Hiroshima August 6

This is a painting that reflects back to my trip to Hiroshima, Japan, a few years ago.  Every year, on August 6, the anniversary of the bombing, there is a big commemoration.  It really is huge and the Mayor of Hiroshima issues a call for the end of nuclear weapons and of war.  In the evening, people gather at the river and send out handmade paper lanterns.  Hope for Peace indeed.

The building is called the Peace Dome and it was very near the epicenter.  It mostly survived. The Peace Park is nearby with many memorials to those who perished.   Being there was truly a moving experience.  True confession: I did this painting from a photograph.  The family I was staying with in Hiroshima wanted to have a sushi dinner and show family photos on the night of the observance.  We went to the daytime events and saw Caroline Kennedy, so that was interesting.  Well, I put family first, so didn't actually see this lantern ceremony in person.

By the way, the people I met in Hiroshima welcomed Americans.  Why?  Because we stayed true to a promise to help them rebuild after the War.  It was an enlightenment to me.

I'm posting this now because I recently finished the painting and because it will be in an upcoming show at Capitol Hill Arts Workshop (CHAW).  Reception is December 14 at 5;30-7:30.  I did the painting as part of the Wednesday Studio at CHAW.  I am grateful to be part of that group, and than Ellen Cornett who is an amazing teacher. 

Pinocchio Snowgirl

This is the snowperson I plan to use for this year's holiday cards.  My big travel this year was a trip to Rome and that is where I was inspired to think about the Pinocchio story.  As a snowperson, the girl just came out....even though she has a smoking pipe.  I guess it's just another smart trick!  She is in the show at Velocity Condomiums and seems happy to join the other snowpeople and two penguins.  It's fun to see them all together.

Go Nats! Velocity Solo Show

This is one of two snowpeople I did this year.  This one is a version of a Washington Nationals baseball player.  If you didn't know it by now, the won the World Series this year!

I have installed (with the help of Louisa and Peter Smith) a solo show of snowpeople in the conference room of Velocity Condominiums nearby.  Velocity is about two blocks from the Nationals baseball stadium, so I expect there are many Nationals fans there.

Tomorrow is a Wine Wednesday reception from 6-8:30 and I expect to be there talking about the various snowpeople and talking baseball.  Guests are invited.  I'll have some snowpeople cards for sale.

The solo show includes many of the snowpeople I have done over the years....for more than two decades! 

I'll post about the second snowperson I did this year in the next few days.  I just wanted this "Nat" to have a chance to shine....without melting!

Gratitude

I'm participating in a local show called "Gratitude" and this is my painting for it.  It is a cute little hummingbird in a nest protected by a leaf.  The show is at the office of Dr. Nishan Halim. a dentist in our neighborhood.  My art group, Capitol Hill Art League, regularly shows at that office, but this is the first time I have participated.

The reception is Friday, November 15,  at 5-8 pm.  I hear the receptions have great food and are lots of fun.  This one will include a silent auction of work provided by participating artists and will benefit Movember, which is a global charity helping men to live happier, healthier, longer lives.

Road Trip

Capitol Hill Art League has the first show of this season with the theme of "Road Trip."  The painting I have in the show, "Further,"  is inspired by the bus of Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters.  Neal Cassady is driving (he evidently always did) and Kesey is boarding the bus.  It's a pretty busy painting, but I think it captures the spirit. I actually saw this bus in San Francisco in the 60s!!!!

The reception is tomorrow at Capitol Hill Arts Workshop CHAW) from 5:30-7:30.  There are lots of great paintings in this show.  The show will be at CHAW until September 28.

TY Jan

When I had a recent birthday, I got a present from Jan that was a gift certificate to the local framing shop, Frame of Mine.  I am not making a painting of the actual gift (the frame) but am including in this post the painting that will go in it.  It is an impressionistic view of the Columbia River Gorge, as seen from the Maryhill Museum of Art.   The Maryill Museum is on the Washington side and this is a view of the Oregon side as seen across the River..

It is very impressionistic and I am not sure I even like it.  It is an early Spring view.  There is not much green later in the year.  The red is cliffs.  

My plan is to enter it into a show "Earth Wind Fire" that will be at Frame of Mine in September.  

The frame is distressed gold with a light blue highlight.  I think it will look good, and I thank Jan for the gift certificate.  That made it much easier for me.

