“Playground,” for example, is drawn from childhood memories of cowering in bed while explosions filled the night. Then, a few days later, he and his friends would run outside, excited for the things they would find in the wake of battle. The children collected nails, various shapes of glass, and bullet casings the way most would pinecones and worms. Dwelling on this memory, adult Rock used these objects to capture movement. “Playground” is a hybrid of paint and object mosaic, with a girl’s dress soaked in red to represent the destruction of innocence. The painting moves like fire, with nails and bullet shells spiking the red and maroon border. A Peace sign made from rust-colored barbed wire is barely visible amongst the gray, red, and orange glass hovering over the scene. Altogether, the piece is six and a half feet long and weighs over 100 pounds; a heavy painting for a heavy memory.

A core element in Rock’s past and portraits is color. His piece “Ardoyne,” named for his home town, illustrates the atmosphere of the IRA neighborhood: dark, black as gunpowder with grit and smoke hanging in the air. “In the gray, dark…nasty nasty world, the bright colors are what you’re drawn to.” For Rock, those are the green, white, and orange of the Irish flag. Red of blood is also prevalent, repulsive yet intriguing. In the painting these bright colors are splashed against a backdrop of black and maroon, shining against the dark but still a mess in and of themselves. The paint is lumpy, thick, like plaster dried on pavement. To demonstrate the nastiness of war, Rock literally scoops dirt and mud from the ground and mixes it with the paint on canvas. “It also illustrates that we’re all dirt…that we’ll all be back in the ground, pushin’ up clovers…”

His intense involvement with his pieces is all part of his personal therapy; while most people talk through their past traumas, Rock paints through his. He literally lets his emotions and memories possess him until the rush is spent, the tension is released, and he can ride the euphoric high of completing his piece. “A lot of physical work goes into all my paintings,” he admits. The best example of this is “Burn,” which stems from a direct memory of his fourteenth year, when he helped clean corpses from a gas station explosion. The mannequin is stuck to the canvas, purple, black, and gray as charcoal with splashes of red. It’s wrapped in barbed wire painted to look like the Irish flag. While Rock loves his country, he admits that even in times of peace, the political closeness is binding and suffocating for the people. “Peace is never, ever free. [We] may achieve peace, but there’s always constraints.”

Rock’s work is all about his Irish heritage, but he now resides in the countryside of New Mexico, where he’s happy to say that he can hear the birds sing and has a new studio from which to work. Allowing the frantic nature of his memories to take control in his art has helped him immensely, though there’s always more to let out. While he still harbors chaotic memories, he hopes his paintings will give a voice to others from Belfast, to show the world what war was like and what it is like and what it will continue to be like. He has captured pictures of emotions behind his most painful memories so all can look at them and see the psychological scars of battle. One glance brings to mind anguish, frustration, and danger. On the other hand, they also carry a sense of hope; that the world will come to realize the atrocities of violence and stop before the next generation suffers its consequences.

April DeBord is one-of-a-kind.  Adventurous, charismatic, intelligent, passionate and ridiculously creative are just a few ways of describing the artist I was sitting across from over our dinner interview.  To be honest, when I first scheduled our chat, I thought I was only going to be talking with DeBord about her firedancing.  Granted, that would have been plenty enough to keep me intrigued; however, it was just the tip of the iceberg.

Originally born in Akron, Ohio, DeBord is an artist who has dabbled in a variety of mediums.  “I tend to get bored easily,” explains Debord over her linguine alfredo.  “I like to try out a little of everything.”  DeBord is a painter, professional photographer and has even published a book.  She is also an avid traveler, with her great love being road trips.   ”I love to travel all around the U.S. and outside of the country.  And I love to document my travels through photography and my writings.  While I’m in different places, even some as extreme as the South American jungles, I will stop and do a fire dance,” states DeBord.  Her goal, in fact,  is to travel to every continent and fire dance.  And I do believe, DeBord will achieve this.

DeBord combined her love for traveling with photography through a book she published in January of 2011.  “Heads Toward the River!” is a visually stunning and beautifully written volume of DeBord’s adventures through the jungles of Columbia.  This self-proclaimed adrenalin junky spent ten days sleeping in hammocks admist oversized insects and venomous snakes.  DeBord joined an adventure/travel group out of Tampa and quickly made friends with folks she had never met.  The gregarious and cordial artist also met with another interesting group while on her travels.  The Kogi Indian tribe was a significant part of DeBord’s South American excursion.  “I loved the Indians.  We sat around in huts with them and got to learn their culture,” reflects DeBord.  One of the adventurist’s favorite memories of her trip was being able to climb all 1200 steps to “The Lost City,” or Ciudad Perdida.  The location is considered to be quite magical in many respects.  However, DeBord’s journey offered a lot more than just enchanting jungle sites or sacred Indian villages.  “We had to trek through the jungles by mules.  It wasn’t always easy,” explains DeBord.  She also recalls having a couple very close encounters with snakes and enduring a painful knee injury.  “I was thankful for our travel guides.  They were amazing, always there to help us in a difficult or scary situation,” remembers DeBord. One of DeBord’s most daunting moments was while walking through a river.  “We often had to trek through rivers, but none were very deep.  However, there was one river that nearly swept me away.  It was treacherous and we had to hold on to each other to pass it.  There was a spot in the river that took a sudden drop and it was very deep.  I was in shock, as the water was freezing cold.  My guide was there to save me.  He really took hold of me and grabbed me,” recalls DeBord.

Personally, I was rather amazed at this young woman’s Columbian adventure.  It was all very Romancing the Stone-from Indians and snakes to dangerous rivers and mysterious jungle destinations.  And if you don’t think you have what it takes to trek through the jungles, but would love to visit vicariously through DeBord, simply check out her book.  It can be found at http://www.blurb.com/user/store/Apryl00.

Though DeBord’s travels may seem extreme, she also likes to just jump in her car and drive around from city to city, state to state.  Recently, the road tripper drove solo to all the New England states, minus Connecticut.  “All the states were so beautiful, but I really loved Maine,” states DeBord.  The daredevil naturalist even climbed Mount Katahdin, the highest peak in Maine. “I love to hike and climb mountains.”

So, was DeBord born with wanderlust, or did she somehow acquire the love of traveling as she got older?  “I lived in Alaska for a while and it changed me.  It made me really want to explore the world.  I loved it.  Somehow, living there, opened me up; it freed my spirit.  I was born in Ohio, moved to Florida when I was eight, and then years later in July of 2000, I got myself a one-way ticket to Alaska.  I was with a man at the time who was in the Coast Guard.  We had to live there.  I was worried about moving there initially, but I ended up loving it.  It was incredible.  I developed a love for exploration during this time, as well as for photography.  I felt creative,” fondly remembers DeBord.  The beauty of the rugged Alaskan wilderness was breathtaking and inspirational for the emerging artist.  Then, just two years later, DeBord packed up whatever she could fit into her car and took off on a road trip with a couple of her friends.  First, they went to New York, then to Florida, camping and making other fun stops along the way.  In the end, they finished their venture at DeBord’s home state of Ohio.

I had to ask DeBord, if she could go to one dream destination in her travels, where would it be.  “Oh, I have so many places yet that I would love to discover, but if I had to narrow down my list it would be New Zealand or maybe Africa for a safari.  Another place I have to go one day would be Bali,” answered DeBord.

If the artist isn’t on one of her many adventures, she may very well be taking pictures.  DeBord is a professional photographer, after all.  She earned a BFA in Photography at the University of Akron, along with a minor in Professional Photography and Computer Graphics.  Today, DeBord owns Inner Sanctum Photography and specializes in unique portraits, fine art nudes, wildlife/nature and pet photography.  She also does amazing black and whites, in addition to her color shots.  DeBord further mentions that she does hand coloring, upon request, for any of her black and white photos.  The photographer came up with the name, Inner Sanctum, because for her it means a place of calmness and peace inside the mind and soul.  DeBord explains that the words translate roughly into “mind den.”  For more information on DeBord’s photography, or to schedule a sitting, visit her website at www.innersanctumphotography.com.

DeBord also keeps busy with her everyday job, which is working at HSN, here in Tampa Bay.  For all of you home shoppers, HSN is your one and only go-to place.  At DeBord’s “day” job, she works as a freelance post-production artist- just something else the artist can do to spark her creativity and keep herself from getting bored.

To me, DeBord is synonymous with an onion; peel and onion and you will find lots of layers.  This fascinating thirty-something may indeed, wear a lot of hats; however, her most well-known hat is perhaps the one she wears during fire dancing, symbolically speaking.

DeBord began fire dancing in 2004.  “ I took a trip to Key West with a friend of mine and we went to Mallory Square at sunset to watch the street performers.  I saw a couple doing fire dancing and said to my friend, ‘I have to do this!’  After the two were finished dancing, I approached them and asked them about it.  When I returned home, I went online.  I learned a lot about fire dancing just by watching YouTube videos for six months.  Then, I started practicing with my roommate at the time.  When I first started, I used glow sticks so I wouldn’t hurt myself.  I eventually began using fire once I became more comfortable,” explains DeBord.  “The second time I did fire dancing was at my family’s annual Halloween party in Ohio.  Contrary to what people think, I don’t spend all my time fire dancing.  I’m afraid I would get too burnt out!  I like to keep things fresh.  I do love fire dancing though.”

Fire dancing is an ancient performance art.  For those who are not familiar, it is a beautiful and creative way of manipulating fire, and more specifically, objects set on fire through dance.  Objects, such as fans and staffs have wicks, which are soaked in fuel and then ignited.  The art form, obviously, is quite dangerous so it is crucial to take precautions while dancing.  Poi is fire dancing performed with a ball in each hand, suspended by a plaited cord (or chain).  It is then spun in circular and other acrobatic patterns.  Poi is also a traditional art performance of the Maori people who live in New Zealand, a group that DeBord would love to one day meet in person.  The Maori, however, never used fire while dancing; instead, the Americans were the first to light the match.

Poi began many years ago in New Zealand and for the purpose of increasing flexibility and strength in the hands and arms of the Maori people.  It was also excellent for improving coordination.  Poi dance was originally used by the Maori women for keeping their hands flexible for tasks such as weaving.

The wicks used in fire poi come in a variety of materials, most commonly, KEVLAR.  The material is a man-made organic fiber.  If used correctly and is well taken care of, KEVLAR will last and can then be used numerous times.  According to DeBord, it is also the same stuff that firemen’s suits are made out of.

DeBord performs wherever and whenever.  In fact, she has a few YouTube videos of herself performing at an old, abandoned Orlando amusement park called Splendid China.  DeBord felt inspired while inside the park, and even though she didn’t have music, she often would just dance to the sound of the wind.  Splendid China has since been razed, but DeBord still cherishes many of her memories performing there inside the cracked and decaying walls and corridors.  Over time, DeBord has danced at proms, private Halloween events and birthday parties.  She was once asked to lead the very famous Guavaween parade in Ybor City, Florida.  In addition, DeBord performs at her favorite venue, her family’s Ohio Halloween party.  “I’ve been asked to do many events, but unfortunately, there are a lot of fire restrictions that do not allow me to participate.  Fire codes are tough.  When I was asked to do Guavaween, I had to have a Fire Marshall on each side of me at all times.  It was pretty expensive in the end to hire all three of us, so I ended up not walking in the parade.  I really regret that,” states DeBord.

DeBord generally goes by the name RED, especially when she is fire dancing.  It is a nickname that she acquired while visiting New York years ago.  “While I was there, a group of obnoxious New Yorkers kept screaming out to me, ‘Hey Red!’ It was because of my bright red hair.  This was while I was in college, and now years later, I still go by the name.  It’s perfect for my fire dancing.”

When DeBord fire dances, she captivates.  “I use belly dancing with the element of fire.  I also like to experiment with objects such as fans.  I would like to get a fire jump rope to use in my routine.  I would use it to swirl around me, not to jump over.  I think it would look very cool,” explains the fire goddess .

Since fire dancing is considered to be such an intense performance art, I couldn’t help but wonder, has DeBord ever been burned?  Well, as the old adage goes, if you play with fire, you get burned.  “I usually don’t get hurt too badly, but once I got badly burned when a Poi wrapped around my arm and got stuck.  I actually could feel my skin melting off of my arm until I was able to pull it off.  It happened during a performance, but I just kept on going and played it off like nothing was wrong.  Everyone thought it was just part of my act.  Today, I will just get the occasional superficial burn, which tends to heal pretty quickly.  When I first started my fire dancing, I used to frequently singe my hair.  Now I use a scarf or put in dreads!”

DeBord brings her fire dancing along with her on many travels, as stated previously.  Her most beloved fire destination, thus far, being the DeBord Halloween Party.  The annual event just celebrated its 16th successful year and now has over 150 special guests.  It all started back in 1995 in the backyard of  DeBord’s brother’s house.  The party was modest and only a few family members and close friends were invited.  “My brother started it as a family thing.  It started in the backyard and then migrated all over the house and past it.  It just kept getting bigger and better with each year.  It became a street party,” states DeBord. “It then got so big, the police told us we had to stop it as a street party and move it to a bigger location.  What once started out with just a few people, soon had become an event of over a thousand.”  The party takes place typically the first or second weekend in October and there is always plenty to see while there.  An extravagant list of vendors and performers are on hand to entertain the crowds.  “We have jugglers, bellydancers, hearses, paranormal investigation groups, bands, costumed characters and so much more,” DeBord proudly tells me.  DeBord performs her fire dance at sunset.  And although the party is great fun, there is quite a bit involved.  “My brother and I are in charge of it and there are a lot of responsiblities for us.  I do the fire dancing, but also take many of the photos. I have to worry about putting things out, such as decorations, and taking it all down in the end.  We had to move it from the street to the VFW.”  All the hard work that the DeBords put into their party, sure is apparent in the end.  It is, by far, one of the most outstanding and elaborate of its kind.  If in the Akron, Ohio area next October, make sure you stop by.  It’s a great way to celebrate the bewitching season; the party is safe, family-friendly and best of all, free.

There is no doubt that DeBord is a stand-out kind of gal.  She knows what she wants in life and is not afraid to go after it.  She is strong and ambitious; kind and lovable.  DeBord is, indeed, unique and I mean that in the very best of ways.  A creative and free spirit that inspires and encourages everyone she meets.  A most talented artist and a most caring friend.

After our meal, I realized that our interview never really was one in the first place.  It was more like a dinner with a long lost buddy.  Or, maybe it was like some sort of self-reflection. Perhaps DeBord represents a small part which exists deep within each and every one of us- our adventurous side, our risk taking side, our creativity. Talking with this amazing artist was an awakening.  Life is far too short.  We need to live each day to its fullest; try new experiences and to not be afraid to learn something new.  Don’t just add on to your Bucket List- start scratching things off!  Not surprisingly, DeBord is doing just that…and more.

For more information on the annual DeBord Halloween party, please visit www.debordhalloweenparty.com.  The next party is scheduled for Oct. 13, 2012 in Akron, Ohio from 1 pm-11:30 pm.

To see DeBord performing some of her fire dancing routines, including those done at Splendid China, please visit her YouTube channel found at www.youtube.com/AprylRED

If interested in learning more about DeBord, please “like” her at www.facebook.com/FANSofRED. 

Me: It’s great to have you back on The Expressionist…I read on your blog that you recently went to Europe. What sort of impact did such an experience have on you artistically?

TM: My fiancée and I went to…Greece, Italy, Iceland, Ireland, and England. It was something I never experienced before; you draw tremendous inspiration from old-world masters…There wasn’t much contemporary work but so many old-world works. Since I teach art I know these works [from textbooks], so being able to see it was phenomenal. There are subtle nuances that you don’t catch.

I think it reiterates the fact that art should be something of time and historical value. The quality of my work has to be tip-top and continue to explore different avenues. I was in a natural history museum in Dublin, for example. Old-world building, with preserved animals and skeletons…so I started thinking of sculptures with fabricated bones…that kind of inspiration you can’t get anywhere else.

Me: What did you bring back with you philosophically to use for your own pieces?

TM: I think philosophically I was blown away by these, especially Italy. I was blown away by Renaissance artists, even old works from Greece and Rome. The whole point of Rome was to be remembered and that’s why contemporary artists do what we do; we want to live on. We’re in a creative field based on the fact that we can be remembered. It’s about the longevity of your creation…it’s reinforced why I do what I do and continues to keep me motivated.

Me: From what I saw on your blog, street art in Iceland is quite creative and insightful. How does it compare to American expression?

TM: Iceland was beautiful…I’m a big street art fan; I was [blown] away by the fact that Europe has a much longer artistic history, and America’s a very young country. I think the appreciation for art is there. They don’t mind having public art, they don’t clean it up…we give graffiti art it’s legal laws but it’s not really accomplishing anything…If we had any aesthetic towards street art I think it would thrive here in the States.

Me: Did you draw any graffiti?

TM: I continued a project called Tweets for Life. I’ll find interesting quotes from people and it’ll coincide with people in real environment. I type them and print them up on sticky paper so I can stick them in random places. I did that in Greece, Italy, in grocery stores…on shopping carts.

Me: There are a lot of video game icons and cartoon characters in what you call, “Potpourri,” or “Random Works of Awesomeness.” As a member of the current generation, I really liked these works and loved seeing these characters presented in such a creative and personal way. What sort of significance do these works have on your overall art? Do you feel they’re deeply relevant or are they simply just fun to draw?

TM: There’s so much behind them, it’s the memories from when you were a kid. It’s interesting, all these capitalists making money has become personal, lifelong memories for us. I think being…27, and growing up in the early 90s and late 80s, I think for my generation these are the heights of capitalism, for these icons to be burned in our brains. All that stuff, not only is it funny to me cause it brings back memories, but also an ability to inspire from it. I love abstraction; [it] can also be humorous. I love humor and I love comedy.

Me: Bearing these pieces in mind, do you feel that technology is detrimental to visual art?

TM: That’s a really good question. I think technology has been great for visual art. Artists choose not to embrace it properly, [but] as artists we’ve been using new technology. Now we have bits from new media…I can look up great pieces of art anytime, from anywhere. Disconnect comes when people get distracted by it. When they could be looking at art they’re looking at videos of cats playing the piano…It’s a great way for artists to be seen like never before, but you have to be careful with what you’re doing online to have it matter.

Me: Do you think the Internet could move art forward, or is it setting it back?

TM: It could absolutely move it forward! Revolutions happen through YouTube and Blitz. I think to ignore that as an artist is very silly. The world we used to live in, you know, hang out in studio, work really hard, and then someone in a suit comes in and says, “You’re the next big thing.” It’s not like that anymore; you need to be out there marketing yourself.

Me: People have to sell themselves.

TM: You have to be your own personal cheerleader. Recession weeds out what artists will and won’t be here. Doing art once in a while is one thing; for those who want to be full-time it’s harder than ever.

Me: Many of your pieces have a 3-dimensional quality to them. Is this method of painting inspired by our generation’s demand for media to literally pop! or is this more from your architectural background?

TM: Great question; I think it might be a combination of both. I think, for me…this generation demands more than ever. They can go to museums and be bored by technical art. [They] demand higher standards; dimension has to be there. I’m producing sculptured works and 3-D works; for me it’s more grabbing and more expressing. The “paint” has been done billions of times in history and it’s time to be exploring different materials and…be completely expressive.

Me: Of all the forms of art most Americans don’t understand, I feel as though abstract art has the worst reputation. Most feel it is someone simply throwing random paint on a canvas and saying, “Here, now pay me.” How would you describe your abstract work to someone with this opinion?

TM: I think that’s understandable. A lot of it has to do with money. We have really simple art in the modern era from the 50s and 60s where people would paint a square in the middle of the paper and now they’re worth $10 million. I think it offends people in a lot of ways. I think…if money wasn’t involved, they wouldn’t get so offended.

[But] I think it’s the most pure form of art. If you’re going to paint still-life, you’re just re-representing what’s out there. Abstraction is ultimate; there are no preconceptions of what you’re seeing, you’re inventing it, creating it, starting it.

Me: I personally love that abstraction shows the raw emotion behind a subject rather than just the subject itself.

TM: For a lot of people that’s hard to except, that art is just emotion. The subject is the canvas, color, movement, it’s not deciphering a person or a car or a tree. Most people have a difficult time doing that and it involves education and conversation. They won’t spend time looking or thinking. Abstraction’s still fairly young; it’s still 70 to 80 yrs. It may be a matter of time before abstraction is up there.

Me: Do you think it will be?

TM: I hope so. I’m a huge supporter of it obviously. I think a lot of artists gravitate towards it; it’s freeing media, and some people do buy it.

Me: Do you give yourself any rules with your abstract work? Many of your pieces, though wild, are pretty comprehensive compared to other works. How do you decide what to channel and what tools to use in the wake of such a loose form?

TM: In many ways, I have concept of color and feeling and what the basic premise of the piece is. When I first started I went with how I felt, and if it came out good I was happy. I’ve been doing it for years and [now] I have a better idea of how things will work. It’s become more of a scientific process, then the emotions come through. That’s when you really get free and start working on it…with abstraction you combine so much paint, action, movement; it takes a part of you with it. I think most artists feel that way.

Me: I like the car you have posted on your website. What drove you (author’s note: pun intended) to paint your car?

TM: (laughs) I got bored with cars always being a same idea. [A] huge part of American society, all solid colors. It doesn’t seem natural to me; I just decided I would start drawing on my car. Of course people were warning me against it, you know: resale value will go down, insurance will go up, [I would] be getting pulled over every five seconds. But then I thought, why worry about it? If I did, I wouldn’t have [become] an artist in the first place! So I stripped the clear coat, a friend at a body shop helped me…I drew it with paint pens, then covered it with another clear coat…It gets attention everywhere, definitely a conversation piece. People going about their daily lives, doing the same thing over and over, then they see my car and it’s a break from all the [monotony]. When routine is broken by a few seconds of art, it can be pretty powerful.

Me: Cars are a vital part of our world; they help us go about our daily lives and become a part of us personally. Why, do you think, more people don’t personalize their vehicles?

TM: Well it’s time-consuming; mine took over 180 hours. People get scared to make cars individual; they’re an expensive investment. It lacks a certain flair and human ability. They’re all manufactured, we know what they all look like; there’s no surprises. It makes life pretty mundane. Putting art on a car seems such a great thing, to have a rolling piece of art can be a powerful thing. I do drive it all the time.

Me: So when can you paint my car?

TM: (laughs) I want to paint another car. I’ve had a few close offers for motorcycles. I do by hand with paint pens, so it takes time and effort. It also takes the right person to want to commit to it.

Me: Do you paint on other kinds of products?

TM: I draw on everything. We live in manufactured worl; nothing has that personal touch, nothing is hand-made or really special. I add art to whatever I can and do it in some way that’s really meaningful. Everyone’s determined to keep things pristine and factory-fresh. I think people are afraid.

Me: What do you see on the horizon of your artistic future?

TM: I think there’s a lot going on. I have a solo show in NYC next year, an amazing accomplishment. For me, my work will continue in complexity and if quality doesn’t continue to go up, they should stop. Quality should be a staple, you want to have quality in what you make. I’m just going to continue in longevity…trying to one-up myself. Whether or not I can afford it, it doesn’t matter, art deserves to evolve.

Me: Do you have anything you’d like to share with artists and would-be consumers?

TM: I think art deserves to be seen and it deserves to be appreciated. I want to expose my art to as many people as possible. I think for art lovers and admirers…if you love my work that’s great, but continue to seek out other artists. It should be up there with music and film and be important in everyone’s lives. Artists are some of the hardest-working people I’ve ever met…I think, to have a following, is a nice touch to all the hard work. People think artists want to do it for themselves but they…deserve the recognition for all their efforts.

One major reason is they don’t have a website.  Other reasons are they have a website but fail to have a proper contact page, or they use these forms that fail to work right.

Sadly these talented artists found a way to expose their work yet they will find it harder to excel to the next level because they are improperly using their resources and tools that work for them and their art.  Its frustrating to see this.

Like it or not our world and the way we do business is changing.  Regardless what you think art is still a business, even if you don’t make money at it the goal is to expose your work to the world, and the internet has been the platform that most people rely on and one that can bring you international viewers.

Unlike most jobs art is universal, people can buy your work anywhere anytime; that’s why its key to utilize your resources at hand.

Why is it important for people to contact and talk with you?  As an artist many times you can receive special commission jobs.  These jobs can run more than your normal work because its customized.  In order to obtain these jobs your viewers need to be able to effectively communicate with you.  Another reason is your fans love the opportunity to talk with you because it makes it more personal for them to have a one on one relationship.  It makes them feel special, which in turn brings in more views, fans and requests.

The Excuses

Through out my journey to discover artists I have often asked them my they refrain from posting their e mail.  Believe it or not most of them are afraid of spam and they feel the forms will fight spam better.  WRONG!

My business website for my photography studio has a form.  Believe it or not I get more SPAM from that form than I do anything else.

