The More Things Change.....the more I want to get a time machine.

For crying out loud in the sink, as my dear old Dad used to say.
I logged on to Blogspot to post this morning and lo and behold, the ass powers that be have decided in their infinite 'want-to-be-oh-so-techy' way to now provide all sorts of tra-la-la apps for posting, yadda yadda. My beef?
My Browser apparently isn't supported by Blogger and some parts now will not work and I may experience problems.
No shit, Sherlock. At the moment I can see 1/2 of my dashboard choices for font, type style, pic upload etc. AND it now takes 5 times longer for me to get this done.
I weep.
I can hardly wait until I have a pic to post...like now:

JUXTAPOSE - 30 X 36
Acrylic with Derwent 'Inktense' pencil

......

Wellll-l-l-l,  2 hours and 21 minutes later - here we are. I had to download the 'new' Google Chrome app (2 hrs 21 mins) and then install and get it up and running....all this, is, of course, due to the fact that I am still using DIAL UP -  and do not have an option otherwise. 

We are obsolete and are rapidly being left in the dust. 

However, we are still able to post and I guess that's the point. 

I am seriously considering a nap after all that.

...but I'll start laying out a new painting instead. 

THANK the powers my hands are still wa-a-a-a-ay beyond anything technology can replace. 

however I shudder to think that may change.....

Walls?!? We don' need no schtinkin' walls, man!

Ok....up with the birdies this am....because we have a new painting ready to get into, that's why.
And I am making muffins for breaky but am using applesauce instead of butter and it (applesauce) is frozen so we are thawing it in a pot on the stove on low......because we don't have a microwave, that's why.
And we are idly wasting time cruising the Internet while waiting for all to happen and came across this:

"Become an art collector in minutes:

s[edition] is a revolutionary new way to collect art in digital format by the world's leading contemporary artists.
And you can view your collection at any time - on your iPhone, Blackberry, iPad or TV. "

Well....that just about made the hair on the back of my fingers rise up. Eesh kabobbers....there is just something wa-a-a-ay too William Gibson in that statement for me. (personal icon of SF writers and the guy who coined 'cyberspace)
I think I 'get' what is happening here...someone has figured out a gimmicky way to make money by offering on-line 'art' to upload to the various toys-of-the-future we have now, although I am admittedly perplexed why you'd want to pay someone for this when you can get 1000s of images free but I get carried away as usual in the minutia of obviousness.
It's the whole idea of never having art around except on a 2" screen.
Not to actually SEE it up close and personal - the textures of the artist's brushstrokes or hand on clay etc., the visceral thrill of 'real' art hanging there or sitting there that you can touch, the vibrancy of color in real light, ...well, just the whole thing about a real piece of art that has presence.
And what, my impish brain asks, happens with the 'original' work? Does the 'uploader' become the owner? How? Is the original...destroyed? Or can anyone who pays, have it as a screen saver (ok, that's a bit sarcastic) and the 'creator' perpetually keep the 'original'...at home....on their wall....
Or do they sell it to an actual viewing human to hang on their wall....and what if that buyer doesn't want anyone else to have it as a 'screensaver'......do the 'others' have to delete their copy? Return the money??
My mind is reeling.
 I need a muffin.
And a cup of coffee to calm down.

PS...just want to add that I'm not being a trendy Luddite by not having a microwave...I just don't have one and would rather buy a canvas or two instead.
The pic is from some site called designer'sdecor....I think. I inadvertently deleted the connection after copying. If you are the person who took this little oh-so-perfect-illustration-of-my-topic, first: thank you and second: let me know and I will rectify.

PPS...the muffins are GREAT! I highly recommend using applesauce in place of butter for all your baking!

PPSS....Cooking tips and art.....just your all 'round bloggy gal here.

Next up...!

SUNDAY MORNING

Acrylic with Derwent 'Inktense' Pencil

30 X 36

...a wee bit of a change, non? Due to the Sidney Fine Arts Show coming up for submissions and this particular show is, shall we say, a bit more conservative than the Sooke one. And for some reason I've been thinking about people and their pets. And realizing even if I'm not that great a fan of dogs, I DO like to paint them.
The 'Inktense' pencil is a newish discovery I made. They are a pencil crayon type of medium but the 'lead' is a hard form of a vibrant ink that will mix when water is added....kind of like watercolor pencil crayons except the 'ink' dries permanent when dry. I've found that it mixes into acrylic beautifully and gives an added dimension, especially for shading under skin tones.
My current fav thing.
And on another note, I had someone ask me if I was into being included on a 'Studio' tour.....oh, if only. I'd love to say yes to that but the living situation I am in is counter productive to having visitors. It's partly the abysmally small digs but mostly the fact I live with 'pig-boy' and this place is visually akin to a Rothko. His 'Black' series.
We soldier on.
OK!
Excited to paint #2! Chiauauas! And that is spelt right......I need to do a cat as well, just 'cause Jams will sulk if her side is ignored.
You know it is so.
She is currently driving me mad with the in/no out routine.
See? Already she protests the exclusion.

YOUR EYES ARE BIGGER THAN YOUR BRAIN, MISSY!

