Holler if you’re getting tired of all my sunrise/sunset photos! I swear I can’t stop snapping photos! Each moment is as mesmerizing as the next! This photo was taken in front of my parents house in Algonac, MI. Gorgeous isn’t it?! I hope you enjoy your day… get out and enjoy the sunrises and sunsets, it’s so worth it!
Catch you back here tomorrow!
“In the Wilds of the North” by Ivan Shishkin, 1891
An amazing painting, isn’t it? This is “In the Wilds of the North” by artist Ivan Shiskin. Cold and eerie but also a little magical as well. A fitting painting for the first day of Winter! I ran across this painting on Facebook Jonathan McPhillips had posted this and when I saw it I knew it was perfect for this day! (Check out his work if you get a chance… AH-MAZING to say the least!).
What’s the big deal about the first day of Winter you may wonder… here’s a little blip from the Farmer’s Almanac:
The start of winter—the winter solstice—is the shortest day of the year, when the Sun reaches its most southern point in the sky at local noon. After this date, the days start getting longer. See our First Day of Winter page!
Pretty cool, eh? Catch you back here tomorrow!
Image: Wikipedia.com
Pretty cool isn’t it? This was done by my dad, Joe Fidler. I love sketches that have some ink and watercolor thrown in to jazz them up! Years ago I gave him a sketchbook for Christmas, he filled it full of wonderful sketches and gave it back to me. PRICELESS! I featured my dad last year with a few more images… he needs a website I think, ha ha… Personally I think he should make cards, they’re just so special! What a neat keepsake from different places you’ve traveled to! Everyone has photos, but how many people have a sketchbook filled with great memories? There’s no limit to what this man can do. He’s so creative and I love that about him! He’s always creating… watercolor, oil, sketch books filled with wonderful creations, beautiful ornaments made out of wood… I remember when we were young he made wine, polished rocks and had a dark room in the basement where he would develop the best photos ever!
This photo (below) was when my mom and dad had just boarded the boat and were leaving Monhegan Island after a visit. I’ll never forget that year. We had a great time and they were heading back… I think that’s the time they saw the whale on the way back to Port Clyde, that’s not something you easily forget!
I just wanted to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD! You’re the best! I love you so much and hope you have the best birthday ever!
I’ll catch you back here tomorrow!
April Blooms 2 by Karin Olah Knowlton
It amazes me that someone can use fabric so fluidly that it looks like paint from a distance. Yet up close you have the combination of interesting shapes, where you see through to other fabrics, each and every piece that Karin creates comes together so nicely! She’s such a nice person, you have to read more about her. I included a short blip below, check out her website for more… If you’re in the Charleston, SC area, check out Karin’s work, her show is through December 31, 2012 at the Corrigan Gallery (62 Queen Street)!
Karin also creates some spectacular contemporary pieces, one example below… I love the mixture of different mediums, it makes it so interesting!
Unwinding Wind by Karin Olah Knowlton
Here’s a blip about Karin from her website, read more (including a FABULOUS video of her process) by clicking HERE…
Using fabric, Karin Olah works in a manner that mimics the flow of paint from a brush. Intricately cut, placed, and pasted textiles are combined with gouache, acrylic, and graphite to create Collage Paintings that are deep in color and texture.
From a small-town upbringing in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, her interest in Amish quilts and textile traditions led her to study Fiber Art at Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore. For several years following art school, Karin managed a textile studio in New York City, developing colors and patterns for clients, including Donna Karan, Marc Jacobs, Ralph Lauren, and Peter Marino Interior Architects. .
Now applying her fabric know-how to the realm of painting, Karin exhibits her collage art in solo and group shows on the East Coast. Her work has been featured in American Contemporary Art, Art Business News, Charleston Style and Design, and Charleston Magazine, on the covers of Charleston Art Magazine, Black and White: Birmingham’s City Paper, and Carolina Arts, and as the image for the 2011 Piccolo Spoleto Concert Poster as well as Charleston Farmers Market 2006 and 2007 posters and street banners. Corporate Collections include pieces in the Carolina Contemporary Collection of MUSC Ashley River Towers, Citadel College, City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs, and Shoestring Publishing Company.
Karin is a former board member of Redux Contemporary Art Center, Charleston Arts Coalition, and French Quarter Gallery Association. She recently moved with her husband, Craig Knowlton, from Charleston South Carolina, to Boulder Colorado. Karin enjoys dancing to Motown with her newborn daughter, Alison, and chasing prairie dogs with her chocolate Labradoodle, Joby.
Catch you back here tomorrow!
