Excursions

Excursions is the theme of a national juried show to be held at our local AVA Community Art Center in August. I am on the committee that dreams up the themes for the coming year. We have fun tossing around ideas. How about a show about travel? ‘Excursions’ was a word that we liked for describing the full conditions of being inside an adventure.

This word brings to mind visiting vineyards in France, ancient ruins in South America, fiords of New Zealand, or sharing space with buffalo in Yellowstone. Perhaps the excursion was exciting, frustrating, life altering. Was it surprising to see the sun rise and set so fast at the equator? Did everyone in the family cry as they watched a show on Broadway? We’re exposed in many different ways to new tastes, different perspectives, magical beauty - so maybe an excursion happened close to home. Did you meet entertaining folks in a cooking club? What did your grandchildren think of the water park? Have you found new friends who are kind, funny, unpretentious, delightful?

I entered three pieces in this show. I won’t know for a couple of weeks if any of my submissions were accepted. In the meantime, you can tell me which is your favorite.

Sensible Shoes Walking Tour is new, but was inspired by a piece I created in 2017 called Walking Tour. Walking Tour and the reference photograph I used for it are shown below. For the new version I used Walking Tour itself as my reference. I changed some details, and the colors I used in the new piece are entirely new. I imagine the people in this piece traveling, taking pictures that reflect their unique perspectives. It might be castles, doors, entertaining signs, reflections, food, children, sunsets, or graffiti. This yellow/orange and blue/purple piece is all about feet and shadows.

This image shows the feet and shadows of five people. The heads are outside of the frame. Colors are yelloworange and bluepurple. — ***Sensible Shoes Walking Tour,*** 21 X 31, $700

reference photo used to make Walking Tour and Sensible Shoes Walking Tour. Feet and shadows. — Reference photo used for ***Walking Tour***

The first art created was a smaller study and used bluegrey and mint green and violet. — ***Walking Tour*** 11 X 14, 2017

You may have seen previous posts that show the other two pieces I submitted for Excursions. Are You Coming or Going? June 22 Group Challenge and At the Beach With Great Grandpa Aug. 28 Feeling Safe and Well. You may wish to revisit these posts.

A bright vertical piece showing an airport walkway. The top half is in the original colors and the bottom half is in reversed colors and values as well as being upside down.. — ***Are You Coming or Going?*** 20 X 15.5, $375

Three children play in the sand at the beach. Great Grandpa sits in his walker chair in the upper corner. — ***At the Beach With Great Grandpa***, 20 X 30, $750

Last month I promised you another new piece, and showed you the reference photo I would use for it. The picture was taken in 2007, when my husbannd and I were at a zoo in South Carolina the day before he was to get his first partial hip replacement. This was a notable excursion, because of the timing and because we were in a place where heat makes everyone drive and walk slowly, and folks like to stop and chat. It was already very warm that Memorial Day weekend. I indulged in my first-ever iced mocha coffee! Refreshing!

A girl stands on a railing and her brother leans on the railing. They are looking at something beyond but we don't know what it is. — Reference photo used for ***Exploring Life***.

24 X 12 inch vertical pieces with floral batik fabrics used in the background. There is a girl standing on a railing and a boy leaning on the same railing. Colors of the figures pick up on the bluegreen, purple, and maroon of the background. — ***Exploring Life***, 24 X 12, $375

Notice all the changes I made! I could have replicated the rock wall or the flowers growing in the lower left forground. But using wild patterns and colors was a lot more fun! In combination these delightful fabrics communicate something about the wonder of the natural world: rich, dazzling, connected, and worth exploring.

I took other photos on that hot day in 2007. Below is another reference photo and the art created. I often encourage artists to focus on the important parts of an image, in this case, the little girls, dress, and hair.

Two girls running to the right, hair flying. — ***Hair,*** 22 X 17, 2009, sold

And now, the end-of-blog recipe! The herbs growing in our garden are perfect for Tabouli: My gluten-free version uses quinoa instead of cracked wheat. I use pinto beans or black beans instead of garbanzo beans. Cook 1 cup of Quinoa and set aside to cool. Rinse and drain one 16 oz can of pinto beans or black beans. (I often have a jar of cooked beans in the freezer ready to thaw.) Chop a generous amount of fresh parsley, mint, basil, dill, and cilantro. Add optional green onion or chive. Chop some cabbage, cucumber, and tomotoes. Open and drain a small can of sliced black olives. Combine everything and add olive oil, lemon juice, and salt to taste. (You don’t need ALL the ingredients. Use what you have.)

Sweet Moments