Two Favorite Things

Jazz music

Abstract Expressionist painting

John Coltrane recording album cover, ca. 1957

Coltrane at the Guggenheim Museum in NYC, ca. 1957

Franz Kline, Mural ca. 1940's

Chief, Franz Kline, 1950 (Museum of Modern Art)

Coltrane "playing"

Coltrane in thought...(wife, Alice in background was a professional pianist), 1962.

Franz Kline, Street Scene, 1949

Franz Kline, Main, ca. 1949

Coltrane stretch, ca. 1957

Franz Kline, Figure 8, 1952

Coltrane was capable of playing melody...

Kline was capable of skilled representation...

But, I'm glad they ventured beyond conventions...

TODAY IS MY BIRTHDAY!

My first cake decorating attempt during a group cake decorating "workshop" a few years ago.

I am celebrating the day by focusing on pulling together application materials for exhibits of my art work at four venues in the upcoming year!

Take the Bunny Shopping...

I already have a collection of my own shopping bags so that I don't bring home the groceries in plastic anymore.  But I just ran across this shopping bag here, and had to share, because I think it is just the cutest darn little thing!

 Bunny Bags!

 from the online shop, Twine...

 The shopping bag stuffs into a little zippered bunny shape!

I love them!

Hmmm...this may not be the best bag for me to take on a shopping trip accompanied by my greyhounds... 

topresson.blogspot.com

Count Down: Two days remaining...

Above:  Corner junction of Benjamin Moore's Cloud White ceiling and (Benjamin Moore's match of) Ralph Lauren's Montauk Driftwood walls.  This Regal line of Benjamin Moore interior paint is a dream to work with, by the way!

Above:  Last night I spent cleaning the wall board mud off the brick where the new walls came in contact with the old brick wall.  I used a scraper then went back with a damp toothbrush.  In case you are wondering---I didn't think this was very much fun.

Yesterday, we (Mark the builder) replaced the old door (that had a big hole in it from where the previous owners had run their flexible clothes dryer vent hose through it) that leads into the adjacent bedroom (used to be a laundry room???  Old houses have long checkered histories.).  The trim work for windows and doors has been delivered and now needs to be cut and installed and painted with the final paint color (Benji Moore's Cloud White in pearl finish) along with the old existing trim work around the kitchen door and transom window.

Above:  The entire load of pre-finished maple flooring is here.  Prior to installation of the flooring, we need to clean the sub-floor and lay down the craft paper.

Above:  Patient vintage crystal chandelier waits to be hung over the breakfast table when the room is completed.

OK, so it looks like my birthday "present" (completion of the building project by February 25) will be late.  But at least progress is accelerating over what it was before!

A Creative Life...

This month we lost a creative soul, whose work in many areas will be remembered and enjoyed for a long, long time.  Kenvin Lyman was an artist, graphic artist, musician, food and wine aficionado, organic farmer...

Above: Led Zeppelin Concert Poster design by Kenvin Lyman, featured on Salt Lake Concert Posters blog.

Salt Lake Concert Posters features concert posters Kenvin Lyman designed for musical performances in the 1960's, mentions light shows he produced for many of these events, and speaks about the 1998 exhibit of  Salt Lake Sixties.  Read a tribute to Kenvin Lyman from his memorial here.

This Friday's Gallery Stroll - February 18, 2011

Above:  Alien Babies, Deral Barton, ceramic 

Above:  Digital Collage, Steve Jerman

Charley Hafen Jewelers - Gallery  features two artists this month:  Recent Ceramic Pieces by Deral E. Barton and Steve Jerman’s exhibit, “Mergings”, provocative fine art imagery using digital collage. 

A reception for the artists will be held during Gallery Stroll evening from 6:00 till 9:00 p.m.


Charley Hafen Jewelers - Gallery
1409 South 900 East
Salt Lake City, UT 84105 
Telephone: 801-521-7711 
http://www.charleyhafen.com/
Hours: Monday - Friday 12 – 7,
Saturday 10 – 2, Closed Sunday

For a complete list of participating galleries in this month's Gallery Stroll go here.

A special thank you note to my new followers!  I'm hoping to have 50 followers show up in my Followers list by the end of 2011.  If you are a regular reader (By the stats, I can tell you are out there---by the way---Welcome to you, too!), I'd love it if you become a follower, too.  It's easy---just click on the "FOLLOW" button and follow the directions.  ;o)

Happy Valentine's Day - LOVE, PEACE and HOPE...

credit: marissaneave.com


Above is Robert Indiana's famous and popular LOVE sculpture in New York City.  Did you know he also created a LOVE sculpture for the same word in Hebrew?

Ahava (אהבה "love" in Hebrew), Cor-ten steel,  Robert Indiana American Sculptor, Israel Museum, Jerusalem, Israel


"Indiana's work often consists of bold, simple, iconic images, especially numbers and short words like EAT, HUG, and, his best known example, LOVE."  from Wikipedia

His "iconic work LOVE was first created for a Christmas card for the Museum of Modern Art in 1964 and later was included on an eight-cent United States Postal Service postage stamp in 1973, the first of their regular series of 'love stamps.' The first serigraph/silk screen of 'Love' was printed as part of an exhibition poster for Stable Gallery in 1966 (See Love and The American Dream. The Art of Robert Indiana, page 87)." from Wikipedia


For a quick background on the artist visit Wikipedia, Robert Indiana.

Check out "Google" today and, most importantly, remember to love the ones you're with!  

<3     <3   <3