Thursday, June 23, 2011
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
One!
Today is The Summer Solstice and the one year anniversary of my blog. I remember quite well that first post, I was a bit scared. I didn't tell any one I was "doing it" for a long while. I had something of an imposter complex going on. With all of the real blogs out there, who was I trying to fool? Would any one want to read what I had to say? There were many times when I felt alone out there in the blogosphere, but thankfully words of encouragement came my way from friends and a fellow blogger. Yep, talking about you Reuben! Thanks so much!
This year has found me more comfortable with where I am (loss of career, what now?). I feel more hope and less inner struggle and fear for the future. I am riding a wave now, going with the flow and somewhere I will touch land and find where I need to be.
I am making more art, making new friends, making my little world more beautiful and making do with "less". Thank you for joining me on the journey!
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This year has found me more comfortable with where I am (loss of career, what now?). I feel more hope and less inner struggle and fear for the future. I am riding a wave now, going with the flow and somewhere I will touch land and find where I need to be.
I am making more art, making new friends, making my little world more beautiful and making do with "less". Thank you for joining me on the journey!
Monday, June 6, 2011
Reuben-esque
A few days ago I made a comment on my favorite blog:Rancho Reubidoux http://ranchoreubidoux.wordpress.com/
Reuben hadn't even come close to winning in the creative potted plant contest he'd entered. Bias aside, he should have won. His entry was deceivingly simple and devilishly delicious! The contest was obviously rigged!
Ditto on all of the above! How about having a RR “potted” contest? You wouldn’t be able to enter, of course, but you could reclaim your right to well deserved “snobbishnes” by hosting a “better” version. We, your admiring followers, could each send a little something cool to add to the prize mix(a piece of art, a plant, a pot, a baby’s arm holding an apple?)!
I was shocked and thrilled to see that my comment inspired Reuben to do a still life using the prize mix elements I had suggested. Whodathunk!
Inspiration can come from literally anywhere. In the case of the still life, above, it arrived courtesy of a comment made by fellow artist/gardener/blogger, Ginny, of Gypsy Girl Grounded blog. In the post previous to this one, Ginny proposed I have a contest where faithful readers would send “a piece of art, a plant, a pot [and] a baby’s arm holding an apple” as part of a prize mix. Well, that disparate list of elements intrigued me; I decided to set up a still life using each of them, and based on Ginny’s blog. I knew I had a baby’s arm somewhere, and after a little digging, I found it. Part of an advertising display, it had broken off long ago but I liked its classically cherubic posture, so I’d kept it. And, being that this would be a Rancho-based still life, the apple in the arm’s hand would be a tiny cactus apple. Now, to gather the other elements on the list …
The “piece of art” is a framed abstract painting from the flea market; the “plant”, two succulents from the Rancho’s front yard; the “pot”, a ’50s-era dark green ceramic half-cylinder with a rusted metal surround that features shapely cut-outs. Additional elements include the lid and base of a glazed ceramic box, a spiky seed pod found on Mt. Rubidoux, and a large aged steel tray as backdrop. Ginny’s blog, artwork, and photographs, are colorful, but with a boho-religious-Latino vibe, that sometimes verges on the dark, so the items I chose for the still life reflect that by being both bright and dark, rich and saturated. Complicated … like you’d expect from a Gypsy Girl Grounded. Thanks for the inspiration, Ginny, I hope you approve of the still life you inspired.
Still life a la Ginny Reuben Munoz
Yesterday I awoke to an overcast, but rainless day. The weather has been cold and wet all week and doing a number on my mental health. It isn't just that it is a pain to work outside in these January-like conditions but that it just feels wrong. Rain in June, Armageddon? See, I need my sunshine!
So, I started bringing things outside that I thought might work for the shot I had visualized the night before. The light was perfectly bright and diffused. Originally, I had wanted to use a poorly painted, but cooly seductive painting I had just purchased at Goodwill. I was thinking of apples and The Garden of Eden and Eve and all that. The honey told me what "a baby's arm holding an apple" meant. I was shocked that after all these years I'd hadn't a clue, just thought it was a surreal image that Fee Waybill had made up! I ditched "Eve" after not finding anything sexy to pair her with.
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Reuben hadn't even come close to winning in the creative potted plant contest he'd entered. Bias aside, he should have won. His entry was deceivingly simple and devilishly delicious! The contest was obviously rigged!
