It is so hard for photographers.. my immediate art group to realize that once they have bought the camera and the printer and the paper that they need to continually add to their art materials without a sense of economic return. They need to take a million photos to find that special one.
I think that this is a companion concept to my sister's blog on people investing in art for the purpose of profit.
In the art world of creation, new materials are always coming out. Artists are stretching and finding a style that they can live... growing in a new skin. Its interesting that the old watercolor designation has turned to water media since new tools are out there to integrate watercolor with acrylic and other constructive materials. Many artists must however stick to the transparency model within the watercolor framework. NO white paint shall even be on my palette. I have been playing with some very high quality watercolor crayons and pencils recently. They leave a water soluble wax on the paper. Some colors just like the tubes run and dominate the painting, while others have to coaxed and mixed and layered.
Am artist must continually upgrade the materials that they have. So who pays for this upgrade? The investor.. no most art is not for sale. Art as a form of communication and the passion that it forms powers the purchase of new materials.
Some art for sale is made to go in a particular color arrangement. There are painting that just "go with the couch." This draws the ire of many artists. When art is sold it is often fits into the category.. it will go a certain place in my house. Art for investment.. is shown in galleries down on the Embarcadero in San Franciso. And anyone that has take a cruise in recent years is bombarded with promotions for reproductions of art that are framed up and sold as "investments." Original art is different than reproduction art.
If an artist invests in his or her art they do so to expand the ability of the artist's ability to communicate. If it works then it is a good investment. If it even has a chance at providing this it is a good investment.
There are all grades of investment. One of my gallery friends is a fractal artist. He makes paintings on the computer with equations. He has even had some of his work in the California State Fair. He has talked the good folks in his local Starbucks to exhibit some of this work. He sells some of it. Now he has a series of photos of Yosemite in the winter that are pretty cool. Are they investment material? I don't know. They are pretty good wall coverings for a Starbucks. He would have been stuck with his fractals if he didn't invest in his art. Fractals along with Magic cards have a limited audience.
This same person is stuck often with the collector's bug. He was bought some paintings that are not signed but in his mind clearly represent a particular California artist's work from an earlier era. He thinks that if he can prove they are from the same artist, that he will have a gold mine. The same thing is true with his pursuit of presidental election buttons, and propaganda. Do they fit in the same gallery space with original art.. no it doesn't fit.
Hope you have a good day.. and get out their and make some art! Invest in YOUR art. Become passionate artists!
: ) Pat
Monday, December 31, 2007
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Check out the snow sledders
At the end of my blog there is a direct link to the webcams of Western State College. If you choose the cupola hill one you may observed the top of the stadium has a great hill for sledders to slide down the hill. Today they seem to be sliding! If your connection is fast enough.. you may also see the cars poking around town..
As for Kelly's question about Wherever you go is where you are at.. I think it was in bedtime for bonzo? I am pitching our my VHS.
: )
As for Kelly's question about Wherever you go is where you are at.. I think it was in bedtime for bonzo? I am pitching our my VHS.
: )
The First Shot at a New Years Resolution
It is getting close to New Years. The various religions around the world use this Winter time for atonement, reflection, and or goal setting.
I think that the Boy Scout/Girl Scout pledge may encompass many of my goals this year.. or at least get me started toward them.
I promise to do my best to do my duty to God and my Country and to obey the Boy/Girl scout laws. Some of those include thruthful, kind courteous, helping others.
Throw in prepared, organized (a new one) responsible and supportive. Also I will try to be more fit.
This morning the walk was good. It was a little warmer out. I added the 20minute extension. I found Donna Ave and so it didn't become the 45min. extension.
I was listening to the podcast from PRI To the Best of Our Knowledge. It was concerning travel. The segment was<"Wherever you go, there you are." Podcasts are really nice to listen to as you walk if you are in a quiet neighborhood. They are maddening in high traffic zones. Podcast are usually free and they download through your Itunes store. You can also download to your computer and load them into ITunes.
This morning's was about travel. One of the program parts was about a book by Jason Roberts on James Holman. The book is A Sense of the World: How a Blind Man Became the World's Greatest Traveler. He was a turn of the century blind world traveler James Holman. He was the first blind man to climb Mount Vesuvius during an eruption. He was sort of the anti tourist traveler. He always traveled without an entourage and found that people would provide more information to a blind man that what the tourist could see.
I hope that you can get into some podcasts.. : ) Pat
I think that the Boy Scout/Girl Scout pledge may encompass many of my goals this year.. or at least get me started toward them.
