A Family in Art/The City has Done a Good Thing

Hyde Park Art Studio Art Family

This is a group of great women for all parts of town, with all different backgrounds and all ages, but the one thing they have in common is the love of art and a great sense of humor.  Art can bring out the best in people and this group acts like a family because they care and share.  Many have supported each other through losses of husbands or family members due to illness and death, divorce, marriage, new grandkids, the loss of jobs, and the gain of new jobs, and friends moving away.   This picture was take as Chris, in the center, was moving away after coming to classes for more than 10 years.  I can truly say this group helped me heal for two years after a devastating illness.  Art, humor and caring were just what the doctor ordered.  Some are wheel throwers, others hand builders in clay, and others fused glass artists..but they all create!
The city has done a very good thing in offering art classes on a high level with trained teachers...there is need all over this city, your city, and the world for places where art is done in a community of caring, loving and supportive environment...it builds lives and communities.

A NEW BENCHMARK FOR SUCCESS!

60,000 A NEW BENCHMARK FOR RABBIT'S MOON STUDIO!!!!
                        
                        SERIOUSLY!

photo by Elizabeth Gordon   

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!  YOUR READERSHIP IS INTEGRAL TO OUR SUCCESS AND WE SO APPRECIATE YOUR LOVE OF ART.

In Washington D.C. with Artist in Gallery

  59,939!!

In Miami with artist and friend  Ray Azcuy

From Barcelona

Here I am in Barcelona and Gaudi 

San Miguel De Allende, Mexican City of Arts

lost in Spain, trying to get back to France

TO FRANCE AND MEXICO 

On the high roads of the Pyrenee's
driving to Dali's Home in Cadaques
and museum in Figures, Spain

Fifty nine and nine hundred and thirty nine thousand!!

fifty Nine And nIne HundRed and 39 ThouSand!!!

59 THOUSAND  900 AND 39  

NO MATTER HOW I LOOK AT IT RABBIT'S MOON STUDIO IS SURELY PROUD...ALMOST
60,000 HITS SINCE OUR WEE BEGINNING!

Wonderful seafood meal in Cadaques with Ann, my partner,
 after visiting Dali's home 

Germany checking out the architecture and culture with life long
friend and fellow traveler Sally

TO GERMANY TO WASHINGTON D.C TO Charleston to Raleigh/Durham we report experience about art, artists, galleries, museums, and culture...WE ADVOCATE FOR THE ARTS EVERY DAY!  

Playing my role as an  art advocate in Washington
D.C at Representative Kathy Castors'
Office 

Dali       Museum Art Show "Liquid Desires"
with assemblage "Wet Dreams"


THANKS TO YOU OUR LOYAL READERS, OUR NEW READERS AND OUR NEW JOINERS.

Washington D.C. at the Hirshhorn Museum and Chinese dissident
Ai Weiwei's
exhibit

Biloxi, Mississippi ,
Walter  Inglis Anderson Museum
an American Master and Leonardo
Da Vinci, the dog

Asheville, North Carolina
the Center of Southern Highlands
American Fine Craft Art

TO THE MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST TO THE HISTORIC CITY OF NEW ORLEANS

Check out Galleries in New Orleans with Cafe Au Lait
One of my favorite cities in the world!

At a Dali Opening with Ann

Here I am at a Dali Art Opening

With Art friends from Columbia and Spain at Dali Museum 

TO FLORIDA'S TROPICAL WEST COAST

With Peter Tush, Education Director of the Dali Museum
and good friend 

With Artist Ann Suggs at the Morean At Center Opening

With fellow artist, Monica Guerrero and friend at Art Opening 

The self satisfied look of a happy artist!

JUST CLICK ON JOIN THIS SITE IN THE RIGHT HAND COLUMN AND YOU WILL RECEIVE A ART POST AUTOMATICALLY IN YOUR IN BOX DAILY, AND WE DO BLOG EVERYDAY!!

Let Them Have Cake! Cake as Art.

Sandy Patangay

from google image

If one is an artist, does the media matter?  Sandy helps prove that an artist is an artist no matter what media one uses!   She gave up a profitable life in Wall Street to pursue her hobby and passion...painting henna.  Which later went from people to cakes!

from google

from goole

Her attention to design, color and detail is fascinating.  Even Martha Stewart thinks she is perfect.    

INOCENTE, DOCUMENTARY ART SHORT WINS OSCAR

INOCENTE:
MY LIFE DEPENDS ON ME BEING ARTIST
OSCAR WINNING DOCUMENTARY SHORT 

from you tube for educational purposes only

Art saves lives.  Art builds lives. 

