Another Thinker

I wonder if Rodin would approve of this Thinker. This called for an investigation into the history of the original sculpture (1902) by Rodin, of which I should probably know but somehow missed. The statue was originally named The Poet and was part of a commission by the Musee des Arts Decoratifs in Paris to create a monumental portal  to act as the door of the museum. On Wikipedia it says that it was meant to depict Dante in front of the Gates of Hell, pondering his great poem. In the end, it seems only a miniature of the statue sits atop the gates of the museum. And a frog ponders flies over our garden gates!

The Butterfly Plant

Have you ever seen a butterfly plant? Oh, it is very unusual and difficult to find. They bloom only for a short time where a pond is shallow and the small fish swim gently near the warm surface. Almost silently. Near dawn.


linocut  6" x  8"
2005

Pet Photo Exhibition

Saturday was the annual Great American Dog and Cat Photo Exhibition and party at my art center. The center partners with local Humane Societies  to promote the Art of Photography (amateur) and the love of animals. Dogs and cats are invited and other types of pets are welcome - someone brought their pig this year! I wanted to adopt this cat, it was so sweet! But here it looks exhausted - maybe too much action from too many dogs! Anyway, the guests were mostly well-behaved and I believe most enjoyed the party. (Although I noticed that one pug was frightened into its owner's lap when a much bigger dog started to sing Happy Birthday!)

PULPFICTION: The Art of Paper

This afternoon I went to see an excellent exhibition at the Courthouse Galleries in Portsmouth, Virginia where artists are showing some very innovative approaches to art created with paper. I love to see what people can do with paper -  very creative!! I liked everything in this show. One artist creates his work from recycled newpapers, "paying tribute to the valuble role that for years printed news has played in defining our society's cultural models." You can see his work at his website:
http://www.riccardoberlingeri.com/
Take a look!

Butterfly Count #1 - Counting with the Coastal Virginia Wildlife Observatory

The Coastal Virginia Wildlife Observatory is a non-profit established in 1994 to carry out the work of volunteers who began an annual songbird banding station at Kiptopeke State Park in 1963 on Virginia's Eastern Shore about a 40 minute drive from here. I decided to join them for their annual butterfly count since I have an interest in butterflies for my artwork and have a general interest in them and nature, of course! We met at the Eastern Shore of Virginia Wildlife Refuge visitor center to begin our count and then visited three butterfly gardens, walked in Kiptopeke State Park and made some roadside stops. We found at least 18 species of butterflies! And I learned alot from the people in my group, especially the master naturalist and my leader, the planter and caretaker of the butterfly gardens! A good day! Hot but good!

Butterfly Count #2 - My Group

Where is that fritillary??