"stay"

This sample came from Babaloo, a woman living in Ireland known to Sweet Irene. I saw a remarkable picture of Babaloo's dog, Honey, in the woods and asked permission to work with the photograph.

The sample can be found here, the second picture in her post. Click on the picture to see it in its full glory. Tolkien could have walked down this path for inspiration. Thank you, Babaloo .

I added a widget and code to allow people to subscribe via email or a "reader." Also added a Technorati button that allows you to make my blog a "favorite," if you so feel inclined. Voting impact ratings or something and that impacts rankings in a wonderful resource from Kim - her "Top 101 Artists Blogs" listing. I have a button to access this list and so that you can add your blog at her laketrees site.

"marsh.land"

This one is simple, but good. Maybe too simple, but some are coming out that way.

Andrea and Cape Cod orgin. Cod liver oil for my soul.

Cape Cod was peaceful, and truly beautiful - but too many Red Sox fans. Put Sox fans on a whale boats please. Take them off the whale boats the one day I go whale watching. I went in early August, but September after kids are back in school and many family vacations are over might be paradise.

I have also gone to Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. I preferred Nantucket. Most every store in every Vineyard town will sell you an ice tea, diet coke, lemonade, whatever, but not one will let you use their bathroom. They make you walk to public restrooms over by where Teddy Kennedy sank his Cadillac or where James Taylor shot up heroin. They can keep it and the dumb sweatshirts with the big dog. Nantucket was precious and expensive. Great art galleries.

They say the best day to be at Disney World is Super Bowl Sunday.....this very upcoming weekend.

To me there is nothing more glorious than being at a marsh at sunrise. It is like witnessing the Creation.

"mom.moma.dad"


"wait.a.moma"

Interim image:




Print screen snapshot of a lovely post led to image below. Post latent after effects of the "sixties" made me convert it to the images, above. I blame the monkees.

This post is dedicated to all parents who show their children art - museums, concerts, libraries, websites.

All you needed was love.



I am going to go back and tag all sampled images with first name of my bandito victims. Andrea is labeled here. If anyone ever minds, please let me know....

Also have to figure out what to do if ever want to shop to galleries a sampled image (like surfy pic below).....questions. Endless questions.

"surf's.up"

Image is based on NZ surf .

Yesterday morning I saw an accipiter hawk flapping and gaining altitude and then it dive bombed abut thirty flying pigeons. I suspect it is the same Cooper's Hawk that I saw a month or so ago.

All of this seen from the train platform as my train approached at 8:12 AM. Did not see if the hunt continued.

Commuting can be hell and sometimes is also for the birds.

"temptation.detonation."

Back to Lisa, thank you. Very cool original photograph. Also, check out her wasps on prior post. She put her face in a hornet's nest to get the shot. A fricking' war photographer in training.....

Light my fire - these are the bones of the composition:

I am thinking of doing a three work process for a portfolio to shop to galleries will be:

1) create a digital quilt that is good enough to stand on its own

2) make two C-Prints and paint on one

3) scan painted print and then use MS Paint, etc to crop and create a third image, a detail - thus, ending with another electronic representation.

Three intertwined images for each.

I've decided it is important to come back to digital rather than "end the process" with the painted image. Ending with "pigment paint" would, for me, glorify our past, a tradition that must be mined and acknowledged and yes glorified. I must end in digital to accept my fate and our collective future. Only one eye blinking.

I will integrate the "by hand," in the process. That is how I will play and pray and prey.

Next issue for me to decipher is how focused must the subject matter be. In my current pan.cakes i.hop around too much.

Think.ing, got to think.



Again, traces of southern sunflowers and thin slices of airport, its energy revealed. Take-off sample is here. No, here. OK, down over there. Also a glass apple sauced for fiber.

Your thoughts, comments, smiles, frowns are always appreciated. My best....

Sue provided a larger file of the photo below. It appears to be a California sunrise. Sue might be able to describe it better in a comment.

I made a couple of versions, the last is below:



Sue will work with my images and create her art. Looking forward to her post will mine. Since we had decided to collaborate starting with her photos, I went back quite a way on her blog to find her original photographs. What I saw was page after pages of glistening pearls....a truly impressive body posted, Sue.

ku.dos.

Here are the two earlier drafts:





Sue's pic:

"goldfinches.soon"

All I seem to do is sample, these days.

Yesterday Kim from laketrees gave me another Dirty Harry award - hiding, again, behind an austere blue sky and some lovely red flowers. I am very honored and now have severe case of hay fever in the midst of a cold north eastern winter.

Kim is wonderful open kind artist and also remarkable because she puts much energy into linking artists, rather than just promoting herself. Some of her exquisite work can be seen here. Her poetry site is here, there, everywhere. I think I discovered Kim by following a poetic link from Neda, my Rosetta Stone to the blog.world. Kim's 101 Artists blog list is commendable. Somehow I was added which is another honor and she is also a regular visitor to my humble house of pan.cakes. Kim is a bona fide resource. Thank you, Kim.

