Online Class

 I don't like photos of myself, but Pono is so photogenic!

Hey everyone! I am excited because tomorrow I have friends arriving from Seattle to film the video portion of an online class I will be teaching in March. This is the first time for me to teach online, but my friends, Carla and Steve Sonheim, are pros. You can see some of the other classes as well as Carla's art here. The class I will be teaching is called "Finding your voice through abstraction: a painting class." The class will last for two weeks. If you sign up, you will get an email lesson with video in your email inbox three times a week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) for two weeks. There will be an opportunity for feedback either by posting your work online, or if you prefer, you can send me photos via email and I can give you feedback privately. I will have more details for you soon! Some of you have already expressed an interest in the class, but if you think you are interested, please let me know and I will try to send you emails when I have all the details. Just think - an art class you can take from the comfort of your home!!!!

The focus of this class is to use the freedom of non-representational art to explore and discover your own way of making marks, composing space, and developing your own style. Even if you don't want to paint abstract art, I think you will find this class valuable. I have planned exercises that you can use to try new things. It is recommended that you have some painting experience prior to taking this class, but I do think this class is for everyone.

In other studio news, I will be participating in the 22nd Annual Art in the Park Art Festival in Twentynine Palms, CA. The dates are April 4, 5, and 6th, 2014. For more information, click here. New paintings for this event will be forthcoming!

It has been unusually hot and dry for February. Even in the desert, this is exceptional. My garden is just starting to show colors.

A Good Friday

A small sampling of the flowers in my garden right now:

Is there such a thing as too much orange? You decide.

As I was sitting here this morning, working on the images for this blog post, a coyote came trotting up to the water dish I set out for the animals. I grabbed my camera without getting up (it shied a bit), I carefully aimed and took a photo of the top of its head. The sound of the camera was enough to scare it away. DANG. I need another photo of a coyote, and they just don't want to cooperate. I am going to have to figure out how to turn off all the sounds of my camera, with the hope that coyotes will get thirsty again.

Until I get another good coyote photo, I have resorted to doing paintings from blurry photos, like this painting I (think) I just finished.

"Morning Stroll." Oil on canvas, 18 x 24 inches. ©2012 Karine M Swenson

I hope you all have a wonderful Easter Weekend! Here's to surviving yet another holiday filled with sugar-loaded junk food. As a recovering choc-o-holic, I have to put a great distance between me and chocolate Easter Bunnies. They are cute and taste good, but if I eat them, my teeth will rot out and my jeans won't fit. Instead, I am going to dye Easter Eggs and eat an apple. If I make it through the holiday without succumbing to temptation, I will feel like I have really accomplished something! The new religion of sugar is alive and well, but I no longer believe in it. Sorry, Hershey's.

The mid-week wonders

"Pretty Please?"  Oil on canvas, 10 x 8 inches.  ©Karine Swenson 2011

"When you start working, everybody is in your studio - the past, your friends, enemies, the art world, and above all, your own ideas - all are there.  But as you continue painting, they start leaving, one by one, and you are left completely alone.  Then, if you're lucky, even you leave."  ~John Cage

Gearing up for the Open Studio Art Tours next month.  I will be showing the last weekend of October this year: October 29th & 30th from 9 to 5 pm. 

Fun signs and flowers

 I fear that in my last post I didn't paint Bangkok in a very good light.  This is not a bad place!  It's just different.  There are plenty of things here that the desert doesn't have.  For one thing, food here is REALLY inexpensive.  M and I can eat in a sit down restaurant for under $3.00 total.  I am not talking about a burger and fries here.  A spicy plate of pad thai for M and a plate of stir fried noodles with chicken or shrimp for me, with drinks.  Spicy, yummy, and not something you could find in Joshua Tree.  Made to order, no less.  It's Good Eating, and the best part is that it involves no cooking or dishes on my part.  Those of you who know me well will understand how much I enjoy this. 

The humidity here is really nice for my skin and hair.  I rarely put lotion on here, and I think my skin looks at least 5 or 10 years younger with the moist air.  It has also rained several times since I have been here, and as a desert dweller, I have enjoyed the rain.  Then, there are the flowers.

This was my first time seeing the lotus flower in person.  These pink ladies were next to an Isuzu car dealership.

One thing about the Thai people that is refreshing is that they rarely raise their voices.  They speak softly and smile a lot.  If I make an effort to use one of the five words I know in Thai, their faces light up.  I read in a guide book that licking (as in eating food or licking your fingers) in public is taboo.  So now when I see I Thai person with an ice cream cone, I watch carefully.  So far, I have yet to see licking of any kind.  (I have also learned how to eat an ice cream cone without licking.)   You are also not to lick the stamps.  An image of the King is on the stamps, and it is disrespectful to lick the King's image.  To the Thai people, only animals lick things.