I promise to do my best to do my duty to God and my Country and to obey the Boy/Girl scout laws. Some of those include thruthful, kind courteous, helping others.
Throw in prepared, organized (a new one) responsible and supportive. Also I will try to be more fit.
This morning the walk was good. It was a little warmer out. I added the 20minute extension. I found Donna Ave and so it didn't become the 45min. extension.
I was listening to the podcast from PRI To the Best of Our Knowledge. It was concerning travel. The segment was
This morning's was about travel. One of the program parts was about a book by Jason Roberts on James Holman. The book is A Sense of the World: How a Blind Man Became the World's Greatest Traveler. He was a turn of the century blind world traveler James Holman. He was the first blind man to climb Mount Vesuvius during an eruption. He was sort of the anti tourist traveler. He always traveled without an entourage and found that people would provide more information to a blind man that what the tourist could see.
I hope that you can get into some podcasts.. : ) Pat
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Las Vegas Jobs and Lotteries
In my reading today from the New York Times.. I sometimes borrow a used copy from the Starbucks to read as I contemplate my cappuccino a couple of interesting facts were published about Las Vegas and its growth.
Its seems that the growth rate in LV has slowed this year. The reason.. no new casinos were made. No new hotels that support the casinos were started either. Southern Nevada depends upon the hotel growth and everything that goes with it for new jobs. For every new hotel room constructed, one and half new jobs can be directly tied to the the growth. In addition, one other job is created by extension.
I guess one can conclude everything that happens in Las Vegas stays in Las Vegas.. eh eh eh..
They had an interesting breakdown on who gambles with the lottery. Some states are tying out new higher priced scratchers. The highest priced one is now 50 dollars. The gambling companies want higher payoffs with less going to the middle and lower payouts, While the people that are wanting bigger participation of lower income people want more "chatter." or middle payoffs and more of them. Most of this information is closely guarded and not part of the public eye. Only in Texas is it extensive information on who is gambling to support the state is this information published.
The reports that by race, the afro american is more likely to spend more money with the lottery gamble than the Latino or White persons. No mention was made of Asian gamblers. The higher the education level of the player the less they will gamble as well. The article made reference to the fact that gambling may occur in different forms for more well to do patrons. Some more wealthy people have no problems betting on every hole in golf they are playing, but would not engage in a lottery draw.
The idea that lotteries can cease is not very practical in modern life. The religious right has been fighting for the elimination of gambling since 1991 in Texas.
The use of lottery funds throughout the country is interesting too. California uses its lottery money to support schools directly. It was originally supposed to go to support things like materials for the classroom tech.. etc. Instead, early on, it went to support heating and cooling costs.. under the guise that those monies for classroom materials would have to decrease if the heating and cooling costs of the classrooms were not covered. In Colorado the lottery money goes toward recreation facilities. In Loveland there is a public sculpture acquisition grant that some of these monies are used to buy sculpture in and around the parks of Loveland. Grand Junction may have also done the same thing. Colorado has constructed side by side pathways for bikes to travel off the interstate in places like Glenwood Springs. In the mean time its been difficult for Colorado schools to continue funding its education system. You can't have it both ways.
: ) Pat
Its seems that the growth rate in LV has slowed this year. The reason.. no new casinos were made. No new hotels that support the casinos were started either. Southern Nevada depends upon the hotel growth and everything that goes with it for new jobs. For every new hotel room constructed, one and half new jobs can be directly tied to the the growth. In addition, one other job is created by extension.
I guess one can conclude everything that happens in Las Vegas stays in Las Vegas.. eh eh eh..
They had an interesting breakdown on who gambles with the lottery. Some states are tying out new higher priced scratchers. The highest priced one is now 50 dollars. The gambling companies want higher payoffs with less going to the middle and lower payouts, While the people that are wanting bigger participation of lower income people want more "chatter." or middle payoffs and more of them. Most of this information is closely guarded and not part of the public eye. Only in Texas is it extensive information on who is gambling to support the state is this information published.
The reports that by race, the afro american is more likely to spend more money with the lottery gamble than the Latino or White persons. No mention was made of Asian gamblers. The higher the education level of the player the less they will gamble as well. The article made reference to the fact that gambling may occur in different forms for more well to do patrons. Some more wealthy people have no problems betting on every hole in golf they are playing, but would not engage in a lottery draw.
The idea that lotteries can cease is not very practical in modern life. The religious right has been fighting for the elimination of gambling since 1991 in Texas.
