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"Life is Strange", My Marc Bolan/T.Rex Tribute for Jan's Nibbefest Art Contest






"Life is Strange":  Acrylics on a 7x9 chunk of found hardwood






 So, this month's Nibbefest Art Contest theme
was an interesting one...:  

"A Subject Beginning with the 3rd Letter 
of Your Given First Name"   


What a mouthful, eh?  Well, obviously for me, that's "T".  Easy enough ... or at least you might think so.  Only it wasn't!  For whatever reason I had the devil of a time coming up with my concept this month.  What could be so hard about coming up with something for "T"?   I really can't imagine why it was such a hang-up.  Guess the theme a little TOO broad...?   I pondered "T", ruminated "T", and meditated "T".  Ideas would come and go -- but nothing compelling enough to really sink my teeth into.   Time was ticking away, and I remained uninspired.  It was starting to get frustrating!  It even crossed my mind to maybe just sit this month out -- crazy, right...?  But, happily a friend came to the rescue, letting me hash out the jumbled thoughts in my head, while offering input and suggestions.   It helped, because finally at the last, I conjured up a vision of this:  a whimsical tribute to Marc Bolan, the legendary founder of the 70's era Glam British rock band, 'T.Rex'....:



70's Rock God, Marc Bolan, as a T.Rex/Human 'hybrid'


As I've written before in here previously, my earliest musical experiences were heavily impacted by what I heard my older siblings playing around the house.  The youngest of four children, by many years, I was barely in kindergarten when my teen brothers and sister would take turns commandeering the one stereo kept in the living room of our home.   The things they played made quite the impression on me at times.  They also loved blasting our car radio as well (whenever my parents would allow it, that is).  I'm certain the old, 70's era British band, 'T.Rex', and their biggest hit, "Bang a Gong", must have played often because I can remember those lyrics from WAY back.   Still, despite that song being such a classic, my own personal favorite tunes of theirs have always been "Children of the Revolution", and of course the lovely, psychedelic ballad, "Cosmic Dancer".  In fact I can recall gently teasing my professional danseur son when he was a kid and taking his early ballet classes by singing it to (at...?) him:  

"I danced myself right out the womb. 
Is it strange to dance so soon? 
I danced myself right out the womb."
 ~From 'Cosmic Dancer', by Marc Bolan



As I recall he wasn't super crazy about that, heh.....



"Life is Strange": side view showing the painted thick hardwood edges


The following is my auction/entry description...:




My entry for this month's Nibblefest Art Contest (NFAC),  the theme for January being 'A Subject Beginning With the 3rd Letter of Your Given Name' (which for me, means "T"), features a whimsical portrait painted in loving tribute to the 70's era British rock band, T.Rex, and its legendary founder, Marc Bolan.  Entitled "Life is Strange" (from a popular T.Rex song), and painted in acrylics upon a found, 7"x9" piece of heavy hardwood, this original is signed and ready to hang....

For my tribute to Marc Bolan, the charismatically flamboyant founder of the Glam rock band we all know and love, T.Rex, which can still be heard as a mainstay of classic rock radio stations today, I wished to portray him in a fun and unique way as befitting a pioneering rock-and-roll icon.  Tragically, Marc Bolan's life was cut short by a tragic car accident in England in 1977, just weeks shy of his 30th birthday.... 


RIP Marc Bolan (1947 - 1977).  
Life is strange indeed.




..............




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"If I Had a Hammer....": Pete Seeger Tribute, for EBSQ's August 'Toolbox'-themed Art Exhibit


8 x 10 Portrait of the folk legend, Pete Seeger, in tribute to his classic song


"If I Had a Hammer....."




EBSQ, the internet community of self-representing artists of which I have been a long-time member, features monthly, themed online art exhibits.  One of the shows this past August had the theme "Toolbox".  This was my entry (as can be seen here).

The following was my artist statement:

 
My entry for the EBSQ 'Toolbox' exhibit features a tribute portrait of the late American folk musician, Pete Seeger (1919- 2014).   

