Gotta Love Life in Camp Winnepausake! Laughs for you!

"Fallon!  Timberlake!"
"Sorrrryyyy."

This is hilarious!  Merry Christmas to you.  Thank you, Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake for your comic and musical genius.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMlXuT7gd1I&list=UU8-Th83bH_thdKZDJCrn88g

The Giggly Ballet Lesson

I wonder what the allure/appeal is for me with painting ballerinas?  Whether they are young or old, or doing whatever...it seems to be young ballerinas looking up to their teacher.  I guess this resonates with me.  I took ballet and tap dancing lessons and my teacher was  a former rockette.  She was tall, had a tall bun on her head and penciled thin brows.  She always smelled of cigarette smoke and wore bright pink lipstick, although none of this sounds attractive, I was in awe of her.  There was a mystery about her. She put up a wall on her personal life and kept it all business.  Why on God's Green Earth would that appeal to me in any way?  I wasn't good at ballet. I had the wrong feet. My feet are big and flat, no arch.  No arch is no good for ballerinas.  So, I was behind the 8 ball in ballet right from the get go. My friend, and sister on the other hand were quite good. I hated being judged on my every move.  Ballet was the not fun part of the lesson but man, was I excited when it was time to take off our black slippers and put on our tap shoes!  I loved tap dancing. I wasn't that good at that it. either.  One foot slapped heeled better than the other.  But I loved it anyway.

In this picture the girls are giggly and clinging to one another as they are too silly to be serious about doing anything wild with their toes, legs and arms.  Their teacher is beautiful and they are frightened and delighted by her beauty.  She is a goddess to them.  They just feel clumsy and awkward, but yet don't know how  clumsy and awkward they are.  But, there they are giggling and goofing while the teacher waits patiently to resume the lesson.

Now, then.  First position.
 

Thoughts Still like River Water at Dawn

A river is like a living breathing thing.  It moves, it roars, it stills and quiets like the thoughts in our mind.  This is an image of the Oswegatchie River in the Adirondacks in the early morning when it hasn't quite wakened.  The frothy swirls have gathered overnight to make this beautiful mosaic. 

 It reminds me of thoughts and activities that occurred during the day and the mind quiets and let's the thoughts gather and twist and turn slowly and naturally clumping nestling together, giving the mind a rest. 

Then the sun shines a little stronger, warmer and the quiet of the morning is broken with the first birds' songs and the whistling breeze racing through the pines like kids racing to the playground to start the day.  The river moves and the swirls untangle and start their downward trek stretching and disappearing with the bobbing ripples riding the current.  The day has begun and so has the busy bustling mind.  

Darkness to Light - Fill the Palette

Glob on The Paint to The Palette....

If ever there was a time to seek asylum from the world with art healing, it is certainly now.  A gloom has set over the world like a murky veil as if Dementors, the kind in Harry Potter have circled our skies staining it in inky black and reigning/raining despair upon humankind.

I, of course, am speaking of #ISIS.  An acronym that holds no humanity within it; these aren’t humans.  They are demons upon this earth.  The darkness preceded them with #MH370 vanishing in thin air, a mystery still unsolved. The conflict with Russia and Ukraine, Gaza and Israel, Syrian Refugee crisis and yet, another horrific plane disaster, shot from the sky was  #MH371.  And, shall we throw in a Pandemic disease with no sign of relenting? Ebola. A savage disease that has taken way too many lives with more suffering to come.  We have our own unrest right here in the USA with an economy that never recovered and a government so dysfunctional, IT needs to be impeached.  NRA, forgive me, but America is Guns Gone Wild.  Debate all you want and bow down to the Constitution, a document made during another time that resembles nothing like it is today, but America has a problem with guns.

It is hard to see the lightness and laughter right now.   Even laughter was extinguished with Robin Williams’ passing in such a distressing gut wrenching way.  I felt his pain and anguish.  If only… 

They say, “Every generation has its war.”  Can I tell you how much I hate that saying?  But it is true.  Humans are humans no matter the year.  Think of all the horrible wars over kingdoms, religions, and even Hatfields vs. McCoys.  And we have had Pandemics before, the Bubonic Plague and the Spanish Flu, for example.  What’s different, I guess, is that it feels new to me.  It feels horrible.  It feels like the walls are closing in and I am frightened. 

