Theme Day-March, 2011-My Favorite Part of Town-Drake Gallery

Drake Gallery... this small gem is part of St. Paul Academy, where I taught in the Humanities and English Department for 28 years.  On the first floor you can see paintings that were part of an exhibit when I first took this photo and posted it on November, 2006...shortly after I first started blogging with CDP!! The second floor houses a first-class library.  The gallery is the place where the Apple-a-Day paintings by Joy Liberman (Lower School art teacher), which I recently posted many times were exhibited. It's my favorite part of town...when I go to the art exhibits the images usually feed my soul and lift my spirits plus I get to see my former colleagues.  Alas, I do not know any of the students anymore except some of my former darlins' who are now either in Administration or on the faculty and staff.

And here is the February/March exhibit of Joy's paintings; hurry over because they'll be taken down on March 11.
Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

QUOTE OF THE DAY:

”Art washes from the soul the dust of everyday life.” -- Picasso.

An Apple a Day #7 "The Masters"

Each of these 8"x8"squares is an individual painting, one for each day of the month of July. Some of which I have already posted and, if you have been following An-Apple-a-Day, you will recognize a few.  I selected one for myself and a few days later I brought my granddaughter to the exhibit so that she could select one for herself also.  She did not know which one is mine, and, fortunately, she did not select that one for herself.  Now...the quiz:  tell me which one you think I chose for 1) myself and 2) which one my 9-year-old granddaughter selected for her very own.  The first one who correctly identifies one or the other  gets a postcard from the great state of Minnesota from me. I'll show you both of them on Thursday, March 3.
(Start at the top: the first square is July 1...and the last square is July 31--got it?) Added later: make your choice before you read the other comments...more fun this way!

The artist's goal was each day to paint something that represented a well-known painting. Those of you who are artistically bent will recognize that each of these paintings is a take-off on one of the masters. Some of you already correctly identified July 27th as a reference to Georgia O'Keeffe.

QUOTE OF THE DAY:  I've never believed in God, but I believe in Picasso.::: Diego Rivera ::: 

The Artists

Meet Joy Liberman, the artist of all the Apples!  With her is my granddaughter, Olivia, who got to select her own apple painting.  Tomorrow, February 28th, I will show you the calendar month that contains the two paintings from which Oliva and I each selected one for ourselves.  There will be a quiz attached!!

QUOTE OF THE DAY:  To love another person is to see the face of God.

Victor Hugo, Les Miserables
French dramatist, novelist, & poet (1802 - 1885)

Meet My Neighbor!

Meet my neighbor who was busy clearing his driveway from the most recent snowfall.  Eric is a pretty tall guy so you can get some idea of the height of the snowbanks.  His driveway is just to his right, and he paused long enough to let me take his photo.  Check the level of the snow next to his car in the driveway.

An Apple a Day #6 Blossoms

If you have been following the theme, An-Apple-a-Day, it's pretty clear that Joy Liberman, the artist, found more than one way to depict an apple! Appropriate to the month of May, Joy presented various stages of apple blossoms. I know you want to know more about this talented artist so click here to visit Joy's web page to read her biography and to view her wide range of subjects.  You can also order prints and paintings from her...just tell her I sent you!!

On's Kitchen

Thai food is truly divine.  What luck to have found a newly-opened Thai restaurant not far from our home. On our first visit last week we met members of the family who are working hard to make this new venture a success...we counted about 10 family members of three generations operating in various capacities as the customers were being served, but the real force is ON herself (pictured above).  Because we finished our meal as the place was closing, she sat and chatted with us, and members of her family acknowledged that no-one can cook quite like her. Of course we returned for lunch on Tuesday with a friend.  I had spring rolls "to die for.." and the dish I photographed: Lad Na. To read a review of On's Kitchen, go here. If you are from the Twin Cities area, hustle over; although the restaurant is modest, their Thai food is the best in the Cities.

ABC WEDNESDAY-F-FRIENDS FOREVER

I checked my archives to find photos of people that showed elements of friendship so here you have it...FRIENDS FOREVER!

To see what other bloggers from around the world have posted for ABC WEDNESDAY, CLICK HERE.

Here we go again!!

Will it ever end!? On Sunday night and Monday we got more snow dumped on us.  Getting a little tired of it, but at least it  has covered up all the dirty black snowbanks that have been lining the streets and driveways in our neighborhood since last December.
 Only 15 more days before we leave for Mazatlán, México.

Getting an inch of snow is like winning 10 cents in the lottery.
Bill Watterson

Apple-a-Day #5

This should bring another artist to mind!

