Shem Creek Park is a wonderful place to take a stroll. Located right at, well… Shem Creek (Mount Pleasant Seafood, Vickery’s, all the seafood restaurants, etc.) it’s a lovely dock and it’s long enough to take a nice stroll and snap LOTS of photos! Especially at sunset!
The temps should be getting a little cooler now making it more bearable! Enjoy and I’ll catch you back here tomorrow!
I looked back through my photos to find an autumn photo… this one is from 2009 and is a photo driving back from Rockland towards Wiscasset, Maine. Wiscasset is the prettiest little town. It has so much to offer, galleries, restaurants, antique stores, all kinds of good stuff!
You may have heard of Red’s Eats also located in Wiscasset, supposedly they have good lobster rolls. They must have something good, there is always a line! Enjoy your first day of Autumn, I am THRILLED that summer is behind us. Winter in Charleston, SC is pretty darn nice and I’m thrilled it’ll be here in another 3 or 4 months, ha ha… Enjoy your fall!
Catch you back here tomorrow!
WEATHERBEATEN: Winslow Homer and Maine. What a show this will be and it all begins T O M O R R O W ! If you happen to be in the Portland, Maine area anywhere between September 22, 2012 and December 30, 2012 you might want to pop in to see a chance of a lifetime exhibit! You also have the option to check out Winslow Homer’s studio! Ticket information below…
“One of the Best Museum Shows of 2012” – Fodors.com
From the Portland Museum website:
To celebrate the opening of the newly renovated Winslow Homer Studio at Prouts Neck, the Portland Museum of Art presentsWeatherbeaten: Winslow Homer and Maine. This extraordinary exhibition showcases more than 35 masterpieces that the great American artist Winslow Homer (1836-1910) created during the final decades of his life, when he lived and worked in Maine. Inspired by the rugged beauty and changeable weather along the coast at Prouts Neck, Homer painted powerful marine narratives and seascapes that capture the specificity of place with vivid intensity, while also investigating existential themes of life and death, of humankind’s relationship with the natural world. Highly admired for their originality and sense of authenticity, these paintings helped to establish an iconic image of the New England coast in the national imagination-one that endures to the present day.
Weatherbeaten provides a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore the range and complexity of Homer’s most critically acclaimed works. The featured paintings, watercolors, and etchings are drawn from private collections and museums throughout the country-including the Art Institute of Chicago, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (Philadelphia), the Smithsonian American Art Museum (Washington, D.C.), and the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute (Williamstown, Massachusetts). The Portland Museum of Art is the only venue for this important exhibition.
Tickets to the Exhibition-Please call, (207) 775-6148.
Corporate sponsorship is provided by Bank of America. Foundation support is provided by The Henry Luce Foundation and by a grant from the Maine Arts Commission, an independent state agency supported by the National Endowment for the Arts. Media support is provided by WCSH 6, The Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram, and the Maine Public Broadcasting Network. This exhibition is supported by an indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities.
Winslow Homer’s Studio
Catch you back here tomorrow!
Images: PortlandMuseum.org
One morning a friend and I were walking our dogs as we normally do… we were talking about the ferns in the trees. It seems they were so lush and green and now they were dying. In the photo above you can see the top ferns are starting to turn brown. That night my husband and I took the dog around the blog. I was telling him about the ferns in the trees turning brown. We looked up, and there they were, as lush and green as ever. Ok… did I just dream that my friend and I had talked about the ferns turning crispy brown and dying in these large old oak trees? Google saved my sanity! I Googled “Resurrection Fern”… it wasn’t my imagination WOOHOO, the ferns turn brown and appear to be dead. When it rains they’re rehydrated and turn a lush green without a speck of brown! It is the most amazing thing! I read a neat ARTICLE that explains it. Apparently there is a special protein the resurrection fern has called DEHYDRIN which allows it to become lush and green only hours after receiving rain/water! These ferns last up to 100 years!
How cool is that? Can you believe that it goes from lush and green…
To crispy and brown… and back again as soon as it rains!
Amazing! Catch you back here tomorrow!
“Free” by Eric Zener
I know what you’re going to say… “WHOA!!”, right? Amazingly realistic, wouldn’t you say? This painting is so Norman Rockwell in my eyes… absolutely amazing. The dark suit against the fabulously cloudy sky, the tease of the lifeguard stand in the background with just a little pop of color. FABULOUS! I’m sure this is something Eric Zener has heard time and time again. He’s got quite the long list of publications, awards, etc. A bio that I read on him said he was self taught. Now THAT is amazing. He has certainly taught himself well!
