SOME FUN CHALLENGES

January 21, 2014

 

 

Hello from the frozen north! At the moment, we're experiencing extreme cold after a couple of days of snow...that's the weather I know and love!! :) Crazy...I know!

 

My art this posting has nothing to do with cold and snow... SUNDAY POSTCARD ART requested art based on a night sky...I had fun with this one!!!

 

COLLAGE OBSESSION brought some color into the challenge equation declaring that  the Pantone  color for 2014 is "radiant orchid." Here's my piece using 2014's favorite color... 

 

 INSPIRATION AVENUE had a passion for mice...not me!

 

Finally, Flicker's DIGITALMANIA group challenged participating artists to create a piece of art inspired by well known mixed media artist, Lynne Perrella. I fell in love with her Ancram Collages. My collage was influenced by my upbringing in New York City... it's made up of some family photos and miscellaneous other photos.

 I really enjoyed this week's challenges...I hope you like them and will stop by for my next blog posting of LIFE...THE VIVERE.

 

Enjoy your week...be safe!

 

Big Hugs,

abbyj

A DAY OF SPRING

April 4, 2013

SPRING pierces the white blanket!
(for INSPIRATION AVENUE's challenge blog: April)

From days of heavy snow to a day with sunshine and 50+degrees...overnight!!! That's Central New York!! Not complaining...I love it. Can't wait to see what tomorrow brings- it's always a surprise!

I hope you've had a pleasant week with lots of good memories to call upon when necessary. 
Michael and I are particularly pleased to have gotten back an embroidered painting we purchased in Vietnam. We had it framed and have hung it on our wall. Embroidering a painting is a very tedius and detailed art form...a specialty in Vietnam. Imagine embroidering an entire picture...a very large one...tiny, tiny stitches in shades of black and white...not easy. Most of the embroidered paintings are done with many colors. Many are worked on by more than one person. Working in shades of black and white is for those who are highly experienced and particularly gifted...only one person working on one picture. First, the artist must sketch her picture, then she starts her stitching. It takes several months (or longer) to complete each one. Ours was done by a lovely young  woman who had her face reconstructed - her Dad contracted Agent Orange in the war and passed it down to her. (I never knew it could be passed to future generations.)  Her name is Huong.

Here is the embroidered painting we purchased from Huong. You must click on it to enlarge it and see the tiny stitches that make the grandmother's wrinkles. Too, Huong used some of her own hair in the embroidered hair parts. We STILL look at it in amazement...

There are some lovely art challenges this week and I have thoroughly enjoyed creating pieces for them!! 
First, COLLAGE OBSESSION asked us to create something using the theme, "cities..." 

TAKE A WORD wanted to see a "moon" in our art...

THE THREE MUSES was interested in anything to do with "transport." I jumped at the opportunity to create something with my beloved trains... (I have an ongoing romance with that particular mode of transport!!)

Finally, Flicker's DIGITALMANIA introduced us to two new artists...one, last week: Christian Schloe, a Chilean artist whose work includes photography, illustration and painting. These pieces I did...he was my inspiration:

Liz Huston, is this week's inspiration. She's a photographer and photomontagist living and working in Venice, California. Here are my Liz-inspired pieces:

Lots of art this week...great way to pass the time on snowy days!! :)

Enjoy your weekend. Hope to see you back for my next edition of Life...the Vivere!

Hugs,
abbyj

ART & RECREATION

Recreation & Art: Challenge Creations 
March 20, 2011  

Laser Tag is a game that's growing in popularity throughout the country. My reaction, while playing for the first time, was unexpected...to me and to my family, with whom I was playing! A visit with our daughter and our dear grandkids always bring new fun as well as challenges!! Our grandson's 8 and granddaughter's 6...our little loves!

 After they left to return to their home, I had free time to create some art by answering some blog challenges...here they are!

An ode to Friday night's supermoon...for 4X4 FRIDAY

The March challenge from online art group, ALTERED BOOKS, is to alter a post card and then include in on our altered book page...

THEME THURSDAY asked artists to create something in black and white...

THINK MONDAY-THINK ATC asked us to imagine what it's like to 'Feel like a Queen"

CHICKENS...the theme for CRAZY AMIGO

Thanks for stopping by. Please leave a comment and come by again...
See you soon!  XOX, abbyj 

AURORA BOREALIS near the ARCTIC CIRCLE

MAGICAL SKY 
March 2, 2011 

Several years ago, my husband and I, adventure travelers at heart, journeyed to the Arctic Circle to see the Polar Bears in their natural environment. We stayed in a tiny town in the remote, extreme northern part of Canada...a place where polar bears often roam the one-street town and end up in "polar bear jail..." punishment for their trespassing! They're tagged while in "jail" then returned to the wild the following  day. We were actually in town when, late one afternoon, an extraordinarily loud alarm sounded. One of the residents told us that it warned  the townspeople of the presence of a polar bear strolling through town. We all had to head to the nearest home or shop...get off the street...until the animal was caught and jailed. We were there at a time when the bears were hungry, after many months of not eating. They were waiting for the ice to melt so they could have access to their staple food...seals. Fortunately for us, we saw  numerous  polar bears...many with cubs of a variety of ages... AND, we experienced the beginning colors of the AURORA BOREALIS... the most extraordinary natural light show in existence!! 

I thought I'd share the bears as well as the lights with you, hoping you'll be as inspired as I was! Conveniently, a challenge was issued by a blog called INSPIRATION AVENUE.  That challenge was to create a SKY-themed piece of art. I did...and here it is...the magic of THE AURORA BOREALIS!

Gorgeous, isn't it? 

Please come back again...
xox, abbyj