Thoughts On Possibilty Confetti

Years have gone by for me without a printer.  I donated them, used and unused.

As the seasons flow, the body transforms, the TV line up adjusts, our basic lives also change. Thus, need for another printer,  a simple inexpensive, AIO ( all in one) with single cartridge print black only mode. 

In the days of entering the digital age, I printed out nearly everything  with a print button, including photographs. 

My first printer, circa 1992, needed a double ink cartridge about every 6 months. I used it up to circa 2000 +/-, printing out term papers, homework and notes for college courses (as a non traditional student). I miss that printer most.
The new fancier printers needed ink so often, I'm guessing I reduced my printer use by 75%. Colored photos were printed only when being painted from. 

The majority of those pages are  confetti along the recycled paper path. Shredders are so improved, they create wonderful confetti for mixing paper mache, and pulp for homemade paper. 

On the possibility of confetti front, printing out my blog posts will be a thrill for me.  Downloading the blog, last I tried, was not a thrill.

Alas, I suspect those hard copies will be scanned and digitally stored to makes more confetti. 

Do you use a printer often? Print out your blog posts?
 

Thoughts On the Kinship of Artists

Fish Sheds and Schooner
63.5 x 76.2 cm Oil on canvas, 1898
William Merritt Chase
1890 ~ 1916

William Merritt Chase, American Impressionist painter, is a favorite of mine for his landscapes of the Shinnecock Hills of Long Island, New York. Those land and seascapes remind me of Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

Favorite artists are about how the heart feels when I see one of their paintings. It only takes one. Other artwork is for studying that artist's style. In doing so, I believe we can discover things about our own art.
The above photograph, for example, I see blocks of color without enough definition for my mind to embrace the painting. My transition from the darker foreground to the sunshine above feels more like escaping instead of flowing via the composition.

Fish Sheds
63.5 x 76.2 oil on canvas, 1900 - 1902
John Henry Twachtman
1853 ~ 1902

The impressionism style of another American Impressionist, John Henry Twachtman of a similar subject, (above)  has enough definition for me to settle in with what I expect, as well as prefer for the subject matter. If the weather was foggy, then my impressions of both paintings would change as well. 

What does is all mean? 
Well, for me, studying the art of other artist, especially a painting subject matter that I want to paint, helps me understand where I want my brush strokes to be. 
Positive goals are good. I think they create the incentive to reach into whatever talent we may have. Painting in the style of is a challenge. It also decreases the aloneness of painting. 

Viewing art in person, I have to see the actual brush strokes in the painting. At the Middlebury College Museum of Art years ago, viewing an exhibit, I happen to see bold brush strokes close up. I forget the painter's name, and even the subject of the artwork. I remember that epiphany connection in a way that gave me a sense of validation, a kinship with the artist. 

When I paint this summer, be it the Atlantic Ocean or Lake Champlain, my enjoyment factor will be heightened by what I know about the art of Chase and Twachtman. I can connect with them through my own brush strokes.



A Valance To Remember

Valance, Wires & Creativity

A favorite environment embellishment,  above the old craft desk, wires and other things were handy. Unlike paper, wires are easy to find. And so is the hanging planter spinner (center photo)  I've been looking for! 

❤️❤️❤️ 

May Everyone who lives the love and compassion of mothethood,

Whether by birth from body or heart,

Celebrate Your Kindness to Others

Happy Mother's Day


Thoughts About Being Informed


A hazard of not turning the television or live stream you're watching, off, is that you might learn something from the program that's up next. 

I have begun viewing the PBS News Hour mainly because I don't turn off my PC. You may remember, my television is caput. In no hurry to replace it, I watch PBS, live stream shows and sometimes local news and weather.

Unlike watching major network news reporting, anchor plus news clips, the PBS News Hour often has people talking to each other about important issues. 

Is that good for me? What is this change doing for my brain? Am I better informed? Could this be a form of a social network to ease loneliness?

Today, 11 May 2023, Geoff Bennett, PBS News Hour anchor is talking with journalist, William Brangham on new emission rules from the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). In the interview, Brangham mentions talking to Scott Segal, an attorney, about CCS (carbon capture [storage] and sequestration)
.
Mind you,  
I'm still on Facebook watching Tik Tik reels when I hear Segal say, ..."commercial scale applications."
What?
I write it down. 
I am then searching the Internet to learn more about what they are talking about.

The concept that applications have scale feels like a different way of thinking about the scale of territory where my carbon footprints are leaving impressions.
I am still figuring out why that intrigues me.

An At Dawn Song From a Robin

At dawn, the window of opportunity is short before too much light pales the Moon. A tripod is better than bracing against a patio door. 

