Too much time on my hands.

You Are the Third Eye Chakra

You are insightful and spiritual. You trust your intuition. You are deeply philosophical. You spend a lot of time thinking and theorizing. You are wise beyond your years. People turn to you for direction and hope. You are a clear thinker. You often know what you want to do and how you're going to do it.

What Chakra Are You?

The First Rule of Blogthings Is: You Don't Talk About Blogthings

Garden Delights

I don't have any art to share, but I figured I'd share my garden.

This is my poor hydrangea bush. I didn't manage to cut it down before it started budding in February, so it has gotten a little overwhelmed with flowers. It has overtaken my steps on my deck and it is just HUGE. I went outside to look at it today and it is so top heavy that it is drooped and all the stems with flowers are bent to the ground. It looks like someone sat in the middle of it and flattened it out.


I did not bother keeping up with the garden this year. In fact, I contemplated pulling it all out. But, I couldn't find another place to relocate the flowers that I had and just didn't have the heart, or time, to pull everything out. Needless to say, it has become overwhelmed with weeds. You can't tell from the pictures since most of the flowers are really tall, but the lower half is just a thick carpet of some weed (don't know what). My neighbors have a meticulous garden and have lawn service done, so I'm sure they are not too happy with the garden, but what can you do. At least it looks pretty with the flowers all filling it in. Good thing I don't have a close up picture of the ground cover, i.e. weeds.

I've been miserably sick the last few day - so sick that I've broke out into tears a couple of times. I managed to get a severe case of strep throat coupled with mono, which by the way, I thought I was safe from after high school. It was such a severe case that my doctor actually recommended I go to the hospital and get on an antibiotic IV drip because my white blood cell count was so high. That, I told him, was out of the question (have you seen my lousy insurance coverage??). Thank God he was understanding and instead gave me a steroid shot and a couple of antibiotic shots. My butt's a little more sore for it (the shots) but I'm finally feeling better.
I actually started this post on Friday but in my drugged haze forgot to post it, so even though it is dated Friday, it's actually Tuesday (shhh, don't tell). I actually thought that while my mom had the kids and I was feeling better, I would actually do something, but alas - I didn't have as much energy as I thought. Unfortunately I may be able to stay awake for more than 5 minutes but I couldn't stand or do anything else for more than 5 minutes. So, I'll post a few little sketches I've done (practicing) and a painting that looks much better in person than on the lousy picture. Enjoy.

I've had a fascination with yellow lately, mostly in more of a golden/orange tone. Reading up on it, yellow is the color of optimism and happiness and brings out creative thought. The more golden the hue, the "promise of better times". I do have to say that I have felt great about my life lately, so I guess the colors I'm painting with are a reflection of that.


This is my little nude sketch I did at work on a scrap piece of paper (sometimes I'm on hold forever at work). I've been trying to practice doing a little more realism as opposed to the abstract I normally do. I like creating abstract pieces because I feel more like I am painting my emotions, but I kinda don't want everything to be so emotional. I don't want to feel like I'm going into that dark place to create.

Looking...(UPDATED)

I have been in dire need of some inspiration lately but I just can't seem to find it anywhere. I finally went to the NC Museum of Art this weekend. It's been closed for renovations and expansions for some time now and just reopened last month (I think). Boy was I impressed. Right as you walk into the new building you are greeted by 3 huge glass scuptures of a sitting person, hanging sideways on a suspended wall. As big as it was, I still wasn't able to read all the writing on him, but what I was able to read sounded interesting.



If you head to the left, you go into the more traditional classical paintings, although I did find the lovely below there. Take a close look if you can as to what it is made from, you'll be surprised.



Did you figure it out yet?? It is made from a curtain of individual spools of thread! These were not spools that were half dyed to make it work, they were solid spools of color.
Anyway, if you head straight at the lobby, you enter the more modern contemporary paintings. They had quite a few that I fell in love with, unfortunately I left my cameras memory card at home and was only able to take a few pics with the memory the camera would hold. I really liked this one below.