Here is another, entitled “Woman Treading Water” – can you believe how realistic this woman looks?
Here’s a blip about Eric from Joanne Artman Gallery in Laguna Beach, CA:
Eric Zener (b. 1966, Astoria, Oregon) is an American photorealist artist best known for figure paintings of lone subjects, often in or about swimming pools. Zener is a self-taught artist. His paintings, mostly in oil, are in a photorealist or “super-realist” style Zener describes as “Contemporary Renaissance”. In 2003, while living in the Costa Brava region of Spain, Zener became interested in watching bathers, and began a series of paintings of water, and of people interacting with water. Many paintings from this period depict women swimming underwater amidst air bubbles, or diving into the water, and have been described as reminiscent of Hudson River School and Barbizon School painters.
Catch you back here tomorrow!
Images: Gallery Henoch
THE DECISION…
Slightly North of Broad is a wonderful restaurant located in Charleston’s Historic District, located on East Bay Street, they are located in a convenient place for both locals and visitors alike. It has a great atmosphere and friendly people working. It can be busy, so be patient. A few weeks ago Fred and I had a delicious lunch at Slightly North of Broad, (also known as S.N.O.B. ha ha, brilliant) – I was there years and years ago. They have something called an EXPRESS LUNCH, (changes daily) which is an entree, soup or house salad and coffee or tea. A $10.95 lunch at a higher end restaurant proves to be quite a deal. However, that day we both saw something else on the menu that grabbed our attention… After much consideration, Fred ordered a Pastrami Sandwich… it wasn’t any old pastrami sandwich, their menu changes daily so I don’t have the specifics, (Google Slightly North of Broad Pastrami, ha ha… no kidding! People love the stuff!), he ordered potato salad as his side. I had a bite, it wasn’t ordinary potato salad, it was very very nice. Now this was no Dr. Oz approved lunch, however, I did the best I could! The restaurant didn’t make a mistake in the photo below, I asked for only 1/2 sandwich, and they kindly obliged. I love restaurants who realize not everyone likes a large portion. I ordered homemade potato chips with my sandwich- THE BEST EVER! I haven’t had a reuben since I was a kid and it was SO GOOD. I had a big ole smile on my face! (Click HERE for MENU).
I cannot believe we don’t have a photo of dessert! I think we were so excited we ate it before we thought of it! We had BOSTON CREAM PIE.
Oh heavens. Let me go eat a Quinoa Puff for lunch now… whoopie!
I can’t wait to go back! Catch you back here tomorrow!
“A Voiceless Belfry” by Tibor Nagy
What is not to love about this painting? Look at that exquisite brushwork! Oh, and the fabulous layering that makes his work so interesting. Tibor’s subject matter is so interesting as well, you wonder what it’s like as you walk through that opening, what awaits you as you walk deep inside? VERY intriguing…
“Layers” by Tibor Nagy
“Layers” has been aptly named. LOOK at those fantastic layers. Nothing flat and disinteresting about Tibor’s work.
Tibor has a wonderful website, included on his website are two videos that will blow you away! One is for the first painting “A Voiceless Belfry” the other is for “Country Church II”, click HERE to select which video to watch… I am oh so impressed!
Here is a blip about Tibor from his website:
Why the landscapes are special to me
When I observe the land itself, the first thing that happens is that it evokes
a feeling or mood in me. A while later I slowly start to explore colors,
structures and other details in general. And this very first notion is what
interests me the most; trying to capture the vitality and rich diversity
of the scenery while concentrating on the emotional context which is crucial for me.
I prefer to work using a “loose style” with many abstract forms, which I love, trying
to find a balance between what is abstract and what is real.
This form of expression is very energetic and often makes me push the envelope
a bit further. At this point I need some courage because beyond this border starts
an unknown territory and since I’m not just relying on the knowledge I’ve gathered
over time anymore, I never know what might surprise me. It’s like being on the edge.
Sometimes I fall and other times new, unexpected possibilities of expression and
technique become available to me. This is the way I can improve, being constantly
on the edge, where the process of thinking temporarily stops and spontaneity comes
in instead. If I manage to maintain this fragile balance, a work of art is created.
Experience slowly teaches me that it’s better not to think too much but to trust your
intuition instead. Having the courage to leave the safe but often boring road
and “stay alive” is what matters to me.
I also make an extra effort to remain constantly open to new possibilities and innovative
ways and, if possible, not to remain at the same stage all the time. In this way I give new creative processes the opportunity
to carry me forward.
