A couple of days ag0, one of our readers, Gelaos, left a comment on our Neverending thread with a link to this song. Sea Shanties are popular right now, and this one made me smile, so I’m bumping it up to the front page.
… landscape, by Gustav Klimt
Farmhouses with Birch Trees, 1900, Gustav Klimt. Image from Wikiart.
… flowers, by Raku Inoue
This Montreal-based artist uses fresh flowers to create images. The pictures below are from his Natura Insects series, and you can read more about it at My Modern Met. You can also visit the artist’s web site, Reikan Creations, or his Instagram page, where you will find even more awesome whimsicality.
Kabutomushi (Japanese Rhinoceros Beetle), by Raku Inoue. Image from My Modern Met.
Black Widow, by Raku Inoue. Image from My Modern Met.
Butterfly, by Raku Inoue. Image from My Modern Met.
… trash, by Portuguese artist Artur Bordalo
I recently discovered an artist who is bringing attention to the problem of environmental waste and, in the process, making treasure out of trash.
Big Trash Animals’ by Artur Bordalo is a series of artworks that aim to draw attention to one of the world’s most pressing problems: Waste production. The overproduction of things like plastics and metals, a general lack of recycling and the ensuing pollution that it causes has a devastating effect on the planet, and we shouldn’t just learn to accept it as a necessary evil.
The full story, along with more photos, is at Bored Panda.
Trash Cat, by Artur Bordalo. Image from Bored Panda.
Trash Bird, by Artur Bordalo. Image from Bored Panda.
… Impressionism, by American artist Robert Lewis Reid (1862-1929)
Girl in Blue Kimono, 1911, Robert Lewis Reid. Image from Wikiart.
… landscape, by French artist Paul Gauguin (1848-1903)
Huttes sous les arbres (Huts Under the Trees), 1887, Paul Gauguin. Image from Wikimedia Commons.
… flowers, by Dutch artist Piet Mondrian (1872-1944)
Amarylis, 1910, Piet Mondrian. Image from Wikiart.
… Art Nouveau, by Georges Barbier
Falbalas And Fanfreluches, 1925, by Georges Barbier. Image from Moot Point Blogspot
It’s unusual to find mushrooms in the winter, but Avalus has a good eye and found a few to share with us. Enjoy.
Here are some photos I took over the last few days of January mushrooms.
These two I found in front of the department building. I really like the colour of their tops, they look like leather. The undersides look fascinating too. (photos 1 & 2)
Yesterday we had some snow as well and today I found this little fella, poking out the fresh snow. (photo 3)
Photo 1, ©Avalus, all rights reserved.
Photo 2, ©Avalus, all rights reserved.
Photo 3, ©Avalus, all rights reserved.
… modern American Artist, Frank Morrison
Morrison began his career as a graffiti artist but has become known for his work portraying black culture. According to the artist’s web site,
Morrison strives to capture people as they are, translating emotions through his paintings and leaving a memoir of our life and times today. His work depicts African-American livelihood in a way that is both familiar and comforting to those who often feel histories have been forgotten and culture has been usurped.Citing both Ernie Barnes and Annie Lee as forebearers of this tradition, Morrison remarks on his practice, “My work dignifies the evolllution of everyday, underrepresented people and places within the urban landscape. I seek to both highlight and preserve the soul of the city through the lens of hip-hop culture and urban iconography. I want people to experience the visual rhythms that choreograph life for the average, everyday person.”
Looking east and dreaming of seeing the Gaspe again ©voyager, all rights reserved.
I’ve been struggling to write this column, which is why it’s been so long since you’ve heard from Jack and me. We’re both fine, but our lives have changed, and we’re not having many adventures anymore. My sweet, beautiful Bubba will be 13 on Feb. 29th (March 1 in this non-leap-year), and he’s succumbing to the ravages of old age. He’s a big, heavy boy and his weight-bearing joints are full of arthritis, making it difficult for him to get around. He still wants to go out a few times a day to wander around the yard, but taking a real walk is no longer possible. We’re lucky to have an excellent vet who keeps Jack comfortable, and he remains a happy boy who spends his days gazing out the window or dozing by my side.
