Whirlwind comes to mind. Our morning included a gourmet tour of markets, award-winning patisseries and fromagers (where we sampled the goods), a walk through the 5th arrondissement, entry into a secret passage in the middle of the city that our guide was privy to, and a cheese, wine, and grape stop before we embarked to the d'Orsay lunch and museum. More on that later. Our days are full. And though I have been here often, I found much that was new and all that was fun.
I sat where Owen Wilson sat before the black cab picked him up (Midnight in Paris)
There's a whole quiet community of lovely places to live behind these doors.
I was totally enchanted by this installation in Vancouver I mentioned in the last post. It's called A-Maze-ing Laughter and I defy you not to giggle, even at the photos, but especially at the site.
Some of you may have caught that I love, love Brainpickings. Over at brainpickings.org. I have posted nuggets from her site, for example, here and here. I donate a little each month. in my teeny effort to support such a great place to visit each week.
Here is her post of 20 of the best articles from this year (and last year's, if you click the bottom). Have a bit of time? Savor articles like:
Meanwhile, over the past couple of days, I've seen movies I have greatly enjoyed: The Big Short and The Intern. Highly recommend both. AND, treated myself to Inside Out from OnDemand, because it seems to be on a lot of Best lists. Am I glad I did that! Wow! I LOVE that movie! The creativity, expression, concept, art, humor, and big idea - can't get enough of it. Must have it for myself to enjoy over and over. Sorry I missed it when it came around. I was in a hole somewhere, I guess. Or maybe I was having schnozzlepopps in Bavaria. I could be excused then, don't you think?
quick pen sketches; a few likenesses, a few not
I found a new place for coffee and general musing. The chocolate croissant with chocolate drizzle was pretty darn good, too. It's on the other side of the lake, so not handy, but I'll return next time I go to the Crest, an old, nonplex theatre that shows 2nd runs at a neat price, for those of us who missed them the first time around. Love theaters like that. No six previews with their LOUD, ear-splitting action scenes and blasting music. You know...those. Sign of age, I guess.
Finally, Daily Amazing on the web site: Aug(de)Mented Reality. More amazing creativity.
https://youtu.be/Bnv-EhgLlYA. Sorry for the abrupt ending. I said quick and dirty.
We all have them, don't we? The place we go to when we need to be calm and reflective or to have our inner creativity nuzzled awake; you know the place. This is a Magic Place for me. It is a special garden at the Village Green Resort in Cottage Grove, Oregon. (A blog here.) A walk in this immense garden...even in October when blooming season is over...reveals surprises around every corner. Mailboxes greet you at every themed garden, beckoning you to open it up and read about the garden and its plants. Little things sit in the trees and under the benches. A grassy labyrinth leads you to my favorite thing in the garden, a statue of a young woman in peaceful repose. I put on my playlist for meditating and wander through. Each time I find something I did not see before.
The architect of this garden is Cyndee Eichengreen. Yes, green.
I put together a quick and dirty Magisto video with some favorite scenes, but one day soon I will gather my photos and make something special. I encourage you to visit it sometime. Cottage Grove is the "Covered Bridge Capital of the West" and also close to wineries. It appears to me that you don't need to stay at the resort to see the garden....we have stayed at the resort (term used quite loosely!) and enjoyed our stay, but from the very mixed reviews, it all depends on the building and wing you are in (and a little about your need for perfection?) Our room was updated, cute, extra chair for reading, all the amenities AND with a patio and seating, comfy beds, updated bath. I noticed that one unhappy reviewer even dissed the garden as unmaintained, but it was February and, well...show me the northwest February garden that doesn't look winter weary.
I have begun to pull together photos, sketches, and memories into a couple of travel journals for our recent trip to Amsterdam, Budapest, Paris, and points in-between. I also have a couple of short videos I played around with apps that are kinda fun, I think!
There is a YouTube video on the 1934 Jordaan riots. It's from newsreels of the time. The first part contains image of the working class, depressed Jordaan neighborhood. It's quite interesting to compare it to the yuppie neighborhood it is today. (Are there still yuppies? Well, whatever we call them today.)
and a quickie video or two…
https://youtu.be/kjnnab0sHZ8
https://youtu.be/xgW7u09zhWc
Go here for "Walking Jordan," a more fun version of this one.
I am a fan of Alisa Burke, as many artists are. Her online classes are informal and informative, her blog is generously filled with samples, tutorials, and colorful days and very focused on art. Recent posts have shown ideas for making little pinch pots, plant stakes, and rope tote bags. I have no toddlers in my life right now but still enjoyed this post for the pleasure that art brings to kids of every age. I recommend a visit there for anyone with a toddler to entertain! I"m sharing her whole series of art with kids here
Heads up, my California buddies! The Sketchbook tour will be in LA June 26-28! This will be the last Sketchbook Project tour. You'll have to go to Brooklyn to see the sketchbooks after that!
and to Atlanta, Austin, Miami, San Francisco, Seattle (see my smile), Chicago, and Toronto, dates to be announced.
If you love looking at sketchbooks and visual journals to your heart's content, you will enjoy. There is amazing art out there. Details below, but first:
Loving the Roosevelt Arts District in Phoenix. As I did last year, I stopped for coffee at the Songbird Coffee and Tea House, a cozy place I remembered from last year. I sketched for Skool. I met Taylor, who was interested in the sketching, and we had a long and interesting conversation about travel, art, work, play, and the places we had lived in which were often the same.
Not only did I get to view the Hollywood Costume Exhibit, which was quite nice, I was treated to this Hollywood-y scene on my walk from the Phoenix Art Museum to my car which I had intentionally parked a few blocks away. I am getting braver with the heat. I am so proud.
Some of the signatures made in Mesa workshop last weekend and putzed with since…love lots of color but now will work on toning it all down to post some pictures, drawings, thoughts….
Carolyn in the painterly apron, Tangie on the right, me on the left..happy faces, painty hands.
I participated in Carolyn Dube's full-day workshop at Tangie Baxter's Very Fun Studio yesterday in Mesa while vacationing here this month. We painted all day with dozens of stencils for our use. It was great fun.
The paint dries fast here.
Tangie Baxter's studio is a visual delight. Having a turquoise theme in our own guest bedroom, teal/reds/yellow sophisticated-but-kitschy look wowed me.
I am taking Danny Gregory's Sketchbook Skool because…why not?
Besides, I love his work and philosophy and his story. He inspires me.
So, hopefully, will be posting regularly these sketches and drawings I do for "skool" - They don't translate to photos well. I'll need to figure out better systems than I have. I'd post more often if it weren't so dang complicated.
I had the shadows, once. Too many stones...should have left it less stony. I loved how the shadows from the tree webbed the entire yard and crawled up the wall. Beautiful blue morning.
I posted about this in August, 2011, but came across it again while updating some old links. Honestly, if you haven't looked at this project, head on over. Yeah, the guy is drawing all the buildings in New York.
I collect picture books whose illustrations grab or inspire me. And alphabet books. And lovely children's books in foreign languages. And sketchbooks of travel.
Here are the ones I brought back with me from my trip to Tuscany, Prague, Budapest, and Paris. I will get many hours of pleasure from them.
In Budapest, I met the artist of one book (Jartamban..Kertemben), Maray Mariann, who signed it. She was working upstairs in a studio/gallery at the cutest darn bookstore of the whole trip, books and art and cards and jewelry all with artists' touches.
It does make for sweat time at baggage check-in, but I made it!