The Moon & Thinking Aloud



Earth's Moon
Wanning Gibbous 71.0%
10 May 2023
5:24 AM EDT
Over Vermont

🌓

Something New To Try
What?
Whatever it is,
it cannot include spending.
Hmmm?
Maybe the feeling of wanting to try something new will 
wan like the Moon. 
Ah!
The dark gray dense packing foam I've save will make a good armature.

Cloud Shadows & Landscapes

Plowed Field

Cloud Shadows Over Woods

Tip:
On Blogger when photos are uploaded first, if you can't place the cursor below the photo in the post area, then switch to HTML view. 
From there, go to the end and type a few words to mark the typing area. 
Switch back to Compose view. Now you can edit, and type from the marker words. 

Cloud Shadows

Cumulus clouds are 1000 to 5000 feet above us. For comparison, a mile is 5280 feet. A fair weather indicator, cumulus clouds cast interesting shadows on the ground.

In the photos above, there are no shadows on the plowed fields. I checked all the pictures I took. No shadows on the dirt areas. Right place at the right time. 

Also note an area change in soil colors that's a reversal of perspective. Think contours. The higher grounds will drain and dry out faster as in have a pale hue compared to the wetter low areas. No shadows on the plowed field means there are no clouds in position over the field to block the sun. 
A painting wouldn't look right with a sky full of clouds with no shaded areas over the bare ground.

Evaluating a landscape to paint requires noticing the geology,  weather conditions, and understanding what does what, why and when. You can make adjustments for composition, but not so much with the science of what you see.

Cloud Shadows On the Green Mountains


Places In Your Mind

Dandelions in a Field


Green Mountains
 from Addison County

You ride out certain of where you are going because the place you remember has been in your mind for years.

After an unsuccessful short look-see from memory the day before, I search the county map to find the road at the intersection where I am sure the field in question is. (Well, maybe not.) 

The field is still there, on the road I drove on the day before (photo previous post). I didn't realize that until I saw the site, sloped with tall trees and shrubs, not the flat land I remember. 

A beautiful day, I keep going on the dirt road. At one spot, blinker on, I pull over. 

There in a grassy field are thousands of dandelions! Across the road I see the Green Mountains. Lincoln Gap, I believe, is in the center of the photo.

What's more, I discover spots to plein air paint, and, more places for my mind to keep. Not a wasted day. 

~~~~~~~~~~

Really?


Is driving around just to take photos of wildflowers worth increasing my carbon footprint? Not really. There is a guilt thing going on about that.

Out in Nature, clear views, clean air farmland with a polluting combustion gas fueled vehicle threading along the roads. What image does that make?

Solutions:
(Electric from solar power)
Electric vehicle
Electric bike
*Pedal bike
*Walk

*Best

The Wonderful Dandelion

A Field of Dandelions

Imagine how much 
green food is in those dandelions.

Wishing all y'all a sunny weekend!

A Theme for Summer

Budding Trees of May 2023

Trade offs. 

Compromises. 

Concessions.

Every sesson has them.
In spring, the Chartreuse beauty of budding trees is welcome. The green dusty pollen full air is not. 
In summer, the sunshine is a joy. Slathering on sun screen and hiding under wide brim hats, may save us from skin cancer, but not the monster of anxiety worrying about it.

We, I feel, do the best we can with what nature brings us. What we bring to nature hasn't been as good as it should be.

This summer, I want to focus on enjoying nature more. Once a week I hope to stay outdoors for an hour that will gradually build up to a weekly 5 hours.

If I play computer games outdoors, then the time will fly. If I paint outdoors, then the minutes will blur. Reading outdoors will devour the hours. Loafing around, writing poetry, having fruity wine spritzers, watching birds and dragon flies sounds like a good afternoon under a sun shade. 

Being outdoors is the theme for my 75th summer.

If you don't have one, then please share,  what would your summer theme be?

Loneliness, Now an Epidemic


The recent  declaration from the US Surgeon General that lonliness is an epidemic is good to hear.

People without a social network or one that offers a minimal amount of human contact need help. 

I have no problem being a loner. However, since the pandemic, I have realized that to be healthy, I need to have much better social contact. Not easy to do with  anxiety issues to deal with.

Blogging helps. Chatting with neighbors helps. Emails help. Journaling daily is a type of conversation subsitute. Attending local events goes only so far because after a while, I am even more acutely aware I am there alone. To avoid that sadness, I stay home.

There is no local senior center. There are book clubs, Tai Chi and such. But, no when you are able place to visit (other than taverns and social clubs). Front Porch Forum provides a community type connection.

Personal ads or dating services might work for some people. Over 40 years ago I tried a popular  personal ad feature ( in another state). I literally had nightmares after a few dates. 

A one size fits all social center would be nice, no membership to keep up, not alcohol focused. I don't know of such places or if they exist.

What do you think? Are there such places? Do you visit a senior center? Any ideas are welcome