Coffee and chocolate

I recently was in a car accident and sustained an eye injury which is healing nicely.  The first week, I couldn't see well and had to be escorted around.  A couple of guys (Griffin Smith and Bryan Cassidy) tried to cheer me up with comfort food---coffee chocolate candy bars from Trader Joe's.  I am much better now and it looks like there will be no long-term damage.  The injury was caused by the side curtain air bag.   I am grateful for the safety features of new cars as it could have been much worse.  No-one else was injured.

CBD OIL FROM THE SMITHS

As many know, I have a big problem with one of my feet.  It feels numb almost all the time due to peripheral neuropathy.  I had thought for a long time about trying CBD oil, but never followed through.  For my birthday I got some CBD salve from the Smiths and also a good foot massage.  I have been trying it the salve for about a month.  It feels good, and I always love a foot massage, but I don't think it is really helping.

CBD comes from hemp, which I have sketched above.  I had to go on-line for a picture as I don't actually have any hemp.  Although it is related to marijuana, it is significantly different....mostly because it does not have THC.  THC is the ingredient that causes people using marijuana to feel high.  No high with CBD!   Just a comfortable foot treatment, even if it isn't an actual cure....a least, not for me.

Thank you, Louisa and Peter, for the thoughtfulness!   I have been paying more attention to the foot!

Many gifts from Jan

Before Jan and I went to Rome a couple of months ago, she stayed with me for a few days and (of course) she brought some hostess gifts.  Although a little late, I still need to say thank you to her.  She is always so generous, and good company, too.  One of the gifts is a book called The Daily Book of Art.  Although I may be a little late in offering thanks, I have actually kept up on that book each day since a few days after returning from Rome.  It is a good exercise as the book contains a great variety--descriptions of museums, art history, art concepts, and much more.  Every few days there is an guided exercise to "make art."   One of these, doing a watercolor of a butterfly, inspired the painting for my thank you card. 

Jan also brought some fragrant soap and a game called "Quiddler."  The Smith family loves the Quiddler game so much that it ended up at their house.  That's fine.  I can't play it by myself anyway.


Since then, Jan has sent me another book---an interesting "take" on the art world.  It is An Object of Beauty by Steve Martin.  Yes, that Steve Martin.  It is a fascinating look at the art scene in the 90s and early 2000s in New York.  There are reproductions of some of the paintings referred to, which is a nice touch.  I had no idea Steve Martin knows as much as he does about the art world.  Good book.  Thank you, Jan, for these thoughful gifts and, more importantly, for your special friendship.

ano

Thank you Jen and Erik

Recently, for my birthday, I got a wooden foot massager. It really works and is so effective to use.   I thought about making a painting of it, but it is not all that pretty.  I decided to use the pattern of the wood carving as inspiration for a design....and this is what happened.  I love the massager and the inspiration.  Thank you Jen and Erik....well, I think mostly Jen.

Draw a Bird Day

Today is June 8, and the 8th of the month is Draw a Bird day.  This is my bird.  A blue jay!

Bammy and Jen

This is kind of fun.  My grandmother, who I called Bammy, poses with my daughter Jen.  I was the first grandchild for Bammy and she didn't want to be called Granny or Grandmother.  Her name was Aimee and the best I could do was Bammy.  All of her grandchildren ended up calling her that.  When my mother became a grandmother, she was Gammy, and now I am Cammy.  It works for us!

Jen was about four years old when the picture was taken.  It was in Anderson, California.

Thank You Smith Family

The Smiths (Peter, Louisa, Griffin and Sophia) recently took a Spring break trip to Philadelphia.  By all reports, they had a great time and got to run up the "Rocky" steps and also see those steps from the hotel room. 

One of the fun things they did was to go to the Reading Terminal Market.  They are still talking about it and it sounds like it was a great place.  While there, they bought me some olive oils and vinegars from a shop called "The Tubby Olive."  The little painting on the thank you card is from the shop logo.  Very cute! 

I've improved some of my cooking with "Tuscan Herb Olive Oil," "Basil Olive Oil," "Fig Balsamic Vinegar" and "Sicilian Lemon Balsamic Vinegar."  YUM!

