Monday, February 23, 2009

365 # 48,49,50,51,52,53 : glimpses of a visit to "The Met"








The Metropolitan Museum  Of Art! It is many years since I have braved the crowds &  Gone for a visit.  The Met is enormous. There is so much art &  everywhere you turn there is bound to be something  that is considered amazing & famous . It is funny how the oddest things caught my eye. The molding. The grand staircase that tells you this is THE temple of visual art. The flowers. (they were a little bit of spring!) Anything that creates a shadow or is cut or patterned in any way. The main reason for dragging myself out of bed ridiculously  early on a cold Sunday morning was to see the amazing: Alexander Calder's jewelry show which closes March 1st. I have always loved Calder. He broke rules and had fun and applied art to everything he did and that is what real art is-in my eyes. His jewelry is amazingly lovely and much of it was made for his wife and his friends. The show contains but a few of his pieces but there is a big book that shows it all and it reminds me of why I love art and why I am an artist. Sadly one could not take photos in this special exhibit but if you are curious you can check their web site. Stunning! 

365 # 45,46,47 : an over due update




It's been many days since the last photo was posted . Here is an update on what's been going on: 
For those of you in N.Y.C. - Shea stadium was finally torn down.  The end of an era . 
Inspired by my Valentines for 2009 I continue to play around with some ideas for Valentines Day 2010! 
I also had some fun with St Patrick's Day ...
And I went to the Met. for the first time in years. It was very nice to be back there, seeing so much art and also doing some serious people watching. 

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

365 # 44 : post Valentines signs


I spotted this yesterday and got back to the spot to take this photo today-how sweet! I wonder what love story is behind all of these abandoned hearts? 

Sunday, February 15, 2009

365 # 43 : Happy President's Day!


Happy President's Day! (We went out to dinner tonight and as I looked up from my menu, this face was staring at me. ) 

Saturday, February 14, 2009

P.S.

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!!
XXXXX + OOOOO

365 # 42 : Valentines Day challenge!



Ready for my first ever Valentines Day challenge? Go out and SPREAD THE LOVE! I saw a wonderful image on Maya*made's blog (see here & here) and took it to another level with color and this is what I came up with. It's my way of giving love and Valentines to folks in the neighborhood. There is no way I can make Valentines for ALL but I can do this! AND I did it while getting over a really bad cold so there is no excuse for anyone else to duck out of this one! Find a way to SPREAD THE LOVE  today! Be creative & simple & honest & have some fun. It can be really cool and inspiring-that is the whole point of this blog. It is also great to show love and nurture it and this is the one day "we" can all talk about love and not feel funny about it. I would very much love to hear what folks come up with and I hope I inspire YOU to go out and spread the love around your corner of the world today! XXXOOO!

Thursday, February 12, 2009

365 # 41 : Valentines Day is coming soon...


I am pushing things till the last minute as I make my very last Valentines of 2009! 

Sunday, February 8, 2009

365 # 40 : Valentines,Valentines...



Pulling together the pieces for more Valentines today...making hearts of many colors, playing with lace & ribbons-looking for that "something" special that says "love". 

Friday, February 6, 2009

365 # 39 : Making Valentines





I teach art at 2 area hospitals and I have been offering various Valentines projects for several weeks now. I made several more today = today's  photos. I have loved making Valentines for many years & I have noticed something: one makes the most awful Valentines when one is passionately in love. Perhaps that phase of love is so powerful or all encompassing that visual expression falls short or fails to impress...(?) But once one has fallen out of love, or has gained perspective via time and distance or is miserably alone-then one can make great Valentines. Go figure.
P.S. I would very much encourage folks to take the time to make some Valentines. It is wonderful to make something that is about "LOVE"

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

365: #38-at winters end...









I RAN home from work and RAN out to take more photos and spend more time in the COLD! As I look at the weather forecast for the next few days I see warmer temps and rain...maybe this is the last snowfall of this winter? So I tried to capture scenes that would remind me of what it all looked like and felt like. It was the visual equivalent of  the process squirrels go through in fall  as they  find and then store acorns for eating  in the coming  winter. 
I love footprints , of any kind (and even tire tracks) in snow. 
I love the way snow settles onto tile roofs. 
I love the way the setting sun glimmers among the cold trees.
I love how this particular type of snow sat atop everything and is still there, one day later.
I love the way bare bark looks against the snow. 
I love the way still attached tree leaves look against the winter background. 
I love the way poor Job looks in this setting. I think he was made to look up at God in the bleakness of winter time. In the lushness of summer, his plight will not seem so valid. (but stay tuned and we will find out, together.) 
I love how the intertwined tree tops look against the sky. Be sure to look up before  spring comes and all is green and leafy. 
There are some things photographs  could not capture and that is were words come in: 
I love the silence snow creates. It is an audio buffer to all the sounds created by life. 
I love the many different sounds made from walking on snow. (You can blame my love of radio for this.) Do you know what snow sounds like? Have you ever stopped to listen? 
I love how the air smells and feels. It wakes me up! It makes my face rosy. 
Last but not least: I love how snow has made me SEE this winter. Really look at things, sometimes the same things day after day. You really see when you start to look in that way. And I think you begin to appreciate all that is around you when you really see it for all that it is.  I have spent my whole life in N.Y. and I am so glad as I have gotten to taste and appreciate each and every season in all it's glory ,power & beauty. 

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

365 # 37-41






Today-SNOW!!!!! As I stepped out into the white winter wonderland I realized how boring everything looked yesterday and how amazing  the same views looked today. I guess I am going to have a tough few weeks as the landscape transitions to spring and bloom. 
There are pine forests in the park and in the areas of oldest growth the trees are fighting for sunlight and all of their lowest branches are missing. 
This is the 11th snow of the season & the beauty of it all leaves me hoping it is not our last snowfall. 

Monday, February 2, 2009

365 #36


Today was SCARY. Scary beautiful. A spring day with snow on the ground. The sound of melting water was everywhere. Folks were out taking walks, getting sun & fresh air. But it's Feb. 2nd and where is winter? I kept my eye out for signs of spring and then I spotted this : a blaringly white tree-dead. How sad. Much of the park is covered in fallen trees. Many of these trees have come to rest on live trees, weighing them down. Sad.