mind must be chock full of “stuff” and nonsense in order to create. If nothing else, re-read your old art magazines.  Look at Family photos and old photographs for gems that may stir your emotions to the point of creation. If all else fails, read a good book. I’ve been reading some exciting historical novels and mysteries of late.

Here is an old Stereopticon card, one of the first colored ones. copyright 1898 T.W. Ingersoll
Anfinsen Art on Etsy

Oh, I know what you’re thinking. Isn’t that just a diversion to keep you from typing on your keyboard or slapping that canvas? Perhaps. But it also fills my mind with a lot of new images and ideas. The secret is to have pen and paper at hand. I’m constantly jotting down ideas, sometimes even just a word. I search. I scout the Internet for what’s out there. If cyber space is not already inundated with similar images, I know I’ve got a winner.

Explore your neighborhood, nearby parks, lakes and beaches. Once you’re out of yourself even for a few short hours it’s amazing how refreshed you’ll feel and ready to get back to work!

(close up of one side of the card. Notice the group of people? Rough carriage rut road?)

The Grass always feels Greener Between your Toes

"Looking Outward" 3-D acrylic on glass window
with canvas behind, dog between.

The days of summer are behind us unless, as my husband says, “You live in the Tropics.” If you’re one of the lucky ones, you’re still enjoying it and walking bravely where others fear to tread. When I first encountered the lizards, snakes and other vermin running across my pathway, I wasn’t sure I wanted to walk barefoot in the grass. I was still plagued by memories of Washington where the morning after a mowing the velvet grass was covered with dew and mammoth snails that came out of hiding. After the sight of them, I never allowed my virgin feet to walk through that grass again! 

Children never think about “What Lurks Beneath.” They run barefoot, tumble and roll in the sweet smelling carpet without a moment’s hesitation. They’re uninhibited. I have to hand it to them. There’s something about walking barefoot on a green lawn or plunging your feet into warm soft sand that brings you closer to the earth and fills your heart with greater appreciation for the simple things of life.

 The people who garden here in Florida are covered from head to toe. Not only are there boots on their feet, but they wear hats, gloves, and long-sleeved shirts even in the heat of summer. You never know what’s going to jump out at you.

 
One of our land stewards at church came running inside after he’d poked his head into a dumpster. A wasp or bee stung him on the nose, and being super allergic, he was in a panic. After dousing his nose in cold water, he took off like a flash for a dose of epinephrine.

My fear of spiders goes way back to a near-death tangle with a brown recluse. I was hospitalized for ten days, had gangrene and serious blood poisoning. It’s no wonder that I’m always looking out of the corner of my eye for anything creepy and crawly.

 
So, you see, while you’re complaining about the cold up north and the impending snow, perhaps my sorry lament has made you feel better. While I’m swatting mosquitoes, you’re enjoying the crisp and colorful fall leaves. I’m sweeping palm frond seeds off my porch for the second time today, but you may be witnessing that first gentle coating of white sparkling snow.

 

It’s all relative of course. The grass is always greener in somebody else’s front yard. If we take time to appreciate the here and now, we’re the better for it. Smell the roses when they’re blooming. Enjoy the crunch of leaves underfoot. Taste the snowflakes while they’re clean and untouched. Enjoy the sunshine – bless the rain. Live your life to the fullest.

"Sea Breeze" acrylic on 2" deep wrap canvas

Are you a Girl Scout – always Prepared? Are you ready to Live a Little?

I had a surgical procedure recently which made it difficult to get my blog out on time. I hate when that happens! The only thing a person can do is to go with the flow and hope for the best.

while I convalesce, I’ve been doing more reading. Old treasures lodged in my bookcase dusty and forgotten. One of my favorites is a small book of stories and poems edited by Sandra Halderman Martz called “If I had my life to live over... purchased along with another winner “When I am an old woman I shall wear purple” also edited by Martz.

Usually found in artsy gift shops, these books are a delight to read and ponder. Nadine Stair wrote the forward for the first book. Her good advice inspired me:

"Tickles from God" acrylic on canvas

“If I had my life to live over, I’d dare to make more mistakes next time. I’d relax, I would limber up. I would be sillier than I have been this trip. I would take fewer things seriously. I would take more chances. I would climb more mountains and swim more rivers. I would eat more ice cream and less beans. I would perhaps have more actual troubles, but I’d have fewer imaginary ones. . .  If I had my life to live over, I would start barefoot earlier in the spring and stay that way later in the fall. I would go to more dances. I would ride more merry-go-rounds. I would pick more daisies.”

From the same book, Barbara L. Thomas penned a lovely poem called “A Weaver”

“Once
contemplated
   a disturbing
       fray
before
choosing the

 way
the pattern
    should continue
            She
    taught
the shuttle

 symmetry
and rose from
    the loom

            clothed in
 beauty of her
own

fashioning

The poem is not only artfully constructed it captures the inner soul of the weaver and her thought process as she places thread over thread in a colorful expression of her passion.