How many people are feeling anxious? Sad? Worried? I am sure I am not alone.  I can’t even watch the news lately, it has turned so ugly, so very ugly.

I can do the only thing that is in my control.  I can try to brighten my little sphere of life with color.

Well, this is a time when we have to work extra hard to find the light and colors of the world.  This is a time when the art community can draw together, no pun intended and spread the art joy.   Take that blank canvas and splash on the color and post it!  That art easel that has been staring at you, begging you to prop up a canvas and to create something, well,  go make it happy and USE it! 

I finally have an easel and I want to use it, but haven’t decided what to paint next.  Maybe I should just do an abstract of colors that make me happy.  When I am done, I will pass it along.

#ArtHeals

Let’s spread the colors to outshine the darkness.

My new fav show! Call The Midwife on PBS

God, I stumbled on this show twice on Channel 13, cried, laughed, cried some more.  I was so hooked with this engaging show chock full of heart, vibrant texture of life in post WWII London, historically filled with cultural milestones and characters a plenty.  It even has Miranda in it who was hilarious on a BBC sitcom titled by her name, "Miranda."  She is a fabulous actress/comedian.  Every single person in this richly packed show is deep in personality.

It is just a pleasure to watch. It is fascinating to watch the stories, how they handled emergencies in that time period and interesting to see the role of these intelligent women.  Look at them speeding along on a bicycle in the above picture?  That says a lot.  Independent.  Confident. Strong. Capable.

Can't find it anywhere.  Well, I am going to have to buy episodes online or something because I love nothing more than a good period show filled with intrigue, mystery and throw in,  of course, a little romance.

I am not the only one that fell in love with Call The Midwife.  It seems to have a following as strong as Downton Abbey. 

Watch for it next time it comes around!

Push Pause on Life. Look Out Your Window

Mindful of a Cat’s View

My cat in the window sill is like a child seeing for the very first time.  Its head twitches and reacts to whatever moves or sound it is drawn to in absolute wonderment.

I give it a try.

I look out the window and see a collage of pine needles, maple leaves green and burgandy,black lines, and brown curves of branches forever reaching outward, swirling zig-zagging dots of bugs, the hoppity hopping of birds finding the right branch and then, taking off in flight to who knows where, and the funny erratic movement of squirrels scurrying and leaping like daredevils.  The puffy white and grey clouds look bloated with rain with the tiniest patches of blue hidden beneath.

I listen.

Bachooowa. Chooow.Chooow. Chooow. A Cardinal?  Cheep.  Tweet.  A bird flits from one branch to another. Hop. Hop. It flies away. I watch until it disappears beyond the trees I can see.

Buzz. Buzz. A honey bee flies near the screen of the window.  I know this bee. It is protective of the flowers around this house.  I respect its territorial nature.

The buzzing drifts away.

To the left, a patch of young green leaves stir and sway by an invisible breeze, and then my attention is drawn to center to another patch of merlot colored leaves up high stirring them gently.

The gently massaging cool breeze reaches my face like a gentle stroke of a hand across my cheek.

Tweets. Cheeps. Trills.  Caw.  Caw.  Sounds of the suburban jungle is the background music that is massaging my soul.

Every moment is new, fresh to hear, feel and see.

Pause and look out your open window.

 

"Am I Wrong" by Nico & Vinz Hits A Nerve

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBmEJZofz2s

That's just how I feel. Trying to reach the things that I can't see.  Am I wrong?
Walk your walk and don't look back, always do what you decide
Don't let them control your life, that's just how I feel
Fight for yours and don't let go, don't let them compare you, no
Don't worry, you're not alone, that's just how we feel

So many lines of these lyrics have a yearning feeling that I can somehow relate to. I feel trapped, suppressed and want to fly.  I feel like my wings are clipped.  I so want to find my place in this life and want to find my niche, and feel proud and secure.  I want to move forward, but feel held back.  By what? By others? By my own inner demons?  The economy?  I have to be brave and take a leap, take a chance for my soul to feel free and satiated.