I hate SPAM more than anything, it is a nuisance I agree but I refuse to let it keep me from my goal or mission with my art.

What To Do

First of all I suggest using a form but still post your e mail address.  As an artist I also strongly suggesting that you never use your personal e mail for communication.

With Google and Yahoo offering free e mail accounts, set one up there strictly for business purposes.  If you get SPAM here, so what.  Most of these e mail services have decent SPAM filters.

Next I suggest placing your e mail as a puzzle.  For instance you can make it look like this, I am using the magazine’s e mail  theexpressionistmag [at] gmail [dot]com.  You can also place the e mail address in an image.  Bots can’t read an image as long as you don’t make the image a hyperlink to mail you.

Why is this important since I have a form?

I have found through asking people directly why they tend to not use a form.  The answer is this… “They don’t believe that the intended person receives the e mail”.  I can see their point of view.  They don’t know if you have an office of people working for you who sees the e mail request and deletes them.  With a direct e mail for you they feel more secure in knowing that you have received your e mail.

Some artists may still have their staff screen their e mail address correspondence too, but its a greater chance that you will receive that e mail that not.

Do yourself and your art a favor and make yourself open to correspondence.  If you are afraid of criticism then let me tell you, you are in the wrong field.  Art is about criticism, and a good artist takes the good and bad compliments and makes it into something positive.

Some people see it as a variety of colors and nothing more, while others see something more defined and intense.  Either way, the work is awe-inspiring!

Today, the Expressionist Magazine sits down with Kerrie Warren, an Expressionist painter we found in Australia.  She’s halfway around the world, yet her work connects us all.

1. Tell us a little about yourself- where you are from, are you married, etc. (bio.)

I was born in Melbourne in 1968 and lived a ‘gypsy’ type lifestyle with my younger brother and sister, regularly moving from place to place.  My parents had grand ambitions and fresh ideas with each move so I remember it was always exciting to pack up, but emotionally torturous walking into the next ‘new school’.

To date, I’ve moved 34 times (including caravans) but like a tree I’ve grown roots here in Crossover (Victoria, Australia) with my husband Chris, two beautiful dogs, Garth and Tess, and an old horse named Billy.

I’m a country girl at heart and experienced living on a number of large properties as a child, so I’m completely at home here surrounded by green pasture, rolling hills, dairy cattle and wild birds (paradise for an artist / hermit).  I’ve been here for ten years now and my studio is an old (renovated) dairy.

2. At what age did you start painting, and what got you interested?

From a very young age I loved drawing and writing poetry.  I didn’t have access to paint and brushes, probably due to moving about so much (and pencils were quick to pack up).  My father and both grandfathers enjoyed drawing and I can remember myself and my brother Rodney spending hours upon hours drawing whenever we got a chance.  Mum would often surprise us with a new Derwent pencil and I’ll never forget how exciting it was to smell the wood and admire the fresh color!

But poetry was my pure expression of self.  If I ever felt ‘lost’ or ‘anxious’ (common feelings in those days), I would completely loose myself in the rhythmic words.  The sensation was so profound. From a very early age I was able to tap into ‘me within’, to ‘the source’, and my worries seemed insignificant and I would be at peace again for a short period.  Even reading my poetry late at night helped keep me sane (art therapy).

It wasn’t until years later I learned that poetry is ‘abstract’; it all started to fit into place like a jigsaw puzzle.

I left school to work when I was sixteen, following in my parents’ footsteps and working in a variety of fields hoping that something would ‘fit’. I wound up working in regional television and producing, which I enjoyed to some extent, but still found myself sitting in the car during my lunch breaks madly writing poetry.  I had a mid-life crisis at twenty-five, which was the best thing that ever happened.  I sold my car and enrolled to get my Diploma of Art in Ceramics (I had never touched clay before).

My whole being yearned to create and I allowed myself to be guided by instinct.  These studies also included formal drawing classes and I had taken on additional painting classes too.  The whole world seemed to open up before me and I fell in love with life itself.  I discovered in those years that the raw materials have a life of their own and instead of manipulating them, I would work with them and allow them to take me on a journey within (like poetry did).

I became more and more intrigued by the process itself and continued on to complete my Diploma of Transpersonal Art Therapy in Melbourne where my mind was opened up to ‘working in the moment’ to ‘abstract expressionism’ !

3. Tell us a little about the part of Australia where you currently reside.

I live in Crossover (West Gippsland), Victoria, Australia.  It is approximately 1.5 hours from our capital city, Melbourne.  http://www.westgippsland.com.au/

4. How would you describe Abstract Expressionism to those who may not be familiar with the art   form?

For those unfamiliar with this style of work it would be best to break it down first and look at the word, abstract, which means to not represent or imitate external reality. (Non-representational)

Expressionism represents the ability to express emotional experience rather than impressions of the external world.

‘Abstract Expressionism’ is also known as ‘Action Painting’.  My work is furiously energetic; a free and spontaneous application of paint which allows the release of pure creativity of the unconscious mind.

‘Spontaneous’ doesn’t necessarily mean ‘quick’ and certainly doesn’t mean ‘out of control.’  It’s about stepping into spontaneous itself and being ‘in flow;’ to be at one with the canvas and clear of mind in order to work in that zone and be taken on a journey within.  I’m greatly influenced by my environment and what is occurring in my life at the time.  When the paint dries and I become the viewer, it’s obvious to me that my work is a visual diary of events.

This process is more akin to tuning in a musical instrument than it is to a traditional painting style and I work with rhythm, balance, vibrancy and pitch (in a visual sense) to a point of resonation.  I work with the force of gravity and the thrust of energy; the physical movement in those moments is recorded on canvas in paint.  I walk out of my studio at the end of the day feeling like I’ve been hit by a truck, though the process itself is a spiritual comfort and quite addictive.

5. Who, or what, inspires you?

‘Life’ inspires me.  I’m absolutely fascinated by the miracle of life on Earth.  I’m fascinated by the Universe and what might be on the other side of it.  I’m intrigued by life after death, by God and by the power of Mother Nature and why I might be here, in other words, ‘my purpose’.

I feel that I’m close to knowing something more, to seeing something more, to understanding something else when I’m in the process of creating.  It ‘feels like that’ to me and it is this sensation that draws me back into the studio day after day.

I feel more like a mad scientist than an artist most of the time and yet I have no answers. I don’t experience ‘creative blocks’; I simply make a start and then seem to be following a thread.  It’s excitably tormenting!

I became in-tune with this process during my studies in Transpersonal Art Therapy where I experienced working on the floor, working within the moment and often during meditation or after chanting and drumming sessions.

It was after this period when I first heard ‘the Pollock comments’ (often sarcastic) and I became curious.

I started researching and learning more about this Jackson Pollock.  I was intrigued to learn that, he too, had lived a gypsy type life as a child and had experienced Shamanism (as I did during my Transpersonal Art Therapy studies).

Over time I’ve become more and more fascinated by, energized by, and absolutely inspired and excited by his work.  Even though we are separated by lifetimes and continents, I feel a very powerful and personal connection that I honor and cherish.

6. Do you have any mentors?

I have a number of mentors including my mother (and artist) Judi Money and husband Chris Major who both offer understanding, encouragement, and belief in me and my work.

I’ve formed lifelong friendships with a number of my surrounding colleagues and time after time we have mentored each other and emotionally supported each other through the various cycles of living an artist’s life.

I do, however, experience moments in my career when I feel quite alone and I’m not sure of the next step (not inside the studio, but outside) and ‘self managing’ my career.  Each step is a new one to me.

7. What are your goals, dreams?

To be approached by a ‘Peggy Guggenheim’ who will be absolutely taken by my work, believe in my work and manage my career!

I would also love to create historically significant (and very large scale) works to be hung in and collected by state galleries and museums around the world.

To be known as Australia’s great ‘Action Painter’ on a global scale.

To discover what’s on the other side of the universe through my work (I don’t ask for much).

8. Where can we view your work currently?

I currently have work exhibiting in the Red Sea Gallery, Brisbane (Queensland), Australia and am in the process of organizing my up and coming solo show in Melbourne (details soon) where I will also launch my new design label ‘Kerrie Warren Designs’ inspired by the Guggenheim.

Until I exhibit again in New York, you can view my work on-line at www.kerriewarren.com.au

and my studio is always open by appointment if you happen to be close by.

9. Tell us about your favorite piece, if you have one.

Each piece is significant because it links to the previous and the following much like a chain of events, but I’m always most excited about the piece on the floor!

10. What does painting do for you on an emotional level?

Painting emotionally stabilizes me and provides a spiritual comfort; it allows the release of pure creativity of the unconscious mind.

11. How much time do you spend working on each piece of art?

I tend to work furiously over a 1 – 2 day period and then continue in a more subtle sense while the paint is drying (tuning it in), which is generally over the course of a week depending on the weather.

I enjoy building my own stretchers and bonding with the canvas itself before I launch into it.  It’s like ‘warming up’ first.

A Co-op is a group that comes together for a purpose.  In the art sense, it’s a group of artists that join together to provide a workable gallery or studio for artists to show or perform their work.  By joining together, many Co-ops provide opportunities many couldn’t do by themselves, like owning a gallery for instance.  Co-ops can come in and negotiate using the power of the group to provide affordable opportunities.

Some Co-ops charge those who join a monthly fee, some charge a yearly fee and require those artists to donate their time to help offset operation costs.  Some don’t charge at all, but rely on networking to expand their reach and services.

These organizations can be quite a blessing for artists, however, Co-ops are best if they are run correctly.  The main problems that Co-ops face are the ever present politics and cliques.

Since these Co-ops operate with a board of directors, you will have some politics present.  Everyone will have a say into how this should run.  Like some government politicians, they tend to make their time in office a life long career, and even after they leave office they still have a lot to say on how things are run.  If people do not listen to them, they will sometimes try to make a lot of trouble for the group.  Unfortunately the ones it hurts the most, are the ones who are simply involved to show their work and want nothing to do with the politics of it.

Politics and egos go hand in hand.  Sometimes you will see particular artists try to befriend someone at the top in order to receive perks, kind of like D.C. lobbyists. This can cause a lot of animosity among the others in the group, especially if that person gets their way more often then not.

Being apart of a Co-op I also saw cliques take shape.  These are groups of individuals in the Co-op that feel their work is far superior to the rest.  They criticize the others and are quick to judge.  When these people take over and volunteer for the day, they tend to not be neutral, and push their work and the work of their friends. In some cases they talk down about the work they feel is sub par.

This kind of behavior hurts Co-ops probably more than politics do.  The reason is, by trashing other’s work or ignoring it all together, the Co-op fails that artist.  That artist could be paying a fee to be in the group or taking time away from something that could financially benefit them to work the gallery to help offset costs.  If these people don’t sell their work, it soon could become a financial burden and they leave.

Lack of members with the inability to recruit new members hurts Co-ops because their income does not come from art commissions, in most cases, but from monthly dues and volunteering.  Without volunteers, they are forced to hire people to work the gallery, which takes away from the financial power to advertise and sponsor events.

If Co-ops keep politics to a minimum, and axe cliques before they become a problem, artists will find Co-ops to be a great way to get their work on display, grow their resumes, sell their work for extra income and learn from other artists who have the same goals.

As most people say, there is no greater threat than a gun in the wrong hands.  Well, the same proves true for photographers and cameras, only their weapon scars the soul and looks harmless.  Cameras, these days, are quite affordable and versatile.  In addition, you don’t need a concealed weapons permit to purchase one.  Most who have these high tech SDR cameras automatically consider themselves “pro” photographers, and with the “automated” settings, they can achieve a decent photo with little to no skill.

That causes concern because that kind of camera could trick many women.  Women who are looking for nothing more than to be the center of attention, flaunting their beauty to the world as an innocent dream, thinking the photographer is for real.

Unfortunately, when people with cameras use their piece of art equipment to lure these beauties, strip them down and photograph them for their own sexual pleasure, it creates a bad name for those who are “real” photographers.

These deceptive photographers are easy to spot, but can be quite convincing.  They will say or do anything to get these women out of their clothes.  They will make them sign their lives away, throw them empty promises, and in the end, the innocent will be taken advantage of and visually raped.

Working with models most of my professional career, I’ve heard horror stories from other photographers.  In some cases, these freaks actually gave them their pictures – which I got a chance to look at – and saw nothing more than a point and shoot version of what they called “art”.

I’ve known models who performed implied and full nudity with the promise these photographers would break them into the “big leagues.”  They tricked women by saying  ad companies and modeling agents require a full nude photo to gain the aspect of their body structure.  In the end, the photos were less than amateur at best, and many ended up online somewhere.

In some cases the women never received their copies and the photographer is no longer around… surprised?

I also know some models that refused to do nudes or implied nude photography, but the photographer didn’t care.  The photographer actually decided that the model was going to pose nude, and took it upon himself to try and strip her.

As I said earlier, there are certain signs these photographers will throw off and they are easy to spot if you know what to look for.  I suggest that all models or any female who wants to do any kind of modeling shoot, follow my advice.

Sign 1 – The first question out of the mouth of these photographers when setting up a shoot is, “Will you pose nude or implied nude?”  In the aspect of nude or implied nude there is no difference, except that an implied nude shoot won’t expose a fully naked body; the photographer will see you nude but will pose you in such a way that doesn’t allow full exposure on film.

Sign 2 – The photographer wants to do this shoot TFP (time for photos) and promises the moon to these models.  If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.  “Time for photos” is when the model trades their time to the photographer for photos.

Sign 3 – Thier portfolio is filled with nudes or implied nudes with little to nothing else.  Examine these photos and see if the models have anything in common such as ethnicity, length or color of hair, and how they are posed.  Then look at yourself.  If you have the same qualities, you may be the prospective victim of this “legal” sexual predator.  If you don’t like their work or it’s just not what you want to shoot, then simply leave.

Sign 4 – Tell the photographer you are bringing an escort with you.  Most will object to the heavens, convincing you everything will be fine.  They might even get in the way and mess up the photo shoot.  If you still insist, you may not hear from them again.

Another tall tale sign comes when you first show up to the shoot.  If you are posing nude, even implied, the photographer should ask you for your identification, and make record of it.  The Federal Government states that nobody under the age of 18 can pose nude for the camera, implied or otherwise.  Regardless of the law, it’s a moral issue not to photograph someone nude under 18.

Unfortunately, these photographers exist and with more and more of them acquiring mobile studios and working out of their homes, the chances for this disgusting activity increases.

Always meet with the photographer prior to the shoot in a public area.  Be sure to bring an escort with you; that reduces the chance of something happening.  Tell another person where you will be at, how long you should be there and who is shooting the photos.

I also suggest obtaining references from the photographer and calling them, especially if nudity is in play.  I also think it’s a good idea to look them up on the local database for sexual predators prior to shooting.

If you arrive at the photo shoot and you feel uncomfortable, you don’t have to do the shoot at all.  It is your right to say no.  Any serious photographer will respect that and work around the issue, and will still be able to create a masterpiece for you.

The best advice is be vigilant, listen to your instincts and play it safe even if you’re shooting simple head shots.  Also, glamour shots don’t necessarily mean stripping!

Unfortunately, even if you fall victim, there are no laws that will put the photographer into jail for sexual abuse.  At most, you could sue for the pictures and maybe for pain and suffering.   However, conditions become much different if the model is underage, or has been physically assaulted.  If this should happen, it then transposes into physical sexual abuse and/or rape.

For more about Jason Dowd or Dowd Studios visit http://dowdstudios.com

This art is unlike any other, it’s something nature paints but masterfully put together by Doug Drysdale. When Drysdale puts together his eco art, he must consider so many things such as: what species go together, what climate its going to endure, the care the owner wants to provide, and color scheme. If Drysdale doesn’t consider each element, the tank and all that inhabit it could perish.

His art is so unique, that every tank is completely different, yet the depth of the art is shown when one takes the time to really study each element separately. For instance, if you really want to wow your viewers, place a black light over the tank to see an amazing color change in the sea urchins and most fish. Step back and see the grandure that is the mighty coral, yet so fragile in its own right; but still provide shelter to the fish that live in the small glass contained eco-system.

After sitting down and talking with Drysdale I walked away with a new understanding to this living art. I discovered things I had never known before, for instance, Coral is a living organism despite its rocky bone like appearance. Prior to talking with Drysdale, I always thought Coral was dead just living things grew off it. Coral is also very fragile, despite its strong exterior. It can crumble from various things like toxins in the water to climate changes and light.

According to Drysdale, different coral and other anomalies live at different depths of the ocean. At these depths certain rays of light are able to penetrate, if that light is too strong inside the tank, those deep living coral can become in a sense ‘sunburnt’.

Additionally, Coral has many ways to defend itself. As other coral grows and spreads, a piece of coral may defend its territory by omitting a toxin. Some of these toxins cause slime, shock, and other reactions. Looking at it, would you have any idea coral did this?

Going further in the conversation, I found out that toxins in the air can affect the tank and the life it contains. Those toxins can come from you simply cleaning your house or office. For instance, if you were to spray Windex or something of this nature on the tank, the glass can absorb that acid and affect the water or the overspray can land in the water. Air freshener and other sprayable household cleaners can get into the water by air transfer. These toxins can offset the pH in the water; depending on the level it rises to, it could kill some or all of the tanks inhabitants.

Drysdale suggests using natural items to clean around your tank, and the tank itself such as vinegar. Vinegar is 100% natural, and it doesn’t contain other caustic chemicals. The worst that will happen is it rises the pH in the system which must be counteracted by a base. Household chemicals have other ingredients which may not be easily fixed if it contaminates the tank.

What’s really amazing is the colors one can add to these fish tanks. I was amazed with the brilliant yellows, reds and oranges these anomalies came in. The fish too can add brilliant colors for a perfect blend of color and accents to the tank.

If you’re one of those who needs to be exotic, you can add some Lion fish or maybe an Octopus into the equation. The possibilities are endless, yet it provides a piece of art that’s forever changing, and art that you can look at over and over again and never see the same thing twice.

Drysdale sells pieces for your aquarium out of his home based business in Lutz, FL. He’s open Saturday and Sunday for you to come and see his inventory of fish, coral and anomalies. You can find Drysdale by visiting his website at http://www.DrysdaleAquarium.com

About Doug Drysdale of Drysdale Aquarium

As a biologist (Tufts ’95), I take the time to educate my customers who wish to develop their skills and knowledge as hobbyists and encourage active participation with regular operations.

Conservation, continuing education, promotion of aquaculture and ethical ecological practices are cornerstones of my business philosophy.

I am proud to say that the majority of the corals I provide to my customers are grown in my other systems, minimizing impact on the world’s reefs. As more and more fish species become available to us, I am delighted to provide tank raised clownfish, blennies, basslets and cardinal fishes and a growing number of species whenever they are available. Kudos to the pioneers of marine fish breeding and rearing! -DD

Inside this bag, Faulkner found stacks of paintings, newspaper clippings, and photographs from an artist named Harry Sonntag. The stack of pictures is a trove of Florida history, in a time when most of the state was completely barren. Faulkner’s research on the life of Harry Sonntag, combined with his art, tells a tale of Florida’s past; a story almost lost forever.

Harry Sonntag was a lifelong artist. He started his career in New York, eventually opening his own gallery. New York is a great place for an artist, but Sonntag craved individuality with his art. He didn’t want other artists to copy his style and ideas, thus in 1949 he moved to the Florida Keys where he would assume the life of a “hermit artist.” It was during this time that he began depicting life in Key Largo in his art.

Before he moved to Key Largo, a small misfortune struck Sonntag when his studio burned to the ground. He claimed that all his works of art burned in the fire, so Key Largo was going to be a great new start for Sonntag.

In Key Largo, Sonntag opened the Key Largo Art Gallery. This gallery was right off the main road leading to Key West; a great place for vacationers to stop and see his work. The ironic part was that his gallery was an abandoned structure, dilapidated with a roof full of holes. Structurally, one would wonder how the place remained standing. Sonntag didn’t care. He covered the roof up with tarps and hung his work with pride; ironically, the looks of the gallery didn’t deter the rich and famous from perusing the gallery.

From 1950 to 1957, the Key Largo Art Gallery’s walls donned pictures painted by Sonntag, which depicted life in Key Largo during that time. During the 1950s, cameras weren’t readily available; so many locals didn’t carry or own one. Sonntag’s pictures were the only real documentation of Key Largo during this period of time, because of this; Sonntag is considered Key Largo’s first resident artist and quite possibly, historian.

In 1957, another tragic twist of fate struck Sonntag, as his gallery once again burned to the ground. The Key Largo Art Gallery was no more, and with it, according to Sonntag’s statement to the Miami Herald, all his works of art.

Since his gallery was destroyed and nothing was keeping him in South Florida, Sonntag would leave the United States and take residence in St. Thomas, the Virgin Islands. Sonntag would continue his art, depicting life in St. Thomas until 1960 when his father became deathly ill. Sonntag returned to St. Petersburg, Florida to be by his father’s side leaving everything behind.

THE DISCOVERY

In 1960, a couple staying in the room house that Sonntag once inhabited, found a bag full of pictures underneath the bed. The couple took the pictures to the room house’s front office, where they said the couple could keep the art.

That couple returned to Florida, and stored the pieces of art in their storage unit in Central Florida where they would remain in a non-climate controlled environment for 32 years.

In 1992, Chuck Faulkner gained possession of the pieces and realized how valuable they were. The bag contained 175 pieces of art. Ironically, it contained pieces of art from when Sonntag lived in New York and Key Largo that supposedly were destroyed in the fires. It also contained his latest works of art from when he lived in St. Thomas. Strangely, only seven of these original pictures are signed.

Wanting to know more about Florida’s “hermit artist,” Faulkner asked locals who may have known Sonntag, about his life and gallery. What he got was some amazing stories about how Sonntag lived from former visitors of the gallery and personal acquaintances.

Faulkner managed to even reach out to Sonntag’s school in New York, obtaining his transcripts, his birth and death certificate as well.

Faulkner is dedicated to his find and wants now to sell the collection and all his knowledge of Sonntag to a collector who will cherish it as he does. He doesn’t want it split up because he feels it’s just not the right thing to do. He hopes the next owner will find a way to get this collection on display somewhere in Key Largo, returning the art work to its home, allowing locals to see what life was like back in the mid-20th century.

Faulkner has created a website dedicated to the collection, and information about Sonntag which can be found at www.harrysonntag.com

About Sonntag

When Sonntag moved to Key Largo, he earned the title “hermit artist.” Sonntag lived in a self-built shack behind his decrepit Key Largo Art Gallery.

For food, Sonntag would spear fish in the water behind his gallery. He grew all his own vegetables and anything else he needed to eat.

When he needed supplies or food he just couldn’t grow or catch himself, Sonntag would hitch hike up to Miami where he would purchase the goods.

Sonntag’s hermit life personifies the artist spirit. He had nothing, but was a very happy and content man. In today’s standard, and maybe even by standards back then, he would be considered strange, maybe even an outcast; to Sonntag this way of life was exactly what he wanted.

In 1960, Sonntag would return from St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands, to care for his sick father. His dad would eventually pass away in St. Petersburg, Florida that year. Sonntag would move no more, calling St. Petersburg his home until his death in 1990, just two years shy of his artwork being discovered back in Florida.

As far as we know, he didn’t create any more art while living on Florida’s west coast. Maybe he wanted it that way, maybe he knew his work would be discovered in that room house, setting up his own legacy with the tale that his work was destroyed in the fire. Did Sonntag know that his work would make someone rich, by discovering it and appreciating it enough to take care of it? The story is eerily similar to “Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” where Willie Wonka wants to pass down the factory to a stranger who cares about his work. We may never know, but what a story to tell.

Groff, a New Hampshire native, has a passion for creating jewelry, especially when it comes to stringing and knotting beads.  To be able to take a loose strand of beads and turn them into something beautiful and unique is a gift that this jewelry artist surely possesses.

Groff says she got started with the art  just after high school when she went on a family vacation with her at-the-time boyfriend.  His brother-in-law was in the jewelry business and was considered a “rockhound,” someone who enjoys collecting rocks and/or mineral specimens from their natural environment.  At this time, the brother-in-law had with him a collection of semi-precious beads and asked Groff if she wanted to make jewelry.  Being that Groff considers herself to be crafty and has always been willing to try new things, she jumped at the opportunity to learn the skill.  After being taught, Groff realized how much she enjoyed it and thus began her love for designing natural gemstone jewelry. Designs by You was later created and Groff and her ex’s brother-in-law started doing home parties.  ”He’d supply the beads, we would show people how to lay out a design and then the people would put the beads on a wire and I would finish the pieces with a clasp, ” explains Groff.  Even though her relationship with the boyfriend didn’t last, her passion for jewelry making has endured.

