The Future of Wildlife

As one of America's millions of conservationists, I'll be using my vote this year to help publicly address my particular concern for the future of our country's wildlife and natural resources.


So this year when you vote for your local, regional and national leaders, I hope you’ll also consider voting for those that will be champions for the environment and wildlife.

Freedom OF THE SPIRIT

Each Sunday, I receive "The Infinite Being" newsletter by Owen Waters. Today I downloaded his new book, "Freedom of the Spirit", just out and available online as an e-book.


Owen says mankind currently stands at the 6th and final stage of material consciousness, getting ready now to move on into the spiritual tier of conscious evolution. I strongly recommend this publication to all seekers of a higher, more evolved awareness. Learn more about this book on my Spirit Art Blog tomorrow.

Reorganization in the Studio

I spent the day reorganizing my studio, reference area and painting table today.

Jerry picked up a nice desk this week that worked out perfectly for me. Look how my file cabinet fits like a glove underneath the desk. I guess it was just meant to be!


This really helped make my studio space more functional and less cluttered. Reorganization can often be just what the doctor ordered. It's like a breath of fresh air!

THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED

There's something to be said for taking the "road less traveled". I took these pictures yesterday on my 20 mile trip "around the block".


The fall colors were simply beautiful and I knew they wouldn't last.


I'm glad I ventured out because today we've got high winds and pounding rain so the fall foliage may be down sooner than expected.

His Majesty's Gift

Sometimes we learn life's lessons the hard way. See the story of "His Majesty's Gift" here: Communication With Spirit Through Natural Symbolism. "In stillness I hear spirit's voice, not universal clutter." ~ Rev Kathy Graves


Animal augury has helped shape my life and opened my mind to the very real yet somewhat hidden layers of the natural world.

FALL IN THE NJ PINES

Fall has finally come to Southern NJ. We just got our first real frost this past week. I'm not complaining. I held off turning on our heater as long as possible. Here are a few photos from around my neighborhood.

The blueberry bushes are now a red cranberry color.


Here some discarded boxes from picking time are piled up and forgotten in the field.

The dark cedar water reflects the varied colors of the season.

"BRISK SALES IN A CROWD"

Our outdoor festivals have come to an end for 2008. We are exhausted and exhilarated! Here's a picture of Our Three Tent Setup last weekend at the Cranberry Festival in Chatsworth, NJ. We had a very busy two days. It was fun handing out autographed copies of the Show Program, reuniting with old customers and friends as well as making new ones.


I had a nice surprise yesterday morning when I found my reply included in the clickbacks to Robert Genn's Oct. 17th letter, "Lessons from a Turkish Market" . It's got a picture of me standing in front of our booth at one of our fall shows. Bob and Andrew, thanks so much! I especially appreciated the compliment you gave me under the photo too. I didn't get it until I read the comments that followed mine. You are the best!

PRO-CHOICE vs. ANTI-CHOICE

The term "pro-life" is all part of the hype. "It's PRO-CHOICE vs. ANTI-CHOICE". No living creature in its right mind is against "life". - comment from: I am Emily X, a true-life diary of a frontline Planned Parenthood worker and activist.

Because of Planned Parenthood, I never had to face the difficult decision of an unwanted pregnancy or abortion. In my late teens and early twenties, Planned Parenthood was there to insure that I got the birth control, routine tests, health counseling and education I needed. Thanks to all you Planned Parenthood Emily X's out there. Keep up the great work! I'd hate to see the fundamentalist minority ruin decades of progress in women's reproductive rights. If they get their way, women will once again be subject to the "dark ages" and back alleys of family planning. Here's a quote that relates to our present situation that I found a bit humorous; "If we are going to teach creation science as an alternative to evolution, then we should also teach the stork theory as an alternative to biological reproduction." ~ Judith Hayes

From the most recent Emily X blog post - "If you want to reduce the number of abortions in the country, then work with us, not against us. Most of the work we do -- 98% in fact -- is prevention."

Today I Took The Test

The goal of this test is to exactly classify your personal politics, without the traditional labels. They've avoided the edgy party issues and focused on fundamental values. Your score is a measure of what you believe in, economically and socially.