If one thing I know, I'll fall but I'll grow

The rhythm and the melody of the song is smooth and has a sweet almost Jamaican tempo beat that soothes me like rocking in a breezy hammock. 

It's a pleasantly haunting song.

Take a listen to the link above.
Am I wrong?

When Life Tosses You Lemons, Sometimes You Need to Squeeze Them In Someone's Eyes! What?!

Ouch! Well, sometimes you get tired of making lemonade.  You know?  Sometimes it's okay to have a bad day.  It's okay not to suck it up, man up and deal with it.  Sometimes it is perfectly okay to get angry and let it out by making a silly "meme."  I am not really going to squeeze a lemon into someone's eyes, but man, there are times, when I am being tested where insanity reigns and I don't feel so nice.  Thus, see above.

The point here is: It is okay to feel angry.  Let it out somehow and someway.  You can't keep denying how you feel. You can't keep squashing it down. We all know the saying, "This too shall pass.  It could be worse.  Make the best of it."  That is all true, but sometimes we get pushed to our limit of tolerance of toxicity and it is not okay.  As long as you deal with your anger or frustration in a healthy and harmless way. 

Acknowledge it.

"Ahhhhhhhh. I'm angry.  Take that!"  Squeeze. Squeeze.  (In my mind...)

Go for a run, play a song, doodle or scribble hard in red and black and/or  create a Meme.  It actually made me laugh out loud.  I thought I was so clever.

Hey, well, I thought it was kind of funny.  See?  Anger diminished.

I'm not a mean person.  I promise! :)

Huh. Funny, I could go for a lemonade now.

Peace!

Fell in Love with a Painting

 I remember well when I received this print as a gift for one of my birthdays by my husband.  We used to love going out to Jamesport and picking through the antique shops, but particularly one I loved that was filled with vintage prints, paintings and furniture.  The back room was filled with beautiful paintings.  They weren't cheap, so I had to just look.  I always look in Antique shops for one to pull at my heart, my soul and wait for that "I have to have that." moment.

Sometimes, nothing.  Sometimes, there is that one painting that I keep staring at.  This was one of those paintings, well, print of one.  Everything about it pulled at me.  It struck a chord, a nerve in a very good way.  Oh, how I wanted it.  It wasn't cheap for some reason.  It was something like $250.  It was probably way over priced for a print after all, but the owner wasn't pleasant at all and wanted what she wanted.  So, my husband and I left, alas, empty handed.

Geesh.  I felt broken hearted.  It is weird with art how it can really draw out emotion both positive and negative.  Someone else's creation, even.  I don't even know who the artist is, where this picture takes place.  I have clues. One she is wearing wooden clogs, which you think is Dutch, but that is not where I imagine this setting. I picture that she is French, walking a rural path in the French Countryside with her wine, baguette, a canteen of water for herself and she is enjoying herself.  This is her moment of pleasure walking the dirt path, enjoying the colorful flowers along the way and soaking in the fresh country air.  This is her quiet time, her exercise, her fresh air, her "me" time and she is serenely smiling. I bet you she looks forward to this time of day and it is a sacred routine where she experiences pure joy.

That's what this picture does for me.  My husband got that, and he had secretly made payments to the antique lady to be able to bring this beauty home for me for my birthday.  It is one of my absolute favorite paintings/print hanging in my house.

Art is Magic.

 

Side Note: May is Mental Health Awareness Month  and Art can be such a valuable & enjoyable tool to aid in stress, depression, anxiety, fear, lessen pain & expression of pent up emotion.  Use crayons if you have to  and mindlessly color 

Tweet your art to #art4mentalhealth and Share with others while enjoying others art as well

You are not alone and that is a beautiful thing.

Two Thoughts Converging: Philomena and Mary of Magdala...HUH? Inquistive Minds like Mine, it happens!