Ditto on all of the above! How about having a RR “potted” contest? You wouldn’t be able to enter, of course, but you could reclaim your right to well deserved “snobbishnes” by hosting a “better” version. We, your admiring followers, could each send a little something cool to add to the prize mix(a piece of art, a plant, a pot, a baby’s arm holding an apple?)!
Firestarter Reuben Munoz
Inspiration can come from literally anywhere. In the case of the still life, above, it arrived courtesy of a comment made by fellow artist/gardener/blogger, Ginny, of Gypsy Girl Grounded blog. In the post previous to this one, Ginny proposed I have a contest where faithful readers would send “a piece of art, a plant, a pot [and] a baby’s arm holding an apple” as part of a prize mix. Well, that disparate list of elements intrigued me; I decided to set up a still life using each of them, and based on Ginny’s blog. I knew I had a baby’s arm somewhere, and after a little digging, I found it. Part of an advertising display, it had broken off long ago but I liked its classically cherubic posture, so I’d kept it. And, being that this would be a Rancho-based still life, the apple in the arm’s hand would be a tiny cactus apple. Now, to gather the other elements on the list …
The “piece of art” is a framed abstract painting from the flea market; the “plant”, two succulents from the Rancho’s front yard; the “pot”, a ’50s-era dark green ceramic half-cylinder with a rusted metal surround that features shapely cut-outs. Additional elements include the lid and base of a glazed ceramic box, a spiky seed pod found on Mt. Rubidoux, and a large aged steel tray as backdrop. Ginny’s blog, artwork, and photographs, are colorful, but with a boho-religious-Latino vibe, that sometimes verges on the dark, so the items I chose for the still life reflect that by being both bright and dark, rich and saturated. Complicated … like you’d expect from a Gypsy Girl Grounded. Thanks for the inspiration, Ginny, I hope you approve of the still life you inspired.
Still life a la Ginny Reuben Munoz
Yesterday I awoke to an overcast, but rainless day. The weather has been cold and wet all week and doing a number on my mental health. It isn't just that it is a pain to work outside in these January-like conditions but that it just feels wrong. Rain in June, Armageddon? See, I need my sunshine!
So, I started bringing things outside that I thought might work for the shot I had visualized the night before. The light was perfectly bright and diffused. Originally, I had wanted to use a poorly painted, but cooly seductive painting I had just purchased at Goodwill. I was thinking of apples and The Garden of Eden and Eve and all that. The honey told me what "a baby's arm holding an apple" meant. I was shocked that after all these years I'd hadn't a clue, just thought it was a surreal image that Fee Waybill had made up! I ditched "Eve" after not finding anything sexy to pair her with.
I had also bought a Mexican ceramic girl and old hand-carved/painted tray, at the same Goodwill, I thought I might use (could they have belonged to the same person?). With my garage as backdrop I began setting up various potential still-lifes. The first fabric was too new looking, found an old piece of silk that had accidentally been washed, perfect. Then to find a pot to put into the metal urn. Found a rough-glazed one but didn't like the plant that was in it. Then, I searched for an appropriate cascading plant. It was a spider plant but with tubers that were too big for the pot. I temporarily put it into the urn and realized that it was my pot all along!
I learned a long time ago that Still-Lifes are so much harder then they look and that I end up taking out a lot more than I leave in. So, the pobracita Mexicana and the tin-type didn't make the cut. I could hear a little voice on the sidelines saying "but I am all dressed up for the Siesta, Por Favor!". I have a problem with giving human characteristics to inanimate objects! I didn't want to dismember one of my antique dolly's so a wooden hand would have to do. I bumbed an apple from my neighbor and was ready to shoot. Then the frickin' sun came out! Seriously? Days without a glimmer of hope that there would ever be light and warmth again! I left everything sitting there and went out back to garden.
Finally, during the remains of the day, the sun hid itself again and I got to shoot! I'd wanted to do something with a boho-religious-Latino vibe, that sometimes verges on the dark (thanks Reuben for "the feel" and helping me get outta da funk! ) The first image is a straight shot, the second a better representation of what I had in my head.
Reuben-esque
Monday, May 30, 2011
Sunday "Fun"
My weekend plans weren't going well. Friday night I was ready and waiting for a friend to pick me up to go to the concert in the park. She flaked last minute. Then, my Saturday evening outdoor photo shoot had to be cancelled due to a sudden rain storm (Hello, it's the end of May!).
Today's incredibly sore body is evidence that something actually went right. My entire day was spent working on the new succulent beds.
The endeavor started a couple of weeks ago, although I had wanted to do it for quite some time. The enormous bay tree that canopied the former succulent bed drops a billion seeds, all of which want to become trees. After picking a trillion of these bastards I finally got the brilliant idea to stop fighting that mother.
