One thing I am absolutely sure about and that is that everybody are artistic in their own way and the key to that sentence is “in their own way”.  Too much emphasis is put I think on what art is and what has merit and what doesn’t.

Cooking, baking and cake decorating for instance can certainly be an artform, no I don’t mean the vegies and mash, lol but if you have watched the Master Chef series or any of those cooking shows so in vogue now you know what I mean.  Some of those dishes are just too good to eat, real artworks.

PAINTING AND CAKE ART

The cake in this painting “You can have your cake and eat it too” pales in comparison to what you can see offered by the fantastically artistic chefs around the world.  I must say though that I was absolutely thrilled by the surprise birthday cake that my darling daughter made for my recent birthday.  A real piece of art it was “Pigs in Mud” was the theme and as I am rather partial to pigs and have collected pigs for years it was a fitting cake indeed.  I have even painted a painting with the same name although I didn’t say mud but used the word s…, here is that painting and the artblog if you fancy a look 33. Art & Dont worry be happy

ART, MUSIC AND CRAFTS

To me art is about the “doing” “the pursuit”, so whether that is whilst painting, sculpting, drawing, ceramics, china painting, photography, doing mosaics, singing, acting, writing, playing a musical instrument, knitting, crocheting or cooking doesn’t matter.  Whilst we may argue about what is art and what craft is or what is good or bad, it seems to me that the goal posts shift according to time and fashion of the day.   I mean really could the Sex Pistols have sold a million records in the 40’s – I don’t think so and what about a digital art – imagine just 20 years ago asking thousands of dollars for something you can only see on a computer or TV screen.

INSTALLATION ART

What about installations then, some artists are paid millions of dollars for what looks to the rest of us like a pile of firewood or rubbish in a heap.  So I think where I am going with this is don’t be afraid to express yourself in whatever way you desire.  As long as what you are doing is not hurting anyone else and you enjoy the journey, whatever other people think about your artistic expression really is irrelevant as long as you are passionate and fulfilling your dreams.  So go for it!

JEFF KOONS ARTIST

Jeff Koons is a good example of an artist not afraid to come from the left field and do something unconventional.   His artwork Tulips sold for US$ 33,682,500 and Jeff holds the title of the highest auction price paid for a work by a living artist.  I love those tulips which are  in highly polished stainless steel and then plated in beautiful colors and whilst they are in a medium traditionally used for sculptures Jeff explores many other mediums too.

PUPPY, TOPIARY ART

Another one of his works that I really loved was the installation “Puppy” which he was commissioned to make to coincide with Documenta 9 in Germany, not as part of that exhibition but nearby, by 3 art dealers.    It was a 13 meters tall topiary sculpture of a West Highland Terrier puppy all made in a variety of flowers.  Some of those flowers included were Begonias, Impatients, Petunias, Marigolds and Lobelias and all attached on a chrome stainless steel structure in the shape of a dog.  This artwork was then dismantled and reassembled for a time at the Museum of Contemporary Art at Sydney Harbour, Australia.

PREJUDICE IN ART

Here is a quote to think about which fits in with not just art but life in general by an unknown author;

“We are each burdened with prejudice; against the poor or the rich, the smart or the slow, the gaunt or the obese.  It is natural to develop prejudices.  It is noble to rise above them.

Till next time happy painting and sculpting and maybe cooking to you.

Love Marie xxx

Why not come and have a look at Marie Jonsson-Harrison’s PAINTINGS FOR SALE, GICLEE PRINTS FOR SALE and SCULPTURES for sale or WALLBASED SCULPTURES.  Enjoy an original artwork on your walls or perhaps one on your bed ARTnBED.

No this time it’s not a tale about my poor long suffering daughter who wishes her mother would keep all those embarrassing childhood stories to herself.  No, this one is about Kicki the cute; butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth, bitsa dog.  This painting below has the puppies in a gum boot being on their best behavior unlike the puppy in the story below.

You see my mother and father are cruising the Pacific, on the Dawn Princess no less, stopping in Fiji, Vanuatu and New Caledonia and the like for two weeks, having silver service every night, playing dress up, sitting with the captain on his table no doubt, whilst we got stuck with little Miss Wee Wee (or Miss Pee Pee). Oh the unfairness of it all!

THE ART OF A PUPPY MINDER

Now Kicki is one year old and absolutely gorgeous, just a little puppy and so sweet BUT she has this one little fault – every time you come in the door, or go upstairs and reappear or talk to her or just about anything – she does a little pee.   It doesn’t seem to matter whether she is excited or frightened or happy or sad.  Any old time will do, just a little squat and whoops there is another pee to clean up.  No wonder when my parents dropped her off Mum arrived with a big bag full of goodies.  I was quite impressed; there was food and snacks enough for a month, then there was the cleaning products (mmm..perhaps that should have been a clue) and also some puppy training pads.  Turns out they are totally useless too, as it must be much more fun to pee next to them!

So an exciting time has been had by all, cleaning rag in the back pocket and a bottle of “Ajax clean and wipe” on the ready night and day.  As soon as there is a knock on the door, little Kicki gets rushed outside, as that is the only safe spot to say hello to the cute little girl, and don’t get me wrong she is adorable!  Just WET!

