FRIENDSHIP, AUTUMN and DUBAI
September 20, 2012

"Her spirit is still with me..."

It's almost the weekend...time to kick back and relax for most. But when you're retired, you can kick back and relax at anytime. Nice!! This week, the INSPIRATION AVENUE blog challenge has a theme of  friendship. Of course, I thought of my dear friends's recent passing... she was a spiritual leader of  the Onondaga Nation- one of the 6 nations that make up the Iroquois Confederacy. The above piece is done in her honor... I did another piece describing "friendship" as well, but I combined it with an "autumn" theme that THE THREE MUSES challenge blog requested... this is it!

A virtual trip to Dubai was our pleasure at Art and Sole's POSTCARD CHALLENGE. Dubai isn't a country, it's a city and an emirate in the United Arab Emirates. Imposing architecture and sophisticated culture... and great shopping, make Dubai one of the most beautiful and popular tourist hot spots in the world.  It boasts the only INDOOR ski resort... part of a giant mall. Dubai also claims the tallest skyscrapers as well as the largest total area shopping mall in the world, housing a gigantic aquarium, among other things. Dubai has stringent behavioral laws in place and kissing and dancing in public is illegal. Islam is their official religion. Although they're tolerant of other religions, Muslim religious restrictions must be obeyed by non-Muslims too. Interesting that over 80% of Dubai's poulation consists of foreigners!! Looks like an amazing place... a fun place to visit one day FOR REAL!! Here are my postcard and book pages for Dubai...

Thanks for checking in. Hope to see your next posting. Enjoy your weekend and week...

Hugs 'till soon,
abbyj 

JUST ART

PLAYING WITH ART 
August 13, 2011 

From inside my cool cave, where I stand for a bit, sit for a bit and lie down more than I'd like, I write this edition of The Vivere...Life! This week it's just art... answering challenges and simply playing! But first, my current 6-Word Memoir (as created by SMITH MAGAZINE...)

"I CAN create...I CAN'T draw!"

Swinging Through the Ages

The two pieces above were created for fun... not to answer a challenge... although challenges are good fun as well. I worked with THE THREE MUSES on their map theme...

 Actually, Chief Louis Farmer was my friend. He was a sitting chief for the Onondaga Nation, one of the 6 nations of the Iroquois Nations or Confederacy. The Onondaga Reservation is quite close to our home and I have several dear friends there... friends for almost 25 years. They've been a real gift in my life as I hope I have been in theirs... Louie's gone now, but I remember his stories and keep him in my heart... 

"Brothers in Arms"

This piece answers a CRAZY AMIGO challenge that offered participating artists free reign to follow wherever our muses led us... mine was remembering our service men and women... our armed forces... who risk their lives to keep our country safe- the struggles are ever increasing and the risks seem insurmountable! I'm grateful and in awe of their commitment and bravery! Will there EVER be peace throughout the world?

That's it for this posting...thanks for stopping by. Hope to see you again...

xox,
abbyj