Beaded Medicine Bag

Photo 'Good Medicine' by RLHall ArtfulExpress All Rights Reserved

I've made many medicine bags, but this is my favorite. All hand stitched and beaded, using mostly my Grandfather's Cobbler set to form and sew the kid leather. Since I worked on this from time to time, and it is somewhat more detailed than others I've made, it took quite a while before it was completed. But then I strived to create it in a very meditative way as is the Native American tradition. Infusing it with thoughts of my ancestors, and love for nature. I have blessed and purified it with sage smoke, along with each item I have placed in it. It has become my own personal medicine bag. Though it has been generations since any full blooded American Indian has been recorded in my family line I truly feel a connection with that part of my ancestry.

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

Bath Community Site ~ My Blog Featured

Photo "Steuben County Sunset" by RLHall ArtfulExpress All Rights Reserved

This blog is now featured on American Towns.com Bath NY Community Site Front Page. Check out the current happenings in Bath at: http://www.americantowns.com/ny/bath
Bath is the Steuben County Seat, with many activities, beautiful surroundings and friendly & interesting residents. And you can keep up with what's new here on my blog by viewing the RSS feed at the Best Blogs Page at http://www.americantowns.com/ny/bath/blogs

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

Painting Bottles for my Bottle Tree ! ! !

Photo "Rainbow Glass" by RLHall ArtfulExpress All Rights Reserved

Still painting bottles for my bottle tree at my Creekside Studio! I've collected a few brown, green and blue colored glass bottles as well. Since I want it to look colorful, festive and energetic I am creating jazzy additions by painting more plentiful clear bottles. My bottle tree will be unique with a more artful and creative touch. My boyfriend is painting the cool scenery J.D. bottle in the middle.

Painting glass is fun and very satisfying. When using transparent paint or stain it somehow always looks beautiful. Even a small amount of light filtering through the splashes of color catch the eye and exude a magical quality that is hard to deny. I can't wait until spring when I will gather all of my colorful bottles and place them within the tree near my small studio in the woods, where they will be visable from my workbench windows. Imagine the sight of them glistening in the sun!

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

Save NY State Parks ~ Sign Petitions Please

Photo "Stony Brook NY State Park" by RLHall ArtfulExpress All Rights Reserved

NYS Gov Paterson is proposing the closing of 41 State Parks and 14 Historic sites due to budget cuts!

Please sign petitions to save New York State Parks: http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/SaveNYSParks

http://www.theparkadvocate.com/sopp.html

http://www.nysenate.gov/petition/save-long-islands-parks

http://www.nysenate.gov/petition/save-long-islands-parks

Save New York State Parks! Other ways to help with your support:

Save 0ur State Parks Day - March 3, 2010
http://visitnewyorkstate.org/default.aspx
55 parks will close unless you speak out

Meet, call, write, or e-mail your legislators on March 3 - Save Our State Parks Day

Imagine if 56 million people-the number of park visitors last year-contacted their legislators to protest park closings.

If we all act, we can win the battle to keep parks open.

Please be part of this historic day.

Here's how:
Come to a rally in Albany at noon
Visit legislators - don't worry, you'll be part of a team
If you can't come to Albany, you can still participate by calling or emailing your assembly member and senetor on March 3 - let's tie up their switchboards and flood their inboxes!
Please put March 3 on your calendar.

http://visitnewyorkstate.org/default.aspx

http://www.ptny.org/###

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

Concerned about the impacts of hydrofracking?

Photo "Autumn Sunset" by RLHall ArtfulExpress All Rights Reserved

Are you concerned (or just curious ) about the impacts hydrofracking would have on our air, water, land, health and quality of life overall?

There is a talk on Saturday that will help you to learn more.

People for a Healthy Environment, Inc. (PHE) and co-sponsors, invite the public to attend this event, which is free and open to all, on Saturday, February 20th.

