Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Day 523: Dread ... what an awful word!



I just decided.

Dread is a bad word. A bad 5 letter word.

I don't dread very often.

But when I do, it is such a waste of time.

It is suffering ahead of time, for what you dread.

As is my nature, I decided to use it in an art composition.






1dread

verb \ˈdred\
                : to fear something that will or might happen
transitive verb
a :  to fear greatly




A smile for Tuesday, New Years Eve ...






Monday, December 30, 2013

Day 522: Art to mail ...




Last October & November I took my first on line class ...
well known Collage artist's Randel Plowman's
Experiments in Collage II.
Our final project was optional mail art.




So I started ...




on 5 x 7" 140#  watercolor paper ...




then adding magazine, junk mail & papers until ...





I think it's done?




I am working on 12 at the same time ...




some are done, some still in progress.




newsprint base then add on ...




I will post more as they progress.



A smile for Monday ...



Sunday, December 29, 2013

Day 521: WonderWoman told me to walk ...



And  because I know she's right ... I walked.


view from the adjacent elementary school, approaching the park


All the way down to my park. That's right, my park!
Oh the City had it posted as Cedar Grove Park ...






home to a beautiful grove of magnificent Cedars.




But, those of us in the know, know the real name
it is actually ... Grandma's Park!




So named by my grandson's ...
when they were tiny & visited often.




They liked Grandma's Park. 




A lot of people still do.




In case you don't get to see cedars ...




here's a close-up ...




can you almost smell it?




I am going to take you on a walking tour.
If I have to walk, you're coming along.




It's a hidden treasure, so this is just between you and me.




This field is usually filled with la crosse and more.




Tustin places a high priority on schools and parks ...



well used, but rarely crowded. This park offers ...


Nature trail
Basketball (2-1/2 courts)
Restrooms
Playground equipment
On-site parking
Regional trail access
2 Grass volleyball courts





A wonderful space, hidden in busy Orange County.




I took 72 photos on my walk, so ...




I am working on my moderation isssues.






The large stand of tall cedars have
a path and scattered picnic tables ...




gorgeous! 
And, if you are willing to do a backbend ...





you can look straight up to the tree tops!
After googling I found there are many types of cedar tree.
I believe these are Deodar Cedar.
An excellent evergreen with graceful pendulous branches.







Pyramidal form when young, wide-spreading
and flat topped in old age, often reaching 70' in height.






There are many other trees, and a eucalyptus stand.





I can take this nature path home.




On my way home.
WonderWoman will be pleased.





Once home, I checked the weather on the patio.




 A smile for Sunday ...




Saturday, December 28, 2013

Day 520: Falalalala?



These post-Christmas days, for me, are a blur.
All day, through my seven errands ...
getting two new tires installed in Santa Ana, 
picking up art work from the WAXArtLA show, 
buying art supplies in Westminster, 
recycling plastic bottles in Costa Mesa, 
making exchanges at South Coast Plaza,
getting a haircut in Corona Del Mar,
shopping at Fashion Island ...
I kept thinking it was Saturday.


The huge tree at Fashion Island 

I am sure it's just me ... I'll call it Falalalala brain!
So, I'm posting a collage from the files ...


magazine, junk mail & glue stick




And a smile for the real Saturday ...





Friday, December 27, 2013

Day 519: I call it ... smudgedot!



My first love is real collage.
That's what I call a composition of primarily paper.
Technically collage is not limited to just paper. 
Below is a collage using magazine, junk mail & a glue-stick.





But, in my business I work digitally.
So, doing collages digitally is doable.
The following are variations of a single digital collage.






A composite of four images ...








I call it smudgedot.








Adding an envelope scrap ...







and letters for balance, and fun.





A smile for Friday ...