Artists inspire and encourage one another. Yes, we’re in competition, but we can also appreciate what is different from our own personal style. For instance, when I buy jewelry, I prefer to buy from an artist rather than a retail store. The jewelry is unique and I usually find something unusual that becomes a conversation piece.

For my birthday this year, my daughter and her husband gave me a beautiful necklace from Carrie’s Creations on Etsy. A family tree is surrounded by six circles each representing one of my children. The bright blue stones are eye popping next to the black wiring.

Another daughter gave me a long leather beaded bracelet that wraps the arm and fastens in place. Of course, I had to buy an outfit that would set both of them off. Amazing things happen when you have the jewelry in hand first and then search for an outfit to compliment the whole ensemble. I chose a white "Hot Cotton" two-piece outfit with earthy colors.

I rarely purchase art prints from someone else (I have enough of my own). I do advertise other artist’s work on my blog, however, and enjoy touting the successful artists that are out there by linking to their web sites. Inviting other artists to do a guest blog is another way to share the limelight and help your followers and fellow bloggers at the same time.

Tides by Any Other Name Would Smell as Stinky!

"Window on Pine Island" 16x20 wrapped oil on canvas

What is coarse, toxic, sweeps up marine life in its wake and kills? If you guessed a broom, we're done here. If you answered pollution, you're close. If you said red tides, you're dead on. Never heard of these menacing algae? Let me introduce you.

Every summer at the height of tourist season, a tangle of brownish algae and dead fish cascades onto the Gulf Coast's pristine beaches and the stink is overwhelming; as my mother used to say, "Enough to gag a maggot." What makes these algae such a menace? They produce one of the deadliest toxins known to man.

(original photo of Pine Island)

These harmful algal blooms or HABS wreak havoc on local fishing industries to the tune of $82 million each year. The toxins affect the central nervous system of fish, killing them in vast numbers; limiting the quantities of fresh fish that fisheries depend on. Toxins also may poison shellfish like clams, oysters, and mussels, and make the humans who eat them sick.

These red tide masses affect marine ecosystems in a number of ways. Dense blooms can block sunlight that benefit good algae and sea grasses needed for food. Wildlife and marine mammals like seabirds, manatees, turtles and dolphins may not only get sick, they may die. Hundreds of manatees died as a result of Red Tide in 2012. Humans may suffer severe respiratory or skin ailments. In addition to that, red tides are downright unsightly.

My first reaction to walking on the beach after a red tide wash up was repulsion. Hundreds of putrid dead fish trapped in strange-looking seaweed covered the white sand driving me and many other tourists back to our hotels. Like them, I wanted to know what this stuff was, what it did, and how we could stop it.

Red tides are composed of microscopic algae known as dinoflagellates; their scientific name: karenia brevis. The algal cells are asexual. They produce simply by dividing. To complicate matters, each cell is capable of movement via two flagella that propels them through the water. There is no brainwork involved in this confluence or joining of forces. They drift with the water's ebb and flow, bumping together to form large clumps or "blooms" as their numbers increase.

What makes dinoflagellates different from other microscopic algae? At least two things: their rapid growth and their toxicity both of which raise more questions than answers. Why do these organisms suddenly explode into a massive growing binge? What triggers this growth and why does it produce toxins in some algae and not in others?

Biologists and scientists believe pollution of our waterways may be the leading factor. Pesticides, fertilizers and chemicals are washed into surrounding rivers and lakes and eventually find their way into the sea. At the mouth of these inlets and tributaries, red tides get their first burst of growth which certainly points to pollution as the cause.

But there's a catch: red tides are not a new phenomenon. Fish kills from deadly algae were recorded in 1840 and as long ago as the Spanish explorers who wrote about them in their logs. After years of red tides research, there is still no conclusive evidence or link to pollution. Like many quirks of nature, the trigger may be from natural causes or a series of events that are little understood.

The Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI) in Florida conducts Red Tide Reports on a regular basis during critical growing periods. Using satellite imagery, high levels of chlorophyll are monitored for possible resurgence of red tides. With the help of modern technology, experts record the size, rate of growth, and location of these HABS.

FWRI works in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) under the supervision of the U.S. Department of Commerce. NOAA's goal is to "provide the tools to prevent, control, or mitigate the occurrence of HABS." Because red algae can be found in almost any waterway, research labs are positioned worldwide.

(I want to paint this beautiful Fuschia)

If you would like information about red tides in your own locale, go to http://www.noaa.gov.

What is the missing component that explains why red tides grow faster and wilder during certain times of the year? Is pollution the cause as some suggest? Or is it increased water temperature that naturally encourages the growth of most algae? Until the mystery is solved, Gulf residents and vacationers around the globe must continue to endure the irritation, the blight and the stink of red tides.