So, ten buckets of sandy soil from my neighbor mixed with the old soil (sifted and free of seeds), removal and relocation of plants, a rock border borrowed from around the yard (ditched the concrete idea), and the new space is ready. Now, the fun part, making it look purdy!
Today's incredibly sore body is evidence that something actually went right. My entire day was spent working on the new succulent beds.
The endeavor started a couple of weeks ago, although I had wanted to do it for quite some time. The enormous bay tree that canopied the former succulent bed drops a billion seeds, all of which want to become trees. After picking a trillion of these bastards I finally got the brilliant idea to stop fighting that mother.
So, ten buckets of sandy soil from my neighbor mixed with the old soil (sifted and free of seeds), removal and relocation of plants, a rock border borrowed from around the yard (ditched the concrete idea), and the new space is ready. Now, the fun part, making it look purdy!
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Sunday, May 15, 2011
May Showers Bring?
I had spent as much time as possible the last several weeks preparing for The 4th Annual May Birthday's Party we host. I finally conceded that not everything I'd wanted to get done would get done. No window cleaning, no mopping, no candles set about but the backyard looked lovely!
Last Saturday we had friends and family and birthday folks enjoying the outside, but, the kitchen, as usual, was where most gathered around the pot-luck extravaganza. We built a fire in the pit as the sun went down as it had gotten quite nippy.
Many people who had never been to our house were full of compliments. Some even asked what I called my style. Eclectic? Garbage Chic? Scrounge Style?
We called it quits at about 3am after having some great conversations around the fire. I was too comfie with my Mint Juleps or Sangria to break out my camera to take photos. I am hoping that some friends will pass some on.
Today, between showers, I slipped outside to take some shots because it always looks more beautiful after a storm.
The plan for this weekend was to start a new bed for my succulents. The snails and slugs are taking their toll and I will have to use pesticides for the first time. I hate killing things but there are too many now to throw over the bad neighbors fence.
Yesterday we picked up a ton of free concrete test cylinders I found on Craigslist. I am going to use them as a border for the new succulent area. Then we went yard saling where we found lots of cool stuff including black bamboo, jasmine, and old brass rimmed table top and a very old mop bucket on wheels, soon to become a planter. Lots of new projects, won't happen today, too much rain, gotta be patient!
Last Saturday we had friends and family and birthday folks enjoying the outside, but, the kitchen, as usual, was where most gathered around the pot-luck extravaganza. We built a fire in the pit as the sun went down as it had gotten quite nippy.
Many people who had never been to our house were full of compliments. Some even asked what I called my style. Eclectic? Garbage Chic? Scrounge Style?
We called it quits at about 3am after having some great conversations around the fire. I was too comfie with my Mint Juleps or Sangria to break out my camera to take photos. I am hoping that some friends will pass some on.
Today, between showers, I slipped outside to take some shots because it always looks more beautiful after a storm.
The plan for this weekend was to start a new bed for my succulents. The snails and slugs are taking their toll and I will have to use pesticides for the first time. I hate killing things but there are too many now to throw over the bad neighbors fence.
Yesterday we picked up a ton of free concrete test cylinders I found on Craigslist. I am going to use them as a border for the new succulent area. Then we went yard saling where we found lots of cool stuff including black bamboo, jasmine, and old brass rimmed table top and a very old mop bucket on wheels, soon to become a planter. Lots of new projects, won't happen today, too much rain, gotta be patient!
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Hmmm.....how many months ago did we start this re-model?
The new toilet went in this weekend. Of course, nothing is as it should be with such pprojects. There are always unforeseen troubles. This one involved many years of leaking which resulted in rotted joists among other issues that required multiple trips to Home Depot.
To come: Build custom vanity
Build custom medicine cabinet
Get "new" bathtub (wish I had $4000 to buy the solid travertine one on Craigslist)
Vault ceiling
Drywall
Venitian plaster
Tile
Find cool old light fixtures
Hang cool old light fixtures
Address other unforeseen issues
I think we're on a roll now, shouldn't take more than another 2 years!
To come: Build custom vanity
Build custom medicine cabinet
Get "new" bathtub (wish I had $4000 to buy the solid travertine one on Craigslist)
Vault ceiling
Drywall
Venitian plaster
Tile
Find cool old light fixtures
Hang cool old light fixtures
Address other unforeseen issues
I think we're on a roll now, shouldn't take more than another 2 years!
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