Author: Barbara Stroud

I started the ArtFoodHome.com daily (now 4 times/week) blog 1/1/11 (easy to remember, right?) and have kept it going since then. Come back each day - I share with you: ART: featured artists, art events, workshops, etc. FOOD: recipes, restaurants, and good finds along the way HOME: house plans, home design, places here in Charleston... On year 14 of artfoodhome.com - share this site with anyone who you think might enjoy it!

Philosophy of Friends You Need

On By Barbara StroudIn Daily Blog3 Comments

This blog post is written by a friend, Penelope Spurr Marshall who writes a brilliant blog “Nearly Ninety | Recollections & Ruminations of a Quirky Old Dame” – be sure to check it out!!

Note: Click “View original post” to read in its entirety, and trust me, you want to do that! Happy Wednesday!

Penelope Spurr Marshall's avatarNearly Ninety

Version 2 Penny surrounded by younger friends.

When I think of this group of friends to prize as you age, it’s as a “Support of friends” as in a “pride of lions”.  I believe that our friends pick up where family leaves off, that they provide the continuum of love, support and joy that makes life livable. These may be in addition to family or in place of family that is far away or even just gone. Everyone as they age, if they are truly lucky, will have at least one good friend from each of the following categories.  These are the kind of friend who, when they see something amiss – spinach between your front teeth. peanut butter or a whisker on your chin, something unzipped – will immediately warn you or fix it. When you tell them a secret, it remains one.

Someone younger to help you stay “with it”and…

View original post 318 more words

Caprese Chicken Recipe – too good!!

On By Barbara StroudIn Daily Blog, FOOD, Recipe2 Comments

I remember the first time I had Caprese salad… it was at Carmine’s Italian restaurant in NYC. I couldn’t believe how fabulous. I wanted to eat there every single meal.

This chicken dish has the fabulous freshness from the tomatoes and basil and the added deliciousness of the mozzarella. I used fresh mozzarella, a favorite of mine. This is good served with pasta or rice, or a good salad. I’m thinking that’s what we had with it, a salad.

The recipe is from DELISH.com, click HERE to print the recipe (or save to Pinterest, etc.)

Caprese Chicken – Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts

S & P (I used Himalayan Sea Salt)

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

4 slices of mozzarella (or shredded, whatever you’ve got)

Directions:

In large skillet over medium high heat, heat the oil.

Then season the chicken with S&P and cook until golden and cooked through, about 6 minutes per side – transfer to a plate.

Add balsamic vinegar to skillet to deglaze, then add garlic and stir until fragrant, 1 minute. Add tomatoes and season with salt. Let simmer until soft, 5-7 minutes.

Stir in fresh basil.

Return chicken to skillet and nestle in the tomatoes. Top with mozzarella and cover with a lid until the cheese melts.

Spoon tomatoes over chicken and serve.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

When thank you is not enough…

On By Barbara StroudIn Daily Blog, Photograph, THOUGHTSLeave a comment

This is one of my favorite homes in Charleston, SC. We used to walk by it when we worked at a gallery on Broad Street. It’s got such charm! Of all the times I have walked by this house I have NEVER walked by without a car parked in front of it, so when I saw this I was ecstatic! SNAP that photo! I could sit on that porch all day long! So much to see right in this spot…

Have a wonderful Memorial Day, remember the reason behind this day off for many…. Thankful for all those who served and lost their lives fighting for this country.  🇺🇸 #thankyouisnotenough  🇺🇸

📸 IMAGES ARE MY OWN UNLESS STATED OTHERWISE. PLEASE CONTACT ME IF INTERESTED…

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Charleston Photo: Happy Sunday!

On By Barbara StroudIn Charleston, Daily Blog, Photograph, SC4 Comments

Charleston, SC architecture is stunning. Many of these homes are very old. I love the patina of the exteriors, the intricacies of the gates, the scale of things… so grand! Can you imagine what it was like several hundred years ago building homes so detailed and so extremely large? Impressive to say the least!

Happy Sunday!

📸 IMAGES ARE MY OWN UNLESS STATED OTHERWISE. PLEASE CONTACT ME IF INTERESTED…

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist: Stan Moeller!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Art Event, Daily Blog, Featured Artist, Maine1 Comment

Uncle Henry’s by Stan Moeller 11×14 Oil

The Lupine Gallery and the Island Inn will be presenting a fabulous show of Stan Moeller‘s paintings of Monhegan Island and France! What a show it’s going to be. I cannot wait to see it! If you’re fortunate enough to be on the island on June 28, 2017 – there is an opening reception from 2:00-4:00 PM. What a good time!