Great Blue Heron

I am part of a group called Wednesday Studio because we meet with our teacher Ellen Cornett on Wednesdays.   I joined a few months ago.  One of the traditions of the group is to make a painting of a bird every month....posted on the 8th of the month on the group's blog.  This is my bird for April 8 to be posted with some others tomorrow at https://thewednesdaystudio.net/

Hill Center TREEmendous Exhibition

My painting "River Home" was selected to be in the current juried Hill Center show.  The opening reception is Wednesday, March 13 from 6:30-8:30, and I plan to be there.  I got a chance to preview the work in the show when I went to a different event last Friday.  Some amazing work, and a lot of variety.   It is worth seeing.

The address of the Hill Center is 921 Pennsylvania Ave SE.  The show will be up until April 28.

Jerry

This is another painting of Jerry sitting in the leather chair.  The first one was small--a thank you card to Nadia for cat-sitting while we were in California for Jenifer's wedding.  I posted it on this blog in January.

I did this bigger version (18"x 24" framed) and I am not sure why.  It was fun, though, and that black on the end of his tail really is his darkest marking.  What this doesn't show is a patch on his belly that I call his belly button.  The funny thing for me is that he only sat in that pose in the chair once...that I know of  Well, I guess I am glad I got the picture.

Feast of Love

This painting,"Pastry Chefs," will be in a new show at Dumbarton United Methodist Church.  It is a fun show, with the theme "Feast of Love."  Dumbarton also has concerts in connection with the art shows and there will be concerts on Saturday, February 16, and Saturday, February 23.  I'll be going to the reception and concert on February 16. Reception begins at 6 and concert is at 8.  I actually have two paintings in the show.  The other one is "Think of Me: I Ching Version," shown below.  For those who are interested in I Ching hexagrams,  this one is 27 "Nourishing."  Right in line with the "Feast of Love" theme!

TY Jan

My friend Jan recently moved to Arizona, and her gift to me was some Arizona treasures.  The saguro cactus is a ring holder.  Very pretty ceramic and very Arizonian....if that is a word.  I'm using it for my fitbit when I take a shower or bath,  She also sent me an amazing scented soap.  I love it in the bath...it is fragrant even when I'm not using it.  Plus, it is a very swirly colorful bar.  Thank you Jan.

TY Nancy

Nancy sent me a very beautiful Raku medallion that features a dragonfly.  It is so beautiful and then on the back it says "I am Joyful."  In my case, that is true.  Things like this do bring me joy. It was fun to make this painting and use my iridescent gold watercolor paint.  In real life, the medallion is more coppery than gold...but so beautiful.

TY JEFF

I'm continuing along with my thank you note project.  It is a lot of fun.  This is a thank you to my brother Jeff.  He was in DC for the Christmas festivities and then re-joined us in California for the wedding of Erik and Jenifer.  Nice!

While in DC, he always likes to buy me some wine from our local wine shop D'Canter.  He bought two very nice red wines--one from Italy and one from Spain to remind me of my favorite travels!  And he also gave ne an Amazon gift card.  I can always use that!

Then he went with us to Mendocino County on the Northern California coast for the wedding of his niece (my daughter) Jen and he walked her down the aisle.  Nicely done, Jeff!  We had great weather and also got in some very nice walks.  It was a great start to the new year.

Thank you Sophia

Sophia knows how I love games and she does, too  She and I sometimes go together to the Capitol Hill Village games group and we have a good time.  It is mostly older people, but she gets right into the game, and they love her and her very spirited participation.   Sometimes she even brings friends.

For a Christmas gift, of course Sophia gave me a game.  It is called Arboretum.  Yes, it is about trees.  Very diverse trees, such as this purple one called Jacaranda.  I have to admit that I haven't played it yet, but I did read the rules and it sounds intriguing.  You have to draw cards and play them in such a way that leads you through a path in the arboretum.  Maybe Sophia and I will play it the next time she is at my house after school,

Thank You Nadia

While I was in California for Jenifer and Erik's wedding and festivities, my cat Jerry was all alone.  Our friend Nadia came every day to feed him and attend to his litter box.  He was happy to see me when I got home, but obviously had been cared for while I was gone.  Nadia did a great job.  I hope to deliver this card to her tomorrow.  I think she'll like the cat painting.

Thank you Griffin

This is a little different.  Griffin gave me some cookie cutters for Christmas.  Actually, he gave them to me a couple of weeks before Christmas so that I could make some cookies.  I traced around them to make this design.  They shapes are gingerbread boy, gingerbread girl, heart, Oregon state and star. It was fun to make the cookies and fun to make this crazy little painting, too.  Thanks, Griffin.