Winter’s Art is Mysterious, Complex, and Still Unexplained

Several years ago, my eldest son gave me a book for Christmas called “The Snowflake – Winter’s Secret Beauty,” written by Kenneth Libbrecht and photographed by Patricia Rasmussen.

I was fascinated by the enlarged microscopic photos, but even more intrigued by the fact that scientists even today cannot fully explain why no two snowflakes are alike or how each is created with such specificity.

Quoting Libbrecht, “The wonder of snowflakes is how they are fashioned into such complex and symmetrical shapes with no blueprint or genetic code to guide construction. How do they develop into such intricate structures? Where is the creative genius that designs the never ending variety of snow-crystal patterns?”

I’m a believer and a “Creationist” so I’m perfectly content knowing that God our Father created the earth and everything in it.  The Lord God enjoyed creating such beauty for us and used eternal mathematical principles to mold and shape our universe.

Libbrecht explains that “Crystalline branches form around a nucleus of microscopic dust, creating a one-of-a-kind design. Because it weighs next to nothing, a snow crystal may take hours to fall – finally landing where photographer Rasmussen’s amazing micro-photography can capture the fleeting beauty and complexity of nature’s art.

“Rain does not produce snowflakes. Rain simply turns into frozen water becoming sleet. A frozen raindrop does not become a patterned snowflake with ornate patterning and symmetry. Snowflakes are the product of a rich synthesis of physics, mathematics, chemistry and temperature. No two are alike, but their uniqueness is soon lost on the ground where they clump together into formless lumps of ice.

Henry David Thoreau said in 1856: “How full of the creative genius is the air in which these (snowflakes) are generated! I should hardly admire them more if real stars fell and lodged on my coat.”

As a kid, I loved folding paper and seeing how intricately I could cut out a flake with my scissors. Usually my stars had four points or eight. Our class would decorate our windows with the many patterns each student had made. In retrospect, these simple designs were a far cry from the intricate patterns that fell on our tongues at recess.

A man by the name of Wilson Bentley, a farmer from Vermont, photographed a real snowflake in 1885 by attaching his microscope to his camera. Snowflake photography became his lifelong passion. In the course of 46 years, he captured more than 5,000 snow-crystal images on the old-style glass photo-graphic plates and scientists and hobbyists have been photographing and studying them ever since.

Have you ever paused to study the intricate designs and patterns that land on your lapel when a blizzard occurs? The fluffy, large flakes that fall during a massive storm are not as detailed or crystallized as the ones that fall during colder weather. The big ones melt quickly because they are full of ice water.

Einstein wrote “What I Believe” in 1930: “The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed.”

Next time you find yourself complaining that it’s bitter cold or that you’re home-bound, bundle yourself up and get outdoors with a magnifying glass. Study the exquisite beauty found in those ice crystals that fall as snowflakes. Use your eyes to appreciate and see. Awaken your imagination to the miracles that exist around you.

Home Décor Trending Natural and Exotic

I love to nurse my morning cup of coffee while reading the newspaper. In the “Home Section” the trending accents are natural and exotic; a way to temper the modern geometric patterns and shapes of the present.

There’s nothing like wood and wood tones to anchor the run-away-dizziness of today’s busy patterns and blockiness. Natural woods and round shapes provide a bold statement while adding an element of curviness and softness to angular designs.

According to Mark Stewart of “The News Press” in Fort Myers, Florida, the perfect wood comes from reclaimed forests where unusual wood grains and shapes are found. This wood inspires unusual shapes for tables and functional furniture.

The “Associated Press” in an article by Beth J. Harpaz discussed the renewed popularity of “Molas,” a unique textile created in the Panama region by the Kuna people. Although China and other countries are trying to duplicate the process, if you want something authentic, look for the Kuna label.

Originally Molas were used as body art. Eventually they were made into cloth squares and turned into clothing. The process is a layering of different colored fabric, which is then cut away in a reverse appliqué technique.

Unlike the appliqué many of our mother’s did in the past to make delicate tablecloths, Kuna appliqué combines many layers rather than one. Little by little fabric is clipped away and the edges stitched to hold them down and to keep them from fraying.