Take the test yourself and see my results below:

The Politics Test Results

You are a Social Liberal (61% permissive) and an... Economic Liberal (28% permissive) You are best described as a: Democrat Link: The Politics Test on Ok Cupid Also : The OkCupid Dating Persona Test

CHATSWORTH CRANBERRY FESTIVAL

It's the 25th Annual Chatsworth Cranberry Festival this weekend and the weather's looking grand! Each year I do a cover illustration featuring the famous Jersey Devil. Here's the design I came up with for this year's program book.


Hope to see you in Chatsworth New Jersey, "Capital of the Pines", this weekend!

Pretty In Pink

Princess says she wants to be featured in my web log. What the princess wants,
the princess gets! Here's a shot of her posing by my pink mums.

Cats Are Cool

Our fur baby, Tigger is recovering nicely after his major surgery. It was three weeks ago today. It's amazing how quickly he's healing. His hair is growing back VERY slowly though! Thanks to everyone who's been asking how he's doing!

Kirby's Mill Apple Festival, Medford, NJ

These are pictures of our double - space set up at the Kirby's Mill Apple Festival last Saturday.

I love this show. We've got lots of room to really show off the work.



The weather was great! It went up into the 70's by the early afternoon.


We organized the 100 plus original paintings by subject matter.

We had a great day! I thank all my friends for coming out and showing their support.

IT'S SHOW TIME!

I'm in "SHOW MODE" these days. It's an exciting and hectic time for me.
Here's a picture of me at our booth this past weekend at the Smithville Octoberfest.


My studio walls are bare as the paintings stay packed and ready to meet the world.


Of course, Tommy is a big help with supervising the framing.



Yesterday I got out all my personal hand made Thank You notes to everyone who purchased an original painting.


I also got caught up on all my paper work including setting up new lease/purchase agreements.

I hope to see some of you at my next two shows! Email me for more information!

Saying Goodbye

Sometimes we form attachments to objects that are man made. It could be a car, a piece of clothing, a book, a piece of furniture, etc. My first digital camera, a Nikon CoolPix 880, which I purchased over nine years ago, finally died. We had been through a lot together. With it I archived almost a decade of my work and posted many shots on the internet. We shared numerous occasions and trips, together documenting and preserving many wonderful memories. I still have the box and everything that came with it. I can't bare the thought of trashing it. I feel as though it deserves a proper memorial service and burial although I know that's rediculous. A new smaller, cheaper, more efficient Cannon Power Shot has taken its place and I must admit, I already like it very much.

Hummingbirds Gone?

I haven't seen any hummers here for the past couple of days. I think the last batch of birds may have left here and started on their long journey. I wish them a safe trip and await their return to me next spring. I will continue to replenish the nectar and maintain several feeders until well into fall. I have gotten travelers come through here as late as Thanksgiving before.This is another photo of one of our birds by Hummer Hound, Nancy Hinds. I love the detail of this bird's feathers in this shot. Thanks Nancy

Staying Quiet Today

Tigger is finally resting more. This picture shows him sleeping in his favorite chair today. After wrestling him to give him his pain meds last night, I decided it wasn't worth hurting him over it.

Recovery After Major Surgery Begins

We picked up Tigger yesterday. He was so happy to be home! I guess the pain meds made him forget his troubles. He was very playful and it was hard keeping him quiet. These pictures are of him playing with his favorite toy, less than 24 hours after major surgery. Animals truly are so amazing, uplifting and inspiring!

Tigger's Surgery

Hopefully we will be able to bring Tigger home today. As of yesterday evening, the report to us was that the surgery went well and the patient is doing fine.

NO SUCH THING AS FREE CATS

There's no such thing as a free cat! The acquisition of an animal is BY FAR the least expensive thing about ownership.


I have been a sucker for animals all my life. Now, my husband Jerry, is just as bad. Tigger, the young feral cat who waltzed into our home and hearts in March, is tonight at an animal surgical center an hour form here awaiting a femoral/head neck excision. Tomorrow they will remove the *neck and ball part of Tigger's right femor bone. It is costing around two grand. It is only for one hip and both seem to be going bad. Are we nuts? We do not have that kind of money to throw around, yet Tigger is our fur baby and now we have to try to save him. He is such a special, neat cat and so young. I couldn't bare to think of him living his whole life in pain.


