tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81161649482525742342024-03-13T23:09:27.451-04:00Nicola's Art RoomNicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15514828853394071917noreply@blogger.comBlogger76125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8116164948252574234.post-29865663873686329342015-04-08T13:58:00.004-04:002018-04-02T14:17:59.084-04:00Her Harmony Rising<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Here she is, a woman of transformation, a stage that can come at any point. Yet arriving usually requires lots of care and exploration directed towards the outer container.<br />
Now, it's all about the inner world, although she's attentive to her outer duties. Qualities like hope and gratitude feel deeply tangible, as if she is holding them with overwhelming familiarity.<br />
This linocut is 12 by 18 inches, an elegant size and the perfect container for both detail and balance ...and ambition (a size like this takes at least a month to get through without rushing the slow and steady process of printmaking). ; )<br />
Thanks for stopping by during this exuberant Spring!<br />
<br />Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15514828853394071917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8116164948252574234.post-70670702877002742882015-01-12T10:26:00.001-05:002015-01-21T11:28:44.241-05:00Union<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Union is a part of our intrinsic condition. Our separate identity is also undeniable. Here we have both. There is something immensely liberating in watching a significant other grow and transform, all the while standing respectfully (and emotionally) at the sidelines. We are born to move and extend our branches, to unite with others in moving and melting and surprising ways. Yet our own journey is always our own. And as we grow, aligned to our unique frequency, our own hearts grow larger and deeper.<br />
For a linocut, this size (12 by 18 inches) is significant, and it took me a few months of gradual work and incubation. It's only at the end of all the carving that the artist witnesses the whole, and then, with overwhelming gratitude, thanks the journey into the unknown of the final outcome.<br />
This linocut was hand pulled and printed on rich Arches mould-made paper, all the way from a mill in France that produced some of the first bound books in Europe.<br />
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And here is a recent watercolor of a Blue Jay that left us for a while; in the meanwhile, a equally visually intricate Sapsucker is in its place, making lots of squeaky-toy squeaking noises, quite a contrast to the Jay's shrill and authoritative calls.<br />
Have a wonderful 2015, with lots of time to look up at the sky and marvel and marvel!Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15514828853394071917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8116164948252574234.post-66521143834434871502014-09-26T16:00:00.002-04:002020-12-11T08:51:47.121-05:00Six in the Morning<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Before each painting, the prolific folk painter Grandma Moses started with her process of finding a suitable picture frame. Once she discovered one she liked, she would arrange her canvas to fit the frame, and off she went!<br />
With linocuts, the entire process begins with the menial task of cutting a piece of Battleship linoleum to a certain size. After that, it's impossible to ignore the piece, and so conceiving and carving begin very quickly as the block calls out to be transformed.<br />
This circle linocut (sized by tracing around a large salad bowl) is 12 by 12 inches, titled after that lovely time of the morning (at least, for those of us who are early risers!) and carved in the beautiful Piedmont Park, Atlanta. Have a wonderful rest-of-the-week-and-month!Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15514828853394071917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8116164948252574234.post-68628456848277706892014-07-14T07:31:00.001-04:002014-07-15T06:51:45.587-04:00New Installation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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New installation! Thanks, Ananda seva, for the great pic! And thank you, Satchel, for the wall space, and, Judy, for expert facilitation. And a new study: Purple Crow (8.5 by 11 inch watercolor), for the passionate walkers among us, urban or rural. Have a wonderful, meandering week!<br />
