Week 52 of Inspire Me Wednesdays, The Finale!

This is it!
We've finally made it - one year of Inspire Me Wednesdays posts here on artrocks.ca!
I started Inspire Me Wednesdays as a platform to share things that had positively affected my life. I posted things that made my day a little brighter - hopefully they brightened yours once or twice!

It has been so much fun to get to write about so many different things in the past year. I look back at the 51 posts as a sort of journal and feel really good about what was shared (maybe that'll be the last thing I suggest you try - start a journal blog!).

But this is in no way the end of artrocks.ca. I'll still be posting lots every week, just in smaller chunks. I'll continue showing pictures of my art,  weekly quotes and inspirational decor for the soul. Adam will resume his Music Monday next month (he says sorry for missing it this month - he was in a play) and I'm still convincing Clem to give you the down low on some of her favorite things :)

The last thing I want to do in Inspire Me Wednesdays is to look back at some of my favorite posts!

3. WEEK # 3 The one about the bridge poem

            2. WEEK # 16 The one about my grandfather and Greece

           1.WEEK # 2  The one about seeing beauty on a simple walk

Thanks for visiting and talk to you soon!

Karen xo

Things that inspire me (from week 1):
BOOKS, animals, PHOTOGRAPHY,children, cool fonts, innovation,PURE JOY, volunteers, great album covers, history, FRIENDS, positivity, creativity, curiosity, a kind gesture,trees, MUSIC, laughter, fearless individuals, BALANCE, sunshine, a really good CONVERSATION, forgiveness, FAMILY, ideas, honesty,quotes, lifelonglearners, artsy movies, MY CAT, the first tulips of spring, travel, BAKERIES,sticktoitiveness, live theatre, the beach, LIBRARIES, ANYTHING handmade and, of course, ROCKS!
What inspires you?

old houses

I stumbled upon this cool website a couple of weeks ago, and it continues to fascinate me.
100 Abandoned Houses is a project that documents run-down and derelict homes in and around Detroit. The pictures are beautiful, but there is an urgency behind the art: abandoned houses are becoming a problem in that city.

photo credit and thanks to http://www.100abandonedhouses.com/

The idea of an abandoned house makes me think.
Some of the houses have an elegant beauty but are surrounded by sadness.
It makes me think about why it was deserted, and who used to live there. How did they obtain their cracks? I wonder about the families that congregated for Easter meals between the walls.
One can imagine the stories and the faces and the houses standing proud and stunning in all their glory.
Why was it left empty?

Check out someone who changed this interest into a project called 100 Abandoned Houses.

I wish you a Happy Wednesday! and Happy holiday weekend!
Karen xo

All prints are available for purchase at 100 abandoned houses.

April 13th, 2011

I LOVE books. It's like taking a little vacation, wherever you are. I have all sorts of books - fiction and non-fiction, doesn't matter - all over the house.

I also have lots of reference books for my art (always a good excuse to bring more into the house!).

I've always loved non-fiction books, but it wasn't until about ten years ago that I joined a book club and sparked a new joy of reading fiction.

I should join one again some time.

Books revitalize me - like a walk in a summer garden (and it looks like we'll have to wait another couple of months for that!)

So who's up for a cup of tea and a book?

Karen xo

P.S. this is my second to last of my "Inspire me" Wednesday series. I will end on fifty-two and celebrate a whole year! After that, I will continue to post weekly about my art (n' things), and it won't be TOO different, so don't worry :)

April 6th, 2011

"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up." -PICASSO

It isn't just writers that get Writer's Block. Writer's Block can happen to all different types of artists, although probably with more fitting names; I can say with confidence that the painter's version, whatever you want to call it (Painter's Block, probably) definitely happens to me.

Writer's Block, in its many cursed forms, is said to be caused by "lack of inspiration". While in some cases this may be true, more often I find it to be caused by anxiety and doubt. It's thoughts of failure that stifle creativity.

A great example of this at work is the old experiment where self-diagnosed "bad drawers" were told to copy, to the best of their abilities, a Picasso line drawing. The first time they tried this, most copies were not great results.

(drawing on the right-side of the brain)

They were asked to draw the picture one more time - but this time, with the original drawing flipped UPSIDE DOWN. Voila - the drawings rendered were exponentially better!

(drawing on the right-side of the brain)

When the picture looked like a person, the subjects (artists) got caught up in that spiral of doubt - "Artist's Block". The left side of the brain (the logical side) was in control, criticizing the work every step of the way. But flip the picture upside down, and they're no longer drawing a person, but a bunch of lines! This helped the artists easily and subconsciously switch to the more creative right side of the brain,  which made it easier to perform the artistic task at hand! Pretty cool!


Life's problems may not always be so easily solved, but thoughts of this experiment are something to carry with you. Next time I'm faced with a big problem - be it artistic or otherwise - I know that the first thing I'll try is looking at it upside down.

Happy Wednesday!