Happy Easter!  I'll start there.  I am not by any means a Holy Roller, but am in fact someone trying to renew my faith, or rather have faith in my faith. Let me tell you that watching the movie, Philomena certainly did not help.  I was much like Martin, the reporter who became Philomena's staunchest advocate and wanted to knock that effing nun right out of her wheelchair!

Why?  Because she made a woman, a very young woman feel dirty, ashamed for having natural carnal desires with someone she was attracted to for over 50 years.  This movie, and it is based on a true story of which they liberally took artistic license for extra drama made young pregnant girls suffer to atone for their sins.  Philomena had a breach birth and the suffering was encouraged to atone for her situation. Her child was adopted without her permission and literally ripped her heart out for 50 years. My problem, and I have always said this about the Catholic Church and God forgive me, is that we should not suppress our very natural human sexual desires.  Nuns and Priests should be able to marry. They are not God; they may strive to be God-like, but they are human and should enjoy the pleasures that we humans were made to have.  Suppression only leads to trouble, frustration, anger, and sadly, abuse.  This movie did not help to restore my faith. 

I know it was just a movie, but it drove home the message of what is wrong with the Catholic Church.  The pain that Philomena felt and the overwhelming guilt caused by Nuns impressing upon her what a sinful dirty girl she was, well...it hurt me.  And look at the nun in this story.  She seemed filled with rage.  Why?  Rage and disgust that these young girls were so bad giving into their sexual needs?  Rage because she had to give it up?  I don't know....

This leads me to Mary Magdalene. Why?  Because it is Easter.  Because out of all the people Jesus appeared to, it is to Mary, his Mary.  It wasn't to his apostles, nor was it to his own mother, Mary, or father, Joseph.

Artist:	La Fosse Charles de
Location:	Hermitage Museum

It was to Mary Magdalene.  Now, while on earth Jesus was a man.  I, personally believe he felt like a man and Mary was more than a fan or follower.  Why do I think that?  Well, when he appears to Mary and she does not recognize him and thinks he is a gardener, Jesus says, "Mary."

"Mary."

Instantly, she recognizes him with him saying her name, as if it's the most intimate word.  He says, simply, "Mary."  I do think Jesus and Mary were intimate.  He chose her to appear to and says her name, her first name.

This kind of brings home the conversion of the movie Philomena, which clearly is a story about suppression of human needs and abuse of power.

I do think, the church, for whatever reason doesn't want to acknowledge that Jesus, for a moment in time, was a man and had a girlfriend or possibly a wife and for whatever reason, we gloss over this.  We acknowledge that Jesus rises from the dead and appears to her, but why don't we say more?  Why isn't there a Rosary for her?  Why don't we know more about her?  Abuse of power in the early church, I guess.  Certain people didn't like the story, so they took artistic license to change it they way they want it to be.

Thus, suppression of sex for nuns and priests.

All I know is, I want to learn more of the special lady that Jesus was closest to, and I have to give kudos to the priest today in mass who pointed out how fascinating she is.  It was like listening to the history channel.  He mentioned that in the first Christian Church that borders Syria and Iraq, there is a fresco of Mary Magdalene holding the torch to the cave where Jesus was buried....in the first Christian Church.  Along the way, we lost her importance and I want to understand why.

 

Interesting paragraph about Mary Magdalene that sums up her complexity and importance.

From The Smithsonian Magazine, Smithsonian.com by James Carroll - June 2006
" In one age after another her image was reinvented, from prostitute to sibyl to mystic to celibate nun to passive helpmeet to feminist icon to the matriarch of divinity’s secret dynasty. How the past is remembered, how sexual desire is domesticated, how men and women negotiate their separate impulses; how power inevitably seeks sanctification, how tradition becomes authoritative, how revolutions are co-opted; how fallibility is reckoned with, and how sweet devotion can be made to serve violent domination—all these cultural questions helped shape the story of the woman who befriended Jesus of Nazareth."


Read more: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/who-was-mary-magdalene-119565482/#XiclI9kt85yvo49F.99
Give the gift of Smithsonian magazine for only $12! http://bit.ly/1cGUiGv
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The Pink Bag --Dior Ads keep coming! Pencil and Watercolor

I have been really cranking at my art.  Fashion Ads have been my inspiration of late.  Well, it kind of makes sense as I am an alum of Fashion Institute of Technology (Marketing) and was taught to look at the big ads in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and W Magazine to get a sense of what's hot.  The last two weeks nothing really struck me.  The Michelle Williams Red Louis Vitton Bag ad was so perfect that nothing compared. 

There have been other dynamic and striking ads from Chanel with those crazy sock shoes, which I kind of love!

But this ad, with Jennifer Lawrence with a balletslipper pink bag that brings out the pink in her skin caught my attention.  It's the opposite of the Red Bag. Softness and light, but intense.  Vulnerability  in her near nakedness, yet fierceness in her short spiky hair and her near nakedness make it a softly bold statement.

Having fun with art.  It's been a stress reliever of late.  You can't suppress emotions; they need to come out. Out they come with art!

Gravity was a big Lead Balloon!

Jet packing around like Jimmy Neutron, spinning and tumbling and latching onto Space Station bars and handles like it's Monkey Bars on a playground made the whole movie seem  so, well, ridiculous. Sandra Bullock's character should have barfed, blacked out, and totally freak out ten times over.  George Clooney's character was just that, a character who told stories and was there solely to keep Sandra calm until he gives up and drifts away in space way too early in the movie. 

He let's go.  I kept wondering, where is the story? When is the story going to kick in?  When is this going to stop feeling like the most improbable situation ever?  She is going to jump in one pod and jet over to another space station, damaged by more space junk.  No problem.  It's like hopping in a car and driving to one exit to the next. I am sorry. But this movie was so stupid.

I didn't buy into it for one second.  I'm stunned that it won any awards.

Uch.  So disappointed. 

Next choice, Philomena.  I really wanted to see this movie, but family voted for Gravity.

Philomena tonight. I love Judi Dench, and have a feeling I'll be a Steve Coogan fan soon enough.

Innocence of Ballet Lesson Been on an Art Rant...spewing out creations

Inspired by the Russian Sochi Olympics and seeing the gorgeous Bolshoi Ballet clips inspired my little abstract painting, I'm calling Ballet Beauties.

 It needs work, and perspective is way off, but the mood is dark and light.  Dark wood, dark historic building contrasting with lightness and imperfections of youth and light streaming in from the windows as evening falls. 

I remember taking ballet classes and they were in the evenings.  I would walk there as it was taught by a former Rockette who lived on street away and two houses down from my friend's house.  It was always evening, light enough for me to walk there safely, but as the lesson progressed, night fell giving the ballet lesson an odd eery feeling.  The dance room was bright with one wall completely mirrored so we can see our young pre-pubescent bodies attempting to imitate the teacher.  I had flat feet and had no business learning ballet, no arch is a big no-no in ballet.  The teacher was tall, hair in a yellow tinged bun, penciled eye brows, painted pink lips, smelling of cigarette smoke.  She was a mysterious character and never got personal in conversation.  It was half ballet and half tap dancing.  I, of course, loved the tap dancing but it was way harder than I thought it would be. I would get upset with my self when my left foot couldn't do the double slap like my right foot could.  Huh.
Memories of pre-teen years.
It was kind of cool, thrilling, creepy and fun to take ballet and tap lessons from a former Rockette and going home in the dark after.

Universal Language of Happiness

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6Sxv-sUYtM

"Happy" by Pharrell Williams is pure bliss...."Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof...Clap along if you feel happiness is the truth."

Listening to this song and even watching the video just makes you move and once you start moving and bobbing to the music, you can help but feel, well....HAPPY!

Then, I saw this adorable little photo quoting, "Everyone smiles in the same language."  It is a pure simple truth.  And don't we all relax upon meeting someone once the corners of their lips turn upward into a smile?  No matter who they are, where they are from, what level in society they are, once that smile has sprung - there is an instant connection of joy.

