Don't Think It Works

This is the first of a series I'm doing on the fruits of Latin America..."From Tree to Table". Pictured is a Zapote or Mamey (pouteria sapota) and they are delicious...tasting kinda like sweet potato pie with a punch. After I had laid out the piece, I got this weird inspiration to paint a frame on the canvas that would incorporate the kajillions of beautiful rocks we have here. When I got it to the stage I have pictured above, I took a good look at it and wondered if it just isn't "too much" or gaudy. I've done that before...take a simple painting and embellish it with unnecessary stuff. Wound up with a good excuse for beating my head against the wall. What do you think?

waterblogged

A while back I developed an attitude that there are no "bad experiences"....only "learning opportunities". My trip to Panama this time really pushed the envelope on that attitude. I won't go into the details here...I am doing that on my blog "The View From the Volcano". I invite you to check in. I did take some nice photos, though, met some fascinating people, and, hopefully, made a few friends. Two of those delightful people are JuJu and Rodrigo who are surf pros. JuJu is a remarkably beautiful young lady, and Rodrigo, is well, a surf pro. They have a very interesting blogspot Surf Panama 2009 with some great pictures...neat to check out.

I stayed at Hotel Bastimentos...a hostel for serious folks. Rooms are $8 to $40. I stayed in the $8 room because I'm a starving artist and a cheapskate. They have 3 kitchens and wireless Internet, so everything (most everything) I need, they have. The hostel is old-timey wood architecture going up the side of the mountain in about 6 levels with umpteen decks and balconies. My room at the very top looks out over the water on one side and into the jungle on the other. I saw parrots, toucans, oropendulas and 15 million hummingbirds. It rained most of the time I was there, so I didn't really get any great photos. The only day that it was bright and sunny was Monday, and I went out without my camera, naturally. My son says I take better pictures when I leave my camera at home. On the rainy morning I left, I took a picture of the front of the place. It turned out terrible, but I posted it anyway. I was trying to show the Tiki columns from the set of Survivor a while back. I did get some nice photos of some stumps. I'm gonna do some stump paintings. Sounds exciting, huh?

Anyway, glad to get back to CR, but I'm also ready to go back to Bocas del Toro, too. For now, I'm back to my paints, working on some mystery artists.

YOU NAME THE GROUP

BASIC TRAINING SEMINAR
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ______________________ ???

I was hoping to get in from Panama early enough to post the Cartoon Tuesday on Tuesday. I got in early enough, but I was too pooped to participate. So I'm posting it today, Wednesday. The cartoon shows a Basic Training Seminar for the National Organization of _________________________??????? What I hope you all will do is provide the name of the organization in your comments.

As most of you know, I'm a serious artist who likes to have fun. I used to cartoon a bit, because it's kind of a neat break from the routine. So on "Cartoon Tuesdays", join in, and give your funny bone a little workout.

Panama Bound (and Gagged?)

Well, I'm off to Bocas Del Toro for a few days to bug the Panamanians (I also make faces at the tourists). I say gagged because I may not be posting for a few days. Now quit that...you don't have to look so happy and relieved. And..don't get your hopes up...they have an Internet Cafe in Bocas if I can learn how to use it. Maybe I can get that sweet little senorita that runs it to show me.... :-P

Anyway, I did want to touch base on a few things. Windows to the Words can be such a nice adventure. I never want anyone to consider it MY project, but YOUR project. I invite and plead for y'all to visit it and tell your friends. I have tried to make it simple to understand...from the Home Page to navigating to the 3 associated pages. But I can give instructions on how to eat a banana, and they have to call in a team from MIT to explain it. Akiko and Margaret have submitted the first paintings to the Artwork page...and both are stunning. No photos or writing (except for mine...Tears in the Rain). Incidentally, I have had several E-Mails commenting on Tears in the Rain. YES....I did write it...OK? It has been a coon's age since I did any serious writing. You can check it out as Subject 2 on the WTTW Home page.

Cya for now. I'll be thinking of some of you snowbound artists going out and doing your "plein airs" under the icicles while I'm watching the waves break at Red Frog beach. Keep Strokin! Your buddy in the Rainforest......James

Art Blog Award

I picked up my E-Mail this morning and found that Akiko Watanabe (who, incidentally posted an exquisite piece on WTTW/Artwork) had blessed me with an Art Blog Award. I turned tickled pink and did handstands. I am to list seven things I love. Now, after tending to the injuries caused by the handstands, here is my list of 7 THINGS THAT I LOVE.......
(1) I love my Creator. I am a Christian and He is my Father, My Friend and my Guidance to live my life and love my life.
(2) I love my family and I love people....including a few ornery sons of a booger.
(3) I love to love and be loved.
(4) I love my dogs...Pokey and Taco Belle
(5) I love the wonders of nature...from beautiful sunrises/sunsets to hummingbirds visiting flowers, to the symphony of raindrops in the forest to this big spider crawling up my....WHOOOOA!
(6) I love music...Moody Blues, Enigma, Yanni, Coldplay, Tangerine Dream and so much More. But Rap?...only when I'm constipated.
(7) I love the gifts of whatever talents I have, whether it's art or writing or cooking or drinking coffee.
That's seven, but if I could name more, the list would be endless.

I'm not sure if and how I should pass this award along, but when I find out, I'll post it right cheer.
And I found out to pass this award on to 7 other outstanding blog/artist/people and inform them that they should post a blog listing the 7 favorite things they love and then pass the award along to 7 of their blog favorites. The envelope please. They are.......
Dominique Eichi
Carole Baker
Carrie Jacobson
Nancy Medina
Nicole Caulfield
Teresa Houston
Jo Castillo

Tuning Into Reality

Painting wildlife, I strive for realism. One day I may obtain it. Meanwhile, I admire artists like Carel Brest Van Kempen ...among others. I just finished the collared anteater traipsing across the river basin. The alligator with the butterfly attached I painted from a photo I ripped off some wildlife magazine (it's in my collection). The alligator probably doesn't know the butterfly is there and the butterfly probably thinks he's sitting on a log, and that's probably the best thing. The beetle painting is from a series of 24 beetles I did on 8x10 just for the fun of it. When I experiment with new methods and subjects, I find myself still "working tight" and have big difficulties loosening up. I so admire the looseness and open and free style of other artists, and I would love to have more versatility in my bag of tricks, so I'm working on it.
But realism and surrealism are my passion. My favorites among the artists that have gone on to galleries beyond this existence are Maxfield Parrish, Alphonse Mucha and Salvador Dali. I visited Salvador Dali's Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida the first time I took the kids to Disneyworld. They were pretty young then, and didn't want to go to "AN ARRRRT MOOOOSEUM" . Couldn't hardly drag em away...had to have "Liquid Watches" t-shirts. Each piece was a wonder to behold. We spent 30 minutes on the shaded block painting of Abraham Lincoln. My son Mark. at the time, 12, backed up and walked up a dozen times checking it out. And the supersized "Discovery of America" is a breath-taking 14 feet tall. Today there are so many incredible artists it would be hard to choose a favorite. But I will. My favorite is Nelson Shanks and I linked his site with his name if ya want to click and check out marvelous work. Lemme know what ya think. And check into WTTW. Later.......

Saturday Funny Picture

There's been a lot of pet portraits popping up, so when I ran across this photo of a farmer and his pet (must be serious, they're even holding hand/hoof) I had to post it for this week's funny picture. He may have the right idea....a pet AND a pillow. Have a super weekend.