When reflecting upon the theme 'Toolbox', the first tool to come to mind was 'hammer'.   Thinking about hammers had the classic vintage folk tune, "If I Had a Hammer", popping into my head.  Written by Pete Seeger in 1949 in support of the progressive movement, the song has endured through the decades, recorded as it has been by numerous fellow musicians, and taken up as a freedom song during the American Civil Rights Movement.  I myself have many fond recollections of "If I Had a Hammer" over the course of my life -- singing it round the campfire as a young girl with my scout troupe, and then later to my own two children when they were small.  I always appreciated the simple melody and uplifting lyrics.  For my entry, I painted a portrait of the young Pete Seeger, who was 30 at the time he wrote "If I Had a Hammer" (after a lifetime of musical achievement and acclaim, Mr. Seeger passed away just this past January at the age of 95).  A prolific composer and performer, the "tool" of Mr. Seeger's trade was his guitar, with which he was often photographed playing.  I swapped out the one tool for another in this tribute to Pete Singer and his timeless classic.... 



If I had a hammer, 
I'd hammer in the morning,
I'd hammer in the evening,
All over this land.

I'd hammer out danger.
I'd hammer out a warning.
I'd hammer out love, between
My brothers and my sisters,
All over this land.


..............


"If I Had a Hammer...",  First Place Tie.....




There were but a total of four entries in the Toolbox show, still I'm very happy to say I tied for 1st Place....!   I got to split the $100 cash award prize with my fellow winner, April Trice -- $50 for each of us, how lovely!  Thanks to any who voted for me -- and many thanks to EBSQ....!


..................


(And now...., just a side note to add here, for interest and posterity.  As we all know by now (because I harp on it constantly in here), I no longer purchase new art supplies (aside from a few notable exceptions like paint and brushes) if I can in any way avoid it.  It's my own little, personal attempt to resist adding to our society's problems with over-consumption and the dreaded Affluenza  (and yes, I realize my small actions in this regard aren't likely to save the world any time soon, but can at least sleep at night in regards to my own personal artistic pursuits).  This personal moratorium includes the purchase of canvases, or even purchasing the ingredients to stretch my own canvases (too lazy to do that anyway)....because I often come across perfectly suitable alternatives when I happen to be out and about (tag sales, thrift stores, and the like (with a big emphasis this time on "the like")).  As a result, my paintings are typically created upon found wood or wooden plaques, or even supports I make myself using 2nd-hand picture frames.  I've amassed a decent hoard of these painting supports by now -- out of which the one for this entry was fished.  It's actually just a regular, gallery stretched, 8 x 10 store-bought canvas, but how it came to be mine is the more interesting part....

Years ago, when my husband and two very small children and I first moved back here to my hometown, we chanced upon a home to rent with which we fell in love.  With so many of the features we wanted in a house, we felt we had really hit the jack-pot -- cozy and old and with loads of character, a decent location, decent size (and nice to stretch out after apartment dwelling), nice yard, near the things we liked to walk to, and, most importantly, all at a reasonable rate.  We lived there for a time, until ready to purchase a house of our own.  And so we eventually moved out -- still, I always kept a very special place in my heart for our sweet old rental....

After we resettled, our cute little rental, which we were so happy with and had such good memories of,...turned into a something more of a haunted house.  It was within several years that we noticed it looking pretty beat up.  A few more years, and it was clearly run down.  Trashed even.  Hoarders, or something, had taken over, with piles of useless junk overflowing the driveway and yard, windows broken and patched with duct tape, chunks of stucco missing and shingles falling off.  What the heck happened?  Sometimes we would walk or drive by, and just pause to take in the mess that had become what had been a big part of our lives.  Where we'd had parties and celebrations, and heck, just lived. We couldn't image who could have done this to 'our' house -- much less that our old landlord would have ever allowed such a thing....!  That mystery was never solved.

Fast forward to just over a year ago, when my daughter and I were bike riding, cruising through our old neighborhood.  Passing our old house, it was clear by now it was completely empty and utterly abandoned, trashed beyond repair, and even slated for demolition.  We parked our bikes in the alleyway behind the house, and looked and looked.  She was young when we'd moved out (4 years old maybe?), but my daughter could still conjure up lots of memories.  We climbed through the gaping holes in the fence into the yard to get a closer look, pointing out nostalgic landmarks we once used to enjoy ourselves -- the patio, the outdoor brick fireplace (or, the place where it once stood anyway), the swing set, all while taking care not to trip all over the assorted junk and crap strewn about posing a booby trap.  We got a little closer, and closer still....until we were pretty much standing right next to it, staring at the gaping back door.  I'm sure you can guess what came next of course.   "Oh no, they didn't", you might be asking.  But yes, we did.  How could we not?  Our poor old house!  *OUR* house.  I know, I know -- risky, plus it was trespassing.  But I wanted to see it one last time before she was demolished for good....

