Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Buried Treasure - Seth Apter does it again!

If I were asked 'Who do you know that accomplishes the most in any given time frame?" it would have to be Seth Apter. I'm convinced he has lots of artistic clones running all over Manhattan visiting galleries while he creates new and interesting ways for artists to connect and collaborate... and he does it so well! The 'Buried Treasure project ends today, so go to his blog The Altered Page and leave a comment after reading the particulars. I know I had fun looking through my old posts .. I think you will too. Then we get to see what everyone has chosen. Thanks to Seth! :o)
 Have fun with Buried Treasure!

Best... Canace

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Day Two - Friday - A Day With the Whales

 We're back in New Hampshire again! This is the second day of my trip and my daughter and I have taken off bright and early for a whale watch leaving from Rye, New Hampshire. The day could not have been more perfect, the weather was sunny and cool with gentle waves on the ocean in the Bay of Maine. Cameras in tow we eagerly boarded the 'Granite State' whale watching boat. They take you out about 1 1/2 hour to what is known as Jeffrey's Ledges. Apparently there is a great deal of food in that area which of course draws in the whales. Here we are, on our way out to sea leaving a gorgeous turquoise wake.

 Why is the theme song from Gilligan's Island in my head? That's right.. that was only a 3 hour tour, this one was 5 1/2. :o)


We passed a couple of islands on our way out, one with a lighthouse.


There is a narrator on the boat continually keeping you up to snuff on what there is to see, the fact that we should expect to see Humpback Whales and the statistics about the different types of whales. There were members of the Whale Conservancy on board ready to observe and note recognizable whales as well as troll for a sample of the food that the whales are eating in a big cone shaped net. While on this trip they actually found a tiny sea creature that they'd never seen before. We're watching closely all the way out to get a glimpse of a dolphin or whale.. such a broad expanse to watch.. no land in sight and nothing so far.

It was a lovely ride out to the ledges and before long we saw spouting in the distance. The narrator lets you know right away....  "Spouting at 2 o'clock!" so everyone dashes to look at 2.. then she shouted "Dive at 10 o'clock!" and so on. I highly recommend if you consider going to go on the early morning excursion. There were very few people on board so it was very comfortable and easy to move from one side to the other to view the whales.


As it turns out even the narrator was astounded because this immense FinWhale was suddenly right in front of the boat. They backed off the engines immediately as they would have hit it otherwise. I can't even begin to describe the feeling of seeing such a huge creature...I was in complete awe. These animals are rare in the area. They are the largest whale off the East Coast measuring 70 to 88 feet long.. imagine! And one of them just rose up in front of us like Jules Verne's Nautilus!

The Fin Whales are so huge they rise gently and then submerge like a submarine. You won't see the whole splashing tail in the air display like the Humpbacks. If you watch closely you will see a large band of water turn a vivid turquoise just before the Fin Whale surfaces. The most amazing thing was there was not only one Fin Whale, there were four! They said it was a rare privilege to have seen them as we did as they are the second largest whale in our waters.


We watched the Fin Whales travel together, coming up for air regularly, then we left them alone to go looking for the Humpbacks. Sure enough, within minutes we caught sight of them.  This one was one that they could identify and had named 'Chickadee' and she was full of showmanship this morning. She repeatedly did what they call a tail breech out of the water, with a loud splash back down. She was traveling with another whale that just quietly blew from his blow hole along side of her.

 Keep in mind that even though the Humpbacks are smaller than the Fins, these whales grow to 52 feet and weigh in at 30 to 50 TONS!


 You can just see Chickadee's mate blowing a spout of water to the right of her tail.

 We watched Chickadee and her mate for some time, then headed back to shore. We'd been there for a couple of hours and it was time to head in.
 No land in sight for about an hour, then we get a glimpse of the islands, one with a wind machine.
Then before you know it we're nearly to shore where all the sea birds congregate to gossip.

 Back on land, here is a picture of our boat. It was a thrilling experience and I highly recommend these people for the trip. They're very friendly, know exactly where to find the whales and are very knowledgeable.

Now off to Ray's for some lobster!

We sat out on the porch overlooking the ocean eating the  most delicious Lobster Pie! After lunch we had a pleasant walk in the surf, then off to Concord N.H. where Bri was getting a henna tattoo and I was having a 1 1/2 hour massage courtesy of my daughter. Does it get any better?  I don't think so!

I hope you've enjoyed Friday's whale watching trip... two more days to go!

Have a great weekend.. keep cool.
Best... Canace

Thursday, July 21, 2011

My Backyard - A pictorial by Pat Peters

For those of you in the area, there is a reception for Pat Peters this Saturday, 12:00pm - 2pm at the Ellenville Public Library Museum, 40 Center St., Ellenville, N.Y. where they are featuring canvas prints of her photography.  I've seen the exhibit and it's breathtaking both in composition, execution and color. Pat is from Cragsmoor in New York and her work is centered around the surrounding landscape, views from the Shawangunk Mountains, historical buildings and an intimate look at nature. I hope you will be able to attend the reception for Pat, you won't be disappointed. If you can't attend, stop by the library now through September 1st to see the exhibit.



Best... Canace

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Come with me to New England!

Last Thursday I headed up to New Hampshire to visit with my daughter Brianne and I thought you may like to tag along as it was an incredible 4 days with lots of pictures. This was a weekend that couldn't possibly have been more perfect, the weather, the excitement and of course the treasured time with my daughter. 

So, off we go!