Karen

Inspire Me Wednesday, Week 48

March 23rd, 2011

Spring has sprung! :-D

I did a lot this week! Between stone painting, bookmark printing, grad suit shopping, theatre going and new-glasses-getting (see above) my days were filled.

As I think about all the things done in the past six days - tasks accomplished, meals made, errands ran -  I was again reminded how fast the time goes. Time waits for no one, as the old adage goes.
 So with thoughts of all the busy people running through their day today, I'm dedicating this Wednesday to all of you and want to leave you with a mindful quote that I just came upon! (coming soon on an Inspired Stone near you!)

You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment

-Henry David Thoreau


May your day be filled with moments of brilliance and stillness.
Love, Karen

March 16th, 2011

I have always loved to make collages. I enjoy cutting and pasting images and text from one source and making them into something new. I usually quell this urge by collecting inspirational pictures and fonts and arranging them into my "Scrapbooks"which have I blogged about in the past.

I'm finally making a line of bookmarks in this style and would like to show you some of the work and a quick look at the process.
Maybe you can try this fun and un-intimidating art!

All you need is acid-free glue, an exacto knife, a steel straight edge, a hard working surface,

 

 and some old magazines, books, newspapers or brochures.

After I've gathered these materials, I begin by cutting out pictures of and words of interest until I find a common theme. Then all there is to do is arrange images and start looking for things that go together!

Here is an example of a Van Gogh bookmark I made. I started by deciding that the postman would be my main picture.

 I found a part of other Van Gogh paintings to add (the flower and letter)

and a picture of a pile of books to add to his hat!

This is the finished bookmark.

What do you think?

I will print this image on a high quality 80 lb paper.

I have so much fun doing this type of art. I hope you will try your hand at collage.

I'll leave you with a few more bookmarks from my new collection!

Karen :)

Happy Day!

March 9th, 2011

Hi Everyone!


 I thought it was time that I share some of the art that I have been making in the last few months.

It seems like it's been such a long time since I've had a show and been able to see all my friends!
I'd love to show you a few of the stones and paper art that have been sprouting up over the past few months.

Hope you enjoy!

This one was inspired by a Greek pillar!

These ones aren't done yet - I've just started!

These ones were inspired by the forthcoming spring!

This one is on paper - it's part of a new set of prints with hand-drawn calligraphy!

This door is on paper - of COURSE I'm drawing my favorite thing on paper, too!

I cannot wait to present my new work at the sales coming up in spring!

I will post my schedule soon.

Thanks for visiting :)

Karen

Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011

How do YOU define visual art?

Is it just a painting in the Louvre, or can it be more than just that? What do you think of artists like Damien Hirst, a man famous for, among other things, putting a dead shark in a tank and naming it "The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living"?

Could the shape of a really nice coffee mug or the way the sun hits the trees in the morning or the dust jacket on an old book be art?

Hundreds of years ago, art was only allowed to be a religious expression, but nowadays can describe anything that expresses the human condition. Art can represent something real or conceptual. It should affect the senses, your heart or your mind. It's funny to read the Wikipedia article on Art because of it's calculated, scientific description of something that isn't really supposed to be calculated or scientific.

-Erika Iris Simmons

I found this art a while ago and it inspired me because of the idea of taking a vessel of music and working it  into a visual art form struck me as fascinating. Yes, it's John Lennon made out of cassette tape. Here's what the artist had to say about her work:

"In this series I showcase a number of portraits of musicians made out of recycled cassette tape with original cassette. Also included are portraits made from old film and reels. The idea comes from a phrase (ironically) coined by philosopher Gilbert Ryle, a description of how your spirit lives in your body. I imagine we are all, like cassettes, thoughts wrapped up in awkward packaging." - Erika Iris Simmons, artist.

After stumbling upon this artwork of hers, I quickly came across this piece. She took the sheet music for a song and made it into a visual of what this music feels like to her.

What beautiful art.

Click here to check out Erika's flickr page!

Happy Wednesday,

Karen.

Inspire Me Wednesdays: Week 43

February 16th, 2011

Oh, Winnipeg!

Recently, I've been taking my camera with me everywhere I go. I love the shadows on the snow and the silhouette of the bare trees.

Last week I was downtown on a very cold winter's day. On those crisp days the sky is usually a brilliant blue. I stopped to record what I saw - a gorgeous blue sky serving as a backdrop to the old buildings.
It was beautiful!  What capped the moment was when an older business man, who saw me taking the picture, stopped to say "that is pretty, isn't it?!" That frozen moment wasn't passed by!

 The residents of Winnipeg often have conflicting emotions about their city. A photo blog by Bryan Scott has taken that love/hate relationship and made it into an interesting visual journal of Winnipeg. There are some really striking pictures of the places we pass every day. Check it out - http://www.winnipeglovehate.com/.

Happy Wednesday,

Karen

February 9th, 2011

Rome, 2009  photo credit: K. Dangerfield

Last week I told you about the new Art Project by google. Such a neat tool to learn about the museums of the world and "see" where masterpieces you know are housed and taken care of.

Art in person is a totally different thing...

