Getting back on track

Boy have I neglected this blog. I have nothing to blame but laziness and sometimes I'd just rather do other things - like painting.

I started a oil painting class and it is so different from acrylics. I'm really liking it though. I finished my first piece, it's a contemporary interpretation of figs.




I really like it, I have it in my kitchen.

Also, I'm networking with some other, or I should say a lot of other artisans from throughout Louisiana. We all have our work on http://www.etsy.com. If you're not familiar with etsy, it's a website that sells all things handmade. It's really a cool site and you should really check out the LArtisans. I'm sure the official site is http://www.lartisans.etsy.com, this will bring you to a list of all the talented people who belong to our group and their wares. We make and sell everything from jewelry, candles, soaps, clothes for women and children, original artwork, natural mineral make-up to just about everything. You really should check it out.

Anyway, that's it for today. I'm going to try to post less and more often and each time post a piece of my work (which is why I started this blog, to promote my artwork!).

Well, til next time.

Kat

"The purest and most thoughtful minds are those that love color the most." - John Ruskin (English Art Critic)

Hurricane Gustav's Eye Getting Closer

Well things are picking up here. It's getting windy and we've been having light rain off and on. For the most part it's not too bad. We're boarded up pretty good and I can hear the wind blowing. The eye will be passing over in about 5 hours or so. Things are definately going to get interesting.

The funny thing in the midst of all this are the hummingbirds. Obviously I brought in my feeders and we can see the hummingbirds flying by the back porch looking for their food. The weather does not seem to be affecting them. I'm tempted to go put a feeder out.

I guess you're wondering how can she see the hummingbirds when her house is boarded up? My husband cut narrow peep holes in all the boards so it wouldn't be so claustrophobic and we can get an idea of how bad it's getting outside. Good thinking on his part.

The lights blinked a few times awhile back, but obviously we still have power. I don't know how long that will last though. The wind and gusts are definately picking up, we just had a pretty good gust a second ago. Maybe I won't go put out another feeder.

I've been hearing about the water spilling over the levees in the Industrial Canal in New Orleans on the west side of the canal bordering the upper 9th Ward. I hope those levees hold. God knows New Orleans does not need this. Maybe this storm will move quickly so the winds will change and the water will be pushed back out of the lake and thus the Industrial Canal. If N.O. floods again, I think it would be just too much for too many people.

Well, I'm really losing my train of thought and my mind is wondering. I'm getting back to the TV and storm coverage.

'Til next time - Kat

News from the front lines of Gustav

Well, it is the calm before the storm. Literally.

It's 10:30 p.m. here in Lafayette and it will probably start getting ugly sometime overnight, last through the day tomorrow and into tomorrow night. The next few days are going to be interesting to say the least. Especially since the eye is supposed to pass over Lafayette. Scary.

I thought I'd write a little while I could and I'll keep this blog up-to-date through the storm - as long as I have power.

Like I stated, it's really calm and still here right now. Sorta eerie. The funny thing though is the hummingbirds. I left my feeders out on my patio, protected by a substantial porch and attached to the inside of a large cypress post, and they are not letting up on the feeders. But all the other birds were very quiet this evening. Lafayette is like a ghost town. Everything boarded up, businesses as well as homes. A lot of people here have stayed, but are staying in just waiting. That's the hardest part, waiting and not knowing what's going to happen. It's really nerve wracking. Well, since nothing is really happening right now (but it's coming) I'm going to sign off and check back in tomorrow.

Hey, after this my tag 'No Fear Art' will have new meaning. Til tomorrow.

Kat

I did an abstract that I called "Eye of the Storm", I'll post it tomorrow if I can.
Well, I'll try now.



There, that's "Eye of the Storm". I actually did this piece about 10 days ago and it reminded me of the ragged look of hurricanes from the satellite images that you see. Little did I realize that it was a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Hurricane Gustav

Well, as I've probably stated in past posts, I'm in South Central Louisiana, basically Lafayette and Gustav has us in his cross hairs.

We - my husband, son, and myself are staying. We are boarded up, stocked up, fueled up and ready. Our house is pretty sturdy and we are 25 miles inland and 25 feet above sea level (unlike N.O. which is below sea level). I'm sure we are going to be OK but it's going to get pretty dicey here in the next 12 to 18 hours. I'm worried about tornadoes.

We have 2 generators in the likely hood that we will lose power. At least I can run my refridgerator and maybe a small window unit. It gets pretty stifling hot here in South Louisiana and it seems to be more so after a hurricane passes. I think the storm sucks up all the air and brings it with it, so after it passes, it is so still, hot and muggy.

Well my husband has me doing some more chores, bringing in plants. So I'll write some more later.

Kat

Old New Art and de Kooning

It's been awhile since I've written anything. I guess I've been thinking does anyone read this? Why bother? Well, maybe one day someone will and I guess I just want to bring whoever up-to-date. Basically bring my art up-to-date on this blog. Just what the title says, 'Old New Art'. It's pieces that I painted earlier this year, so it's old to me, but it's new to my blog.

