Wednesday, December 28, 2005

More News on Chocolate

A bit of dark chocolate may do more than just tickle your taste buds.

Eating about 3 1/2 ounces of dark chocolate helped relax people's blood vessels in a recent study, which could help protect cardiovascular health. So go ahead and indulge, but don't overdo it; dark chocolate is still high in calories and fat.
-RealAge Tip

***
Andrew and I definitely indulged in some special chocolate in our stockings this year.












From Chocolove we found

  • Rich Dark (65%)
  • Strong Dark (70%), and
  • Extra Strong Dark (65%)

From Vosges we found
  • Red Fire Bar (65%), and
  • Oaxaca Bar (75%)

You know what would be exceedingly fun?
A Yoga + Chocolate Retreat in Oaxaca, Mexico!

Friday, December 23, 2005

Happy Festivus, Everyone!

A declared holiday for the rest of us announced by Frank Costanza on Seinfeld. Festivus can be celebrated any day, but December 23 is the preferred day.

Festivus Pole
The tradition begins with a bare aluminum pole, which Frank praises for its "very high strength-to-weight ratio." During Festivus, an unadorned aluminum pole is displayed, apparently in opposition to the commercialization of highly decorated Christmas trees, and because the holiday's creator, Frank Costanza, "find[s] tinsel distracting." Local customs vary and you may be able to decorate your pole with non-threatening plain decorations, or ordinary green garland

The Airing of Grievances
At the Festivus dinner, each participant tells friends and family all of the instances where they disappointed him or her that year.

The Feats of Strength

The head of the family tests his or her strength against one participant of the head's choosing. Festivus is not considered over until the head of the family has been pinned to the ground. A participant is allowed to decline to attempt to pin the head of the family only if they have something better to do instead.

Festivus Poles on Sale | History & Celebrating Festivus

Thursday, December 22, 2005

If You Claim to be an Artist, Start Thinking Like One

Recently, a fellow artisan came to me upset. She conveyed that a close colleague of hers had repurposed her work. Unfortunately, this wasn't the only time this appalling act had happened to Sue by this thief, and this thief had committed this unethical act to other unwitting artists.

Have you ever heard an artist, whether in theater or fine arts state, "One day I'm afraid that someone will wake up and discover that I am a fraud?" Well, I've got news for Miss Unprincipled, it's time to wake up and smell the code -of conduct.

It's a shame that people in many walks of life make a decision to become lazy. Laziness is a choice. Sure, plagiarism saves time, but it doesn't save face. Imagine the deepest rewards one can gain by playing with materials or words, then soon discover that it becomes a product -a real product of your own play process. Only you can claim it.

If anyone needs wants a glimpse into the thought process of an artist, Milton Glaser profoundly states:

“Drawing is not about representation but about thinking. Trying to understand what you're looking at ... The brain sends a signal to the hand and the hand sends one back and there is an endless conversation between them.”
There ain't no shortcuts in creative thinking. Production is a result, a by-product of thought -and that's something to put your name on.

Tuesday, December 13, 2005

2005 Final Show: Carroboro, NC

Well, my portion of the show installation is complete and awaits hungry art collectors for Christmas. Oh, and I'm introducing birds!

Fur & Feathers
Carrboro Arts Center
December 15, 2005 - January 31, 2006



You can find more of my work on these sites:
CalligraphyPets
ECStewart Collections

Tuesday, December 06, 2005

Wizards of Winter

Last week, in the midst of the harried winter blues, my husband sent me this link. It's fabulous -guaranteed to put anyone in a good mood.

Evidently, the origination of this file is from an engineer in Mason, Ohio. I hope he gets his due credit since I cannot seem to find his name. Please send me his name if you know it.


http://youtube.com/watch.php?v=_ffvVgBm4ig

Art Show #2, 1 to go

I'm exhausted, painfully exhausted, but relieved that it didn't rain Sunday as promised during the Boylan Heights Art Walk. The first hour I could forecast that foot traffic wasn't going to be as good as the previous year; I'm going to blame that on the administration -they're easy targets.

Here's the meager kiosk my husband built for me 2 years ago that has serviced us well. It's evolved, but like anything, we forgot the camera for documentation as well as the sacks for purchases.




You can learn more about our recent revealations and specials on my CalligraphyPets site.