The following quotes might jog your memory:

"Sun-bleached bones were most wonderful against the blue - that blue that will always be there as it is now after all man's destruction is finished. "


"I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn't say any other way - things I had no words for."


BIG HINT (But don't peek!  If you've ever received an email from me, you'll have a terrific clue!)

Who is it?

An Apple-a-Day #4

For those of you who have asked, each individual painting is 8"x 8".  The top photo is part of the month of October. Immediately to its right is the "William Tell" painting, which I posted earlier right here.

Roni Ben-Hur Quartet

Last Saturday we spent a few pleasant hours listening to these four musician play some great jazz!
Check this out to learn more about this jazz guitarist and his music. 

Thanks for Visiting!

I want to thank everyone one who views this blog for visiting, especially those of you who regularly stop even when the photo isn't too exciting!  

...Like Good Wine!

49 years is a looooong time. Kudos to Jim (Jaime in México).  Our anniversary is like good wine; it gets better as it has aged.  Take MY word for it.

"May our love be like good wine, grow stronger as it grows older."  ~ Old English Toast

Carnaval in Mazatlán, México

Since Mazatlán sometimes is my "second home" during the blustery and snowy St. Paul, Minnesota winter,  I'm extending an invitation to you to enjoy the Carnaval.  Photos are contibutions of Zoe Jussel, a year-round Mazatlán resident.  Here are her own words:
"The lights are up, the stages are being built, the gates erected and some creative and fun statues/sculptures being placed around the city. I think Carnaval is around the corner and I for one, love the noise, crowds, the parade and the fireworks."


We're leaving for Mazatlán after Carnaval ends, unfortunately, but I can enjoy it through Zoe's photos. Jim is relieved that we won't see it this year, but I feel as Zoe does.  I love the noise, the colour, and the pagantry.  The parade is awesome!!
(PS. I wonder how many CDP rules I violated with this post?!)

ABC WEDNESDAY-E-ELFIN EARTHLING!

Meet Lleyton, an ELFIN EARTHING who at 9 months of age is walking!! His gait is still a bit unsteady, but his EXCELLENT smile and EXUBERANT personality captivated all onlookers at a local cafe. His mother is in a run for her money!!

To see what other bloggers from around the world posted for the letter "E" click here.

Sunday Brunch

I think I'll take a break from An Apple-a-Day project until later this week.  I need to go back to the gallery to take some better photos.  Don't worry, I'll be back with more apple renditions as well as the photo of the one I bought for my "room of my own." So stick around!


In the meantime, I invite you to enjoy sharing our Sunday brunch at a new cafe, Patisserie 46, in "that other city" (Minneapolis). I had a veggie quiche with tomatoes, onions, and goat cheese and DH had a baquette sandwich literally stuffed with brie and ham.  Both were excellent, so if you're in that neighborhood, hustle on over for sandwiches, soups, quiches, and unbelievably decadent pastries.

An Apple A Day #3-Camera Critters: Appaloosa

This beautiful Appaloosa is part of the Apple-a-Day Project that I started posting last Friday (check here). A very different concept of Apple...but it works!  It's one of the paintings in the month of November.

I'm also posting it for the Camera Critters meme. Check here to see more of those post from bloggers around the world.

An apple a Day #2

For a description of this "Apple A Day" Project check yesterday's post.

The Collection for the month of June in its entirety is extraordinary in itself. To get the full effect, one would  have to buy all the paintings so I decided to pass, although I love the whole effect.

QUOTATION OF THE DAY

"We took our freedom. Egypt is born again. "

MUSTAFA ABDURASHEED MUHANNA, in Tahrir Square in Cairo.

An Apple A Day

Several years ago an art teacher in the school where I used to teach went through a stressful  period when a medical condition sapped her strength and energy. In order to keep painting, she decided to do one painting a day for a limited period of time. What to paint?

She grabbed an apple out of the refrigerator and explained, "I chose the apple for my first composition because of its simplicity and availability.  Completing a work in less than an hour and considering it a study was the goal."

Last night I went to the opening reception of her exhibition.  The paintings and drawings were arranged by calendar month and date.  Here you can see the art work for both January and November. Comparing the two months you can tell that the subjects became more varied and whimsical as time passed.

 Of course I bought one that she painted in July, but I won't show you my purchase for a few more days.  Stick around, come back tomorrow to see more.

Below these two you can see one of the paintings in the November collection.

Cheeseheads?

A primer might take the mystery out of cheeses, if unfamiliar.  Then no-one could complain that you're an unenlightened cheesehead!

"People who know nothing about cheeses reel away from Camembert, Roquefort, and Stilton because the plebeian proboscis is not equipped to differentiate between the sordid and the sublime."   Harvey Day