Very much in demand, Molas have a folk art appeal, and are a natural and colorful way to brighten your home.

I’m a big collector of unusual woods and woody seeds and pods. I’ve also painted masks on woody palm fronds. Now I’m thinking I should polish the fronds and leave the wood natural; perhaps painting a delicate scene or using a stain on an all natural mask as the African’s do.

Keep your eyes peeled and reclaim some of the natural woods near your home. It may surprise you what you can restore and turn into something beautiful. So next time you create – think wood; think natural.

Contemporary furniture almost demands wood tones and grains to bring them down to earth and create warmth. Wood floors are not the only way to add this natural appeal. Wall art and furniture are a secondary way to bring the outdoors inside. The addition of color and live green plants are the perfect balance to complement leather furniture and modern creations.

Do you believe in Subliminal Messages?

"Queen of Diamonds" mixed media on 20x20 canvas

During the 60s and 70s, people looked for “conspiracy theories” and evil in almost everything: text books, novels, advertisements, political innuendo and subtleties. Truth was becoming nebulous and personal; "What is true for one person may not be true for others."

Personal superstitions contributed to this fever and a growing disbelief in absolutes. Well, guess what? They’re still doing it today and in much the same way. I viewed an analysis of an automobile commercial that was supposedly pumping out subliminal messages big time. There was talk about the devil, global governance, and how we were all being dragged into the abyss because we're a captive “couch potato” society.

I don’t know whether their conclusions are true, false, or absolutely ridiculous, but I will try to watch and listen more carefully to what I see, read, and how I become involved if only to be aware of the influences that surround me each day.

   

(I received ideas from these "Harlequin photos/prints above)

I admit, I grew up in a protected environment. For the most part, my upbringing included these admonitions: “Look for the good in all people; Accept people the way they are, and Don’t be judgmental.”

This advice has served me well even though, in the beginning, it made me somewhat naive and trusting. I learned the hard way that there is evil in the world, and that there are people out there who would take advantage of you to satisfy their own needs.

It's good to be aware of this fact, but not to the point of disabling your ability to enjoy people and to experience trust and love in a close circle of friends. Sometimes that means walking a precarious line between doubt and clarity. Experience provides the added ability to “trust your gut (intuition)” and to live without fear.

Some people search for truth in convoluted and confusing ways. They trust in authors and writers they may not know anything about. Instead of going to people they trust and asking for advice, they put their life in the hands of complete strangers.

("My Granddaughter served as my model)

Instead of looking back at what has happened in the past, they struggle to interpret what is going on today. I will say this about those who believe in God and in the truth of the Holy Bible: they seem to be more anchored. They allow absolute truth to guide their decisions.

If that isn’t you, please share with us here what “anchors” your life and makes you feel secure and confident in your decisions. It would be great if advertisers, authors and artists would share how you feel about the power of subliminal messages. Do they work?

Above all, make your life count for something. A life with “meaning” is filled with joy, peace, and accomplishment. How you achieve this becomes your own personal journey of discovery.

("Loved these eyes!  Decided to add them to my painting)

America doesn’t need Major Surgery; She needs Forgiveness to Heal her Wounds

(Here's my main model, my granddaughter)

I’ve decided that it’s very hard to think creatively when you don’t feel well or you’re in pain. Some may say that getting your imaginative juices off your own problems and onto something fun makes them better. But if you’re miserable, it’s not going to cut it for long.

The good thing is I’m starting “one week after surgery” on Monday, and it can only get better from here. People tried to make me feel better before surgery by saying it was going to be a “snap” and comparing it to the old way of incise, cut and mend. I suppose their right. But arthroscopic surgery is still surgery. Once my body gets the message that it’s so much better this way, maybe my bowels and my stomach will come along for the ride.

(I'm going to change direction of her eyes, make them lavendar and purple)

I had an arthroscopic rotator cuff repair a few years ago, but I’ve yet to forget the weeks and months of physical therapy it took to get me back to normal. Sure the incisions cover less ground so the healing is quicker, but the reason for surgery, repairing a tear or removing an organ still takes a lot of internal healing and re-directing before things get back to normal.

I’m still trying to function creatively in the mean time. I had a request from my granddaughter who is a working girl, an actress, and a creative person in her own right. She wants to use her favorite color purple in various shades to enhance a living room dominated by grays, whites and black.

