I've Moved!

This is just a reminder, in case you're still following me on the blogger feed, that I have moved to a new website and blog. I hope you will follow me on over there and read my new blog posts! The latest one: 

Vintage Ephemera: Persistence is about a new collage piece, and some of the vintage and antique ephemera I use as materials in my work. Please join me!

Goodbye and Hello

I'm not talking about saying goodbye to physical places, but rather, to online places. This will be my last post here. Blogger was really my first online "home", and of course, it seems a bit sad to leave it. Here, I shared many aspects of my life, both professional...

and personal...

I shared new work...

and work in progress.

I shared my thoughts, hopes, and dreams...

   

                                                                            

...and always, my inspiration.

Most importantly, I met other bloggers and became part of a large and very supportive online community. I'm proud to now call many of the people I met here my dear friends, even if we've never met in person.

When I first began the "re-launch" of my art career, I felt alone, scared, and very unsure of myself and my work. These kind and generous people have supported and encouraged me, cheered my successes, and been a virtual shoulder to cry on when times were hard. I have learned so much from them, and will always be grateful. I have watched them struggle and succeed, and tried to be there for them as they were for me. The importance of listening can never be overestimated. It's been a wonderful experience, and I'm not exaggerating when I say that blogging opened a new world for me. That new world includes selling art online through my website, enjoying the work of and learning from so many incredibly talented and inspiring artists, and becoming part of the new social media world.

I have spent a lot of time over the summer building a new website and blog from scratch. I started by researching for quite a while, until I felt I'd settled on the best course of action. I had virtually no web development experience, and I have no idea why I thought I could do this. It turned out to be more of a learning curve than I had ever imagined, and I came up against many brick walls, where I had to call for help, back up and start over again with some aspects, and change my so-well-laid plans. Often I felt utterly frustrated. I want to thank Megan for her expert help, without which I could not have done it.

Change, as they say, is good. (Or at least, unavoidable!) So, I will be moving to a new blog and website, which I very much hope you'll visit and enjoy. I have also added a print on demand shop on ArtPal.com, and I will be adding new work to those sites often. This blog will be here as an archive; feel free to come back and browse whenever you like. Most of the content here is still relevant, and hopefully remains helpful or interesting for some time to come.

And finally, it seems I have gotten the timing right for once; tomorrow morning at 11:28, we mark the winter solstice. On this day, the sun travels the shortest path through the sky, giving us the least daylight and the longest night.  There are many traditions and much spiritual significance associated with this day, not the least of which is setting new intentions or making resolutions - looking forward to growth at the first turning toward the light. 

I'm very grateful to all those who followed me here at True Adventures of an Art Addict, and hope you will follow my new blog as well. Blessings to you all, my friends; I look forward to seeing you at the new place! Happy Solstice!

The National Botanical Gardens and National Arboretum

We went to the Botanical Gardens primarily to see Corpse Flower, which had already bloomed, but was still pretty impressive. The flower is about 3 - 4 feet tall, and smells like rotting meat. When I was in Sarasota, I saw one that hadn't opened up yet; maybe someday I'll see one in full bloom.

Datura bud

I became fascinated by the different varieties of datura, a plant known for its poisonous and hallucinagenic properties. But I never knew they were so beautiful.

"Datura is a genus of nine species of poisonous vespertine flowering plants belonging to the family Solanaceae. They are commonly known as daturas, but also known as devil's trumpets...They are also sometimes called moonflowers, jimsonweed, devil's weed, hell's bells, thorn-apple, and many more. All species of Datura are poisonous, especially their seeds and flowers."  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Datura

Datura seed pods

This one, which I think is datura innoxia, is huge! For comparison, look at the impatiens flower next to it.

I didn't have time to identify the orchids, but I like these trailing varities.

When we got to the National Arboretum, the indoor exhibits had already closed, but there was still lots to see outside... I think we had an hour before the whole park closed, so there was still much we didn't see - it's 446 acres! I would love to go back again and do some more hiking, and of course, see the indoor exhibits, which include bonsai.

I didn't look up the name of this tree, but my dad always called them smoke trees. We had some in our yard when I was growing up, and I loved them.

These columns used to be part of the Capital. Apparently the revised dome was too heavy for them, so they had to be replaced. You can read about it here.

Corinthian columns, if I remember my art history correctly...

I didn't think there were any azaleas that bloomed this late in the year, but I was wrong. And what a luscious color!



I hope you enjoyed the photos! Next will be the art museums. Expect a long post!




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Great Falls of the Potomac

Todd, Lindsey, and Colin at the Great Falls Tavern Visitor Center

On a recent trip to visit my son and daughter-in-law in Washington, DC, we went to the Great Falls of the Potomac. I never would have thought that, just a short distance upstream, the river would be so completely wild and natural. As you'll see, it obviously isn't navigable, so a series of canals was contructed to allow goods and people to travel the 184.5 miles along the Potomac from Georgetown to Cumberland, Maryland.

The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park

One of the boats used on the canal.

"The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park preserves remains of America's colorful canal era. For nearly a century, the C&O Canal was the lifeline for communities and businesses along the Potomac, as coal, lumber, grain, and other agricultural products gently floated down the canal to market.... The C & O Canal runs right along the Potomac River and the two couldn't be more contrasting.... The canal is flanked by wide sandy paths (called towpaths) for biking, walking, and jogging, and its water is still and green." 

"The canal was completed on October 10, 1850 at a cost of about $14 million. It was 184.5 miles long, 6 feet deep and 60-80 feet wide. There were 74 lift locks built on the canal, 7 dams and 11 aqueducts....The canal was in operation from 1850 to 1924."   

(  http://wikitravel.org/en/Chesapeake_and_Ohio_Canal_National_Historical_Park  )

Looking up the canal. The Potomac is to the left of the tow path.

Ladybird examines the grooves made by the ropes as mules pulled boats up the canal.

 A beautiful canal-dweller.

Looking down at the Potomac from the tow path, I see this. Apparently, great birds think alike.

Unfortunately, the skies became more overcast as the day went on, but I think the photos still capture the overwhelming beauty of this place.

Everywhere you look, waterfalls.

 Bird needed to get a better view.

I hope you enjoyed the photos! If you're ever in the DC area, the Great Falls of the Potomac is a great place to see!