I do want to pass this on to one more person - Bev, who I "met" last December when I still believed in Santa Claus and who, luckily for so many of us, did not disappear at the cusp of the new year. I followed comment links to Bev's gentle site and was charmed. Bev does not think she is an artist, but she is. Her photo portrait of her daughter is priceless. It was a moment of connection and love and trust. Bev is remarkably considerate and generous. Bright and wise and steady. Bev, your comments and occasional unique posts "make our day." I speak for others I am sure.

I will not point my 44 Magnum, the most powerful gun in the world, at you, punk. Sorry I called you a punk - just literary license.

Please pass YMMD award to others, Bev. It can be spread like a good STD. Just kidding. Gracias and three cheers with a a warm beer.

Now, I also want to start my own little award - something to honor members of our fellowship. The is no criteria for this award other than whim and grace. Maybe more whim.I call it the mon.key award and each will be custom designed (quickly). The first recipient is Kris for her uplifting posts, constructive comments and, let's face it, mostly her link to monkey mail.

Monkey mail has almost gotten me fired five times since I discovered it. Human Resources advises me you cannot use monkey mail to sexually harass, create a hostile environment or make fun of a protected class. OK.

Another thing - offspring must also be warned not to use monkey mail to make fun of overworked mothers because fathers will be blamed. Click here and then fire me.

Thank you, Kris. No banana jokes here. My best.

"rose.hips.soon"

This started with sunflowers, moved to geometry and finally was iced with botched scanned image "chicken scratches." Here is a botched slice of life:

Early Lisa sunflowers:



Late geometry:

This is a botched "image" - bad scan with off color and part of image cut off, but I thought I would post something....I do wish it were better quality.

The print is 8 by 10 inches. Original graphics is here. The reference to pain killers is that I had broken a rib, slipped and landed on my iPod.

An iPod is tougher than bone, sometimes. iHurt, therefore iAm.

Close up from this "painting:"



BTW, please go to Sue's blog to see the Mandalas she created sampling one of my quilts. I respect her art and I would blush if it were more manly. It's here. I am very very happy to collaborate with gifted artists in our community. I am so happy to have met you. Thank you, Sue.

Also, Kris yesterday also gave me a "Day" award. It is a great honor and I want to acknowledge her site, her art and her will. Go here to experience her positive energy, her resourcefulness and her wit. She also taught me how to spell clairvoyance (ok, I fixed it with spell check). Thank you, Kris. Someday a mon.key.

Create. Comment. Enable.

Yesterday Sue O’Kieffe of Sacred Circle Mandalas honored me a special award - "You Make My Day."

I am touched by Sue's gesture and also want to send one to Irene at Sweet Wood Talking. Irene makes gorgeous Mandalas daily and she has a rare dry wit and insight. Her written English is simply remarkable. Irene was one of the first here to welcome me with kind words and spot on honesty. I look forward to reading her blog daily.



In an effort to edify those willing to read this much, I must point out what a variation of that awarded phrase means to too many American men. I quote WIKI:

In one scene of the movie, Harry Callahan (played by Clint Eastwood) goes into a diner for a morning cup of coffee. A hold-up ensues during which the waitress is held at gun-point by the gunman, who holds his gun to her head and threatens to shoot. Instead of backing off, Harry pulls his .44 Magnum and aims it straight at the man's face and dares him to shoot, saying with clenched teeth and in his characteristic rough grumble, "Go ahead, make my day".

All that macho stuff aside, I also want to give one Dirty Harry-less award to Lisa in New Zealand. I like her work and her spirit. Her mosaic is garden perfect. A gardener that tolerates caterpillars cannot be all bad.

Because she is sleep when I am awake, and visa versa, I have inverted her badge....I hope no one shoots me.



Seriously, there are so may of you that I could give this to - all of you who come here and read and some who leave comments as well as those I regularly comment on. Kris, Diane, a woman in glass (please let her out or pour in two fingers of vodka), those that live in Texas, California, England and Australia. Thank you....

All of you make my art - you inspire me and push me and assist me. You all are honorary mon.keys - unlock the door. My blog is your blog.

Andrea of The Artful Eye had the wise suggestion that I try to salvage something of the paintings for which the scanned images were botched - she suggested aptly that I make a jambalaya.

Fearing some of you might be allergic to shellfish, I am starting with an appetizer - three thin slices of seared blackened red fish on a bed of seasoned okra. Mind you, the colors are off. But you get a sense of "stage two" of my process.





Here is the original image without paint - the print I manipulated was an 8 by 10 C-Print and mostly Golden acrylics were used. The paint was added to the photo print last June when I was working with a Broadway dancer to do a possible show. Project was abandoned, for the good actually.

I have about ten good "paintings," many are 11 by 14, but I feel I would do much better work today.

"roadside.sunflowers"

Very simple minimal study, based on Lisa's sunflowers, here. I added her photo a day blog to my sites in part because her photos are fresh, kind and exotic. There is also something magical about witnessing a glorious summer in the midst of my new york winter. Like being in California, but on steroids.