(I may use black or purple stripes on her costume?)

Using a portrait of her with a Harlequin theme seemed like the winning combination. I haven’t had any feedback from her at this point in time, so I’m winging it until I do. I’m also continuing to work on my India family portrait which was interrupted by my surgery.

A lot has happened in the news of late, one of them being the removal of the South’s Confederate flag. Living in Florida has somehow immunized me against what the flag stands for to some people. For me as an artist, it was a colorful statement of the South’s unique heritage.

I worry that this decision will have a domino effect on everything else that reminds us of something we don’t like. Will statues of the Founding Fathers be tampered with because they once owned slaves?

Sometimes history is a good reminder of what we stand for and of who fought beside us. Black soldiers fought side by side with Yankees in the Civil War and with other American’s in the Revolutionary War. African Americans have also risen to great heights in every other war we’ve conducted.

(Love black 'n white checks -- a checkerboard?)

Arguments should represent not just one side in a debate, but both sides.  Before we start changing history, let us remember what Dylan Thomas penned long ago to his father who was going blind: “Do not go gentle into that dark night” lest we “throw out the baby with the bath water,” or cut America’s nose off to spite her face.”

(Lower quadrant of drawing --- my shadow on canvas)

Top upper quadrant of drawing. Working Title:  "Queen of Diamonds"

Magical Hot Air Balloons Send Us Soaring and Set us Down Easy

The last time I rode in a hot air balloon, I was in my twenties. I remember being surprised at how hot it was up there. Our pilot kept a constant watch on the gas levels and the flame which filled the hollow balloon with a blast of heat. The exhilaration of gliding over the pasture land below was well worth the fee we paid for the thrill.

I’ve had a fascination with these colorful “envelopes” ever since. Every year in Missouri, balloonists gather with their gondolas and designer aircraft to share their enthusiasm with other balloonists. When they all take off, it’s a breathtaking spectacle that is both remarkable and unforgettable.

According to Wickipedia, the hot air balloon is the “oldest successful human-carrying flight technology. Are they safe? Today’s balloons have an envelope that is not sealed at the bottom, the envelope is generally made from nylon fabric and the inlet of the balloon (closest to the burner flame) is made from fire resistant material.

“Beginning in the mid-1970s, balloon envelopes have been made in all kinds of shapes, such as rocket ships and the shapes of various commercial products, though the traditional shape remains popular for most non-commercial, and many commercial, applications.”

Shortly after 9/11 I attended a hot air balloon show at Minneapolis/St. Paul airport. All planes were still grounded, including these magnificent aircraft. We walked from one gondola to another greeting the owners and admiring their colorful envelopes that were inflated and ready to fly. Sadly not one balloon was able to launch that day.

In the interim, we were fortunate enough to witness a marriage ceremony of two balloonists. They had met during a balloon conclave, fell in love, and wanted to share their wedding day with the friends who enjoyed the sport as much as they did.

Photographers and artists have discovered the magic and have tried to capture this fascination on canvas and in print. Through imagination and skill, these flyers have managed to make good use of “hot air” unlike many of their counterparts who use it to “B.S.” a crowd in hopes of impressing others or of making a sale.

With an inflated sense of self, these human bulldozers push their way to the top, to the head of the line, or any place where they feel they can shine. The illustration at left shows where their hot air comes from. 

• The red balloon is filled with hubris from an inflated ego. 
• The bottom balloon reeks of pride, especially from being green with envy. 
• The plump orange balloon is inflated with arrogance and a sense of self-importance. 
• The white balloon at the top is ready to pop from too much bragging. 
• The last balloon is bloated from exaggeration and excessive gloating over their own skills and talents. They are really blue and lack self-confidence.

 If your personality or profile contains these poisonous gases you should try to get rid of them! they interfere with your ability to listen to others and to learn from your mistakes. But there is still hope.

Take a dart or pin and pop these pesky pimples of disgrace. Replace them as soon as possible with humility, self-confidence, hard work, and honesty. 

Once you do that, you’ll be ready to take advice, share the limelight with others, and pursue your goals independent of the opinion of others.