Attend this Power Point presentation on the impact of horizontal natural gas drilling and slick water hydrofracking on air quality, followed by a Q&A session. Presented by Calvin Tillman, Mayor of Dish, Texas based on this air quality study (see link below) which found high levels of carcinogens and neurotoxins in the air in a slick water fracking region.
http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSTRE59B5AS20091012

Plan to attend:
Saturday, February 20th

At:
The Heights Theater
210 E. Fourteenth Street
Elmira Heights, NY 14903

From 8:30-9:15 AM for a light Continental Breakfast,
or just come for the
9:30-11:00 AM Presentation
Donations will be accepted

Directions: >From Binghamton go WEST on 17/86 to exit 52A; from Corning go EAST on 17/86 to exit 52B. Go S on 14 for 2 miles (becomes College Ave) After passing Wilson Farms, turn LEFT at next light, just beyond Goodyear sign. Go through two lights and take next LEFT. Turn LEFT at stop sign and park. Theater ahead on RIGHT

For more information contact:
Doug Couchon
dcouchon@gmail.com
734-5433
visit: http://www.topica.com/lists/peacefulgatherings

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

Birdseye Hollow in Winter

Photos of Birdseye Hollow by RLHall ArtfulExpress all rights reserved

Birdseye Hollow State Forest in Bradford NY http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/37725.html is a great place for winter hikes, ice fishing, ice skating or just getting out of the car to enjoy the winter view and quiet environment. There are lots of wildlife and tracks. The trails join the Fingerlakes Trail, allowing for a short afternoon hike or a long day hike. A portable john, picnic tables and children's play area are available in winter as well as the year round dock to check out the pretty scenery.

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

Corning Community Site ~ My Blog Featured

Earth Day Celebration, Corning NY Centerway Square photo by RLHall, ArtfulExpress All Rights Reserved

This blog is now featured on the Front Page of American Towns.com Corning Community Site. Check out the current happenings in Corning at: http://www.americantowns.com/ny/corning Corning is a great town, lots of activities, beautiful surroundings and friendly people. And you can keep up with what's new here on my blog by viewing the RSS feed at the Best Blogs page at http://www.americantowns.com/ny/corning/blogs

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

Great Windsocks from Recycled Materials !

Great 'pop' art craft activity for kids.

I am collecting plastic soda bottle bottoms for another project and wanted to come up with ideas for using the rest of the bottle for something as well. Any plastic bottles with a cap will work, and it is especially good to use bottles that are otherwise not recyclable.

I used:

The top 3/4 of a bottle & cap

Sun catcher paint that I had on hand

Several saved bottle caps & paper beads, or findings to string inside them

Along with two bread wrappers cut into strips for each windsock.

A leather punch was used to poke holes in the caps

And a paper punch to make holes at the bottom of the bottles to tie the plastic strips to.

Then I used old fishing line to string it all together & create a loop at the top. I was careful to make the loop at the top from a single short line so that birds or animals couldn't get entangled in it.

They makes a light rattling noise (to keep bee's from building nests in them, I hope!) when jostled by the wind and have a lovely floating appearance as they move.

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

Love of Nature

Photograph "Nature Remembered" by RLHall ArtfulExpress All Rights Reserved

Like music and art, love of nature is a common language that can transcend political or social boundaries. ~ Jimmy Carter

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

Keeping a Little One Busy on a Snowday

Had my little buddy Jayde spend some time with me today, she's 6. School was cancelled so her Dad dropped her off with me, until her Mom got out of work. I told her no fun was allowed, but she just wouldn't stop... :) We went sled riding down the side hill, played DS, ate peanut-butter sandwiches & yogurt for lunch, listened to my Kindle 2 read children's stories and we each painted a bottle for my bottle tree, shown above. We had a lovely time and laughed a lot. She told me that I am like an archaeologist, when I asked why she thought that, she said because they travel all over the world and find cool things, like that...and that...pointing at different decorations. She also didn't want to leave "because you're hill is bigger than mine!" She's positive there will be another snow day tomorrow, and she will bring her sleds again. I'm worn out. But I had fun!