Check out his work, it’s amazing! Catch you back here tomorrow!
I love this photo! It makes me look like I’m an artist, hee hee… If I would have listened to my friend (KD you know who you are) I would be painting now… but instead I’m going to watch and sketch… I need to get my drawing skills perfected before I kill another canvas with a bad drawing! Maybe this winter I will paint? Hmmm. Only time will tell! Whichever path I choose to take I will always love this photo. Art is fabulous in so many ways. You can meet the coolest people through art, whether you paint or you just have heartfelt interest!
Catch you back here tomorrow!
How grand does the Island Inn look sitting atop the hill keeping watch over the entire island? Pretty darn grand! I love this place… WE love this place. The people are like family. The rooms are clean and oh so comfortable. The bonus are all the wonderful people you meet, the people that keep you coming back to catch up! There seems to be a small group of us that goes to the island about the same time every year. It’s like a family reunion, ha ha… I think this photo is from 2009… but it shows the parts that I love… Arriving with the Island Inn truck there to help schlep your bags to your room, the Barnacle (on the left), a wonderful place to play cards if its slow, or to have a hot chocolate or coffee and definitely a nice lunch! Trek up the hill to the inn, and then off to your room, how exciting! Ahhh what great memories! When you come to the island it’s an adventure… the art is spectacular and you’re likely to see artists scattered everywhere. The food… extraordinary! The views, the island itself… absolute stunning beauty!
Hey, if you want to visit the Island Inn, check out their website, it’s fabulous! I still dream about the fabulous dinners there, oh boy!
Catch you back here tomorrow!
“Sunflowers At The Lake” by Nancy Rhodes Harper
Nancy Rhodes Harper is an artist with a talent for painting people, fun people, quirky cool people… women that you’d like to sit down and talk to because they just seem so interesting! I think this painting is a fabulous deviation for her! I absolutely love this painting, it’s got such nice composition, the sunflowers are so nice and loose yet you know exactly what they are. This is a fabulous painting! Check out Nancy’s website for more paintings, she’s a very talented lady!
Nancy shows her work locally at the Atelier Gallery on King Street, stop in and check it out! She also does paintings for DailyPaintWorks.com, which is a wonderful site, fabulous paintings, if you have the time check it out!
Here is a blip about Nancy from her website NancyRhodesHarperFineArt.com
Nancy Rhodes Harper grew up in a small town in the Ozark Mountains surrounded by paint and brushes in her fathers sign shop. She started painting at a very early age. Continuing to study in school Nancy received a BA degree in Art Education from The University of Central Arkansas in 1977. After marriage and her husbands stint in graduate school, the couple landed in Huntsville, Alabama in 1981. Nancy continued to paint and grow as an artist while working in interior design, sign painting and freelancing as an artist. After raising a son with the support of her husband and family Nancy decided to pursue painting full time.
Nancy has studied with many of the finest artists in the world today, Quang Ho, Kim English, Ken Auster, Nancy Chaboun, Karin Jurick, Carol Marine, Anne Blair Brown, Elio Camacho and The Cumberland Socity Painters (Dawn Whitelaw-Roger Dale Brown-Michael Shane Neal-Paula Frisbee- Pam Padgett).
Nancy’s love of portraying people while they go about their daily lives while capturing a small moment in time is what keeps her excited as an artist. Using bold color, lush descriptive brushstrokes and very often whimsy Nancy sets about doing what she loves. Painting everyday!
Nancy Rhodes Harper’s work is collected in many states across America as she continues to grow and study on her journey as an artist.
Catch you back here tomorrow!
Just seeing this salad makes my mouth water… It. Was. That. Good. Super healthy with a high tasty factor built in. Did I mention how quick it is to whip together? An added bonus for sure. Like all salads you can add whatever toppings you like. I kept mine simple. Tomato, Cucumber, Olives, Grilled Chicken and Feta. Period. OHMYGOSH. That hot grilled chicken makes the feta a little soft and to-die-for… There really isn’t a recipe per say, just tossing ingredients together… this is what I did:
Coat the skinless boneless chicken breasts (or whatever parts appeal to you) with olive oil. Sprinkle with Salt and Pepper. Once the grill is hot, toss it on and cook like you normally would. Make sure it’s completely cooked.
Meanwhile, assemble the salads, if you finish before the chicken is done, place them in the fridge and keep them cold…
Place the salad in bowls, this time I used FRESH EXPRESS TRIPLE HEARTS which was really nice, it’s a combination of Romaine, Green Leaf and Butter lettuce.