The use of lottery funds throughout the country is interesting too. California uses its lottery money to support schools directly. It was originally supposed to go to support things like materials for the classroom tech.. etc. Instead, early on, it went to support heating and cooling costs.. under the guise that those monies for classroom materials would have to decrease if the heating and cooling costs of the classrooms were not covered. In Colorado the lottery money goes toward recreation facilities. In Loveland there is a public sculpture acquisition grant that some of these monies are used to buy sculpture in and around the parks of Loveland. Grand Junction may have also done the same thing. Colorado has constructed side by side pathways for bikes to travel off the interstate in places like Glenwood Springs. In the mean time its been difficult for Colorado schools to continue funding its education system. You can't have it both ways.
: ) Pat
T.C. Construction
We are almost ready to move back into our old house.. except it isn't really the same house. Each room has been retextured and painted.. first with primer and then with semi gloss. We have different colors in each room. We have a new master suite and bathroom which includes a generous shower and a Jacuzzi bath under a large glass brick window. Beside it is a new room for the washer and dryer. It has a cabinet with a soak sink as well.
All new windows are e-glass and a new more efficient air conditioner/ heater has been installed. A new gas vented fireplace replaces the old wood burning zero tolerance heat o later one.
The dining room has been expanded to occupy the old dining room and the old kitchen. The new kitchen extends the house an additional 14 feet into the backyard. It will have new stainless steel appliances and a porcelain tile countertop. Throughout the house, the cement based ro tile has been replaced with oak laminate floors. This also holds true for the kitchen. In the center of the kitchen is an eat/prep island.
The kitchen is lighted with two banks of recessed lighting. All of the popcorn has been removed from all of the existing rooms. The roof line has been re-engineered to strike a new angle provide a seamless roof line and interior space. A new art room has been made with shelving to occupy the space between the kitchen and the bedroom. Universal design (allowing for handicap access) has been followed.
The contractor for all of this work is Tony Cervantes. He owns T.C. Construction. In talking with him he was relaying all of the difficulties that contractors are facing. There are very few new houses being made. Remodeling, like ours has become more competitive and many contractors are going out of business because they cannot keep their crews. The public sector has a few bids. This was the bread and butter of TC construction in recent years. Within the three county area of Stanislaus, Merced and Madera, there were 14 to 20 rework or building projects a year. Tony used to do well because he could underbid bigger construction jobs because he took less profit. With more construction groups in the bid, and contractors trying to keep their crews employed, it is harder his last quarter to get these jobs. Where there used to be 6 to eight contractors bidding now there are 20. In the last bid, he lost a bid by 2,000 dollars. When the building boom was on in the valley, he was two years behind starting projects. Now his hoping he will have work for his crew in March.
As for quality,he does great work and will not let a project go that does not reflect his standard of quality. His crew of 4 can do roofing, tile and vinyl floors, patios painting wood fencing and remodels. We paid him also to work the building permits. He works with a draftsman architect. Our plans were about 1600 dollars.
Tony's cell number is 658 3124. He said that he will work on bay area homes if their is at least 4 days of work. In February his has some work planned for a doctor who needs some work at his home on Pebble Beach. Wouldn't it be nice? Sometimes Tony is a little hard to understand because his first language is Spanish. He grew up in Livingston California where Spanish is still king.
Have a great day. We are starting to move back into our house today. No appliances we be ready until the 2nd of January and the stove will be delivered on the 9th. Still need a little work with the cabinet color.. all oak cabinets are being installed.
: ) Pat
All new windows are e-glass and a new more efficient air conditioner/ heater has been installed. A new gas vented fireplace replaces the old wood burning zero tolerance heat o later one.
The dining room has been expanded to occupy the old dining room and the old kitchen. The new kitchen extends the house an additional 14 feet into the backyard. It will have new stainless steel appliances and a porcelain tile countertop. Throughout the house, the cement based ro tile has been replaced with oak laminate floors. This also holds true for the kitchen. In the center of the kitchen is an eat/prep island.
The kitchen is lighted with two banks of recessed lighting. All of the popcorn has been removed from all of the existing rooms. The roof line has been re-engineered to strike a new angle provide a seamless roof line and interior space. A new art room has been made with shelving to occupy the space between the kitchen and the bedroom. Universal design (allowing for handicap access) has been followed.
The contractor for all of this work is Tony Cervantes. He owns T.C. Construction. In talking with him he was relaying all of the difficulties that contractors are facing. There are very few new houses being made. Remodeling, like ours has become more competitive and many contractors are going out of business because they cannot keep their crews. The public sector has a few bids. This was the bread and butter of TC construction in recent years. Within the three county area of Stanislaus, Merced and Madera, there were 14 to 20 rework or building projects a year. Tony used to do well because he could underbid bigger construction jobs because he took less profit. With more construction groups in the bid, and contractors trying to keep their crews employed, it is harder his last quarter to get these jobs. Where there used to be 6 to eight contractors bidding now there are 20. In the last bid, he lost a bid by 2,000 dollars. When the building boom was on in the valley, he was two years behind starting projects. Now his hoping he will have work for his crew in March.
