Sunday, December 21, 2008

Playing with time and photographs

For the second straight day my son and granddaughters didn't get off the ground in D.C. so I'm left with playing on the PC.

Alfred Stieglitz said. "The goal of art was the vital expression of self." He also said, "I do not object to retouching, dodging. or accentuation as long as they do not interfere with the natural qualities of photographic technique."

Well being a photographer and loving art I decided to add a personal touch to a few of my photographs to imitate art technique. Below are my first few tries.

You can click on the images for a larger view.

* all images copyright protected by Paul Viel


Sears Road #1

Sears Road #2

Along the Umpqua River

Landmark

Blue Boat in Texas

After the Fire

Giant Sunflowers

Commenets Appreciated


Saturday, December 13, 2008

Lasting Impressions - Stan Lynde

Something I did today just to smell the roses.



Some things we see stay with us a lifetime. So it is with Stan Lynde’s comic strip titled Rick O’Shay. I think there is something profound waiting for all of us somewhere in our lives. It’s not just one thing but many and we just miss it. I went looking on the Internet for Rick O’Shay and Hipshot Percussion and found them at Old Montana dot Com.



Not only did I find Rick, Hipshot but I rediscovered their creator Stan Lynde and asked permission to show a bit of his work in my blog. I received a very nice permission w-mail and a brief history of his work.

"Dear Paul,

I left RICK O'SHAY back in 1977 when contract negotiations with the newspaper syndicate that owns the strip broke down. After that, I created and produced a second syndicated strip, LATIGO, until 1983. In 1996 I published my first western novel, THE BODACIOUS KID, and have since that time written western fiction full-time. I just published my seventh, VENDETTA CANYON.

You can find the RICK O'SHAY Easter page you're looking for at my website, www.oldmontana.com. You may, on a one-time basis only, download the page for your blog. Just click on "PRINTS" and scroll down to "EASTER."

As you'll note, we offer that page as a signed and numbered limited edition print. Price is $150 plus $25 shipping and handling. That, and the Christmas "Happy Birthday, Boss" page are the two most popular prints we sell.

Best wishes for the holidays,

Stan Lynde"


The thing that struck me about Stan is that he is, like his work, a very good person who gives care and attention to those he communicates his thoughts. I’d suggest you visit his page mentioned above and maybe look up his books if you enjoy reading. As for myself I am happy to know his “Easter” strip is available to purchase and will start saving in hopes I can send out for is some day in the future. Leaving that one beautiful comic strip to one of my sons will be like leaving the better part of me.

Thanks Stan for your kind reply.

Sunday, December 7, 2008

Playing for Change - Stand By Me

A fresh wind is blowing and I like the change I'm already seeing as a brighter world,



So I did something today and decided to get involved, when possible, in working for the betterment of the world. It all starts at home.



If we all get involved in making our local area a little better I believe we can create a better world. Mark Johnson proves there is power in music.


Playing for Change - Thank you
Do something today.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Will Farrell Day

I love Will Farrell as George Bush so today I looked up a few clips on You Tube



He brings a certain charm to our President



And makes him a real person like Ricky Bobby



Well it IS something to do

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Art for All Seasons

Art for All Seasons
Membership Show Annual Membership Show & Club Mud Ceramics Sale

Reception: Friday, Friday, Nov. 21, 6:00pm-8:00pm

Exhibition Dates: November 21-December 19

Title Sponsor: Oregon Family Dental

Come see the artwork of talented Art Center members! This non-juried exhibit is open to members of any age. All are encouraged to participate. This show is always eclectic and features a variety of artworks in all styles and mediums. The Club Mud Holiday Sale showcases handmade ceramic pieces and sculptures created by the artists of our on-site ceramics studio. Artwork Drop-off: Members may bring up to (2) artworks to the Art Center on Saturday, Nov. 15 between 12-3pm. For more information, click here.

Pictured left: "Golden Snow" by Avi Harriman


The Maude Kerns Art Center in Eugene is a wonderful place not just to see art but to create and express your vision.

Before I say more make sure you visit the Art for the Ages exhibit I took a walk through when I dropped of two of my pieces (my first showing - non-juried of course) and was delighted to see the work being done for the show. It will be a great event as are all of the exhibits I've seen there.

Now a little bit about Maude Kerns who the center is named for:

"Maude Irvine Kerns (1879 – 1965) was an American artist. Kerns was born in 1879 in Portland, Oregon, where she was raised by her pioneer parents. After high school, she graduated from the University of Oregon, the California School of Fine Arts and later Columbia University, where she received a second degree in fine arts under the guidance of Arthur Wesley Dow. After spending time traveling through Asia and Europe seeing the works of Wassily Kandinsky, Piet Mondrian, Paul Klee and others from the avant-garde art movement, as well as a stint with renowned art teacher Hans Hofmann, Kerns returned to teach art at the University of Oregon in Eugene where she was named head of the Arts Department. She remained until her retirement in the 1940s. Many of her early works were destroyed during a fire at the art school.

From the 1930s through the 1950s, Kerns made a name for herself in the world of abstract art, painting in what was called at the time the "non-objective" art movement. A spiritual woman, she embraced the art-as-spiritual expression philosophy of Wassily Kandinsky. Her paintings were recognized and championed by Hilla von Rebay, chief advisor to Solomon R. Guggenheim, who purchased a number of her paintings, along with art from other standouts in the early American abstract art scene, for his Museum of Non-Objective Painting (later renamed Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum) in New York. Kerns died in 1965. The Eugene Art Center, to which she was a major donor, was renamed The Maude Kerns Art Center in her honor." ~ Wikipedia (The Free Online Encyclopedia)

This is a great way to get out and do something enjoyable today

Thursday, November 13, 2008

What a Wonderful You Tube

Belief in our hearts, energy in our body and action in our minds. We are a country of unique individuals and the business of America is unity of purpose, innovation and laughter.



Act now to define a dream, plan a course of action and never close your mind.