Radically Retired

Tag: Art

  • For Charla

    For Charla

    Charla is one of the travel bloggers I follow.

    She and her husband are full-timers in their RV and once a week, through photos and fun descriptions, she recaps their journeys across the USA.

    You can find her blog here.

    In her post yesterday, Charla had a photo and information about this controversial metal sculpture at Council Bluffs Iowa. As soon as I saw the photo, I said to hubs, “We were through there last fall and I have a photo of that sculpture too!”

    Because my photo was shot through the tinted front window of our truck, the white balance was skewed. I corrected it in one move in Lightroom. Here’s a before and after:

    Today’s post seemed the easiest way to share my photo with Charla and to introduce my readers to her informative, educational, and entertaining blog.

  • Stereotypes

    Stereotypes

    Over the past few years, there has been a bench alongside one of our walking trails here that has often had a small painted rock sitting on it.

    I’ve always wondered who the generous artist was. Who would paint a rock and leave it for others to enjoy?

    In my mind’s eye, it was a middle aged to older woman who was a member of our local artist’s guild. She would be of petite stature with grey hair, glasses, and a friendly smile.

    The other day, as I was on that same path, there was a tall, heavily built, younger fellow walking ahead of me.

    I saw him stop at a bench, take something out of his pocket, and spend a few moments. He was far enough ahead that I didn’t know if he was tying a shoelace or what he was doing there.

    When I finally got to the bench, the young man was long gone. My feature photo shows what I found on the bench he had stopped at.

    Now, did this fellow paint and leave the rock? Is he the one who has been doing this all along? Did he maybe take the rock on a previous stroll and was now returning it for someone else to enjoy? Did he just spy the treasure and stop to take a photo of it, as I had done?

    That little painted duck provided much more than a gift of beauty along a hiking trail.

    It afforded me the opportunity to speculate and examine my sometimes stereotypical assessments.

  • Positives for the Win

    Positives for the Win

    Yesterday morning, I looked out my balcony door and saw that the snowfall from the previous day was completely gone. I donned my winter coat and enjoyed my first outdoor walk since we arrived back home.

    At just above freezing, it was a chilly morning. In spite of that, the air was clean and fresh, and after a couple of city blocks to get to the river boardwalk, I realized that I had bundled up a bit too warm. Now I know what to wear when I head out for my walk today.

    After walking up and down the same streets of a south Texas RV Park all winter, the riverside walk was most welcome, and even though the water will be muddy for a while yet, the ice is completely gone.

    On my way to the boardwalk, I ran into two gals from my hometown who I’ve known all of my life. Yes, it slowed my average power walk pace, but our 30+ minute visit catching up was fun and enjoyable.

    Each and every negative had a positive side that was stronger. Don’t you love it when that happens?

  • It’s That Day …

    It’s That Day …

    Happy 3.14 to all of the mathematicians out there!

    Pi day is the only day all year that I bake pies.

    Hubs likes homemade pie a wee bit too much, so I always wait until March 14 to bake a couple for him.

    This year, it’s homemade coconut cream from scratch.

    I predict that at least one of the three will be completely gone by morning.

  • Uncomfortable Wall

    Uncomfortable Wall

    The wall in my feature photo has bothered me for some time.

    It was uncomfortably out of balance and felt awkward. I knew the basic thing that needed to be done (changing the elevation of the things on either side of the TV), but even when I did that, it still felt wrong.

    I submitted the photo to ChatGPT, and with the suggestions it gave me, I was able to come up with an arrangement I could live with.

    The pieces on the right are palm husks that I’ve painted.

    These photos were taken at a different time of day (feature photo daytime with natural light coming in from the sides and this one early evening with light from table lamps coming from the front), thus the colour difference.

  • The Eye of the Beholder

    The Eye of the Beholder

    Last week, I made my annual Christmas macarons.

    I make these every year as a part of our Christmas gifts to our friends here.

    I decided this year to paint them with edible glitter paint. This was all good and well, until I discovered that the food grade paint brushes I purchased, were too thick for the designs I wanted.

    I persevered. The red ones have a vanilla bean ganache filling. The painted tops were “supposed” to be gold ribbons and bows. Instead, they came out looking like mahjong tiles.

    The white ones have peppermint white chocolate ganache filling. They’re “supposed” to have holly wreaths painted on them. They’re close, but not what I had envisioned.

    The green ones have a rum/dark chocolate ganache filling and the painted designs are “supposed” to be abstract Christmas trees. Oh well.

    The good news is, they came off the mats beautifully, they matured to the perfect consistency, and all of the fillings are delicious.

    As the old saying goes, “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”.

  • Sand Sculpture Paradise

    Sand Sculpture Paradise

    Every year, before Christmas, we make the hour drive over to South Padre Island, TX to take in the new sand sculptures.

    These amazing works of art are sculpted by sand artists from all over the world.

    The only sculpture you’re allowed to touch is Santa’s chair, and I once again tried it out.

    “I’ve been a very good girl, Santa!”
  • Love is All You Need

    Love is All You Need

    My cousin, Carrie has visited us in Texas a few times since we bought our place here.

    Hubs and I have enjoyed touring her around and I’ve especially enjoyed the fact that she loves to walk and hike.

    My feature photo was taken at Quinta Mazatlan, a fascinating and fun place to visit in McAllen, Tx

    We found this mural while hiking the trails that surround the historic adobe mansion.

    As I was making this post, I was reminded of the Beatles’ song, “All You Need is Love”.

  • Oh to Have 8 Hands …

    Oh to Have 8 Hands …

    … Not just for the many flavours of ice cream, like the fellow in the mural, but to get everything done that I want to in a day.

    This time of year is usually busy for me, as I prepare for Christmas.

    Either this year is busier than usual, or another year added to my age has slowed me down a bit. Hmmm – I wonder which is true.

    My goal for tonight and tomorrow morning, is to try to get caught up with the bloggers I follow.

  • Steamroller Blues?

    Steamroller Blues?

    I’m out of sync with my regular post times this week.

    This is a busy week, so today will be my only post.

    On Saturday, we made the two hour drive to Kingsville, TX to take in the Ranch Hand Festival.

    This was our third trip to the festival and our second trip there with good friends from home who winter in a park near here.

    One of the demonstrations that was new to all of us was the one by TAMUK (Texas A & M University Kingsville) arts department Javelina Printing Club.

    Their printing press was a steamroller! My feature photo is a screenshot from a movie I found about them on Facebook – not my own.

    The process: Designs are carved into a block of wood, and then ink is rolled over the whole slab.

    This is a clip from a movie I shot

    Once this step is complete, the slab is laid face up on the ground and a large sheet of paper placed over it, and then thick matting is layered on top of all.

    The steamroller then drives over and backs up over the lot.

    And voila!

    This is my own photo of the finished print being lifted off the ground

    It was fun and interesting to witness this unique process!

    There were many prints done over the course of the day, and this was apparently their 12th year at the Ranch Hand festival.

    Google Image

    I don’t know how we missed it on previous visits, but am happy we found it this time!