These pictures were taken today, just before we left for the hospital.

Happy Hummers Still Hanging Out

Although things are winding down here in Southern New Jersey and most of my hummingbirds have left on their fall journey, we still have a dozen or so hanging out here. They are probably transients, but several have gotten quite accustomed to me, so I'm sure they have been here for at least a couple of weeks.

We also have some hummingbird enthusiasts, Nancy Hinds and Frank Goff, who have been coming every Saturday to spend time with our little treasures. I call them the Hummer Hounds. It's fun to share my enthusiasm and joy with them. It's Saturday, so I expect their call to say they are coming over soon. This photo was taken by Hummer hound, Nancy Hinds.

Doesn't the "God" in all Life Matter?

Have you ever heard of aerial hunting? It's a brutal practice. Wolves are shot from low-flying aircraft or chased to exhaustion, then killed at point-blank range.

Governor Sarah Palin, the Republican nominee for Vice President, promotes this barbaric practice, exploiting a loophole in the Federal Airborne Hunting Act to allow private wolf killers to shoot down wolves using aircraft. To encourage the killing, she even proposed a $150 bounty for the left foreleg of each dead wolf!

We have to get the word out about this! Please watch this powerful new television ad by Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund, and then share it with every wildlife lover you know:

http://actionfund.defenders.org/palintvwolf

WET - IN - WET / WORKSHOP - Day Three

I really had a great group of artists here for my workshop the past few days! I must say I was impressed by their work ethic. Frustration ran high today as students tackled two wet - in - wet florals. As I demonstrated, they tried to follow along. At times I felt sorry for them. I remember what it's like, but it is all a necessary part of the learning process. I'm fortunate. This is a determined group with an abundance of heart, tenacity and aptitude!


I demoed the top painting in the morning. I wet the paper completely on both sides before starting. We did the bottom painting after lunch. In this one, I wet the back, and front, but left the white flowers dry. I'm showing these clipped to my board, before cropping.

WATERCOLOR WORKSHOP - DAY TWO

I started today's workshop with a couple of handouts from ROBERT GENN 's : Twice Weekly Letters for Artists. I have subscribed to this inspirational email letter for artists since the beginning. Starting as far back as 1999, I think. I've been praising Bob and his efforts ever since. His readership has grown by leaps and bounds from a mere handful of readers to probably hundreds of thousands world-wide. I highly recommend subscribing! It is a powerful resource, not just for painters, but for anyone with an interest in the arts and philosophy.

In last week's Sept. 9th, 2008  letter, "Build A Factory", Bob writes; "During the last while I've been giving my two bits worth to several would-be painters. These folks are young, well educated and talented. They want to talk about the business of making art, the possibility of going to art school, their future in art. They also check my modest brain for what I might think galleries want, price points, popular sizes, that sort of thing.

While this is all very nice, I've glazed over a few times, and frankly told one of them to paint a hundred paintings and give me a call when she does. There was a significant silence on the other end of the phone--as if it was just around the corner that I might coach creativity into her. "Think of yourself as a factory," I said. That was the end of that call.

Not many of us can be convinced that working in a factory is a lot of laughs. Being a factory may be even worse. But there's something to be said for building one and getting into it.

Artist-wannabees need to find a physical place to be. For artists who think big and lofty, an unused loft in a rust-belt town might be the choice. But a factory can also be in a corner under basement stairs, or an easel at the bottom of a garden. Factory is a mental thing.

An art factory is a place where unmarked supports enter on one side, become caressed with the physical manifestation of human imagination, and are subsequently pushed out the other side. Whether these modified supports are commercially destined or not, it's a process that needs to take place.

When the factory gets the steam up and things begin to happen, the worker becomes hooked. Also, as skills are learned, techniques defined and directions found, the place begins to look like a perpetual motion machine.

Theoretical folks don't always understand that the factory itself turns its operator back into a student. The factory becomes a school. If you like the idea of do-it-yourself learning, and you are curious about what you might be able to do, a little private factory is one fine institution. If your factory starts small and gets productive, you'll need a bigger factory." ~ Robert Genn


Here is a copy of two days of paintings from my own Sandy Sandy Factory.


