Saturday, January 30, 2010

Unusual Art


Above Macro Photography 'Into the Light' by RLHall artfulexpress all rights resrved

If you're in the mood for new ideas and inspiration just google 'unusual art', like I did today ... you'll see all kinds of quirky and cool creative works! It'll spark your imagination and before you know it you'll have bits and pieces of innovative thoughts flickering through your brain, and artistic experimental projects cluttering up your studio. Have fun!

Any comments are more than welcome, please feel free to express any thoughts by clicking on the small purple comments link below ;)

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Recycled Christmas Lights




Photos by RLHall artfulexpress all rights reserved

I love candles, but my honey doesn't like the scent of them. Since I really miss the atmosphere from the flickering light. I decided to use some of my old Christmas tree lights to add a glow to my dining room and kitchen, when he's around. I still have candles to burn for myself when he's out and since I now have a pre-lit artificial Christmas tree I have extra lights that could be used elsewhere. I used a very old glass cube that has a lighted base that belongs under it, but the wiring is too old to use and a stained glass look globe that I usually keep a candle in. When I feel like lighting a candle, but I can't...I just plug in my Christmas lights instead.

Any comments are more than welcome, please feel free to express any thoughts by clicking on the small purple comments link below ;)

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Pages from my Art Scrap Book




Mixed Media Art by RLHall artfulexpress all rights reserved

Book of small projects made from recycled and found items into mixed media collages. I like to whip something up quck when I don't have time to work on a larger project, it keeps me in the creative spirit in between times. It also gives me ideas for future work.

Any comments are more than welcome, please feel free to express any thoughts by clicking on the small purple comments link below ;)

Some pages from my Inspiration Book




Photos of Mixed Media Art by RLHall artfulexpress all rights reserved

Some word collages - I collect words & phrases from magazines and newspapers that catch my eye for use in projects, and once in awhile I use some to make an all word collage that makes me think, and brings me inspiration when I see it...

Any comments are more than welcome, please feel free to express any thoughts by clicking on the small purple comments link below ;)

Monday, January 25, 2010

Free Haitian Creole Language Course


Above Mixed Media photo by RLHall artfulexpress all rights reserved

Noticed online that Pimsleur Audio is offering a Haitian Creole language course download for free, in order to make it available to those interested in volunteering in the Haitian recovery missions.

I downloaded it and it works great, kinda fun! It seems to teach basics well, though I've only gone through first lesson so far... :-)

If you're interested, the following link will take you there:

http://www.pimsleuraudio.com/pimsleur_search_result.php?lang_name=Haitian+Creole&ad=204&format=download&dl1=2&dl2=5&loc=dom&freecoursead=1&gclid=CIX1vPaZvp8CFd1L5QodV0ah3g

Any comments are more than welcome, please feel free to express any thoughts by clicking on the small purple comments link below ;)

Saturday, January 23, 2010

So Sad...


Photo by RLHall artfulexpress all rights reserved

Watching Hope for Haiti Now - wish I could do more, but it touches my heart that so many people are gathering together from all over the world to do what they can. I wish I could go over there to help those poor souls in some way. I am looking for the oppurtunity to join a volunteer group going over. I had begun preparations to join a church group heading over there to help build a school about a year ago, but unfortunately was unable to come up with the funds in time. I need to start doing something meaningful, action - not just thinking and talking about it! Donating money is one way to help, but I want to be personally involved.

Go to http://www.hopeforhaitinow.org/ or call 1-877-99-HAITI to donate whatever you can to help those in need.

Any comments are more than welcome, please feel free to express any thoughts by clicking on the small purple comments link below ;)

Friday, January 22, 2010

Conch Shell Chandelier


Photo by RLHall artfulexpress all rights reserved

I found an old hanging light at a rummage sale and bought it for $2.00 just to get the glass panels, thinking I could paint them with glass paint and create sun catchers out of them. It sat in the garage for a couple of months while I was busy redecorating the living room and adjoining dining room. Since I decided I needed a light over my dining table after moving it to a different area, I started wondering if I could jazz the light up a bit and use it as it was intended. After cleaning it up, I began painting the glass panels, but wasn't thrilled with the result. I rewired it anyway, and began brain-stormimg about how to dress it up. I experimented with a couple of different ideas, and ended up hanging a few conch shells I had laying around from an old wind chime within the panels with fishing line. Though I didn't have nearly enough shells to create the chandelier that I began envisioning - I loved the look of it. I got a great price for more shells ordered online and began systematically hanging them from the old light fixture frame. The photo above shows the end result, it doesn't include the entire length, but it gives the general idea. I'm very happy with the result and a standard environmentally friendly light bulb works great as the light source.

Any comments are more than welcome, please feel free to express any thoughts by clicking on the small purple comments link below ;)

'Shelter' by RLHall


Original Photograph by RLHall artfulexpress all rights reserved

Title derived from the definition of 'animal shelter' for a barn and 'shelter' as a synonym for a tree. Not too imaginative, but it will suffice...

Shot this today while out riding the country roads to gather some natural materials to use in my creative projects. Collected some Sycamore bark, and a lovely tree branch that I plan to 'refinish' and hang from the ceiling of my art room at the house. I'm sure it will soon be decorated with interesting creations.

Any comments are more than welcome, please feel free to express any thoughts by clicking on the small purple comments link below ;)

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Using Findings & Recycled items to Create


Photo titled 'Odds & Ends' by RLHall artfulexpress all rights reserved

I am itching to begin really experimenting with works using found or recycled items, and have many ideas rolling around in my mind for small projects. I am collecting all types of materials and odds & ends for that purpose. I would also love to design and install a large outdoor sculpture of this type in the meadow on our land. I think I would like to incorporate one or more windmill/propeller type objects and perhaps lightly tinkling wind chime creations as well. Bringing motion and sound to a flowing and naturally blending work of art. A wind sculpture of sorts...if I were really creative I would design it so that it provided electricity as well!