Well, suffice it to say, time had not been kind.  Not easy to see the house that I'd loved so much, and held such fond memories of just 10 years before, in such state of wreck and ruin.  Still I'm glad my daughter and I had our chance to say goodbye.  And it was in there, amidst all the shattered glass and beer bottle caps (gazillions of them) all over the floor, that I stumbled upon this little, 8 x 10 canvas.   There was paint on it, but to call it a "painting" would be way too much of an exaggeration.  Just some color splashed around, and what looked possibly like some Chinese characters, although it could have just been some sort of attempt at 'abstract' something or other.  But, I took it home with me.  And when it came time to paint my little tribute to Pete Seeger here, I sanded it a bit, gessoed it, sanded it again -- and voila, good as new.  Was it stealing?  Technically, I suppose -- though guess what?   I can't say I feel much like a thief.

The house was pushed over and hauled off to the landfill just a few weeks later.  One thing I do know though...I sang this song many times over to my two young kids during countless bath times/bedtimes/naptimes, in that old house.....)





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"Desolation Row" (Bob Dylan), My Nibblefest Contest Entry for June's "All in a Row" Theme






"Desolation Row", painted in acrylics on a 6 x 8 found, wooden plaque.





Ay Carumba.  It's been quite long time since I last posted here in my poor neglected wee blog.  Not because I haven't had much to talk about, nay -- more like because I guess it's part of my nature to be on the flighty and sporadic side of things.  I do take lengthy breaks from the bloggery from time to time (some breaks longer than others).  Yet I do always seem to find my way back.... eventually. 

This was a year of adjustments -- new job, new art students, a really and truly miserable winter the likes of which I've not seen since my youth (hello, Polar Vortex!), my daughter graduating high school, college visits, my son shuffling around the country in pursuit of his dance aspirations (with us visiting often in order to see him in action), and just busy family life in general.  For months it felt like I was spinning my wheels just trying to keep up with it all.  Happily, despite the ramping up now of Summer, the pace of life is settling down and it feels like I'm finally hitting my stride again, so it's back to what I love.  And that's Art, people...! 

The above is my entry into this month's Nibblefest Art Contest.  The theme for June 2014 is "All in a Row".  I thought long and hard about the theme.   It wasn't so terribly inspiring to me at first.  But then a classic old song by Bob Dylan, called 'Desolation Row', finally came to mind.  And thank goodness for that because I decided to do a tribute to Mr. Dylan and his epic, 11-minute song/poem.  I really do like this song -- especially the harmonica solo at the end.  Makes me want to take it up!  Sadly, I wasn't gifted with much in the way of musical talent, so that isn't likely to happen anytime soon (probably best if I just stick with the painting and sculpting)....

The following is my auction description:

.......

"Desolation Row"

My entry for this month's Nibblefest Art Contest (NFAC),  the theme for June being 'All in a Row', features a portrait of the venerable singer/songwriter Bob Dylan, in his younger days.  Painted in acrylics on an 8" x 6" found wooden plaque, it's my tribute his classic song, "Desolation Row".  This original painting is signed and ready to hang.




When reflecting upon this month's theme, 'All in a Row', the epic song of free-flowing poetry, "Desolation Row", by the songwriter and poet Bob Dylan, came to mind. 
The following excerpt of the song was my inspiration...: 


"....Yes, I received your letter yesterday
About the time the door knob broke.
When you asked me how I was doing,
Was that some kind of joke...?
All these people that you mention,
Yes, I know them, they're quite lame.
I had to rearrange their faces,
And give them all another name.
Right now I can't read too good --
Don't send me no more letters, no.
Not unless you mail them
From Desolation Row....."

~Bob Dylan

...............



View showing painted sides....









"Aretha's Mockingbird", my March Nibblefest entry and tribute to Aretha Franklin
 


Today, March 25th, marks a very special anniversary.  It's Aretha Franklin's 71st birthday today --  Happy Birthday, Ms. Aretha F....!