Inocente is an undocumented immigrant.  Her abusive Father was deported.  Her Mother walked her to a bridge for them both to jump.  She is homeless.  Many of her classmate have no idea she is homeless. But art has given her a reason to live and blossom.  Listen to this amazing documentary of a strong, passionate young woman who has found the strength to survive through art.  

ANOTHER ART FACT

1 OUT OF 111 JOBS IS IN THE ARTS!

from google image for educational purposes only

I think it might be safe to say it is much higher than that now, since we have become a technological culture, we have also become a visual society.

ADVOCATE FOR THE ARTS!!!

Question
"Which brings in the most money in communities, the arts or sports"? *Scroll to the bottom to find out.

Here is a site I am adding for Art Advocacy for all you supporters of the arts that need resources.  As a past art educator I will be adding more websites, links and blogs that will help you in your quest to support your art, student art and community arts programs.  

The Site is Artavocado.  Just click on the highlighted word and it will link you directly.  After this you will find it in the column on the right called websites of interest.

The answer to the question is  THE ARTS!!! The arts bring in more money than any other venue.  

I have added a host of fine art blogs for your easy access.  Many are based in New York City, some are art and politics, and others are the latest gallery openings.  Just scroll down on the column to the left until you get to Blogs I Follow then check out the new blogs.  

The Ripple Effect in the Arts

ENVISION THIS

A STONE DROPPED INTO A POND 

IT SETS OFF A SERIES OF RIPPLES,

 AT FIRST SMALL

BUT GATHERING MOMENTUM 

THE RIPPLES GET LARGER AND LARGER UNTIL

THEY REACH THE EDGE OF THE WATERS.

                                                                                                                                           from google image for educational purposes only

It is the same with people in a community, one person with intent and passion about an idea can effect others who effect others, until a whole community is touched.  

google, for educational purposes only

I remember watching a old classic Christmas movie, I think you may know it, with Jimmy Stewart.  It is set in the depression era when the banks fail and Jimmy's character is struggling to help all his friends and customers.  He is feeling failure and that if he could just end his life no one would care because he was worthless.  An angle in the form of grumpy old man comes down and grants Jimmy his wish, and shows him what life would have been like in that town if Jimmy had never been born. All the good he was doing would never have touched all the lives he had changed, and they in turn would not have changed other lives and the community at large would have been a desolate place.  
In this community where I live I see people who make a huge difference for the area, especially in the arts.  It may be the same in your area or town or it could be your area is awaiting someone to step up and offer leadership.  That person may be you or a group you represent.  I can see towns, as I travel, that have grown in the arts and others that have not.  What a difference it makes for the richness of peoples lives and the prosperity of the community. 
In my community there are many people to thank and to be thankful for the energy and passion they put into art and art education.  Here is an example of one person's passion about art and community that is making a huge difference in our area. 

Duncan McClellen, Glass Artist              from google image for educational purpose only

DUNCAN MC CLELLEN/GLASS BLOWER AND ARTIST

Imagine an old run down section of a town, warehouses that have gone vacant and set empty for years.  An area that became dangerous, due to drugs and crime.  The area was dirty, dark and not a pretty site..no one would ever want to live there or buy property.  Well, no one except for Duncan McClellen who decided to take a risk and buy and old sea food packing plant and make into his home, studio, and galleries to show other artists work.  Then in the dry sun parched sand lots surrounding his studio he plants fruit trees of all kinds and they thrive!  Now imaging other artist buying warehouses, more studio's, monthly artists walks, a trolly that comes to the old warehouse district bringing tourists.  Visualize an active thriving community, that teaches classes, sells work, art shows and an infusion of culture and money.  That is what Duncan built...of course not all by himself.  Remember the original image, a stone dropped in a pond and ripples going out.  And so it was and so it is! 

Click on this link and like their facebook page.

It can be in your community too...just seek to make a difference, seek to promote the arts, but be generous and support others at the same time, the growth will double if you do.    

NEW ARTIST SERIES

JOSEPH CAVALIERI 

Stained Glass with a Sense of Humor
******************************************************
Bart Simpson on the Cross?

Comic Book Figures in Stained Glass?

R Crumb Glowing through the Windows?

YES! This is all the work of Joseph Cavalieri's stained glass art. Joseph started out as an advertising artist and layout director, but wanted to be his own boss and be more creative.  He had grown up in the Catholic Church and looked more at the glowing brightly colored windows than listened to mass! As I can well relate to as a child I sat in the long wooden pews of the Souther Baptist Church and drew my heart out!
Joseph thought at the time perhaps the windows were to keep one from looking out if bored by what was inside.  
So he wanted his art work to glow, to be glowing posters and he decided to try the ancient art of stained glass, but he added a twist of his own.  He painted, he silk screened, he adding decals, and he fired it all.  Not all of his work is humorous, but all of his work is fascinating and takes stained glass to a fine arts level.  I think you will like this work as much as I do.  So treat you self and click on all the links to learn more.  Perhaps you might try your art in glass and see what happens...new media always challenges us as artists and helps us grow.  Enjoy!