All of these pieces were inspired by Willem de Kooning. He was a contemporary of Jackson Pollock and was part of the Abstract Expressionism movement in New York in the 40's and 50's. I love his work, the boldness, the color, the craziness of it. To me he painted like he was angry at the canvas. I really love that period in art.

Well, I really can't think of too much to say this evening, I just get to the art.


This piece was the first one I did in the de Kooning style. It is called 'Breakthrough". It was done with acrylic on a 16x20 canvas.


This piece is called 'Chatter' and was done on a 11x14 canvas. I did incorporate some colorful fabric into the painting which was mostly done in acrylic.


This is one of my favorite pieces that I think I'm going to keep. It is so colorful and cheery. I actually did this one in about 20 minutes on a sheet of 12x16 paper canvas. I named this one 'Tropical Fish'.

I hope you like these pieces. Til next time.

Kat
- Fear eats the soul.

Lamenting the Loss of Rock

I know this is supposed to be a blog about art, particularly MY ART, but I'm having a rock moment, more like revival. I know in my last blog I posted about Led Zeppelin and veered from art and I'm going to do that again. Not just about Led Zeppelin, but about rock in general. I figured though, that music is art and rock is music, so, I'm still blogging about art. Just a different genre.

WHERE IS ROCK, WHERE HAS IT GONE????????? It can't be dead, maybe just hybernating. I'm talking about earth shaking, mind blowing, goose bump giving, makes you want to move, makes you want to cry, makes you want to love kind of rock!!!!!!!!!

When did Hip-Hop and Rap and what I like to refer to as the Divas, you know, Mariah, Gwen, Beyonce, Fergie, Britney, Christina, et al, take over. I guess I was living my life and not really paying attention. All you hear anymore on supposedly 'music TV', you know, what the M is supposed to stand for in TV, and Video Hits 1 (where are the videos?), is this type of music. Not that I have anything against Hip-Hop, Rap or the Divas, I have alot of their stuff on my i-pod - alot. But where is the Rock? It's not on the radio, not top 40 anyway. Or if they do play rock, I seem to miss it, so it's not heavy into the rotation.

Does nobody like rock anymore? Am I just an old foggy who is longing for past youth? Why don't we have any really good rock bands right now? Where are the Led Zeppelin's, the AC/DC's, the CCR's, the Who's, the Lynard Synard's, the Pink Floyds, the ZZ Tops of this time, this decade? Did rock die with Kurt? Is rock past it's prime?

I can only think of a handful of bands or artists that are currently popular that can be called true rock and roll. And no, Justin Timberlake and John Mayer are not true rockers. Let's see there's Nickelback, Kid Rock (love him), 3 Doors Down, hummmmmmmm I can't think of anymore. If someone can point some out to me, please do. I'm ready to listen. Just bought Kid Rock's CD "Rock and Roll Jesus" today. It's awesome, bad, hardcore, everything rock should be. Some of the lyrics were a little raunchy (Too Hott and Sugar), but the music is pure Rock.

You know, last decade you had Nirvana, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Creed, Oasis, Melissa Etheridge, 3rd Eye Blind, U2, but now hardly any. Are we in a rock drought? I know my son, who is 19, and alot of his friends listen to classic rock because of the absence of good rock right now. Will we ever have the kinds of bands again that can fill stadiums?

Wake up all you promoters and producers. The boomers still love their rock and roll (and will listen to new bands with a good sound) and their kids are sick of the same old shi - stuff that is being shoved down their throats. All I can say for any garage rock band that is practicing right now . . .

"For those who want to rock, we salute you!"

'Til next time.

Kat

No art news today, just - Led Zeppelin!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm so excited, tonight my husband and I, along with several friends are going to a concert featuring the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra fronted by a rock band covering Led Zeppelin. My husband and I caught this concert last summer at the spur of the moment. My husband didn't want to go because he thought it would be 'lame'. Quote, "I don't want to hear some orchestra playing Led Zeppelin, how can it be any good? It's probably going to be lame." Well, I said "We're going, tough shit." It was AWESOME!!!!!!!!

Let me give you a little history, now I'll be telling my age, but so what. The way my husband got me to go out with him back in Feb. 1975 was that he had 2 tickets to the Led Zeppelin "Physical Graffiti" tour. That was our first official date, I was 17 and he was 21. I fell in love with him at that concert, and we have been together ever since.

Well, this concert was so awesome that I said if they ever do it again, we're going again, and it's TONIGHT!!!!!!! I'm so excited, you could close your eyes and swear you were at a Zeppelin concert. They have a great light show and the music is so rich and full, it just envelopes you. I believe this rock group tours the country and performs with local symphony orchestras. I think it's called the Led Zeppelin Experience. If you ever get a chance to go to one, I highly recommend it. Especially if your a Led Head.

I wish the remaining members of Zeppelin, Plant, Page, John Paul Jones and Bonham's son (I can't remember his name, but he's a bad drummer, just like his dad) would do a U.S. reunion tour. I know last year in Nov. they did a concert in London where you had to put your name in a lottery in able to purchase tickets. We did, but our names weren't drawn. But, if they ever do a reunion tour here in the States, I'm going. I don't care how much or how far, I'm there.

Gotta go and get ready, 'Til next time.

Kat