You Voted So Here It Is

The votes are in and have been tallied.  Drum roll please........the winner is.......a free desktop/Blackberry/IPone wallpaper or background image.  Yeahhh!


I was going to post one image that you could download but since only a small number of people voted, I'll let you choose which image you'd like for a wallpaper and send it to you via email.  Visit my website:  CanadaHopkins.com to pick from my collection, then send me an email (canadahopkins@gmail.com) or comment below with 1) the title of the image you selected,  2) your email address, and  3) the size you need (800x600, 1024x768, 1280x1024 and 1600x1200).  If you don't know, that's ok I'll send you something and you can try it out.

Time Changes Things

In honor of Earth day today, I want to introduce fellow artist and friend, Randy Mulder.  He makes working clock sculptures from recycled materials.  His eye for design and detail makes his found object clocks both beautiful and unique.  Check out his Time Machines, Randy Mulder's Website.

Randy Mulder, a former comedian turned artist, lives in Wellington, Colorado with his wife, Marvine. 

Canvas Conveys Cancer Experience

NewsUSA) – Architect Nikko Shabtai was painting in a Beverly Hills art workshop when his art took on a life of its own. “I was painting a model when I unintentionally picked up my painter’s knife instead of a brush and painted her without a breast,” said Shabtai. A fellow artist at the workshop noted that the woman Shabtai portrayed appeared to have had a mastectomy, but did not look incomplete or scarred; rather, she looked “beautiful and whole.” Shabtai agreed. His subconscious inspiration? A family member with breast cancer who had undergone a mastectomy. Shabtai’s painting, “As I Am, Beautiful and Whole,” took first prize in the third, biennial Oncology On Canvas: Expressions of a Cancer Journey Art Competition and Exhibition, winning a $10,000 donation to the Cancer Schmancer Foundation, which was founded by actress Fran Drescher and educates women on the risk factors and early detection of women’s cancers. Nearly 600 entries were submitted for the 2008 competition, which was created by Eli Lilly and Company and is presented with the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship. The competition invited individuals diagnosed with cancer and their families, friends, caregivers and health care providers to express, through art and narrative, the life-affirming changes that give the cancer journey meaning. In total, 26 prizes were awarded to 20 cancer charities selected by 19 winners in various categories. Second place went to Elizabeth Menges, a high-school art teacher from Boston, for “C. in Bedroom,” a six-painting series in oil detailing the morning dressing routine of a breast cancer survivor who had had a mastectomy. “The woman I painted opened her home and life to me,” said Menges. “I recorded her stories and photographed her vulnerabilities. She trusted me with the rest. I hope these images help demystify a situation we sometimes fear and broaden our image of how a ‘real woman’ looks.” Lilly is expanding the reach of this inspiring artwork by touring it nationwide to hospitals and cancer centers. For information on the exhibition, the 2009 competition or the 2010 call for entries, visit www.LillyOncologyOnCanvas.com.

Collage Donation

The Matthew's House (who serves at risk youth) is having their annual fundraiser.  Part of the auction will be garden related objects decorated by artists.  I decided to do a collage this year.  It doesn't tie in with my message of bringing awareness to cancer and health.  It's more girl power--rah, rah, rah, gooooooGIRLS.  I guess I used my creative license for this project.  But using your message, you can try a similar collage technique.

You can view a bigger and better version of this video at:  My Vimeo

Instructions for Collage:

1.  Choose a base for your collage -- I used a wood tray to go with the garden theme needed for the fundraiser.

2.  Collect your materials -- After creating the drawings I scanned and printed them on a yellowish construction paper (I wanted to keep the originals).

3.  Use scissors, X-acto knife, or tear the paper and arrange the paper art how you want it on the base -- I chose to tear the paper by hand and also used a ruler to give it a rough jagged edge.

4.  Apply lots of glue to each item --  My glue of choice is Mod Podge (comes in a gloss or matte finish).

5.  Layer additional embellishments, paint, use ink or marker, etc --  I added diluted acrylic paint to create a light water color affect.

6.  Seal or final finish --  Again Mod Podge to the rescue.  It's the best for everything, really, they aren't even paying me for this endorsement.  

The event, Cultivate Hope, will be May 6 at the Garden's on Spring Creek, 2145 Centre Ave, Fort Collins, CO.   For more info visit:  http://www.thematthewshouse.org/html/cultivate_hope_2010.html

Not So New Painting

This is a painting that I've been working on for the last 6 years.  It's been hanging around my studio half done.  From time to time I'd add a few more dots of paint.  I finally got around to finishing it because Fine Print Imaging (a company that photographs and makes reproductions of art) was offering a limited time special.  This special got me motivated to FINALLY finish it.

I'd like to pass the savings on to my readers.  So stay posted for updates, in about a month or so, I hope to announce all the prints I'll have available for you to buy.

DMNS Interview with ACH

Thanks to curator Nicole at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science who came and video tapped my work.  Hopefully, in the future, I'll be able to work more closely with the museum to help further the relationship between science and art. 


Click here to watch video

Mystics & Mourners: Archetypes in Nature & Spirit

I have the pleasure of introducing artist Lauren Curtis who I met on Linked in.  She graciously agreed to be my first guest blogger.  Below is a description of her work with images:

"This is the focus of a body of work I’ve been developing over the last few years. Today’s world brings much tragedy, both natural and man-made. It also presents incredible access to knowledge, but  deep sadness for the world’s losses. We are left to mourn, but also to seek enlightenment. Exploring these issues via my art practice I seek a pathway to inspire thought and communication about the social issues of spirituality and mortality and how they bond with nature.

After studying and embracing Earth-centered spiritual systems and mythologies, as well as traveling to experience other cultures first hand, I’ve developed my own symbols to represent several archetypes that I feel are part of  our human foundation. The Mystic/Hermit represents introspection and our quest for knowledge and growth. The Mourner is someone we will all inevitably become, whether it’s to mourn a loved one or a global tragedy (more and more common today). The Tree of Life depicts all of nature, as well as humanity, and is a symbol found throughout history around the globe. The Tree also represents the highest level of wisdom the Mystic can reach.  I’ve chosen to explore these  ideas  through oil, watercolor and mixed-media paintings.

As a full time artist, I have been working to not only exhibit this series  (part of which was shown in a Summer 2009 solo exhibit at J&J World Headquarters and at Alfa Art Gallery, NJ) but my other paintings and mixed medium series as well.  I have participated in over 90 shows (group, solo & juried) since graduating from Mason Gross School of the Arts (Rutgers) in 1988 and have been exhibiting /selling work throughout the US & abroad.  My art can be found in the collections of several NJ historical organizations including the Middlesex County Cultural & Heritage Commission and in the Joyce Kilmer Library Gallery, as well as in private collections.  My work is represented by galleries in NJ and MA, and I’ve been commissioned to create illustrations for publications, on-line magazines, crafter companies and businesses.  For more information about my artwork, please contact me at forestwalker333@hotmail.com .
Also, please  visit  my websites & blog:  http://www.LaurenCurtisArt.com, http://www.laurencurtisart.mosaicglobe.com/
http://laurencurtis.wordpress.com

I want to thank Angela for the opportunity to post my blog on her beautiful site and please read her guest blog on my Wordpress site as well!

Thank you for reading,
Lauren

NOTE:  The pieces shown are "The Mourner #1", mixed medium, "Dream of Trees 1", oils and "The Mother's Lament", mixed medium"