Sonoma Plein Air Event… Starts TODAY! October 1-6, 2012

On By Barbara StroudIn ARTLeave a comment

The Sonoma Plein Air Event begins today! So many fabulous artists in one location! As you can see the gala is SOLD OUT! Here is a list of events from the Sonoma Plein Air website:

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS FOR 2012:

Artists check in on Monday, October 1st
Artists paint in various locations throughout Sonoma Valley during the week of the event.

Tuesday, October 2nd
“The Quick DRAW”
Please join the artists on Tuesday in the Sonoma Plaza at 5:30 p.m.
Take a look at the 2011 Quick Draw here.
Easels will be set up all around the colorful Sonoma Farmers Market for paintings to be created and sold on the spot!

Artists will have an hour and a half to take in all the vivid colours, sights and smells of the Farmers Market while creating a painting for you to take home with you that night!
4:30 Quick Draw begins
5:30 Farmer’s Market begins
6:00 Artists finish
6:30-8:30 Art available for purchase
Check out at the Charles Creek tasting room on the Plaza….

Friday, October 5th
The Gala Dinner and Auction with the Artists
This year’s Gala Dinner will be held at the Lasseter Train Barn
Be sure to join the Live Auction at the Gala….

THE GALA DINNER IS NOW SOLD OUT!
Contact us to join the waiting list….

Sonoma Plein Air Foundation
19201 Sonoma Highway
Number 321
Sonoma, CA 95476

Saturday, October 6th
ART EXHIBITION & SALE
Historic Sonoma Plaza
Napa Street East and First Street East
Public invited

10 a.m. EVENT OPENS
Meet the Sonoma Plein Air artists
Fine art they created during the week on location
in Sonoma Valley will be on display and for sale

LIVE MUSIC
To be announced

10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Hands-on-Art classes for children
Thank you Sonoma Community Center staff and volunteers.

ART DEMONSTRATIONS:

11 a.m. Oil painting demonstration
12:30 p.m . Water color demonstration
2 p.m. Pastel Demonstration

4 p.m. EVENT CLOSES

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Photo: Monhegan Boat Line – Laura B

On By Barbara StroudIn TRAVEL2 Comments

Laura B – Monhegan Boat Line

Isn’t she a beauty?! We usually catch this boat when we leave Monhegan. It gets to the wharf and unloads cargo, you name it, mail, wood, furniture, lots of lobster traps. They have such an efficient system down on the wharf. Then we all pile on and head to the mainland, in this case, Port Cldye, Maine. It’s a wonderful ride when the seas aren’t rough. Once in a while you get the route that takes you by Allen Island, where Betsy Wyeth lives (Artist Andrew Wyeth’s wife). It’s a beautiful place… photos coming soon!

Wouldn’t this make a cool painting??

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Weekend Photo: Sometimes it’s the little things…

On By Barbara StroudIn TRAVEL3 Comments

When I saw this pallet sitting on the wharf in Port Clyde, Maine, I had to snap a photo… the way the sun hit it so nicely. Sometimes its the little things that can make you smile! We’re all so busy and it’s easy to take for granted the little things in life… make an effort to notice at least one thing every day, something small and insignificant, but something that makes you smile! Have a great weekend!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist… Brad Betts!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured Artist2 Comments

“Teaching” by Brad Betts – Image: DownEastGalleryFacebook

Brad Betts is usually known for painting waterfront scenes… boats, ships, water… The above painting “Teaching” is a deviation that I think is wonderful! The light on the chicken… fabulous! I’m not sure why I’m so drawn to that window with the shelf and blue bottle. Drawn in a good way. You can feel the bright light penetrating through the window, can’t you? Nice painting indeed… the dark background with the nice sunlit chicken makes for some pretty snazzy contrast! Great job!

“Cozy Harbor” by Brad Betts – Image: ArtCollectorMaine.com

“Cozy Harbor” is one of the paintings along the lines that Brad normally paints, very nice! I just love all these seaside villages throughout Maine!

Read a blip about Brad from the Art Collector Maine website:

Brad Betts has been an artist for over 20 years and is a Signature Member of the American Society of Marine Artists (ASMA).  His paintings have appeared in solo and group shows throughout New England, including the Mystic Seaport Gallery’s acclaimed “International Marine Art Exhibition” for the past 7 years. In 2006, he received the “Maritime Gallery Yachting Award” at this exhibition and in 2008, was recognized as one of “Four Distinguished Artists” at the Mystic Seaport Gallery.