Bart Simpson on the Cross  A bit sacrilegious perhaps, but with humor.  Cartoon Characters were used with Simpson Producers permission
by Joseph Cavalieri.   They actually have his work hanging in their corporate offices.
from google image for educational use only.

Influenced by R Crumb, cartoon artist of the 30's

Commissioned for a Historical Museum  

                      Video /click on arrow

HEY THATS ME!

Good Things Happen, 

We Just have to Take Notice!

These Three to Five Year Olds Self Portraits in Clay Will Amaze!

Kathy Penia is a teacher in the Tampa recreation program who teaches adults and children.  She takes great delight in working with the youngest of students with their parents.  I think it is a win-win situation when you can educate the parent and the child at the same time!  Kathy does that and with great delight.  

These self portraits in clay were just awesome.  She helped to build the form that the students would put their faces and hair on, but the result is phenomenal. 

Kathy talked to the students about great artists and how they did self portraits.  "What if your picture was the only one and it had to tell about you for all time?" She said to the students.  They listened with great awe and wide eyes.  The details and the freshness with the children's interpretation of themselves is amazing. It is no easy feat, as a teacher, to get such details out of children and very young children at that. Great job Kathy!  I think you will agree.  

Self Portraits  in Clay                                 photo by elizabeth gordon

The Girl with the Big Eyes!

Eyebrows, highbrows

Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds!!

I just love these teeth and glasses!

hair, hair, hair

Sparkling eyes and heart locket

   They almost look like they are coming to life!                         photo by elizabeth gordon

Addendum.....

The City of Tampa on the Gulf Coast of Florida is like many towns some good things happen and some bad things happen...and then some really good things happen that can become great things!

City Recreation and Parks started adding Art Studio's to their existing recreation buildings in different areas of the city.  Some of the areas are in economically challenged areas and others are not.  These Art Studios hired qualified art teachers to teach ceramics (wheel throwing), jewelry, glass fusion and stained glass, print making, photography and many other programs.  They provide programs for adults and children.  

Why this is a very good thing is the recreation buildings are all over the city and to expand the program would take very little.  It is kind of a diamond in the rough, that the city doesn't recognize the value of what they have.

Where ever you live this is a program that can be replicated and your community too can offer quality arts programs. Call the city of Tampa Recreation and Parks department and ask them about their studio arts program, they will be glad to offer help.(click)

 The key word is quality and qualified teachers.  I cannot tell you the difference art education makes in a community, it lifts the whole community and its level of art appreciation and creativity.  

The Man Who Controlled the Weather: ART AND SCIENCE

 Berndnaut Smilde 

Recently a friend sent me a forward about an artist that I was not aware of, who had created a cloud in his studio.  By controlling humidity and temperature in a controlled environment Berndnaut was able to create a cloud that was sustainable.  Now this brings up the relationship that I have thought about all my years as an artist, that of science and art.  First lets look closer at Berndnaut and his art work. Below is a video from you tube that shows his process of creating and documenting a cloud as art work.  It is fascinating to watch.  

from you tube

Smilde is interested in the transient nature of things which he documents through photography. He uses a fog machine and moisture and lighting to create a floating cloud indoors. 

“I imagined walking into a museum hall with just empty walls. The place even looked deserted. On the one hand I wanted to create an ominous situation. You could see the cloud as a sign of misfortune. You could also read it as an element out of the Dutch landscape paintings in a physical form in a classical museum hall" 

Smilde Berndnaut      Creation of a Cloud                                                   from  google image for educational purposes only

I have long thought as an art teacher and artist that there is a direct correlation between science and art, as there is with music and mathematics.  I think my own interest in art came from my Mother who was a science teacher and creative thinker.  The scientific theory calls for experimentation and inquisitive thinking.  I can remember in middle school when I was introduced to the scientific theory, it was like a magic formula to me.  I thought with this I can do anything, it makes so much sense.  As an artist I discovered the artistic process is identical..it calls for discover, experimentation, and trial and error.  If one thinks about it art and science are natural compatibles...color theory in art and science, how light effects color, the chemical make up of the world and materials, the re-creation of visual elements, the creation of the idea of perspective, and the experimentation of thought processes in a visual way.

Dali was friends with the most accomplished scientists of his day.  His art often includes scientific theory and thought.  The double helix is in many of his works of art and the inner design of the stairs at the new Dali Museum in Florida.  

Photo by Elizabeth Gordon    Dali Museum,  St. Petersburg, Florida

photo by Elizabeth Gordon             Dali Museum