I had someone at the office scan some of my 8 by 10 altered photographs to show here but she botched the scanning terribly (bad colors, printed area cut off - kindergartner quality). I think done on purpose so I would not ask again - months ago she printed some photos very poorly so I never asked her to print again. I am now 0 for 2 and never going back.

"Fool me once, shame on you..."

"cro.cus.day"

Suddenly it is very cold here (teens or worse) - just Saturday I saw shoots of crocuses in my front garden. So first hurrah, the hint of spring, pushed back, temporarily.

Walked through pharmacy today - CVS - and found small stash of Easter candy, stockpiled behind three hundred pounds of inexpensive St. Valentine's Day candy, plastic red roses and many heart shaped trinkets.

This is a reworked image - three day weekend with little time at computer.

"sketch"

The Way I See It - see my links - provided the link to this great little toy.

"princess.days"

My wife, Marie, has always encouraged me to paint my children - I have not. I used Alex's over-exposed eye once. I did post of a picture of my daughter, Mariana, back in April. Mariana sits with buckets on beach.

Late this summer Mariana was invited to birthday party where they wore Princess outfits and then had make up put on by mother and her eager adult sisters. She loved dressing up and make up - this picture, now fractured, was taken by Marie after the party.

I used my very basic limited Photoshop demo software. Then to Paint. Then more Paint and some Office Picture Manager, then Paint...etc. Starting point, of sorts:



There is an innocence in life that is shattered so quickly, but it is the soil beneath, from which we grow.

"pass.the.pearl.buck"

No disrespect meant.

Almost ready to dive in:


Needed cropping or something....

Steps into the wet sand:


I also liked this one...


I got inspired by Bobbie's recent warm image. Here. Tried to steal the typewriter, but it shattered. I blame Bill Gates (rich monopolist).

I created an "oriental rug."


Another refresh snapshot - an accident and noticed similarities to snapshot below.



Refresh clairvoyant snapshot.

This is impressive and beautiful act of creation. Someone calls into NPR, sings a phrase of a song, and then classical pianist, Gabriela Montero, improvises. Click here then click the "Hear the Session" speaker icon. Will take you Bach.



All Montero improvisations on NPR can be found here, for now. She even tackles "Take Me Out to the Ballgame," our baseball game war horse. I hope you enjoy it.

"dragon.fly"

The Hold Steady is a energetic rock band out of Minnesota, now in Brooklyn. I heard a concert on NPR All Songs Considered podcast and was charmed despite their many sophomoric tendencies. I was young once, and stupid. The concert can be heard here.

"they say you dont have a problem until you start to do it alone.
they say you dont have a problem until you start bringing it home.
they say you dont have a problem until you start sleeping alone."

These lines from song "You Can Make Him Like You" made me laugh out loud.

I have not bought their CD, probably will never, and I do not think it will be hardly any one's cup of drug laced tea. Snippets of the lyrics are smart and the guitarist is solid (listen to end of concert) and they are funny.

Yes, they boast too much about liquor and drug use, so I cannot play this for my twelve year old or many friends - maybe most here. Drugs have killed too many people, many innocent, all along the path to the very mighty big dollars.

I am not sure if this can be access to NPR overseas. Be warned, you may hate it.

For something more sedate and more hauntingly beautiful, try the Nickel Creek concert, instead. Or maybe Bjork here.. Or possibly Neko, yes. There is so much music here. Much of it live, with all its inherent energy and flaws.


Neko Case Rocks

All free - rock, classical, world, jazz - something for everyone. Click here anytime. This is the real thrust of this post.

"purple.mar.tin"

Sometimes doing this art is like being at the dentist, other times like having a good Irish coffee. Tonight I can taste the whiskey and not the lead.

This Bandito worked late and came home 'round midnight. TV was horrible and finally he poached, not eggs, but a landscape. Here, not here.

I know I am on thin ground here - first the soft trick of color inversion - then the fact the composuitiomn almost is a mirror image. I think the color variations to the left do pull me back into the image - still the jury is out. Possibly hung-over (not me, though).

The original is a lovely landscape. For Debi, who encourages so many people 'round here, in daylight and yes, 'round midnight.

I added my last name to the blog - yikes to privacy.

"want.to.know.a.secret"

"Do you promise not to tell? Come closer."

The first 45 record I ever bought. Mowed lawns to buy it. Cost a dollar when a nice small house cost twenty or thirty thousand dollars in Northern California. Same house is now half a million, five water heaters later.

This is sampled from a refresh snapshot, by now the image is very very far removed. Only under the Napoleonic Code would the image above be considered copyright infringement, I hope. If so, I will avoid visits to France and Louisiana.

The image above looks ugly small - so muddy - I almost want to take it off this page.

Have a great day, create.

"m.p.3.fortune"

F5 snapshot from here - here. Looks dark and gloomy small.

Is this invasion, theft? Am I an information superhighway bandito?

Pocket picked:



There is no commercial intent in this snapshot. Lovely collages and art work at this site and I do miss Californian sensibilities.

How I ended up in New York "so long term" is a mystery (not misery- type accurately, John). OK, I got married here, bought the house here and my kids all have NY accents. I am the only person in my house that can pronounce "water."