In 1991, Groff landed a job at the largest jewelry store in New England, where she worked in the semi-precious stone department selling fine jewelry.  She says she still had an eagerness for making jewelry, in addition to her just selling it. Groff was happy to learn a technique from the company’s pearl stringer.  In 1994, after the birth of her first child, Groff started stringing for the company she was with, and also for another local jeweler.  She stayed with that company and still strings for those jewelers, as well as many others.

When Groff first started professionally stringing, she started a company of her own called Pearlstrings.  To string means to indivually hand tie a knot for each bead.  With Pearlstrings, Groff has done custom and stock work, stringing strands of pearls for jewelers in New England and many other states along the East Coast.  Pearlstrings services include jewelry redesign, restringing, service contracts and customized designs.

Then, in 2008, Groff took jewelry making to another level.  She had fallen in love and wanted those closest to her to know.  So, one night as Groff recalls, she went out to dinner with her family and friends and introduced them to her significant other.  With a strikingly beautiful aquamarine stone necklace, much larger than her typical pieces, Groff excitedly showed off her newest creation.  A one-of-a-kind showstopper, full of delicious color, the necklace was naturally well received.  When Groff asked her loved ones what they thought of the necklace, a very famous cartoon character came to mind- Betty Rubble.  ”I thought that was funny, growing up with the Flinstones,” chuckled Groff.  The jewelry artist felt the name, Betty, to be fitting in more ways than one.  Groff always loved the name, because for her, what comes to mind is a pretty, fresh and natural girl.  Someone who is down-to-earth and fun.  In addition, Betty was her grandmother’s nickname, and Groff was given her name as a middle name.  It was while Groff was in high school that her grandmother passed away from cancer.  Holding a dear place in her heart for her grandmother, the name Betty became even more special to Groff.  ”I then thought of the other Bettys in my life and they all give me such joy, and they all rock! ” lovingly confides the artist.  ”Betty is all woman and so it stuck and I loved it!”

The Betty Rocks collection consists of large, bold statement, beaded jewelry.  Natural and earthy semi-precious stones, individually hand-knotted on matching silk threads fastened with a sterling silver toggle clasp.  The individual beads vary in character, making each piece special.  Groff adds that the classic styling makes her creations perfect for wearing daily for any occasion.

When it comes to semi-precious stones, one must understand they each come with their own unique properties.  For example, some stones promote confidence and clarity, while others promise to enhance psychic ability or encourage relaxation.  ”There are natural energies that come from gemstones and the people who wear them will absorb that energy.  ”I think that is pretty cool,” states Groff.

When asked about the inspiration behind her work, Groff explains that it comes from her background of pearl stringing and her love of natural gemstones.  ”A friend of mine came to me with a large strand of nugget style chalcedony and asked me to knot them.  Usually I have seen large beads as accent pieces to a necklace, not as a whole strand.  I strung it and loved it, and I was totally hooked from there,” Groff remembers fondly.

With all of Groff’s amazing creations and her brilliant choice of stones, I couldn’t help but ask her if she had a favorite. “That is like picking a favorite child,” laughs the talented jewelry maker.  ”I really do love them all!”  However, if Groff did have to choose, she would lean towards labradorite, which is a deeply rich, gray stone with an opalescent iridescence.  She further describes labradorite as a unique stone that many are not familiar with.

The Betty Rocks collection is so beautiful and wearable, it’s no wonder its getting attention and from pretty well-known folks.  ”I had a wonderful opportunity to meet Mrs. {Barbara} Bush.  I did a fitting for her for a necklace that Mr. Bush had gotten for her birthday and I brought with me some pieces of my Betty Rocks collection and she loved it!  Instead of pearls, she might go for Betty Rocks now,” proudly states Groff.

The artist says that her Betty Rocks collection is for the bold and fearless woman who isn’t afraid to make a statement, and it is also for the classy, elegant woman who continues to bring a classic element to the world.  ”I want to see my jewelry on musicians such as Taylor Swift, television personalities such as Betty White (another great Betty!) and people of influence such as Barbara Bush.  It’s for the fashionistas across the country, and for the women who never feel completely dressed without a finishing piece of jewelry.

Groff continues on to say that her dream would be to have Betty Rocks in fine retail establishments all across the nation, places such as Barney’s and Neiman Marcus.  Seeing her collection in top fashion magazines, museums, hotels and on websites is a huge goal that Groff hopes to one day fulfill.

Not only is Groff a highly skilled jewelry artist, she also projects a very genuine heart and soul.  ”I am always willing to help out a cause in any way I can,” states the New Hamphsire resident.  Groff takes much pride in volunteering in her community and gives to various charities.  Specifically, the artist has done bike tours to support Multiple Sclerosis, and recently was asked to donate a Betty Rocks piece for an ovarian cancer benefit in September.  ”I am going to create something special for that one,” says Groff with great honor.

After talking to the New Englander and perusing her online collection of beautifully colored semi-precious stone creations, I have become a true fan.  Groff’s Betty Rocks collection is for every kind of woman, regardless of age, race and style.  Her designs are all one-of-a-kind and are as classic as a black dress.  There is no doubt in this writer’s mind that Groff will go far with Betty Rocks.

And for those of you paranormal enthusiasts out there, if Groff’s name sounds familiar, well, it probably is.  After all, the artist is the aunt of Nick Groff of Ghost Adventures, which airs on the Travel Channel.  When it comes to her nephew’s success, Groff gushes about how great of a job he is doing with the hit show.  ”I am very proud of him.”   And, according to Nick, it is only fair to say, the feeling is most definitely mutual.

Website Information and E-mail addresses:

www.PearlstringsNH.com

Anne@PearlstringsNH.com

Facebook page for Betty Rocks:  http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Betty-Rocks/398488846411?ref=sgm

To purchase Betty Rocks online:

www.LNT.com (Linen’s ‘N Things)-just put in Betty Rocks into the search engine

Retailers in New Hampshire and Maine sell Betty Rocks, and soon-to-be, Massachusetts and New York

In New Hampshire, find Betty Rocks at:

Fresh on Main Street in Nashua, www.freshofnashua.com

A&E Jewelers at Pennechuck Square in Merrimack, www.aediamond.com

Roxie’s Fashion at Salzberg Square in Amherst, www.roxiesfashions.com

Wholly Tara on Main Street in Ashland, www.whollytara.com

Puttin’ on the Glitz on State Street in Portsmouth, www.puttinontheglitznh.com

J.M. Princewell at On the Oval in Milford and Maine, mail@jmprincewell.com

Coastal Jewelers in Kennebunkport, www.coastaljewelers.com

Extra Information:

Linens ‘N Things-on this site Groff sells the bulk of her designs, but she also has exclusive pieces that are sold in the above listed boutiques and jewelry stores

Groff belongs to the MJSA-Manufacturing Jewelers and Suppliers of America (through LinkedIn)

On Groff’s Pearlstrings site:  She is planning to update the site so you will be able to see the entire Betty Rocks collection, not just a few select pieces.  Groff welcomes anyone’s suggestions, comments and questions.

If you would like to have a piece of jewelry done by Groff, she can string necklaces, bracelets and earrings.  She offers two types or styles of earrings which both come in sterling silver – long drop or lever back style drop dangle earrings.

And when it comes to a choice of mediums, Phillips says she likes a variety.  ”I feel a true artist tries all mediums to have a well- rounded understanding of tools and options.”  Recently, Phillips’ favorites to dabble in have been a mixed media of texturized watercolor paints, colored pencils, acrylic and goucache paints.  The artist adds that her favorite paper to use are bristol brand card stocks, which were first introduced to her in college.  And when it comes to drawing instruments such as pencils and brushes, Phillips points out she chooses reforested wood pencils and non-fur paint brushes over the supposed “high quality” alternatives.  ”To me, a slight quality difference isn’t worth compromising my personal standards,” explains the artist.

Phillips is formally art trained, and has attended Figure Drawing and Anatomy courses, along with Painting, Drawing, Design, Structural Design and Sculpture.  Phillips’ Digital Painting, which takes place in Photoshop CS4, is the only area where she is “self taught.”  The artist’s training hasn’t been without a few snags along the way.  ”The running joke with me and my immediate family is that I am aspiring to make back the money I spent on college.  I attended two years toward a Fine Arts degree at Meremec College in St. Louis, Missouri before moving to Florida and finding out, to great dismay, that community colleges prefer you to take all “speciality courses” at their schools, so I would have to start over.  I’m not sure I will ever finish my degree, but what I do enjoy is staying fresh and updated on art classes and taking one at a time, for the companionship and critiquing element that often keeps one “squared.”

Born Sarah Kluegel in St. Louis, Missouri, the artist now resides in West Palm Beach with her husband, four cats and hound dog.  When not busy creating, Phillips enjoys time reading, gaming with her husband, and helping out with animals in the community.  She particularly loves spending time at the local zoo, where she can devote an entire day to sketching, and looking for unique photo opportunities.

Phillips doesn’t just express her love for animals in her paintings and illustrations, but does so also through literature. Currently, Phillips is composing a graphic novel titled, PAINTED.  ”It is the story of an African Serval named Sanura, which is Swahili for kitten.  Sanura is adopted by a pack of African wild dogs, or ‘painted dogs.’  Painted dogs are one of the most endangered and exploited species in the world today, with as few as 3,500 animals remaining in the wild,” explains Phillips.  ”My goal for the comic novel is to bring awareness and adoration for this species.  People love wolves, and these guys are the African wolf!  I hope to get published in the next year, but in the meantime, I am sharing it with the Deviantart* community, as they are an endless wealth of inspiration and support.”

In addition to Phillips’ book, she is also excited about her mixed media piece titled, “Sea Jewel,” which was chosen as one of the illustrations for the ALF Gulf Oil Spill Calendar Fund.  Having art picked for the calendar is a tremendous honor, and Phillips couldn’t be happier.  ”I am quite proud of ‘Sea Jewel’,” states the artist.

According to Phillips, she has more dreams waiting to be fulfilled.  ”I want to one day be published in a book.  I am very interested in illustrative work, as well as writing my own stories.  I might find a nice niche’ within children’s books,” says Phillips.  ”Another dream of mine is to help animals with my work, which I am already doing.  I donate every year to the Big Cat Rescue Furball in Tampa, and more recently, to the Oil Spill Calendar.”

Phillips’ pieces are nothing short of amazing.  There is no doubt that she is a gifted and wonderfully creative artist; therefore, it is easy to see why her work is so well received.  Certainly her fans have their favorite pieces, but what about the artist herself?  ”I try not to choose favorites; in fact, I am often my hardest critic,” confides Phillips.  ”However, I am personally fond of my ‘Cuttlefish’ digital piece.  It was enlightening to work on an animal lacking the typical mammalian cuddly qualities many expect from my work.”  Another popular item for Phillips is the artist trading card, or Aceo (Art card, Editions, and Originals).  The Aceo is a movement within the artist community that uses cards the size of baseball cards to do “art trades.”  ”I sell many Aceo’s because they are small and an affordable way of owning something by your favorite artist,” explains Phillips.

When speaking to the South Florida artist, there was one question I couldn’t help but ask.  Why the name Eviecats?  ”I wish I had an epic tale to weave about my screen name, but sadly, it’s pretty straight forward,” says Phillips.  ”My middle name is Eve, and I have known many Sarahs throughout school and work, so I sometimes go by Evie instead. Occasionally, people would call me “kitty,” because of my love for animals, especially cats.  So, ‘Eviecats’ was born!” Phillips says the nickname has worked out well and survived her last name changing with marriage.

Throughout the many years of creating art, Phillips steady and endless source of inspiration and encouragement has come by way of her grandparents.  It is obvious that strong family bonds are significant to the artist.  Not only is Phillips talented, but she has a big heart.  This is an important quality when it comes to being an artist.  With love and caring comes great passion and expression.  Phillips shows her beautiful soul in all of her outstanding and original pieces.  ”I am motivated by the unending road of improvement spread out before me,” states Phillips.  ”While it is true there is very little left in the world that hasn’t been done, it is immeasurably fun and empowering to create illustrations and expressive pieces that really represent your inner most thoughts and self to the rest of the world.  My wish is to share my unique view and appreciation of what I find beautiful with everyone.”

*To view Sarah Phillips’ work, go to Eviecats.deviantart.com.  Phillips says this is her favorite online art gallery because it is international, and is for all skill levels, groups and genres of art.  The site includes Phillips’ most updated and complete art collection, as well as her commission information.

To view Phillips’ journal, and to buy a piece from the Eviecat collection, go to http://eviecats.deviantart.com/journal/32529673/

Some of those people block out and forget the entire dream; they don’t want to remember it so they stuff it back into the archives of their mind never to be touched again.  Others, like Stephen King, face their fears and nightmares head on and have found a way to profit from them, while chilling others to the bone.  That is the case for Jason Dowd, the founder of Dowd Studios and artist in the new series “Dreams, Nightmares, Fears and Fantasy.”

Ever since he was a boy, Jason has been tormented in the night with night terrors.  He recalls dreams where he’s free falling through the sky, looking down at the solid mass that will surely take his life when he hits; but he never hit, instead he woke up before touchdown.  He also recalls one of the longest running nightmares that still haunts him today. It’s where he wakes up in a coffin, mistaken as dead; he smells death and sees the solitude of the metal box he lays in.  The horrific sound of the earth being thrown in, covering the coffin and the final pitch dark and forever silence that he is forced to live until the remaining oxygen is depleted.

He also recalls some of his biggest fears, which are spiders and clowns.  He states clowns are just evil; they are dirty and look like a dead corpse that put on some makeup to make their pasty skin look worse than it already is.  After seeing the movie, It, he became fully convinced that these fun-loving, carefree hobos are really a disguise for the evil that lies beneath the layered thick paint.  The yellow jaundiced eyes that glow when provoked, and teeth that turn razor sharp to take your soul.  Yes, that is what he thinks of clowns, and he has no problem stating that fact.  Then there are spiders, and who isn’t scared of them.  They are eight legged, multi-eyed little nasties whose whole purpose in life is to freak you out.

So what do these fears and nightmares mean?  Why are we telling you this?  Quite simply, one day after telling a story, one of the listeners asked Jason, “What the hell goes on in your head?”  Jason has always said he wouldn’t wish his mind on anyone, especially someone he loved; but that one question did spark a interest, an idea if you will.  He decided words weren’t powerful enough to express the horror of those nightmares, the sense of fear when he sees the very things that scare him the most.  The comfort with some of the greatest dreams he’s ever dreamed.  So he decided to create his own art series depicting his dreams, nightmares, and fears, and for fun, he threw in his twisted views on fantasy creatures and fairy tales.

In less than one month of planning and shooting, with the help of some very beautiful and talented models willing to step foot into the artist’s mind and face the very objects he fears most, Jason gave birth to this series, “Dreams, Nightmares, Fears and Fantasy” and was able to achieve his vision and confront his own fears.

The collection is guaranteed to shock, horrify, gross out and disgust you.  It will surely inspire and capture your heart and emotions and it will make you see the world through the eyes of Jason himself.  He’s fully aware some of the pictures will invoke some controversy, but he says it’s “no holds barred, anything goes.”  Despite some of the more disturbing pictures, you will probably notice that they are still beautiful and will capture your eye despite the graphic nature of the piece.

Right now the collection contains: Sugar Plum Fairies, Woodland Fairies, Gothic Little Red Riding Hood, Angel vs. Demon, Isolated and Insane, Trapped, But Not Dead, Remember When, Death To Yesterday, and Please Help Me.

“Trapped But Not Dead” is the reenactment of his nightmare of being buried alive.  The coffin used is a real vintage child’s coffin, and a real mortician gave the makeup tips to him.  “Details make the picture; it’s what helps to create the emotion and ambiance of the piece.  When I shoot these, I strive for authenticity.”

“Death To Yesterday” and “Angel vs. Demon” are darker pictures that still inspire.  For instance, the “Demon vs. Angel” series is a collection of twelve pieces that tell a story of the battle between good and evil.  In the end, good triumphs and peace will live again.  “Death To Yesterday” is the artist’s way of saying, don’t cry over the past, you can’t change it and you can’t live in it.  It’s there so you don’t repeat your mistakes and will be there to make you smile in the future.  These were both actual pleasant dreams Jason has had throughout the years.

Despite the month long shooting spree, Jason was asked to show this collection in Hong Kong come August at “THAT GALLERY,” a new art gallery that shows art from artists from around the world.  “It’s an honor and a dream come true to be asked to be a part of this show,” Jason states. “All I ever wanted was to be in a gallery somewhere. I figured it would be here first, but heck, I’ll take Hong Kong!”

The series has received rave reviews and comments, and I see it going very far.  Soon, Dowd Studios hopes to be able to place the pieces up for sale in small print and collectors’ limited editions in the studios online store.  He also hopes to be able to do some live shows around the country.

To see the collection, go to www.dowdstudios.com and click the gallery link.  If you are a Facebook user, follow him and his art there at www.facebook.com/pages/Dowd-Studios/371707221418

Today, Blair’s beautiful and original artwork is known all around the world.  In fact, it is estimated that more than 30 million people view the talented carver’s creations each year.  Many of those people see Blair’s work while on vacation, perhaps without even realizing it.  After all, he is the premier wood carving artist for Disney and has been doing so since the mid-1980s.  Blair’s work can be seen at all of the Disney owned theme parks.  In addition to the six major theme parks, Blair’s sculptures are displayed all around the country at restaurants and in private collections.

The wood carver, who resides in Oceano, California, is famous for creating contemporary fine art sculptures, wood carvings and statues which include figurative and animal designs, marine life and carved wood wall works for both the home and garden.  Blair’s sculptures are beautifully detailed, each one uniquely carved with great skill.  There is the proud eagle, handsome and strong, with outstretched wings.  A mermaid with her long hair flowing in unseen waters. And then there are the whimsical, silly faces carved in eternal laughter.   But none of Blair’s sculptures are more popular than his wooden bears.  These life sized carved creations are done in caricature style, giving these typically grizzly and menacing beasts a much softer, cuddlier side.  With these kinds of sculptures and wood art, it is no wonder Blair has made such a name for himself as an artist, earning much respect and admiration with each new creation.

An artist in other mediums such as paintings, steel, glass and stone, Blair says wood is his favorite.  ”I like to carve because I can create a tangible object.  It is something I made with my hands and will hopefully enhance your surroundings and have some affect on the viewer,” states Blair.  The artist also reveals how much he loves wood for the warmth of the patina and the unique character found in each piece.  ”It {wood} was once a living thing and is becoming rare, so this is how it can be preserved,” explains Blair.  For many years Blair studied wildlife and describes himself as an avid nature lover; therefore, he feels strongly about being able to carve anatomically correct pieces. However, one of Blair’s favorite wood designs exposes his sillier, more carefree style.  ”I like the whimsical, “goofy off-the-wall stuff,” states Blair.

And when Blair is ready to carve a masterpiece, where does he find his canvas?  Blair says he uses salvaged and recycled logs, mostly from fallen coastal redwood trees cut over 100 years ago and left on the ground, still lying in the forests.  Trees like this are no longer harvested, but many were cut in the 19th Century.  Today, redwood harvesting is closely managed to insure the future of forests and their environment.

And how exactly does Blair carve these fallen redwoods?  He uses chainsaws, various power tools, carving knives and a mallet and chisel.  Blair carves the wood with one tool at a time, working his way from the top to the bottom.  The artist explains that each tool adds increasing degrees of detail to the wood.  When finished with one tool, Blair will then move on to a new and different tool which helps to give even more detailing til the product is finished.  The process may seem simple enough, but the fact of the matter is, very few artists have the skill to do what Blair can do with carving wood. He is a master; self-taught and doing what he loves for 35 years now.

R.L. Blair’s wood creations are full of whimsy, originality and pure magic.  These pieces are a definite must-have for the person who already has everything, but could always use that extra special something.

If you are looking for that extra special something, contact R.L. Blair at 512-820-1409 or by his email address: rl.blair@yahoo.com.  His hours of operation are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. You can view some of Blair’s work on his website which can be found at www.rlblair.com.  Blair is available to do commissions and special requests.

Blair was also recently featured in the book, Art of Chainsaw Carving, published by Fox Chapel.

I love Mother Nature’s fall art; growing up in Connecticut I got the privilege to see it year after year.  What amazes me so is there is such beauty in death because as the leaves slowly die and fall off the trees, they turn a magnificent array of earthly tones: brown, orange, yellow and red; soon to die and fall to the earth to create another picturesque scene.  The scene I am talking about comes on many calendars. You know the pumpkin patches with the piles of leaves next to them or maybe a child popping their head out of that pile.  The colonial stone walls with dead leaves laying in piles waiting to be picked up by the town leaf sucker, with magnificent toned trees and soft blue skies painting a picture of peaceful serenity.

For those that like more landscape type pictures of Mother Nature, take the rolling hills of the northern states. They are donned with yellow, orange, red and brown leaves filling the gaps of the eyes’ perspective, with maybe a patch of grass visible showing a bale of hay or maybe a rickety old fence. There might even be a classic church with a huge white steeple penetrating the horizon of the trees.

Do you like still life?  Well, Mother Nature has something for you, too.  There is nothing more picturesque then a pumpkin and a cornucopia of fruits and vegetables surrounding it, you know: apples, gourds, carrots, and other fruits of the fall sitting on an old wooden porch where rocking chairs blow in the breeze.  How about the stone mailbox with its red flag up, leaves all around it and a silhouette of a scarecrow looming in the background.

Yes, Mother Nature can create paintings in nature that can suit any art lover’s fancy; but you can’t buy her art, that’s the only downfall.  Mother Nature isn’t like most artists; she wants you to take her art with you by taking pictures of it, and reproducing her work with your brush and canvas.  See, Mother Nature doesn’t need your money, she gets paid when you sit in awe over her work and smile when you realize how good it is.  She gets paid when you say, wow, what an amazing scene. I am so glad to be alive to see something like this.  That, my friend, is worth a million dollars to her; that just bought you a print of her work.

What’s sad is most of us are too busy to take for granted the art around us. We complain about the cold or the weather in general to the point we don’t appreciate the amazing splendor you have in your own back yard.  I, too, took it for granted till I moved to Florida and realized that the leaves don’t change color here; there are no more leaf piles, there is no change of seasons.  Mother Nature’s work here is always on display and it,s always one theme.  Don’t get me wrong, her southern style of art is just as magnificent, except we don’t have limited time exhibits that we can enjoy like our northern brothers and sisters do.

The whole purpose of this article is to help you appreciate the work that Mother Nature dishes out to you, take it in and enjoy it. You don’t always need changing colors to open your eyes to your artistic surroundings; you should see the beauty in our world every time you walk out the door.  It is nice to see something different, and that’s why cars and planes and other forms of transportation make it convenient to go see some of her other works of art on display throughout this great world.  We also hope that you realize that art is more than just paint on canvas; art is in the living world. Humans and animals are art just as much as our surroundings.  Don’t take it for granted and look to the beauty inside. Fall is Mother Nature’s wake up call not to take her work for granted.

I first became interested-no, make that obsessed-with stereograms in the mid-90s when the Magic Eye books and posters were all the rage. Stereograms are images that at first appear to be just a random pattern, but when you view them correctly, a 3D image appears. At the time I discovered these magical images, an article appeared in Publish Magazine explaining how these images were made. The author lived in the San Francisco Bay area as I did. I contacted him and said I would pay for a few hours of his time if he would show me how the images were made. He agreed. It was one of the best investments I have ever made. The author knew only enough to write the article and create a few very simple stereograms, but his sparse knowledge was just enough to launch my career.

Soon I was creating my own 3D stereogram images. I designed a website to display my creations. A Japanese publisher who was launching a stereogram magazine saw my images and asked me to contribute. I have been one of two contributors for nine years. The TJ MOOK series is up to issue 16 and the series has sold over four million copies. My co-contributor and I have co-authored two books of stereograms. We like to think that we have significantly raised the bar since the old Magic Eye days.

How Stereograms Work

A classic hidden image stereogram is created from two images: a “depth image” that the stereogram software uses to build the hidden image, and a repeating wallpaper-like pattern. The pattern repeats several times, the amount of repeats varies but is usually more than five times. The stereogram software makes subtle shifts in the pattern in each panel that are not apparent to the viewer. When the stereogram image is viewed correctly, the brain picks up these subtle shifts that occur from panel to panel and concocts the 3D image. The art is creating a panel with a random pattern to conceal the pattern shifts. Shifts in the wrong pattern will stand out like a hog on a sofa, so a good random pattern is essential.

The depth image is a grayscale image with 255 shades of gray that the software uses to determine depth. The same type of depth image is also used when creating a 3D model in a 3D modeling program. White comes forward the most, while black represents the most distant part of the image. There are also the remaining shades of gray that represent the layers of depth in between.

Most stereogram artists use a 3D modeling program to create their depth images. I have never gotten on that well with 3D modeling applications, so I create my own images in a vector drawing program. The drawing process is very different from conventional drawing. For example, if you were going to draw a ball, you would start with a circle. Then you would add some shading and maybe a highlight, a shadow too. These are all visual cues that the ball is round.