Here is a bit about the show, from the Lupine Gallery website:

STAN MOELLER: FROM MONTMARTRE TO MONHEGAN

The Lupine Gallery and the Island Inn will be showcasing Stan Moeller’s paintings of Monhegan Island and Paris, France in the 2017 Island Inn Show, “Stan Moeller: from Montmartre to Monhegan.”  The exhibit will be on view from Friday, May 26 through Sunday, October 8. The public is invited to a reception for the artist at the Island Inn on Wednesday, June 28 from 2-4 pm.                        

To view the paintings, click here.

Stan Moeller has been painting and teaching oil painting workshops on Monhegan since the 1990’s. He describes his style as “Modern Impressionism with a little Contemporary Realism and a smidge of the Ashcan school.” The works on display reflect his passion for painting on site and his ability to capture the energy of a moment—whether the power of an ocean wave or the gesture of a figure in a café.

There has been a strong thread of connection between Monhegan and Paris for over 100 years, as American artists who were drawn here to paint the rugged and rustic life of the island were also drawn to the Paris art scene. In the late 19th and early 20th century, the hill of Montmartre was a mecca for painters, and many of Monhegan’s most prominent artists lived and studied in Paris, bringing the latest movements in European art back with them.

Stan travels annually between Maine and Europe to paint two of his favorite muses: Monhegan and Paris. This show brings together, for the first time, his paintings of these two iconic places. The owners of the Island Inn, Jaye Morency and Michael Brassard, split their time between Monhegan and Paris each year, and were inspired to bring their love of their two favorite places together in this exhibition.

All images via stanmoeller.com and lupinegallerymonhegan.com, used with permission…
Images are not for reproduction, they are property of the artist.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Flowers… again!

On By Barbara StroudIn Daily Blog, Photograph, THOUGHTSLeave a comment

There has been a common theme to most of my posts this week… flowers. They’re stunning, in all shapes, colors and sizes they have been abundant this week! This is a photo I took of an arrangement that we had from a friend. Beautiful, isn’t it? So fresh and different!

Happy day!

📸 IMAGES ARE MY OWN UNLESS STATED OTHERWISE. PLEASE CONTACT ME IF INTERESTED… 

Posting another week of photos so I can catch up! Back to normal posting next week!

When things seem impossible…

On By Barbara StroudIn Daily Blog, Photograph, THOUGHTS4 Comments

When things seem impossible… remember they are not! How can plants grow in tiny crevices between a slab of concrete and a concrete wall? Where there is a will, there is a way! Always believe it!

That’s my glass-half-full thought for the day!

📸 IMAGES ARE MY OWN UNLESS STATED OTHERWISE. PLEASE CONTACT ME IF INTERESTED… 

Posting another week of photos so I can catch up! Back to normal posting next week!

Marion Square Flowers – Charleston, SC!

On By Barbara StroudIn Charleston, Daily Blog, Photograph, SCLeave a comment

The plants in Marion Square (Charleston, SC) are stunning… I believe these are called Coneflowers? Correct me if I’m wrong… There are some stunning flowers in this world, isn’t there?

Keep your eyes out for the beauty… the little things… it’s there if you look! 👀

📸 IMAGES ARE MY OWN UNLESS STATED OTHERWISE. PLEASE CONTACT ME IF INTERESTED… 

Posting another week of photos so I can catch up! Back to normal posting next week!

I can’t even make it through Lowes…

On By Barbara StroudIn Daily Blog, Photograph2 Comments

Beautiful, right? We were zipping through Lowes and up high on a shelf I saw these beauties… I reached up high and snapped a photo. That’s right, I can’t even make it through Lowes without taking a photo. There is probably a cure for this, but I don’t want to know what it is!

Enjoy your day!

📸 IMAGES ARE MY OWN UNLESS STATED OTHERWISE. PLEASE CONTACT ME IF INTERESTED… 

Posting another week of photos so I can catch up! Back to normal posting next week!

Spa day!