View from the side showing painted edges


It also just happens to be Nibblefest Art Contest week (which started 5 days ago, on the 20th).  The theme this month is 'Nursery Rhymes', with the above painting, a little tribute to the venerable Aretha Franklin, Queen of Soul, as my March entry.  So how did I manage to tie Aretha Franklin into a theme like 'Nursery Rhymes'......?  The following is my auction description:




..........

"Aretha's Mockingbird"

My entry for this month's Nibblefest Art Contest (NFAC) (~the theme for March being 'Nursery Rhymes') is a 5-Day auction for an original acrylic painting on an 8.5 x 5 wooden plaque, with painted sides.   "Aretha's Mockingbird"  features a tribute portrait of the singer Aretha Franklin, and is signed and ready to hang.  


"Aretha's Mockingbird", an 8.5 x 5 painted wood plaque


Regular bidders know I often look toward musical influences for inspiration when casting about for my monthly Nibblefest theme ideas.  Reflecting upon 'Nursery Rhymes' this month had me recalling the favorites of my children, which I must have repeated a thousand times over to them through the years at naps and bedtime.  My daughter's favorite was "Hush Li'l Baby" (which she referred to as "Mockybird").  


"Hush, little baby, don't say a word.
Mama's gonna buy you a mockingbird."


And now I have a confession to make.  Sadly, I've no talent for singing.  Lacking range, vocal strength or tone, I nonetheless never let that keep me from performing a veritable concert every night for my appreciative children when tucking them into bed. I gave it my best, but still I always had a secret longing for the beautiful singing voice I never had.  Which brings me to...Aretha Franklin.  Now there's a woman who can sing (and how!).  Aretha covered "The Mockingbird Song" back in 1965 -- to be sure a jazzed up version of the rhyme I sang to my kids, but still clearly based on the old folk original.  My entry this month is a 60's-era portrait of Aretha Franklin, a tribute to our reigning 'Queen of Soul'.....


..............

 To see ALL the great 'Mushroom'-themed Nibblefest Art Contest entries this month
(with each starting at just .99 cents!),
just here....




Detail:

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My January NIbblefest Art Contest Entry ('5 Random Things'): "Into White"



Once again, the 20th of the month rolls around, and, just as surely as we can rely on the inevitability of death or taxes, so can we count on the start of the Nibblefest Art Contest.

The theme for January was a little different this month, but interesting:  "Five Random Things"....


My January Nibblefest Art Contest entry for the theme 'Five Random Things'



'Five Random Things"???  I admit I had to ponder long and hard on it this month (who am I kidding?  I have to do that EVERY month).  Incorporating five separate, unrelated elements into one painting posed a little bit of a challenge.  But of course as longtime readers will know, I always enjoy a challenge -- so when I found myself stumped for good and juicy subject matter (a 'Still Life' grouping might have been the easy(er) route?  But no...), I looked for inspiration in my typical fashion:  within the musical and literary influences that have resonated with me in my life.  The musical ended up winning out this month, when the old song, "Into White", from the album "Tea for the Tillerman", by Cat Stevens, somehow randomly popped into my head.  So much visual imagery in that one (definitely at least 5 things, and highly 'random' at that) -- almost too much really, in that I was worried at first about successfully making an appealingly cohesive composition for a painting.  I actually rejected the idea several times, while trying to come up with some other, less obtuse, concept.  But I simply couldn't get the song out of my mind no matter what I did (click here to hear song on Youtube)  -- so, in the end I decided not to resist.....


"Into White" (9 x 12)


To incorporate all 5 random elements I did work a little larger than I usually do for Nibblfest (at 9 x 12).
The following is my auction description:

................

..."Into White"...


 My entry for this month's Nibblfest Art Contest (NFAC) (~the theme for January being '5 Random Things') is an original acrylic painting on a 9 x 12 gallery-wrapped canvas. "Into White" is signed, with painted sides, and ready to hang.  At 9" x 12", it is one of my larger NFAC entries....

..........

I built my house from barley rice,
Green pepper walls and water ice,
Tables of paper wood, windows of light,
And everything emptying into White. 

A simple garden, with acres of sky,
A Brown-haired dogmouse
If one dropped by,
Yellow Delanie would sleep well at night,
With everything emptying into White.

