Disintegration...last?

...Maybe not, but the bundles parted company again, and I think I'll leave the two packets where they are, draped over the flowerbed fence. The bundle of tubes still hangs out, looking none the worse for wear after a winter and spring of typical New England weather.

















Disintigration

Newest member of the family...Pepper

We were really missing having a cat around since our old calico queen, Sassafras, left us for the great hunting ground in the sky, so I started by posting a message on our local Freecycle looking for a calico kitten, and within a week we found Pepper, who is a little over 2 months old, and settling in fine.

New Peek--Putnam bridge lamp circa 1920s

Here is the latest finished--or nearly finished Peek. I'm not as pleased, as now I see a difference in the width of the top of the lamp from the one in the photo, so I may work on it a little more. I'm generally pleased with it though. I'm aiming at photo realism, and each one gets a little closer, and I learn more and more each day about how to "see" things better.

I had printed out a copy of the photo to use as I painted, but my printer was acting wacky with the inks, so the colors were off, so there is some orange-brown-brown tint here and there that I actually liked, so I left them in.

Another thing I've learned is that the Cerulean Blue paint I use in the skies darkens considerably when it dries. I think I have the lightness down, and later it's too dark, so I have to remember that for the next one.

First "Peek"

Here is the first finished painting for my "Peeks" series. It's of a tower of a major Victorian mill in North Grosvenordale, CT, now housing an assortment of small businesses and warehouse space.
Once major employers in the area, many of these old textile companies left the area to go south for better economic chances, leaving behind beautiful old buildings made of brick, constructed by mason artists of a bygone era.

The shapes and silhouettes invoke those older days when skill and workmanship meant something.

North Grosvenordale, acrylics on canvas board, 8" x 8"

Time doesn't stop...

It's been a little over a month, and I'm floating in a sea of confusion and surreality at times. Life just goes on no matter what happens, and bills have to be paid, work done, everythign just keeps going, so I have to wrench myself away from the sadness and step back into the river and swim with the rest of the fishes.

I'm working on a portfolio review at QVCC, which involves looking at my art and trying to organize it in some useful way, and eventually create a portfolio that shows my "body of work". This is more difficult that it sounds, as I don't really know what that body of work is yet. I do too many different things.

However, I do see some little bits of patterns developing as I lok through masses of photos of my collages, photographs, paintings, ATCs, etc. Nothing concrete yet, but I see possibilities. That's what the program is about, so I'll keep going until something flows together into a cohesive package.

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To start the wheels rolling, I'm working on the first three of a set of nine "peeks"--small 8"x8" paintings in acrylics, of little images from this corner of my state. There are vintage streetlamps, clock towers, cupolas, Victorian milltowers, etc., all little peeks into the things we see everyday but perhaps don't really notice. Below are photos of the first three. They are from Putnam, Brooklyn, and No. Grosvenordale.

In Memoriam Terry "Vaughn" Stewart 1973-2009

The worst thing I can imagine has happened, I have outlived my only child.

We had a tumultuous life but it always worked out, and we were not just mother and son, but friends, too.

He had end stage renal failure which came on suddenly in 2006 and he'd been on dialysis since, with many problems caused by extremely high blood pressure, and the other complications of having failed kidneys, which finally contributed to a weakened heart which just stopped.

He was only 35.

Last December, just before Christmas, he decided to move back to Florida, which was his heart-home, and though I hated to lose him, I'd so enjoyed having him near to talk, goof around ont he computer, listen to him talk of his plans and ideas, I knew he wasn't truly happy here in cold Connecticut so I didn't try too hard to change his mind, knowing that his illness may take him away from me at any time, but he needed to be happy.

A few years ago he came upon The Way of the Peaceful Warrior, a book by Dan Millman, which changed his life and added to his ultimate happiness. He read it and it rang a clear note in his spirit which made him a better person, able to even help others, something no one who knew him as a unpredictable teen would have ever suspected.

.

I must tell you all, whoever may read this that there is never enough time. Gather your loved ones and tell them, show them you love them and keep doing it, even if it means that they move away, because you will be helping them reach their happiness in life, and there is nothing better you can do!

My little boy grew into a wonderful man, a caring friend and loving father, and I'm so happy to have seen it happen, but I will miss him more than I can say.

His Myspace

Disintegration 2-24-09

A little rain, a little snow, some freezing, a lot of wind...


Disintegration

Disintegration 2&3

ATC FYI

Just an insteresting aspect of ATC History!

House of Cards

OWOH Winners!

#1 is Angie Hall Haviland

AngieHallHaviland said...

oh...mystery box!! Crossing my fingers!

What a FUN event this is....making friends through ART

is always WONDERFUL!! Please enter me in your drawing!!

Be sure to stop by my blog :O)
http://angiehallhaviland.typepad.com/angiesartfulllife/

#2 is: Brenda

Brenda said...

Your mystery box of doodads sounds wonderful. Please enter me (#574)

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I must say, this event certainly opened my eyes to the massive possibilities out there in the internet, and to the amazing numbers of really great artsy folks out there, too! I'm happy to have been a part of it all!

Cyn