post-blizzard barbecue

The day after the big winter snow storm.  Such a glorious day for a picnic!  Sunscreen suggested against the blinding snow.  No stinging mosquitos or pesky flies.













This marks the 700th posting on my blog.

Winter Storm Juno

Yesterday, in the midst of winter storm Juno, I trekked the 4 blocks to the beach.  This was before the snowplows could clear the roads, so it took about half an hour to get there with the snow up at my thighs.  The wind gusts were at least 60 m.p.h. while the snow blew sideways.  I love extreme winter weather like this!

Electric Avenue beach on Buttermilk Bay in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts.

it happened one day

Meandering art that wandered upon this piece of paper.

a box of rocks

Rocks from the shoreline.

Being on the beach always inspires beach and ocean art.  There are so many wonderful places and things to explore along the shoreline.  There are edible shellfish and seaweed that can be plucked and eaten immediately.  Others are taken home and steamed to perfection.  Edible art inspirations.

watercolor, color pencil and ink.  5x7"

tea time

In the cold of winter, anytime is tea time.

fun with three-dimensional art

This is four layers of art, each floating above the other.  Having two inches of depth gives plenty of room for the spacing of layers.  I just love making 3D art.  With layers, it's like Photoshop gone 3D.

8 x 10 x 2".  Bristol board, watercolor, color pencils, ink, plastic straws and Elmer's glue.  I've yet to come up with a name for it, which is unusual for me.

Side angle view.  This shows the layers a bit more clearly.

light-up art

"Fishing Around" is the name of this art.  The idea is very metaphysical; exploring the universe and it's energies.

This art is made of three layers of painted masonite board.  Between the raised layers is a string of lights, which in effect, backlight the art between the layers.  In daylight it is bold and graphic. In the dark it's ambient light becomes etherial and dream-like.

I always create such art while working outside.  This piece was made at least ten years ago.  At the moment, I have no place to work outside, so smaller 3D art made of paper are created in my studio.

There is an actual string connected from the fishing pole to the fishing hook on the edge of the art.  This was exhibited and sold during an art show.

I always create large art outside instead of my little studio.  This is an example.  I cut masonite with a jigsaw, then sand and paint.  This photo shows the process of adding the lights between layers of the art.

I would customize a string of lights to proper length and placement of the bulbs.  There have been several shocking experiences from doing something wrong while wiring the strings of lights.  Not fun.  The art can be turned on by a rotary switch that I would add.  A simple, effective design when done correctly.

Finished art.  Behind it is a clothes line pole that I painted.  There were years of time where I painted everything in sight.  I still paint objects, but have mellowed over the years.  I've come to appreciate the beauty of certain wood sometimes used to make furniture.

cribbage board art

I use colored pencils quite often.  It really bugs me when the tips break off.  To compensate, instead of it being a loss and a bother to resharpen, I save the broken tips in this little paper pouch you see in this photo.

I found this cribbage board at a second-hand shop, brought it home and painted parts of it.  It turns out that the saved pencil nibs fit nice and snug with a bit of glue. Recycled art it is.  It lost its function as a game piece but became a decorative wall art.