A sad Blue eyed drummer rehearses outside,
A Black spider dancing on top of his eye,
Red legged chicken stands ready to strike,
And everything emptying
Into White. 
 

~"Into White",
by the musician known formerly as Cat Stevens


When casting about for inspiration for this month's theme, 'Five Random Things', a song from my childhood came to mind.  The youngest of four kids, with my next oldest sibling seven years my senior, I recall the dominant soundtrack of my youth being the numerous record albums my big brothers and sister frequently played.  One of those albums was 'Tea for the Tillerman', by Cat Stevens, to which I loved singing along.  His song, "Into White", with its simple haunting tune and poetically surreal lyrics, never failed to send my youthful imagination into overdrive.  My entry, with its 5 Random Things, is a little tribute both to the song, and my childhood memories of it.

....................

 To see ALL the great 'Mushroom'-themed Nibblefest Art Contest entries this month
(with each starting at just .99 cents!),
just here....




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My NIbblefest Art Contest Entry: November's 'Nature' Theme:





"Mother Nature's Son" (5" x 10.5")

 

Nibblefest Art Contest time rolls around, once again.  This month's contest began on the 20th, as usual -- and as usual I did come up with an original entry, though with the Thanksgiving hubbub tucked in there I am only now getting around to blogging about it.  Better late than never right? 

I did find this month's "Nature" theme, nature lover that I am, pretty irresistible.  I adore nature, revering it in all its forms.  It never fails to be an endless source of wonder and fascination for me, as it has my whole life long.  I often incorporate elements of the natural in my artwork as a matter of course anyway -- so why should it have been any sort of challenge coming up with my entry concept this month?  I guess because as a theme it may have been a little TOO broad perhaps....?   Too many ideas, crowding my thoughts and conflicting with each other.  And so I turned to my two trusty inspirational defaults so handy in such situations:  Music, and Literature.  Music trumped this month, when the vintage Beatles tune "Mother Nature's Son" popped into my head (my older siblings played the heck out of the 'White Album' in my early years, spinning it as they did via the one family stereo system we all shared in our living room -- the result of which being those songs forever etched into my brain, lol)....


The following is my auction description:

"...Mother Nature's Son..."

   My entry for this month's Nibblefest Art Contest (NFC) (~the theme for November being 'Nature') is an original acrylic painting on vellum mounted permanently onto a thin, 5"x10.5" section of old, found wood.  'Mother Nature's Son' is signed on the front, and ready to hang...

...........

The art I make often incorporates natural subject matter, so it might be 'natural' to assume my entry for this month's contest, with its 'Nature' theme,  was a no-brainer.  It's wasn't, but only because of my fetish of always trying to capture personal meaning in whatever I decide to tackle.  It really must speak to me.  This month was no exception, as I found myself turning to music for my inspiration -- when an old Beatles song popped into my head as I ruminated upon "Nature".   I well remember my older brothers and sister playing the Beatles' "White Album" around the house as I was growing up.  I so loved the song, "Mother Nature's Son", with its simple lyrics and sweet, understated melody (plus I  also recall my enthusiastic joining in of the "Doo doo doooooo" chorus!).  But how best to interpret this old song...?
 
Born a poor young country boy,
Mother Nature's son.
All day long I'm sitting singing songs for everyone.

Sit beside a mountain stream.  See her waters rise.
Listen to the pretty sound of music
as she flies.

Find me in my field of grass,
Mother Nature's son.
Swaying daisies sing a lazy song beneath the sun,

Mother Nature's son....
 


I finally decided to paint my very own version of a Mother Nature's Son, a true product of his environment, soaking up the sun and fresh air as he entertains an audience of assorted wild critters (noting of course that I *had* to include a Blackbird in the assemble -- a nod to yet another  favorite tune off the same album). 

.............


To see ALL the great 'Fantasy'-themed Nibblefest Art Contest entries this month
(with each starting at just .99 cents!),
here....

 

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August Nibblefest Update: "Tom's Diner" Ties for First Place...!




NIbblefest Art Contest First Place Award

I was surprised and excited to discover my August Nibblefest Art Contest entry, "Tom's Diner", tied for First Place this month -- what a hoot....!  (Very happy to share the title with the lovely artist, Christine Striemer, AKA CES, who had a truly stunning 'Coffee' themed entry this month).   Thanks so much, Nibblefest....!