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Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15514828853394071917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8116164948252574234.post-35635539853098518032014-07-03T19:04:00.004-04:002014-07-14T09:18:40.597-04:00Women of Wisdom<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This linocut is 12 by 18 inches, printed on my favorite Arches cream 250 gsm printmaking papter, which literally embraces the inked block when rolled through the etching press. Depth, connectivity, thoughtful honoring of the gifts already present in our lives, ancestors (I recently met a wonderful woman who told me she dreams often of her grandmothers and grand-aunts), rising to embrace our richer, expansive, compassionate self...all these things were woven into the intention of this piece. Thanks for stopping by!Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15514828853394071917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8116164948252574234.post-48193251366764810502014-03-31T13:29:00.004-04:002014-05-02T07:30:08.335-04:00Last Day of March<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's Spring and a metaphorical time to savor our resilient qualities, our innate strength to embrace both change and dormancy. The Gita, the beautiful conversation of 5000 years ago, focuses on our spiritual nature, and also gives guidance for living in this day-to-day world; the external world, with the senses and mind pulling this way and that, needs to be gracefully tolerated. But that can only be when we embrace our deeper nature and personal path!<br />
This piece is my favorite size (7.5 by 9.5 inches) to carve; the block is small enough to complete within a few weeks, but large enough for details, and inclusion, with a # 1 V tool.<br />
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Isn't this fern frond beautiful with possiblity! It is outside my studio, and by now it has already stretched out, unfurled, lapping up the sun and the intensity of the forest. Have a wonderful, and wise, spring!Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15514828853394071917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8116164948252574234.post-61716624493978747152013-11-15T07:35:00.002-05:002013-11-15T08:24:43.699-05:00The Graceful Journey<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>The Graceful Journey </i>is<i> </i>a 12 by 16 linocut on Arches printmaking paper and a celebration of our deeper journey where external events cease to hold their power over us.<br />
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And next weekend is the annual Right Whale Festival at the Sea Walk Pavilion in Jacksonville. If you are in the area, stop by for a educational glimpse into these beautiful giants. Above is a 8 1/2 by 11 watercolor, painted on the thickest grade watercolor paper (inviting layer upon layer upon layer). Have a wonderful weekend!Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15514828853394071917noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8116164948252574234.post-12753087822737842462013-09-19T13:43:00.003-04:002020-12-11T08:53:15.246-05:00New Work<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Recently I witnessed two cardinals feeding each other, skillfully placing cracked-open seed into each other's beaks, and "two became one".<br />
This piece was painted shortly after visiting Hong Kong, the land of enveloping, reassuring mountains. Three-quarters of Hong Kong is countryside, providing a great "stop over" for hundreds of varieties of birds, with its protected wetlands, mountain ranges, and seashores. Thanks for stopping by!Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15514828853394071917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8116164948252574234.post-75819397430272609142013-07-12T09:53:00.002-04:002013-07-21T13:03:32.812-04:00Transformations<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Relief carving is a slow process. Each piece is a journey in patience and detachment, and there is no guarantee of the exact results. "Transformations" resonated on the first proof, hinting at the presence of deeper, expansive qualities. This linocut is roughly 8 by 10 inches, printed on Arches printmaking paper. Have a great week!Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15514828853394071917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8116164948252574234.post-79347748081190425732013-06-11T14:18:00.000-04:002013-06-11T15:16:10.500-04:00Surprise<br />
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This piece (a 12 by 12 linocut) was carved on a recent visit to Pensacola, Florida. The "old fellow" in the photo was hanging around the pier, looking for hand outs. I was convinced he couldn't fly; pelicans can live to be up to 50. The way he was hobbling around, pecking at anyone who came too close (including two tourists who posed for a pic in front of him!), he appeared to be done with the daily grind. And all that was shattered in a second as he suddenly departed in elegant flight.</div>
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This observational incident is also a metaphor for shattering personal limitations; right next door to so-called perceived limitations, there is wonder and beauty and inner strength.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ivhrBkJPANn0YmsnWgeOujdSB_LBhc5D7qOXgvzMMeTJUZaxHgks0fh_YwewP9LPLm3mFRdsZPtGL0wzN9zdy-gnicGoNiocKtKrIkKP4K6E2ykCLSN8B96UO7HBGo-xzJ9AMJvRINo/s1600/watercolor+bear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ivhrBkJPANn0YmsnWgeOujdSB_LBhc5D7qOXgvzMMeTJUZaxHgks0fh_YwewP9LPLm3mFRdsZPtGL0wzN9zdy-gnicGoNiocKtKrIkKP4K6E2ykCLSN8B96UO7HBGo-xzJ9AMJvRINo/s320/watercolor+bear.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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And here's recent piece from a series of watercolors focusing on the beauty of solid forms. Thanks for stopping by!<br />
