Roadside Crosses

Blurred floral crosses
in my rear view mirror
A momento
of life
or death?
Who's to know...
I breathe
and pause
The End
The cause
as I change the station on the radio.

I once heard that roadside crosses were placed as a reminder to the dead.
A reminder to move on.
The one pictured on the left is in memory of a man named Hans-Peter, who lived in our little village. We were on the road right after the accident occurred. He was hit on his motorcycle. His aunt and his mother tend to the flowers weekly. It's difficult driving by knowing the cause.
Somehow this cross and flowers are not as blurry in my rear view mirror. Hans-Peter's roadside cross is a well kept memory in contrast to the other one with wilted weeds and broken pots.
A neglected momento too painful to maintain.

These photos I took on the way to Santa Fe on Valentine's weekend a few years ago.

These were well loved momentos adorned with Valentine flowers.

Lost hearts, but not forgotten........

I have always had a curious fascination with roadside crosses.

The placement and symbolism of a tragic moment.

How many notice them as they speed by dazed by their day and blurred in their rear view mirror?

Perhaps, now you will notice.

A Basket of Red Onions

A Basket of Red Onions

4 x4 each

acrylic on canvas

Mushrooms

Mushrooms

4x4 each

acrylic on canvas

garlic basket

A basket of garlic

each acrylic painting

4 x4

I am going to add some mushrooms tomorrow.

My booth is turning into a painted farmer's market.

Tomato crate

Today I took a crate for clementines and stained it brown. I used a wire brush to rough it up a bit, filled it raffia, and painted 9 little tomatoes. Each canvas is 4 x 4. I am getting so excited for my show. My mind is racing

with display ideas for my booth. I cant' wait to show you photos when it is all set up- just 3 1/2 weeks away.

Have a joyous weekend everyone!

Roman Forum

Roman Forum

12 x 28

acrylic on canvas

I found this piece of a colonnade at the Roman Forum. Yes, I was the crazy tourist lying on the ground taking a photo.

Painted on this long narrow canvas; it will fit perfectly over a door frame for the home lacking in architectural detail.

Pompeii

Pompeii

9x12

acrylic on canvas

This lonely urn was all that was left in the ruins of one of the many homes destroyed by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in Pompeii.

I took so many photos that day we spent in Pompeii. Each so rich with historical beauty.

But I have to say, if anyone has the desire to travel to Pompeii, they should go to Herculaneum instead.

Since Herculaneum is closer to the volcano than Pompeii, it wasn't destroyed as much as you would have thought. The pyroclastic flow was moving so fast, that by the time it had solidified, the town was already buried to a depth of 20 meters. The combination of ash and water lithified everything and ensured the conservation of all the walls in the houses and the artifacts.

We saw amazing mosaic floors and murals that were completely unharmed. The photo above shows one of those amazing murals. Just look at how rich the colors are!

I wonder if Rothko ever saw this?

Notes From The Black Forest

I found these notes tacked to several trees on my walk the other day. They are all writings from Goethe.
Separated about 200 yards apart, I let them guide me through the woods. Luckily,
my neighbor is well versed in Goethe and speaks English. He helped me with the translation, since parts are written in old German.
Reading from left to right, the first one says, "My inheritance, how gorgeous far and wide!
Time is my possssion, my land is time."
The second says, "Tell him, but say it greedily
his love is my life
Joyful feelings from both of us will give me his nearness."
The third says, "Don't sing in sad tones of the loneliness of the night
no, it is, oh pure beauty
made for togetherness"
The last one is my favorite and had the best translation, especially pertaining to all the previous ones.
It says, "Some we cannot understand.
Just live on,
it will all work out."
The air was tense when Michel finished translating the last tree note. His wife just left him for another man. I couldn't help but think this message was written for him to find in the Black Forest.
Yet, I delivered it to him, all the same.
Things usually do work out and as Goethe says, we must just live on.

New store

Please visit my new online store at Imagekind.

Click on the link in the upper right hand corner of my blog.

Have a great weekend!

Black Forest Hearts

Happy Valentine's Day!

I happened upon these hearts while walking the dogs.

It looks like nature played a part in the tree on the left, but the tree on the right looks carved. For days I have been trying to find a third to complete the photo. It's funny though, when you search for something, it is no where to be found. I found these two just by accident.

On The Way To Montepulciano

On The Way To Montepulciano

20 x 24

acrylic on canvas

Finished and proud!

Spice rack

Today I decided to give my locking, popping elbow a rest. I plan to resume painting on Wednesday.

Last night was a fitful, sleepless one. The creative juices were flowing through my veins ( no, it wasn't wine) .

I found this wooden crate in a storage room in the basement and decided to make a spice rack. It took forever placing the wire on the backs of all the little paintings. There was quite a lot of measuring going on; too much for my non-existing left brain to handle.

I know they aren't perfectly straight, but I can't do anything straight.

All my life I have tried and tried. I just try to accept it as part of my quirkiness. I am hoping others will too.

The bazaar is just 4 weeks away. For those of you that don't know, I am a vendor in a European bazaar. It is March 14-16th on Patch Barracks in Stuttgart, Germany. There are vendors from all over Europe. I am really excited to be accepted and a bit scared. This is my first time doing anything like this.

I have just a few more paintings left to complete.

day 2 Montepulciano

On The Way To

Montepulciano
Day 2

(unfinished)

20x24

acrylic on canvas

On The Way To Montepulciano

On The Way To

Montepulciano

Day 1

(unfinished)

20x24

acrylic on canvas

With olive trees, vineyards, and cypress this painting will have everything a Tuscan landscape can offer.

Today I just scrubbed color on to get my bearings. There is a lot going on in this landscape.

I realized something today when I was writing a friend about one of her paintings. The first four letters of painting; you cannot have painting without pain.

This little play on words has become a very real thing for me as of late. I have developed arthritis in my elbow and I am very worried about this.

This getting old thing is really getting old.

Trinity

Trinity

20 x 24

acrylic

on canvas

Finished!

Trinity Day 2

Trinity
Day 2
(unfinished)
20 x 24
acrylic on canvas

Fasching parade

As promised here are some pics from yesterday's Fasching parade.

For those of you who are not familiar with Fasching. It is like Mardi Gras in the States.

Fasching is a variation of the German word Fastnacht, which means the eve of the beginning of the fast. This is a time to let your hair down before Lent starts on Ash Wednesday. Although the celebration is assoiated with Catholicism, many of the masks are pagan in origin. These scary creatures prance about in an attempt to drive out the evil spirits of winter and encourage the coming of spring and good crops. There were a couple of times when I think they thought I was responsible for this weary winter. Up close and personal can guarantee a bad nightmare, believe me. This was our third and sadly our last Fasching parade.

I am only hoping that all those evil spirits of winter were all driven away yesterday.

Be sure and click on the collage for a closer view.

Oh and about that painting, check back tomorrow.

I had to be a good hausfrau and clean today.

Sorrento

This little kitty joined us for wine and cheese when we went to Sorrento last year.

You can see Mt. Vesuvius in the background.

I didn't get to paint today, but will show you how far I get on the Trinity painting next Monday.

I will also have some photos to share with you from the Fasching parade that we are going to on Sunday.

Have a great weekend!