ART and TRAVEL

ART and ANTARCTICA 
August 7, 2011 

My current Six-Word Memoir...

That done,  on to some quick art blog challenge responses:

SUNDAY POSTCARD ART requested art with pirates as the theme. When my grandson was younger, he loved anything with pirates...this is for Hunter...

THEME THURSDAY was dreaming about Paris. I'm ALWAYS dreaming about Paris... when I'm not dreaming of Africa  :o)

COLLAGE OBSESSION is continuing to ask for art based on the 7 Deadly Sins...this one's GREED...

Finally, THE THREE MUSES wanted some angelic art... I worked with a beautiful cemetery angel that I found in Umbria, Italy.

 On to the travel part of the posting...

Penguins are the superstars, but ice defines Antarctica!

I hope you're enjoying your summer (or current season, depending where you are in the universe!) It's been an exceptionally hot summer in Central New York, but it's been nicely mixed with rain, so a lush green blanket covers the land. The extreme heat and humidity have brought back memories of our trip to Antarctica several years ago. Our expedition to the White Continent, Antarctica (South Pole) started with a trip through Chile where we boarded our small ship with ice cutters for use as we approached the continent. Wandering Albatross followed our progress 

as we journeyed through the treacherous Drake Passage...one of the most severe bodies of water in the Southern Ocean, if not the world!

We met our first penguins and seals in the South Shetland Islands. The penguins were a raucous, pungent collection of CHINSTRAP and GENTOO penguins and their chicks....the seals were silent observers.

It was magical to walk and sit among these penguins who were as tall as my knees... to quietly observe their comical, curious ways and personalities. 

Our weather, throughout the expedition was generally cloudy or rainy and felt like winter in Central New York (although it was summer in Antarctica.) But, our spirits weren't dampened as we observed a variety of species of penguins, seals and whales on a daily basis. As we navigated further south, towards the White Continent, more and more ice appeared...much of it populated by our penguin characters. The natural ice sculptures were breathtaking...their azure-color almost dreamlike.

Packed ice and giant ice floes, icebergs and ice fields (defined by size) often made navigation difficult...

but we did well, even landing on some of the islands as well as on the continent of Antarctica. We loved kayaking with an audience of penguins observing!

Our trip was a once in a lifetime sojourn...but I'd return there in a heartbeat! The rivers of Antarctica will continue to flow and ice will continue to form as it has done forever, connecting the sea and sky. We have captured the colors of her depths, breathed her wild perfumes (some more pleasing than others,) we have walked across her spectacular contours and been shaped by her weather... Antarctica will  be part of us evermore!

Thanks for stopping by...see you next time?
xox,
abbyj 

GREETINGS...

MOSTLY ART... 
July 31, 2011 

Hi Friends, Family and Visitors,
Happy to "see" you here. I hope you've had a good week! 
As is my custom, here's this week's 6-Word Memoir to start my blog posting...

"world traveler, unique friends...same heart"

 

A while ago, I collected some of my favorite people photos from a variety of our travels and constructed the poster above...such different faces, lifestyles and environments...but all have the same heart. The more we travel, the more we realize that basic human nature is the same...a good thing!

It's wonderful to have healing time for my back, stretching before me...lots of time to make art! Here are some of this week's challenges, answered...

CRAZY AMIGOS asked to see in which shoes we walk...

TAKE A WORD asked participants to work within the SEPIA color range...I did two...the one above (MODELS) and below (NATIVE)

The newest TAKE A WORD challenge has to do with illustrating a favorite song...

COLLAGE OBSESSION announced it's challenge to be based on the theme of GLUTTONY...

and finally, SUNDAY POSTCARD ART was in the mood for WINGS...

That's all the standing I can do for now...so, 'til my next posting, thanks so much for stopping by- I hope you'll return again! Have a great week, all!

xox,
abbyj 

PAIN FREE and NEW ART

BLESSINGS and IMAGES 
July 22, 2011 

WooHoo! My back surgery was successful and I'm pain free as of July 20, 2011. With a bit of physical therapy for my right foot when the doctor deems it safe to return to any kind of exercise, I will be totally back to normal... (whatever NORMAL is!)  This has been a deja vu experience for me as I had the same back injury (herniated disc) in 2006 and recovered completely. About the hospital, though...

it's definitely not a place to go for some R&R. One would think that after major surgery, sleep would be important...even crucial. Not so...it's more important for nursing staff to turn on all the lights in your room every 30-60 minutes to check your pulse, blood pressure, temperature; administer medication; check how your body parts move... Finally, after realizing that they were doing it all for MY benefit, I threw in the towel and decided I'd sleep at home. So frustrating, though. Well, here I am at home and am still having trouble sleeping!! Aah, life is good!

I have had the opportunity to work on several art pieces...challenges and otherwise...since I've been home. I work both standing and sitting to remain comfortable.  
THREE MUSES  asked artists to submit something with an ORIENTAL flavor... 