Cut up a Tomato and a Cucumber and add to the salad. Toss on some Olives and sprinkle (I like copious amounts) of Feta, this is what makes it special!
Drizzle a little olive oil and a little rice wine vinegar (very mild, or another vinegar if you prefer)… add a light sprinkle of Salt and Pepper. You can add a small sprig of fresh Thyme if you like, I didn’t… it truly doesn’t need it!
Once the chicken is done, cut it into bite size pieces and place on top of the salad… you can serve with a baggette if you like. We didn’t and it was plenty of food for dinner!
This salad is so refreshing on a hot day! I hope you enjoy!
Catch you back here tomorrow!
“There Are No Words” by Robert Lange
Image: Robert Lange Studios Facebook
It takes the brain a few seconds to realize this is a painting and not a photograph. Amazing isn’t it? This painting entitled “There Are No Words” is by local Charleston, SC artist, Robert Lange. Robert and his wife Megan own Robert Lange Studios, a very nice gallery located in the hustle and bustle of downtown Charleston, SC. Those of you who know me know how much I love Maine. To me it’s a place I cannot get out of my system, same for my husband. The very first time we visited it was actually heartbreaking to leave. What?! We live in one of the coolest cities in America, and we’re heartbroken to return after spending a week on Monhegan Island and some time in Port Clyde and Rockland?! The title of this painting really caught my attention. THERE ARE NO WORDS. Very poetic. That’s just how I feel.
After 12 days in Maine, this was the first painting that Robert did. It’s amazing and I simply cannot wait to see the rest of them!
September 7th was the opening of Charles Williams’ solo show at Robert Lange Studios… stop by and check it out! The show runs through September!
Here’s a blip about Robert from his gallery website:
Born in 1980 in Colorado, Robert Lange began painting at a young age but was recognized as a mathematical prodigy and subsequently followed his gift to college. It wasn’t until his second year at Northeastern University, which he attended on a full math scholarship that he decided to follow his passion for art and transfered to Rhode Island School of Design, where he was again awarded a full scholarship but this time for his painting abilities. He was most influenced by teacher and painter Julia Jacquette, who taught him new perspectives leading him to become professional in 2003. That year he both graduated from RISD and opened his first gallery, Robert Lange Studios, in Charleston SC.
He first specialized in realist painting, particularly of people, emphasizing narrative moments. In 2010 he opened his second gallery, RLS Gallery and his work became more surreal, following into the category of hyper-realism or surrealism. His most notable bodies of work Measure (2009) and Go (2010) were nationally recognized and internationally collected. Lange has been featured in numerous magazines, including the cover of American Art Collector and Art Magazine, and in New American Paintings.
“Robert’s depiction of a heightened suburbia distances his work from the political commitment and social self-importance of most contemporary postmodern painters. Someplace between Charleston’s cobblestone streets and New York’s stark concrete living rooms, is the work of Robert Lange.” – City Paper 2008
Catch you back here tomorrow!
Have you been to Zia Taqueria, on Maybank Highway, right next to the Terrace Theater (James Island) in Charleston? They have outstanding food in a relaxed atmosphere. When possible we usually eat outside, it’s so nice! On Monday’s they feature fish tacos (grilled or baja – pictured above) for only $2.50. They are TASTY! You also get a basket of chips and some to-die-for-salsa at your table. It makes for a nice relaxing day! Here’s a link to their MENU so you too can dream!
Tasty, right? I’m not even a big fish lover, but owie! THESE are good! It’s that “special sauce” that does make you drink your required amount of water for the day, an added benefit, ha ha…
On a more somber note… it’s 9/11… a day in our history when so many lost their lives September 11, 2001. Please take a moment to reflect, to think of those who’s lives were lost in such a horrible way, as well as for all those who lost their loved ones. Keep all who fought to help to save, to rebuild and to keep our country safe in the midst of such terror in your thoughts and prayers. For more, this is a great website 911Memorial.org
Catch you back here tomorrow!
“Toot’s” by Randy Sexton
“Toot’s” is a fabulous painting! Look at those brushstrokes… the layering of color, especially in the steps, it’s spectacular! Isn’t it amazing how a small brushstroke going a different way really makes the subject look like what it is? For instance the different building materials used in this structure… you can tell they’re different not only by the different colors but the way the stroke was put on the canvas with the brush. Such wonderful looseness all the while keeping the coolest details. I love Randy’s work. It’s mesmerizing how an artist can be so diverse. Below is a painting I saw that was posted on his Facebook page… it caught my attention. It’s nothing but a dish rack with dishes but LOOK how fabulous it is!?!