As for quality,he does great work and will not let a project go that does not reflect his standard of quality. His crew of 4 can do roofing, tile and vinyl floors, patios painting wood fencing and remodels. We paid him also to work the building permits. He works with a draftsman architect. Our plans were about 1600 dollars.
Tony's cell number is 658 3124. He said that he will work on bay area homes if their is at least 4 days of work. In February his has some work planned for a doctor who needs some work at his home on Pebble Beach. Wouldn't it be nice? Sometimes Tony is a little hard to understand because his first language is Spanish. He grew up in Livingston California where Spanish is still king.
Have a great day. We are starting to move back into our house today. No appliances we be ready until the 2nd of January and the stove will be delivered on the 9th. Still need a little work with the cabinet color.. all oak cabinets are being installed.
: ) Pat
Friday, December 28, 2007
Western State College Blogs
Today I came across some blogs written by current Western State Students. You may plug into their activities if you Google Western State College Blog. One student in on a Semester at Sea program. One is a "townie" coming from Gunnison and going to Western complete with a dorm experience. The common thread to all of them seems to be they were chosen to be counselors at Freshman Orientation. They are a pretty alternative and outdoorsy folks.
The lady at the door of Costco told me that snow and rain was predicted for the valley tonight. I just got back from feeding the boys (on foot) and it had started to rain. I think that it is too warm to rain tonight. Even though it is cold. The cats are doing better. Our wild interloper has a new name. Sue has declared him blackjack instead of what we were calling him.. blacky. He is long and sleek and has an apple shaped head instead of the long oval head of Nigel. Nigel also has long hair, being a Main coon cat like Churro. I think those main coon cats like mufasa, Nigel and Churro make the most people pleasing cats. They have some great adaptability genes. I also think they are pretty smart.
Tonight I had to do the old Irish trick on Nigel. He has a tendency to follow me home.. to the apartment. Usually I wait and feed him just before I leave and then he is more interested in eating then following me home. This did not work on Thursday. He followed me home and I had to take him back in the car. He got to the apartment after he stalked me and then ended up under a truck crying out. So what is the old Irish trick. Tonight when I headed home he was outside and was following be home. I circled back and opened the door to the house. He always wants to be the first one in. He came in. I closed the door in front of me and did not reenter the house.
Don't ask me why this is the old Irish trick.. Dad might be able to enlighten us on its origin.
Have a good safe night..
Love
Pat
The lady at the door of Costco told me that snow and rain was predicted for the valley tonight. I just got back from feeding the boys (on foot) and it had started to rain. I think that it is too warm to rain tonight. Even though it is cold. The cats are doing better. Our wild interloper has a new name. Sue has declared him blackjack instead of what we were calling him.. blacky. He is long and sleek and has an apple shaped head instead of the long oval head of Nigel. Nigel also has long hair, being a Main coon cat like Churro. I think those main coon cats like mufasa, Nigel and Churro make the most people pleasing cats. They have some great adaptability genes. I also think they are pretty smart.
Tonight I had to do the old Irish trick on Nigel. He has a tendency to follow me home.. to the apartment. Usually I wait and feed him just before I leave and then he is more interested in eating then following me home. This did not work on Thursday. He followed me home and I had to take him back in the car. He got to the apartment after he stalked me and then ended up under a truck crying out. So what is the old Irish trick. Tonight when I headed home he was outside and was following be home. I circled back and opened the door to the house. He always wants to be the first one in. He came in. I closed the door in front of me and did not reenter the house.
Don't ask me why this is the old Irish trick.. Dad might be able to enlighten us on its origin.
Have a good safe night..
Love
Pat
Lindsay's Birth
Lindsay was born about this time 25+ years ago. The Colorado grandparents came out before Christmas to be with us and to be there when little Lindsay was born.
It was a very foggy year, unlike this year. I went down to pick them up at the airport and despite the fact that airport was reported as clear, by the time I got down there it was socked in to the degree that I could not see the exit signs clearly. In town the streets were a little better. After the 2 1/2 hour trip to get down there, the airport was officially designated closed. They would get the people that were on the plane in by bus from San Francisco the next morning. I did not want to travel back home so I got a room at the Holiday Inn at the airport and waited until they arrived the next morning. It was so foggy that I could not easily figure out how to get out of the airport. they arrived the next morning by bus and I picked them up. The fog lifted and the drive was only one hour and 20 minutes home.. and a whole lot less intensive.