My vision for Jack’s Walk has always been for it to be a happy place where we take a moment to appreciate the wonders of the world around us and maybe take a deep breath and have a smile. It’s been hard to find that voice over the past few months, but it’s still there, and today, I have a HappyJack story to share.
Bye, Bye big bloody wart ©voyager, all rights reserved.
For the past year or so, Jack has been bothered by warts on his face that itch. He rubs his face on everything – table legs, people legs, carpets, snow, grass, dirt, telephone poles, his bed, my bed, my hand if it’s dangling in reach, and sometimes even poop if it smells just right. One wart grew very quickly and then started to break down and bleed, and it’s been so bad recently that the vet and I finally decided to go ahead and have it removed. That would mean an anesthetic, which is risky for an old boy like Jack, who was listening in to our conversation and making plans of his own.
A few days later, I noticed that Jack wasn’t rubbing his face, and then it struck me that the big ugly wart was gone. I took a closer look, and all I could see was a small, clotted stump resembling an umbilicus that was ready to drop off. Apparently, Jack scratched it off himself. No need for surgery, no need for wound care, and no need to spend the estimated 1,200 dollars. What a good boy, eh?
… posters, by Ridwan Adhami, Shephard Fairey, Jessica Sabogal, Ernesto Yerena, Delphine Diallo, Ayse Gursoz, and Arlene Mejorado.
They were commissioned by The Amplifier Foundation, a non-profit organization that raises the voices of grassroots movements through art and community engagement.
Today seems like a good day to wave hi to the U.S.A. and show off some of her best modern artists.
Poster series We the People by various artists. Image from NBC, courtesy of The Amplifier Foundation
“American identity starts with Native resistance. In this artwork, Ernesto Yerena honors Helen Red Feather of the Lakota tribe during her bravery and resilience at the Standing Rock reservation in 2016. She was originally photographed by Ayşe Gürsöz while protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline.” Words and image from The Amplifier Foundation.
“Ridwan Adhami decided to photograph a Muslim woman wearing an American flag as a hijab for the five-year anniversary of 9/11. They stood at the site of the World Trade Center, capturing the iconic image, without knowing just how far it would eventually go…More than a decade later, Adhami and Shepard Fairey reincarnated the image for Amplifier’s We the People campaign. As the Trump administration’s Muslim Ban continues to wage a war on Islamic faith, the artwork’s message will keep ringing loud and clear. There is no room for fear, only freedom.” Words and Image from The Amplifier Foundation.
“This piece from artist Jessica Sabogal focuses on the love, affection, and inspiration that will continue to persevere through the darkness.”Words and image from The Amplifier Foundation.
“At a time of so much discrimination and injustice, this photograph taken by French and Senegalese artist Delphine Diallo and converted into an illustration by Shepard Fairey reminds us of the power of youth and the world we’re building around them.” Words and image from The Amplifier Foundation
“…this photograph taken by Arlene Mejorado and illustrated by Shepard Fairey is a crucial part of the We the People campaign. Mejorado, a photographer and documentary-maker from California, describes herself as “the daughter of migrants, brown, queer, multi-ethnic, and aspirant of beauty and truth.” The image depicts Xicana activist Maribel Valdez Gonzalez, described by the artist as “an incredible queer, first gen, muxerista, educator who constantly pushes my politics.” The final artwork was carried by thousands at the Women’s March for the 2017 inauguration.” Words and image from The Amplifier Foundation
… illustration, by Al-Jazari
This is one of many whimsical illustrations from the ancient Book of Knowledge of Ingenious Mechanical Inventions by Turkish artist Al-Jazari. I’ll be featuring more pages from this book from time to time. It’s a treasure trove of wonder.
The Elephant Clock, from The Book of Knowledge of Ingenious Mechanical Inventions, 1206, by Al Jazari. Image from Wikiart