But when you draw a sphere for a depth image, you don’t have the luxury of a shadow or highlights or other visual cues. You construct the ball from the back to the front using shades of gray. In essence, you slice the sphere into many individual slices with a subtle change of value with each slice. This is the basic concept for creating all depth images.

The stereogram creation software uses these layers to compute the depth of the hidden image. Objects that are further away from the viewer are spaced farther apart. Objects that are closer to the viewer are spaced closer together. These modifications are made to each repeating panel. Your eye and your brain see these shifts in the pattern and together create the illusion of depth.

You don’t need special software to create a 3D effect however. You can do it with simple spacing. Objects should be evenly spaced, but each row of objects can be spaced closer together or further apart to create the illusion of depth when viewed as a stereogram.

How to Look at a Stereogram

People frequently tell me that they have never been able to see stereograms. They explain how hard they try. They just never have been able to see the hidden images. Some people even imply that the whole thing is a hoax, that there is no hidden image and people who claim to see the hidden images are just faking it. The only legitimate excuse I heard was from a person who only had one eye!

Most people who cannot see a stereogram are just not looking at the image correctly. Here’s what I mean. When we read or look at a photograph, our eyes, slightly crossed, focus directly on the page. This is perfect for reading or viewing a picture, but totally wrong for viewing a stereogram. When you look at a stereogram, your eyes are actually focused behind the image. Instead of your eyes being slightly crossed, your eyes are both looking straight ahead. You are using your near distance vision and not your reading vision. This type of viewing is counter to our normal instincts, so I suspect the primary cause for not being able to view a stereogram, is the viewer is focusing on the page.

Here is a simple technique that works for most stereogram-challenged persons. Get real close to the image so your nose is almost touching it. Let your eyes go blurry. At this distance they will blur anyway. Now, very slowly move away from the image, or move the image away from you while trying not to focus on the image. Relax your eyes and try to focus behind the image. Do this very slowly and with any luck you should start to get some feeling of depth. The important thing is to relax your eyes and to not try too hard. It is not a contest after all. Do this several times if at first you don’t succeed. The feeling of magic you get when you first see the image is well worth the effort. And for what it’s worth, after you have seen your first magical image, the next one will be easier to see.

For more information on how stereograms work and to see more images, visit http://www.custom-sterograms.com

To see more stereogram images visit my Stereogram Gallery at Graphics.com and the http://www.eyetricks.com/3dstereo.htm My books: Eye Tricks – Incredible 3D Stereograms, Arcturus Publishing, London, and Hidden Treasures 3D Stereograms, Sterling Publishing, New York are available from most on-line book sellers. Our third book, EYE BALL is still looking for a publisher.

{Images and captions}

You probably did this when you were a child. Place your index fingers together, then looking straight ahead, slowly pull your fingers apart. As you do this, a floating sausage like shape will appear. This is the same viewing method you use when viewing a stereogram.

When you read a book or look at a magazine, your eyes are slightly crossed and focused on the page. When you view a stereogram, your vision is parallel and your focus is behind the image. As with the floating sausage created when you draw your fingers apart, your eyes and brain create an extra image, which creates the illusion of 3D depth.

A random pattern is best for disguising the subtle and not so subtle shifts the software makes to each panel. The stereogram with the very orderly pattern of plusses graphically illustrates the shifts in the repeating pattern. When designing a stereogram, I try for a complex random pattern, such as the stones, in which the pattern shifts are not as obvious. Both hidden images are the same 3D sphere.

Compass A combination of three types of stereograms: hidden image, floating image (the compasses), and mapped texture (the white outlines).

Coins A combination of hidden image and mapped texture stereograms.

Abert Entity A custom stereogram created for a new advertising agency. The floating logos on the top of the image are the agency’s actual logo, which also represents the hidden image. This is a combination of floating, mapped texture, and hidden image stereograms.

My father, mother and brother would all go to the local farmer’s stand and pick out our favorite pumpkin.  Pumpkins grew wild up there so that wasn’t too hard to find.  We would bear the cold fall air that would nip at your nose, to get that right gourd for us to carve.  After our purchase, we would bring it home and carve them up using our “pumpkin cutters.”  After we made our masterpieces just right, we would sit them outside on our stoop, put fallen leaves around them, with some Indian Corn, light them up and stare at them for hours.  Those were the days… but then I wonder, where did this custom start?  Why do we do such a thing?  I mean it had to come from somewhere right.

History:

The origin of the Jack-O-Lantern started because of an Irish myth about a guy they call “Stingy Jack.”

Legend has it that Jack invited the Devil to have a drink with him one day, but like his name “Stingy” he had no intention of paying for the drinks.  Jack would try to weasle his way out of it, so he convinced the Devil to turn into a coin so he could pay for the drinks, then turn back and the drinks wold be free.  The Devil obliged being slick and nasty himself; but once he turned into a coin, Stingy Jack decided to keep the money.  He put the devil in his pocked next to a silver coin, so the devil could not return to his real form.  Jack eventually freed the Devil, under the condition that he would not bother Jack for one year and should he die, the Devil would not claim his soul.

However, the next year when the Devil was allowed to bother him, they met up again.  This time Jack asked the Devil to climb a tree and pick a piece of fruit.  The Devil obliged, and climbed the tree, immediately Jack carved a cross in the tree so the Devil could not get down till he promised not to bother Jack for 10 more years.

Finally Jack passed away, and met God for judgement.  God refused to let such an unsavory figure into Heaven, and banished him to Hell.  The Devil, upset at the trick Jack played on him, refused to let him into Hell.  As legend has it, the Devil gave him a burning lump of coal and set him on his way to walk aimlessly into the dark night.  Jack put the coal into a carved out turnip and roamed the earth ever since.

In Scotland and Ireland people made their own versions of Jack’s lantern, by carving scary faces into potatos and turnips to scare off Stingy Jack and other evil spirits, by placing them in the windows.  This tradition made its way to America where pumpkins were native, and we soon found Pumpkins make the perfect Jack-O-Lantern.

The Art

The art of Jack-O-Lantern carving has seriously evolved over the years.  What started out as simple triangle or circle eyes, with triangle nose and jagged pointy teeth in a mouth has started to evolve into some masterpieces like flying witches, and elaborate Victorian houses with ghosts eminating out the doors.

The skill is tough to master, it involves peeling the skin away and making deeper slices to make a lighter or darker impression.  You almost need to carve it like a stencil to give that amazing effect.  Since these are completely closed, and usually don’t have any carving through the pumpkin wall, they tend to last longer than the average Jack-O-Lantern.

Today you can go to any Walmart or K Mart and pick up some stencils that include some tools that will allow you to make some interesting pieces.  I find it more artistic and challenging to try to make the pumpkin from scratch.

Pumpkin CareAround Florida here I have found that once you cut the Jack-O-Lantern, they don’t last long.  The humidity causes it to rot fast.  So here are some tips to making your Jack-O-Lantern last longer.

1. Draw the face of your Jack-O-Lantern with marker, and leave it as long as you can till Halloween, if you buy your pumpkin way in advance.  This will keep it from rotting, but you can sport the face.  When it gets within 2 or 3 days before Halloween, you can carve the pumpkin.
2. If you plan on making a more elaborate pumpkin, I suggest not carving it until 2 days before.
3. When you gut the pumpkin, make sure there is no innerds left in there.  Those are very moist and slimy and cause for quick molding and rotting.  Clean it as good as you can, and wipe out any moisture.
4. When the pumpkin is not lit, keep a box of Baking Soda inside or Damp Rid to help eliminate mositure that causes rotting.
5. Dispose of your pumpkin promptly if it starts to mold, and right after Halloween.  Animals can eat it and become very sick, plus mold and rotting fruit/vegetables around you is not healthy either.  You will attract flies, maggots, and gnats.  If your pumpkin is completely rotten, throw it in a compost pile, or bag it with a trash bag and tie it off so the gasses don’t escape.

Photography, however, was a trade and wasn’t cheap so photos, though abundant, were still scarce for portraiture.  Being a photographer myself, I am fascinated with the skills these tradesmen had to learn such as taking photos without flash, on archiac equipment.  I often browse the Internet looking for great old shots, and I study these old portraits and appreciate the beauty and time it took to capture the images.  In doing so, I ran across something that intrigued me.  In Google Images, stood a picture of a man laying erect on a wall in his coffin.  How could I not click on that and view it?

What I came across was a website for mourning photography, but there was more.  There is an actual museum in the Illinois area owned by Anthony Vizzari.  His museum is absoulutely fascinating.  It opens up a concept photography was used for that many wouldn’t even consider.

Anthony stumbled across these mourning photos when visiting a flea market.  He told me he found a box of old photos which had many variety of subjects inside.  He purchased the box of photos for $30.00, which today is a steal.  When he got home, he took a good look at the box and found it had a mourning photo inside.  Like me, he was intrigued and started a collection of these photos.

Today, the museum has around 1200 pieces portraying a variety of mourning concepts.  In addition, there are about 300 non- photographic mourning pieces such as lockets and cards, making the collection diverse and interesting.  The museum is open for the public, but remains at a private residence so you must make an appointment to see the collection.

MoMP’s Digital Archive Project was created to help educate the public on the practice of memorial photography, both past and present. This free archive is intended to aid collectors, historians and anthropologists with their research on the subject. Included in the archive are images from public and private collections throughout the world.  At this time no such free public database dedicated to memorial photography exists.

The collection is definitely worth seeing. It will give you a new appreciation for the generally unknown, and make you realize it’s not morbid at all; in fact, it’s quite peaceful.  When I see these pictures, I see people resting… knowing they don’t hurt anymore, they aren’t hungry anymore, and they are free!

One of the prominent pieces you’ll see in the collection is a book from a pre-teen, who passed away in the early 1900s.  The book contains records of her life, and her death photo.  It also includes a sympathy card to the parents and a lock of her hair from the funeral home.

The reason behind mourning photos is quite abundant.  People have their reasoning for it; my family did it too with the death of their first daughter in 1920.  Despite the various reasons, two seem to come to mind more often than others.  One reason is to help soothe the soul over their loss.  These photos were a form of closure for the departed’s loved ones.  Also, like I said before, photos back in the day were very expensive; many people didn’t get a photo of their loved one in life and this was their last chance.  This was particularly true for children.  I have seen more children photos than adults.  Some are posed with their other sisters and brothers for a group shot, the only one that will ever be.

This practice goes back before photography came about, and still goes on today.  It just made it more real with the invention of the camera.  Mourning photography comes in different expressions too, says Anthony.  Some don’t contain a body at all, instead the widow of the loved one would photograph herself in a black dress, showing her loss.  Some are quaint expressions showing nothing more than a wreath of flowers, maybe with an empty coffin or no coffin at all, giving the impression someone died.

If you never have seen these type of photos, don’t feel bad.  They are out there but not plentiful in the marketplace.  Anthony says that like anything there needs to be a market for something.  Many of the photos you see are older because the family is gone, and nobody wants the photos so they end up in estate sales.  Some exist but the family hands them down through generations, and still keeps them dear to their hearts, even if they never met them in person.  Some of the newer photos are still with the family, because many still know the relative depicted in the photo so it means more.  As the years go on you may see the photos from the 1940s to today start to emerge in the marketplace.  However, if someone knows what they have with mourning photos, the price is almost doubled.

For now, just enjoy Anthony’s collection online or visit him in his studio.  There is no charge to view the pieces, and he is glad to give insight to his collection.  Right now, only a few photos are online from his collection, however, he tries to get it updated as much as possible.

Mourning photography is definitely misunderstood, and I guarantee you will see why when you view his amazing collection at The Museum of Mourning Photography.  Also, check out his main web site that gives you access to his other wonderful photography collection.

Instead, musicians and artists are finding the 21st century technology very handy in marketing and advertising their merchandise and the best part, most of it’s free.  With the creation of the Internet, social networking sites have seen a boom in online networking and marketing that costs no more than a few hours of your time a day- a price tag many artists and musicians will gladly pay for a good fan.  These networks allow the musician or artist to actually communicate, network and socialize with fans, businesses and other prominent people across the world without ever leaving their humble abode.  Literally you could be talking with the CEO of a major corporation in your underwear. Imagine slamming that deal of a lifetime while sipping coffee, with teeth and hair unbrushed in your bathrobe!

Social network sites like MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn have played a major part of the “modern” artists success. MySpace and Facebook allow the artist another “web presence” so to say, giving them powerful tools like a blog, and friend capability and really another website to market themselves.  The cost is free, the only downfall to that is the occasional spam e- mail.  MySpace is a little bit more liberal, allowing you to create a specific design to give you that signature style, whereas Facebook is more contemporary and conservative, with each site looking the same.  Then Twitter comes in allowing you to make direct to the point statements about your work, or whatever you have to say.  It teaches you how to get to the point so you don’t beat around the bush.  Facebook also allows Twitter to update your “friend status,” which is helpful for the busy artist; you update it once on Twitter and it updates Facebook as well.

These sites have literally millions of subscribers to the network, so the possibility of exposure is limitless, although it does depend on the time and energy you spend making it happen.  We all know results vary on the effort you put into something; little effort gets little results.  These sites are also great because they are indexed in Google, so it allows searchers a possibility to find you in another place if your personal website doesn’t have high rankings (which may not be any fault of your own).  In short, if they find your MySpace before they find your website, the MySpace should have a link back to your website, and vice versa.

Social networking sites are also a great way to target the younger generation.  Have you ever seen a teenager not glued to their phone or computer chatting away on these sites?  It’s amazing they get their homework done at all.  If you are looking to target a younger generation, then this is the place to search.  The average age group on these type of sites is 13 to 27.  That age group makes up the majority of consumer spending on music and many types of art and clothing. From experience, I have noticed people actually ask me if I have a site on MySpace or Facebook because they want another friend; they didn’t care if I had a website or not.

The absolute best part about these sites… they are free!  They also allow you to advertise on them, giving you even more chances for exposure to your profile or website.  This magazine actually used MySpaces ad site, with great results.  We had 800 hits for $35.00, and managed to get three new artists out of it for a story.  That isn’t bad at all if you ask me.

The key, when using these sites successfully, is to: 1. Make sure there are links to all your sites on each of these sites (excluding Twitter because it allows only one URL).  2. Update them frequently.  3. Be honest.  4. Make sure you have the same information on each of these sites as you would on your .com as best as you can.

If you follow those simple steps, you can network with ease and maybe find your next client at the click of a button!  Though we must stress, this may not work for everyone, and it’s not an overnight guarantee for success, it does take a lot of time and effort. However, if you are committed, then it will pay off in the end.

For one man, this thinking turned out to be something he never dreamed of and would never see the full results of his labor; but his work lives on today and stands as the most revered art of birds in catalog form ever. 

John Audubon

In April 1785, a man born of French-American blood would forever change birding as we know it, his work would set the world standard of birding and the art of aviary drawings.  That man is none other than John James Audubon.

Like most people in the early 1780s he grew up in a humble environment, his father was a French naval officer and privateer, his mom, a chambermaid from Louisiana.  He was born in St. Domigue, Haiti, which is now known as Les Cayes.  He was an illegitimate child of his father, which upon the death of his mom, his father took John and his sister back to France after being imprisoned by the British during the American Revolution.

In 1789, Jean adopted John and named him Jean-Jacques Fougère Audubon.  In 1803 at the age of 18, Jean-Jacques boarded an immigrant ship to the new United States Of America, and changed his name to John.  Despite the new life he would have, his father sent him here to avoid the Napoleonic Wars, and obtained a false passport to get him here.  Upon arrival in New York, John caught yellow fever and was quarrantined.  His start in America was already on a bad foot, but John would make wine out of the grapes he was given.

John moved to his father’s sugar plantation just a few miles of Valley Forge, which he considered paradise.  It was there that he honed in the love he had for hunting, fishing and birds.   He set out to study birds in more detail, and use his artistic genius to capture a more realistic portrayal of these species he studies, than other artists have in the past. 

The Legacy

John was a master artist, he would set out across the United States studying birds in their natural habitat. 

He would carry around this portfolio which contained his amazing photos.  He would then name and catalog each species in this sketch pad.  His portraits of these species were amazingly lifelike and portrayed the life and unconfined spirit of each bird.

His work captivated people for years to come, they grew more and more interested in birds, and bird watching.  His prints were not worth much financially while he was alive, but in death, his prints became very valuable.  Today his art can be seen in reference books, museums, on decorative plates and kitchenware, and many other places.  If you happen to have an original drawing, you are sitting on a small fortune.

John’s drawings inspired so many people that the National Audubon Society was created in hopes to protect our natural wildlife from birds all the way across the board.  They wanted to preserve the habitat to look just like his drawings and keep this great planet the same way it was then, for generations to come.

The Audubon Society today has become more of an environmental activist group, fighting to keep our forests, preserve the wildlife and speak on behalf of the habitat which can’t speak for itself.  They have chapters in every single state of the country, and some world wide.  It’s a wonderful organization with tons of bird watching and naturists from around the world, with one common interest, the love of nature.

If you would like to see some of John Audubon’s work, you can, just go to the National Audubon Society’s web site www.audubon.org/nas and there you will find a link to John’s amazing life like catalog of his work.

John Audubon died in 1851 but even 158 years later his work is still one of the most talked about in history. John’s art which inspires grew into an empire that still portrays his ideals and values keeping him alive today in spirit. When ever you see a bird or nature, there you will find John Audubon.

That statement has been known to sea travelers for centuries, in fact, one of the worst places for a captain is near shore.  As they say, “Accidents tend to happen close to home or your destination.”  When ships would come into port, they don’t always know where the shallow water is, or where hazardous waters lie. To avoid such problems, man created the lighthouse. 

Lighthouses emit a beam of light that shines into the horizon warning sea captains that shore is near or dangerous waters lie ahead as you come to shore.  These nautical tools have saved many a boat and crew on their journey, while standing for security, peace of mind and are beautiful works of architectural art.

Since the late 1960s on, former US Navy seaman Alan Sundal has been painting the majestic sea and its marine life, taken from the experiences he saw at sea and from the pictures he took on his journeys across the world.  

If you remember The Expressionist Magazine featured Sundal last July, and since then, his work has been a consistent focal point in our magazine.  People want to know more, and therefore we feel it would be notable to feature this artist again, with the lighthouse collection by Alan Sundal.

Over the years of 2003 to 2006 I had the esteem pleasure to work with this amazing artist one on one.  I got to see the vast library he has of the marine art he produced, and one collection caught my eye in particular-his lighthouses.  Sundal showed me all the photos he took over the years of these beacons that line our seacoasts including the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, the Gulf Of Mexico and even the Great Lakes.  He told me about the many adventures he had at these lighthouses and how important they were to sailors.  It was only right to make a collection out of them.

Sundal showed me his lighthouse collection.  Do you know that he has every lighthouse on the coast of Florida, even some that don’t exist anymore.  Through intense research, he accurately marked the lighthouses with the original stripes and colors as they were first commissioned with.  Some over the years have changed, so if you see his work, it may not match simply because he took the lighthouse as it first looked.  Some of the more notable lighthouses in the collection include St. Augustine, Pensacola, the Dry Tortugas, Cape Canaveral, and every reef lighthouse off the Atlantic coast of Florida. 

If you don’t live in Florida, don’t worry, Sundal has every lighthouse in New England and the Middle Atlantic states down to Georgia on the Atlantic coast, as well as many of the lighthouses that surround and protect the Great Lakes.  When I asked Sundal about the West Coast lights, he said he has some, but they were not demanded like the East Coast lights were.

This amazing collection of Sundal’s surpasses the one hundred piece mark.  He even says if there is a lighthouse he doesn’t have, or a period marking you prefer that he doesn’t have, if you commission the piece you can have it.  He will research and paint you the lighthouse in the year you wish, at the time of day and season you want.

So why are the lighthouse markings so important to Sundal when he paints?  The markings of the lighthouse  helped the sea captain identify where he was, since many of the lights were similar in design.  For instance, the markings on the St. Augustine lighthouse are very similar to one in New Jersey, but if you saw the red light mast and the black and white spiral you would know you were in St. Augustine.  These markings also mark an era for the lighthouses, however, as he pointed out some have never changed.

Sundal’s collection of lighthouses got me hooked on these architectural works of art, so much so, I had to travel to see them in person.  Many of the lighthouses are still in commission, and can be climbed.  When you see his collection, then go and see these structures and you will see how true to life Sundal was in his paintings which shows the level of professionalism out of this soon to be legendary marine artist.

This action was the first I have heard where sports have received a cut from the budget in a long time, but sports usually thrive because  of a huge community effort to keep them with fundraisers in times of budget cuts.  What happened next shocked me.  The parents and community protested in outrage that games would be cut.  They say it’s a vital part of the community and the schools.  They represent the community, and they give the athletes something to be proud of while teaching good sportsmanship and playing as a team.  If they were to eliminate these games it would have an adverse affect on these principles and the community.

When I was in school, my school had some budget cuts.  I was enrolled in a photography class that was cut, as well as a drafting class that was cut due to the lack of fiscal suppliment.  My books were ancient in some classes but our football team had perfect uniforms.  There were no fundraisers for these classes and guess what, the community, the parents and county didn’t blink an eye when they were eliminated.  I am not a very good athelete, and these classes gave me something I could do and be proud of.  However, in my time of need the community thought these classes to be worth the cut.  When was the last time you saw a car wash for an art class?

I don’t remember anyone ever making a huge stink in the Tampa Bay area about a music or art class cut due to budget tightening.  In fact, over the last few years there have been many art and music classes cut, or the entire program eliminated all together in the Bay Area schools.  I can’t recall one protest over this action.

Art brings hand/eye coordination, self-esteem, a sense of pride, all while enhancing the surrounding community with beauty.  Art and music courses also bring a sense of pride to the students and allows them to be creative and think.  It brings the same values and community pride the extra curricular sports do, except nobody blinks an eye when the art or music programs suffer.

Just once, I would love to see someone come forward and fight for the arts and music in our schools as this community did for sports.  The art and music programs are notorious for being the first classes cut or eliminated in tough times within a school.  I applaud Pinellas County Schools to attempt a cut on sports, instead of the arts, however, the arts, music and sports are all very important in our community schools and for our children.  I understand the choice isn’t easy.  Right now, Pinellas County families are feeling what art and music supporters have been feeling and dealing with since the early 1980s.  I only wish there was a non-monetary solution to keeping all these programs thriving in our schools.

James McNeill Whistler – Whistler’s Mother 1871

Whistler’s Mother is probably one of the most well known American paintings that surfaced in the 19th century.  It’s been called the Mona Lisa of the American civilization.  It’s a simple portrait, however, it shows the American spirit all the way through it.

Civilization in America was simple back then; family was the focus of the town.  In this picture we can see a woman grieving in her classic style mourning dress.  She has probably lost a son or daughter.  Her solemn face shows all the emotion in one powerful package, yet her elegance overrides her stern appearance.  She sits by a picture that looks like a fort of some sort.  Since this is only six years post the Civil War era, I assume she lost a loved one in battle.  This very picture could depict the tragedy we suffered to keep America one great nation.  Despite the loss, the victory and bloodshed formed America to what it is today, though the wounds may never be erased.

John Mellencamp

Mellencamp’s career started in the late 70s and ran through the 80s and into the 90s, until he took a backseat for a while. Mellencamp’s music has defined America through rock.  His songs are based in simple times, and in simple towns where values run deep.  Songs like “Small Town” and “Ain’t That America” depict what it’s like growing up in the heart of America’s “breadbasket states.” The songs create a picture of those small towns with just a few stores, eating watermelon and drinking ice tea on a hot summer afternoon.  His songs take us back to the way America used to be.

Francis Scott Key

During the War of 1812, Francis Scott Key was stationed in a fort that fought a bloody battle.  While in his cabin, he listened and heard the canons fire; the turmoil and sounds of war taking place outside as the Americans tried to defeat the English attack on the fort.  It went throughout the night, but when the morning sun rose and tranquility settled in, Francis Scott Key looked out the window to see the American flag still flying high over the fort.  The Americans defeated the King’s army and sent them packing.

That inspired him to write a poem about the event, which later became the American National Anthem.  That poem, our anthem, tells of that bloody night where the Americans fought off the super power motherland, and came away victorious.  Ironically, the man in the president’s chair was Thomas Jefferson, the writer of the Declaration of Independence, who now commanded the country he helped create, to victory.  During his reign in office, the national anthem was written.   The anthem is probably the third most prized article written about America, next to the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence.

Betsy Ross

An American seamstress, Ross was said to have designed and created the very first American flag, commissioned by George Washington.  Today, many different stories have emerged about how the flag was created and why, but nobody can take from Ross.  Her creation is now the symbol of the free world and world power.  The flag is loathed and loved by many.