THEME THURSDAY asked us to think ROMANCE...

INSPIRATION AVENUE  had us employing WINGS in our art... 

COLLAGE OBSESSION asked us to create a sunset view...when Michael and I were in Myanmar, we saw an unusual way of fishing practiced by the INTHE fishermen....they row their boats with their legs. This happens on the "other side of sunset" as the waters of Myanmar are usually quiet and peaceful. But in this little corner...

Over the last few weeks, I've been responding to some challenges and entered some "swaps" with some of my favorite online artist friends and groups...from PAPER TRADERS...
These for an ANATOMY swap...

and these for a Word Prompt Journal made up of words for life...

 That's it for now, folks! Thanks for stopping by yet again, I really appreciate your interest. Wish me well on my recovery...I'm grateful for all of you.

xox,
abbyj 

REMEMBERING "KID STUFF"

NO KIDDING! 
July 16, 2011  

It's wonderful and heartwarming when a reunion with dear ones  fires up memories of times gone by when you shared fun, laughter, ideas...shared your lives with one another. Michael and I recently had the occasion to be part of a reunion to which a very dear young mother attended with her family...she was one of my original KID STUFF kids...Kristi!

 KID STUFF was one of the first of Central New York's (if not THE first) television show for children...BY CHILDREN. I was a newbie in the world of producing television shows (just out of college for COMMUNICATIONS) and started KID STUFF as a public access show, produced with community resources at our local cable system offices.  (I worked as a television producer for (eventually) TimeWarner Cable  for about 25 years, producing social issue documentaries and short features...it was the BEST job EVER!!! The opportunity for learning was infinite.) The children were all locals...friends of my daughter, Michelle, (also a KID STUFF kid,)

 children of family friends

as well as kids recommended by the local schools. There were 8 kids in all, ranging in age from 7 to 12...different schools, different interests...all loved television but had no TV experience. We all learned together!

 

The kids did some of the camera and audio work, idea-producing, writing as well as all the on air interviewing...) 

We adjusted the  lights (when in the studio and not shooting outside,) tested the microphones, focused the cameras...

 

and for several years during the 1980's, presented KID STUFF to audiences of children across the United States on cable television networks.

I must say that I had wonderful "big kids" working with me to keep the production going as it took many hours to plan, shoot, write then edit it all together in a segement to air...and each show had several segments (to hold the kids' interest.)

Michelle did all the segment introduction art...not necessarily by choice- she lived with the producer  :o)  ...

 KID STUFF was truly a show FOR kids...BY kids. I'm proud of all we accomplished as a group...actually a few groups, as the 8 KID STUFF kids changed when they "aged out" through the years. All the participating kids were outstanding! 

There's our second group with Cherie holding one of our Awards for Cable Excellence (ACE)...the equivalent of an Emmy in cable

 We always presented issues relevant to the kids. We covered local stories that had national implications and national stories that had local ones. We offered a kid's-eye view of the world by covering newsworthy events, human issues, visited landmarks and places of interest, reported on kids of outstanding achievement and reviewed current movies, books and music. The show was designed to inform and entertain ...not a fluff show at all. It was a tool to make kids more aware of as well as responsible to their individual surroundings both environmentally and personally. It made them comfortable with those different from them,  ultimately discovering that they had the same feelings, interests...the same heart! 

Amazingly, the television industry recognized KID STUFF early on and bestowed us with several national awards...comparable to an Emmy...in cable. 

 

We were also recognized by the renown ACTION for CHILDREN'S TELEVISION national award out of Boston...the premiere organization for monitoring children's programming throughout the country. THAT was a biggie, too! 

 The awards were wonderful recognition for all our hard work...KID STUFF kids and "big kids" alike... and the dedication of the parents of KID STUFF kids too. But, I was most pleased by the strides made by the youngsters. When they started, several were timid standing in front of a camera or speaking into a microphone. But, after a short time, they developed a sense of poise and self-confidence that was noticeable and AWESOME. They could talk with anyone of any age in an almost adult manner! I must admit that I was amazed at what these kids accomplished! The parents often commented to me about the change in their child because of the show. Even today, I sometimes hear a comment from a parent of a KID STUFF kid about how the show helped their child in a way that has benefited them in their adult lives. What more could I have wished for? 

 I was a teacher for 4 years before I returned to college for COMMUNICATIONS. But, I've always been a teacher at heart. I thought KID STUFF would be a continuation of my teaching in a more fun format...but indeed, I ended up LEARNING! 

 

A special thank you to Kristi for reminding me (unbeknownst to her, sitting there with her beautiful family) that she'd bring on this reminiscing about long ago and far away...and thanks ALWAYS and continuously to my own dear daughter, Michelle, (and her extraordinary family,) for being a constant reminder of what I would have wanted every Kid Stuff kid to become!  

'Til the next...

xox

abbyj