On By Barbara StroudIn Daily Blog, THOUGHTS2 Comments

Spa day! The other day, when the weather was a little too chilly for an outdoor bath we took Charlie to Dolittle’s… it’s his store, he loves it (he loved it even more when he could eat dog treats, but is perfectly happy to at least stroll through and say hello sans doggie treats!) He was lathered up and then coated with a wonderful conditioner that kept his wild hair happy for some time! I think he enjoyed it!

📸 IMAGES ARE MY OWN UNLESS STATED OTHERWISE. PLEASE CONTACT ME IF INTERESTED… 

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Water Lilies – No Filter…

On By Barbara StroudIn Charleston, Daily Blog, PhotographLeave a comment

I took a photo of some Water Lilies while visiting a local garden center/nursery. Ah, they have beautiful flowers and plants. There is usually someone directing traffic in and out it’s that crazy. It was a very bright day, so no filter was used on this photo, the flowers don’t look real. The lily pads do, but not the flowers. It was stunning!

Happy Saturday!

📸 IMAGES ARE MY OWN UNLESS STATED OTHERWISE. PLEASE CONTACT ME IF INTERESTED… 

Catch you back here tomorrow!

 

Horton Hayes Fine Art – Charleston, SC!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Charleston, Daily Blog, Photograph, SC2 Comments

Horton Hayes Fine Art – 12 State Street, Charleston, SC. The gallery is now located at this location as well as 27 1/2 State Street (the studio is in this location). Both locations are fabulous. I have always loved this building – it’s so classy with the black trim. All the textures in the building are stunning…  Check out the artists… top notch – and most recently added: Rhett Thurman! A perfect addition!

📸 IMAGES ARE MY OWN UNLESS STATED OTHERWISE. PLEASE CONTACT ME IF INTERESTED… 

Catch you back here tomorrow!

The Sunapee Cottage by Yankee Barn Homes!

On By Barbara StroudIn Daily Blog, HOME, House Plans2 Comments

This is the Sunapee Cottage by Yankee Barn Homes. This plan is 2,481 square feet with 3 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms. It boasts an exceptional front/side screened porch, so perfect for entertaining or just living the good life! This is one beautiful plan!

The Sunapee plan also has the master suite downstairs, which is convenient. This is an open concept plan with an open kitchen, dining, great room. You enter from the right side of the porch, which is nice – it keeps the entire expanse of the front porch clear – beautiful! Also downstairs is the laundry room and coveted pantry! Wonderful!

The upstairs area has two bedrooms and a bathroom as well as an office and storage area. STORAGE, did you hear that? The one thing most of us are short on, woohoo!

Be sure to check out their website for stunning photos of the interior!

All images via YankeeBarnHomes.com, used with permission…

Images are not for construction or reproduction, they are property of the design firm.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist: Ingrid Christensen!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Daily Blog, Featured ArtistLeave a comment

Peach Bowl by Ingrid Christensen  24×20″  Oil

Ingrid Christensen, a wonderful artist from British Columbia, Canada. She has a wonderful looseness to her work. Beautifully portrayed subjects in wonderful color and light.

I think these peaches are stunning, I can almost smell them! Time to go find a peach cobbler recipe, hee hee.

Links to Ingrid Christensen’s work:

Website  |  Blog 

Read a bit about Ingrid, from her website:

Award winning artist, Ingrid Christensen, was born and raised in Golden, a small town in British Columbia, Canada.  She studied art and English at UBC in Vancouver and received an Education degree from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, and, for a time, taught in the public school system. But art was always Ingrid’s primary passion, and she quit teaching in order to pursue it wholeheartedly.

After studying silversmithing in Thailand, and jewelry making and ceramics in Calgary, Ingrid finally settling on painting when she discovered that it was all that she had been searching for.  She taught herself to paint, first in watercolour, and then in oils, by reading artists’ biographies, art history books, and every how-to book in the library system. 

Ingrid is inspired by the Impressionists because of their fascination with the effect of light on colour.  Her favourite subjects are figures and  landscapes, with a special interest in images of figures in water.  This last subject allows her to explore the complexity of light, both direct and reflected, as well as the bravura brushwork that has become her signature.  Her bold and colourful paintings have won honours and awards in both international and national exhibitions.

Ingrid teaches oil painting at the Calgary School of Art in Calgary, Alberta and workshops in Alberta, British Columbia, and Mexico.  Continue reading HERE…

All images via IngridChristensen.visualserver.com, used with permission…

Images are not for reproduction, they are property of the artist.

Catch you back here tomorrow!