In all, I really enjoyed all the 'competition' this go round -- so many nice interpretations on the 'Coffee' theme upon which folks obviously puts lots of time, thought and effort into.  Now that it's over, here's looking forward to the next round of Nibblefest, in September, when the theme is to be 'Cats'.  Well, with a theme such as that, which must surely be one of the most popular subject matters around EVER, I'm hoping for lots of participation in the Contest next month.  I myself am already mulling over some 'Cat' inspired concepts -- which is almost unheard of for me, being the  procrastination Queen that I am, and here we're at least a three full weeks out from the next NFAC, heh.  But a theme like 'Cats' easily conjures up bevvy of ideas -- in any case we'll see how it goes.  (And lastly, a note for anyone reading this who might have a 'Cat'-themed piece he or she has been sitting on....consider throwing your hat in the Nibblefest ring in September -- it's fun (AND addicting)....!)

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My Nibblefest Art Contest entry, a painting entitled "Tom's Diner" -- tribute to the old Suzanne Vega song....



My entry for this month's Nibblefest Art Contest, an original entitled "Tom's Diner".....

Confession time.  So naturally, like most people, I have any manner of personal interests/pursuits, and favored methods of keeping myself entertained.  But by far my most favorite of all relaxing distractions has got to be the age-old activity....of People Watching.  People Watching, how I adore thee....!

If it sounds creepy, I promise it's really not.  Surely I'm not alone in finding the act of sitting back and passively observing the comings and goings of random humanity around me an endless source of fascination....?  I swear I can 'people watch' for hours and never get bored.  But just what is it about it that's so personally intriguing?  I do take casual mental note of folks -- what they are doing perhaps, what they are wearing.  But not in any judgmental way.  Instead it's as with an impartially neutral clinician's eye.  I simply find People, strangers or otherwise, highly interesting creatures..... 

Perhaps I find it so entertaining because I tend to be a visually-oriented thinker, so that all this mental observation might somehow convey for me reams of pertinent information to process, consciously or otherwise.  Perhaps as an artist, drawn to featuring people in my paintings, I'm subconsciously staking out future subject matter.  Or who knows, maybe I was an anthropologist in a former life, lol  -- whatever the case, I confess I'm a relentlessly avid (but discrete!) observer of my fellow humankind....

Which brings me to this month's Nibblefest Art Contest....  As mentioned in my last post, I missed the original August 20th deadline, but was able to make up for it last night, with a 5-Day auction for an original entry entitled "Tom's Diner" ( for auction link).   So who here might be familiar with that old song by the folk-inspired singer/songwriter Suzanne Vega....?  The following is my auction description:

____________________________


..."Tom's Diner".....

My entry for this month's Nibblefest Art Contest (NFAC), (~the theme for August being 'Coffee') is an original acrylic painting on a 8.5 x 7" found wooden plaque.  "Tom's Diner' is signed on the front, and ready to hang.....

When thinking about 'Coffee' as a theme this month, one of the first things to pop into my head was the song, "Tom's Diner", by the folk-inspired singer/songwriter Suzanne Vega.  I've always been partial to the song, written as it is in sort of a 'stream of consciousness' first person narrative, about a patron hanging out alone in a city diner, sipping coffee while making mental observations of the mundane goings-on around her.  One of these is a woman outside in the rain who spies her own reflection in the window, taking advantage of it to adjust her skirt and stockings.  My entry is my attempt to capture the moment of this little scenario:

"....There's a womanon the outside
Looking inside.
Does she see me?
No she does not really see me
'Cause she seesher own reflection....."
(from the lyrics of 'Tom's Diner', by Suzanne Vega)


_________________________



While I myself don't have time much to hang around in cafes, on those rare occasions when I do I have found them PRIME people watching locales.  I mean seriously, what a hoot!  So perhaps that's why Suzanne Vega's song, which I first heard 20 years ago or more (and can be listened to on Youtube here), has always resonated with me.....


"Tom's Diner", as inspired by the Suzanne Vega tune, "Tom's Diner".....


One more note about this particular piece.  I used for my painting support an old, wooden plaque I'd picked up recently from a second-hand store.  It has an interesting little inscription on the back of it, which will likely prove to be a bit of curiosity to whomever wins it.  The following is a photo of the back of the wood plaque, with my title and signature but also the inscription I discovered written there: 

My title/name/date on the top, with the written inscription in the middle...