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

Take a Hike in the Snow

Original Photo 'Turquoise Sparkle' by RLHall ArtfulExpress

So quiet and peaceful, a wintry hike on a sunny day can be beautiful. This photo was taken at Sanford Lake in Savona, near Corning NY. There are short level trails there that wind around a small lake, swamp and along a lovely stream through the woods. There is even a camping/picnic spot with a campfire pit and an outhouse that people sometimes use in the winter. On the day I took this pic, there were three guys from Rochester there camping for the weekend. Get outside and enjoy the season, and take your camera!

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

For old times sake...

Mixed Media 'Days Gone By' by RLHall ArtfulExpress

Spent today with a friend, took me out to lunch for my birthday and we shopped a little...she bought a wood burner for herself, then when we got back to her place she pulled out stacks of cork board that she had purchased at a yard sale for little of nothing. She has all kinds of inventive ideas for it, and decided to try some wood burning effects on a project she had been working on. Really cool. She has some very original ideas, unique methods and style. We spent a lot of time drawing, writing poems and listening to music together when we were much, much younger! Harder, now, to find enough time to get together and be able to actually spend it in creative endeavors...

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

Guided Journal for Mom's to their Children

Original photograph 'Garden Sprite' by RLHall ArtfulExpress all rights reserved

Found a great guided journal for mothers to share their life stories with their children http://shop.avon.com/shop/assets/images/prod/PROD_1077079_LG.gif at online Avon site. You'd be surprised at the many creative items they carry for adults and children. And whoever said that application of makeup, and scents & potions isn't a creative part of your every day existence? Just makes you feel good!
Check it out at
http://jannietaft.avonrepresentative.com/

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

Caton, NY

Original Photograph 'Caton Swamp' by RLHall, ArtfulExpress all rights reserved

I've joined a few enjoyable drawing and watercolor classes at Lucretia West's Marshland Studio in Caton NY. http://www.artist-lwest.blogspot.com/ She offers classes for all ages with a great relaxed, friendly atmosphere and private lessons as well.

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

americantowns.com listing

Original Photography 'Centerway View' by RLHall, ArtfulExpress all rights reserved

Just did a search for Corning NY on BING and found an ArtfulExpress listing for me on Corning New York Best Blogs and Tweets http://www.americantowns.com/ny/corning/blogs
Looks like a great Corning Community site to check out more thoroughly.

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

Born under a Full Moon

Original Digital Art by RLHall ArtfulExpress all rights reserved

Today is my Birthday. I just saw online that I was born under a full moon. Which doesn't surprise me much. Working as a nurse I came to believe that there is truth to the statement that the full moon affects such things as births and the state of unbalanced psyches. I am just wondering what affect it may have had on my astrological outlook, if any...(or my psyche,lol)...here's where to go if you'd like to know which phase the moon was in when you were born:

http://www.briancasey.org/artifacts/astro/moon.cgi

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

Intuition

Photo by RLHall, ArtfulExpress all rights reserved

The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift. ~ Albert Einsein

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

Enchanted Woodland

Pen and Ink Drawing by RLHall ArtfulExpress all rights reserved

The creative is the place where no one else has ever been. You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. What you'll discover will be wonderful. What you'll discover is yourself. ~ Alan Alda

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

Oriental Art and Supplies

Art and Photo by RLHall, ArtfulExpress all rights reserved

My boyfriend and I took a short Sumi Painting class at 171 Cedar Art Center http://www.171cedararts.com/ in Corning NY, our local area. We both very much enjoyed learning the fundamentals of this oriental painting technique from Fritz Wasser. It is very relaxing, and surprisingly easy to create an attractive piece. It takes only a short time to complete a work. I enjoy the traditional tools and meditative quality of this style of art. We both acquired special art sets for the class, though I find that the use of regular watercolor paints and bottled ink can suffice. I suggest experimenting with different types of watercolor paper that you may have at home, before springing for the traditional rice paper. I just found the oriental pencil case pictured, yesterday, at the Salvation Army Thrift Store for $.99. It's perfect for storing my ink pens and nibs. One thing that you will need to invest in, to start, is at least a small variety of lovely oriental brushes and a small inexpensive book to practice from. I find that many of the brush strokes and brushes translate well into western watercolor painting as well. I haven't had my Sumi supplies out in awhile, now that I've placed my pens in their new case and shot a pic for this post...I'm itching to paint. You should try it too!

