That's Ice for You - 1/14/15 - Image-a-day

Last night our area had a near miss with a wintery storm. Thirty-three degrees and raining was as close as it got in Tidewater, but northwest on the Peninsula the iceman cameth. All the trees twinkled with a thin coating of ice, just enough to be beautiful, but not so much that branches were coming down on the power lines. When I got to work, I grabbed a few photos before it all melted away...

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Rose Quartz Buddha - 1/13/15 - Image-a-day

Today's image is of a Rose Quartz Buddha, a recent gift from a good friend.

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A Foggy Journey Home - 1/12/15 - Image-a-day

It was a rainy and chilly Monday. The perfect kind of day to stay home in bed and read a good book, but alas, I had to go to work. By the end of the day, heavy fog rolled in making the drive home atmospheric, soft and mysterious.

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Downtown Sound - 1/11/15 - Image-a-day

Today's image is of a street band I happened across while in the Ghent area of Norfolk today called "The Downtown Sound", a three-piece group; tuba, sax and drum kit. I enjoyed their jazzy, funky cover of Cee Lo Green's "Crazy". It was so funky, for a few minutes I felt like I was on Frenchman's Street in New Orleans...

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Cosmic Shards - 1-10-15 - Image-a-day

We visited The Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk, Va today. It's been a long time since we walked the halls there. Spent some time checking out the contemporary glass and I was mesmerized by this piece by German artist, Josepha Gasch-Muche called 7.3.2011. Inspired by my friend Ralf's recently posted short videos, I shot this short bit of moving picture trying to capture the elusive abstract quality of this work.

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Pencil Cactus - 1/9/15 - Image-a-day

Is this five feet tall or one hundred?

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Unfinished Business - 1/8/15 - Image-a-day

I have a few things laying on the work bench that need to be finished; a tiki head, a couple of angel wings and two new Lo-Fi-Ga miniatures. Time moves too quickly and there's always duties and distractions that keep me away from the studio, but last year I found more time for my creative life and this is a good thing. My essential nature is to make art and I am always better for the time spent in the studio, so this year I hope to spend even more time.

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Je Suis Charlie - 1/7/15 - Image-a-day

I was sadden and horrified by the terrible news from Paris today of the brutal attack on the French satirical magazine "Charlie Hebdon". A few years ago I had heard about some French newspaper that had published some cartoons depicting Mohammad in an unflattering way and there had been death threats, but forgot about it until today's terrible news. I never heard of nor knew the magazine or the names of the artist, but know them now. Four cartoonist were murdered today for making fun of a religion. They drew funny pictures and made rude comments and that was enough to drive a few broken, deranged idiots to destroy them. Those four brave cartoonist were:

Stéphane Charbonnier "Charb"

Cabu

Georges Wolinski

Tignous

There were others killed in the attack, eight other people and more injured, and they too risked and gave their lives fro free expression. Tonight there were protests all across Paris and Europe, silent vigils of thousands carrying signs of solidarity that read, "Je Suis Charlie". I've been to Paris a couple of times and love the people and culture there. It makes my heart sick to think of the hate and violence of todays' events, but seeing those Parisans from all walks of life standing together reassures me that they will not be oppressed. 

"Je Suis Charlie" indeed. I thought about throwing out some snarky Mohammad cartoon, but my beef isn't with Islam or Muslims, the vast majority of whom are just as outraged at this tragedy as anyone else, so why throw more fuel on the fire? So instead, I drew my old underground comix character, 3-D Speed Freak saying "Je Suis Charlie", solidarity in the comix world and the real world too. Now is the time to stand with the Parisians and the French and all other lovers of art and free expression. 

Je Suis Charlie...

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Farewell Xmas Tree - 1/6/15 - Image-a-day

This morning I took our Xmas tree down to the beach and found a good spot along the dune and laid that baby to rest. It's always a little sad to walk the tree out of the house, usually leaving a trail of pine needles, but good to move it on to the next phase of it's life, dune builder. We still get a little, live tree every year, gotta have that lovely pine smell in the house. My two favorite parts of Christmas are decorating the tree and Xmas eve. A few months from now, while walking on the beach, I'll pass that spot and see that sandy bump and think of Christmas...

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Sunrise - 1/5/15 - Image-a-day

This is the view out the living room window of this morning's sunrise. Not long ago, the sight of the Chesapeake Bay and the bridge of the same name would have been hidden behind a crumbling hulk of a house, but not anymore. The house has been torn down and construction will soon begin on it's replacement, so we'll enjoy the view while we have it.

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