Saturday, February 14, 2015

Green Tulips



Dear Art lover,

     I imagined my Valentine’s Day to start with brunch of kiwi, oranges, and cheese with fruit tea.  Then I would do some writing, research, and later painting; maybe a break by walking to the sea for the sunset.  Once back home I would then make a lazy dinner of salami slices, avocado, tomato, lettuce, and cheese layered in a tortilla.  No cooking and very little washing up.  I thought I might celebrate in the evening with a wee bit of Bailey’s Irish crème and some lovely new flavored dark chocolates I found locally.

Balancing Triangular stone and red iron-rich clay along the sea north of Umag, Croatia
Balancing triangular stone along the sea north of Umag, Croatia, surrounded by native red (iron-rich) clay



     However, my family nickname of “Grace Kelly” does not only describe my physical moves in sarcastic terms.  Earlier this week, I stepped “into it” again with words I used and found myself within a sadly familiar argument with someone I dearly love.  Every time this happens it bothers me seriously for days.  On the 11th, I took a long walk north along the sea and tried to figure out why I do this time and again with this person (and others, if truth be told).  I tried to find a solution.  I do not really think that one exists.  So, the only good thing is that with each confrontation, I come away with a better understanding of how I feel, what I really want, and why I do what I do.  It may be the best I can do in this case.

     So, last night, I did not sleep.  With so many things on my mind, sleep has been elusive for several nights and last night even moreso.  Allora, I write, as I have done all of my life that I can remember.  It is a cathartic experience, a physical release through the arm and a tactile experience with ideas and paper.  The Bailey’s Irish Crème turned out to be breakfast around 5 a.m., I think.  Finally a bit of rest, and then …..Hahah… and lunch was the chocolate. There are few rules on these sorts of things, right?

Umag Croatia Sea Wall tote bag sculptor Mary Tanner
Umag Croatia Sea Wall tote bag sculptor Mary Tanner scientific drawing      My friend and fellow stone carver Mary Tanner of Nebraska [I am charmed that this is how she signs her letters to me] had given me a wonderful gift the day we met in Firenze:  a handy tote bag which features images of her scientific drawings of Smilodon californicus, fossils that came from La Brae tar pits in downtown Los Angeles.  I packed this full of my pastels and a pad of paper, just in case, and took it with me on my walk by the sea earlier this week.  I stopped in this spot shown here to eat a few kiwi and watch the sun go down.

     Thus, it was a good day.  In fact, it was a great day since several of the ideas in my head that have too long vague began to take a more solid form and are coming together in a cohesive and do-able vision.  I have my next body of work.. many parts are still vague, however, for me it is always that way.  And once I find a home and can start this particular work, the forms will emerge as we go.

     In addition to a lovely day, I want to share with you two pastel works on one easel in my little space here in Croatia.  I started them in Italy… now trying to play with color and other explorations while I am away from my normal space.  Green Tulips and Piazza at Night [the latter started out as Piazza Santo Spirito in Firenze, but I have only memory to go by at the moment and am still working with this one].

Green Tulips Pastel Painting art drawing on paper, work in progress



Piazza at Night Pastel Painting art black paper, night view, drawing, art


     I have also spent the week being technically challenged on several fronts.  I still have not found a way to send out my art newsletter, despite having signed up for a different program (which freezes each time I try to enter content).  My e-mail program has mysteriously stopped keeping copies of my sent e-mails.  Random weird and frustrating things are happening in various programs on my laptop and the screen keeps crashing.  The type font now also looks jiggy-jagged, making writing on this computer a bit of a headache.  Yet, virus scans turn up nothing.  My Internet research leads me to no solutions.  It has been a frustrating week.  

     However, those who HAVE seen the newsletter published on my Web site have written me to tell how much they enjoy the images there…. So if you can, share and enjoy yourself, please:  Tantalizing Tasmania:

And, as always, thank you for your continued interest.  Share this with anyone you think might appreciate it! 
Kelly

~ Kelly Borsheim, sculptor, painter, writer, teacher

P.S.  Happy Valentine’s Day, there is still so much to love and for which to feel grateful.

