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Friday, June 29, 2007

 

A Feast For Sore Eyes. . .

. . . especially for the sore eyes of the figurative painters amongst us

Sent to me, separately, by FergieJ and Hagit, who have never met each other.

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Wednesday, June 27, 2007

 

Dead Or Alive?


OK, I admit, this is creepy.

But you, too, can find out how much your body is worth, by simply clicking on this joyous calculator. Feel free to share your results - w'all can then have an auction...

Saw this on Blueberry's blog (she goes for much cheaper - $4125... ;-)


Congratulations, your dead body is worth $4625! (*)
Doesn't that make you feel great?

$4625.00The Cadaver Calculator - Find out how much your body is worth

(*) Mind you, I could go for $4624.99.

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Tuesday, June 26, 2007

 

No Stage Fright Here

...and while w'all are fiddling with our little brushes and modest-size paintings, someone is having a whole lotta fun!

You really do need to watch this all the way through to appreciate how good this guy is - and he's doing it on stage! (I can't even paint in class, as I feel there are too many people around...).

Contributed by WackieM.

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Sunday, June 24, 2007

 

A Thousand Words - And Then Some #10


Presenting to you The JohnnyB, and his newest buddy, Tal. They met 3 weeks ago, in Modiin, Israel.

I could see how the polite way in which he chose to greet The JohnnyB (his grand-uncle, mind you), might lead you to think that Tal is of a Maori descent, but you are wrong.

He is 8 months old, the younger brother of the 2-year-old Nitzku, and - by theory of relativity, these pictures clearly show that he is not the tiniest baby born in Israel, or anywhere else, for that matter.

The JohnnyB was totally captured by this amazingly lovable multifold baby (well, like the Michelin man, this adorable dude is all made of folds), and Tal fell for The JohnnyB in a heartbeat. The kid was beyond ecstatic to be upgraded to the arms of the new grand-uncle, and be raised above anyone else. The two guys bonded immediately, with Tal persistently trying to pluck the hair and beard off The JohnnyB's face, while the latter constantly examining with admiration the pillows of fat on Tal's feet. Another significant advantage was the fact that neither of them speaks fluent Hebrew, and - while an obstacle with my other family members - it did not stand in the way of their amity.


The alert viewer will notice that Tal is not smiling. It's not that he is a gloomy baby, On the contrary, he is one of the happiest babies I've seen. He is simply way too cool for spreading smiles all over. His usual expression is very serious and intensely concentrated, and he breaks the heart of anyone who tries to baby-talk him into softening up, by giving them this "Ah, C'mon, would you stop this pathetic childish act already!?".

See, I brought him an incredibly cute toy, a plush elephant that you can stuff things in and take them out and put them in again and take them out and - - - Hey, this bloody toy won several awards, and is really, REALLY cool!!! And so, when I presented the gift to Tal, all the adults in my family, as well as the older kids (ages 2 to 5 year) responded with sheer enthusiasm. As for Tal, well... (Ah, it still hurts when I think of it), he gave it a brief look, (out of courtesy, I suppose, as he's a nice guy), gave me a look that I can only describe as a mixture of pity and surprise, with a touch of refined disdain, and proceeded to play with the impressive set of trucks I got for the 2-year-old Nitzku, his older brother. This is one tough little person.

Actually, at some point, he did grace The JohnnyB with one very rare smile, but even LumiB wasn't fast enough to capture this astonishing fleeting moment.

So, this may be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Here's a series of photos that I refer to as "Dude, what's wrong with your watch?".


We don't go Awwwwwwwwww in Israel, but we came pretty close...


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Saturday, June 23, 2007

 

How Green Was My JohnnyB . . .


Nope, it's got nothin' to do with him getting all warm and fuzzy with the environment.

Nor is it related to being green with envy.


Read all about it here.

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Thursday, June 21, 2007

 

ArtPact #23


"Oh no, not another ArtPact!!!", I hear some of you groan. "Three ArtPacts in 8 days? Is the woman crazy or what??!??".

Well, I'm back in the swing.


In the past week, I was seriously going through the usual post-visit Blues, which always involves a lot self-questioning, especially the contsant pondering "So - where do I belong?". It's far from being fun (Ha - what an understatement!). And yet, this time, it took me less than 10 days to get back to the drawing table.

I think I am getting better at this self-reboot thing.

Or, perhaps, it is the fact that our critique group meets once a week. This really drives you to paint, as almost everyone brings something to show, and you don't wanna be the only one sans a masterpiece, or at least some piece. Oh, and also, this coming Saturdays is the last class with WackieM, and though I can always excuse myself with "Well, I was in Israel", I don't want to go without homework.

Regardless of the reason - my studio got into the good kind of mess this evening; the mess that comes from working.