All Images: KarinOlah.com
From TIMESSQUARENYC.ORG – they are doing this again this year… the New Year’s Eve Wishing Wall. You can submit your wishes (write them on paper) if you’re in NYC, or you can submit them using the link below and your wishes will be dropped at midnight in Times Square on New Year’s Eve! It only takes a second… and it certainly can’t hurt! Good luck with those wishes!
From TIMESSQUARENYC.ORG
Each year people from around the globe write their wishes for the New Year on pieces of official Times Square New Year’s Eve confetti. Whether it’s a personal goal, a dream for the future or doing something for the very first time, these wishes will be posted on the New Year’s Eve Wishing Wall located in the Times Square Museum & Visitor Center(7th Ave between 46th & 47th Streets, open 7 Days a Week, 8AM – 8PM).
The wishes are collected at the end of the year, and added to the one ton of confetti that flutters down at midnight onto the crowd gathered in Times Square in celebration of the New Year.
BUT WAIT… still good news if you’re not going to be in NYC! I did this last year… and mentioned it on my blog… how cool is this??
Virtual Wishing Wall
Can’t make it to Times Square? No worries, your wishes can still fall from the sky this New Year’s. Just submit your wish, your dream, your first, online. We will print it onto a piece of confetti for you, so that no matter where you are on New Year’s Eve, your wish will be part of the Times Square celebration. Happy New Year
Catch you back here tomorrow!
Winter Willows by Josh Elliott
Josh Elliott is an amazing Montana artist… His landscapes are magnificent! The warm and cool colors seem to flow together effortlessly creating a beautiful snowscape! As we near the first day of winter (Friday) I thought this was an appropriate painting… Josh has an excellent website, if you have a minute, check it out!
The painting I initially selected entitled “MATINEE” has already sold, so if you see one you like you better snap it up! Look at the clouds in this painting!!! They took my breath away!
Matinee by Josh Elliott (Sold)
A blip about Josh from Claggett/Rey Gallery in Vail, CO:
Josh Elliott was born in Great Falls, MT in 1973. He was raised to appreciate art and is a third generation artist. His grandfather studied with Grant Wood and dabbled in all sorts of artistic pursuits. His father, wildlife artist Steve Elliott, gave up a successful career as an ER doctor to become a full-time artist. Josh’s father taught and encouraged him. Josh learned the importance of painting from life and discovered his passion for painting outdoors. He sees his outdoor paintings as a reaction to what is in front of him, and feels they act as exercise to sharpen his skills. He considers his studio paintings to be a culmination of everything he has learned from painting out, combined with his own artistic interpretation.
Born in Montana, Josh lived out of state for some time but always felt a deep connection with Montana’s landscape and people. Josh now lives with his wife and two daughters in Helena, Montana.
Josh says, “A good painting, to me, is Nature’s truth filtered through the artist.”
Catch you back here tomorrow!
Gorgeous, right? I saw this and flipped… CAMERA! WHERE. IS. MY. CAMERA?!!! This is the sun setting from behind the house which throws the most gorgeous warm light on the island across the river. STUNNING golden light that makes everything look absolutely spectacular! Look at the brilliance of those trees in the foreground! As soon as I saw this I thought… MARC HANSON! A fabulously talented artist from Colorado. His paintings mesmerize me. I cannot believe how he can turn out one after another and each is as awesome as the next. These trees are MARC HANSON TREE’S! I swear they are! Check out his work if you get a chance, I have no doubt you’ll agree with me! Nice guy, and he has so much talent!
Here’s an example of one of his paintings, this one graced the cover of Southwest Art magazine, see what I mean with the trees?
“Right or Left?” by Marc Hanson
Catch you back here tomorrow!
Here is a photo from my past trip to Michigan. The weather was fair for the most part, a tad bit rainy, but no snow… the sunrises/sunsets are AMAZING. It’s probably best that I don’t live on the water because I would never get anything done! As soon as I get in the front door from taking photos… BAM the sky moves, more sun/bright colors peek through, and back I go! This is the coolest little tree my dad made. More people stopped to look at it! It’s not much to look at during the day, but come dark… WHOA! Absolute magic! It’s an umbrella/table. On the top he put a round thingy… he attached the light to it at the top and secured them to the deck at the bottom. If I remember right he used smaller green lights to be the “tree” and bigger colored lights to be the “bulbs”. He scrunched and secured in areas as well so it wasn’t a straight shot from top to bottom… very cool indeed! The combination of the tree, the awesome sky and the “old fisherman crossing” sign just made this such an interesting subject. Those features coupled with the telephone pole and electric lines screamed to me… COLIN PAINTING. Funny how certain scenes remind me of a specific artist… This one was Colin Page!
