Monday, February 8, 2010

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 ;)

Sunday, February 7, 2010

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 ;)

Saturday, February 6, 2010

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 ;)

Friday, February 5, 2010

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 ;)

Thursday, February 4, 2010

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 ;)

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

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:


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

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

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 ;)

Monday, February 1, 2010

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 ;)