William Morris, founding member of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood interpreted Medievalism in his work as an aesthetic devotion to the cultural expressions of that period. Influenced by the ideals of Ruskin and Marx, Morris saw Socialism as a path to counteract the ugliness of industrialized production, an ideology to promote the Arts and Crafts aesthetic of … Continue reading La Belle Iseult vs. Woodpecker Tapestry
A Visual Reflection on: The Hayloft by Rosa Brett
The Autobiography Of A Painting There is far less information written about Rosa Brett than other members of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. According to Nunn (1984, 633), it was the intention of the artist to be an outsider of this group. Starting with the use of the masculine pseudonym, Rosarius, to her aversion of socializing with … Continue reading A Visual Reflection on: The Hayloft by Rosa Brett
Defining beneficial inconsistencies in pursuit of art for the masses
The history and legacy of the New Deal arts program is intertwined with the Mexican muralist movement. Its role in the evolution of public art helped define the Americana voice and opened the possibility for an ever-evolving American art scene. The practice of painting murals was present in the USA before FDRs New Deal. The … Continue reading Defining beneficial inconsistencies in pursuit of art for the masses
Critter-Buster Greenhouse Project
The last few years have been way too discouraging for our garden. At first I thought I couldn't find the right space that had enough sunlight (we have massive trees all around us). Then the animals became the issue: squirrels, rabbits, gophers, and racoons. All devouring everything we planted. Last year, before Covid hit, I … Continue reading Critter-Buster Greenhouse Project
Butterfly Garden – Making a bed for the flowers
Sticking to my usual goal of recycling as much material as possible, I raked the whole area as flat as possible and used the trunks and branches of the cut-down cedars to make my flower box. I called-out for indigenous seeds (on Facebook) and bought others online. I decided to cover the ground with nutrient … Continue reading Butterfly Garden – Making a bed for the flowers
Butterfly Garden – Re-arranging the land
II had several odd cedar trees around my property that I wanted to use and tons of rocks uncovered by the plumbers' digging, so I decided to use these to cover a few eyesores next to my house: the air-conditioning unit; a compost bin / leaf dump; and some storage items for the winter garden. … Continue reading Butterfly Garden – Re-arranging the land
Butterfly Garden – Transforming damage done by plumbers into something beautiful
In November 2020, I had to make an emergency call to the plumbers to solve a drain back-up issue in my basement. They used their camera and discovered that the old cedar hedge on the side of my house had finally grown roots deep and strong. They broke the sewer pipe taking our waste water … Continue reading Butterfly Garden – Transforming damage done by plumbers into something beautiful
There’s nothing like a daughter’s love.
A few weeks ago was my birthday. I have lost interest in celebrating birthdays and this past year during the pandemic I've felt it even less. Also, I feel 54 isn't such a remarkable year; hence the lack of care I had in choosing a candle for my birthday cupcake. (Which, by the way was … Continue reading There’s nothing like a daughter’s love.
The Bathers – Momentary Creative Block Caused by Distractions
I've been wrapping up academic papers and struggling to stay motivated to do them. Usually, painting is my distraction from the papers, but these particular art history essays are really not too interesting to me. I added a few little touches to the painting since the last update... mainly shadows. I feel what's left is … Continue reading The Bathers – Momentary Creative Block Caused by Distractions
Does Approaching an Abstract Require Emotional Nakedness?
For those who don't know, one of my recent art practices has been to keep a small canvas hanging near whatever I'm painting and to apply any extra paint onto it from my pallet... I became disgusted with how much paint I was wasting. Because I've been having so much fun doing faces, that is … Continue reading Does Approaching an Abstract Require Emotional Nakedness?
The New Renaissance Mindset 