Hope you’re out and about decorating and making things special for whichever holiday you’re celebrating! For us, it’s Christmas… we have the tree (check!), it’s decorated (check!) and it looks so beautiful! Next few days we’ll get some lights in a tree outside, then we can kick back and relax!
Catch you back here tomorrow!
“Intent” by Aaron Westerberg
This painting, “Intent” has been awarded Finalist in the Raymar Juried Competition. I wish I was as eloquent as Michael Godfrey, ha ha… I totally agree with his comment – you have to wonder! At first you think she looks like a “nice girl” until you see what’s in her hand… is she going to go edge a patch of unwieldy grass growing over and spilling into the driveway, or is there a small tree that needs removing… or…. EEEEEEk! Intriguing works of all kinds are on his website… check it out!
I highly suggest checking out the HOW TO DRAW tutorials that Aaron has posted on his blog! What fabulous information! A great blog full of so much good stuff!
Here’s a blip about Aaron from his website:
Native California Aaron Westerberg grew up in San Diego. It was a class in Traditional life drawing that drew him to continue his Art training. He studied with Jeff Watts and later attended the California Art Institute, where he taught and expanded his focus to include the works of nineteenth century American and European Masters. Aaron feels a connection to these great painters of form and light. In his paintings, he strives for elegance and timelessness while striking a balance between classic techniques and contemporary subject matter. Currently Aaron lives in Santa Clarita with his wife Jennifer and four children Stella, Lucy, Violet, and Sen Sei.
Aaron Westerberg is a member of the Oil Painters of America, the Portrait Society of America and The California Art Club.
Catch you back here tomorrow!
If you’re looking for a nice restaurant in Charleston, I think you will be pleasantly spoiled at HUSK RESTAURANT. Voted the best restaurant in the country this year, it will be an experience. You see people dressed up, dressed down and everything in between. It’s a high class place. It’s not cheap, but it’s a nice treat! We’ve been there for lunch and also for brunch… if they ever have the cinnamon rolls when you visit… I highly suggest them… they’re tiny and delectable!
Check out their menu… it changes daily. Husk posts their daily menu on their Facebook page… check it out! Ingredients are the absolute best and all from the south, as Sean Brock says: “If it doesn’t come from the South, it’s not coming through the door”! He means it!
Chef Brock takes pride in this restaurant and it’s evident. The management and staff are top notch, which is essential, especially if you’re voted the “best restaurant in the country”! Here’s a blip about the cuisine at Husk, from their website:
Brock brings this evolving vision of a new Southern cuisine from his successful kitchen at McCrady’s. As one of Charleston’s most decorated culinarians, he was nominated in 2008 and 2009 for the James Beard “Rising Star Chef” award and in 2009 and 2010 for the James Beard “Best Chef Southeast” category, winning the award in 2010. Most recently, he was nominated for the James Beard “Outstanding Chef” award for 2012. He was the winner of the “Next Great Chef” episode of the “Food Network Challenge” and appeared on “Iron Chef America” in December 2010, taking on Michael Symon in “Battle Pork Fat.”
Grimes grew up in the Lowcountry and knows Charleston well. He worked his way up through local restaurants before attending Johnson and Wales University. When Brock took the helm at McCrady’s he stayed on to help transform the kitchen into the most innovative in the city and now takes on the day-to-day operations at Husk. His philosophy on food closely mirrors that of his mentor, Brock, focusing on preservation techniques and the recovery of lost flavors, especially heirloom varieties of pork. Both men bring a love for the area and its history to creating the restaurant’s concept.
Diners at Husk view an open, collaborative kitchen, where chefs freely interact with their guests, and personally deliver food to tables, but the work begins well before a pan begins to heat. Brock and Grimes exhaustively research Southern food—its history and provenance—and in the process reconstitute flavors and ingredients lost to time. They grow much of their own produce on the restaurant’s garden, and concentrate on heirloom grains and vegetables that once flourished in the region, but were lost to 20th-century industrial agriculture. Then they take what is fresh and available today, or even this hour, and transform it into an evolving menu. Seasonal bounty comes in waves, however, and what they can’t use immediately is preserved, pickled, smoked, and saved.
The menu flourishes with Lowcountry ingredients, like Local Benne Seed, or Sesame, which flavors a Benne and Honey Lacquered Duck with Pickled Blueberries and Chanterelles and Crispy Pork Collar gets paired with Cornbread Purée and Greasy Beans. Other innovative examples include Sassafras Glazed Pork Ribs with Pickled Peaches and Rev Taylor Butter Beans; House Cured Country Ham Tasting with Acorn Griddle Cakes; and Rabbit-Pimento Loaf with Husk Mustard, Pickles and Rice Bread.
Catch you back here tomorrow!