Lee Greenwood

Greenwood’s song to America came when President Clinton was in office, but its sound is timeless and feels like it’s been around since the start.  He wrote and sang the song, “I’m Proud To Be An American.”

This song contains the basic principles this country was founded on, something many have forgotten.  It’s about a hardworking blue collar employee who loves his family, his freedoms and his country, and would gladly die to preserve that.

Today, the song is played during many American functions and celebrations, such as the 4th of July.  The simple message will send chills down your spine and make you proud of this country we call the USA.

So if you forgot what it was to be American, or why we are a proud nation, simply look back at our simple roots and our fight for freedom.  These talented artists will tell you the American story.

For Sarah Jordan, photography has always been a passion and a part of her life.  Jordan says she started the art as a just a past time and was never trained.  This amateur picture taker simply follows online forums and tip pages to get ideas on how to better her skills.  Without a mentor, Jordan also uses the Internet for inspirational and educational sites such as Picasa and Flickr.  She says she likes to see what others take pictures of and then learns how to find her own subjects.

The St. Petersburg, Florida resident got her first “nice” 35 mm camera when she was about twelve or thirteen.  It was at this time Jordan really started taking photographs.  Today, she uses a Kodak Easy Share C813, which she considers to be “a very simple digital camera.”  According to Jordan, her lack of equipment is a major limitation.  ”With a basic camera, it is difficult to capture certain angles and compensate for poor lighting, etc.”  Although she admits she wouldn’t mind upgrading, Jordan is happy with the results she has achieved with her Kodak.

So, why did Jordan choose this hobby?  ”Photography is fun for a lot of reasons.  It is rewarding to find beauty in things that people may otherwise take for granted, and capturing a moment on film allows you to go back and look at it and interpret it in many different ways,” explains Jordan.  Although the photographer has been interested in using a camera for most of her life, she has gotten much more involved with her hobby in just the last couple of years.  Jordan, in addition to being an amateur photographer, is also a paranormal investigator.  While out on ghost hunts, she would take pictures in the hope of capturing evidence of the spirit world.  ”I noticed that I took some interesting pictures while gathering information for future investigations and just expanded on that- taking pictures wherever something caught my eye,” states Jordan.

Jordan’s inspiration is not just in the paranormal, but is found in natural Florida beauty, specifically in Tampa Bay.  She is drawn to St. Petersburg’s history and its beautiful landmarks such as the Skyway Bridge and Fort DeSoto.  However, Jordan also enjoys candid photography taken of her family and friends at places like Disney World or while out fishing in the Gulf of Mexico. “Anywhere memorable,” sums up Jordan.  Florida’s landscapes and pristine beaches always make for inspiring canvases.  Jordan believes inspiration is all around us in the “Sunshine State” and photographic opportunities are abundant in beautiful Florida.  ”I was born and raised here so it has been easy to take the things we see everyday for granted.  By taking pictures of these things, I can go back and look at the landscapes that surround me everyday and appreciate them more fully,” says Jordan. It is this kind of reflection that makes for an outstanding photograph.  Jordan believes this her strength in photography- the ability to find beauty in everyday things.  But with a strength, can come a weakness.

So, what’s the hardest thing right now for Jordan when it comes to taking pictures?  That’s an easy answer for this beginning photographer.  ”Forgetting to take my camera with me everywhere I go!”  With the ability to see beauty in all aspects of life, one must be prepared for those unexpected and awe-inspiring moments.

Jordan says that when it comes to photography her favorite part is scouting out new subjects for her photos.  But even better than that? Being able to review the photos when she gets home.  It’s almost like unwrapping gifts; you’re excited to see what is inside each one. “All parts of photography are fun,” claims Jordan.

So, with that said, is Jordan planning on changing her amateur status to professional anytime soon?  ”I would like to learn more about the technical aspects and maybe even pursue it as a career.  I can’t imagine being lucky enough to get paid for doing this,” admits Jordan.  For this talented beginner, her dream job doesn’t seem too far from grasp.

To contact Sarah Jordan regarding her photography, please e-mail her at sarahmarie315@hotmail.com, or you can find a sampling of her beautiful work on Flickr under the username, sarahmarie315.

First, before we get to the nitty gritty, we feel that it’s important to point out that a photo can’t be fixed, at least an original.  The best we can do, should damage occur, is to photograph it and reproduce it fixing the damage through photoshop and hours of painstaking precision work.  A good habit to fall into, especially with old photos, is to take a scanned copy of your photo at your local Walgreens, Ritz Camera, or where ever you get your photos developed. Make a copy print of the photo and use that one in the frame or album, just in case damage occurs. That way, you have the original.

Storage: Storage of your photos is very important.  If you use a box, we suggest placing them neatly flat and never stacking them vertically.  Make sure they are nice and even so the corners don’t get bent.  Before actually placing them in a box, get some non- acidic styrafoam packing wrap and line the box with it.  This will allow seperation between the acidic box and your memories.

When storing the photos, NEVER place them around high heat and humidity.  Garages and attics are absolutely off limits.  Place them in a cool dark place, preferably a closet or under your bed.

Displaying: Displaying your photos shows visitors how much you love your family, how proud you are of your little ones and it helps decorate your space.  However, displaying them can be costly especially if you are using originals.  Use these tips when displaying your photos to avoid damage.

1. Never hang or place your photos near a window. When that window is open, the humidity and damaging air comes through the window and touches every part of the surrounding wall closest to the window.  With your photo it is 90% more likely to sustain damage from heat, humidity or water damage.  If you have to hang your photo or place your photos on a window sill or wall, place them as far away as possible, at least 36″ away if you can.  Never place photos you are afraid to lose on a window sill.
2. Never allow direct sunlight to touch your photos.  Sunlight over time will destroy the composition of the picture paper, causing it to become frail and brittle.  In most cases, it will bleach the photo. Sometimes it’s clear that the photo is bleached, and sometimes you can’t tell till you take it out of the frame and see beautiful colored borders around the photo where the frame covered it.  Adjust your frames so that direct sun exposure is minimal or not at all.
3. Never hang photos you are afraid to lose in the bathroom.  The humidity will DESTROY them.  Use duplicates if at all possible and always use a mat board.

Frames are great, don’t get me wrong, but they can be more devastating to your photos and you may not even know it.  Most frames are packed with cardboard to make up for the space.  Cardboard is highly acidic and will destroy your picture in the same fashion as the sun.  We suggest that you get the styrafoam wrap and cut squares till it matches the width of the cardboard.  This will eliminate most of the de-comp from the acidic back.  Even if you put another piece of paper over the cardboard, the acid in the material will seep through the paper and touch the photo.

Also, to avoid the photo from sticking to the glass of the frame due to humidity, we suggest using a mat board, NON-ACIDIC.  Those are best found in Michaels and other fine craft stores.  Many of the mats from Walmart are from China and do carry acid in them.  The mat board gives a safe gap off the glass which also causes damage to the picture, while giving the photo something special.

Handling: There is nothing worse than touching a photo with your fingers, especially high gloss.  Those finger prints are full of oil and dare I say, acid.  Even wiping it off smears the spot away but leaves a larger surface of your acid that did not come up with the wiping.  Always handle your photos with clean hands, and hold them from the sides. To sort through them, grab the least amount of paper on the corner as you can to avoid large surface damage.

When transporting an album in the car, do NOT leave the photo album in the car for more than a half hour, especially in the dead of summer.  The car can get to over 150 degrees in the direct sun which will warp and start the decay process of your photos.  At night, even with the windows rolled up, humidity and dew can get into your car leaving condensation damage.  Take them with you and always carry them in a bag, or box the album came in.

Albums: Albums are fine as long as you get non-acidic archival sleeves.  The cheap sleves are great but will do more harm to your photos over time.

OOPS, I spilled soda on my picture….

1. Immediately grab the picture and tilt it on an angle to get rid of the excess soda or beverage.
2. Take the photo to the kitchen and put a double sheet of paper towels down; one to dry the excess beverage behind the paper, while ensuring no further contamination from stuff stuck to the counter below.  Don’t use a dish towel because it’s too heavy and the paper is now weakened; you can cause a tear in the photo.
3. With a lint free cloth (paper towel) DAB the surface of the photo gently, removing the liquid.  NEVER use a wet cloth, and NEVER ever WIPE; you can wipe the color right off the paper.
4. Once cleaned, let the picture sit in a cool, safe, dry area for 24 hours before attempting to put it away.
5. If there is damage to the photo, like water spots, it’s much easier to get it fixed now so take it to get it scanned and find someone to fix it.

Follow these steps and your photos can last you a long time.

Upon seeing his art for the first time, I actually thought it was just a photograph of  still life pieces.  Browning tends to focus on general everyday kitchen items and gives them spice by adding wild contrasting colors such as black and white checkers or red and white stripes, thus giving the picture different textures and feel.  After I studied the art and learned more about Browning, I found that these are not photographs at all, instead, they are masterful renditions of still life paints.

From that point on, I was in awe of his talent.  This man is able to make the most realistic looking metal I have ever seen; the glare from the smooth sheen on his coffee pots and coffee mugs are a work of true artistic discipline in the highest sense.  I haven’t seen many people capture the feel of textures like Browning in a long time. Like I said, I thought it was a photograph of a real cup and coffee pot.

Browning’s whole life revolves around the arts.  He received formal training in New York on a two year merit scholarship where he attended the Art Students League.  It’s here that he studied under some exceptional artists like: Robert Emil Shulz, Jack Faragasso and George Pasantino.  Browning is even more remarkable with his talents, because he’s been considered a professional artist since the age of thirteen, which were years before his formal artistic training.

For years this artist has been focusing on portraits, which his resume is packed full of for over 28 years.  Browning, however, seems to like philosophy and his recent creations, like the ones we mentioned, are designed on the Zen principle of meditiaton.  This collection is still life, but Browning’s goal isn’t about the objects he paints, instead it’s about taking ordinary inanimate objects and showing how they affect people emotionally, as Browning states.

Browning’s collections deck the walls of galleries, and the walls of people both famous and non-famous, giving him a well rounded resume.  Some of the people who own his work are:  The Jerry Jones family (Dallas Cowboys owner), Linda Bloodworth Thompson (producer of Designing Women), Leonard Katzman (producer of Dallas), US Senator Doyle Webb from Arkansas, and many more.

His work are in exhibits across the world, and those exhibits can be found at the following places, which may even be in your own backyard. They are as follows:

• 2002 Sierra Nevada Quinta Real. San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico.
• 2001 Galeria Dos Culturas. “Myth Becomes Reality”,” San Miguel Allende, Gto. Mexico
• 1999 Galeria La Estrella. Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico.
• 1998 Galeria La Estrella. Interlomas, Mexico City, Mexico.
• 1998 Galeria La Estrella. “Guanajuato Trade Center” in Dallas, Texas.
• 1997 Portrait Brokers of America. Atlanta, Georgia and Birmingham, Alabama. Exhibition of portraits.
• 1997 Thomas Gallery. “Images of Mexico,” Little Rock, Arkansas.
• Ram’s Head Gallery. “Masks, Myth and Dance in Mexico,” Dallas, Texas.
• Southwest Gallery. “The Mask in Mexico,” Dallas, Texas.
• Dolona Roberts Gallery. “Masked Dances in Mexico,” Santa Fe, New Mexico.
• Trammell Crow Center. “Mask as an Archetype,” Dallas, Texas.
• 2006 “Get Real” Exhibition in Discovery Galleries. Washington, D.C.
• 2006 Exhibition in Forthsmith Gallery. Atlanta, Georgia.
• 2005 One man show. Exhibition in Galeria del Claustro. Juriquilla, Queretaro.
• 2004 Exhibition in Gallery Central. Hot Springs, Arkansas.
• 2003 Exhibition in Galeria Dos Culturas. San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato.
• 2003 Exhibition in South West Gallery. Dallas, Texas.

You can also find him at these galleries:

Discovery Gallery
Southwest Gallery
Ro Gallery

Randall Browning’s work will definitely touch you in some way, while tickling your imagination.  Sit and look at his work and figure out how he created a painting so real; it’s his true blessing to the art world.

If you want to contact Browning or see more of his pictures, please see his web site at www.randallbrowning.com

As he got older, Mauricio started to focus more on abstract art in college, and he really embraced it by saying it was a great creative release.  He was born into a family of artists, specifically his mother who did a lot of painting and whose style mimicked her home country of Columbia.  Mauricio’s art went down a few different paths as he grew his talent; one of those paths took an urban feel.  He really enjoyed the raw but rough graffiti he found on walls and such.  He incorporated graffiti into his work, just not on walls unless someone would ask him to.  He still loves graffiti but it isn’t his true focus anymore. Mauricio is excited that some of his graffiti will be appearing in a new book titled “Label 228″ set to hit shelves in October of this year.  You can get your copy on Amazon.com.

Photography came to Mauricio a few years ago in 2007 by a complete accident.  He noticed an ad in the newspaper for Artsploration, sponsored by the United Arts of Central Florida.  They were looking for photographs of Orlando including the Central Florida area.  He looked through his bag of work and found a photo he loved called “Eden.”  He figured why not, so he sent his application and photo in, then waited for the results.  A few weeks later the results came in, shocking him a bit. He won first place and a prize of $2000.00, not bad for a picture taken on Hills Avenue in Orlando.  This win opened his eyes and his passion for photography.

Like his art, the urban style fits the inspiration for his work.  He really focuses on things that people would take for granted, or takes things that you wouldn’t think of walking by to be beautiful, and makes them into masterpieces through his eyes.  With photography, the art is truly seen through the eyes of the photographer.  It’s the job of the photographer to take what they see and change the mind of the people who view the piece.  This is the challenge that Mauricio loves to accomplish with each and every piece.  A good example of this is his photo of a New York alley.

Mauricio remembers that day, he was in New York during some crazy weather.  It was raining and cold, and he was walking past an alley that wasn’t pretty and definitely taken for granted.  Thousands of people passed this alley everyday, never taking a second look. Mauricio saw something special and took a photo.  The result is one of his most favorite pictures he has taken to date and one of his most requested pieces.

Art isn’t the only thing Mauricio is passionate about. One of his current projects is working with Icla Da Silva Foundation, whose purpose is to help minority and under privileged families with children who suffer with leukemia. Based out of New York, Mauricio is very passionate to lend his talents to help this wonderful organization.  To find out more, check out their web site www.icla.org

To have Mauricio do a commissioned piece for you, or to check out his work, or just contact him, please visit his web site at www.mauriciomurillo.com or his MySpace page at www.myspace.com/mauriciomurillo

In 1994, Segal returned to his first true love, painting.  He began displaying his work in 2001 and 2002 in Grace Church’s juried exhibitions.  A year later, he showed his work at Ecclectica and Melissa’s, two fine art/craft stores.  Then in 2007, Segal says he “took it up a notch” and participated in eight one-man shows, a two person show, two group shows and an arts festival.  He began showing work in cities such as Newark and Philadelphia.  Today, as an emerging artist, Segal is applying for grants.  He says he is currently seeking gallery representation on a more permanent basis.

Segal is a highly intelligent, creative and well skilled artist.  However, what most people don’t know is that Segal has suffered for most of his life.  Segal was diagnosed with Manic-Depression (Bipolar Affective Disorder) at the young age of fifteen.  The artist admits he never received “good and appropriate” help until recently, about five or six years ago.  The “hidden disability,” as Segal calls it, actually became noticeable before his teen years.  At only eleven, Segal was placed in therapy and started getting into fights at school.  Years went by and as Segal grew, so did his Bipolar.  Years of his life were spent in mental wards, delusional. There were the innumerable suicide attempts.  ”I was always dragged back to life, kicking and screaming,” recalls the artist. These were, undoubtedly, Segal’s darkest days.

Today he considers himself an advocate for consumer (patient) rights and is now happily five years free of his Bipolar battles.  Segal claims this five year mark to be a record since for most of his life he was in and out of mental wards.  Now, Segal says he is “100% out” about being Bipolar and has even co-founded a large support group.  Segal speaks candidly of his disability and all that has come with it.

As someone who is suffering from Manic-Depression, Segal fits the classic mold.  Many afflicted with the illness are artistic and highly intelligent.  Segal has been a lifelong member of MENSA, aka “The High IQ Society.”  This very prestigious honor, however, has some strings attached.  Segal sees it as a double-edged sword, describing himself as “intelligent, but disturbed.” Segal’s disability has also made it difficult for himself to define what it was he wanted to study while in school, saying it took him eight years, three majors and three different schools.

Segal’s advice to others suffering from Manic-Depression is to find a good psychiatrist or psychological team.  Also, he says to seek out a local support group, which can be beneficial to finding a reputable doctor.  Most importantly, Segal urges Bipolars to take their prescribed medications.  The hardest part of the illness for Segal was simply finding the appropriate medication and therapy.  ”When taking my meds, I remind myself they are the cost of my freedom,” states the artist.  ”Stick with it the best you can, because 80% of Bipolars get relief.”

Segal says he sees his Bipolar as a separate entity, which has caused him to have both productive and crazed times.  His masterpieces are a reflection of his intensity and passionate emotion.  Segal considers his style to be reminiscent of Marc Chagal’s work, “filled with luminous figures and gravity-defying forms.”  Segal says that much of his work has a spiritual essence to it.  ”A ritual plays a role in their creation,” explains the painter.  ”My experiment” is what Segal calls each piece of his artwork because he is trying to apply a particular principle to each one.  ”My chosen style is a sort of ‘action painting;’ auras and halos surround my figures and they give off a measured light.  It has been called a ‘visionary’ style.  I believe in Sacred Geometry and I employ 3D grids, spirals and more.  I consider each painting to be freestanding, unique; an experiment to discover something about my medium.  I’m always adapting my technique to new discoveries and exploring new mysteries.  I use some of my Near Death Experiences (NDEs) to drive the geometry of my paintings.”

Segal’s favorite artists are Andy Warhol and Salvador Dali.  He especially likes Dali’s “Agnostic Symbol” painting.  As far as Segal’s own favorite pieces, “Couple in Love” and “Vishnu” top his list.

It is difficult to imagine that this talented artist has spent half his life suspended in delusion; in and out of daydreams and hallucinations.  ”Madness colored every aspect of my life,” reflects Segal.  Now averaging two to three shows a month in Delaware and also in the Philadelphia area, Segal celebrates his recovery and has seen his productivity and exposure in the arts explode.  ”I think Bipolar loosened up my concept of ‘collective reality.’  Uncontrolled Bipolar manias are rather like doing hallucinogenic drugs; reality is warped and there’s usually some fantastic imaginary mission and every thought is ‘magical.’  In all this, I find my mood shifts do affect the quality of my work, and the free-associations I make give me subjects for my paintings.”

At 49, Segal says he has a true understanding how everyday is a gift from God.  ”I have spent too long in regret, now I am grateful for all I have.”  Segal couldn’t be happier.  He has been married fifteen years to his loving wife, Jane; a woman he refers to as his “muse, helpmate, and example.”  In addition to his wife, Segal has a 29 year old stepson, David and a dog, two cats and ten birds.

There is no doubt that Ken Segal is an inspiration.  Not just to those afflicted with Manic-Depression, but to us all.  His strength, determination and passion are assuredly encouraging and admirable.

Ken Segal’s work is full of color, spellbinding and hypnotic.  I would highly recommend going to this talented artist’s website at www.segalstudios.com to view some of his work.  Segal can be contacted through his e-mail at segalstudios@comcast.com or by writing him at Ken Segal, c/o Segal Studios:  944 10th Ave., Wilmington, DE 19808-4963

Here’s where the story really takes place and the true development of this new crafting business.  Carolyn received a handmade fleece blanket for Christmas which she loved and kept out on the living room couch. What she found was the dogs loved the blanket just as much, and being afraid they would make it dirty or ruin it, she decided to make some for her beloved dogs and family.

In late January she purchased the materials and set out to learn this hobby while making wonderful blankets for everyone.  When she would lay out the fabric on the floor to start the process, the dogs would run in and lay right in the middle of the floor on the fabric and there they would sit till the blanket was done.  After making a few for the family, it was time to get to the special patterns she picked out for the dogs.

When Carolyn finished the job, she had three large blankets for the family, and two blankets for the dogs.  Each dog quickly grabbed their blanket and snuggled in it, truly enjoying life.

February came and Buttons became very sick out of the blue; we all thought it was the flu.  Her son took his dog to the doctor a few times to ensure everything was okay. On Valentine’s Day this year Buttons wouldn’t stop throwing up, and since it was after hours, they took her to the animal emergency room hoping to get their dog some relief.  They found she was a bit anemic and wanted to do some exploratory surgery to ensure they could find the blood leak and fix it, figuring she probably ate something.  At 1:00 AM on the 15^th the vet called with bad news.  Buttons had no liver left; it was engulfed with cancer.  The vet informed them she had only a few hours left.  With that news, her son told them to let her go and she quickly and peacefully drifted off to be an angel.

That week when she was sick, Buttons took that blanket everywhere and snuggled in it.  The blanket would stop her from shaking so bad; it wasn’t the chills, but her body dying.  The family took the blanket with her to the ER that night and found comfort in it as she went through that horrible ordeal.  Carolyn realized how important that blanket was and decided to dedicate the blankets to give some special love to dogs and cats alike.

Designed to be a comfortable and warm garment for your dog or cat’s bed, it’s also there to deliver a special comfort for your furry friends if they are sick, lonely or come from an abused place.  The idea is that the blankets give your animal solitude in its life, and allows it to wrap itself in the love that comes with a blanket of its very own.

Each blanket Carolyn makes is 100% handmade, never machined.  She prides herself on special animal themed patterns that your furry friend can relate to, but also there are plain solid colors and styles, too.  Carolyn also credits the success of the blankets to the love she puts into each one.  This truly is the key to making something loved by someone; when you put your heart and pride into something it shows.

These blankets come in sizes for cats, and for small to large dogs.  If there isn’t a size you need available then she can make a custom size or pattern.  Special orders are always welcome and appreciated, Carolyn states.

If you want a quality blanket packed with love, then you’ll love My Cuddly Blanket.  You can see her brand new store online at www.mycuddlyblanket.com. Prices start at $10.00 and go to $25.00 for standard pattern items.

If you go into downtown Tampa for instance, the stories told are amazing.  Travel down Franklin Street which is paved with uneven dark brown bricks, and you will quickly see you are jaunting down one of the oldest parts of the city.  On the corner lies the Kress Building, the once standing MAAS Brothers Building, and the famed Tampa Theatre. Look down east on Franklin Street and you will see the modernization of Tampa with huge skyscrapers and the NHL hockey arena, The St. Pete Times Forum. Each era of this city is nestled safely in unison, living together in harmony – but for how long?

These buildings are the roots of a generation. Franklin Street may not be pretty because the buildings are in ruins, but with a little love those buildings could be restored back to their glory days. With a little artistic flare you could have the historic buildings transform the modern Tampa, creating a perfect blend of the past and future. These buildings tell a story and are in danger of being lost forever.

Last month I went to the Tampa Theatre, just to admire the history.  Across the street once stood old buildings that made the entire street a time capsule. What happened brought a tear to my eye; instead of people seeing the beauty and art in these ruin clad buildings and attempt to restore them to accommodate modern Tampa’s vision, they leveled them out.  In the place of the beautiful buildings stood a massive modern condo, which now makes the beautiful Tampa Theatre look out of place; despite the fact it’s been there 80 years before this building ever was a dream. The rest of the buildings such as the Kress Building and abandoned old storefronts now look like an urban nightmare.  The clashing of  new structures with historic ones pretty much guarantees a wrecking ball date with their name on it so the new building doesn’t lose its value.

So to preserve and educate you on some of the remaining buildings and the ones that once stood proud in Tampa, I thought I would give you a brief history lesson into what we’re knocking down in hopes that next time you see these buildings you will say to yourself, that’s not ugly, that’s incredible.

MAAS Brothers Building: It once stood on the corner of Franklin and Zack St. This white building, square with absolutely no architectural flare was not one of the most appealing buildings downtown Tampa had to offer its patrons, but it was historic. Up until three years ago you could walk by this building and through the decayed wood boarding the windows, you could smell the mustiness wafting from the cracks in the windows. If you dare look into the windows that were not boarded up, you would see tiles from the mid 1920s set across the floor, covered in dust. You could see the hanging ceiling tiles broken and falling, exposing the duct work.  Sure it was an eyesore, but this building once was the home of Tampa’s first ever department store, Maas Brothers.

Today we take for granted the department store as they are plentiful, but back in those days only elite cities had department stores. Maas Brothers was the equivalence of Sears or Woolworth’s.  This helped define Tampa as a premier place in the United States and in Florida. What you may not know is that this building contained the first ever public radio station in the state.

This building was set to be demolished, but nature took its course instead and ended the misery of the building, giving it some dignity.  Lightning struck Maas Brothers, catching it on fire which took only a short period of time to bring the historic building to ashes.  The fire department only ensured it didn’t harm the other buildings around it.  The site’s new tenant was supposed to be the Trump Towers, but now it is going to be another super condo.

