goodpicks

Chihuly is a really good glassblower. I especially like this peice because I have a fascination with roses. I love the way the pedals turn. It is in my opinion the best flower to draw, paint, sculpt, or whatever. I used to not like it because I thought it was so mundane but I guess I was just hating coz I now see how beautiful it really is. No wonder people love roses. Anyways Chihuly is da man.


Johannes Vermeer. 17th century Dutch painter. This one, A Lady Writing, is one of my favorite paintings by Vermeer. I don't know if others think its one of his masterpieces but I do. I love the small detail, The incredible contrast and just the entire composition and look of the subject. She looks kind of scary/weird/young/mysterious. I really do not know, but I like it! me gusta!


Dancers in Pink by Degas. Impressionistic, pink, just a great piece. I am a fan of Degas for sure. I like his style. I just do. I especially enjoy his nudes and drawings. They have a more relaxed hand to them. More free. It is the style I am going for.


MORE ART:

"In that abyss I saw how love held bound
Into one volume all the leaves whose flight
Is scattered through the universe around;
How substance, accident, and mode unite,
Fused, so to speak, together, in such wise
That this I tell of: one simple light."
- Dante Aligheiri, The Divine Comedy
I read The DIvine Comedy a couple years ago. It was hard to get through the Purgatory section if I recall correctly. But when I read the book I tried to highlight all the great passages. I do not remember this one from the book, but I read another book entitled The Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant. This is one of my favorite books, and it in I found this passage from Dante. It was the only thing I highlighted in the book. I can close my eyes to this. It is beautiful as are many things in life.


I have been sketching in my sketchbook lately and I am happy that I am getting back into it. I have a list of things to paint:
My Mom
My Dad
Fruit
Roses
Fruit and flowers together
Still continuing the series of amazing children from Jamii Outreach Centre
Self Portrait

Of course, I have certain elements/compositions I know I need/want to incorporate in all of this. But I know have one goal this year... Well two.. actually three. And they are:
MAKE ART
GET ART OUT THERE (as in galleries, internet, whatever, whenever, however)
and SAVE MONEY TO BUY A PLANE TICKET TO KENYA and then some!