“Is the Peak Open Today?” by Wayne McKenzie
I know, right!? Utterly Amazing! I love the varying blues in the mountain and sky then again in the shadow of the skiers. The mountain seems so massive and surreal. What a wonderful painting! Wayne’s website is full of fabulous paintings. This is one from the Telluride portfolio, so be sure to check them all out!
I love the skiers in this painting. I admire skiers. Wish I was one. I wasn’t the bravest on earth. I did try downhill skiing as a kid. The tow rope…? A death trap in my opinion, same for the “bunny hill” (do they still call it that?) it’s a dangerous place! Why didn’t that ski instructor teach me to do anything but walk up/down a hill with skis on? Why not teach me that swish back and forth that seems so imperative so you don’t come flying down a bunny hill at 90MPH on your rear with skis dangling from your legs?! Hmmm, I sound bitter. Ha. I’m not, it led me to cross country skiing which I truly loved for so many years. I wish I never stopped!
Ok, on to some info about Wayne! From his website…
Wayne Mckenzie’s art emanates a laid back confidence that is a reflection of his Australian upbringing. With loose brushwork and bold use of color, he brings a unique perspective to the contemporary North American art world. Wayne”s strong sense of design is derived from the Aboriginal art of his native Australia. His paintings are a visual journey that allows the essence of his subject matter to come to life.
Wayne divides his time between his studios in Lake Tahoe, California and Telluride, Colorado, where he participates in the annual Plein Air Festival along side some of the most respected artists in the country. He consistently ranks in the top ten sellers, and in 2009 was awarded third place in the Artists Choice Award. Wayne also participates in the Carmel Plein Air Festival, where in 2010 he received an Honorable Mention.
Wayne has appeared in various publications throughout the United States. He was most recently honored as a feature artist in the hardcover book “Best of Artists-Oil-Global edition” by Kennedy Publishing. Renowned art critic Susan Viebrock, wrote “Anyone who doesn’t love a Mckenzie, must have a low opinion of joy….big personality- big work” and went on to describe his work as having, “a delightful sense of movement, vibration and exuberance.”
Catch you back here tomorrow!
There is nothing better than a good corn pudding to go along with a holiday meal. A mixture of sweet (Jiffy corn muffin mix) and savory it seems to just melt in your mouth! This recipe is from Daphne Oz (yep, her dad is Dr. Oz, she’s the gal on THE CHEW, a TV show about food…). I saw this in the DASH RECIPES circular that comes in the paper once a month. GREAT RECIPES inside that little gem, so be sure to look through it carefully! This isn’t a healthy side dish, but hey, it’s the holidays, this is a very popular recipe right now… Like Daphne says… eat less the day before and the day after a holiday feast, that way you can enjoy the holiday! From DashRecipes.com:
1. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Grease an 8 to 10-inch pan with butter and pour in mixture. Bake at 350˚F for 55-60 minutes.
Serves 8.
Catch you back here tomorrow!
Image: DashRecipes.com
Painting by artist Ezra Katz
Ezra Katz. An artist who paints the most delightful paintings! I really do enjoy his style. This is an amazing painting. The wonderful shadows, the light in the distance… the clear crisp of the foreground and the light and more fuzzy background just makes everything say LOOK AT ME! A great painting!
Here’s a blip about Ezra from his website:
Ezra Katz, born in Corpus Christi, Texas in 1970 and, raised in La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico, began studying art at the age of seven. Learning from several teachers who would come from Mexico City and stay for the summer at this family home. Katz began with academic art and later studied commercial art when he arrived at the University of Texas in Austin and Corpus Christi. In Mexico, he established himself as an artist. In the off seasons, Ezra traveled through the United States, painting commissions for private clients. In Cabo San Lucas, Ezra created a following among restaurateurs and hoteliers creating his highly original murals and etchings. Ezra now makes his home in two places, California and Mexico. He delights in the diverse landscapes of the Bay Area.
Catch you back here tomorrow!
Look at that beautiful light! The colors and textures in this photo are reminiscent (to me) of an Andrew Wyeth painting… the light is magnificent. This photo was taken from the top floor of the Ocean House Hotel, the back screen door… on our way to a fabulous breakfast! If you’re ever in Port Clyde and need a place to rest your head, the Ocean House Hotel is a neat place with a wonderful breakfast!
Catch you back here tomorrow!
Well, I’ve been in Michigan visiting “my people”… trying to catch up after not seeing them for SEVEN MONTHS, ahhhh, it’s hard living far away from everyone! I’m writing this post ahead of time, and I am assuming that I’m way up high in the sky on my way home now… hope y’all missed me ;)
I’ve got lots of good stuff planned, so stay tuned…
Catch you back here tomorrow!
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