Back at home.. We were not sure that she was going to be a girl. But we were sure that she was going to be big. Mom had to stay home in bed because of the beginnings of toxemia. That is a very dangerous complication. She was teaching resource and special day students in a pull out program El Nido school. El Nido is 12 miles south of Merced on the way to Los Banos. Heather was going to school there too. She could hardly wait for the baby to come. We bought her a little baby of her own prior to Lindsay's arrival. Her name was Martha.. or as she said, Marfa. It was a very life like baby totally soft to the touch with life like features of a mature newborn.
As the waited and waited, Lindsay was due right after Thanksgiving.. but alas she did not come and she did not come. Grandma and Grandpa were both working at the time and had to delay plans to return to Colorado multiple times.
When the call came out for Sue to head to the hospital, Heather and Grandma were shopping for sweaters in downtown Merced. Heather still remembers Candy discussing with the bus driver as to whether she should be charged for Heather or not and if she was charged should she be charged the adult rate of 50 cents.
When she arrived on January 2, the doctor had to interrupt his office party at a downtown Mexican restaurant to deliver her. At first they did not want me to be in there with Sue. I had to convince them that I had taken the La Mazz training to be there with her. Sue argued too.. so they relented and I was able to help with the breathing prior to and in the delivery room. Lindsay was born over 10 pounds in weight and over 24 inches in length.
When Lindsay was born she had born with a full head of red hair. She was a sensation at the newborn nursery because they were mainly used to seeing Latino babies born. One of the big red headed nurses publicized it too all the hospital staff to come up and see this big red headed baby that was born. Linzi was not the first baby born for the new year, but she was close.
Both Grandmas and Grandpas Aunties and Uncles and a cousin were able to see her soon. Heather was disappointed that she could not hold her right away. Two days later, when Lindsay came home she was very happy that the new baby was a girl.
Happy Thoughts .. Pat
It was a very foggy year, unlike this year. I went down to pick them up at the airport and despite the fact that airport was reported as clear, by the time I got down there it was socked in to the degree that I could not see the exit signs clearly. In town the streets were a little better. After the 2 1/2 hour trip to get down there, the airport was officially designated closed. They would get the people that were on the plane in by bus from San Francisco the next morning. I did not want to travel back home so I got a room at the Holiday Inn at the airport and waited until they arrived the next morning. It was so foggy that I could not easily figure out how to get out of the airport. they arrived the next morning by bus and I picked them up. The fog lifted and the drive was only one hour and 20 minutes home.. and a whole lot less intensive.
Back at home.. We were not sure that she was going to be a girl. But we were sure that she was going to be big. Mom had to stay home in bed because of the beginnings of toxemia. That is a very dangerous complication. She was teaching resource and special day students in a pull out program El Nido school. El Nido is 12 miles south of Merced on the way to Los Banos. Heather was going to school there too. She could hardly wait for the baby to come. We bought her a little baby of her own prior to Lindsay's arrival. Her name was Martha.. or as she said, Marfa. It was a very life like baby totally soft to the touch with life like features of a mature newborn.
As the waited and waited, Lindsay was due right after Thanksgiving.. but alas she did not come and she did not come. Grandma and Grandpa were both working at the time and had to delay plans to return to Colorado multiple times.
When the call came out for Sue to head to the hospital, Heather and Grandma were shopping for sweaters in downtown Merced. Heather still remembers Candy discussing with the bus driver as to whether she should be charged for Heather or not and if she was charged should she be charged the adult rate of 50 cents.
When she arrived on January 2, the doctor had to interrupt his office party at a downtown Mexican restaurant to deliver her. At first they did not want me to be in there with Sue. I had to convince them that I had taken the La Mazz training to be there with her. Sue argued too.. so they relented and I was able to help with the breathing prior to and in the delivery room. Lindsay was born over 10 pounds in weight and over 24 inches in length.
When Lindsay was born she had born with a full head of red hair. She was a sensation at the newborn nursery because they were mainly used to seeing Latino babies born. One of the big red headed nurses publicized it too all the hospital staff to come up and see this big red headed baby that was born. Linzi was not the first baby born for the new year, but she was close.
Both Grandmas and Grandpas Aunties and Uncles and a cousin were able to see her soon. Heather was disappointed that she could not hold her right away. Two days later, when Lindsay came home she was very happy that the new baby was a girl.
Happy Thoughts .. Pat
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