Green Tulips Detail of Pastel Painting art vase of flowers

Green Tulips Detail of Pastel Painting art


Smilodon californicus, Umag, Croatia, Tasmania, sea walk, Mary Tanner, frustration, Grace Kelly

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Dawn with Full Moon and the Sea



Dear Art lover,

“Up at Dawn” is not usually a phrase you will hear come out of my mouth very often.  However, the only reason for that is that nighttime arrives first and I love that time of day, apparently a little better.  This despite the fact that each time in my life that I have made a point to be somewhere outside between the hours of 4 – 7 a.m. it has always been a wonderful experience.

I hardly slept the night of 3 Feb… or the night before.  I am fortunate enough now to live in a place in which I can see the western horizon and I have tried, in vain, for the last two opportunities to see the full moon setting large on that horizon of sea and sky.

The moon rises about 50 minutes later each day.  So, I have been timing and watching.  Sadly, the last two full moons have also seen cloudy nights.   But I hoped on the 3rd night of this month's full moon that I would see something.  So, I was up and moving around 5 a.m. and walked out towards the sea.  I was surprised by how much further north the moon was going down compared to the sun’s exit place.  This first shot was taken around 6:20 a.m.  I was pumped.  Despite being about 10-minutes away from the bend where I could see that part of the horizon, look how large and red the moon was!  It is a bit horrible that I do not have a better camera and a better zoom lens!  

Red big full moon setting around 6 a.m. in Umag, Croatia


Sadly, I missed the moonset.  I had quasi-run to the edge, worrying that once the sinking started, it would go fast, as it does.  Either I was slightly too late or there were just too many solid clouds on the horizon, I could not tell.  I thought to go back home to bed, but there was such a peace listening to the water lapping over the rocks and cement of the sea wall that I stood behind.  So, I pulled out my very long and thick scarf and balled it into a pillow and laid down on the wall, closing my eyes so I could just listen and breathe the clean air.

lighthouse Adriatic Sea Umag Croatia dawn


This second image shows the view north to a lighthouse.  And the rest of the images were taken as I walked back home towards the dawn.  Of course, I had to stop at “my” outdoor gym that faces the harbor.  I like to do the arm pulls whenever I pass by.  Then you see a new little amphitheatre that the city of Umag, Croatia, is adding to the sea walk.

I should do this more often.  I love walking along the sea with so few people about. However, it is cold which explains the peace.

My latest art newsletter is getting a good response, considering that I am still having problems sending it to my subscription list.  Six months ago, I went to Australia to judge an art competition and teach art workshops in Queensland.  After my jobs were done, I flew south to Tasmania.  See Devils in the Sanctuary and other goodies in Tasmania.  Click here:

And, as always, thank you for your continued interest.  Share this with anyone you think might appreciate it! 
Kelly

~ Kelly Borsheim, sculptor, painter, writer, teacher

P.S.  Happy birthdays to my brother Steve and also my Uncle John.

dawn sea walk Umag Croatia
dawn blues sea walk sea ramp Umag Croatia
outdoor gym with view of harbor harbour Umag Croatia
Dawn rising over the new amphitheatre construction Sea Walk Umag Croatia


Sunday, February 8, 2015

Tantalizing Tasmania



Dear Art lover,

     My new art newsletter is published after some serious editing.  I hope that you enjoy “Tantalizing Tasmania” at:

CONTENTS of Borsheim Art News:
*  New Work:  Tasmania in the Clouds - Landscape Painting
*  Tasmania:  More images
*  Future Travel Plans:  Models Wanted PLUS
*  Blog Highlights:  Portrait Painting Process in Umag, Croatia
*  Subscription Info.

      I only knew of Tasmania because of the cartoon and I had nicknamed my paternal grandfather the “Tasmanian Devil.”  He was a lot of fun.  I used to think that Tasmania was a make-believe place.  Now I know it is a fantastical, but real, place!

      See Devils in the Sanctuary and other goodies in Tasmania.  I am afraid that you will have to go to my Web site to see these images, but it is easy… just click:

     And, as always, thank you for your continued interest.  Share this with anyone you think might appreciate it! 
Kelly

~ Kelly Borsheim, sculptor, painter, writer, teacher