<br />Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15514828853394071917noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8116164948252574234.post-32259758295550493192013-04-28T12:56:00.001-04:002013-04-28T17:02:12.140-04:00Farewell to Winter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Farewells have the potential for deep beauty. We say a graceful good-bye, and yet we know we will meet again, perhaps transformed and stronger and kinder. My linocut, carved over a longish period of time, is 14 by 14 inches wide and hand printed on beautiful Arches printmaking paper.<br />
Our spring garden is extra joyful after a longer-than-usual winter! Thanks for stopping by!<br />
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<br />Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15514828853394071917noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8116164948252574234.post-6821017959473724812013-01-25T12:42:00.000-05:002013-01-25T14:32:38.064-05:00Wings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Sometimes our wings are down. It is then necessary to search deeper and trust that quiet periods are deeply vital. This Burrowing Owl is a 6 by 9 inch linocut, carved beneath a Live Oak with branches that spread like protective wings. Have a great week!Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15514828853394071917noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8116164948252574234.post-35957099420824693192012-12-03T15:23:00.002-05:002012-12-03T15:23:38.422-05:00Forest Mandala<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A recent 12 by 12 inch hand pulled linocut. Have a great week!Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15514828853394071917noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8116164948252574234.post-66994259660787599572012-11-26T17:24:00.001-05:002012-12-05T08:44:09.261-05:00Whiskers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Any pet owner or caretaker will confirm how animals have clever ways to entice their caregivers to play. For example, I've seen a huge bull delay harnessing in favor of a cat-and-mouse game.</div>
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This is a 12 by 14 linocut, carved meditating on the gifts the oxen and cows offer us. They deserve our protection.</div>
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And if you are vegetarian-friendly, here is a wonderful site: <a href="http://www.purevege.com/">www.purevege.com</a></div>
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<br />Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15514828853394071917noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8116164948252574234.post-60675932315849413692012-10-12T14:43:00.005-04:002020-12-11T08:52:44.907-05:00Right Whales!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Another recent painting from my series of 9 by 12 inch ocean-related watercolors! Thanks for stopping by!Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15514828853394071917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8116164948252574234.post-82383460228690966582012-10-10T17:16:00.003-04:002012-10-12T17:14:34.498-04:00Mirror<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The Bhagavad-Gita, the oceanly deep conversation from 5000 years ago, talks about this world being a reflection. The exact analogy expressed is the Banyan tree, with its upward roots and downward branches, symbolizing the binding nature of this material world. Yet the tree echoes a deeper reality; it turns out the tree, or the external world as we know it, is a reflection that can also point us in the right direction.<br />
This is a 12 by 12 inch linocut. With relief printing, a cut can't be erased, and a design as minimal as this one is always risky. But when I pulled the first proof, the image resonated and I was grateful!<br />
Have a great rest-of-the-week!Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15514828853394071917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8116164948252574234.post-8809171143238302902012-09-03T11:57:00.000-04:002012-09-13T09:42:41.409-04:00Identical<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbSfoHXJM6R5WThH1yZxnRtNXh3tQJtV3gwkgtibB1DsyaY3GXF9xMVKStAxIhEtcgs-Z0KRr264so9kLWmCbHE25F5DhhO9W2wqHlWBXETWPQG2rwOzhyts0b_ysC4Wpj7r3GZ5N7j2M/s1600/narwhals+jpeg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbSfoHXJM6R5WThH1yZxnRtNXh3tQJtV3gwkgtibB1DsyaY3GXF9xMVKStAxIhEtcgs-Z0KRr264so9kLWmCbHE25F5DhhO9W2wqHlWBXETWPQG2rwOzhyts0b_ysC4Wpj7r3GZ5N7j2M/s320/narwhals+jpeg.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Narwhals from the Arctic! And it's the males that show off beautiful tusks. Down here in northern Florida, there'll soon be a spirited celebration of whales at annual Right Whale festival, hosted in Jacksonville at the sea walk pavilion during the month of November. In comparison the nawhal, the northern right whale population is *extremely* sparse.<br />
