Category: Daily Blog

Featured Artist: Felicia Forte!

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

Hamtramck Year One- Portrait of Matt by Felecia Forte 12x16 Oil

Hamtramck Year One- Portrait of Matt by Felicia Forte 12×16 Oil

Featured Artist: Felicia Forte – check out these two wonderful paintings. Wow, Wow, Wow!

Felicia Forte. I ran across Felicia’s work and it really caught my attention! There is something different about it. It’s got pizazz! She catches the subtle nuances that really make the painting stand out. Like the streak of light paint on the left lens of Matt’s glasses, you can see dimension. So much of this painting is realistic and incredible, the hair and shadows on his face are wonderful. The combination of that wonderful, funky blue and the loose background makes this painting a WOW to me.

In the Interim- Time Machine by Felecia Forte 20x24%22 Oil

In the Interim- Time Machine by Felicia Forte 20×24″ Oil

The freezer. Who paints a freezer with much success? The way that Felicia has that jaw dropping lavender, along with the bits of yellow and that AH-MAZING light in the back of the freezer. Good grief. Who would think a freezer painting could be so awesome? Be sure to check out Felicia’s work – it’s different. I love it!

Read a bit about Felicia, from her website:

Felicia Forte is a representational oil painter based in Detroit, Michigan. Felicia is a sought after instructor of drawing and painting who has taught at various institutions including The de Young Museum of Fine Art, The Walt Disney Family Museum. In December, 2013 she was awarded a month-long residency at The de Young Museum of Fine Art in San Francisco. In 2014 she participated as faculty at the Plein Air Convention and Expo in Monterey, California. In 2015 and 2016 Felica’s Self Portrait will exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery in London for The BP Portrait Award. Felicia maintains a studio in Hamtramck where she works on commissioned portraiture, gallery work, and offers instruction in drawing and painting to private students. She was born in Los Angeles, California in 1979. Read more HERE…

All images via FeliciaForte.com, used with permission…

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

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Penne Pasta with Italian Sausage and Broccolini!

On By Barbara StroudIn Daily Blog, FOOD, Recipe2 Comments
Penne with Italian Sausage and Broccolini

Let me tell you, this is the stuff dreams were made of! Inspired by a few recipes (one was Ina Garten’s and the other was from Food.com). I merged a few recipes together, made some changes and came up with the recipe below. Recipes should be made with things that you like. They’re a guide, but the sky is the limit!

A note about this recipe. The first time I made it, I made a 1/2 recipe to be sure we would like it. It was beyond like. It was love at first site, ha ha. So, if you have a busy week coming up, make a full recipe, it gets better and better each day!

Click HERE to print my version (below) of this recipe – it’s a keeper! The use of onion is optional. I’ve tried it both ways, I love onions, so I always add it but it’s excellent without in case you have someone opposed to onions!

Penne with Italian Sausage and Broccolini

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Uncle Henry’s and the Sunflower – Monhegan, ME

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

Monhegan Sunflower

I think I took a photo of this scene each time I walked by it. Sometimes foggy, in sun, in shade, early, late, wind blowing, wind still… this scene mesmerizes me. Uncle Henry’s in the background, a very cool cottage near the wharf. The two adirondack chairs are perfectly placed to see everything that is going on. I love this place!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Monhegan Island, Maine at Sunset

On By Barbara StroudIn Daily Blog, Maine, Photograph, THOUGHTS, TRAVELLeave a comment

Monhegan, Maine

This photo was taken early fall last year. Almost every night there was a beautiful sunset. These breathtaking scenes just happened to be at the time of our dinner reservation each night. Thankfully Fred is understanding while I run out and snap “a few” photos. I think we need to make a reservation after sunset, because when there is a sunset like this it is so awe inspiring you can’t help but to be captivated by it and to feel so utterly blessed to be in such a magnificent place, especially when you can share your love of this place with those you love.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Happy Mother’s Day!

On By Barbara StroudIn Daily Blog, THOUGHTS2 Comments

Flowers!

Happy Mother’s Day to all you mom’s out there. This is a special day for you…

While writing this I read through my older Mother’s Day posts, and I’ve got to say. I love every one of them! I’m repeating one this year, since it seems to cover everything just as I would like it to:

Happy Mother’s Day! But wait… before you say, “I’m not a mother”… this wish is for all of you who…

–ARE a mom: I’m sure the joy is overwhelming, as well as the worry and stress, but the love… ahhh, that beats all, right? Know you are blessed!

–WANT to be a mom: so it’s not your time yet, that’s OK. Enjoy your life, get out and do things so that once you do have children you don’t feel like you’re missing out!

