Quote For The Day
“When my daughter was about seven years old, she asked me one day what I did at work. I told her I worked at the college – that my job was to teach people how to draw. She stared back at me, incredulous, and said, “You mean they forget?” – Howard Ikemoto
Woman of Inspiration
Here is a wonderfully inspiring story about a woman in her early 60’s who has run more than 20,000 miles across 12 countries in five years.
She began her journey on her 57th birthday in 2003, and is expected to end her round the world trip in August. What an amazing woman!
You can read all about Rosie Swale Pope’s around the world run adventure, and see some amazing photos here.
Totoro Forest Project
The Totoro Forest Project is an charity auction to help preserve Sayama Forest. This beautiful sanctuary is also known as Totoro Forest, and was where Academy Award-winning animator and director Hayao Miyazaki got the idea for the film “My Neighbor Totoro”.
Pixar Animation Studios will be hosting the art auction on September 06, 2008, which will be featuring over 200 top international artists donating their artwork for this event. All proceeds will go to The Totoro Forest Foundation.
“The 21st century is a complex and unforeseeable epoch. Our thinking habits and our values, which until now looked settled, are being challenged.” – Hayao Miyazaki
The Legend of the Scarecrow
The Legend of the Scarecrow by Carlos Lascano is an incredibly beautiful short film. It is a poignant film of how the life of a scarecrow changes when he decides to become friends with the birds. You can see more of his short films on Vimeo.
The Legend of the Scarecrow from Carlos Lascano on Vimeo.
Busy Day
Today we went to Sebastopol to walk around and visit The Sebastopol Gallery which features fine arts and crafts by local artists. Be sure to check it out, if your in the area!
Later in the afternoon we went to the Santa Rosa Downtown Market to purchase some fresh produce. We had a great time sampling some fabulous white peaches and nectarines. Yum!
Main Street
Yummy Bread
Altered Book Cover
We had a great day! We started by having lunch at one of our favorite Mexican Restaurants and afterwards we visited a local Art Gallery and walked through a couple of antique stores.
Salsa & Chips
Main Course
Later, when we got home, I felt inspired to begin an altered book project. A few months ago I had purchased a couple of old hardbound books and they were just sitting on one of my bookshelves gathering dust.
I selected one with a light blue cover, and began removing the pages because I wanted to use only the cover instead of the whole book. After preparing the cover with gesso, I set it aside to dry.
Hopefully, I will be able to work on it some more tomorrow.
Sketchcrawl 19
This Saturday The World Wide Sketchcrawl will be held locally in San Francisco at Fort Point and Crissy Fields on June 21, 2008. For more information go to Sketchcrawl.
Sketchcrawl is a global drawing marathon, started by Pixar artist Enrico Casarosa. So grab your moleskins, pens, pencils, watercolors and come join the fun.
Threw my Back Out
Last week, I was working in the garden and somehow threw my back out. It started with a backache, and ended up with me sitting in the emergency room on Saturday. After being examined and prescribed pain pills and a muscle relaxant, I came home and went to bed.
So here I sit on my chair in front of my computer with a heat pad on my back and waiting for the meds to kick in while I write this post.
Needless to say I haven’t been at my easel for several days. Hopefully tomorrow I will be able to do some painting using Painter IX and my wacom tablet.
The tablet is a little too large and heavy for me to put on my lap, so I will have to figure something out. I believe I have a smaller one packed away somewhere, but I’m in no condition to look for it.
It’s funny how we seem to never be prepared for these little mishaps in life.
“What a man needs in gardening is a cast iron back, with a hinge in it.”
– Charles Dudley Warner
Stone Pathway ( Luther Burbank Gardens) – Photography
“Do not follow where the path may lead. Go, instead, where there is no path and leave a trail.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
Out & About
Today, I went out to lunch with a close friend, which was wonderful. We also window shopped and visited our favorite book store. It was so relaxing to sit, laugh, and talk, instead of worrying about time constraints.
Herb Garden
“Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.”
– Marcel Proust
“Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born.”
– Anais Nin
“My friends are my estate.”
– Emily Dickinson
“A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart, and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words.”
Emerging Artists Show
Saturday we went to The Emerging Artist Show in Sonoma County, and we had a great time! Santa Rosa showcased the event at the Courthouse square, and provided live entertainment throughout the day.
Afterwards we had a nice leisurely lunch and then visited a couple of bookstores.
I would like to say Happy Mother’s day to all you moms out there! I hope you had a great weekend!
“To the world you might just be one person,
but to one person you might just be the world.”
~Author Unknown~
“We only have One Mom, One Mommy,
One Mother in this World, One life.
Don’t wait for the Tomorrow’s
to tell Mom, you love her”
~Author Unknown~