THE SILENT EVOLUTION

http://www.underwatersculpture.com/index.asp

Jason deCaires Taylor is an artist who developed a love of the sea at a very early age. Much of his childhood was spent on the coral reefs of Malaysia. He had a fascination with the natural world. He graduated from the London Institute of Art in sculpture and ceramics. This ambitious underwater project is so unusual! He carved cement instead of stone and had to use cranes to lower his art to the ocean floor.

PAPER OR PLASTIC

Don't you get irritated when you go to check out at the grocery store and they ask you "PAPER or PLASTIC"? What difference does it make?

But Italy's ban on single-use plastic bags took effect on New Year's Day.

This couldn't come too soon, considering that Italians use about 20 billion plastic bags per year.

Environmentalists are pleased with the ban because plastic bags are horrible on the environment, degrading extremely slowly and taking decades to decompose. They are also potentially harmful to marine life and other animals.

In September Treehugger reported that Brownsville, Texas banned plastic bags. The ban goes in effect on January 5th, when customers who forget bags will be charged a dollar for an extra one. Pharmacies, hardware stores and dry cleaner are exempt. Why is that? Either get rid of all of them or none at all!!! USA Today reports that the anti-bag sentiment is spreading. California couldn’t muster the votes to ban bags, but individual cities like San Francisco, Malibu, Fairfax and Palo Alto are already there, and more cities are threatening to follow suit. Our neighbors down south are getting in on the action too. Mexico City banned plastic bags in August of this year.

SO TEXAS, WHEN ARE WE GOING TO STEP UP AND BAN THEM?

SILK PAINTING

This is a really interesting video about a silk painter and his performance art. It is something that can be admired by art quilters, painters, and performers. I normally don't "get" performance art that is weird or off the wall but this is different. I am now inspired to use my watercolors and work in my sketchbook today. I love the fluidity of the motion of the paint and how it flows over the silk and is absorbed by it.

2011**A NEW BEGINNING**

I couldn't help but think that 1/1/11 was a cool way to start off the new year! Numerology sees the number "one" as self, new beginnings, the individual. If you look at 2011, it's the "two" that comes first. "Two" is a partnership. When you add the numbers 2011 you get "four". 2+0+1+1 =4 Numerology says that four will affect everyone all year. Four is square. Four is the box. Four wants everything done right! So we are entering a year where one should build a stronger foundation on which to hold your new year's resolutions!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things. - Robert Brault