October 11, 2008

Photo from trip to Big Valley (Belleville Area)
central Pennsylvania. Will post more tomorrow-problems with posting photos all evening.

Peace Always
Sharon

October 10, 2008

Photos by Sharon Lee

Here is central Pennsylvania the leaf colors are FABULOUS!. My home is located in the Appalachian mountain chain which lends itself to a variety of landscapes and strange, sometimes unpredictable weather patterns. Nevertheless grey cloudy skies or the bright colorful blue sky all lends itself to enhance the beauty of the leaf color.

Tomorrow I hope to drive over the next mountain which is about 13 miles southeast of here. From the top of Pine Grove Mountain you can see much of the Big Valley, home to several Pennsylvania Amish communities. Will post the results.

Peace Always

Sharon

October 9, 2008

Meanwhile Back in the Congo
2005
acrylic on canvas
22" x 22"

Today was a perfect example of life imitating art or art imitating life. Unlike anything that I had written in today's "To Do" list I spent the majority of the day with my head in "grey" water trying to psyche out a plumbing problem. For me, plumbing will always be the battle I fight. I know water always wins but the human in me tries to get it at bay and under control none the less.

n 2005 I painted "Meanwhile Back in the Congo" which narratively tells the story of the pride I felt upon the completion of a plumbing fix-it that was quickly stifled when I thought about the suffering of the people of Dar fur and their suffering.

Peace Always
Sharon

October 8, 2008

As a vegan, the question most often asked, second to 'How do you get your protein?" is "What do you eat. When I was a lacto-ovo vegetarian it was very easy to grab something to eat even in a meat heavy eating environment such as central Pennsylvania. To stick to a vegan diet a bit of pre-planning and more home cooking is required.

Today, with the cooler weather I set out a pot of lentils, picked some kale and combined with onions, garlic, and a tomato made a fabulous international lunch.

Using my newest cookbook addition, The World in Your Kitchen, the lentils were transformed into "Yemesirkik (lentil stew-Ethiopia), and the kale was substituted for spinach and became "Saag"(India). With a cup of rice or some flatbread I've yet to create, I will have prepared food for the next 2-1/2-3 days.

Peace Always

Sharon

October 7, 2008

Photos by Sharon Lee

As everyone else is doing at this time, my thoughts are turned to the economy and guesses made for what that will do for the arts. On all accounts things look depressing and I would guess artists will have to rely more and more on "outside" jobs, galleries will fail and museums will run the risk of closing because insurance costs will drive them to sell off their art collections.

This is the pessimistic view. A more optimistic view would involve the resurrection of the WPA which encouraged the arts by paying artists for their time and creativity. Click here for the index to New Deal Artists listed by state.

Only time will tell.


Peace Always

Sharon

October 6, 2008

At some point of the day I do a quick summary of what I did during the day and if it translates to something that can be written in this blog. Nothing, it seemed to me at that moment had any bit of creative relevance, in fact I was shocked that a full day could go by without any creative impulses.

At first glance a day sans art:

Drove 2 hours to deliver a piece of camera equipment (free lance job)
Take-out at Thai Restaurant
Pick up painting at Frame Shop and drop off two photographs to be framed
Walk in Woods

That's it. That is the summary of today. However, during my last activity I thought more about my day.

Drove 2 hours
This is through the most beautiful part of Pennsylvania during leaf changing season. Past several Amish communities and lots of roadside veggie and fruit stands. Color Inspiration!

Take-out at Thai Restaurant
Nothing creative.

Pick up painting at Frame Shop and drop off two photographs to be framed
Actually I spent well over an hour trying to chose mats for two photographs I was to frame. Both of these photographs are of Todd Rundgren. Playing with textured and colored mats is fun and should be tried at least once by all.

Walk in woods
what can I say "Color Inspiration!!!"
and there was that bear....


Peace Always

Sharon

P.S. The Smokey the Zombie Bear series is now avaiable for sale on Ebay, Smokey the Zombie Bear I , Smokey the Zombie Bear II, Smokey the Zombie Bear III, Smokey the Zombie Bear IV

October 5, 2008

While I wait upon the delivery of some fresh organic cotton canvas, I have been busying myself with house remodeling. You may remember that several years ago I tore my house apart, reconfigured and piece by piece have been putting things back together again.

The area in my kitchen where the pots, lids, potatoes, onions, and take out containers reside was a disaster. Someday I will have an outside pantry to hide this mess but for now everything is out for all to see. This is an issue that needed to be addressed. I have been against putting up cabinets in my kitchen as the wall is a beautiful colored slate (Arizonian I believe) This past summer I broke down and got a small 1940s cabinet with top and bottom but still was left with a pile of important yet unorganized flotsam and jetsam.

Needed was an inexpensive metal rack, large crock for the potatoes, and a bunch of metal hooks. I had the right sized drill bit but it was not a masonry one and I blew the point out fairly quickly. The masonry drill bit I had was a hair too big. Looks like tomorrow will include a trip to the hardware store

Peace Always

Sharon

P.S. The Smokey the Zombie Bear series is now avaiable for sale on Ebay, Smokey the Zombie Bear I , Smokey the Zombie Bear II, Smokey the Zombie Bear III, Smokey the Zombie Bear IV