If You Can Make It There

Let's jump on the magic subway and visit some of my NYC memories...

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I remember so well the Chelsea Hotel...

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...the bus stop signs...

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...and fire escapes reminiscent of the Moon River scene in Breakfast at Tiffany's

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...and giant posters on the sides of apartment buildings...

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...and the American Eagle, the Stars and Stripes, the big yellow taxis...

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...and famous faces up in lights!

(Go here to get your 5 minutes of fame)

Riffing on the Echinacea

The Echinacea blooms in the yard may be fading but I've preserved a few by transplanting them to the Photoshop Garden.

This acrylic painting, done by yours truly some years ago as part of my Flowers For Healing series, has a "touchy-feely" heart. I cut up chenille yarn into tiny bits and glued them into the centre of the flower. It hangs in our kitchen, always the heart of a house; a perfect place for soothing cups of tea or energizing mugs of coffee over a warm chat with a good friend.

Come on over, the kettle's on!

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(Hmmm...maybe this posting should have gone up over at my Ragzedge art blog. I'm getting confused about what to put where. Maybe we need to start a lively discussion on "What Is Art." Gah!! Not without The Sagittarian serving up some liquid inspiration...something a little stronger than the tea or coffee I first suggested.

Sitting on the Offensive

Does this image offend anyone? If I was to play with it digitally, though, and perhaps substitute a cute piglet for the "holy infant," would I invoke the wrath of Catholics and risk litigation?


I'm a little peeved because of a message that I received over on my Ragzedge blog this morning, concerning an image I'd digitally altered as an artwork. The message is as follows:

"This is a Hindu Goddess. I would like to caution you that if Hindus come to know about this, they can take you to court for insulting their religious sentiments. In India many painters have been prosecuted for doing such things."

Now, I am not peeved at the gentleman from India who provided this caution. I am, in fact, grateful to him and for his good intentions and concern. What I am annoyed about is the dictatorial, restrictive, close-minded, bigoted ignorance of those who seek to censor artistic expression and interpretation of the world in any way that differs from their own narrow-minded precepts.
What about my freedom of expression? Do I not live in a democracy?

It seems to me that there are so many people in the world just looking to take offense. Being offended is what makes them tick, gets their hearts pumping, gives them something to talk about, complain about, be loud and agressive over, and get all sorts of attention and inappropriate sympathy. If one is looking to be offended, one is sure to succeed in finding something before the day is out.

At any rate, I removed any tongue-in-cheek text I'd written and further altered my images, hopefully without completely eradicating the idea and FUN I was trying to communicate. Quite frankly, it pissed me off to do so (am I allow to say the "p" word on my blog?).

Drat--I guess I got sucked into taking offence.

Peace & Love, babies, Peace & Love!

Here is the "offending" image.

Sequestered

se+ques+ter:
1. to remove or separate
2. (usually passive) to retire into seclusion

Or sometimes that's just the way it feels.

Out of Order

If you want me, I'll be in the bar...er...my studio. Will be posting new work on my Ragzedge blog over the next few days...hopefully...

Le Tintamarre (Bang a Gong)

Today is National Acadian Day (I would write it in French but Pierre's away and I don't know how to insert the circumflex over the "e" in Fete, as in La Fete Nationale Acadienne). There are celebrations and parades and loud banging of pots in the streets and outdoor music shows throughout Acadie scheduled. My first experience of it was in 1980 in the northeast New Brunswick seaside town of Caraquet. I danced outdoors on a makeshift wooden floor to endless fiddle music until I thought my heart would burst from my chest. It was a wonderful introduction to Acadians, their music, their joie de vivre, their warmth and their pride.

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The Blessing of the Fleet

There is also a "blessing of the fleet" that goes on in Caraquet when the lobster season begins. I mention this because one of the paintings in my Maritmes Series depicted this event, and got me into lots of hot water with the local press and outraged the citizens. I laughed it off, thinking it ridiculous that one of my happy little paintings could cause such a ruckus, including very irate letters to the editor of the Acadian newspaper. I realize now that I should have milked it dry for the publicity value of it (there's no such thing as bad publicity?) I think part of the problem was that I showed an Acadian woman kissing her crucifix pendant while wearing a star-emblazoned bikini top, representing the Acadian flag. I present the painting here for you to form your own opinions.

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On Parade in the Lobster Capital of the World

Another summer event, in the Acadian town of Shediac is the Lobster Festival which happened in July. When I first moved to the Maritimes, 20 or so years ago, I was both stunned and amused to learn that there is a Mr. Lobster mascot, or perhaps he's the Lobster King, who reigns over the festivities. I had to depict this wonder in my series as well. (This painting, by the way, went to live in Haiti.)