Music, smiles, photos, pictures....all connect us with emotion.  Emotions are universal, tears as well as smiles. We know what tears mean and can instantly draw someone into a hug of comfort to stem those tears.  We can also hug warmly and tightly when good news is felt in giggly happy smiles.

Connections - is my word of the day.

Hooked X = Holy Grail = Jesus' Bloodline?!

My mind is officially blown. I suppose this may not be a surprise to anyone who has watched the DaVinci Code,(I haven't), but watching many episodes of America Unearthed on the History Channel opened my eyes to mind blowing possibilities.

1. Jesus and Mary Magdelene had a CHILD
2. Knights Templar came to America before Columbus to evade persecution because they knew the truth.  See # 1
3. The Knights Templar guarded the Holy Grail, which was / is /could be #1.
4. The Free Masons were connected to The Knights Templar and an exclusive sect of the Masons guarded The Holy Grail secret, which is #1
5. Along with number 1, that Jesus and Mary had a child, the Holy Grail could be Jesus' bloodline.  Bloodline, descendants of Jesus and Mary!  The Holy Grail could be that along with  Jesus' cup from The Last Supper, gold, and other things.

Scot Wolter on America Unearthed blew my mind today with many compelling artifacts that all pointed to one symbol.

The Hooked X

This is so fascinating.  Scot Wolter thinks the top V represents the female, the bottom inverted V represents the male and the top hook?  A child.  This symbol appears all over.  In England, in Scotland, and remarkably, America.  In Rhode Island there was a giant boulder in the water near the shore that had Rune symbols on it, including the Hooked X.  It was stolen, though in 2012.  It would take an enormous planned effort to remove such a boulder without anyone noticing.  But they did it.  The question is why?  Did it give too much information?  Did too many people pay attention to it and learn too much? Did a Free Mason sect plan the removal to guard it for safekeeping????  It is all so unbelievable to me, really.  Wow.  It makes sense that the Knights Templar would escape to America by ship, as we would be where they would land if they sailed across the Atlantic.  There they could believe without judgement and safeguard their secrets with little interference from anyone. 

Scot Wolter believes they carved in the stones as a marker, a sign post for other Templars to see.  Makes sense.

 

What bothers me is how much "evidence" is out there that Jesus had a child to others, but not to us Catholics, or namely, me.  Scot Wolter speaks to scholar after scholar and discusses that Jesus had a child with the bones of that child in Jesus' tomb.  Wh...What?!  The one man mentions that Jesus's family had to prove to the government, or priests that they were just poor peasant farmers and weren't going to cause anyone any trouble. Wh...What?!  It is all so matter-of-factly mentioned.

 

 

To be honest, this led me to my own line of thinking about how Priests should be allowed to marry.  Jesus was a man and he clearly had a girlfriend or wife in Mary Magdelene.  Why would priests try to dehumanize themselves by denying a very basic human need that even Jesus himself allowed.  Why, as a religion, would we squash this?  God made him a man to live amongst as brothers, to teach to us, to guide us, ... It doesn't surprise me at all that Jesus could have gotten Mary pregnant. Why would this be hidden?  Perhaps, they weren't married?  Perhaps it would lessen his holiness, his purity???

 

 

Again, it is mind blowing to me and I want to learn more.  I am going to buy Scot Wolter's book and read more.  It is so fascinating to ponder, hypothetically or factually.

http://www.history.com/shows/america-unearthed/cast/scott-wolter

 

 

 

 



ART STRUCK on NEW YEAR'S EVE!!! The Red Bag

Inspired by a repeating New York Times Ad for a Louis Vuitton Red Bag....had to paint it.

Next pic, cleaned up her face but for some reason less sparkle on her skirt.

Now what do I do with it....continue painting...black ink...taupe brush the background?

My Resolution is to do more art, more writing, whether it is good, bad or ugly because and only because it gives me great pleasure and satisfaction to create something that makes ME happy!

So, there it is. 

I am Art Struck.