An close-up shot of the written inscription (can you read it?):


Love, from Grandma and Grandpa Scharlau :-)


Isn't that sweet....?!  The plaque as I found it was painted a flat canary yellow, with what amounted to a large sticker of a cartoon dog adhered to it.  Apparently a gift to a treasured grandson in the '70's -- but still, not being original art, or heck, even a print, after some pondering I came to the conclusion it would be okay to put the plaque to alternate use.  Though I'm making certain NOT to obscure this sweet little note on the back in any way -- it will remain a part of the piece's history.....

(To see ALL the great art entries in this month's Nibblefest Art Contest, here)....

In any case, speaking of old artwork, just to reiterate here, in my quest to re-purpose the various second-hand frames and painting supports that I stumble across from time to time, I would be loathe to ever paint over original artwork (that is, unless whatever we are talking about really is TRULY questionable) -- nothing at all like the news I heard only last night on BBC radio.  Has anyone else read about this...???  Apparently a century-old fresco in Spain that had seen extensive deterioration over the years...was the recent object of an amateur 'restoration' by a go-getting elderly parishioner, who took it upon herself to personally  'fix' the damage ( for online article).  Oyyyyyy...!



A damaged fresco (left), damaged yet even further by a well-meaning parishioner! (right)


I mean in a way one has to admire her chutzpah and 'take charge' attitude..., but Ay Carumba!  So yeah, none of that -- I know my limits!



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Nibblefest Art Contest: 'MoonShadow' wins 3rd Place....!


"MoonShadow" places Third in Nibblefest...!


Good news!  Just found out  my entry, "MoonShadow", won Third Place in February's Nibblefest Art Contest -- hooray, I'm thrilled....!   Thanks, Nibblefest!  (See Nibblefest's Facebook Fan Page here)

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Nibblefest Art Contest: My Entry, 'MoonShadow'....

"MoonShadow",  3.5" x 8" acrylic painting on vellum that has been permanently mounted to a section of reclaimed wooden board.

The Nibblefest Art Contest began tonight!  I was able to get two entries completed for it, including this one that I blogged about this morning, my 'MoonShadow'.....


My auction description:


"....I very much enjoyed this month's Nibblfest theme.  Being as that I love to listen to music as I paint, the theme of "Moonlight' brought to mind all my many favourite songs that have the word 'moon' or 'moonlight' in their titles or lyrics.  One of those tunes has always been "Moon Shadow", by Cat Stevens.  I have many fond memories of my older siblings playing it at home when I was growing up.  With its simple, cheerful melody and optimistic lyrics, it's a song that stuck with me all these many years, and one that I often sang aloud to my own children...."

(For those unfamiliar with Nibblefest -- it is a friendly, monthly, themed art contest on Ebay that always begins of the first of every month, with all entries beginning with a starting bid of just .99 cents.  Fun times!)

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Nibblefest Art Contest: "Life On Mars (Sunken Dream)"





Nibblefest Art Contest on eBay: ACEO "Life on Mars (Sunken Dream)" (y for link)

One of three ACEO entries by me for this month's Nibblefest Art Contest (NFAC), the theme for February being 'Dreams'.....

When reflecting upon this month's theme, the first things that came to mind were favorite songs of mine that happen to have the word 'Dream' in their lyrics. I thought long and hard about all the tunes I know and cherish from a lifetime of listening that feature the word 'dream' -- a surprising number to choose from as song after song popped into my head. So many in fact that I found it very difficult to narrow them down to a mere three -- though in the end, after much deliberation, I finally managed to whittle the list. As such, one song that I have always loved, but also been a little haunted by, with its intriguing poetic lyricism, soaring vocals and swirling orchestral, is David Bowie's 'Life on Mars', about a lonely, unhappy girl who attempts (unsuccessfully) to find solace and escape from her difficult life through the watching of films (and I know I had to have spent many long HOURS listening (and pondering) this classic tune as a pensive and moody middle-teen):

".....But a friend is nowhere to be seen.
Now she walks through her sunken dream
to the seat with the clearest view,
and she's hooked to the silver screen...... "

So here we see her, 'the girl with the mousy hair', as she sits alone in the darkened theatre, enduring yet another nonsensical movie that says nothing to her about her life....



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