WackieM's previous class was just 2 days before I flew, and the subject was combining head and hands. Hands are truly difficult to portray, so I went for a relatively easy reference photo I took of FergieJ. Caught her in the middle of a workshop, several months ago. It's a cool photo, that captures her expression and really shows off her face. She is usually sweet and fun and cheery, but that workshop got to her, so it seems, and I got a glimpse of a more serious side of her.
In class, I started off with a simple drawing, focusing on where the hand meets the face (yes, I know... it looks like she is getting hit in the face with a fearsome communist fist... told ya: hands are hard to do!). I then proceeded to do a full drawing (which turned out a pathetic disaster, and thus shall not be posted. Hey, it's enough that I posted my lame attempts at plein-air...).

This image was simmering in my head the whole week, and today I decided that I really need to get my act together - so I started a collage (Yo, MichaelBains - you wanted more collages? There you go!).

Did a simple drawing on the matboard (I do my paper collages on matboards - a very nice surface for that medium), in order to have some guiding lines and shapes.


Took out my "palette" of the countless tissue papers (I now have over 60 different colors!), made my color decisions, and started to block in shapes.

I forgot how much fun it is!!!!!

As opposed to the previous collages I created, this time I did make sure to watch the direction of every piece I glue on, so it flows in a way that reads correctly. I also tried to be more careful with overlapping the pieces of paper - as these also matter.

Hmm... sometimes, the more you know more, the harder it gets.

Another thing which is very new to me: I reached a point where I was not quite sure how to continue - so I stopped. Which is a major achievement for me, as I usually rush to finish (remember? Aries = immediate satisfactions = me).

Not this time. I decided to let it sit for a while, let it dry (another thing my paintings/collages are deprived of...) and allow myself to continue tomorrow, when I am not so tired and when my eyes are not all bleary.

So, that's how it looks now. Obviously unfinished, with bits and pieces sticking all over, uncovered areas and many decisions to make. Thar's how it will be shown at the critique meeting - actually, they might give me some ideas of where to go from here. I like the way it looks now, but it definitely needs more work.




To be continued.


It's gotta be ready for Saturday...


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Wednesday, June 20, 2007

 

Sentence of The Month: June


We had the reception for the pomegranate show on Saturday, at the very fancy town hall of the extra-fancy nearby FancyTown-Hills.

It's an exhibition that our critique group has put together. I have my "Outcasts #2" painting in that show, framed in a dark mat, and looking quite impressive, if I might say so myself.

The reception was really successful and festive, with many people coming and going and commenting on the paintings and the unique theme. Most husbands came and bonded together, adorned with that familiar expression of reception boredom (yes, The JohnnyB was also there, wearing - in honor of the occasion - a very artsy red hand-dyed shirt he got on our vacation in Grenada, at the incredible Art Fabrik store there).


As the reception started, one of the visitors, a real nice woman, kept admiring my painting, and inquired me about my technique and the colors I used. Definitely an artist herself.

BearGal, who has a lot of gallery experience, was standing next to us. Trying to help me make a sale, she informed her, "You know, this painting is for sale".

"Oh", said the woman, "Is it?".

"Yes", said the somewhat embarrassed artist who is still new to the show business (that would be me), "It is".

"Well then, how much are you selling it for?", wondered that woman.

Staying loyal to what was on the price list, I recruited a decent amount of confidence to my voice, and said: "$425".

"Well", she said, with similar confidence, "Good for you!!"




I am still puzzled.


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Tuesday, June 19, 2007

 

ArtPact #22

So, yes, I did go on that Hike & Sketch last Thursday.

It was fun, though it made me realize - yet again - that I am sooooooooo not a plein-air nor a landscape painter.

I mean, it was fun to walk around the park, be in the fresh air and the scorching sun (it was a hot day), wash my eyes with the views, and look at the various birds flying cheerfully or hanging out in the slough. But - every time the people I was with cheered, "Oh, let's stop here and paint this!!", I wondered: "Paint WHAT?".

Don't get me wrong: I envy those who look at hills and grass and trees and make a beautiful painting out of them.

I can't. I can look at the most stunning vistas, take tons of photos, but I won't try to paint them. Been there, tried that - and failed. It just doesn't do it for me.

I'm the one who sees an interesting face, a unique outfit or just an intriguing person, and think, "Ah, I'd kill to paint him/her".



So, I did have fun that day. Yes, I sketched, but I am not very keen on what I came up with.

Until we reached the geese!!

We had with us a guy who's amazingly knowledgeable about birds, and in general, paints animals. He keeps trying to convert me from painting people to painting birds (why!?), and at the end of the hike, he gave us a quick lesson about bird drawing. I started off listening out of boredom, but - I have to admit, it was truly fascinating! I'll never look at a bird the same way.

So, after the short explanation and demo, we started to sketch the geese that were posing for us all over the place.

And finally, FINALLY, I did something I am happy to show here. These are merely very quick sketches, done in 1-2 minutes each (well, those geese move fast!), but - that's more like it!



