The Arctic Tundra! UGH

To the left is a photo of a painting I did for Carrie. She adores penguins. I love penguins also, but not the climate they live in. The birds in the painting are those naughty Petrels. Yikes, they are tough, bad, birdies.

I did love doing this painting though. The sky, and the colors are quite amazing where they live. Very crisp, cold, and foreboding, just like the environment they live in. The penguins that look like dirty cotton balls, are the young ones. The striking black, and yellow ones are the adults. Gosh, amazing how they can survive in this environment. Way to frigid for this "Bird"! lol lol :)

It certainly gave me a challenge to work with these colors. Constantly had to back away, and contemplate them. Never get much of a chance to work with Magentas, turquoise, black, and yellow creating a nature scene. :) Oh it's done in gouache, you know I love gouache paints.

Living by the Heart

I was planning a new piece of pottery last night, all kinds of feelings, and images, started to flow. Not only pottery, but also things that have affected me in my life. Anyway, while doing it, I remembered working at the Pet Store, and started to deal with issues I remember. I see in pictures, when I start to focus and think. Anyway, out of no where, this poem popped into my head. I think it is very relevant to today, just as it was years ago.

Living By The Heart

I saw a little kitten and a puppy too,

They made my soul smile,

and my body through and through.

I then began to ponder,

to whom they would belong.

Could they stay innocent,

or would they have to be tough and strong.

Would they have to suffer,

and struggle to survive.

Or would a kind loving soul,

keep their innocence alive.

I REMEMBER HAVING FUN A LONG TIME AGO!

You know I remember years ago having fun almost everyday, and people smiling, laughing, and enjoying life. Does anyone else remember those days? Nobody had to be politically correct, everyone laughed, and nobody took themselves as serious as today. We used to have people from all Ethnic cultures, I am Irish, Polish. When someone would make a joke about either we would all laugh. I remember so few vicious, vane, arrogant, and self absorbed, right fighters, like today. It's absolutely astounding that the majority of the population is like that today. It's like we all forgot how to be "Human". If you make one mistake today, yikes, you are slammed to the ground, and isolated forever. You know, sort of like sent to the land of "Nod". Today when you say something ,everybody on the planet dislikes, you are put to a sort of "Social Death Sentence". This planet has become so oppressive, violent, and the people just plain "yucky"! No not absolutely everyone, just most of them. You say one darn thing, and someone, somewhere gets offended, and either has you arrested, or shoots you in the head. WTF? Give me a break. Today, you are either too much this way, too much that way, too fat, too skinny, too tall, too short, boobs too small, too big. Will someone please make up my mind? Well you know what, screw it all! You heard it directly from this "Shanty Irish, Pollack" me. Proud of it, and don't care if you like it or not! So tired of walking "On Eggs" already. LIGHTEN UP FOLKS, AND LEARN TO LAUGH AT YOURSELF ONCE IN A WHILE....GOOD FOOD FOR THE SOUL. Stop being so self-centered, and selfish, and judgmental. Just be glad your you, and enjoy this life when you can! I try to love everyone, but gosh, could you make it a little easier to love you! :) Remember: "Life is like Rhubarb, learn to get rubbed a little bit with a smile"! You can "Rub my Rhubarb" once in a while, tis good to laugh at yourself, it's so freeing...try it! Please don't try to make me perfect, I don't want to be.

OH BOY! 2011

Here is a photo of a painting I did for my niece Teresa, the one who nicknamed us Uncle Doodle, and Auntie Moodle. She wanted me to paint a poster of her favorite photo she took when in London. I really loved doing this graphic because of the people in in, a ton of them. On the bridge, below in the courtyard. George said, "Why did you put that woman with a stroller in it"? My reply, "Because it's in the photo"! lol lol :)

Anyway, the new year is rolling in, I am getting all the taxes done for the Home and Business, yuck! Hopefully looking forward to a better year for all of us. But then again, I say that every year. lol lol :)

The most important thing to us is our health, joy, happiness, tons of fun, great friends (even our sock monkey) and love in our family. Happy to pay the bills, that is pretty much it! Oh sure would love to win the lottery, but, sigh, doesn't seem to be in our future. lol lol :) We are actually having a great time when we are at the Wilmot Gallery, loads of people come in, most of them from the Ski Hills. George and I do not ski, or do winter sports. Actually we don't do any sports except play with the dogs. With two terriers that is plenty!

So as usual, am hoping for all our friends, family, and acquaintances all of the aforementioned above. We just "Hang In There" and always hope for the best!