Yes, I was a very bad girl and forgot to write down the names of the artist that created these beautiful pieces. Guess that means I'll have to go back another day - darn!
On top of taking a lovely stroll through the museum, I managed to find bargains galore when it came to art and craft supplies. I would say I feel guilty for spending the money, since I swore I'd be a very good girl and not spend money this weekend, but how could I possibly pass up jars of gel medium (regular retail price of $26 - $28) for $2.97 and Liquitex heavy body acrylic paint (reg. price $19) for $.97. Also went to Ornamentea, which I haven't gone to in awhile, and got super excited about doing stuff. They used to be bead focused and have really expanded what they carry.
So, hopefully I'll be back to creating soon enough.

**Update - well, partial update anyway. The first picture is a sculpture by Jaume Plensa called Doors of Jerusalem. There were three of them so they are I, II, III. They are poly resin and lit internally. The words on it are from the bible - Songs of Solomon and Songs of Songs. They are 47 1/4 x 62 1/2 x 80 3/4 (inches). This also happens to be the same artist that tried to donate a $2.5 mil art installation downtown that turned into such a big stink that he withdrew his offer. Guess he still loves us at least a bit. The second pic is by Devorah Sperber titled After the Mona Lisa 2. It is 85"x87" and made up of 5184 spools of thread. This is definitely one that you have to see to get the full effect. I still haven't figured out the last one but think I may be taking another trip this weekend.

Everyone Should Fly

Sunday Night Boredom and Hair Dye

Let me just start off by saying that Sunday night boredom and hair dye don't mix. In the last 3 months I have gone from dying my hair black, to getting blond "halo" highlights, and finally an assortment of red hues. What can I say, I get easily bored.
I don't know what got in to me a few months ago, but I decided to dye my hair black. Now, in my late teens and early twenties I use to dye it black all the time. It looked good and I could pull it off being younger and having good skin. I think people recently telling me that I look like I'm in my mid-20's got to my ego - to think that I could get away with dying my hair black at 35, what was I thinking? I hated it, it made me look older and I swear it highlighted every zit and wrinkle on my face. So, black hair dye has been banned. Of course, even though it was only a semi-permanent color, it still took several washes with Prell shampoo mixed with Dawn dishwashing detergent to get most of it out. Off to the salon for something different. Both my kids are blond and for whatever strange reason, it bothers me that I look nothing like them. So, I went and got some blond highlights put throughout my hair just to make me feel a little better. It didn't last long. I just don't care for blond hair - it's boring. Sorry if anyone out there is blond, I just don't care for it for me. I've dated several blonds, in fact I'd say 90% of the guys I've dated were blond, so on some level I must like it. I think that lasted about a month then I got bored this past Sunday. I forget how horrible the Carolina humidity is on my hair this time of the year, and natural curls don't really help, so I freaked out after I colored my hair. I thought for sure it was fried. It took me awhile to get accustomed to the Ronald McDonald red mixed with DJ Lance (from Yo Gabba Gabba) orange that took to my formerly blond highlights, but luckily red dye doesn't keep it's color all that well and it has faded out a bit. I think I'm in love with it - for

now.

Aurabella's Art Spot

My corner is coming back. I decided to move some things out of the living room so that I can set up my art space in hopes of feeling like creating again. My ex still has his stuff at my home and I had it all stored in my art area until today. I decided to move his desk, which is taken apart but still bulky, into my foyer area, where my sewing table was sitting waiting for his stuff to leave. I know, it's not the best thing for my guest to walk into my house and see right up front. Personally, I don't care. I kinda decided that I don't entertain anyway and my friends know and love me, they know my situation, so I'm pretty sure they aren't looking down at me for having my home in disarray. Besides, there are worse piles of clutter in my home than in my foyer. So here is part of it already in use.



I have to brag about my awesome bag (to the right of the pic) that I got at a yard sale for a dollar. Perfect for taking my acrylic inks and whatnot whenever I go to art functions or hang with friends. I love having my space back and it was really nice too because I had room for my daughter, who loves doing "art projects" with mommy.