Friday, October 27, 2006

Creative Minds : Young and Old




As I was blog hopping I came across a YOU TUBE video about Stephen Wiltshire. He is an AUTistic man who has an innate ability to draw from his memory with great detail. The first person I thought of was my son, Nicholas. He is not autistic, but has had challenges in his young life with speech and the ability to verbally communicate (as the way the world wants him to) with fluency. In the past year or two Nick has found a love for drawing. Not to the great extent of Stephen Wiltshire, but it is in him. Last year his teacher made a comment to me about his drawing abilities. His drawings seemed to show great detail and creative thought than the normal pre-kindergarten student. Even this year(diff. teacher) commented on his creative drawings . It does amaze me quit a bit to see him draw about something he has seen, done, or imagined and puts it on paper! He is a constant with paper and asks for more to make booklets. I spy on him from the couch as he sits and draws. I see the hands movin' and the wheels turning in that little head of his.
Just the other evening, the movie Ladder 64 was on.(I know not the best show for a 6 year old). Well, Nick has been fasinated by firemen, fires,fire alarms after fire safety week at school. So he was sitting there watching with great intensity a scene where a ladder truck put the ladder to a tall burning building. Flames were shooting,water spraying, and smoke everywhere! After the show ended, marker and paper were in hand! This is from the mind of a creative ARTistic boy:

I don't know if Nicholas will have the uncanney ability of Stephen Wiltshire, but I see a creative mind at work and I just let him do his thing.
* As explained by the artist, the fire man is holding the hose and a talking megaphone to talk to the fireman and tell about emergency.( Notice the hose hooked to hydrent,then to the watertruck then a hose to the ladder truck and then to the fireman. It blows my mind!)

Thursday, October 26, 2006

Our Anniversary Trip...


Hey everybody! We're back from our weekend trip to the Outer Banks, NC. After a 6 hour drive we arrived to a warm 80 degrees and sunny skies! Once we got our stuff to the room we headed to beach! Which by the way was within walking distance 500 feet or so. Chad was into collecting shells for himself and our boys. So I guess I didn't have to trade my flip-flops in after all! A friend of mine recommended Carolina's Buffet while we were down there, so we headed out to eat...and eat...and eat! After Chad came back from the buffet for the 3rd time I stopped counting! He LOVED the crab legs ! Saturday we headed down to Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, stopped at Bodie Island Lighthouse, and hopped on a car ferry to Ocracoke Island and to see the lighthouse also. On Ocracoke Island we walked around the the little fishing town ,which is now caters to the tourist, and we were able to walk to the island's lighthouse. I have fallen in love with lighthouses on this trip!It was a pleasant day ranging from mid-60's to 70's. An awesome day! We only had two days and not enough time to do everything. So now we have an excuse to go back and enjoy it with the kids!( sorry the map is so small, the little piece of land that jutts out from NC is where we went:-) We had so much fun!

Sunday, October 15, 2006

Weekend Travels: OBX

We are taking a weekend travel to the OBX (those who don't know, the Outer Banks, NC.) Our 8 year anniversary is coming up and finally we are going somewhere by-ourselves-! I'm so excited, not only to be alone with Chad but I get to take some amazing photography of the ocean, lighthouses, piers, and more!! I'll be trading the flip-flops in for some warm tennis-shoes("sneakers"). Ooooh Im so excited, I just had to share!
Gotta get through this week first!

Thursday, October 12, 2006

Studio Friday: F E A R

(WARNING: Spillin' my guts here...)

Hmmm...I think someone was reading my mind last weekend before this topic was posted. My husband and I were talking about me and my art and the direction I wanted to take with it. Then he asked with a serious tone in his voice,"Are you scared?" I looked at him, and sat there and thought about it. I was. I - was - scared. I think for years fear has been holding me back for some reason or another. (Besides getting married and having a busy family, bla bla, bla, see Im making excuses) It's hard for me to tell others my fears, especially about this, something I love to do. Here are some off the top of my head and Im sure there will be more for me to discover:
  • I'm scared of what lies ahead
  • peoples' expectations
  • success and what it brings
  • failure
  • failure to a client
  • acceptance
  • being perfect
  • family members' expectations
  • time: for me, my family, my art

Do I have "issues" or what or am I just a normal human being who is an artist?!?!

As I thought about my fears as an artist, I remembered a book we had to read in college. It's about what we are posting here at S.F. The book is called Art & Fear.

My friend, Artsychick and I had the same professor in college and had to read this book.(Do ya remember this Amy?)

Great READ: in S.F's Articles & Advice: Lee Silber: Moving Beyond Fear by Lain Chroust Ehmann.

This was good, something I had to put in front of me and see and overcome one by one.

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Studio Friday.

This week's topic for Friday suggested by Jill: STICK IT TO THE... BOARD!
" It would be interesting to see the variety of bulletin/memory boards in our studios. What is pinned to them? Photos? Notes? Reminders? Ideas for future projects?"~Jill

Well...I don't have a bulletin board in my studio...maybe I should. I am thinking about moving my studio space around to make room for something of that sort. I do keep a special brown/orange-paisley sketchbook close by.

I keep everything creative that comes to mind in this book. Sometimes my mind thinks so fast into an idea, that I've already stemmed off another idea off the original idea that I wanted to write or sketch in the first place.I can't sketch fast enough sometimes! I keep inspiring quotes, websites and blogs . Future references of art galleries and places looking for artist to showcase their art( when Im ready to do that.) I have ideas for objects and photoshoots. Sometimes my sketchbooks are just waiting there to be filled with my inspiration and ideas. This is my travel size bulletin board.

"This is where I doodle, this is where I get creative and explore my ideas, these pages are the birthplace of my ART"

Monday, October 02, 2006

Future Astronaut of NASA


Chad's mission will begin Oct. 31, 2006. Much of his training is taking place on the bunkbed simulator. He has been practicing moon landings with the assistace of his brother, Nick. He received his flight uniform via UPS and was very excited! Getting closer to the day of launch and excited to meet up with the others on the International Space Station. We support you all the way! GO NASA!