Ah boy. Geez Willikers. Put some blinders on my peepers, anywhatagoofway.
Once again I have been caught by the visual appearance of an object and purchased it without really finding out if it lives up to the 'packaging'......sigh bloody sigh.
I needed a watch. Although the wearing of one is not something I do a lot. But every once in a while, I need to know what time it is to be on time for a meeting or somesuch. And my old timepiece had gone the way of the do-do...ie: dead. And I don't use my cell phone except when I travel. (....that's a WHOLE other story. )
Yes, well, so we bought this fabulously funky watch off the amazon site - it was big. It was easy to read. It was full of dials. It looked like some old aviator's watch like my Dad used to have. But best of all.....it was bright orange. 
OOOOO.......eye candy indeed.
And I was pretty excited when I got it yesterday.
Then I discovered you need to have a JEWELLER to remove the casing to put in the very-much-essential-to-operating battery.
So there it sits. Looking swell. Looking 'arty'.
But totally useless because until I manage to travel to a big place.....I'm shizzly out of luck.
Sometimes being visually oriented is a curse.
The Painting is, of course, intantly recognizable as Salvidor Dali's iconic 'Melting Watch'. My dearly loved boyfriend in Gr.12 was so into him. My fav painting of his was 'Rememberance of Chilhood'...I think, anywazoo, it's the one of a young boy pulling up a corner of the sea to uncover a sleeping dog.
Awe inspiring.
And not wearing a watch.

...and Behind Door Number Three.....

PHOBIA Series - CONNECTIONS

( Hands Off )

Mixed Media - Acrylic, Collograph Print, Collaged Text

36 X 34

...and there we go. The 3 entries for the Sooke show, fini. Am I done?

Not by a long shot!

Reworked and Reborn: NEVER SAY DIE

PHOBIA Series - IMAGE (We All Make Our Own Cages)

Mixed Media - Acrylic, Collograph Print, Collaged Text

36 X 34

...remember the original post about this series...? Somewhere down below about 3 posts back, if I recall, and admittedly my recall button sticks every once in a while, and there doesn't seem to be human WD-40. Anyandoffwegoway, after the last painting which I did part way through the first painting as mentioned when I started this,  I got all excited by the 'collograph' printing so I redid that and this is it. The second 'First'. Sortof. Because it actually is the second painting I did.....and number 2 actually became number 1.
I exhaust myself.
OK. On to number 3....and it really is.

ALL DONE

PHOBIA Series - COMMUNICATION (or Behind Closed Doors)  34 X 36 Mixed Media: Acrylic, Collograph, Collage
...and so far I'm still on FB.
Collograph is the name of a print that is made from a use of paper or other objects placed on a surface (usually a thin cardboard) to form an image that is then inked and printed. If you enlarge the above painting image, you can get a close look at the background and see what I'm describing. That's how I did the houses. It's a super cool process but remember NOT to use printing ink if you are putting the image onto canvas. 'Why?' you ask....well, learn from the idiot Master because printing ink doesn't dry on canvas and when you go to paint some more after spending all the time you just have getting that awesome image created, you will find it will start to run and you'll be dancing around somewhat like a hot-potato-in-your-pants as you scramble to blot up the runs before everything goes south. Then you will try to find a way to coat said painting so that you can keep working the painting. Like 'Workable Fixative' which, if you live in a big city, is readily available, but if you live in the small remote Tra-La-La land I do, is not, so you must resort to Internet online buying EXCEPT Workable Fixative is only available in spray cans that are considered 'Dangerous Goods' and must be shipped with extras: like Money, Packaging and Time. You do not have these at hand right at the moment and therefore the brain must engage in being clever to figure out how to apply an acrylic gel medium to form a barrier over the will-run-all-over parts. For the next 3 hrs. (We overcame!)
It's not all tea and paintbrushes here, folks!
However, we do like the 'runny' bits and if I hadn't told you about all that, you'd never have known it wasn't planned.
Ah, 'cool effect' thy name is oops!
First entry to Sooke Show - check!
And, of course, now I hate that original piece way the heck back before runny bits with the crows and am starting again with this 'new' technique.
In case you ever wondered why Artists are poor (like that consumes your mind as much as it doesn't) it is probably due to mistakes that use up the supplies. I keep saying that someday I'm having a show of 'mistakes'.
That would be enormously embarrassing but totally intriguing.

*GASP*** There are......parts.....showing!

...as you can see. OK. Here's the thing about the title. I generally post pics of my paintings here on my Blog but I also run them on my Facebook page - that's great feedback for me and I gauge a painting's interest from the level of response it gets.
However, and that's a loaded however, I've never posted any 'nudes' on my page, mostly 'cause I don't generally paint them.
But here's my latest.
And you can't argue about it being nude. The strange thing is I was going to 'clothe' the figure but I'm pretty much in love with that body and the way the whole feeling of this painting is so retro/pinup. (that's collograph printing in the background, something I just taught myself to do and am pretty much entranced by currently)
Anyalwayssomethingwiththisgalway, I've put out the question on FB asking the 'peeps' how they feel about me posting some nude art.
THAT should start something.
I'll keep you posted.
UPDATE......Well. And well again.
According to my pals over on FB, who are all in favor of posting this, Facebook would most likely suspend my membership if I post such an image as this. They have suspended people for posting breastfeeding images.
It is crazy because, in truth, some of the pics I've seen on there are pretty questionable.
There you go though.
'Big Brother' alive and well.
It does have me wondering about 'censorship' and social media, though. I'm pretty sure my never-ending-story-brain will be mulling this topic over.
THAT ought to keep ME going.