neldaream

In Loving Memory

IN LOVING MEMORY

RUBY NELL REAM

June 19, 1921-December 6, 2009
 

Rambo

You never know who you will meet at the flea market.  I had a very famous visitor in my booth.  His name is Rambo, and yes, he is a television personality.  Rambo's man, Delcher Carter, told me he has been in a comercial and that he loves having his picture taken.

It seemed that Rambo preferred being incognito, though, because he kept avoiding the camera.  Every time I got it posed to get his picture, he turned his head slightly.

He was so beautiful.  Delcher said he is only 25 years old.  Since the life expectancy of a parrot can be 100 years, he is very young. 

I do hope they will come back again; I forgot to get an autograph! 

 

Let the Season Begin

The flea market season has begun in earnest here in Florida.  Today I went to the second favorite flea market.  I didn't find a lot, but I really like what was found.  It's always amazing to me how that items found one at a time, pulled from piles on tables in different booths, always coordinate so well when placed side by side at the end of the day.

These items are shown on some background papers I painted yesterday using techniques learned from the super talented Misty Mawn.

At the end of May I thought I might not do the flea market anymore, but after being out today, I thought; "Nah, it's too much a part of me.  How could I not do this?"

"It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are."  --e.e. cummings

More Photos from Oklahoma

I have to share just a few more photos with you of my trip to Oklahoma.

I thought you might enjoy seeing some of Mama's flowers.  She has always grown Marigolds.  She planted them once, but now she says the ones in her yard are all "volunteers" that have come up when last year's flowers reseeded themselves.  There was much activity among the flowers.  Butterflies seem to love them.  Can you see the butterfly in the lower right corner of this picture?

She is fascinated with growing cactus and has even made jelly from the fruits they produce.

Mama always has a little cactus, and sometimes rooting ivy, growing in her kitchen window.

On Sunday afternoon while I was there, some of the businesses in town had their holiday open house.

This was originally started by the town's flower shop, but has since evolved into quite an event.

There was even farm wagon rides for the children down main street.

Several businesses were open that afternoon.

I have to have one of these.
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 

My Beloved Oklahoma

I am sorry, dear Friends, for being silent here for awhile.  I have been in Oklahoma visiting Mama.  It was a hard, but wonderful trip.  I just don't have words for it, so I will show you.

It was hard to leave.  My beloved Oklahoma.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

10/29/09

We talked about art today, the Creator and I.  This is His masterpiece, or one of them, at least.  I was awed not only by the way He used color, but by that perfect rectangle cut into the clouds. 

He also showed me this, tucked away in a neighbor's garden.

And He helped me experiment with this:

"Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures." --Henry Ward Beecher.

 
  

 

Experimenting With Abstracting

I have been doing an experiment.  I saw a picture in Texas Highways magazine showing a field covered in yellow daisies.  It made me want to paint a landscape.  Then I got the idea to experiment with the painting by doing an abstract of it.

In the second painting of the picture, I used my favorite elements of square shapes and a grid in the composition.

Next, I painted an abstract of it using dots and circles, which are also favorite elements.

Then I tried painting it in a linear composition.  I used a dry brush with the acrylic for more texture.

This painting, my personal favorite, came last. 

I learned a lot and had so much fun with this experiment.  The main thing I learned is that painting an abstract is a lot harder than it looks.
 
 
 
 
 

Stretching

I have been working very hard on several pieces for the Gut Art class taught by Mystele.  Last week I lost all track of time.  It seemed like the week jumped from Monday to Saturday.  But I am learning some things.  One thing I learned is pretty much summed up by this quote from Maya Angelou:

"Not everything you do is going to be a masterpiece, but you get out there and you try and sometimes it really happens.  The other times you're just stretching your soul."  --Maya Angelou

  

Homework

The last two assignments from Gut Art Class were tough ones.  We visited the work of artists whose work I could not identify with.  But after studying them more, I found elements I liked.

A painting in the work of one of the artists we were visiting triggered a fond memory.  It reminded me of the day I was surprised to see a flock of Monarch butterflies in migration.  It happened very early in the morning, in fact, it was one of those times when I felt God just woke me up.  I was visiting Mama at the time, so I went outside to sit on the front porch to meditate and pray.  Suddenly, I was arrested by the sight of her huge elm tree alive with activity.  It was covered in Monarch butterflies just waking up to the morning sun.  I'll never forget it, both for the sight itself, and for the special time it was between God and me.  This little abstract painting is named Monarch Morning after the memory.

The next place we visited in class showed the work of Native American women who are potters, applying avante garde design to traditional art.  I loved their work, even though I am not a potter.  But how to apply what I saw to my own art?  Here is how it turned out:

I wanted the face to show the avante garde quality.

What seemed impossible at first became a milestone for me.  In these pieces I was able to attain that place of painting just for me and not worrying about how the pieces would be received by anyone who might view them. 

Stretching is hard, but you do feel good afterwards.  
 
  
 

Cora's Lesson

Okay, Typepad is going wonky on me again, so I am splitting today's post into two entries.

This painting was another response to a Gut Art field trip.  Mystele has chosen some wonderful places for us students to visit during the class.  One of the best things about her choices is that they are diverse and really make you think.  When we viewed the art which inspired this painting, I had mixed emotions.  I loved this artist's expertise, yet, all of her work was based on her experience as an ethnic American.  How could I, never having experienced this, duplicate that subject matter?  Yet, there were so many things to admire; her use of color, pattern, and texture, for example.  And her treatment of very emotional issues involving injustice.  I learned it isn't about duplication, but response.  

I thought a lot about that art and took away the ideas to use as my own.  I also tried painting ethnic skin tones without relying on  a glaze which was a first for me.

 
There is always so much to learn from every piece of art.

Key elements I used here are pattern, texture, and color.