In 2011, Brad’s maritime painting “Cup Challenge” was selected by internationally renowned author Ferenc Maté for the cover of “Sea of Lost Dreams”, the second book in the Dugger / Nello series.  Brad is currently working on a book cover for Maté’s first book in the series, “Ghost Sea”.

His inspiration to paint all things nautical is an outgrowth of his youth, which he spent around the Gulf coast waters, deep sea fishing and sailing.  Today, his paintings reflect his life-long appreciation of the sea. His work is filled with movement: schooners under full sail battle through wind-driven seas; and Friendship sloops glide through the calm waters of Maine’s inlets. The classic Betts oil is a summer day in Maine—blue skies, billowing sails, and shimmering seas.

In 2007, Brad and his wife Danielle made the decision to move to East Boothbay Maine, the beautiful seaside village famous for boat building. Living in an area with a rich maritime history and active working harbor offers Brad the opportunity to connect daily with classic scenes that most inspire him.

Brad has achieved his mastery of maritime painting through a blend of both technical discipline in the studio and a focused effort to retain his natural, inspired style. He seeks this through outdoor painting, “When you paint outside, the light and conditions change constantly. This forces you to simplify your decisions and rely completely on practiced techniques and natural instincts. In these moments, you connect most with yourself as an artist and the energy that comes from within.”

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Dr. Oz: 5 Step Plan to Prevent Alzheimer’s!

On By Barbara StroudIn HEALTHLeave a comment

Everyone hates to hear those dreaded words… Alzheimer’s Disease. UGH. You would make a few changes in your life to help prevent it, wouldn’t you? Well, the infamous Doctor Oz has a five step plan that certainly can’t hurt!

Read the full article from DoctorOz.com :

I will give you a quick summary, but you WILL want to read the entire article, it’s not too long, and explanations help you understand HOW important these five steps truly are!

STEP 1: DHA 600MG:  Studies show that 600mg of DHA (an Omega-3) for 6 months boosts your brain so much that it functions as though it were 3 years younger! So, if you are taking fish oil, read the back of your supplement, see the DHA amount listed? You want to get 600mg a day!

STEP 2: Brain Boosting Switch ups: The older we get the more we do things the same. We eat, write, dial, hold a coffee cup, all with the same hand. If right handed start using your left hand for periods of time (and if you’re left handed use your right hand), you will be amazed how your brain actually needs to process what you’re doing… it’s not as quick and easy as with your dominant hand! Write words backwards, that’s another challenge!

STEP 3: BREATH! The 7-7-7-Stress Busting Breath: Stress is deadly for your brain… it’s like poison for the part of your brain responsible for memory. Stress can lead to high cortisol levels which can cause brain cell dysfunction, kill brain cells and make the brain actually shrink. Don’t roll your eyes dad… everyone should do this, whether you feel stress or not, spend some time each day doing the 7-7-7 breathing… Stress is like poison for your hippocampus – the part of brain responsible for memory – as it leads to chronically high levels of the hormone cortisol. High cortisol levels can cause brain cell dysfunction, kill brain cells, and cause atrophy of the brain.

STEP 4: Tease your memory: Did you realize you have the ability to memorize 20-30 items on a list? Start making a list and try to memorize…

STEP 5: Brain push ups: 7 push ups a day will help stimulate blood flow to your brain and generate new brain cells. 7 PUSHUPS A DAY. I say you hop up and give me 7! Hee…

Read the entire article it’s short and to the point, THANK YOU DOCTOR OZ!

I would like to thank Bobbie Stroud for forwarding me this Dr. Oz email… you are now a contributing editor, hee hee… Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist… Roger Dale Brown!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured ArtistLeave a comment

“Harbor at Dusk” by Roger Dale Brown

Roger Dale Brown… this is another man who can paint anything! The twinkle of the lights in this painting is pure genius! It drew me right in and made me love it right off the bat! Very, very nice!

“Creekside” by Roger Dale Brown

“Creekside” is a plein air piece that Roger did and I think it has such character. As simple as it is, I LOVE THOSE WINDOWS! The fabulous shade on the sunny building, and in the sunlit grass, so very nice! I think character adds so much to a painting, and lines that aren’t always straight really gives it that character, doesn’t it? I see that Roger does a lot of the plein air events all over the country, check out his website to see when he’ll be near you!

A blip about Roger from his website:

Originally from Nashville, Tennessee Roger is avid about traveling studying, teaching, and competing in national painting competitions.  These experiences expand his knowledge of history, nature, and architecture, which inspire his oil paintings. 

