Feb 7, 2009

Down by the sea and a "trust me"

I have no pictures to show you with this post. I always hesitate to do that to you because I know a fair share of you are visual followers and don't want to read big long posts. But, not all of my journey that I record here is captured in pictures.

I took a day off from art and everything else and my hubby, mom-in-law, and good friends Oz and Jolene and Tracy (who just got home from her second tour in Iraq and is going back in May) went to the beach to look for sea glass. We were enjoying a break in our big rain storms and it was a beautiful day at the beach. There was no sea glass to be found however. The rocks it hides in were all gone or all covered up with sand. On hands and knees here and there we managed to find some teeny tiny pieces I like for my sea glass capsule necklaces (on my etsy). We saved an upside down stranded crab, a starfish, and a sand flea. The sand flea entertained us for quite awhile with its flips and monumental hops and then seemed to fall over dead all of a sudden as if it wore itself out performing for us. But Oz and Jolene, a couple of the biggest creature lovers I have ever met, took it down to the water to see if it would perk up and it soon crawled in the sand. Maybe it was doing another trick for us and showing how it could play dead. Before coming home we stopped at Borders to buy Lisa Kettell's Altered Art Circus for my plane ride next week and dined at the very trendy and classy Arby's (one of my favorites and there aren't any out here where we recently moved). When I got home I got to talk to my buddy, Suzan Buckner (Thrifty Collage Artist) on the phone as I did last night, and it ended a perfect day.

Suzan has been such a mentor for me and hugely supportive. She has helped me move along this journey more than anyone else. She has convinced me to look into printing my pieces so that I have those to offer for sale at a cheaper price as well. When I get back from Missouri I will get some made and then get everything listed on etsy. Anyway, I just wanted to tell Suzan what a great and generous person she is and I am glad to have her as my friend.

I get to sleep in tomorrow and then it is an all day art day. I did manage to make some backgrounds last night (staying up until almost 3 a.m.) So, I have lots to work on.

Before I leave you tonight, I want to share another link with you. As one thing leads to another in blogland, I had the pleasure of meeting two incredible artists yesterday that resulted in an incredible experience for me. I will tell you the story another day but I want you to visit their site before I share it. Understand that their art is very different from what we tend to focus on in "our circles" of altered art. This is fine art, very important art of our lifetime. This is one of the "trust me" adventures I sometimes send you on and your visual fix from me for today. Please go visit http://www.theartof-art.com/ Be sure to read their biographies and you will be better prepared for my story coming later this week. And, don't be shy over there. If you love something, leave a comment. Franny and Anthony are very down to earth and love hearing from their audience as much as anyone else does.

Hope you are having a good weekend!

7 comments:

Tace said...

I personally don't mind not seeing a photo with a post, though I do understand the almost *gotta-do-it* feeling that goes with posting. Meaning adding a visual. It CAN be frosting on the digital cake but sometimes cake is better
frosting-less...Mmmm...umm, don't mind me, going through cheesecake withdrawal here.....
Your day at the beach sounds great, oddly enough the thought crossed my mind today to go to the beach but we stayed home and watched a movie instead because it was coooooooolllllld out there and I have been completely converted to a So-Cal-ian. hahaha
The link doesn't appear to be correct for the blog you recommended. I tried guessing what it could be but no luck. I will definitely go have a peek when you've got the right one though as I am much intrigued.

Leslie said...

I was going to comment that the link was bad...but Tace beat me to it.

And I beg to differ with you: altered art can be fine art, also. Just think of Marcel Duchamp and his readymade-aideds and found-object art.

I hope you will still offer original art for sale. Collectors like myself rarely buy reproductions...Limited edition, handpulled and numbered prints, but not reproductions.

I still stare at my wonderful pieces of your art and feel so lucky that I have bought them! Nobody does a watercolor background more beautiful than you.

Tumble Fish Studio said...

I think the link is good now isn't it?

Thank you Leslie. You'll see what I mean when you see the site, but I understand what you're saying. However, there is a big difference between this art I want you to see and mine. I am writing a long "article" about this that I will post later.

And, I am just like you. I will not purchase prints. I only own original art, not one print. That is why I have hesitated to make prints of mine. I will always sell the originals too but offer prints for those that want to spend less or didn't get the chance to get the original. Thank you sweet lady!

aliceinparis said...

Hi there, the link is still not working:(
How interesting that you write about sea glass. I was at Peggy's Cove yesterday, a cool place on the ocean near here and inside their gift shop was a basket of "sea glass". I ran my fingers through it and wondered it it was real or if they now manufacture sea glass for the masses:( It looked real but did not have quite the right patina.
Cheers, Shelagh

Tace said...

That's so funny, aliceinparis said she'd been to Peggy's Cove yesterday, I've been to Peggy's Cove before! What a small world!!! I love how the internet makes everything seem just a little closer. And I can say with confidence, Nova Scotians rock! :)

The link still wasn't working for me but I'll try back later. :)

Leslie said...

The link is working for me now. And I look forward to reading your post on it.

Marian Fannon Christian "Fanny" said...

Thank you so much for the lovely comments! So happy that our art is giving so much pleasure....All the very best, Fanny and Anthony www.theartof-art.com