I am a huge fan of Canadian artists Lawren Harris and Emily Carr. I remember the feeling of pure awe I felt when I saw my first Harris painting in person on display at the Winnipeg Art Gallery. I'd seen and studied The Group of Seven in so many books that I thought I knew exactly what to expect. Yet I was still startled by the size and magnificence of the painting.

 My first Carr was a the Vancouver Art Gallery. I  had always admired her portrayal of nature, trees, and native culture. The one thing I didn't understand was the actual force of Emily Carr's work - until I was standing in front of one of her swirling, living paintings. It was all-consuming to me.

Before heading to Europe a couple of years ago, I had prepared myself for the deluge of emotions I foresaw myself having upon seeing the art I had studied and loved all my life. I also thought of what it would be like to see so many wonderful masterpieces in such a short period of time.

It turned out to be an experience of pure joy for me. I didn't faint - just drank it all in (My son, however, may have had a bout of the Stendhal Effect while in Florence!).

On our last day in Rome a couple of weeks later, we breezed through the Dora Pamphili palace, walked through the Villa Borghese to the Galleria Nazionale D'Arte Moderna of Rome before going to the Zoo. At the Modern art gallery I saw paintings by Picasso, de Kooning, Van Gogh, Monet, Modeglianni, Kandinsky, Schiele, Degas, Rodin, Mondrian and Miro. All of this truly made my head spin, but it was only when I rounded the corner to a medium sized room with a few paintings on the walls that my son heard the inevitable screech of joy (yes, I actually screeched). I had unexpectedly encountered my first Klimt in person!   

   

"The Three Ages of Women" is a large, beautifully emotive
painting that depicts
three women at different stages of their lives. This painting  highlights Klimt's inspired use of gold and mosaic style.It was awesome.

Like watching live theatre, being at a concert or listening to an author's reading, it changes the art because you become a part of it. As I stood in front of that painting and saw the actual colours that Gustav Klimpt had chosen to express his emotions, saw his brushstrokes, witnessed the strength of the size of the canvas - this is when the the art became an experience.

Happy Wednesday,
Karen

P.S. To read a little more on Klimt, Click on the "Awesome Blogs" on the right-hand side.....

February 2nd, 2011

Detail of Van Gogh's "The Starry Night"

Google recently launched a new website that lets the world explore the planet's greatest art museums right from their computer. It's really neat! It uses the same setup as Google Street View, which most people are already familiar with (If you don't know what that is, you should check it out as well. Click HERE to do so). I think it's a great resource and a neat thing to explore!

 To see the museums, go to www.googleartproject.com and start walking through the rooms! (My favorite so far is the Palace Versailles)

Karen :)

P.S. Maybe these works of art will inspire you to go for a tour of  your local real-life art gallery! Nothing beats art in person...(more about this next week!!!)

Wednesday, January 26th, 2011

Clementine, 2011

A friend sent me this video, and I thought that I'd share it with you guys. 

Isn't it purrrrfect?

Karen xo

P.S. Click here for all the "Simon's Cat" videos

When winter was my friend

                                                              inspire me, wednesday! week 37

sunrise, winnipeg, january 18th, 2011

 When winter was my friend it would hold its hand out to me

suggest a walk to see the sky, gleaming at the horizon.

I love the tracery of branches-

sometimes threaded with snow like lace, sometimes swaying like seaweed-

making conversation with that sky.

by Maureen Harris


 For the whole poem, please visit the website above!
Enjoy your Wednesday, 
Karen :)

                      

Inspire Me Wednesdays, Week 36

 "If you're a dreamer, come in..."

Shel Silverstein was first brought to my attention when my son was going into elementary school. On the first day of grade 2, his teacher had posted a verse from a poem from Shel Silverstein's poem "An Invitation" which both affected an inspired both my son and myself. From then on, his collections of poetry were a staple in our house.

Shel was a songwriter, poet, artist, screenwriter and playwright. We loved his funny, thoughtful and irreverent writing style.

Accompanying almost every poem are beautiful line drawings by Shel himself, which often compliment or even complete the poems themselves.  They are filled with themes that children and adults alike can relate to, but not in a boring way - they're SO much fun to read aloud. His wordplay and ability to go openly and unhampered into the world of children with playfulness, imagination, hope and tenderness makes his work loved by all ages.

If you haven't yet, check out Shel Silverstein. I'll even make it easy - here's a link to the Shel Silverstein site!

Happy reading, 

Karen :)

Where the Sidewalk Ends

There is a place where the sidewalk ends

And before the street begins,

And there the grass grows soft and white,

And there the sun burns crimson bright,

And there the moon-bird rests from his flight

To cool in the peppermint wind.

Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black

And the dark street winds and bends.

Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow

We shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow,

And watch where the chalk-white arrows go

To the place where the sidewalk ends.

Yes we'll walk with a walk that is measured and slow,

And we'll go where the chalk-white arrows go,

For the children, they mark, and the children, they know

The place where the sidewalk ends.

-Shel Silverstein