“Lemon Press and the Spotfrees” by Randy Sexton – Image: Randy Sexton Facebook
Excerpt from Facebook: “This piece, “Lemon Press and the Spotfrees”, will be included in the upcoming Still Life and Trompe L’Oeil exhibit at the John Pence Gallery in San Francisco, 9/7 – 10/6.”
Here’s a blip about Randy from his website:
The Artist’s point of view:
“My concerns as an artist have always been rather straight forward. The discipline of direct painting, both in the plein air experience and in the studio, has helped me to develop a loose handling of paint that speaks as much about the paint itself as it does any given subject matter. I try to combine traditional methods of painting with a “sense of myself living in the present”. My paintings are a direct response from the world around me as I strive to be “in the moment” while I work. Nature has proven to be the most demanding and inspiring teacher…so I work from life, as often as possible and try to remain open to new ideas and new approaches.
Each painting is a simple sentence in an ongoing story that will take a lifetime to unfold. The tale is a compilation of images that reflect the magic of life itself and the mysteries of light, color, and shape as I respond to the world around me. Painting has enabled me to be more observant and appreciative of the beauty and richness in everyday life”.
Background:
California based artist, Randall Sexton, is nationally known for the use of color and expressive brushwork in his oil paintings of “everyday” scenes. Raised in rural Connecticut, Sexton moved to San Francisco, CA in 1980 after completing a BFA from the University of CT, Storrs.
The Bay area has proven to be home, where he has earned a great reputation for being an educator as well as a fine artist. He taught classes in drawing, painting, and composition at the San Francisco Academy of Art until 2005.
He now leads private workshops- both nationally and abroad. In the fall of 2008, he led a group of Plein air painters on a trip to Tuscany, Italy through a program hosted by the Sedona Art Center in Arizona. Acknowledged by jurors and artists alike, Randall has garnered national awards for his paintings. Most notably, in 2008, Randy was honored with the coveted “Artists’ Choice Award” in Laguna Beach at the 10th Annual Laguna Beach Plein Air Event held at the Laguna Museum Of Art. He also won the same award in Telluride, CO (Sheridan Plein Air Festival) and in Napa, CA (Napa Valley Land Trust Art Festival), both in 2008. . He received the same award in 2006 in Sedona, AZ and Maui, HI at their respective painting festivals. He received Jurors Choice- “Best of Show” in “Northern Views a biennial landscape show hosted by the Napa Valley Museum, and in the Maui Plein Air Festival of 2006.
He has been featured in various national journals including: “American Artist”-August 2000, “Southwest Art”-July 2003, “Plein Air” (currently- “Fine Art Connoisseur”)-November 2004, and “Workshop”-December 2006 He has been a member of the California Art Club, The Laguna Beach Plein Air Painters Association, “The Outsiders”, a group of artists loosely connected to “The Society of Six” and The Baywood Artists Group committed to working on environmentally sensitive projects.
Although his career has enabled him to travel and paint in faraway places, most days Sexton can be found at work in his studio in historic downtown Crockett. His new workplace has provided fresh insights into his process…one that keeps him “in the moment”. In his words, “Painting is an adventure. Each work is a simple sentence in an ongoing story that will take a lifetime to unfold.”
Fabulous work! Catch you back here tomorrow!
Grand Old Oak at Mepkin Abbey, Moncks Corner, SC
From the Mepkin Abbey website:
Mepkin Abbey is a community of Roman Catholic monks established in 1949 on the site of the historic Mepkin Plantation located on the Cooper River, north of Charleston, South Carolina. Founded by the monks of Gethsemani in Kentucky, the brothers of Mepkin belong to the worldwide Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance popularly known as Trappist. Following The Rule of St. Benedict, the monks at Mepkin Abbey devote their lives to prayer, spiritual study, work and hospitality.
Mepkin Abbey is located in Moncks Corner, SC. If you’ve never been and you’re in the Charleston area, it’s a place you will definitely want to put on your list to visit. The beauty is unimaginable, like stepping back in time. Their grounds are stunning! Check out their website it’s full of all kinds of great information, gorgeous photos, online store, map, hours, more information about the abbey and the monks and so much more. The gift shop there is fabulous and you will most likely leave with an armload of unique gifts. It’s a very special place. They are building a retreat center that is out of this world! Check it out if you get a chance!
Catch you back here tomorrow!
ARTFOODHOME.COM 