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

APPLE PIE

Seems like I have been on a baking spree lately. This time it is a homemade apple pie. It was delicious! Have you ever tried making one from scratch? The hardest part is making the crust and being able to roll it out to move to the pie shell. The rest is easy... Here is a page all about baking an apple pie:

http://www.myhomecooking.net/apple-pie/

KSZ HAS SA

I have just been diagnosed with "Sleep Apnea". Last night was my first night with my own CPAP machine. It was so quiet but I know it will take a while for me to get used to sleeping with it. Here is my machine, the newest on the market!

ICON Novo CPAP Machine with Built In Heated Humidifier and ThermoSmart

Here is the mask that I received:

• 

• You might wonder if YOU have sleep apnea? Here is all the information one might need to decided.

• Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder which triggers pauses in breathing during sleep. These episodes, called apneas, last long enough so one or more breaths are missed, and occur repeatedly throughout sleep. Sleep apnea is diagnosed with an overnight sleep test called a polysomnogram.

  Often, individuals with sleep apnea are not aware of having difficulty breathing. Because of this, sleep apnea is frequently recognized by a spouse or sleep-mate who witnesses sleep apnea episodes. Sometimes sleep apnea is suspected because of its effects on the body copy. Symptoms may be present for years or even decades without identification, during which time the sufferer may become conditioned to the daytime sleepiness and fatigue associated with significant levels of sleep disturbance.

• Loud snoring. This can indicate breathing problems or blocked air passages.
• Cessation of breathing or choking spells in the night. In severe cases, this can occur over fifty times an hour with each spell lasting as long as ten seconds.
• Excessive daytime sleepiness. Daytime sleepiness can become so excessive that working becomes difficult and driving is dangerous.
• Frequent visits to the bathroom. Individuals with sleep apnea often find that they require repeated trips to the bathroom throughout the night.
• Severe mood swings. Sleep deprivation can affect mental health, often causing moods to shift rapidly from depression to irritability to anger.
• Obesity. Although some slim people do suffer from sleep apnea, the majority are overweight or obese.
• Low sex drive and a general lack of energy. Because individuals with sleep apnea suffer from sleep deprivation, they often find they lack the energy to perform daily activities, and even lose interest in sex.
• Dry mouth and sore throat in the morning. This is caused from sleeping with the mouth open, snoring and gasping for air.
• Lack of concentration and forgetfulness. Sleep deprivation affects motor skills and memory.
• Morning headaches. Lack of sufficient air throughout the night can cause headaches.

JANELLE MONAE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwnefUaKCbc I wish I was born to dance like Janelle! I have realized that photography, dance, cooking and baking, singing, sewing, and crafting are all forms of art. At least I got a few of those in my blood! Recently I cleaned up my studio of all the clutter so that I can start a new project this week. YEA!

OLD SAILOR

This is print of a sailor by an artist named Haerendel. I found it in a really nice wood frame at a consignment shop. But I decided to mosaic the frame and gift it to my husband. He loves sailing and so I thought it would be a nice piece for him to hang in his office. He also doesn't have any of my art on his walls yet! How did he get away with that all these years? ha...

CONCERT FUN

Avery and I went to see Robert Earl Keen in concert last Saturday night. I am not sure who this guy was that did the opening act. All I heard was that REK had been his idol growing up and now to be opening for him was a dream come true for him. All the photos were taken with my i phone. Of course I wish I had brought my Canon SLR, I am always wishing that I had it with me these days. But my phone camera will work in some situations. REK is the one with the white cowboy hat. Check out his Christmas video of his famous song! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P37xPiRz1sg

I PHONE FUN

Now that I am using the Apple I Phone 4 the camera is so much better than my old one. I love whipping my phone out and taking pictures of everything and anything. I don't have to wait to use my SLR all of the time! Here is a cool image that I captured last night at a restaurant-bar called "RA". It is actually umbrella like shades that were hanging from a very high ceiling. (you can't tell that from the photo though) I can also use my camera phone to capture delicious food that we might order. Check out the key lime pie. BOY WAS IT DELICIOUS!!

SKETCHBOOK CHALLENGE

My friend Marie told me about this new project starting in January. I definitely want to participate and thought you might, too!

The sketchbook challenge is a new project launching on 1/1/2011. Follow along with us as we fill our sketchbooks based on a monthly theme that will be announced on the first of each month. Each month we'll announce a new theme on this blog and throughout the month we'll be showing you images from our sketchbooks and talking about the intention and inspiration behind them. Along the way we'll be sharing tips, techniques and tutorials. We hope that by giving you a peek inside our sketchbooks and showing you how different they all are that we'll inspire you to start keeping a sketchbook of your own. And of course if you do, we'll want to see some photos of your book too. You can download the badge here: http://sketchbookchallenge.blogspot.com/p/pick-up-blog-badge-here.html We encourage you to post photos of your sketchbook pages on your blog and then post a link in the comment section of the Sketchbook Challenge blog so that others can look at your pages too! We've also set up a flickr page where you can post photos too. So pick up your blog badge here, go grab a sketchbook, some pencils, pens, markers or paints and get ready to sketch with us!