The Nawhals' mottled skin is perfect for watercolor; there is a beauty in the spontaneity of the colors moving about.<br />
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And here is a pic of the new piece I am carving in the perfect studio—outdoors, with a "Lifetime" portable table ("lifetime" is branded on the top of the table, as if singing a metaphor).<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"> </span></span>Thanks for stopping by!Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15514828853394071917noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8116164948252574234.post-76897888849964682182012-08-17T14:10:00.001-04:002012-08-17T15:39:50.606-04:00Inner Teacher<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We all have an inner teacher in our heart. If we are fortunate enough to have friends who have moved through a patch of deep confusion, they are our teachers too; they usually guide us back to the clarity of what we know, deep down in our expansive self, to be true. This linocut is 16 by 18 inches, and so a large press helped me pull the print. : ) Hope you are having a great week!Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15514828853394071917noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8116164948252574234.post-19638350677889212702012-07-06T18:55:00.005-04:002012-07-24T07:54:49.168-04:00Kurma<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Here is Kurma, the wonderful tortoise incarnation of Vishnu, with the diatyas and demigods suspended above (they are actually churning the ocean of milk using a sacred mountain as a churning rod and Vasuki, the celestial snake, as the rope). Kurma is kindly providing support while having his back scratched at the same time! This is the history behind the fascinating Kumbha Mela festival, celebrated in India every 12 years. Up to 70 million human beings attend!<br />
This is a large gouache piece. I painted this, along many others in the same series, after spending months painting freely, in the process-painting mood, with an array of Lascaux gouache. Have a great week!Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15514828853394071917noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8116164948252574234.post-71137956431444655192012-07-03T11:00:00.001-04:002012-07-04T05:46:42.421-04:00Refreshing!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Creating, when you really get into it, is a long, refreshing, adventurous walk; it shifts complacency and limitation.<br />
This is an untitled 12 by 12 inch linocut, started in Hong Kong and finished in Florida, a few miles from the ocean's roar. Have a wonderful week, honoring your beautiful essence! : )Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15514828853394071917noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8116164948252574234.post-5681670328998682732012-06-17T20:44:00.000-04:002012-06-17T21:51:40.845-04:00Secret<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Often our own greatest gifts are secret to ourselves; the inner world is rich and vast yet hidden mysteriously just below the surface and layers. This recent 12 by 12 inch linocut's formal title is "Incubation." Thanks for visiting and have an inspired week!Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15514828853394071917noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8116164948252574234.post-28642244476904143002012-04-02T20:19:00.014-04:002012-04-08T19:02:49.531-04:00ReturnReturn to oil painting! Here is some detail from new work, including (improvised) Hong Kong birds. The Crested Bulbuls are my favorites; they fly around in pairs with almost perfect synchronicity. Have a great week!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZJueZRjLXy6VFyBV0vquGvrG3LHVZDVxAdmURqMd6sV2W91FD3nkE2WzpG_h6O6VskfsHjfRbY5NWYdk4sT-Z6FyAfkZneKHqbUsS5Ac7K1E8QYhUMFrTjuC3ehZSHwfFEPAngChSHqI/s1600/green+bird.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 241px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZJueZRjLXy6VFyBV0vquGvrG3LHVZDVxAdmURqMd6sV2W91FD3nkE2WzpG_h6O6VskfsHjfRbY5NWYdk4sT-Z6FyAfkZneKHqbUsS5Ac7K1E8QYhUMFrTjuC3ehZSHwfFEPAngChSHqI/s320/green+bird.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5726963240585207954" /></a><br /><br />And for all you printmaking fans, here is a Charles Brand press with a 4 foot roller! It is housed, and used, in the beautiful Visual Arts Center in Hong Kong Park, as pictured here.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgozhy-Q5TfUP2SV9PTIFE2hH-5_UsrL1NsNDBGfTs35EJ_6chDYE0TWhlkt8HvKGPPpXej9VUCRt73Q23piNo1CIz9ZXTYmIFF6Oooc6rn4r8J_d1Bm0CKbLOh6JIpQc8veW0QbHxtF0/s1600/charlesbrandpress.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgozhy-Q5TfUP2SV9PTIFE2hH-5_UsrL1NsNDBGfTs35EJ_6chDYE0TWhlkt8HvKGPPpXej9VUCRt73Q23piNo1CIz9ZXTYmIFF6Oooc6rn4r8J_d1Bm0CKbLOh6JIpQc8veW0QbHxtF0/s320/charlesbrandpress.