Art on Everyday Things

2013 12 s IMG_6065.jpg

Today I’m noticing the elements of visual appeal that have little relationship to products….but are nevertheless pervasive on just about everything we buy. Thing like the pattern and color of a tissue box;

2013 12 s IMG_6066.jpg

Bags from specialty shops for museums,

2013 12 s IMG_6085.jpg

Parks or

2013 12 s IMG_6067.jpg

Chocolates;

2013 12 s IMG_6078.jpg

Packaging for sugar substitute,

Dark Chocolates,

2013 12 s IMG_6080.jpg

Butter beans or

Paper towels.

Is the art factor in our purchase? Not for me….but I appreciate that it is there. It is one of those things that can be a pleasant surprise….and worth a little celebration.

3 Free eBooks - September 2013

It’s time again for the monthly post about eBooks that are freely available on the Internet. The three below are my favorites for September 2013.

Asbjørnsen, Peter Christen; Moe, Jørgen Engebretsen; Dasent, George Webbe, Sir; Nielsen, Kay Rasmus. East of the sun and west of the moon: old tales from the North. New York: G.H. Doran. 1922. Available from the Internet Archive here. Take a look at this eBook for the Kay Nielsen illustrations. They are outstanding. A synopsis of the story is available on Wikipedia here.

International Studio - An Illustrated Magazine of Fine and Applied Art - Volume 51 (Issues from November 1913 to February 1914). New York: John Lane Company. 1914. Available from the Internet Archive here. What was the art world like just before World War I? Take a look at this volume to find out. One of my favorite  images is shown below; it’s called “An Interlude - the Breadman’s Donkey” from a wood engraving by Helen Hyde. Find out more about her via Wikipedia here. The Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Renwick Gallery website has a collection of 126 pieces from this artist. Other artists featured in this magazine either were famous or became so afterward. It is well worth a look at the images online.

Moncrieff, Ascott Robert Hope. Bonnie Scottland; painted by Sutton Palmer. London: A. & C. Black. 1912. Available from the Internet Archive here. I loved the pictures of landscapes (mountains, streams, the sea) and castles. I picked a fall picture from the book to feature in this post - to fit the season we are beginning. This book is from the period just before World War I…the year the Titanic sank.

Ten Days of Little Celebrations - April 2013

Back in August 2012, I posted about finding something to celebrate each day. It’s an easy thing for me to do and the habit of writing it down reminds me to be grateful for these and a myriad of other things in my life. Here are some ‘little celebrations’ I’ve noted this month:

A friend from 40 years ago. What a joy it is to be in contact with a friend after so many years in different parts of the country!

Tile art. The nature center where I volunteer has started a fundraising effort that involves children making squares of art that will be transferred to tiles. The children and parents have such fun making the images. I can hardly wait to see the walls of these unique tiles.

First spring day. It was a little late this year. Everything was delayed and then suddenly - spring sprung!

New azaleas. We finally filled the bed in front of our house where some bushes had died. The azalea bushes evidently love their new home; they started blooming almost immediately.

Flicker. There was a flicker investigating the forest at the back of our yard. Maybe there will be a nest!

Steak. We don’t have steak all that often and this time we thought it had burned on the grill - but it was very tender - and tasty. Celebrate!

Butterfly. It was pretty cold but there was a brave butterfly on the plum tree. It was the first of the season.

Deciduous magnolias and cherry trees. These are the two early bloomers in our area. This year they peaked together.

Travel plans. I enjoy planning for travel. It’s the preparation of the mind to maximize the experience of where I go. The anticipation is worth savoring.

Dark chocolate. This should be on my list every month. 

Gleanings of the Week Ending March 09, 2013

The items below were ‘the cream’ of the articles I read this past week. Click on the light green text to look at the article.

What’s Happening to Great Lakes Ice - Compare 2010 and 2013 then watch the video of ice forming this winter

Vibrant Paint Patterns Brighten Up Urban Landscapes - Color in Beirut

The Science of Smart - Infographic.

Visual Storytelling through Intricate Paper Designs - Design in cut in paper always seem appealing to me. I probably include collections of them in my gleanings every time I find them. these are by Australian artist Emma Van Leest.

'Behind The Brands' Oxfam Report Evaluates Social, Environmental Impacts Of World's Largest Food Companies - None of them are doing very well when it comes to women, small scale farmers, farm workers, water, land, climate change, or transparency.

Education Indigenous to Place: Western Science Meets Native Reality - Article from the Alaska native Knowledge Network from 1999. The argument for integrative thinking relative to place rather than deep specialization (which has been the trend for some time in the sciences and medicine) is beautifully made in this article.

Top 25 Wild Bird Photographs of the Week #38 - My favorite is oriental dwarf kingfisher. The size and shape of the head/beak make it clear that it is a kingfisher but the colors are extraordinary. I am in awe of photograhers that capture birdlife so vividly. My most recent (and poor) attempt is at the right; at least you can tell that it is a redwing blackbird.

Namibia: The Big Empty, part 1 - A short video from National Geographic

First Confirmed Sighting Of Rare Whooping Cranes At Natchez Trace Parkway - Hurray! Maybe an effort to establish an Eastern Migratory Population of these cranes is succeeding.

Sugata Mitra: Build a School in the Cloud - TED talk

Gleanings of the Week Ending March 02, 2013

The items below were ‘the cream’ of the articles I read this past week. Click on the light green text to look at the article.

Point me to a brain area - neuro-anatomy (head - neck- brain - spine) tutorials

Shimmering Mosaic of Earth Made of Stained Glass and Jewels

The World's 20 Most Amazing Tunnels - lots of photos

Windows On Nature: The Ten Best National Park Webcam Sites In America - A list from National Parks Traveler. The collage of pictures at the right shows the snow and fog from earlier this week….a virtual tour of the parks!

4 surprising lessons about education learned from data collected around the world - TED talk

Want To Be In The Dark? Death Valley Is Among 20 Recommended Places

More Antioxidants In Your Diet May Not Mean Better Health - not all antioxidants are equal

Choosing Wisely Lists - information on when medical tests and procedures are appropriate…good information to have before you see your doctor

Jagged Worldviews Colliding by Leroy Little Bear- an introduction to the differences between Indigenous and Eurocentric worldviews

Technology Upends another Industry: Homebuilding - doing the same amount of work with half the staff