New Beginnings

I bought a new sketchbook on new years eve, some new pencils & oil sticks. It was a simple gesture to welcome a new beginning.

It also seems a fitting time, to say thank you to all of the friends I have made here on this blog. Thank you for sharing your lives, your creations, your inspirations. I have enjoyed the journey.

I look forward to the next chapter. To all of the followers that have stopped by, thank you for your comments, your encouragement, & your friendship.

Here's hoping 2012 will be filled with simple pleasures, happy surprises, & creative inspirations!

Ringing in the New Year !!!

Ring out the old, ring in the new,

                       Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
                           The year is going, let him go;
                       Ring out the false, ring in the true.

~Alfred, Lord Tennyson, 1850

Happy New Year to one & all!

Remembering Helen Frankenthaler

"Mountains and Sea" (1952)

I learned the sad news of the death of abstract expressionist painter, Helen Frankenthaler, yesterday on Liza's blog, Postcards from Colorado. I saw it there, even before I had seen it in the New York Times. I have spent the day today reading about this remarkable artist, whose work has influenced so many others. She died at the age of 83 Tuesday morning, but  was a mere 23 years old, when she painted her breakthrough painting 

" Mountains and Sea". She continued to work prolifically until her death, recently completing one of her largest paintings to date, inspired by a visit she had made to Nova Scotia. Frankenthaler created her own unique style, of pouring thinned acrylic paint onto canvas, & is often credited as being the founder of the color field movement. 

Other beautiful tributes to Frankenthaler can be seen here & here,

or in her own words in the video below.

Merry Merry Merry

Heres hoping that your decorations are hung.....

.... your cards written & mailed....

..... packages wrapped ....

 .... & your cookies baked !

Wishing you 

a very happy

Holiday 

from 

my family

 to yours!!

'tis the Season

Yes, December is a busy month, with holiday festivities & shopping, shopping, shopping. I am tying to do most of mine on line to avoid the crowds. But it seemed an appropriate time to post some photos, taken last summer, of some shops in France. 

Happy shopping everyone!

Monday

An uneventful Monday ....

the day I water 

  the plants.

I hope you had a nice Monday

whether it was eventful or not.

I just saw this video on Lenore-Nevermore, who just happens to be in Paris at the moment, 

& I thought it was lovely.

Une nuit Parisienne (Paris by night) from manemos on Vimeo.

Hope you enjoy it too

Happy December first !