A restaurant downstairs from M's condo.

The same restaurant downstairs in M's condo.  We can't figure out if it's called "I'm Yummy" or "I'm Fine." 

 In the elevator during Songkran, these signs were reminding people to shut windows, turn off air conditioning, and unplug appliances.  Most of the time, the translations are accurate, but this one got lost in translation.

"please also close your doors and windows to prevent reins from leeking..."

We went to Hong Kong for a day and a couple of nights, so I will be sharing some images from Hong Kong next.   As ever, thank you for reading and for your comments!

Please help

I have a friend here in Joshua Tree who has found that she can no longer keep her dogs.  These dogs are sweet and have been well-loved.  I am going to post photos and brief descriptions of each dog, and if any of you out there are interested in giving one of these cuties a home, please leave a comment and let me know.  I promised my friend I would do what I could to help her find good homes for her beloved friends.

Brody.

Brody is a two year old German Shepard/Labrador mix. Brody is a very sweet and gentle dog. He has a very passive personality and is always polite with new dogs and people. Brody loves to play and go for walks, he is trained on a leash. Brody is house trained and understands verbal commands such as sit, down, and stay. Brody would be a wonderful family dog. He loves children and loves to play. He would also be a very good dog for an older person in need of a companion. He is a very calm and gentle dog. I am in a heartbreaking situation and am unable to keep Brody. He has his own dog bed and food dishes, as well as all of his toys. Brody needs a loving home.

Jake.

Jake is a one year old German Shepard/Rottweiler mix. He is a very lovable dog and loves to snuggle. He also loves to play fetch and go for walks. He is spoiled and loves to play with all his toys. Jake is trained and does very well on a leash, He is house trained and knows verbal commands such as sit, down, and stay. He trains very easily and is a people pleasing dog. Jake is still a puppy and is very high energy and needs to go to a home where someone has plenty of time to spend with him. Jake does like people however he does not like children very much. He might not do well in a home with young children. I am in a heartbreaking situation and am unable to keep Jake. Jake has his own dog bed and food dishes and lots of toys. He just needs a good home.
If you know of someone who might need a dog in their life, please let me know!

In other news, I have been in the studio over the weekend, and I will have photos of new paintings soon.  Hopefully, the blog will not continue to be as neglected as it has been lately.  Sometimes, I just don't have that much to say.

The desert flowers are fading, but a few hardy late bloomers are managing to hang on with the unusually cool temperatures we have enjoyed.  We even got some rain yesterday! 

Desert Flowers

Despite the recent bouts of cold, windy weather, the flowers are in full swing.  Come walking with us.

A variety of delphinium, which has been more abundant this year than I recall in past years.  Delphinium is poisonous to livestock.

 

Some people don't like the desert dandelion, but the way it carpets the desert floor makes it a favorite of mine.  It also smells good.

Mohave Asters.

Esteve's pincushion.

The wildflowers in spring

This is the flower blog. I have been awed by the flowers recently. I especially love wildflowers. As I mentioned a day or so ago, I have already packed my wildflower book, so I won't be identifying any of these flowers for you. I think you will find them lovely anyway. I cannot seem to chose a favorite. I had a favorite picked out, in the form of these exquisite purple flowers, but then two days ago the red prickly pears began to bloom. (I wasn't sure if they were prickly pears, but Matthias seems to think they are.) These red blooms are so vibrant! I don't remember seeing so many of them, last spring. Yet, that may be one of those things that memory decides to trick you with.

The other flowers I would like to share with you are the old fashioned roses that are growing in our backyard. They are the most magnificent color! If I wasn't busy packing art, I would be out there with my paints, capturing them that way. The photo was quicker...

It is quite green around the Arkansas Valley right now, and I am drinking it in, knowing that we will be surrounded by brown desert soon enough. I wonder if it's possible to stockpile green in your mind. I think it is. There are flowers of every color, that we have been discovering on our morning walks with Mr. Pono. The Arkansas River is raging, with all the rain and the early snowmelt. It is brown and high. Pono still loves to go in, although he is not much of a swimmer. Mostly, he enjoys wading. Matthias was throwing sticks in for him, so I got a photo of Pono, daring to stretch his neck out for a stick in the turbulent river. You don't have to worry about Pono in the river. He will not go out further than he can wade, and even if he ends up deeper than planned, he is an excellent, if reluctant, swimmer.

Tomorrow, the big truck arrives, and the loading begins. This move is coming upon me more quickly than I was really ready for! Sunday is the day we plan to leave. Who knows if I will have the energy to continue the blog through this whole adventure, but I will do my best.