"HAROLD" ...

An exercise in creating a face with character. It is 11 X 14 stretched canvas; acrylic and oil pastel.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL MY READERS....

SHORT UPDATE ...

Our black squirrel came back this morning for breakfast. His name is Monty!!

A SIGHTING AT ARBOR VISTA ...

I have NEVER seen a black squirrel! This one showed up this morning on the porch outside the kitchen to eat sunflower seeds dropped by the little birds who live at the bird feeder. I did some research and found the following from Wikipedia: "As a melanistic variety of the eastern grey squirrel, individual black squirrels can exist wherever grey squirrels live. Grey mating pairs may produce black offspring, and in areas with high concentrations of black squirrels, mixed litters are common.[1] The black subgroup seems to have been dominant throughout North America prior to the arrival of Europeans in the 16th century, since their dark colour helped them hide in virgin forests which tended to be very dense and shaded. As time passed, hunting and deforestation led to biological advantages for grey coloured individuals.[2] Today, the black subgroup is particularly abundant in the northern part of the Eastern Grey Squirrel's range.[3][4] This is likely due to the significantly increased cold tolerance of black individuals which lose less heat than greys.[5] Black individuals also enjoy visibility advantages in denser northern forests." The report further states that the black squirrel is quite rare, 1 in 10,000. I think he is just beautiful!

A DETOUR INTO FANTASY.......

I have no idea where this came from. I have never considered fantasy subject matter in my art. It may have had something to do with the fact that I created this the week I watched "Avatar". When viewed in person there is much to ponder!

This is a 16 X 20 stretched canvas, unframed. It is a mixed media piece of acrylic, oil pastel and some paper collage. I have titled it "Candlelight Dinner".

IS THERE A GUERILLA (knitter) IN OUR MIDST ??

Apparently so!

For more information please see below:

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Yarn bombing, yarnbombing, graffiti knitting, guerrilla knitting, or yarnstorming is a type of graffiti or street art that employs colorful displays of knitted or crocheted cloth rather than paint or chalk. While yarn installations – called yarn bombs or yarnstorms – may last for years, they are considered non-permanent, and, unlike graffiti, can be easily removed if necessary. The practice is believed to have originated in the U.S. with Texas knitters trying to find a creative way to use their leftover and unfinished knitting projects, but it has since spread worldwide.[1] While other forms of graffiti may be expressive, decorative, territorial, socio-political commentary, advertising or vandalism, yarn bombing is almost exclusively about reclaiming and personalizing sterile or cold public places.[1] Dave Cole is a contemporary sculpture artist who practiced knitting as graffiti for a large-scale public art installation in Melbourne Australia for the Big West Arts Festival in 2009. The work was vandalized the night of its completion.[2] The movement has been said to be "changing the face of craft" as stitchers are more and more frequently being viewed as fibre artists.[3]

So, go forth my friends and make a corner of the world more colorful!

A PERFECT BIRTHDAY ...

The perfect gift from Roy, a DVD I have wanted for a Very. Long. Time. From the jacket: " On a warm September night, Andrea Bocelli came home to Tuscany to sing to the people of the ancient city of Pisa. The Piazza dei Cavalieri was the historic setting for this momentous outdoor event". After an afternoon of Bocelli, we went to dinner at our favorite Italian restaurant. Yes, the perfect birthday. Thank you Roy! Some day I will spend my birthday in Italy. Until that time, this one did quite nicely!

WORKING IN MY NEW SKETCHBOOK ...

A study in profile and draping fabric...

Hoping to some day draw the perfect nose, or at least one that doesn't look like a foot..... This is a plant trying to flourish in my dentist's office. I don't know what kind it is.

This is "Ella", one of the primitive dolls I made some years ago.

A wall I photographed on our trip to Snow Farm.

A male hand.....I kinda like this!