"Shoreline Geese", Ink on Paper, 11" x 7"


And yet:


My name is Nava, and I am not a landscape painter.


By the way, all these sketches were done in the brand new sketchbook, which is my prize for the Honorable Mention Award I received on the painting I have entered at the CCP competition. They sent me this sketchbook, plus a pack of watercolor paper postcards, so I can paint my own on my next trip. Nice freebie, Eh?


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Thursday, June 14, 2007

 

. . . And On The Third Night - - -


For some peculiar reason, the third night after a very long flight back from a country that resides across the globe, and is 10 hours ahead, is always the crucial test whether you've gotten over the jetlag.
The first two nights are relatively easy, as you're so exhausted from being up for so many hours - before, during and after the flight.

Our flight out of Tel Aviv took off at midnight, which means we had a whole day before it. Not that it's hard to fill a last day in my homeland, but it's extremely stressful. All you want is to be left alone and enjoy a nice last day, but you are put into a whirlpool of emotional pressure by your loving loved ones, with chants that vary from Oh-you-are-leaving-so-soon-and-we-did-not-have-enough-time-to-catch-up, (well, it's not me who did not make time to be more together) through why-don't-we-go-out-and-do-something-fun-today-before-you-fly (which is the last thing you want to do before a long flight) to so-how-do-you-summarize-your-visit (I don't! I wanna get back home quickly and safely).

And it's beyond frustrating, as you need to be accommodating and pleasant, even though you are stressed and edgy, knowing that once the day ends, those who provide this emotional joy will go to sleep in their beds, while you will need to cope with another veeeeeeeery long day, filled with lines at the airport and security checks and boarding annoyance and sitting up straight for hours and hours and neck pain and back pain and pain-in-the-butt passengers and a snoring seat-mate and at least one screaming kid on the 10.5 hours flight and a hectic connection and smug business traveler jerks (OK, we didn't know that in advance - that was a bonus surprise) and - - - - need I say more?

So, once our last day in Israel was over, it took us 26 hours door-to-door. 26 hours since we left my aunt's apartment in Ramat Aviv till we opened the garage door to our house here. And, mind you, we landed here at 10am, which means we had a whole day to pass here as well... So it was a major achievement to keep ourselves awake till after 9pm - and no wonder we both crashed to bed soon after.

The first night was OK.

Second night was even better.

The third night - Ah, this is when you usually break, as you convince yourself that you're already back in the right time zone, and it's OK to go to sleep a bit earlier. Now, that is bound to screw up the whole coming-back-to-local-time grand plan.

Knowing that, I decided to go for prevention rather than cure, and played Domino on the web with some fancy-named people till after midnight. Then, victoriously, I crawled to bed and collapsed, thinking I made it. Woke up at 6:30.
Sounds good? Well, those who know me will attest what a crisis this is. I mean, if I Email or call someone before 10am, they get very concerned, and ask if something happened.

I'm so tired!

And I had this plan to go on a fun venture of a Hike & Sketch today, organized by our watercolor society. Need to leave in an hour. I still hope I can make it. Hopefully, it will drive away the remains of the jetlag and teach my body once and for all what's the time here.

The JohnnyB, you ask?

Ah, The JohnnyB broke last night, and went to bed before 9pm.


Woke up at 4:30am.

Again.

Yup.

He is pissed.

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Tuesday, June 12, 2007

 

ArtPact #21


I'm back.

- - - We're back.

Landed Monday morning, after a very long last day in Israel and two endless flights (never, EVER take the morning flight from Newark to San Francisco! NEVER!!!! It's full of elite-status business travelers, namely selfish pretentious smug jerks who take all the space with their enormous multiple carry-ons and you end up being forced to check-in your carry-on with the precious and fragile stuff you carefully put in it. WTF happened to "one normal-sized carry-on bag per person", Eh???).


We're now working on recovering from the jetlag. The JohnnyB woke up at 3:15am yesterday, improved with waking at 4:30am today (and hopefully will reach normal time by next week...), while I seem to be doing fine, so far, waking up around 6:30am or 7am, and even that is just 'cause The JohnnyB is waking me to say Goodbye before leaving to work.

Our visit was filled with family, Hebrew, places, wonderful food, grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreat coffee (Ah, nothing like Arcafe!!!). We even had great beer at the Golan Brewery (I leave it to The JohnnyB to blog about this one).

On the other hand, it turned out into one of those visits that became family-confined, and so, unfortunately, of all the wonderful friends I have there, we only met with two couples. :-(

Lesson to be learned for the next visit.


Anyway - in a
previous ArtPact, I said I created a collage that I could not post. I made it for my sister, from a photo of her with her very first grandson, when he was 10 days old (this tiny baby is now a very sweet bright 4.5 years old). I gave it to her the first day I arrived to Israel, and - here it is, soon to be framed and hung on her wall.

Hey, I can now say that my art is collected internationally... ;-)





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