Art-Craft

 [caption id=“attachment_974” align=“aligncenter” width=“584” caption=“TheThree Graces (with forsythias - in bright sunshine)”][/caption] _“Each of the arts whose office is to refine, purify, adorn, embellish and grace life is under the patronage of a muse, no god being found worthy to preside over the_m.” (Eliza Farnham) [caption id=“attachment_973” align=“aligncenter” width=“584” caption=“The Three Graces (in greenery - in shady location)”][/caption] The lovely bright, yellow forsythias, were in full bloom in our garden a few weeks ago. I don’t know how the idea came to me, but it did, to take my painting of “The Three Graces” and put it in the forsythia bushes and take some pictures. I also decided to try it in some greenery and you can also see the effect of this idea. I did this acrylic painting about ten years ago since dance and dancers have always had a special appeal for me. I was captivated by the beauty, elegance, and the poses of these ladies in their white, flowing dresses, in this work of art. I liked how their hands were intertwined and since the visual appeal was so great, my “muse” got to work. ...

 [caption id=“attachment_687” align=“aligncenter” width=“584” caption=“Simple Flower Arrangements”][/caption] Flowers… are a proud assertion that a ray of beauty outvalues all the utilities of the world. - Ralph Waldo Emerson These simple flower arrangements were put together for use in my home a couple weeks ago. It was a special occasion. I decided to use Baby’s Breath (Gypsophila) as a big part of the arrangements and not just as a filler flower as it is often used. It is one of my favourites because it has such a delicate, light look, to it. It goes well wherever it is used. ...

 [caption id=“attachment_583” align=“aligncenter” width=“584”] Hand-made Christmas cards[/caption] Garrison Keillor - A lovely thing about Christmas is that it’s compulsory, like a thunderstorm, and we all go through it together. That time of year for merriment, festivity, and joy is upon us. Christmas Day is just around the corner. As the day draws closer and closer, many of us look forward to receiving our Holiday Greetings. We put them where we can see them and they are tangible reminders of our friends and family who have taken the time to remember us and share their good wishes for our happiness, health, and wellness at Christmas, and in the New Year. ...

[caption id=“attachment_436” align=“aligncenter” width=“584” caption=“Chinaware”][/caption] All the images in this collage are from dinner plates and were taken because I found the colours and the motifs to be beautiful. I didn’t know how I would use them when I took them but I’m pleased with the results of this collage. At a certain stage of life, we are all collectors. In the old days, most newly-weds received gifts of dinnerware to “start” them off. I myself have some nice Royal Albert bone china and have added several pieces over the years. Like many other people I know, these items sit in a nice china cabinet and are used only on special occasions, if at all. “We often call our fine dinnerware “China”, and there is a very logical reason for this. Dinnerware is more often than not made out of porcelain, and porcelain was invented by the Chinese over 1000 years. Although the emperors of the Song Dynasty get most of the credit for this invention, it was more likely invented during the Tang Dynasty. Half way through the Song Dynasty, about 1100 AD, this fine art had spread throughout the East. By 1400 it had worked its way to Europe.” I read somewhere that bone china, as in the pieces I have, is made by combining clay and china stone and adding calcified bone. It is a type of porcelain. ...

[caption id=“attachment_280” align=“aligncenter” width=“584” caption=“Elephant Mosaic”][/caption] The elephants in this collage and the background were done by me. I don’t have any formal training in art and I don’t consider myself to be an artist in the traditional sense of the word. Even before I had retired from my day job, I started to have an urge to create. It came up just as subtly as was my desire to have a pet. I followed these urges and have been fortunate to have been able to try different expressions of this creative urge. Many people I am fortunate to know have always expressed themselves in artistic ways so I was somewhat lucky to have these kinds of friends to emulate. These feelings may have come from viewing the work of my friends. Otherwise, it was a longing of my soul. ...

 [caption id=“attachment_213” align=“aligncenter” width=“584”] Pottery by Jason L’Abbe[/caption] Birthdays are wonderful celebrations and especially milestone ones like a 60th. It was with great joy that I attended and celebrated my cousin’s 60th birthday with her recently. There was lots of good food, family and friends to eat all of it, and we all had fun together. The birthday cake always brings these special occasions to an exceptionally “sweet” culmination. ...

[caption id=“attachment_201” align=“aligncenter” width=“584”] Tapestry[/caption] A few weeks ago, my friend and I visited a fabulous fabric store in Toronto. She likes to sew and was looking for some fabric. The photos in this collage were taken there. It was delightful to admire all the tapestries with their beautiful colours and diversity of patterns. Quite suddenly, I thought of the weavers who had spent countless hours to produce these priceless works of art. ...

This collage is for Mother’s Day. We all come into this world via the womb of our mothers. Whether we love them or hate them, they remain our mothers. The most well-known image of any Mother and Child is the one of Mary holding the baby Jesus. You don’t have to be Christian to have seen this one. The image of Mary and Jesus in this collage was done as part of a bigger mosaic for my son’s birthday. The pieces here are stained glass. I used pearls around Mary’s face and there is another piece of my jewelry by her neck. I don’t know why I undertook such a big project, other than to say, I did it out of love. The hands and feet of the little people in the other images are friends of mine. We all want to make sure that our babies have five fingers and five toes when they are born. ...

[caption id=“attachment_96” align=“aligncenter” width=“584”] Everyone irregardless of age loves surprises. Last Sunday night I received the most wonderful surprise - a carved watermelon. This lovely lady had done some beautiful fruit carvings for my 60th Birthday. She acquired this special skill in Thailand where she attended a month-long course.[/caption] We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures. ~Thornton Wilder ...