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5726971205228774290" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0IjhkjzD1bqFCcoXIRqIXEhhgA7W-7-RNepRPBUdDKKgli3dwHlxpkkJiLOXOtnyecxkHEUYZEOpBSu8raPN3-w4F8jNmq6HUj6n-tqBhQwOL70EHTShHX2WAIsHurUcvV7MDFzjtuCA/s1600/visualartscenter.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0IjhkjzD1bqFCcoXIRqIXEhhgA7W-7-RNepRPBUdDKKgli3dwHlxpkkJiLOXOtnyecxkHEUYZEOpBSu8raPN3-w4F8jNmq6HUj6n-tqBhQwOL70EHTShHX2WAIsHurUcvV7MDFzjtuCA/s320/visualartscenter.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5726971586250465826" /></a>Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15514828853394071917noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8116164948252574234.post-90991402621258803172012-02-05T08:27:00.013-05:002012-02-05T10:45:26.943-05:00Suspense<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnz0Te46zE_W0GTnbafPvTGkQp9H1U81GdFUPR_e1bCMQ_0-pTlOg5CyvWiuNX07ksUscTu2QZjinn-DhaJY8DIZe74ZKzTSVmWenvs6Yq2pMcWqG5yMu2swsdkcBeY56DUnU0F1n8bvc/s1600/securedownload.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 158px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnz0Te46zE_W0GTnbafPvTGkQp9H1U81GdFUPR_e1bCMQ_0-pTlOg5CyvWiuNX07ksUscTu2QZjinn-DhaJY8DIZe74ZKzTSVmWenvs6Yq2pMcWqG5yMu2swsdkcBeY56DUnU0F1n8bvc/s320/securedownload.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5705643110712002786" /></a><br />Raptors, often seen sitting on electric wires in rural areas, are surrounded with suspense. And suspense, in human terms, can be energy giving; there is an aliveness to the anxiety associated with unknown outcomes, a sense of being on a threshold. This is a small watercolor, painted on an Arches block pad.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR1k9TDgkv2AMQDHoNBCMV2uADRHqHtK56TA0L_rGAMB4zAU4DUKg4D0XN-rQkBU4Pm5RSBnAMkDAC8KoOTZvLMHbBMwlWkPObHK_-_oojzU3toZ2cGp0z0dycjvAe7yTYYVtR5hbKj-M/s1600/HKPark%253ATeashop.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR1k9TDgkv2AMQDHoNBCMV2uADRHqHtK56TA0L_rGAMB4zAU4DUKg4D0XN-rQkBU4Pm5RSBnAMkDAC8KoOTZvLMHbBMwlWkPObHK_-_oojzU3toZ2cGp0z0dycjvAe7yTYYVtR5hbKj-M/s320/HKPark%253ATeashop.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5705643747331040786" /></a><br />Above is a scene from the Hong Kong Park. The park itself is small, but it's beautiful. And just above the tea house, as you enter, there's a museum dedicated to hand carved soap stone seals, or chops; printmaking at its finest!<br />Thanks for stopping by!Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15514828853394071917noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8116164948252574234.post-13702258042781633952011-12-31T16:37:00.007-05:002011-12-31T19:53:33.130-05:00Highlight<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp9-d6z4P6XnlIrhZY7ERlPTruLUVkXuyy9oi80Ts_RtYvF5enyYGJZrUmbjI60rSq1Td9qF6qWUe9YyoAfKH2XVjrCt6mhyVlmXJhqTPT5Gd-HNr8hilEnKKG0HnZRjsqYhOXppKvA8I/s1600/Conch+painting.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 251px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp9-d6z4P6XnlIrhZY7ERlPTruLUVkXuyy9oi80Ts_RtYvF5enyYGJZrUmbjI60rSq1Td9qF6qWUe9YyoAfKH2XVjrCt6mhyVlmXJhqTPT5Gd-HNr8hilEnKKG0HnZRjsqYhOXppKvA8I/s320/Conch+painting.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5692410091636644898" /></a><br />I found this shell on a nearby beach, well known for washing up beautifully formed conches. Conches are wonderful to hold. They also carry within their form the symphony of the ocean waves. Conches themselves can be blown (provided the tip isn't sealed), as they are in temples in India and around the world; their powerful sound can shift energies and remind us of our own inner strength and beauty. <br />This is an 11 by 14 inch oil on hardboard. May the sound of the conch be with you on your journey through 2012!Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15514828853394071917noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8116164948252574234.post-84135943300939681162011-12-11T12:06:00.009-05:002011-12-11T15:59:41.925-05:00Separate<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAc7_kpvONkCSuLfnfeAWTGXN9nArZYGsHS5nMBXhCKuwzmQjODEO17zlGaSqaDOeANw8R_LYmNm8i7eLpo1OW8qVV7Plw9PTKcBsaypZ25pKPmrsfloqvepiJcsO8Dsy75_5GQqlMazc/s1600/woman%253Ajay1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 246px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAc7_kpvONkCSuLfnfeAWTGXN9nArZYGsHS5nMBXhCKuwzmQjODEO17zlGaSqaDOeANw8R_LYmNm8i7eLpo1OW8qVV7Plw9PTKcBsaypZ25pKPmrsfloqvepiJcsO8Dsy75_5GQqlMazc/s320/woman%253Ajay1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5684919320860028786" /></a><br />"Although she was separate, she was in the company of inner wisdom, her old, constant friend."<br />This is a 20 by 28 inch oil painting, painted outdoors, in the alive company of woodland creatures (including this Blue Jay)! Have a great week! Thanks for stopping by. : )Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15514828853394071917noreply@blogger.com5