Thursday:

My route of choice is up through New York and into Vermont, then crossing over into the Lakes Region of New Hampshire.  Have you ever taken pictures while you're driving? Not recommended, but rather necessary when you're on your own, so please forgive the shots through the windshield.

Route 7 N in Vermont is such a beautiful and welcoming sight with black eyed susans in abundance and the mountains ahead.
Up and over those magnificent mountains, all the ski lodges and maple sugar shacks coming into view. Oh and don't forget the 'Moose Crossing' signs. No moose, just signs. At this stage I think that there may be one moose in all of New England and he's traded back and forth between Vermont and New Hampshire. I can't tell you how many hours my daughter and I have spent sitting in bogs hoping to see even just a glimpse of a moose. We now call them 'Unimoose' as they seem to be more of a fairy tale than reality.


After about 5 hours driving I cross over into New Hampshire for lunch at Mickey's in Enfield N.H. My daughter and her husband meet me there for their oh so good Lobster Corn Chowder. No counting calories on this trip! Mickey's is a great family friendly place with a menu that will surprise you for sure.



It's become a tradition for Bri and I to go to this totally hidden away gem and bead store in Enfield by Crystal Lake. (Background music from Friday the 13th) Gemstar Gemstone 427 Shaker Boulevard Enfield, New Hampshire. They have everything imaginable for the serious jeweler to the hobbyist.
Outside the shop are these wonderful towers of Amethyst.




There is such a huge inventory of gems that I can't begin to remember half of their names so I'll just show you a small sampling. If you know what they are then perhaps you could leave a comment for everyone else. Of course nothing is as breathtaking as seeing these stones in person but it will give you the idea.
This is the walkway, filled with smooth round gemstones. Every home should have one just like this!
Piles of immense crystals!



Giant chunks of Rose Quartz

Tables full of stones in their natural form.

I believe this is Citrine.. gorgeous!
Not sure, but I think this could be Azurite.. such a deep rich blue!

Stones scattered everywhere in amazing colors
 
If you can pull yourself away from the wide array of stones outside, then let's go inside to the jeweler's paradise.


It's a rather small store, but it's packed to the rafters with every conceivable bead, stone, (semi precious and precious) pearls and findings.
I managed to keep within budget both for myself and the Biff believe it or not. :o)


Off we go to Bri's house past the Shaker Museum

 
and later on the Smith River.
It's such a lovely, peaceful reflective river.

Just a few miles down the road we arrive at Bri's house to sit (after 6 hours of driving) quietly in her lovely new gazebo. I'd love to sleep out there but there is a Fisher Cat hanging around and I think a visit from him would send me flying into the house... or out of my mind... one of the two. ;o) There are many audio video recordings of Fisher Cats online, as it's one of the most eerie and blood curdling sounds you could ever hear in the middle of the night.
 


A snack and a spooky movie and I'm off to bed (inside).... in anticipation of tomorrow (Friday). An unbelievably perfect day ... wait till you see!

All best,
Canace

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Saving Valentina

A friend sent this to me this morning and I just had to share.


Best... Canace

Monday, July 11, 2011

Time for a beautiful FREEBIE

I've had this image for a very long time waiting for the perfect project.... still waiting.... so I thought perhaps you might like to play with her. I hope you'll let us know what you do with her, she's so beautiful.


Best... Canace

Friday, July 8, 2011

ART in a Shoe - Keith LoBue

Imagine, art created from a tiny shoe. I know I would never have thought of it, but then that's the genius of Keith LoBue. He is not only one of the nicest and most incredibly talented people I know, he thinks so far outside the box that no one can find him or keep up with him. His style is so totally unique and he is so very humble about it even though his work is in numerous galleries, collected around the world, he's been published and his work is in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC and the Museum of Arts & Design in New York collections.

'Nuff said, I so admire Keith's work and wanted to share his latest project shown on his Stuffsmith blog.  So very generous of him to share his work process.

Enjoy!

Best... Canace

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

The Arts Map - Post yourself so others can find you

Co-created by  Robin Colodzin and Jonathan Talbot, this map can tell you all the artists in your area, local art events and you can post your own artwork as well. Check it out!

 The Arts Map

Best... Canace

Sunday, July 3, 2011

The Pulse - Style File

It doesn't seem possible, but if you aren't aware of it already, Seth Apter has done it again. He has compiled a list of artists with their work and is presenting them as 6 separate projects in his online project, 'The Pulse'. It's a wonderful opportunity to get to know other artists and their work. Here it is in Seth's words:

Style File: Chapter 1


Welcome to the 5th edition of The Pulse -- The State of the Art -- a survey in words and pictures of the online artist community. The Pulse is a collaborative project that aims to introduce you to new artists, help you get to know familiar faces even more, and allow you access into the creative hearts and minds of a very talented crew of individuals. More than 130 artists have answered a series of questions which make up The Pulse. Their responses will be presented in a series of online posts. 

To start things off with a bang, postings from The Pulse will begin today and continue on Sunday July 3rd and Monday July 4th. Regular weekly postings begin on Sunday July 10th and will continue every Sunday thereafter. 

GIVEAWAY

To celebrate the start of the 5th edition, every person who leaves a comment on any of the three postings will be eligible to win a copy of 'The Pulse - The Zine' from 2008, which is now out of print and unavailable. Comments close on Saturday July 9th and the winner will be announced on Sunday July 10th.


Style File is the 1st of 6 projects from The Pulse. Participants were asked: How would you describe your artistic style?
________________________________________________________________________________

Go to Seth's blog 'The Altered Page' to see the first two installments. I'm happy to say that I will be a part of this latest project as well. 

Best... Canace