Statuary

Where I used to live, statuary was rare, but here it is common and gives a different feel to the neighborhoods. This one is at a dentist's office.

And here is my latest small sketch in my little sketchbook--a quick sketch of gouache on marker-covered paper. I did it quickly at dinner tonight.

I am very sorry we've been so busy I haven't been online except briefly. I hope to catch up soon, but may have to give up blogging entirely. I don't seem to have time in my life to be online.

More of the Same II

One more house from the same block as the last two--and there were LOTS more there and nearby, but this is the last of the series for now--too depressing to do more.

The Flower is another from the Village Market. I can't resist them at this time of year!

And my latest little sketch in m,y little 5 x 8 Moleskine sketchbook, done last night at the Coney on Mack and Moross. BB of course.

It's on the inside cover and flyleaf of the sketchbook. Click image to view larger. This is done in ballpoint pen and gouache on waxy yellow paper. I'm sorry I'm so far behind. I may have to give up blogging. I'll try to catch up if I get time, hopefully soon.

More of the Same

This abandoned house is right across the street from the other one (yesterday).

The Village Market not only has flowers out on the sidewalk, but fresh vegetables and other treats. Definitely spring here. :-D

The good, the Bad and the Ugly

I shot some more abandoned houses driving around Detroit yesterday, and these are not any of the ones I've previously posted. Ugly and sad, I worry about the houses and the people who used to live there. Multiple houses in a single block.

Good: signs of spring: tulips at the Village market. And a quick sketch I made of them, called (what else), Tulips at the Village Market (by Detroit artist Mary Taitt). Click the painting to view it larger.

I've not been able to get on-line so I'm behind on commenting--I will catch up as soon as I can.

We're leaving shortly to pick up BB's 88 year old mother and drive to his son's to visit our grandchildren and ML's great grandchildren. So unfortunately, as far as commenting goes, we won't be here to do it. Fortunately, we get to hug grandchildren--it's Sophia's 3rd birthday!

There and here

At the Village Market--flowers outside. At home, Lenten Roses and Aconites, flowering, outside!

Skywatch Friday: Sailors Beware

Sunrise over Lake St. Clair, showing the leading and retreating edge of ice from the night being below freezing. And now it's raining.

And here is my latest art piece, a modified fractal:

The Great Fish of Fear, by me, Mary Stebbins Taitt.

Click image to view larger. A digitally manipulated fractal from Xaos, a free download for macs and windows?

And here's two for Marie--pages from one of my sketchbooks (click images to view larger):

Robins Galore!

The robins showed up early this year and they are everywhere! They ear berries and fruit when they can't find worms.

And a new quick sketch of hubby from dinner last night:

Pier Park a week ago

These pictures were taken a week ago, and I hate to say it, but I haven't been back since. My guess is that the ice is all gone. But I can't swear to it.

1)the community building and empty boats slips

2)one of the few residents at this season

3)rotting ice

4)incoming ice packs from Lake St. Clair

And here is my latest art piece:

From the Providence of Dreams, by me--a digitally manipulated fractal art-piece. I made the original fractal from which this came using Xaos, a free fractal download for macs. (Click to view image larger.)

Robert Pauli Scherer Home, future Hellenic Museum of Michigan

This building is located in the Cultural District of downtown Detroit. All the information I know about it is contained in the signs. I've never been inside.

and here is my latest art:


When I got my Moleskine back from my second group, the one with Jim Doran, there were a number of blank pages at the end. Hennie Mavis did an extra for me, but I have working to fill in the rest myself. This is the last. All the pages are done. I have a completed book. (YAY!) It's my first fully completed Moleskine of art. If I ever have time, I may make a movie of it and post it. Meanwhile, all the individual pieces that I have done are on my blog and the rest are at the FLICKR site* we used. Except not everyone posted theirs--some of my favorites never got posted. (And some did).

This piece is a result of my fooling around experimenting with various techniques--I was playing with that wide paper masking tape used for painting in houses--I forget what it's called, and combining various media. I used pigment markers and pens over colored pencil. I'm not overly pleased with the results, but I learned by it, which is what it was all about.

This is a small 5 x 8 Moleskine and of course BB was my willing model.

*I lied. Our FLICKR group has apparently been disbanded without my knowledge or consent. (I was going to post a link).

But, my own FLICKR pix from the group are available on my site, if you're interested.

Pier Park Beach in March

The beach is calm and deserted--but it will be a madhouse when it warms up!

Mini-golf Headquarters at Metrobeach

Lighthouses everywhere!!!

The second picture is a painting I made of THIS SAME LIGHTHOUSE (above) from Metrobeach--before it was painted grey (and from a different angle). Now I will have to redo it.

Neither of these are real lighthouses, but everywhere around here, they have these fake ones.

Here are two new super-quick sketches done with Crayola marker and brushed with water:

In and Out: The Detroit Historical Museum, Conservatory

The Detroit Historical Museum is one of the places skateboarders like to practice. The flower is for Andree and anyone else who likes flowers--it's a hibiscus from the Conservatory.

Skywatch Friday: 3 skies over Lake St. Clair

The ice is rotting with the warm weather and starting to go out. You can see the sky changing as the storm is coming in. These were all taken from Pier Park looking out onto Lake St. Clair. For some reason, I am having difficulty editing the html on these to make them larger as I have been, so if you'd like to see them bigger, you will have to click on the images.

Camelias, Conservatory, Belle Isle (One for Andree)

Camelias at the Conservatory at Belle Isle. Famous for its orchids, the conservatory hosts many other lovely plants.

Kresge Ford Building

HAPPY ST. Patrick's Day! May you enjoy the wearin' O the Green! (Or orange).

At the College for Creative Studies--this is adjacent to the DIA and not far from Wayne State in Cultural District. These people have my fellowship application.

The beautiful Irish Cross was painted by KJ Ward. I borrowed it for this greeting.

Irvin D Reid Honors College at Wayne State

We took a stroll around Wayne State.

Wayne State is an interesting and eclectic urban university. I guess it has a very good reputation.

And here's one of my latest paintings:


I'm fairly happy with the painting which is gouache on blue paper. I'm NOT happy with the paper, which turns out to be too thin and fragile or with the scanner which did really bad job making this look right--the paint is very reflective to the scanner light--it looks much better in natural light. I swear it looks better in real life. (I'm going to try to IRON it!) The painting is after one by Ray Campbell Smith. The shapes of mine are similar, but the colors are different. And his is watercolor while mine is gouache.

Wedding at the DIA

I was not involved, I was just an innocent bystander, LOL! I love seeing wedding by accident like that--and it was a perfect day.

The last pictures is some of my current artwork in progress.