The Floridan Hotel: The Floridan Hotel is not the Floridian Hotel; I did spell it correctly. This hotel is on Cass and lies just behind Tampa Theatre.  It closed in 1988, but was one of the first high rise hotels in the state and the first for Tampa. Built in the mid 1920s, this hotel made Tampa one of the top cities in the nation. The rich came from all over  just to stay at this hotel.

The Floridan Hotel is a very historic place because it’s where the Articles Of Incorporation for Walgreens, Publix and Eckerd Drug were signed. In addition, guests like Joe Dimaggio, Gary Cooper and a few other well named celebrities stayed here.

Today, the hotel is in great shape from the outside.  As far as the inside, I have no idea how structurally sound it is. A few major firms have purchased the property to restore it but nobody has actually started work on it. You can’t miss this hotel either, even from I-275; it’s the old building that looms over the horizon, and sticks out against all those luxurious new high rises. However, walk by the place and you will see the architectural beauty the hotel has, and it makes you wonder what these walls saw for almost 70 years.

The Floridian: This one is spelled right too; it’s one of the most elaborate hotels ever to exist in Tampa. Located off Kennedy, this luxurious hotel belonged to H.B. Plant, a railroad tycoon who made Tampa his home. To drive money for his railroad and his businesses in Tampa, H.B. Plant would often pay to have people carted in, so they would then take his railroad cars to his hotel where they were pampered in luxury.

The hotel has onion domes typical of the Middle Eastern/ Russian design, that is accented by the location that looks out over Tampa Bay and has a complete walk around porch. The dark brick facade is simply breathtaking against the setting Florida sun.

H.B. Plant could easily be considered one of the biggest influences on why Tampa became as large and popular as it did in the early years, and this hotel is the symbol of his legacy. The best news today is that this building isn’t at risk for demolition; instead it’s the location of The University Of Tampa. You can go through its great halls and see the elaborate and famous grand staircase. The architecture is spectacular and the warm historic feeling will make you feel nostalgic; in fact, you’d swear at any minute H.B. Plant himself will walk past you in the grand hall.

Today, this hotel is located on the Hillsborough County official seal and has become the icon of Tampa Bay.

Kress Building: I wasn’t able to find out too much about this building, but the metallic awning that looms over each end of the building, replicating the Tampa Theater Marquee, is simply amazing.  You can look closely and see all the intricate details someone went through when constructing this beautiful accent to the building.

Across the top of the building, you can see an old faded ad that was painted on that reads the Kress logo.  Tiles on the building also are unique; they are multicolored and multi-patterned giving the right amount of color and design without being gaudy or tacky in anyway.

This building looks like some kind of general store back in the day, a place you would go to get textiles or goods.  Maybe even a corner store where children could run in and buy a piece of candy, or maybe it was a soda jerk’s heaven.  Either way, the building still stands and looks like it could easily be restored to its former glory.

So that’s just a few of these great pieces of art; endangered, because there is a wrecking ball waiting nearby and the City of Tampa has no objection to their demise.  If the lack of preservation angers you, then let’s do something about it.  These buildings are a work of art that tell a story, and there is no reason they couldn’t continue that legacy while sporting a modern purpose.

The modern technology we’ve created over the years has led us to some fabulous discoveries along the way. The CT scan, for instance, has made disease detection possible and faster, which has led to millions of lives saved from eminent doom. Just this past month, this magnificent machine has led to a discovery in the ancient arts as well; it found a change was made to a very significant statue from ancient Egypt. The statue is the only known likeness of Queen Nefertiti.

The scan took place in Munich, Germany led by Dr. Alexander Huppertz, Director of the Imaging Science Institute at Berlin’s Charite Hospital and Medical School. This discovery shows that the stucco exterior actually differs from the stone statue that lies beneath the façade. Until the discovery of this machine, we never would have known there were layers to it unless we drilled a hole in it which would inevitably destroy the art.

Nefertiti’s bust has only small changes to the queen’s face. The stone beneath has small creases by the queen’s mouth and a bump on the nose, which isn’t included on the stucco façade. Until this discovery no one thought anything of the stone inside; it was thought to be just a brace for the stucco, which we now know is not true.

Why her face was changed and so ordered by whom, will forever lie in mystery. More than likely it was the queen herself who probably felt those were flaws and didn’t want them included on this statue, immortalizing her presence on Earth. Since it’s there, we can gather from the evidence that these flaws existed, giving us a more accurate look of what Queen Neferiti looked like.

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen modern technology used on art. When I was at the Wadsworth Athenaeum in Hartford, Connecticut this past November, I discovered scientists had x-rayed many famous paintings. They found a completely different picture underneath or found simple to multiple changes to the picture covered over with layers of paint.

Either way, the findings are astounding. This technology allows us to study and examine art closely without having to destroy it with tools and our hands. It opens a whole new world for art studies, and gives us an in depth look at the flaws of the masters.

What I saw was a collection of extremely detailed pictures portraying beautiful, young and vibrant women in period attire, against a wall of decay and abandonment; showing beauty in both scenarios of the piece. The detail was so intense, I actually had to ask the artist if he painted over a picture and used mixed media for his work. I was wrong. The artist never incorporated photography at all, instead it was hand drawn art at its best. I was so impressed that I had to write about this artist.  His name is Adam Scott Rote of Adam Scot Rote Studio.

This amazing realism artist is a self taught master. He tried to enter the Cleveland Institute of Art, but to his surprise, never got accepted. Looking back, Rote says it was probably the best thing that could ever have happened to him. He wanted a challenge in art and wanted to be creative, not just draw the pipes on the wall in monochrome. After all, where’s the passion? Instead, Rote studied in the library, reading about art and techniques of the masters, then applying what he learned in his own work.

Rote isn’t your typical artist. He uses a variety of mediums to create his pieces including acrylic paint, air brush, watercolors, and pencils. It boggles my mind to know that you can combine so many different mediums together in one picture and make them work seamlessly; but Rote does it so well, almost effortlessly.

Rote’s success has extended past just his art. He owned his own gallery in Key West, Florida from 1989 to 1994. It was during that time when he did a lot of celebrity portraits. Rote eventually started his own mermaid and mermen collection, which gave him his nickname, the “mermaid and merman man” of the 90s.

When Rote moved from Key West to Ft. Lauderdale, he started to incorporate his models with the old buildings down through South Beach in Miami. This led to his current and most well known collection, “American Ruins.” This collection is a signature collection whose concept and application helped Rote stand out from the rest.

“American Ruins” was born with a photographer friend of his that showed him some pictures that he took of an old, run down building in Massachusetts. That gave Rote an inspiration for this collection. He says growing up in the 70s there was always an elegance, look or style on the TV or in person, even with his parents, that just fascinated him. Rote took that elegance and mixed it with the old condemned buildings and got this intense collection.

What’s so wonderful about this collection is that it captures beauty in the decay, while showing the elegance of the period though the women he incorporates into the pictures with their ghostly forms. It allows the art to talk. What you see is what this building looks like today, obviously abandoned, but it flashes back to its glory days when it was lived in and loved.

The pictures incorporate all the mediums Rote utilizes, and captures an astonishing level of realism. I dare you to look at it closely and tell me if you have to do a double take to see whether it’s a photo or not.

With the theme of old and new, Rote continued the line incorporating that ideal into a new collection called “Modern Pop Ruins.” This has the same kind of feeling as “American Ruins,” except that it incorporates the fun loving characters we used to watch in the mornings such as Count Chocula, Boo Berry and Franken Berry. This cool collection portrays these characters as brand new. However, the box they are on looks like it was buried in the back of your grandmother’s cupboard and forgotten for 30 years before it was exhumed and brought back to the light. It’s simple in nature, but it makes you think about all that is around you and how it will look years from now. It also makes you think about the other side, like the stuff we grew up loving. What would it look like now if we pulled it out from the depths of our attic?

Rote’s pictures bring out thought and beauty in many forms, capturing an emotion that’s hard to describe. His work is one that will never be duplicated, and his intense realism can only be strived for. There is the expression, “if walls could talk” and Rote definitely makes them do just that. In fact, the message hits you right square between the eyes.

If you want to see this talented artist’s work, you can see it at the following galleries: Gallery Duval in Key West, Collection Privee in South Beach, Miranda Galleries in Laguna Beach, CA and of course, through his website where you can see some digital samples of his work, www.adamrote.com

Photo Credits: Photos contained in this article are published with the consent of Adam Rote and can’t be used for any other reason without permission of the artist.

In a small spare bedroom in Damme’s house is where the artist spends most of her time creating.  ”The room isn’t much to look at. Floors are in horrible condition and it is floor to ceiling with finished work, work in progress and various tools and materials… but I love it.  I spend many hours with my radio in my studio working.”

Damme seems to be a jack-of-all-traits when it comes to art.  ”In college, I could never settle on one single type of art to focus on-ceramics, painting, printmaking… I loved them all.”  After college, Damme learned to work with stained glass and had great success with it, thus building a reputation as a fine glass artist.  She worked in the copper foil method of stained glass, which means that once she had her design laid out and the glass cut just right, she would wrap each piece in copper foil, then solder it together.  According to Damme, the process was quite tedious and a lot of work.  The artist also painted images on the glass pieces.  ”I started to realize that I just liked the painting and drawing parts and it was harder and harder to force myself to finish a piece.  That is when I knew I needed to change things up.  I now will work sun up to sun down on prints, if given the opportunity to do so.  You know you’re on the right track when it doesn’t feel like work, but you’ll skip meals to do it.”  Now, Damme is back to printmaking as her favorite medium, with painting coming in as a close second.  Although she has given up her stained glass making for the most part now, Damme said she will not completely retire from it.  However, it may be a while before she goes back to glass artistry.  With printmaking, Damme makes both linocut and monoprints.  A linocut is a form of relief or block print.  It is similar in concept to a wood block print, but instead of carving the image from wood, you use a linoleum block.  ”It gives a different feel than wood; no grain shows up in the print,” explains the artist.  A monoprint, according to Damme, is a one-of-a-kind image, as opposed to the typical edition of prints pulled, which are all the same.  ”It can be a painting on a flat surface like plexiglass, and then printing it, which is a common method.  I have done monoprints where I ink up found objects like leaves, and print them directly on to paper.  Since I can’t reproduce identical images to make an edition, they are considered monoprints.”  Damme continues on to say how much she loves printmaking and is even a member of an online printmakers team called Printsy.  You can visit Printsy’s page at http://printsy.blogspot.com/.  Damme’s most popular art pieces are her Halloween inspired work, which she sells year round, and anything she paints with cats on it.

Damme says she remembers drawing at a very young age, but claims she never took art in high school.  However, she continued to draw outside of school in her spare time.  Originally a journalism and language major in college, Damme recalls the moment when she made a life changing career choice.  ”Halfway through those [journalism/language] courses, I took a required art education class, then a drawing class and was hooked.”  Damme later graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, stating she chose her passion rather than a more “solid career path.”  The artist, who is currently based in St. Petersburg, was born and raised in Lincoln, Nebraska.  After college, she moved to Minneapolis/St. Paul and eventually found the “Sunshine State.”

The very talented Damme belongs to various art related groups, one being the Florida Etsy Street Team or FEST.  When Damme was asked if she has a mentor, she answered that she does not but rather, serves as a mentor for others.  FEST, a group of Florida based art vendors is found on Etsy.com, a site for handmade goods.  FEST allows Damme to help fellow artists who are just starting out with festivals and markets, by giving them advice and sharing tips.  You can find out more about this team through www.etsyfest.com or by visiting Damme’s shop at Etsy, which is found at craftyhag.etsy.com.

Damme is also the founder of The Craft Heroes, a venture the artist started with the help of a fellow Etsy vendor and friend named Shannon Schafer, aka Boogiebead (www.boogiebead.etsy.com).  ”Shannon and I decided we wanted to organize our own type of funky arts and crafts festivals, so we formed the St. Pete Craft Heroes (www.craftheroes.com).  When we hold events, we try to coordinate with a local non-profit or charity.  For example, last year we held “Craft Emergency” as a benefit for the local chapter of the Red Cross.  Vendors pay a registration fee which is split between promotional materials and advertising, while the remainder is given as a donation to the charity group.”

So, where does Damme see herself in years to come?  ”I want to make art, better art.  Sounds simple but that point on the horizon is always shifting.  I may never be the artist I want to be or feel I have the potential to be, but I will always keep pursuing it.  I think a lot of artists dream of making a living from their work.  It’s not easy to do.  Whether or not I can achieve that, I don’t know.  It’s a slippery slope and I don’t want to end up making art to sell as opposed to making art for fun.  I’ve been in the art to sell boat and it isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.”

You may wonder, how did Damme ever come up with the unusual name for her craft business?  ”You can read into it whatever way you want-a defense mechanism, truth in advertising, good marketing strategy (people notice and remember it!), but the truth is it comes from joking around with some of my closest girl friends.  I first moved to Florida to pursue my passion for scuba diving and they would call me a “dive hag,” and so when I needed a business name I felt like The Crafty Hag was the perfect choice,” states Damme.  The artist says she uses it as a gauge for people coming into her booth.  ”If they have a sense of humor and laugh at my name, they are far more likely to be interested in my work and purchase something.  People who don’t get it usually just keep walking.  It’s proven to be a pretty accurate indicator.”

The Crafty Hag’s work can be found at her Etsy shop, and during market season usually on Saturdays.  ”My home away from home (market wise) has been the “Art in the Park” event held each Saturday in Williams Park, downtown St. Pete, ” says Damme. The artist also expressed that she has received some interest recently from two out of state art galleries, and hopes to show her work with them in the near future.  Damme participates in many local art shows including the “I Love St. Pete” show, recently held at ARTpool, a community based studio/gallery/event site for aspiring Tampa Bay artists.  For a small fee, artists can rent wall space to show off their work.  Damme also has done “Open Wall Night,” which is sponsored by the Tampa Bay Creative Network held at The Studio@620.  In addition, you can find out about the artist’s upcoming events and shows through her Facebook page or by visiting her website at www.craftyhag.com/events.

Additional Information for Coralette Damme, The Crafty Hag can be found at:

www.myspace.com/craftyhag

http://twitter.com/craftyhag

www.craftyhag.com

Photograph of Damme taken by Velva Lee Heraty

This chat room spat actually became vulgar and downright nasty between a vegan and a meat lover. I watched as this girl was being brow beaten for her choice to eat meat. She said over and over again to the person arguing with her, “I don’t care if you don’t eat meat, or wear furs, I do and that’s my choice.” That seemed to make this other person even more mad, to the point of challenging her sexuality. The person was so close-minded that she insisted on insulting this girl, almost to the point of dehumanizing her for her choice and tried hard to force her belief onto this girl.  I couldn’t believe what I was reading or seeing in that chat room.

So what does this have to do with art or music, or Holes and Hearts for that matter? It doesn’t necessarily have to do with one band, one genre, or one art in particular; instead it affects the art realm as a whole and a person and community as a whole. How, you may ask? We as a nation and a society have grown into a close-minded mentality. We have blinders up on our heads much like horses do and if we believe something is right, then everyone else is wrong and we fight over it. These blinders keep us from seeing or accepting anything new. Since we don’t see anything else, we must make the world see our point of view and destroy anyone that does not see eye to eye with us because it’s insulting. We will not support or acknowledge the other point of view for any reason. When you sit back and think about it, there are a lot of problems with the mentality that can hurt the art and culture we have in our world.

Art is a form of expression; it comes in many forms. If you’re a woman, you probably once or twice scored tickets to a ballet or opera, and wanted your husband or boyfriend go with you. Men have it in their heads that the opera or ballet is horrible, and if you are seen at such an event, you may be classified as gay and you better hope you don’t like it. This is exactly what I am talking about with a close-minded society. You pre-judged the art before even seeing it or you are so dead set against it, that you refuse to enjoy it. It’s horrible because you may actually allow yourself to see it’s not that bad and like it… dare I say, “love” it.

By being close-minded, we isolate ourselves from something that may make sense. It might actually open our eyes and make us think, a terrible notion I know. Heaven forbid we find some good in something outside the box. This close-minded thinking not only affects the performing arts, but the music too. If you are so dead set against a death metal band, you won’t go. What you may be doing is costing yourself one of the best times of your life, which may give you a new appreciation for the genre. You could be missing out on something that might change your life forever.

I was close-minded once, yep, it’s true. When “Bodies” came to the Museum Of Science and Industry, it was a form of art and science. I was so grossed out that these were actual bodies on display, skinned down to their organs and muscles, that I almost boycotted this exhibit. In fact, many people did protest the exhibit. I think it was a Saturday that my curiosity overwhelmed me and I decided to go, but I wasn’t happy about it. When I actually saw the exhibit, I was blown away; it was one of the most amazing things I ever saw. I saw the hours of work and the extreme detail it took and appreciated it.  I realized then how stupid I was to wait all this time, and almost missed it all together. I kept thinking to myself, look at what I would have missed out on. I guess others found it the same as I did, because it became the most in demand repeat exhibits of the museum’s history.

From that point on I established a few rules for myself that I would like to share with you. It opened my art appreciation by following it and I hope it does the same for you.

• I will not judge anything unless I see it first, and if I don’t like it, I won’t ever go again.
• I will not mock others for liking something I don’t. I will listen to them speak of it, but that doesn’t mean I have to change my mind. I will respect them enough and care enough to listen.
• I will respect every person and their views even if I don’t agree or see eye to eye.
• I will not be afraid to look outside the box.
• I will give everything a try, as long as it’s not dangerous or illegal.
• Just because I see something new, or hear someone speak of something, I don’t  have to agree with it. And just because I heard it, does not mean I have to convert because I heard about it.
• I will keep the 1^st Amendment alive and protect it with all my being.
• New doesn’t mean better: new doesn’t mean bad either.No one should ever force their beliefs or views on anyone.  They have a right to disagree, and we should never silence those that disagree with us.

What I am asking here is to be open-minded to art, to our community, to whatever it may be. Don’t be afraid to try new things, and don’t judge anything till you try it yourself. Challenge yourself to listen to all sides and challenge your own view against the new info. After all, could your view change? Should it change? If not, then that’s okay and everyone should respect that and be cordial to you and never try to silence you. To listen and evaluate is healthy not only for you, but for your mind because it needs to think, and for the community because it can’t fix problems or experience new things if no one challenges the status quo. However, that doesn’t mean the change should happen. No one should be so close-minded that they try to pressure their own views down someone else’s throat and completely silence any other conflicting point of view to their own.

As a world and nation, we are diverse. We look different, we dress different, we have different art, and different religions. Together we make a wonderful blend and that diverse difference is beautiful and a work of art in itself. So, I encourage you to open your eyes to the beauty that surrounds us, and you will see that diverseness is beautiful.

Two years ago, HGTV came to the Bay Area to film Artists in their studio making all kinds of crazy artsy projects. The small crew descended upon my home very early in the morning and began their long day. I submitted a mixed-media collage art piece with my signature fused glass items,two mermaids and a fierce sea monster in this case. The producers and crew were really young and congenial and it made the day go quickly. I had to do and say some zany lines and quirky things with my tools, so know that when you watch, if you don’t know me personally…yes, I am a fun-loving Artist, but TV is strictly a medium for entertainment value!

Please watch the show and support local Artists. If you like my project, there is more of where that comes from and visit my website www.purplecludstudio.com

Danny Fittro is an accomplished Tampa Bay photographer whose area of expertise is in fitness. Fittro developed a love for taking pictures as a child. “I have always loved photography. My dad had a nice 35 mm camera when I was little, about ten or twelve. One thing happened back then that changed my life forever. My sister was a ballerina. I asked my mom and dad if I could move up close at one of my sister’s performances and take a photo with my dad’s camera. They said yes. I moved up into the aisle, close to the stage. My sister did a running split-jump across the center of the stage. I snapped a photo and I caught her at the height of her jump in the perfect split! That photo was printed, enlarged, framed and placed in the house where everyone could see. It was something my sister was proud of, I was proud of and our parents were proud of.”

Fittro continued to take many more photographs over the years, just using basic cameras. Eventually, he got enough money to buy a digital single lens reflect camera. That was how it all started, four years ago. “I didn’t know what I was doing,” admits Fittro. Back then, Fittro posted his outdoor inspired photographs on the Internet. He attended seminars in Sarasota, Florida at a photography institute, but claims he got most of his knowledge simply by reading magazines and through trial and error. Fittro began taking pictures of his at the time girlfriend as a model and started to network with a photographer named Brian H. Williams of Manteca, California, whom he met through the Internet on a site called Ujena. The site connects photographers to models, offers competitions for both and is also a swimwear line. Fittro became friends with Williams just through e-mails and phone calls, but has never met him in person. In July of ’09, this will change as the two photographers will be able to meet for the first time in California. Fittro says Williams has been his mentor and photography critic over the years, giving him valuable insight.

Fittro remembers back to the time when he received a very important phone call. “Soon after I began shooting models, a magazine publisher saw my photos on the Internet and e-mailed me to see if I wanted to shoot for their nationally published magazine. I was floored. I called them on the phone and said yes.” The magazine that contacted Fittro was called Real Gainz, which featured photographs of bodybuilders and other elements of fitness. So for the last three years now, Fittro’s photography has been based in that genre. Unfortunately, Real Gainz folded due to financial problems, but Fittro was able to make valuable connections in the six months prior to its closing. The photographer caught on with another fitness magazine called Natural Muscle, which is nationally published and is actually larger than the former Real Gainz. By shooting with Natural Muscle, Fittro has covered the Arnold Classic twice, which is an annual bodybuilding competition named after Arnold Schwarzenegger that takes place in Columbus, Ohio. It is considered to be one of the largest and most prestigious bodybuilding competitions in the nation. Fittro also has photographed Miami Universe, a large pageant competition in South Florida, as well as numerous Tampa Bay fitness events.

Fittro grew up in the small town of Olivet, Michigan and eventually moved to Nevada, near Las Vegas. It was there that Fittro landed a teaching job. He taught third graders for seven years and even coached fifth grade boys’ and girls’ basketball, leading them to four championships. In addition, Fittro coached fast pitch girls’ softball for two years, boasting two more championship wins. Despite his success as a coach, Fittro decided to pursue a career in educational counseling. After he got his Master’s degree, Fittro moved to Florida and got hired as an elementary school counselor. Fittro admits that at some point, he would like to give up counseling and commit to photography full time. “I can make more money being my own boss. Schools are taking a hard hit economically.” Fittro says it has been hard to keep both his job as a counselor and as a photographer, and considers his busy lifestyle to be “draining” at times. The fitness photographer continues on to say that there is a lot of traveling involved with photography and there are issues such as kennel boarding for his dog and jet lag. Once Fittro returns from a photography job, he has to go back to work as a school counselor, which can be difficult. “Full time photography would allow me to drive all over the country at a casual pace and I could bring my dog with me.” Fittro says he prefers the freedom of not having a studio. “The world is my studio; I shoot on location.”

As a skilled photographer, Fittro knows his cameras. He likes Nikons (he currently uses one), but would like to get a Pentax because of the preferred stabilization in the body of the camera. Fittro explains that Nikon cameras, as well as many others, have stabilization in the lens, which is important when using zoom or a slow shutter speed. “You don’t want blurry photos,” says Fittro. “Stabilization in the lens makes it cost more, so you can buy cheap or good lenses. With a Pentax, it’s controlled in the camera body.” Fittro further advises that in order to pursue photography, you need a camera that performs as a “workhorse.” A good recommendation is a D80, which is what he uses. However, the D200 and D300 are also good choices. In addition, the Pentax K10d is an amazing camera. “They make a new line, meaning you can get this one at a real deal,” claims Fittro. The newest Pentax camera is the K20d and according to Fittro, is “top of the line.” He also suggests that anyone who takes photography seriously should choose a camera that is a SLR (single lens reflex) with a detachable and interchangeable lens. Fittro says his biggest challenge when using a camera is light. “It’s necessary, but it’s not always friendly so you have to try and control it with reflectors, speed flashes, shutter speed, f-stop and ISO (denotes how sensitive the image sensor is to the amount of light present). Shadow and light can be positive or negative influences and they always need to be dealt with.”

On a not so technical note, Fittro says that the best part of his photography job is about making memories, traveling and developing friendships. “I will probably have doubled the amount of people I know in my life after shooting a few more years in photography. It’s a personal and close relationship you develop when you work as a team of two to three people with a model that is trusting you to capture her in a photo to share with the world while she wears just a bathing suit.” It’s the end result or the photograph itself which inspires Fittro, in addition to the traveling and relationships made along the way. “I like making people happy with my photos.”