Any comments are more than welcome, please feel free to express any thoughts by clicking on the small purple comments link below ;)

Main Cabin's view of trail to my Creekside Studio at our weekend retreat


Photo by RLHall artfulexpress all rights reserved

Though not a very good shot, this is a view out the back windows of our main cabin. You can just barely make out the snow covered trail that goes down to my creekside studio coming in at the right, almost halfway up the pic, extending over and then around a curve between the pines. Though my studio is nearly finished, the rest of the work will have to wait for spring - as we are trying to get the major work on the main cabin done by then. We are hoping to be able to spend more time up there with an actual cabin to stay in overnight on our weekend retreats. Then it will be easier to finish up the smaller jobs still left to do. I have so many project ideas, I can't wait to get my studio up and running! See photos of my studio further below in blog...

Any comments are more than welcome, please feel free to express any thoughts by clicking on the small purple comments link below ;)

Main Cabin under construction


Photo artfulexpress all rights reserved

This photo shows the front end of our main cabin as seen from near my Honey's 12' x 30' woodworking shop. He worked all through the recent cold spell to get the cabin all framed and dried in. There will be a deck along this end of the cabin, which extends around the left hand corner to where the front door is. The view of the old apple orchard is mostly blocked in this pic by the wood shop building. The view from the cabin windows and deck from this end will be of the meadow and edge of the woods out past the woodworking shop.

Any comments are more than welcome, please feel free to express any thoughts by clicking on the small purple comments link below ;)

Main Cabin Under Construction


Photo artfulexpress all rights reserved

This photo shows the back end of our main cabin, from down the slope. The cabin is composed of a 24' x 24' main room which will have a small efficiency kitchen on one side, with a small bathroom between the kitchen and our 12' x 12' bedroom addition shown here. The bedroom's taller full glass wall will open onto a private 12' x 12' deck.

Birds Trying to keep warm



Original Photos by RLHall artfulexpress all rights reserved

These little guys visit the feeder every day, and stuck around nearby most of the day during the recent cold spell. In the winter we get mostly Juncos, Cardinals, Chickadees, Blue Jays and Nuthatches...

Any comments are more than welcome, please feel free to express any thoughts by clicking on the small purple comments link below ;)

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Creekside Studio under construction




Photos artfulexpress all rights reserved

I'm sorry to say I've been neglecting this blog for months... but...
we have been busy on our new land, and I'm proud to say that I now have a 'Creekside Studio' in the works! We have transformed the above old shack (1st 2 shots - before) into a small studio. It isn't completed yet, but check out the 3rd shot (after). We had been searching for wooded land and we fell in love with this plot the first time we walked down the rough trail to the creek. The minute I spotted the old dilapidated shack - I pictured my studio. My Honey wanted to tear it down and start anew, but I would have none of that! I wanted to keep the character of the weathered wood and the way it blended in with the natural surroundings. And best of all, it sits next to a beautiful creek and is surrounded by forest...see further photos below...

Any comments are more than welcome, please feel free to express any thoughts by clicking on the small purple comments link below ;)

Creekside Studio under construction



Photos artfulexpress all rights reserved

View from the trail. Before and after shots. The 'Shack' as we still affectionately call it is 10' x 16' inside. The large lower windows are above my work bench, and there is a window on each end of the bench as well. The small upper window looks out from a small writing loft...see further photos below...

Any comments are more than welcome, please feel free to express any thoughts by clicking on the small purple comments link below ;)

Creekside Studio under construction



Photos artfulexpress all rights reserved

View from the back. Before and after shots. We added lots of windows for light, and for the view of the outdoors. The 8' x 10' porch will be screened in, and have an entrance stoop on the other, front end, as well...see further photos below...

Any comments are more than welcome, please feel free to express any thoughts by clicking on the small purple comments link below ;)

Creekside Studio under construction



Photos artfulexpress all rights reserved

These pics show the areas on each side of the full glass door, leading out to the porch. We luckily found the door at a second-hand store. We've painted the interior white to enhance the brightness inside for work purposes...see further photos below...

Creekside Studio under construction



Photos artfulexpress all rights reserved

These views show the relaxation area of the studio. Though the project isn't completed yet, we've moved some furniture into the more finished areas, since so far this is currently the only building on the property. Soon a prefab outbuilding constructed by the Amish will be delivered and placed at the top of the hill, serving as my Honey's woodworking shop, and as a temporary shelter until he builds our small one bedroom cabin. It will be situated in the clearing near the wood shop, by the old apple orchard...see further photos below...

Any comments are more than welcome, please feel free to express any thoughts by clicking on the small purple comments link below ;)

Creekside Studio under construction



Photos artfulexpress all rights reserved

These photos show my small writing loft, hastily furnished. A laminated hardwood floor has been installed in the loft and in the relaxation area below. My art workbench beneath the loft will be laminated white, with the little sink at one end. The floor in the work area will be linoleum for easier cleanup. The loft 'ladder/stairs' are in place but still need to be varnished. I've gathered cabinets, etc. which will need to be painted, before I can start bringing in some supplies from my other art room at the house in town. I will post further photos upon completion of our building project. I'm lucky to have such a creative, capable and generous carpenter sharing my life!

Any comments are more than welcome, please feel free to express any thoughts by clicking on the small purple comments link below ;)