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Parlez-vous at Parlee Beach

Shediac is also well-known for Parlee Beach, which is thronged during the summer months--particularly in August when the Quebeckers arrive. The beach is part of a Provincial Park so you have to pay for the privilege of being crammed and jammed with masses of sun-seekers in all shapes and sizes. The water is reputed to be the warmest north of East Virginia. There are many beaches where you can go for free, and the water is the same, so we don't generally go to Parlee. But here are our Acadian friends, Betty and Rita, on their day off from work at the lobster plant, soaking up some fun in the sun.

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There were 30 paintings in my Maritimes Series and they were shown and sold in many galleries on Canada's east and west coasts. I called this style of painting Post-Naive. If you'd like to know how the series came about and what it means, you can read all about it in my artist's statement.

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The Acadian folk group Barachois asked me to do the artwork for their first album, which included a painting of them at a traditional kitchen party. Now those are folks who know how to throw a party!

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(BTW no pot banging or gong bonging in my little village tonight--it's strictly Anglo in these here hills.)

Little Run Away

If we ran away to Prince Edward Island for a little holiday, how would it be?...

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It would be fun at the beach...

It would be a colourful cottage to stay in...

It would be picnics with sea views...

It would be Sublime...


It would be Ridiculous!


It would be sublimely ridiculously colourfully tastily scenically beachy-keen!

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As it's already Saturday in lots of places where I am not, I'm going to get a jump on things and post my Saturday song, borrowing from David at Sparkle Mirror's "Emotion Elicitation System" to emphasize the mood and meaning of this post.

Marsh Mellow

While C was here last week we took a walk down the road to the marsh.

These are the muddy banks of the Peticodiac River where, twice a day, the Tidal Bore makes its way in from the Bay of Fundy, and twice a day the river flows to the sea.

The clouds float in and out on the river as well.

On one side of the marsh road is the river, on the other side are fields and cows, with the village in the distance. The moon hints at its presence.

Dusk begins to fall on the lush grasses and wildflowers as we make our way home. There is a certain mellowness in the air. We remember the times we used to walk this road daily with our dog; the days when C still lived here. It's sweet to return to old haunts with fresh eyes.

Scattered & Small Song

Hey you down there!


I thought it was high time for some Canadian content and some female energy on Song Saturday so here's a tune from someone, Amelia Curran, I heard on the radio recently. I believe she's from Newfoundland. It's a sweet video, too.

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A special shout out to Robert who's feeling a bit size-challenged lately in his efforts

To Navigate Through Life. You know you're not alone when someone else is singing about it!

Sea, Sand, & Supper

Boat and gull heading in for supper.

Fishing boats heading out to catch supper.


A family heading home for supper.


Can you tell my head was wrapped around thoughts of supper at this time? It was to be our long-awaited annual feed of fried seafood at the beach just prior to C's departure for Montreal. Alas, it was not to be. After placing our order and waiting for an hour for our number to be called, C finally gave up and begged Pierre to drive her to the airport so she wouldn't miss her flight. I gave her a quick hug goodbye and watched them disappear into the setting sun as I sat and waited...and waited...for the food to be ready. Sitting there, I had time to ponder the fact that my bag was in the trunk of the car and all I had with me was my camera, the ticket for supper, and two half-empty (or were they half full?) cans of beer. Oh well, what else could a girl possibly need?
P.S. 15 minutes after C & P left, our food was ready. I ate my share and watched the darkness begin to fall, trying not to panic with thoughts of C missing her flight, Pierre being in a highway crash, me being stranded. Fifty minutes after having left, P arrived back to rescue me and his share of supper. C caught her flight with time to spare. We have some leftover clams in the fridge today, if anyone's hungry...

Song Saturday

We're en route down Highway 114 to another concert at Harvey Hall. The Peticodiac River is in the distance, rushing in from the Atlantic, with some of the highest tides in the world. This is the Bay of Fundy.

The fog hangs low over the fields by the Fundy shores.

This is the place! (with some special FX just for fun): Harvey Community Hall, built in 1884.

One of the biggest pleasures of attending concerts at Harvey Hall is the homebaking on sale. True to tradition, I went for the biggest brownie I could find. I think I may scale back a bit in future, though.


(l-r)Jim Blewitt (genuine hippy), Matt Anderson (bluesman), Tim Isaac (potter-cum-cellist)

Isaac & Blewitt are the local musicians/back-to-the-landers who host the gigs at Harvey Hall. They're hot to jam with other cats (as Blewitt calls everyone) passing through the area on their way to play in bigger venues. Tonight's guest star was the powerhouse blues singer/guitarist from Nova Scotia, Matt Anderson. The audience ate up the show with as much gusto as I consumed my extreme brownie!

Here's a taste of what we experienced: