Sunday, February 25, 2024
A Night Gallery Painting? Find out!
Tuesday, February 20, 2024
Happy Birthday, Kurt Cobain - February 20, 1967
I came across this photo of Kurt Cobain today and it’s now my favorite. It has such a happy innocent vibe to it. I kept trying to think of where I had seen that look before and it was from the old, vintage Big Eye characters.They always kind of melted my heart, they still do. The house that I live in is a Big Eye Art Gallery, it is in every room.
I decided that Kurt need a golden aura so gave him one in photoshop—he certainly meant a lot to many people.
I’ve been planning on writing a blog on him since last summer when I saw him wearing a WSU shirt. I had plans to slightly alter it but didn’t get to it. Today I was inspired again. When I looked up his birthday I realized it was about to happen in mere hours—a true coincidence.
Kurt and I have a few commonalities, so I listed some for fun.
My Kurt Cobain Connections
• While growing up we were 50 miles apart (Olympia to Aberdeen).
• I was 7 years older than him so we were not in High School at the same time, but my high school played his, Aberdeen, in sports as part of the Black Hills League.
• We used to drive from Oly to nearby Aberdeen on the 101 as part of our Camping Trip to the Olympic Mountains every summer, sometimes making a stop there if time.
• My Dad used to wear golf sweaters, golf and at Ocean Shores, and salmon fish at Wesport.
• We both wore fake Vampire teeth as kids.
(I had a crush on a boy in 6th grade who looked like him, I’ll have to find that photo.)
• We both wore wildly printed 70’s polyester shirts.
• We both went to the Re-Bar.
• We both wore WSU Shirts. I had to alter his because it had the wrong sorority on it!
• We both owned Magnavox white Sparky TV’s
• We both were empaths who could feel the pain of others (I still am).
• He lived under 3 miles from our family home when he moved to Olympia. (I was not living there at that time).
There’s already a rumor that Betty White was an Alpha Gam, but did you know that Kurt Cobain was an AGD Houseboy at WSU?
Thursday, February 15, 2024
The Return of the "Owls In Love"
I was inspired a couple of weeks ago to do more with my
Owls In Love.
So I created a film and a gif because
I love excess work apparently.
First the film.
The music is gone and it’s a low res screencast,
but you get the idea.
It was set to "Love" by Michael Bublé.
When the Owls look at each other in the second frame,
the song plays "you look at me..."
Awwww.
Here's the GIF:
I realized the internet needed the
Owls In Love as a gif, so I made one.
Here’s the blue version, my fave.
Wouldn't it be fun to recreate it into a painting?
I think so.
By the way, it does not exist in this color,
I colorized a few versions in photoshop
to satisfy my own curiosity.
You can also see them at the end of the reel version.
I think it's super cute and makes me happy.
Maybe it will you, too?
Wednesday, February 14, 2024
Rolleiflex, again
Since I’m on the topic of my Dad on his day of birth,
Valentine’s Day, I want to share another memory.
I previously wrote a post about the
history of the Rolleiflex camera and our family.
My Dad documented our escapades and outings with it.
I will forever link this vintage camera to him.
In 2020, I found a glass-blown ornament of one online--
of course I had to have such a gem!
I was inspired to acquire more glass-blown ornies
that represented each family member
(as I basically no longer have any family).
Every year they come out as a memory of what once was.
This is the ornament that represents my Dad.
Although my photo is not actually visible in the
center on the ornament in real life,
I can digitally enhance the image as it holds
a strong memory from my childhood.
It’s from a summer when we were all river fishing.
(Maybe I wasn’t--probably too young, don't recall.)
My Mom took this photo in the summer
when we were possibly at the Toutle River
or somewhere in the Olympics Mountains.
(I think that the full, non-cropped photo with more
family members in it is somewhere in my blog.)
I have memories of searching for natural bait (live bait)
by uncovering them under rocks with Daddy.
I believe they had hard dark brown shells with open ends.
Inside was some sort of gooey creature.
As a kid, they were kind of gross--which is why I recall them. Maybe they
were just worms in their protective homes.
However, that’s what worked well with catching fish so we collected them.
Pretty sure they had a specific name.
My tree is vintage silver but the blue LED lights
make it pretty blue.
LED’s unfortunately photograph harshly.
So here is the Rolleiflex on the tree once again in 2023.
It also has a revolving base so it is quite lovely as it
slowly moves and sparkles from the glass and lights.
It’s packed away now.
I think my Brother may still have that camera,
but who knows.
Life was definitely better when my parents were in it.
They never did weird things that I had to question, they were solid.
I was very, very close to both of them.
I don’t want so say I was the favorite child…but … :)
Happy Valentine’s birthday to my Dad (he is no longer with us)
On July 12, 1946,
(after my Father returned from WWII),
my future parents tied the knot.
Fifty years later we all celebrated at the
beautiful Samarkand Rose Garden
at Priest Point Park.
They spent most of their happy lives
together in Olympia, Washington.
(Click photo for larger version)
My Mom passed on nine years after my Father in 2005.
This pic is from that 50th wedding celebration party,
they were true examples of what love can be.
I was 36 in this photo and my Dad was 78.
Today would have been birthday #106!
May my parents’ spirits and golden hearts live on together…forever.
Sunday, January 21, 2024
The Iconic "Owls In Love" painting
Finally came across this photo of the Owl painting we used to have in our family Living room in Olympia, Washington back in the 70’s. The lovely state Captiol area. I’ve been wanting to put it in a collage as a homage to our parents. If I should be so lucky as to come across a picture of them with this painting in it I will add it.
I believe ours may have come from a fine home furnishings store that is still in business after all these years in Olympia called Seldens. My Mom loved owls so I’m guessing it was her choice.
I probably influenced her as well as I still adore it to this day. It truly represents my parent’s marriage that lasted for 50 years.
They are the Owls in Love.
The artist, C. Roberts, is one of many California artists who worked for Avante Studios, a production studio in San Gabriel. It was active from 1967 until 1980. They commissed numerous California artists for oil pantings that were sold across the US, so you will see the same paintings in differing sizes signed by different artists. Fascinating. They still show up online occasionally.
I purchased the smaller version as shown on the left in 2021. The outer frame size is 12 1/4 x 15 1/4. It is signed by Matson. Another similar one signed by Matson just sold earlier this month! I refer to it as “Owls In Love” but to the best of my knowledge it has no name.
You can see mine hanging in my MCM-inspired home with a picture light illuminating it. It casts an orange color onto the art making that corner warm and cozy.
Maybe I will be inspired to paint one and sign it with my last name
and keep the legacy going? I have a blank 3’ x 3' canvas.
Believe that the larger original painting might still be in the family owned by my Brother’s wife, but not sure of its fate. I wish I had it here, have the perfect spot. Selling our family home in 2005 was nothing but pure, unexpected chaos which altered the lives of many of us. Wish I could have seen what was coming, but as I said in the last post, I was trusting and naive and believed that all people were good. Now I know better. I could always, ALWAYS trust in my parents though, and for that I am forever grateful.
The Answer to the previous question
Do you want to know the answer to the previous question?
(Sorry for the delay, thought of coming in here many times
but always doing so many different things.)
HACKERS.
STALKERS.
Internet people who were cruel.
They changed my life negatively and watched.
What a world we live in now, it's a a bit surreal.
That would have never happened without the experiences
that happened before it though, and that is the truth.
I was trusting and naive...in all people.
Now? Not so much.
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