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

Local Artist's Listing

Original Watercolor Painting 'Bohemian Waxwing" by RLHall, artfulexpress all rights reserved

My local listing with:
FINGER LAKES ARTISTS AND CRAFTERS NETWORK™
Artists in the Finger Lakes and Central New York

R.L. Hall's work includes painting, drawing, digital art, and photography. Also experimentation with mixed media, found art, beadmaking, etc. Sold online (see website address) as well as locally. Rhonda now has selected prints of her work available for sale at the 'Earth, Wood and Stone' Store, located at the Arnot Mall in Horseheads.

http://www.fingerlakesartists.org/

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

On 100 hottest Children's Art Printed Greeting Cards list

Original Pencil Drawing 'Poor Teddy' by RLHall artfulexpress all rights reserved

Okay, so I googled myself (artfulexpress) today...I know...how vain is that?? My greeting card with the above image on it came up on a "Serving up the hottest stuff on the net" page from a '10K Every Day' site as one of the "100 hottest Children's Art Printed Greeting Cards" list on the net. My card links to my Artfulexpress Online Store. First time I'd ever visited this groovy.net site.

http://www.10keveryday.com/greetingcards/c/childart.shtml

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

Interesting Concept - Burning Man

Above digital art "Runnin' Down a Dream"' by RLHall, artfulexpress all rights reserved

Just read about this temporary weeklong community held each year in the middle of the desert. It's all about art, innovative and interactive art, recycled material sculptures, green themes and just about anything anyone can imagine...amazing...

Follow the link below, you'll see what I mean:

http://www.burningman.com/whatisburningman/2007/07_art_pavilion.html

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

The Bottle Tree

Mashing her thoughts together
like last nights potatoes
She stays too long in the past again
Staring at nothing and seeing everything
Analyzing her own weak condition
Bottles whistle and shine on the tree
Cobalt instruments of the wind
Keeping away the troubled spirits

by Tina Trivett

I'm planning on making a bottle tree and while researching online I found Tina's blog and the above poem referencing the same. Check it out - I like her style...

http://tinatrivett.blogspot.com/

I first saw a bottle tree a few years ago, when I noticed that a large live tree in the middle of the circle drive at Rock City Park in Olean NY had colored bottles hanging from all the lower branches. I was intrigued, and upon asking the proprietor I was told that it was a spirit bottle tree.

I researched it online when I returned home, and have wanted to make one ever since. The tradition is thought to have begun as a way to trap roaming spirits which would become mesmerized with the flickering colors of the glass in the setting sun, then be lured into them and trapped there until the morning light destroyed them. Placed near a building, they are meant to protect it from wandering spirits. It is said that if you listen closely, you can hear the moans of the trapped spirits in the bottles when the wind blows. Regardless of whether or not they truly protect from the spirit world, they are interesting, pretty and creative!

I don't know if there is still a bottle tree at Rock City, but it is a beautiful place to visit. I have included the link below:

http://www.rockcitypark.com/index.htm

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

My own Bottle Tree

Photo by RLHall artfulexpress all rights reserved

I'm collecting bottles for creating my own spirit bottle tree outside my Creekside Studio. Since colored bottles seem to be harder to come by and I've got lots of clear ones that need to be recycled . . . I decided to use up some old glass paint I had laying around to add a little more color to some of the clear bottles. They are rough, due to the thickened paint leftovers. Will spray with clearcoat when dry. I think they'll look festive along side the many other glass colors.

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

Recycle a book...

Above photo by RLHall, Artfulexpress all rights reserved

What else can you do with a book besides reading it? Recycle it into art! Check out these amazing Book Cuts (paper cutting art) by Su Blackwell:

http://sublackwell.co.uk/gallery.php?item=99&id=1#99

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