Ed Sheeran's Talent Blows My Mind!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TuFi-OD0S8

I caught Ed Sheeran on VH1's Storytellers and let me tell you, he is a true artist!  His vocals are gritty and sweet, his music tempos are like a roaring rapids river that is wild and fun to calm and symphonic...he has a rapping flow to gorgeous ballads.

He creates his own loops to become a one man band using a device on the floor and pedals it throughout the performance re-using a hum, or guitar riff, or chorus.  Wow!  And his personality is humble, engaging, humorous, sweet and honest.

This clip is another gem with conversations with Pharrel, and close-up comments from Ed and his incredible music.

Enjoy this musical talent that is....Ed Sheeran.
Did I mention that he can dance, too?  Check out this mesmerizing video of him dancing to his song, "Thinking Out Loud."  How can you not fall in love with this guy?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lp-EO5I60KA

Hozier - Take Me To Church on SNL...one talented/intelligent Irishman!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Byeg1LMu5mM

I was playing "Blame" by Calvin Harris on YouTube when my son told me to type in Take Me To Church by Hozier.  Holy Crap. I loved it.  I was surprised that it was a song about homophobia and the harsh brutality and cruelty against two gay men.  It was so disturbing to me that I had to turn off the video (a gang attacks the men like a witchhunt.) I can't handle bullying violence of any kind even if it is based on truth. I just can't stomach cruelty, so therefore,  I am sharing Hozier's live performance on SNL where the lyrics speak for themselves with his beautiful voice.

 

(Photo via www.viagogo.com)
As much as the song decries institutional right wingers violent support of anti LGBT, such as the Catholic Church and Putin's Russia, it is also a song about beautiful love.  It prompted me to learn more about Hozier; it moved me that much.  He is an Irish born singer/musician who started a college career at Trinity College in Dublin, was in an orchestra and sang with Anuna, a group that sings Medieval Celtic Music that sounds like angels singing from the rafters of ancient cathedrals.  He writes from the heart and can't ignore the wrongs against humanity in the world around him, thus the song, Take Me To Church.

Kudos for SNL always on the cutting edge of bringing cool music to its show.

Enjoy!

Reminded of the Beautiful Doors of Dublin

The doors of Dublin are colorful architectural beauties smacking of whimsy and are in the heart of Ireland, as Bono referred to once in concert, "Bubblin' Dublin."

What made me think of this?  The door is a symbol of beginnings and endings.  I had painted a red Dublin Door as a card for a wonderful co-worker that was retiring from many years of good service as a school nurse. I knew it was bittersweet for her and wanted the door to remind her that she was opening a new door to a new life full of joy and fresh beginnings. 

I googled "door" for a model to paint and discovered the beauty of the infamous Dublin Doors.(These perky Georgian doors became an economic stimulus for Dublin as prints of the infamous doors became in high demand and therefore, so was the demand to see them in person.)  The color and the decorative archways along with the brickwork above and around the doors were eye popping gorgeous!  So, here I am again admiring the beauty and mindful of its symbolism that is The Doors of Dublin.

2015 is the year for change.  It is time to be bold and be brave and pick your door to walk through.  Let it be a fanciful one, one with ornate architecture and shiny brass handles.  May it be unique, one of a kind to match your personality and style.  Like the Dubliners of old, I am choosing my path, my "Dublin Door," a bright one and walking on through.

Enjoy the Doors of Dublin!

Read About The Colorful Story of The Dublin Doors here

Photo: Doors of Dublin | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

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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.