Fittro says his photography is all about interesting compositions and how he shoots his camera. “I like to shoot things big, fill the frame, blow out the back and use the ‘rule of threes.’ I like that you find a good photo opportunity anywhere. I’ve had great shots taken where no one would ever know it. The end result only shows what’s in the frame… that’s the real magic of photography.” When it comes to photographing fitness models, Fittro says that everyone is different and you must develop a rapport in order to communicate successfully. In turn, this communication will bring return business. “The clock starts as soon as you meet them [the model] and you have to come up with a product by the time you’re done, which may be two to four hours later. In that time, hopefully you will have helped him/her achieve their goals and made a new friend who will recommend you to others.”

When Fittro is not behind the camera, he may be singing, playing the guitar and drums or even doing some piano. He also works out on a regular basis and plays on a tennis team in St. Petersburg. “I can’t hang around the fittest people in the world and be out of shape, ” laughs Fittro.

Through photography, Fittro says he would like to one day make a place for himself in the fitness industry where he can dictate which pieces of his work get published in various print outlets. After seeing Fittro’s amazing photographs, I have a feeling his dream is not far from reach.

Check out Danny Fittro’s work in Natural Muscle magazine. The magazine is a publication that is found in gyms across America. Please visit www.naturalmuscle.net for more information.

PHOTO CREDITS:

Top picture model is: Katka Kyptova (bodybuilder) from the Czech Republic, and the figure model is Chelsea Alexis from Hartford, CT.   Please check out Chelsea’s MySpace page at www.myspace.com/officialchelseaalexis

With abstract art, there are no “defined lines”  and there are no “rules.”  It is completely how the painter wishes to put the subject on the canvas.  If they want to draw a line a half inch thick, and draw an eye on the top and call it a human, then it’s a human.  Abstract art is, in turn, the rawest form of art and is growing more popular each and every day.  Abstract art also brings another great quality to the table which is simply the fact, everyone sees it differently.  Ten people can look at the same painting, and ten people can come away with a completely different meaning.  Though abstract art doesn’t necessarily have to have definition in it, it does pack a punch of ideals the artist may bury in the art which are there for you to hear if you only take the time to listen.

Ted Mikulski has this down to a science.  He first got his taste of art when he was in architecture school, stating he would often find himself in the library researching 50s and 60s art because it fascinated him.  Some of the work that really caught his eye and drew him to the love of art were Warhol, Pollock, and Stella; also known for their industrial art, which makes sense since he was studying to be an architect.  Mikulski, however, decided to go into the arts professionally; it had too much of a pull to ignore.

In his own work, Mikulski draws his inspiration from Post-War American Art, which ranges from 1945 to today.  He credits the following artists as those that inspire him most:  Helen Frankenthal, Frank Stella, William Ronald, and Norman Bluhm.  Mikulski recently stated that he is collaborating with other abstract expressionist artists such as Peter Smolenski.  Mikulski says that when he paints he tries to avoid negativity, which is not following the path of the traditional abstract expressionism ways.  This truly shows in his work, with the bright colors and free flowing designs that accent a full of life expression.

One of his awesome techniques he applies in his work is the ability to blend. It’s truly what caught my eye when I first saw his work. “I like to work with a series of blending techniques that allow you to lose sight of where my hand was during its creation.  This creates a disconnection between me and my work, allowing the viewer to connect solely to the painting.  It also gives the work a sense of urgency, like it is forever in motion.”

Mikulski is a true artist at heart.  Not only does he paint, but he teaches art at Tunxis University in Connecticut and he has his master’s degree in Architecture from Norwich University.  This artist is also writing a book to apply his talents in the Literary Arts field as well. That book is entitled,  Art is Dead.  It is a discussion about art in a society that is surrounded by technology and desensitized youth.  The book will feature several professional artists’ contributions as well.  It is scheduled for release in the middle of this year.

His work is not just for his students to see or for his peers; currently Mikulski has his work in a few galleries around New England for all to see.  Those galleries include the Pump House Gallery, Union Station Hartford, PD Gallery, Gallerie Vivace, and the Middle River Gallery.  If you are looking to view some of his great work, we suggest going to see them live in person at any of these establishments.

So how can I tell that Mikulski is a “true” artist?  Simple, besides his great work filled with amazement and feeling, he has the best statement of his experience that shows his profound love for this field. “Often times 3 A.M. will roll around in my studio and I’m exhausted.  I’ll take a look at my hands covered in paint and can’t do anything but smile and remember not to take life too seriously.” If you’re an artist, you will understand that statement and smile with him.

If you want to contact Mikulski, his web site and e mail are:  www.TedMikulski.com, e mail: contact@tedmikulski.com 

Work Interpretation

I thought it would be fun to add my interpretation of one of Mikulski’s works.  This is something I haven’t done previously, but with his work you can sit down and see something different every time.  So without further ado, here is my interpretation of “Winter Series 3.”

When I look at this painting, it reminds me of the frigid winters of New England because it looks like the formation of ice over the tar.  If you ever sit down and look at ice closely you will see the glassy surface, but throughout the ice you will see its impure with lines, the small vein looking lines from the impurities of the water as it froze.  You will see the ground below the ice surface, and if there is a high spot in the ice, the tar may even stick through and the ice will surround the small wave in the pavement. 

That is what I see in this painting.  As a child, I loved walking on ice despite my parents fright.  I had no fear.  I would sit and study the ice, to see the rocks caught inside and maybe a bug or two if they dare come to the surface during the snow.  I would love to watch the spidering of the ice, and I would try to discover patterns and pretend it was a map of a city. I never did find any bugs, but it was a calming experience and something I looked forward to every year. 

This painting has some of the most unbelievable details inside of it.  Generally, it’s an off white and black, typically the colors of winter.  There is even a slight wash of purple or light blue throughout the painting, not enough to stand out, just enough to accentuate the piece.  A real nice effect as it gives it a small hint of color. It is something you could see in a New England winter among the barren trees and snow covering the grass; a small splash of blue or purple in the snow.  The painting also has the finest feathering, spider like lines.  This to me shows incredible control and painstaking detail.  The big blobs of black (noir) could be the unleveled pavement that sticks up through the surface of the ice.

Despite the fact winter is a time of hibernation, death and cold, this painting is full of life and imagination in preparation of what the world will look like once the snow melts.  It represents one of my favorite times in the year and makes me think of my fascination with the winter as a child.  This truly shows the detail Mikulski puts into his work and how much talent this artist displays.

Cigars have been around for many years, perhaps even thousands of years.  Some say that explorer Christopher Columbus observed the local natives smoking their very own version of a cigar.  They were often seen smoking a mysterious substance which was either rolled up inside a large leaf or through a tube called a tabago, hence the name tobacco.  When Columbus and his crew traveled back to Spain, they took with them some of their newly found tobacco.  Here, cigar and pipe making methods were perfected.  Smoking tobacco in cigars and in pipes quickly spread throughout the European countries and later on, throughout the world.

Closer to home in a place called Ybor City, which is near downtown Tampa, cigars have been a staple since the late 1800s.  In 1886, cigar manufacturers Vincent Martinez Ybor and Don Ignacio Haya were lured to Tampa by its tropical climate, land offers and good wages.  The men purchased land in the Tampa area, built a cigar factory and soon developed an entire cigar making town. Many Cuban cigar producers migrated to the area during this time.  Ybor City eventually lost its title as the top cigar producing town in the 1950s; however, the Tampa district is still smoking.  On any given day, you can take a stroll down Ybor City’s main drag, Seventh Avenue, and look inside one of the many cigar shops.  Some of the shops feature cigar rollers who you can watch from the window, while other shops offer walk-in humidors and delicious cafe’ con leche.  El Sol Cigars is Ybor City’s oldest cigar shop, dating back to 1929.  El Sol features a 350 square foot walk-in humidor, shelving 40 different cigar brands.  Next door, a roller sits at an antique table with a chevato (cigar maker’s blade), cutting wrappers and displaying his cigar rolling craft to all who pass by.  Many of Ybor City’s old cigar factories still stand proud, casting their shadows onto the historic avenue below.  

One needn’t go to Tampa or down south to its rivaling city of Miami to find a good cigar.  There are plenty of cigar shops popping up in virtually every American city, including the rise of the ever hip and classy cigar bar.  Although cigar bars have been around for years, they have recently become more popular than ever before. Most cigar bars are furnished in rich mahogany woods and jewel tone colored walls; stately couches and armchairs are upholstered in dark brown leather or in deep red velvets.  The lush and upscale decor at these modern cigar bars have begun to attract female smokers as well.  Patrons who come to these establishments are able to enjoy a cigar, grab a delicious appetizer and sample a fine beer or liqueur.  

Central Cigars is located in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida and is a local favorite.  This state of the art cigar shop features on-site cigar rolling done by Felix Marerro.  Marerro is from Cuba and has been rolling for many years. Central Cigars offers an extensive cigar selection and in its bar, known as The Havana Room, you can cozy up on the overstuffed leather furniture while sipping a cognac and puffing on a fine cigar.  St. Petersburg cigar aficionado Charlie Richards knows Central Cigars and The Havana Room well.  According to Richards, this downtown hot spot is the perfect place to buy and smoke a cigar.  ”They have everything you need at a fair price.” Richards has been smoking cigars for fifteen years and definitely is an expert.  Some of us may not realize that a cigar is an art form.  Each cigar is carefully crafted and has its own shape, texture and flavor. Cigars can be as unique as the person smoking them.  Most are kept in expensive humidors, carefully checked by their owners for proper temperature and humidity readings.  Sometimes the longer a cigar is kept in its humidor or is “aged,” the better it will taste; much like a bottle of fine wine.  Cigars are no doubt highly respected and therefore, treated appropriately so.

Richards says that he acquired his extensive knowledge of cigars by reading as much literature as he possibly could.  One of his favorite magazines is Cigar Aficionado.  Richards has learned much about cigars through this magazine as well as the website, cigaraficionado.com.  ”There is a great section for beginners,” the cigar enthusiast claims.  

There is a peaked interest in cigars right now and some people who have never smoked before, are wanting to learn more and possibly pick up a new hobby. According to Richards, humidors are a necessity when getting started.  A humidor is any kind of box or room with constant humidity and temperature that is used to store cigars.  They can come in a variety of sizes and some are quite decorative and ornate.  Richards says that if you want your cigar to smoke properly, you must invest in a reliable humidor.  ”A cigar left out in an air conditioned room for more than one or two hours could damage your cigar permanently; any cedar lined humidor will work.”  You will also need a humidifier (using distilled water) and a hygrometer (measures humidity), preferably a digital one.  Richards continues on to say, “The humidor must read somewhere between 68-72% humidity.  If it goes any higher than say 75% humidity, pull the humidifier out of the humidor temporarily. ”  The temperature must also be cooler than 78 degrees; heat will destroy a cigar.  So, be sure to not ever leave a cigar in a hot car.  This is especially key in Florida’s warm summer months.  If you don’t have a humidifier, Richards suggests putting your cigars in the refrigerator, in a Ziploc bag.  In addition to a humidor, other necessities for beginners include a cutter and/or punch, which is sometimes called a bullet.  This is used to open up the cigar in order to smoke it.

As previously mentioned, there are many different types of cigars.  How would you possibly know which one to choose?  Richards states that picking out a cigar depends on various factors.  For instance, if you just finished eating lunch, you should choose a medium to full bodied Robusto.  This kind of cigar is considered to be a “power lunch cigar” and is known to get you going after a hearty lunch.  In addition, it only takes 30 minutes to smoke.  Perhaps a good choice of cigar for the businessman on the go.  For a dessert cigar, or one that follows a nice dinner, Richards suggests trying a Churchill.  This type of cigar takes longer to smoke (about an hour) and is full bodied.  Since women are beginning to take interest in cigars, a good recommendation for these smokers would be a Panatela, which is a long, thin cigar.  The Panatela is perfect for a lady smoker because it is a mild/medium bodied cigar with a classy look.  Then, there are some of us who may just want a fun and casual smoke.  In this case, try a flavored cigar.  My own personal favorite is an Acid Blondie, a sweet and aromatic cigar.  The taste is described as honey-clove and the scent is like burning incense.  Another recommendation of mine for a flavored cigar is a CAO cigar.  These cigars come in a variety of scrumptious flavors.  Smoking one is like eating ice cream or a chocolate brownie.  The CAO Gold Honey contains some of the highest quality orange blossom honey in the world.  Eileen’s Dream is another one of CAO’s speciality cigars.  This cigar features a decadent combination of Irish cream and white chocolate truffles.  The rich flavors of superior Irish whiskey, frothed cream and coconut milk are mixed in with subtle hints of hazelnut, ground almonds, cocoa and vanilla extracts.  Talk about a dessert cigar!  Richards favorite cigar is undeniably a Cuban Montecristo, No. 2.  One may ask, where do you get a Cuban cigar?  Richards jokes, “I’ll plead the fifth on that one!”  In case he can’t get a Cuban, Richards chooses an Arturo Fuente Hemingway Classic.  So, what’s the best cigar for your money?  ”Any cigar in the Padron collection,” claims the St. Petersburg aficionado.  ”For approximately $4.00, you can buy an excellent cigar that will draw and burn perfectly.”

So, if you bought a cigar, could it immediately be smoked or does it need to be aged in a humidor?  Richards says that some cigar enthusiasts believe in something called a “dumb period.”  This is the period between the time a cigar is made and one year afterwards.  ”It is best to smoke it right after it is made or more than a year later.”

Who would’ve ever guessed cigar smoking could be so complicated?  Needless to say, cigars are popular.  You could literally sample a new cigar everyday with all the different varieties available.  There are enough delicious flavors to satisfy even the most hard-to-please palates and with such affordable prices, this enduring and well-respected hobby is sure to retain its popularity for years to come.

El Sol Cigars:  1728 E. 7th Ave., Tampa, FL 33605/813-248-5905/www.elsolcigars.com

Central Cigars and The Havana Room:  273 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, FL 33701/727-898-2442/www.centralcigars.com

With extensive travel back to Springfield and having eleven open casket funerals, the elements were going to affect Lincoln’s body despite the embalming. They had embalmers that traveled on the train making sure the president looked his best, but that still did not change the fact Lincoln’s body would decay. By the time Abe made it to New York, the elements started to take a toll on his body; his lips were thinning and the trauma to his head started to have some effects as well.

Secretary of War, Edwin Stanton declared it “illegal” to take a photo of the president because of how his body was starting to look. He made that fact very clear, but you know that someone would try and smuggle their equipment in. They did just that in New York City. A man smuggled his equipment in, got to the top of the rotunda, where he snapped a bunch of photos of the president in his coffin. He was the only man that managed to get these photos over the eleven funeral stops.

When Stanton heard about this, he went to the residence of the photographer and ordered the plates and all copies destroyed. From that day on, all photo records of the journey were lost, despite the importance they played to the American people.

In 1952, a young teen by the name of Dr. Ronald Rietveld was searching through old documents in the town’s library records. To his surprise, he found a letter from Stanton and unfolded another piece of paper that was with it. A small photograph fell out, which actually was a saved print of Lincoln lying in state at the New York City funeral stop.

In the photo you can clearly see the deceased president’s face, and two guards standing watch over the corpse. It was actually a beautiful photo that went years without anyone ever knowing it existed. This photo was destroyed by Stanton and his men. However, Stanton didn’t have the heart to destroy all the photos, as he kept one. This one landed in the hands of the teenage Rietveld. He said it served the American people with history, but should not be displayed in public.

That has since been forgotten and now the photo appears on web sites, including this one and all over the world. It’s an amazing treasure of America’s past during one of its most horrific times.

Morbid in a way, but in another, it is therapeutic. It gives the younger generation a physical document that allows them to see and feel the reality of a tragic event, and brings it to life better than any document could ever accomplish. That’s the importance of photography.

One of the best places is obviously in a gallery or museum, maybe even a retail store because it prompts a quick impulse sale.  As an artist, especially one in Tampa Bay, you probably found out there aren’t many places like that around.  The places that do exist, you either have to be really darn good, or know someone who knows someone. Heck, it may even take a physical bribe.  So, what if you can’t get into these places?  What do you do now?  Most people will opt to put their work on their web site or a social networking page.

This is a great way to promote, display and sell your work, but beware; it does set you up for some serious theft.  I, myself, experienced an Internet theft that blew my mind.  I took the matter to a lawyer and found I had no leg to stand on.  As an artist, you put a lot of time and effort into creating your work, so don’t let it get into the wrong hands.  If you care about your work, your rights, and your future as an artist and you are displaying your work online now or will be soon, read the rest of this article. 

Legally Speaking:

The United States of America has a great system we call copyrighting.  This is where you submit some of your work to the Library of Congress, they check your work against existing copyrights to ensure you are not infringing, and if you are unique, they issue you a copyright.  Unlike patents, art copyrights do not expire.  This protects you in case of theft and unauthorized use of your work.  Copyrights are the best way to go, but they do cost some money. 

What you may not know, if you have a lot of work, is they offer a blanket copyright.  What this means is you can copyright an unlimited amount of work for one price.  If you do a piece here and there and want to display it, an individual copyright will suffice.  You can get information about copyrights by going to the web site www.copyright.gov

Something to consider when applying for a copyright is that the fees are non-refundable.  If they don’t issue it, you’re out that money.  Reasons they may not copyright your work are:

1. It’s infringing or too close to another copyrighted work.
2. It can be proven not to be your work
3. The work is a part of a work-for-hire, and you are the sole owner of the copyright.
4. The work is currently displayed in a book, web site, or public venue, except on canvas hanging in a museum.

That’s right, number four may surprise you.  If your work is already published on the web, in a book, on a poster, or whatever have you, the copyright is not binding because it could have already been taken.

There is a thing called the “poor man’s copyright.” This states that you are the maker of the work, and sole owner of the work if you can produce a legal and real copy of said art or literary work.  All copyright laws apply and you don’t pay a dime to obtain one.  The problem lies in the fact that it’s very hard to prove, most countries do not honor it, and you are taking a huge risk.  Sure it’s free, but the saying comes to mind, “You get what you pay for.”  Is this worth losing rights to your work? 

Protect Yourself:

People have said it for years, “Don’t post anything on the Internet you don’t intend to lose.”  This includes your pictures.  HTML is great and don’t get me wrong, the Internet is a viable part of any business and a great portfolio for any artist, but being smart about it could save you thousands of dollars.

The copyright law, if you use the Library Of Congress, guarantees your ownership claim no matter what.  The “poor man’s copyright” only works if your photos on the web site clearly have your name on them and say, “Copyright, unauthorized use prohibited” somewhere on the picture.  If someone steals the picture and uses it on their web site but the picture does not have proper authorization on it, the thief has all the right in the world to use and even sell the picture.  The only exception to this rule is if it’s documented by Congress.  If someone removes the wording and you can prove it, they are guilty and will have to pay heavy fines for tampering with art.

You can protect yourself from theft this way by simply taking the time to put your studio name and/or your name on the photo with “Copyright, unauthorized use prohibited” under the name.  You would still want to do this even if your stuff is copyrighted through Congress because if someone steals the image and you don’t know it, as long as it has your name or web site on it with the disclaimer, they are now your billboard. In addition, if they do not tamper with cutting off the name, it makes them look bad.  We also suggest a slight watermark, with a very slight opacity of  20 or 10 across the center.  This makes it visible without destroying your work, causing it to be unappealing for the thief.

Some other tips that can help you avoid theft:

1. Put low res, small photos up online.  Make your photos no larger than 100×150 pixels or proportionate size. Save them as 74 DPI because they will be small and pixilated if someone tries to print or blow them up, but on the web they look nice and allow for a faster regen time when people visit your site.
2. If at all possible, put your photos in a flash presentation, flash gallery or something that makes it impossible to right click save, or copy and paste.  If you can, disable print function and still ensure a watermark.
3. If you don’t know flash, use dynamic HTML and make two copies of the photo/picture.  When a thief tries to attempt a copy or right click save, it will mouse over and show them a photo that you set up with an ugly watermark on it.  If the thief does a right click save, he/she will get the ugly version.
4. Be sure you tell spiders on search engines to not index your photos.  Do this through your .htaccess, and ensure all pictures are stored in a sub-folder and not the main public_html folder.  Properly organizing your web site can greatly reduce theft.
5. Right click save disable does not work.  A thief can easily take a screen shot and print or edit in Photoshop.  You can also view the source files in your browser and it will give them the direct URL to that photo/picture.  Again, always use a watermark.
6. If you pay someone to photograph your pictures or art, ensure they sign a paper saying they will not post your photos on any web site you don’t authorize.  If they want to use a photo, you will edit the photo with proper watermarks and ID and let them use it that way.
7. Name your pictures some ridiculous name like 56sdfa890055 .

How Do They Steal?

It’s hard to imagine a thief would find your work on the vast Internet.  However, simply type in a term like “Grease Lightning” in a Google or Yahoo search and see what you get.  Maybe your photo isn’t right at the top, but it is indexed unless you previously told search engines not to index your photos or extensions .jpg, .jpeg, .gif and .tiff.  If you use them in a story pertaining to the photo such as “Grease the Movie and Play,” those are indexed in Google and Yahoo as a story, people will go see the article and steal the work.

You can’t ever really protect your work from right click theft; not all the theft is in print.  Some of the most costly theft with pictures on the Internet is used without compensation and/or credit.

The worst way is when someone copies a photo and puts it in a blog or web site and does not right click save, rather they just copy and paste.  This is called hyperlinking.  You host the image and pay for the bandwidth, but it appears on someone else’s web.  They are using the bandwidth you pay for to display your picture and if they get a ton of hits, it could be costly.  These always show in your web stats and it will show as a link that only gives hits, not views. 

I love messing with people that do this. I change the picture they are using to something gross or ridiculous, like to a shirtless guy with a mullet and the words, “I AM A THIEF, I GOT CAUGHT STEALING THIS IMAGE.”  I then rename it the exact name as the stolen picture and upload it.  If you view the guilty parties web site, you will see the doctored picture.  However, it will change on your site as well.  So take the good photo you were using, rename it to something you can use (different from the other doctored one) and reinsert. Yes, it’s a pain, but it is so much fun to mess with these people.  Plus, they deserve it.

You can also stop this by enabling hyperlink protection in your CPanel or Windows server panel.  This will put an ugly “X” on their site.  It will still reference back to your page, but the bandwidth will not be used to supply the picture to their site, only yours.

Social Networks:

These are the worst for theft because there is no way to protect your images.  MySpace even allows you now to print pictures.  You can’t protect your photos unless you make your gallery private.  This kind of defeats the purpose of uploading photos there.

If you put your pictures on a social network, I suggest a noticeable slight watermark across the center of the picture.  Label, label, label, as that’s the best preventative to this, and make sure the photo is very low quality.

Using these simple steps can enable you to protect your work and effectively display your art.  Again, don’t post anything you don’t want to lose.  This is the best advice I can give you.

Throughout the better part of last year, I’ve read articles and heard people stating that Twitter is useless and to move on to something more spectacular.  I have talked to people about Twitter and the typical response is, “I really don’t get it.”

So let’s step back a second and see what went wrong.  Twitter was designed to be a short line of text to give an update of something in your life that you want people to know.  Instead, what happened is people flooded the application with useless junk like, “getting ready to brush my teeth.” Many people that used Twitter and followed people had updates shoot to their phones in the form of text messages. This aggravated people because they paid for text messages that really meant nothing to them and it weren’t worth reading.  Now people have become frustrated with the application, and are moving on to bigger and better pastures.

Twitter has more to offer than you may realize.  For instance, we find Twitter useless yet I see people everyday updating their MySpace and Facebook status.  Why do you think that is?  It’s really another form of Twitter but the only difference is you can’t update your MySpace or Facebook on most cell phones.  However, with Twitter you can link it to your Facebook status or update Twitter via your cell phone. By doing this, you can update your Facebook status and any other status you have Twitter set to update in one shot.  There are also a bunch of other applications that allow Twitter to update fans and friends, like Reverb Nation and other social networks. In some cases you can embed the code into your profile, web or blog and it will update your readers or visitors there.

My advice is that Twitter is very powerful if you use it correctly.  You don’t need to add a ton of updates, every hour on the hour.  Instead, do one or two a day, and only if you have something meaningful to say.  Facebook refreshes your status every 36 hours back to no status, so you may not want to lapse any longer than 36 hours before you update next.  Place your Twitter on every networking profile, web or blog you have and give your readers an update of what’s important, like a new art show or something.  Link your Twitter to your cell phone so you can make updates, as necessary, from the road.  If you use Twitter correctly, it can be an artist’s best friend.

Hahn is a hunter in a sense, except he does not kill what he shoots. Yet, he still captures the body and soul of the prey he hunts. As a nature photographer, the artist needs strong patience. This is probably the most important part of his job, besides his equipment, for nature doesn’t jump on cue. A photographer of nature can sit all day and not get a bite, just like a hunter. When nature strikes, he must have split second reflexes and put his skills to the test because that one moment can change so quickly. This is something neither Hahn nor life can return because what he misses could be lost forever. Hahn doesn’t need to worry about that because he does it right the first time.