Here is another art blog and a movie too about dogs which you may enjoy; 98 Red Dog & Art

MORE ARTISTIC INSPIRATIONS

First day she is here we take our normal 40 minute morning walk, this time with the 3 dogs, very happy to see lots of pees and other “business” is getting done away from the house.  We laugh as she runs like the cartoon dog from “Footrott Flats” with her hind legs overtaking her head or alternatively is just like a fly on a string!  Then we spot a big dog off the lead heading straight for us and my poor hubby trips and falling down like a timber in the woods!  In the commotion he lets go of the 2 leads and there is a major panic with dogs and leads and traffic.

I got that sorted and back to the injured hubby who at this stage, was still was not moving.  We thought he had a broken foot & finger at the very least, as he slowly limped home.  Luckily it was a just a sprained foot and a cut and dislocated finger, but it hurt like hell according to the poor patient.  Guess what, the “Pee- cleaneruperer gang” is now cut by 50%, well you can’t do that with dislocated finger can you!!  I am telling a little fib now as handsome son Kai certainly is doing his share of the “Pee- patrol” too.

THE ART OF DESSERT

Must say though as it turned out little Kicki got her just desserts too, lol.  The next day she was out in the back yard actually sniffing around looking like she was really going to squat and do her business somewhere good, when our dog Cheech came along.  As fate would have it; just as Kicki lifted her head up, Cheech cocked his leg and let go of the longest pee and little KicKi just looked and blinked and blinked as the stream went all over her face and eyes and nose.  She looked cute as a button if you still can do that with your face full of pee?

So here is a quotation to contemplate from Max Eastman and the Enjoyment of Laughter:

“Dogs laugh, but they laugh with their tails.”

Till next time happy painting and sculpting and dog minding to you all,

Love Marie xxx  (C)

If you enjoyed this story and artwork about a dog here is another of the art blog that may amuse 8. Thunder in the Thunder Box & Art

Why not come and have a look at Marie Jonsson-Harrison’s PAINTINGS FOR SALE, GICLEE PRINTS FOR SALEand SCULPTURES for sale or WALLBASED SCULPTURES.  Enjoy an original artwork on your walls or perhaps one on your bed ARTnBED.

Now you think this is a story about dogs don’t you? – the kind when you are out walking and the dog does his business and you being a good citizen and all, you’ve bent down and scooped it up in a little plastic bag eh?  Well you couldn’t be more wrong…….

So this cute little puppy in my acrylic on board painting, Precausious Pug was not to blame here!

THE ART OF A GOOD NIGHT

Are you game to keep on reading or not? This is a true story told to me by a good friend about her girlfriend and for obvious reasons we won’t be mentioning any real names!  So we will just call the lady in question Lucy.  Well Lucy got dolled up and went out for the night to her local pub, and as faith would have it she met this really nice guy. They chatted for a bit and had a boogie on the dance floor, she got introduced to his friends, a few drinks were consumed and a fun time was had by all. So then at the end of the night when the young man in question asked Lucy to go home to his place for a night cap she eagerly said yes. They had the nightcap and then one thing led to another as they do and what eventuated was the most wonderful night of love making.

Lucy was falling in love and as fate would have it the young man was smitten too.  He whispered sweet nothings in her ear and hinted at a future together and how sweet life would be, and Lucy could not remember a better night ever. Well in the morning the young man had to go to work but kissed Lucy tenderly and told her to make herself at home, have breakfast and get ready in her own time, let herself out and that he would call her later that night.

THE ART OF HOLDING ON

Lucy did just that, she had breakfast and coffee and got dressed and thought about her wonderful night and as often happens in the morning, nature called and she went off to the toilet. As Billy Connelly the comedian says during his performance “the wee little jobbie” would not flush down.  Try as she might flush after flush without joy, and to leave” it” there and let her new love find “it” was out of the question so she hunted up a plastic bag, yes you are right – fished it out and put it in the bag.  Now of course she could not put the bag in the rubbish could she, in case he happened to find it so she decided to take the bag with her when she left and dispose of it properly.  I hope the people in my ceramic and mosaic artworks have only shopping in their bags!

THE ART OF WHAT NOT TO DO

However before she left she put all her stuff on the kitchen bench whilst she wrote her new love a love letter – telling him what a wonderful lover and nice guy he was and that their shared night had been so very special and she just could not wait to see him again.  With butterflies in her stomach and love in her heart she scooped up all her belongings and left and closed the front door. OH NO – that’s when she remembered that next to the love letter on the kitchen bench she had accidently left the bag with the pooh!  Now she tried to get back in but as he lived upstairs in a flat there was no way she could get in without breaking down the door. So this is a love affair, lol that ends badly for of course, he never did call her again.  What was the poor man to think when he got home and found a beautifully written letter about what a wonderful lover and sweet guy he was and then next to it a bag with a pooh in it!!  What message does that send ,lol.  You were really, really crap, or you stink or at the very least he would have thought that this girl certainly has a screw loose.

If you enjoyed this story you may like a funny & romantic one in this art blog; 118 Put a Ring on it

Here is a quote from Stephen Hawking (physicist) which I think fits well here,

“Life would be tragic if it weren’t funny.”

Till next time happy painting and sculpting,

Love Marie xxx    (c)

Why not come and have a look at Marie Jonsson-Harrison’s PAINTINGS FOR SALE, GICLEE PRINTS FOR SALEand SCULPTURES for sale or WALLBASED SCULPTURES.  Enjoy an original artwork on your walls or perhaps one on your bed ARTnBED.