–TRIED to be: for all of you who have felt the heartbreak of wanting to be a parent, but having it not work out for one reason or another, I feel for you. I understand. I’m in the same boat. Find what brings you joy and move on with your life. You can spend forever on “what if’s” but you will be much happier if you move on… (such as) help out a friend with children, teach them something special, something important like being nice to others, volunteering, there are other options, not the ones you probably dreamed about, but life does get good again…

–DON’T want to be: hey, everyone has a reason. If having children isn’t your deal, that’s fine. Help a friend with their child once in a while, or teach a child how to bake cookies, some cool, fun, important (cookie baking!) life skill!

To my mom, I would like to say that you are the absolute coolest mom and I love you to pieces… I wish we lived closer! AHHH… I’ve learned a lot from you, even though I don’t think you realized it. Like… the importance of saying no instead of being overwhelmed and miserable. My note taking surely I got from you, and that lead to my writing… I love to talk about cooking and recipes, food and health, books and so much more with you. I love knowing you’re on the other end of the phone when I call! Thank you for being my mom! I love you mom!!

To Fred’s mom, I would like to say that you are such a great role model, someone who is truly caring and shows it by helping others every chance you get. You are always there whenever we need you. We’re very fortunate to live close although we don’t see each other every day, its a nice feeling knowing that we can be there in a moments notice! It’s fun comparing our Dr. Oz notes and trying to keep up with what’s good for you and bad for you since it changes constantly! Thank you for being Fred’s mom! We love you!!

Ok, get out and do something good for someone. Make someone smile today.

MAKE.  SOMEONE.  SMILE.  TODAY…

Repeat tomorrow… and the next day… and the next day… and the next day… etc.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Sit and dream…

On By Barbara StroudIn Daily Blog, Michigan, Photograph2 Comments

Sit and dream...

Is there anything better than sitting and watching the water? In the cooler weather just watching the current flow, and the few fishermen out and about is a treat, but in the summer… whoa! Boats, people, people floating on rafts. Sailboats, race boats, big boats, little boats – it’s more entertaining than sitting inside in front of the TV! Don’t these two chairs look inviting?

Back to normal posting 5/16!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

How to Make Avocado Toast!

On By Barbara StroudIn Daily Blog, FOOD, Recipe7 Comments

AVOCADO TOAST

One of my favorite things in the world… AVOCADO TOAST! (Pictured above with red pepper flakes – YUM!)

There are so many renditions of avocado toast, each as wonderful as the next, but a few of my favorites are the avocado toast from The Daily in Charleston, SC –  Last summer it had a slice of an AH-mazing heirloom tomato on top of the avocado- WOW! Lately it’s been avocado on grilled crusty bread with za’atar spices (OH MY GOSH!) and a drizzle of olive oil.

I had some good crusty bread from the bakery and thought I would give it a whirl. I didn’t have the Za’atar spices (will buy for next time, they sell them at The Daily), so I toasted the bread (I didn’t grill), then spread avocado, a drizzle of olive oil and S&P. I took a bite, hmmm, good but missing something, so I sliced a small lemon wedge, gave a little drizzle. BINGO! That was all it needed to brighten the flavor and take it from good to GREAT in a second or two!

Avocado Toast

Soooo good with or without the red pepper flakes! What’s your favorite rendition? Do you like the avocados smushed (YES!) or simply sliced (I think they slide off the toast like this, but it’s pretty!)

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Easter Lily Idea…

On By Barbara StroudIn Charleston, Daily Blog, THOUGHTS2 Comments

Easter Lily

Such a pretty photo of the sunlight beating down on the Easter Lily!

Do you still have an Easter Lily and aren’t quite sure what to do with it? We always plant them outside (Zone 9 – Charleston, SC). They appear each year so beautifully. This time I moved the plant outside and cut the flowers and put them in a glass jar. They were beautiful for 4-5 days. When I Googled it, the directions said to keep about 1/2 of the plant, so I couldn’t put it in a tall vase, which was fine.  When I have cut lilies, I do remove the stamen (see inside of lily where there is yellow, I just snip them off).

I will put the plant into the ground and see what happens next year! The lilies from years past mulitply!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Fall Flowers by Geer Morton

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Daily Blog5 Comments

Guess the artist!

Fall Flowers by Geer Morton

Update: This wonderful painting is by artist Geer Morton. What a guy. Nicest guy ever and his paintings… pure magic! If you get a chance be sure to check out his website! We bought this painting at Wiscasset Bay Gallery, they have a nice selection of his work!

Over the next several weeks I’m going to post some our paintings, let’s see who knows WHO the artist is!

Stunning in every way, I treasure this painting by…. OOPS, I can’t tell you until tomorrow!. (I have removed the artist’s signature on this image). The abstractness is so wonderful.

Can you guess who’s work this is?

Comment on this blog with the answer or on the ART FOOD HOME or Barbara Stroud Facebook page.

I will post the name of the artist tomorrow, underneath the image…

Catch you back here tomorrow!

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