 Roger believes, as the historical master artists, such as John Carlson and Edgar Payne, that “plein air” painting is an essential element in being a great artist.  He spends countless hours studying and painting on location, to continue to perfect seeing important nuances of a scene, a day, or an object, which are necessary in creating a great painting. Roger works hard to balance the emotion of a scene, with the knowledge of painting, in every painting he paints.

Roger’s oil paintings have been displayed in galleries throughout the United States and have won many awards which include: First Place in the Barnes and Farms National Juried Art Show, Museum Purchase Award and third place at the Easton Plein Air Competition, Best of Show at the Central South National Juried Show, as well as the Gold Medal Award from the Hudson Valley Art Association.  His work has also been accepted in the Oil Painters of America National Juried Exhibition, and Salon International. Roger has been published by: International Artist Magazine, American Artist Magazine, American Art Collector Magazine, and the Artist Magazine. His works are owned by private collectors across the country and include many well-known celebrities and major corporations.

 Roger shares his knowledge teaching workshops throughout the country. He believes in capturing the essence of his subjects and instills this in his students whether teaching plein air, figurative, studio or still life.

Fabulous work! His work has that step-back-in-time feel to it, how wonderful! Catch you back here tomorrow!

French Enamel House Numbers… Sharp!

On By Barbara StroudIn HOMELeave a comment

Years ago my husband found those cool French enamel house numbers at Williams-Sonoma, they no longer carry them, but plenty of places on the Internet do! Our house numbers are separate numbers, but I like the look of this very much! It’s a nice little touch to dress up your house… think of it as house jewelry

Here’s a blip from the Ramsign.com website:

The story about the blue enamel signs is fascinating. The blue enamel signs are the most popular and widely used enamel signs in Europe, and thus a deeply rooted part of our sign tradition. It is also the first enamel signs to gain massive popularity during the industrialization era. Already from the middle of the 1800s the blue colour was widely used across Europe for house numbers and street signs. The signs were just as beautiful as they were functional. One would really think, that the colour choice had to do with aesthetics. But the reason was, that only this colour was available for mass production, in addition to black and white.  To read in the rest, click HERE…

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Image: Ramsign.com

Featured Artist… Frank Emrick!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured ArtistLeave a comment

“Polka Dot Princess” by Frank Emrick

What a sweet face. Polka Dot Princess, perfect name for this painting! I love how the face is so detailed yet there is no background… For some reason I just love the shadow underneath her collar. Great painting Frank!

I enjoyed this artist’s website so much I just had to share it with you. He has such a refreshing sense of humor, it truly is a delight to read! And his paintings… VERY nice!

Here is a little blip from Frank’s website... I’m telling you, you’ve GOT to check it out!

This web site was created to encourage the sale of my art (I’m frame poor) which will inspire me to paint more pictures which will keep me out of my spouse’s comfort zone and thus contribute to my peaceful retirement. Hers too.You can contribute to this effort by forwarding my web address to everyone you know.
http://www.emrickart.com
Do it!

I love his sense of humor!

If you click on the EMRICK WHO? link on Frank’s website, this is the first line… I encourage you to read the remainder…

IT’S ALL ABOUT ME, FRANK A. EMRICK

Me being an opinionated, 82 year old representational artist.

Now… THIS man is creative! Ha ha… Catch you back here tomorrow!

Shrimp Boats at Shem Creek Park

On By Barbara StroudIn HOMELeave a comment

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!

 

Autumn in Wiscasset, Maine!

On By Barbara StroudIn HOME, TRAVEL2 Comments

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 – at the Portland Museum!

On By Barbara StroudIn ARTLeave a comment

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. 

  • Advance reservations are recommended. Members receive FREE tickets and admission is based on level of membership. Click here for ticket details for members. Not a member?  Join Today »
  • Advance reservations are recommended for the public. There is a $5 special exhibition surcharge added to each adult admission.
  • Adult groups tours: Tours must be a minimum of 10 people to receive the group rate of $10 per person. An additional $25 flat fee will be applied for a Docent led tour. Tour time slots are available at 2:15 p.m. and 3:15 p.m., Mon. through Sun. Reservations are required and tours are limited. For tickets, 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

Resurrection Fern – I thought I was losing it!

On By Barbara StroudIn HOME1 Comment

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!

Featured Artist… Eric Zener!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured Artist2 Comments

“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

Delicious lunch – Slightly North of Broad (S.N.O.B) – Charleston, SC

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD4 Comments

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!

Featured Artist… Tibor Nagy!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured ArtistLeave a comment

“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!