His photography is absolutely breathtaking, with birds in flight carrying their meal in perfect color and clarity. His sunsets captured at the right moment show the effervescence of orange, blue and yellow.  This heavenly vision fades to black in the tranquil death of a day in anticipation of the birth of a new day tomorrow. All these scenes are captured flawlessly on his photo paper canvas.

Hahn has shot around the United States, but now shoots in his home state of Florida mostly. This talented photographer is able to capture the rugged terrain this large beach has to offer. With the Everglades, Lake Okeechobee, miles of sandy beaches, bird aviaries and the massive reptiles we call gators, there is plenty of subject matter for Hahn to explore and capture.

Hahn’s photography has been included in magazines such as the Outdoor Photographer, Defenders Magazine, New Floridian and Kiteboarding just to name a few. Hahn’s work has also placed in the top 100 and helped him rank 4^th overall in the ICF-2008 Pro-Tour Competition. The award winning photo is called, “Damselflies Sharing A Stick.”

Artist’s Statement on “Damselflies Sharing A Stick:”

“I found a small pond on the ranch I was photographing for a few days, and it had hundreds of these damselflies flying around it. As they flew in search of mates, they would briefly land on small bits of grass poking out of the water. To capture this image I laid on the bank of the pond, in the shoreline mud with my elbows in the water; holding my camera just above the surface of the water to get a low angle on the flies. I prefocused on this small piece of straw poking out of the water and waited till damselflies landed. I was fortunate to have two land on the same piece of straw and had a few moments of them facing each other.”

Hahn’s love for nature and photography show as he has made himself into a published and award winning photographer, a hunter of nature without ever having to kill one animal or insect, and he can admire his capture with others for centuries to come. Hahn has one magnificent eye with an artistic touch that we know you will see once you set eyes on his gorgeous work.

Check him out at www.hahnnaturephotography.com . On Hahn’s website you can see many of his pieces and learn a bit more about this phenomenal artist.

D’Balentine is a multi-talented artist, meaning she uses a variety of mediums and does them very well. She has studied many different cultures and religions from around the world, taking what she’s learned and converting it to art.  D’Balentine is able then to document the world as she sees it and how it impacts her life.

The most recent example of this is her phenomenal series, “Japanese Art.” This series is inspired by Japan, a country and culture that has always amazed D’Balentine. We know the dynasties that have ruled over this small Pacific Island and how much this culture has impacted our world. They have founded alternative natural medicines and have developed forms of karate. Japan had a major impact in World War II, and forever changed how we look at weapons of mass destruction. They are the innovators of great technology such as video games, televisions, cars and so much more. Japan has in some way, touched our lives because of something we know and love and hold dear to our hearts. D’Balentine takes this impact and puts it to art, for all to see and be wowed by.

D’Balentine’s Japanese collection right now only has four particular pieces. Those pieces are mixed-media since they are a collaboration of photography, graphic art, paint and pencil. Some of these pieces have a few mediums together, while others have just one.  Each piece in D’Balentine’s collection is very unique and individual in their own right. They are amazing pieces that glorify Japan’s culture and history.

A personal favorite of mine from the series is a Japanese Geisha, armed with a Katana sword, showing her power and mystique. On the other hand, the Geisha’s kimono shows her beauty and glorified feminine physique. She reminds me of a character in the movie, Mulan. In this movie, there is a very brave and powerful young woman who wants to protect her father. This was in a time where it was forbidden for women to join the Emperor’s army; a great portrayal of both sides of the Japanese woman. I love the intricate detail on the border and fans that line the left of the picture. This is very similar to what you would see with authentic Japanese art, from composition, to colors, and detail.

D’Balentine also has a few other series that she has worked on over the years. She loves drawing realistic portraits, to be as detailed as a painting would be. Most of these are done with pencil, but the end result is simply a stunning hand drawn portrait you’d swear was a photograph.

In 2008, D’Balentine also illustrated a children’s book titled, “If Everyone Were Just Like Me.” This project she is very proud of because it’s a story that gives a lesson to children, and her art work will help a child retain the lesson that the book gives. Helping children and giving them something they can enjoy and love is a spectacular feeling.

I talked to this amazing artist and found that her goal for her work is to document cultures, tell of their wonderful uniqueness, and hope that it inspires younger generations to look into other cultures and religions and understand what makes them so unique. D’Balentine would also like to see her art inspire others to pursue art as an outlet.

We think you will love Angeline D’Balentine’s art.  Currently, she is working on a web site but you can see some of her pieces on her MySpace page at www.myspace.com/arhazime.

 MySpace has many kinds of options, but what sets it apart from another very popular site such as Facebook?  The ability to create a design that fits you and defines who you are is one reason MySpace is more appealing than Facebook.  The problem with that is, sometimes we don’t understand the <div> format or how to write one.  Sure, there is a MySpace profile editor and there are free layout web sites, but sometimes you just can’t find what you are looking for.  That’s where Silent 312 Designs can help you achieve your “dream” site.

Surfing a profile of our featured artist, I came upon this stunning MySpace page.  I was literally blown away with how professional and interesting the site was.  It made me want to explore her page over and over again.  I couldn’t help but think, “Wow, I can’t get that design out of my head; I have to have one.  Think of the possibility that  if someone likes my design, they may come back to see it over and over while seeing the great stuff this magazine offers.”

So I e-mailed Silent 312, and she decided to pick me up.  I was stoked!  I gave her some ideas, sent some photos and widget ideas that I wanted to incorporate, but told her to make it from her heart as it’s her work of art.  Sure enough, what I got as an end result was gorgeous!  She incorporated some of my featured artists and musicians and added a link to my advertising page and media kit.  In addition to these updates, a widget was added to show my 20 newest stories and, in turn, changed the entire outlook of my site by making it gorgeous.  What surprised me most was how affordable it was.

After seeing how unique Silent 312 made my site, and how well it defined this magazine, I had to tell the world of her unbelievable graphic art abilities and her ability to manipulate the <div> format.  I think if you see our MySpace site located at www.myspace.com/theexpressionistmagazine you will realize you must have her make you a site too!

You can contact Silent 312 through their MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/caglegurl_07

What inspires you in your art?

The death of all things  is generally what I believe, keeps me creating the things that I do. Death is the most disturbing yet enlightening matter I have come to understand and learn more about night after night, allowing me to see things in a different manner than some people I’ve crossed paths with.

What does art mean to you? What impact do you see it has on our world?

Art to me is like a memory and/or feeling frozen in time, like a mosquito in amber, a very still moment that expresses all the motions of life it once held; ultimately displaying death at its finest. Art is an attempt at explaining the unknown matters we encounter in all conditions, that we must go through whether we desire to or not.

Creativity and madness are the eyes of art to me, eyes that have built and destroyed the world we will die in; through the hands of time, through the body and heart of space.

What is your favorite painting and why?

My favorite painting is one that I will paint before my time is done.  You see, I have it in mind and I see it everywhere that I go but the timing isn’t right yet. There are things that must be done before I bring that piece outside of mind, much like when bringing a child into these times of creativity and madness,  the eyes of art.

This last painting of mine will be the mosquito I’ve become, coated in amber only to remain still for the times that are to be. I don’t mind being the mosquito. I actually wish to be placed in the center of a solid glass cube when this heart of mine beats no longer, like the dead things in anatomy and science. I don’t understand why anyone would want to be boxed up and covered in dirt.

Tell me about you, and the artist you want to be?

I observe and dissect all things that surround me and I read when I am not dealing with matters like caring for my son and wife on a daily basis. As for that term “artist,” I never liked the word nor do I wish to become it.  I only care to explore this world as I was meant to, experiencing things with and without this family of mine that will allow me to feel like I am doing something, whether it will be significant or not, ten billion years from now.

When all is said and done and you look back on your life, what do you want to say you accomplished? What do you absolutely not want to say you regret?

If there were a way to have myself as several beings for every year that I’ve survived, I would have twenty- two stages of all that I’ve become thus far.  I would like to accomplish all things they have desired in those stages in this stage or the next, much like the “making your dreams come to life” type of thing. As for regrets, they are for those who stop and look back often and I have far too many things ahead of me to regret anything.

What is your favorite medium and what mediums have you dabbled in as well?

My brains are the mediums I use at all times.  The inks, paints, and other things are only tools to aid me when attempting to express something I may be thinking about or feeling.

Give me some feedback on how your art has touched others lives?

Surprisingly, all things that I have done have impacted several other beings directly and indirectly… from art teachers, to classmates, to the people I know and strangers as well; in a very twisted way, we are all linked to one another.  Hell, I painted my wife before I even knew she existed.  That lead us to fall for each other and ultimately bring a child of our own into this equation. I’ve written about it many times and I’m currently working on gathering all that I have written to share this with; anyone who cares to understand or learn more about this corpse of mine and all that I have been through.

Have you ever had your work shown in galleries, museums, etc? If so, which ones?

I’ve only had my work up on display at school growing up, but having my work in a museum is goal I would like to conquer as I evolve.

What about art makes you happy the most?

In this world art can be just about anything, therefore, my son, wife, and a few important beings are what I would say that impact me the most. There’s something about the word “happy” that makes me weird and uncomfortable… like the phrase and or song, “Happy Birthday.”  It makes no sense; why not scream or sing “date of birth” or “the day you were guaranteed death” instead? I think people have these words and their definitions all screwed up.  It’s no wonder why things are the way they are.

What do you learn from the past masters?

I’ve learned that death is inevitable and that there is no escape and that no matter how many paintings you paint or things that you do and/or say, time itself will devour everything… leading one into madness, madness being a point of no return, a place we are all destined to reach.

Art is more than just creativity, it takes so much more. What do you feel is the discipline in each picture you paint?

In every painting I dissect myself and voice the matters taking place within me through paints, techniques and colors(usually black and all its shades)… transferring a piece of my “soul” into every painting, giving it life and making it a part of me, like Doctor Frankenstein normally would.

When you paint a picture, describe the process from the birth of the idea to the finished product.

The things I do are usually directed by the unseen and unknown matters that surround me; very rarely do I actually plan a painting. Most of the time an image comes to me in a dream, a nightmare, a vision, through everything that has registered itself subconsciously; through the stirred senses and sleep deprivation and even hallucinations at times trigger paintings to bloom. The process itself can be slow and painful or quick and painless, much like the death of someone you may or may not know. Once the image is in mind and the skies are still, I paint on just about anything I can get my hands on without sketching a structure. Once I’m ready, I am focused and I allow nothing to get in the way and the atmosphere becomes similar to that of a doctor performing open heart surgery.  All that is done must be precise, but can get a little messy.

Eventually, the patient/painting will need time to recover but few have been known to die in the process. Those paintings usually meet a fiery end and leave nothing but ashes behind, as a human corpse would after an incineration.

You can find his work, on his MySpace page http://www.myspace.com/gloriousdeath

Browsing art on the Internet I came across Spring’s art.  I instantly fell in love with it. Her work isn’t complex and it isn’t realism, but instead abstract in nature with vivid colors and one focused subject, women.  It even has a folk art feel to it.  Spring sees women as strong, beautiful and as nurturers.  Her work portrays happy and strong women who could possibly be your own mother, sister, grandmother, wife or best friend.  Spring’s work has a free-flowing feel to it and is spiritual, which women tend to be.  A free-flowing woman enjoys life, her surroundings, her family and being a free-natured woman.  They enhance the life of those they love and the people around them.

Spring is an acrylic painter with no formal training in art.  She is guided by her heart and her vision.  Her color choices are vivid strong colors, which makes her work jump out at you.  Most of her subjects have no face, giving you the chance to imagine a woman you love in that situation.  She wants her work to make people happy.  Happiness is the start of all success because you must be happy with what you do in order to be successful at it. Success doesn’t just end with a huge prize; you can’t be successful and be miserable.  

The artist is inspired by her mother, who makes her very happy.  She is blessed to have her mother in her life.  That  happy and strong-natured woman she immortalized in her work, very well could be her mother.  ”I made this painting for my mom,” Spring said.  ”I had it framed and made it real nice.  When I gave it to her, she was so happy, she hung it on the wall and tells me that when ever she is blue, she just looks at the painting and it brightens her day.”  That’s what art is all about.  Only when art is loved and appreciated can it truly be happy itself.  With such a positive message and her heart in it to bring therapy to people, Spring is well qualified to be one of the Expressionist’s featured artists because we share the same ideals with her.

You must check out Spring’s amazing work.  She has a few avenues to see her work, but MySpace is the best to view and contact Spring.  The MySpace page is http://www.myspace.com/artbyspring .  Don’t forget, we have a podcast interview with this great artist that can be downloaded on iTunes by clicking the iTunes logo in the multimedia link. You can also search iTunes under “Advance Search- Podcasts- The Expressionist Magazine.”

THE PERSISTENCE OF MEMORY

Editors View:

In this painting the landscape is barren, doesn’t show much life at all.  In fact it’s hard to determine if there is life at all on Earth, is the human race obliterated as we know it?  The paintings perspective goes in many different directions, is this a two dimensional world?  Are we living in the same plane?  These are questions that come to mind when I look at this painting, and to me, the clocks help decipher the meaning of what I think Dali is saying.

The wilted clocks are a symbol that time is dead.  Only things that are wilted are dead or nearing death.  The barren land with no grass, no signs of life determine that this painting is about time standing still, ultimately accomplished in death.  We see water and a rising sun in the background, telling me that there is hope for the future, life still goes on, maybe in another life?  The perspective shows me that we could be in between two separate dimensions, or we could rise to another plane when we die.  Make no doubt about it, life continues.  The time will come when time stops upon the Earth, but starts in the Heavens when we die.  Nothing lives in the mortal body forever, be it at the hands of other human beings, through natural causes, or just age.  The last thing to ponder in the painting is, did we kill ourselves off or did a plague send us to our fate?  Could it be age ran out on us, or should I say.. did our time run out on us.  

Now it’s your turn, leave a comment for all to read… tell us what you see in this painting.  Do you agree or totally disagree with the author?  There are no right or wrong answers.  Please note, that all comments are screened… we will not allow comments with vulgar language, insulting anyone who commented including the author, nor will we allow comments promoting anything or anyone.  We look forward to your insight.

The project was designed by the well-known international architect firm HOK, specifically, Yann Weymouth of HOK.  Weymouth had a tough order to fill when designing this structure because the city and owners of the museum wanted it to: 

• 1.  Display the largest collection of Dali’s work the best it can.
  2.  Protect the work from Florida’s well-known storms and tropical storm conditions.
• 3.  Give a strong aesthetic statement to Dali’s legacy.

The new museum is the fourth major project in Florida this year.  Local manufacturers will furbish the materials needed for the project and local workers will be used to build the grand new museum, in order to ensure local job possibilities.

The new museum will have a lot of perks to enhance the experience such as a movie theater and a cafeteria that will overlook the bay and  to allow for guests  to sit and enjoy their surroundings.

Dali’s work will be on the higher floors to protect from  flooding due to a tropical depression or hurricane.  Therefore, swells from the gulf would not destroy or damage the vintage art.  Dali’s art and vision, strange as it is, has been incorporated into the design of the new museum to make a personal touch to his house of grandeur. 

This is a great new feature for the Tampa Bay area and for Salvador Dali fans from all over the world.  The Dali museum is the largest collection worldwide of Dali’s work. 

We suggest that if you haven’t seen the museum to please visit and support the arts.

Nathaniel Currier was born in Boston, MA in 1813.  When he was old enough to work, he maintained a few odds and end jobs to support his family, since his father died unexpectedly.  It wasn’t long before Nat Currier found his life long calling in 1829, when he became a lithographer.

Wikipedia’s Definition of Lithography (Lithography (from Greek λίθος – lithos, “stone” + γράφω – graphο, “to write”) is a method for printing using a plate or stone with a completely smooth surface. By contrast, in intaglio printing plate is engraved, etched or stippled to make cavities to contain the printing ink, and in woodblock printing and letterpress ink is applied to the raised surfaces of letters or images. Lithography uses oil or fat and gum arabic to divide the smooth surface into hydrophobic regions which accept the ink, and hydrophilic regions which reject it and thus become the background. Invented by Bavarian author Alois Senefelder in 1796,^[1][2] it can be used to print text or artwork onto paper or another suitable material. Most books, indeed all types of high-volume text, are now printed using offset lithography, the most common form of printing production. )

In 1833, Nat Currier left Boston for Philadelphia to hire on with M.E.D. Brown who promised him great money for his expertise on a project.  He was to create stones of scientific images for the “American Journal of Sciences and Arts.”  He finished his contract in 1834 and went to New York City to work for his mentor, John Pendleton.  Pendleton expressed to Currier that he wished to return to his home in Boston, and asked if Currier was interested in purchasing the print shop.  He didn’t want to let the opportunity pass, but since he was financially short, he found a co-buyer named Stodart.  They became “Currier and Stodart.”

The two men specialized in “job” work, and their top seller were music manuscripts.  However, the partnership between Currier and Stodart became stale because Stodart was not happy with the money they were making and he soon parted ways, taking his investment with.  Currier decided to move the printing shop to a smaller location at 1 Wall Street in New York City and called it “N.Currier- Lithographer.”

This was the take off of the business.  Currier printed anything he could think of, including the usual music manuscripts and architectual prints, but he also started to experiment with landscapes, disaster scenes and memorial prints.  He made a print called ” Awful Conflagration of the Steamboat Lexington in Long Island Sound on Monday Evening, January 18, 1840, by which melancholy occurrence over One Hundred Persons Perished.“  This print was an immediate success and it gained the interest of the New York Sun.  They contacted him to print a single sheet addition to their paper, which is now presumed to be the first illustrated newspaper ever.

That successful print of “Lexington” lifted him up to new heights and brought him national exposure.  However, Currier’s work changed a bit with the loss of his daughter and wife back in 1840.  He started to do more prints with families mourning, tombstones and memorials.  He remarried and again lost a child, this time his son.  Currier’s life was full of grief and he had a hard time making a go of his career.

A friend brought him to Jim Ives.  He was a book keeper and a self-trained artist who would be the exact thing Currier needed to fly.  Currier hired him on as his book keeper and Ives set to improve his new employer’s books.  Ives used his artistic skills to streamline production for Currier.  Currier became very grateful and could not operate without his new friend Ives, so he offered him a full partnership.  The name was changed to what we all know now as “Currier and Ives” and they worked at 33 Spruce Street in New York.

They expanded their office by taking three floors.  They offered colored prints and black and whites. Most of their coloring was done in house, but they did contract some of it out.  Imagine they paid them a penny a print, and they would earn 1.00 for every hundred they did.  Soon their portfolio grew and they offered stock prints that were hung on people’s walls and were used in newspapers and periodicals.  It wasn’t long before they became a house hold name.  Currier was later asked to describe his business and he spoke of it as being a business of  ”publishers of cheap and popular pictures.”

Thats exactly what they were.  They made great pictures through lithography, made them something everyone could enjoy and sold them cheap so everyone could use them.  They were kind of the first poster makers and stock photographers at the time.  It was very expensive to take photos of your loved ones, so this was an alternative.  They even did some portaits to make it more affordable for the families.  Each picture was mass produced and forever revolutionized how we sold art. We discovered the benefit to stock photos that were easily marketable throughout the land.

Today you can see their images on Christmas cards, plates and dishware, magazines (especially older ones), and on walls throughout America.  Their stuff is legendary, totally American, and some of the it  is still used today.  Currier and Ives are kind of like an older version of “Norman Rockwell,” timeless and classic.

This first run of this column will be on the famous Vincent Van Gough’s “Starry Starry Night.”  To place your view, simply add a comment and tell us what you see in the painting, what  you like most about it, and what story does this picture paint for you?  You don’t need to be an expert in art, you don’t need to know what perspective means, or what shadows do for a painting… just tell us what the painting means to you, and remember there are no wrong answers.  Word of caution, we monitor and approve all comments before they get posted.  We will not post comments that pick fun or insult anyone’s opinions in their comments.  This is not a chat board and there will be no cyber bullying.

Starry Starry Night is probably one of my favorite paintings from Van Gough.  When I see this painting, I see three different things which are: good, evil and everyday living.

Looking at the painting, I see this wonderful little city nestled in the mountain valley.  There is nothing to worry about, everyone knows everyone and the calm of night brings the hopes for a successful new day.  Kids are being tucked in and parents are preparing for tomorrow’s work day.  The night brings to some nightmares, while for others, it is a soothing, relaxing time.

Outside, you see a dark sky that brings on the evil of the night.  That is depicted to me by the strange and eerie tree overlooking the city atop a mountain.  Its shape brings an uneasy feeling to the picture and  it is black as black can be, showing death and what is to come. 

You also see the heavenly stars that shine bright, bringing light to the darkness to help us find a way.  The light takes the horrible stuff and allows us not to be afraid of the unknown.  God, however, is going to battle this evil, noted by the church being the biggest building in the picture that catches your eye. 

On earth, there is a battle of good vs. evil everyday.  As long as there is evil among us, there will forever be a battle.  You have refuge in your religion, your God and in the end, all will be saved by love.  Taking the bite out of the night and the stars will reign in heaven.

That is what I see in “Starry Starry Night.”  What do you see?

Sometimes, you can get away with using a timed exposure which is where you would set your camera on a tri-pod and accurately white balance it for the yellow lighting it gives you.  Sometimes, however, where portraits are concerned, you don’t want that golden, ambient light but would rather have  your subject evenly lit. Sometimes your subject is moving, like at a wedding where low light will cause an acid trip effect.  The most logical solution is to use your flash.  

When you use your flash for any photo, you may get unwanted or unattractive outputs.  For example, you are in a low lit room with yellow, incandescent lights dimmed to half their power which, in turn, gives off an orange or yellow color.  In addition, people are dancing so the light is too low for a time release exposure.  Flash is your only option.  There are two things you may see with your flash.  

1. You take the photo farther away and realize there’s a half circle effect around the subject.  The subjects seem to have this yellow tint on them making them appear jaundice.  The whole photo has a “rising or setting sun” effect which is quite ugly.
2. Your subject is over exposed, you have “red eye,” and there are shadows around the subject.

There are solutions to this matter.  When using flash it is best to get an external flash with a swivel head.  The reason for this is simple.  You can angle the flash to bounce off a ceiling, a corner of a room or just soften the effects of the flash by diverting the path.  This will eliminate many of the harsh shadows, but you may still find some in your picture.  This will also help avoid over exposures as it evenly distributes the light.  When you bounce your flash, you evenly distribute the light and can create a 3D effect.

If you must take a photo farther away, you will still want to take the lowest possible setting so it doesn’t let too much light in, but make sure it doesn’t under expose the photo either.  Get as close as you can, because that will help eliminate the circular pattern on the wall, but bouncing the light will help to evenly distribute the light across the projected path.

You may also run into some other fun obstacles.  Those would be ”red eye” and bad color.  When using flash you must take into consideration, flash is a whitish-blue hue similar to a fluorescent bulb.  The yellow color comes from an incandescent bulb that actually acts like a fire.  It’s a warmer effect.  The trick is to balance it with both colors in mind.  Test your settings out and tweak when necessary.  Some digital cameras allow you to use factory white balancing settings, or to customize.  Some allow you to add the CMYK colors to help balance the color to reference the “true color” of the subject.  White balancing is very important for the true feel of the photo.  Sure you can use Photoshop to correct it, but it will never be the real color of the room.  It is best to get it right the first time with your camera or as close to perfect as you can get it. 

“Red eye” is a common occurrence that happens with the flash.  It happens when an object is under or over exposed.  The only “true” way to correct this is to evenly distribute the light, don’t shoot face on when using the flash and turn your “red eye” setting on.  Sometimes you can still do all those steps and still have “red eye,” but that’s just the nature of the eye and remember the eye is made up of many lenses that reflect.  It is a proven fact that some people will get “red eye” in the bright daylight sun, in the darkest of rooms or where ever they take a photo.  This could be a sign of anemia, lack of iron in the blood that can cause a high “red eye” rate.  Animals will always have spots in their eyes unless they are in an evenly lit area which is due to their eye structure and color.  One way to avoid this is to not shoot straight on with the flash.

Remember, flash does not come out in a box shape that fills the room.  Flash comes out circular, in a cone like fashion.  As the flash reaches farther and farther, the greater the circle and that is why you tend to have a circular pattern of flash when you are farther away from your subject.  Once the flash hits an object in its path, it returns to the camera in the same cone like fashion except the point of the cone is facing the object it bounced off.  That is why you get the shadow.

Flash is not easy to use because you have to know how to manipulate light  in order to get that beautiful photo successfully.  Sure, cameras are almost idiot proof nowadays, but they will forever have the problems I stated above without proper anticipation.  However,  they won’t be as prevalent with a self adjusting camera function to take the know how out.