Do you have a "stinky" problem in your neck of the woods? Please share it with us.

Spring Green, Lime Green, and Fern Green are Hot Trends

In the 70s, I had a hallway that had light green walls, white baseboards and door, and a black table. Flipping through a current “Better Homes and Gardens” magazine, I discovered those same colors are a new trend teemed up with orange, hot pink or watermelon accessories.

Trends come and go; they also get revived and recycled. The problem is so does taste in fashion and art. Instead of buying art for aesthetic reasons or because of how it makes you feel, people buy art to decorate a room or to add a pop of color.

It has always been so. Our day and age is no different. At least there is a reviving interest in the arts, if only for its ability to shock or entertain. Street artists and their messages of activism and boldness are exposing more people to art and its impact on political action.

Chalk artists spend hours on three-dimensional art that is often a singular experience enjoyed by a few. Temporary by nature, better ways are being found to save and preserve these artistic expressions by housing them in covered walkways and on interior walls. 

Acrylic paints enable bigger and broader coverage that is changing the urban scene and filling its dark decaying walls with hope and color.

Artist Joe Bucci, who combines impressionist and expressionist styles was featured in a June “the Artist Magazine.” I was impressed with his colorful landscapes and his use of vibrant color.

Speaking about the changing art scene down through the centuries, Joe said: “one thing hasn’t changed: in order for a visual statement to become art, it must have an abstract quality. It’s not enough that a painting be a picture of something—it must communicate via composition, shape, color, rhythm, line, texture, mass and planes (visual or ‘plastic’ elements).

“The skill that causes an outstanding artist to rise above the pack is not the talent to draw or paint objects, but the ability to see relationships between those visual or "plastic" elements and their relationship to the artist's overall vision.”

How well an artist pulls this relationship off makes the difference between remarkable art that's remembered or so-so art that's soon forgotten.

Featured Artist

Deb Haugen – the “Organic Artist” has been featured in galleries and museums, and has won many prizes and awards. Deb is from Malibu, California. Here is a fantastic sample of one of her paintings. To see more of her work, go to Deb’s facebook page (see below):

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Deb-Haugenthe-organic-artist/112218349805?ref=stream#!/pages/Deb-Haugenthe-organic-artist/112218349805

Here comes Summer! Are You ready?

I’m working on something that I can’t share with you right now; illustrations that will be used in the publication of a book. You may have noticed the repetition of paintings in my blog. Please bear with me until this project is over.

The tourists and “Snowbirds” have gone back home. The streets are once again accessible; the stores half empty (or is it half full?). Our Co-op Gallery at Coconut Point in Bonita Springs has come to an end. Our President, Marsha Bisson, shared this “thank you” with the members:

Dear Fellow Artists,
I would like to thank all of you for your part in making the Coconut Point Co-op Art Gallery into such a successful gallery, both sales wise as well as artistically. We sold over $9000 in artwork this year!
The quality and beauty of the artwork offered by all of you provided a professional and varied selection for our customers. Visitors to our gallery, both buyers and lookers, made so many positive comments about the artwork and the gallery, that next year we'll be having them write them down so we can share them with all of you!
Meeting the artists is such a positive experience for buyers. There were a lot of occasions this year with sitters selling their own work on the days they sat. It's a win win for both! And, again, congratulations and thank you to both Donna Elliot and Pat Papa who, in one, day-sold over $1300 in artwork!!! A great job!

And thank you all for your cooperation in gallery sitting and selling. . .

A triumphant ending to a wonderful winter season!

"Pelican Bay" oil on canvas

Year-round residents like us enjoy summer in spite of the heat. There are specials on dining out: two for ones, and lower prices.  The restaurants and store owners welcome our business. We enjoy the perks, but we also miss our friends and neighbors. By June our streets resemble a ghost town.

This is the time of year when I catch up on my dreams and the projects that have been waiting in the wings. Maybe even plan a vacation. My husband and I have only each other to converse with across the table in our favorite restaurants; an opportunity to renew our friendship and catch a movie or two to rekindle the former fires of dating.

"Flash Dance" oil on canvas

Summer should be a time for renewal; a time when neglected relationships are nurtured and revitalized; a time to enjoy the moment and the minutiae. The smell of charcoal and grilled burgers waft on the air currents mixed with jasmine and gardenia. Our hibiscus and Mexican Petunias are “blooming their hearts out” while we swelter in shorts and bare feet

.

The beach beckons us to enjoy the water and the sand unfettered by the winter crowds and “spring breakers.” There’s nothing like walking along the beach in the early morning hours or just before the sun goes down in the evening turning the sky a pinkie, orange lavender.

"Beach Buddies II" mixed media on canvas