HERE I COME TO SAVE THE DAY!

Facebook asked that everyone select their favorite cartoon character to post as their profile picture. I chose Mighty Mouse. I loved that cartoon as a kid! I would wake up really early on Saturday mornings just to catch it. CBS packaged the old Mighty Mouse cartoons, along with non-series Terrytoons, as a Saturday morning half-hour, under the name Mighty Mouse Playhouse. It ran as a network show from 1955-67.

CUTEST FACE EVER

Isn't that the cutest face in the world? I was taking pictures of an antique buffet that we are trying to sell and Yogi decided to lay right in front of it. He wanted his picture to be taken! We were having our downstairs painted and changing out some light fixtures around the house. I think all the commotion was disrupting his normal routine so he was following me everywhere! Here is a picture of the beautiful antique sideboard for sale (if you know anyone looking for one) Antique English Carved Solid Oak Sideboard or Buffet with removable backsplash Age:1800-1899 The measurements are 41" high x 72" width x 24" depth The doors have gorgeous raised carved accents over paneled surfaces! The cabinet on the left features two drawers that pull out for storage. The cabinet on the right has a set shelf plus a pull out drawer with nine separate slots. These will hold your bottles of liquor. (can be used as a bar) In addition there are 3 smooth operating drawers that are well constructed with dovetail joinery and each has very attractive carved facings with decorative knob and brass pulls.

LOTS OF FAMILY TIME

The kids were all home for the holidays. It was wonderful having everyone here! The boys were outside throwing the football around so I decided to get in their face and take a few shots. Of course they were being awfully silly! Avery found a neighborhood kitty around my sister's house. It was such a sweet cat that we would have taken it home if it were a stray. Unfortunately it had a collar on and its name was SPARKLE.

WATERCOLOR KING

I know nothing about the technique of water coloring but decided to teach myself. I bought a Cotman Watercolor Compact Set by Winsor & Newton. Decided I wanted to use these instead of Prisms Markers in my journal writing for a while. I might have to ask my neighbor who is a watercolor expert, to give me a few lessons. Then I read about these wonderful KOI waterbrushes. I ordered them from Amazon.com this morning. They are great for traveling because you just add your water into the barrel of the pen before painting. No spilling in the car or anywhere!!!

PUMPKIN LADY

I am very proud of this capture! I was heading into HEB in Austin to do some grocery shopping for my sick daughter. My husband and I had just gotten in to town and this was our first stop. I normally don't take my camera grocery shopping but I didn't want to leave it in the car. Yep, we had a cell phone stolen in my vehicle and now I won't leave ANYTHING in it!! So since I had my camera around my neck, I decided to ask this ladies permission to snap her picture. I told her not to pose because she really perked up when I asked. She was so proud! I love street photography...

MINIMALIST PHOTOGRAPHY

Our monthly assignment was to make a minimalistic photograph. That wasn't easy for me! You don't realize how hard it is to take just ONE subject in a shot and make it look minimal. I had taken this shot while on Lake Travis in Austin. It is a buoy sitting all alone in the water. I took out the color of the water so that the buoy would be VERY noticeable.

COLOR IN THE HOOD

I love walking my dogs in my neighborhood especially when the weather is cooperative! I had my i phone with me so I decided to snap away at some flowers that other people were growing. I thought these were beautiful! Nature always inspires me to be more creative. Notice how the sun is in Yogi's eyes!

"SPOKE"N

My daughter took all these photographs before starting an art project. She always works from her photographs when making a painting. This assignment was to draw a bicycle. Since she wanted it to be a creative endeavor, she decided to take a toy bike and show it in different ways. This was the photograph choice she decided to use and they are my hands by the way! It looks just like the photograph but it is drawn with graphite on bristol paper. Isn't it amazing?

HEAVEN ON EARTH

I finally finished my mixed media piece that I started last month. Talk about how different the whole thing went...I think my favorite part are all the Z's that are so subtle in the background. I called this piece "HEAVEN ON EARTH". It is about my family and so I wanted to show how important they are to me. Of course my style is so whimsical that most people wouldn't get it!

I am now working on our second assignment which is a DADAISM piece. The movement influenced styles like the avant-garde and downtown music movements, and groups including surrealism, Nouveau réalisme, pop art, Fluxus and punk rock. I am going for a fractured look. During class this week we discussed one of our next projects. It will be an assemblage piece which is FANTASTIC! Assemblage is an artistic process in which a three-dimensional artistic composition is made from putting together found objects. I have finally found out what to call myself after all these years. I am truly an ASSEMBLAGE ARTIST!! So stay tuned to see what I come up with.