October 22, 2008

Cuff design-Angela Keslar
Hand model-Meagan Brandt
Photography by Sharon Lee

Everybody raise your hands!

I've decided to vote this presidential election according to the candidates hands. My criteria includes: looks, grace and movement. Hands down (pun intended Barack Obama has a large lead over Sen. McCain.

Here are the reason's why:

Skin Color
Barack Obama has finger skin the color of a milk chocolate Hershey bar, a beautiful smooth mellow brown color.

John McCain has hands the color of Gluten-free rice bread-whitish grey with a hardness and chalky texture

Barack Obama uses his hands in a fluid and graceful way such as a dancer uses his or her body in a performance. It is magnetizing to watch.

John McCain pumps his tightened fist in a repetitive pound not unlike the pistons of a car engine. He also counts weird with his hands while he is making a multiple layed point.

Barack Obama looks as if he has smooth manicured nails. Most likely this is done in secret as the press would be all over him for such an indulgence. I imagine Michele pushing cuticles back with an orange stick and buffing his nails to a lovely sheen behind closed doors late at night.

John McCain looks like the kind of guy that gnaws off his nails then rubs them against a rock to smooth things out.

I'd like to include Sarah Palin's hands possibly giving John the nudge he needs to make the race closer than it is but I suspect there are dried pieces of wolf, polar bear and bull shit underneath her nails which would be smelly and unsightly making including her a bad idea.

Peace Always

Sharon

October 21, 2008

Internal Dialog
2004
acrylic on masonite
48" x 48"

A day full of fabulous dimentional clouds-grey and white with peaks of intense blue skies.

After a day of excilerating balloon soaring I decided to keep my feet closer to the ground. unfortunately that involved much vehicle driving running errands which left me just a short time for panting. I've started a new painting. No vision yet where it is to go. I just know what has to express through this painting for it to feel completed. (hope that makes a lick of sense).

For me painting stories on my canvases are much like writing fiction based on non-fictional characters and events. It is the best of both worlds where you can use stranger than fiction and make things work out in a manner that feels correct to the creator.

Peace Always

Sharon

October 20, 2008

Photo by Sharon Lee


With a threat of snow (at least in the Northern regions of central Pennsylvania) and clear skies for a good part of the day, I decided to take out my hot air balloon for one more lift this season, cruise to Bethlehem, Pa and visit a wonderful vegan bakery, Vegan Treats. This bakery has nailed vegan baking in fact I would hold any of their baked goods, tiramisu, sticky buns, eclairs, cookies to any other bakery vegan and non vegan alike.

As I gassed up the ballon and headed home I bit into a delicious jelly donut, dripping sweet freshly made strawberry jam onto my jacket while looking at the most spectacular foliage against a blue-grey sky (perfect color for accenting the vivid reds, orange, yellows, browns, purples and greens). Life doesn't get any better than this.

Peace Always

Sharon

P.S. Just kidding I wanted to see if anyone was paying attention

October 19, 2008

Because my art is based on personal experiences, issues or observations with/from friends, family and acquaintances are usually part of a painting. At times, I suppose, this can be uncomfortable for some to be publicly exposed in such a manner. I try to keep this in mind while at the same time not compromise the vision I have and what it is I want to say.

Such is the case with my latest start. Several days of metamorphosing the person who is to be exposed into a bird, toad, then alien I was inspired by an old Mexican woodcarving that I had acquired many years ago. The figure is in a position which speaks to the experience I want to share. Tomorrow I will translate the woodcarving on to paper then transfer to the canvas where I can begin to paint.

Peace Always

Sharon

October 18, 2008

Photo by Sharon Lee

One blog that I subscribe to is one by Alison Bechdel. Originally from central Pennsylvania I first became aware of her work "Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic" which is largely based in Beach Creek, Pennsylvania which is down the road and over a mountain from where I live. "Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic" is a graphic novel that she both wrote and illustrated about her family of origin in all their dysfunctional glory. I'd say that this book was a page turner except for the fact that the illustrations were wonderful and worth spending extra time viewing.

Alison now has a blog which is updated just short of once a week covering any and all topics that interests here.

Fun read.

Peace Always

Sharon

October 17, 2008

Blah, Blah, Blah
2007
acrylic on hemp and organic cotton
38" x 38"

Yesterday for no apparent reason I decided to write a somewhat scathing comment on another person's blog. This was unprovoked except that when I originally read the post something inside me felt it necessary to share my truth and "set things straight".

In 2007 I painted "Blah, Blah, Blah" which I felt encapsulated how I was relating to the world concerning recently switching over to a vegan lifestyle. Behind the protagonist there are two people-one reacting with their head exploding and the other not reacting (or listening) at all. This is usually the case when someone sermonizes and I expect that the blogger will received my comments in exactly that way.

Peace Always

Sharon

October 15, 2008

Zen Diner
1998
acrylic on metal and mirror
6" x 6"

Down the road a bit from me in front of the "estate" of a local successful contractor is a ginormous McCain and Palin sign. It makes me laugh every time I see it in that the sheer size of the sign in front of the home of an obviously well off family says it all.

Next time you go to an art show take notice of the sizes of art works. It takes space and the means for transportation to paint large. More than once I had to rent vehicles to tote my art work somewhere and it is minor in size compared to Monet's lilies or Rothko's color panels.

Size for painting storage and transportation has kept my pieces in the past few years under 48" x 48" framed. This is the largest I can fit a piece in my Volvo on the diagonal. I also have a roof platform for slightly larger pieces but it is hell driving with a large thing overhead and the flap flap flapping of a tarp to cover it.

Peace Always

Sharon