In today's handouts, I also included a copy of this addition from yesterday's September 12th Painter's Keys letter, titled; "John Cage - Life is a Workshop"

John Cage's "Rules for Students and Teachers.":

1 Find a place you trust, and then try trusting it for awhile.
2 General duties of a student--pull everything out of your teacher; pull everything out of your fellow students.
3 General duties of a teacher--pull everything out of your students.
4 Consider everything an experiment.
5 Be self-disciplined--this means finding someone wise or smart and choosing to follow them. To be disciplined is to follow in a good way. To be self-disciplined is to follow in a better way.
6 Nothing is a mistake. There's no win and no fail, there's only make.
7 The only rule is work. If you work it will lead to something. It's the people who do all of the work all of the time who eventually catch on to things.
8 Don't try to create and analyze at the same time. They're different processes.
9 Be happy whenever you can manage it. Enjoy yourself. It's lighter than you think.
10 Break rules. Even your own rules. Leave plenty of room for X quantities.

John Cage (1912-1992) was a composer, print maker, performance artist, writer, philosopher, editor, teacher, mushroom expert, collaborator and poet. Fact is, John Cage had a lot of fun in his factory. Considered one of the most influential composers of the twentieth century, he produced works with one note, no notes, notes by chance, and a noted organ composition that takes 639 years to play.

Thinking about the life and "happenings" of John Cage, it's not difficult to see that joy, imagination and brilliance flow from factories. "Life," he said, "is a workshop." ~ Robert Genn 

After practicing watercolor techniques, students all wanted to stick to tonal studies today. Building on yesterday's lessons, here is the demo I did today.

Happy Creating!

See A More Current Post About Working In A Series.

DAY ONE - Watercolor Workshop

WARM UP EXERCISE
I started today's lessons with a warm up exercise I came up with at the spur of the moment. Holding the pencil like a wand, I encouraged students to use their whole arm and wrist while making various scribbles on their paper. Everyone seemed to agree that this helped them to loosen up for the sketching to follow.

TWO MINUTE GESTURES
I have some wood bird carvings and decided to use them as models for our two minute gesture sketches. After the allotted time was up, each person turned their bird clockwise a quarter of a turn. Each participant did a dozen sketches, three birds, four views each.

BLIND CONTOUR DRAWING
This is a wonderful exercise that I haven't done in a long time. None of the students had ever done a blind contour. This teaches hand eye coordination. You can't look down at your paper while you are drawing. You must only look at the subject while the pencil is moving. This trains you to caress the object with your eyes. After this exercise, students followed along with handouts as we went on to drawing a hummingbird with my Six Steps to Sensational Sketches Demo.

MONOTONE VALUE PAINTING
After lunch break, we did a value painting of a lighthouse. I explained WET-IN-WET techniques on painting skies, grass, water and buildings. Here is my demo painting.

Ellen Barnett's "Gathering Images" Show

Ellen is displaying a large variety of her paintings and collage work at the Burlington County Library now through October 1st. The library hours are: Monday 9am - 9pm; Tuesday - Friday 10am - 9pm; Saturday 9am - 5pm and Sunday 1pm - 5pm. Stop by and check out her beautiful work.

You can contact Ellen at: ebarnett@comcast.net.

Ellen Barnett poses in front of a collage with brand new owner, Bobbie Zurbach.

Instruction on Sketching

Last week I was contacted by Ralph Serpe; artist, writer, musician and webmaster, about having my "Sensational Sketches In Six Simple Steps" featured on his blog. He writes; "I own and maintain a very popular blog on Art Instruction. My site receives over 20,000 unique visitors each month, and I have a subscriber base of nearly 9,000 artists, all hungry for fresh new content." I checked it out and saw it was of very high caliber. Of course I said YES!

Please visit: www.artinstructionblog.com and check it out!

See comments about my demo from artinstructionblg.com and more about this sketch on: www.sketchingeveryday.com



See my sketching posts displayed in reverse-chronological order, on: http://www.sketchingeveryday.com

My sketching posts are presented in chronological order on:
http://www.drawingeveryday.com