Art Museum Sketchbook

I spent a few happy hours at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. It's one of my favorites and I never get to spend enough time there.

 
There was a roomful of drawings by George Grosz, who called himself, "the Saddest Man in Europe" He's best known for his harsh drawings of 1920's Berlin. I loved the childlike symplicity of his linework. There were lots of drawings of tenements with people looking out windows, mostly sad, drunks and hookers. But one man was looking out the window and smiling. He had a little plant and was the one hopeful looking person in the scene.

A new acquisitions was a giant ceramic wall piece designed by Matisse in the fifties. Titled La Gerbe or The Sheaf, it was one of the last pieces Matisse did. He designed it out of cut paper, and it was made into tile. (He called it "painting with scissors" so of course I adored it right away.)  I wanted to take it home with me.  My tiny doodle doesn't do it justice so click on the link to see the real deal.

There were so many things to draw but I only had a few hours. I'm planning a trip next month when my friend lynn comes to visit. There is a textile and clothing exhibition that I must see.

Where is your favorite museum? (I know that it is hard to pick one.) What art piece would you most like to have in your home?

Marilyn.

Apple Blossoms

Whatever comes,” she said, “cannot alter one thing. 

If I am a princess in rags and tatters, I can be a princess inside. 

It would be easy to be a princess if I were dressed in cloth of gold,

but it is a great deal more of a triumph to be one 

all the time when no one knows it.

A LITTLE PRINCESS, FRANCES HODGSON BURNETT

Paper Flowers

It's been a busy weekend. The wonderhub cleaned the garage this morning and I did a kitchen purge to make more cupboard space. I realized that I had way too many little sauce pans that I never used, so out they went. I also said goodbye to my old computer, which we gave to a friend that is a writer. I hoping that it goes on to produce an award winning novel or screen play.

I've also been messing around making paper flowers. The top one is torn painted paper and the white one is cut paper.

How about you? Anybody starting any holiday projects? Do dish!

Marilyn.

--

“What sunshine is to flowers, smiles are to humanity. 

These are but trifles, to be sure; but, scattered along life's pathway, 

the good they do is inconceivable." 


~ Joseph Addison

Four Trees

In this twentieth century, to stop rushing around, to sit quietly on the grass,  to switch off the world and come back to earth, to allow the eye to see a willow, a bush, a cloud, a leaf, is an unforgettable experience ~ Frederick Franck 

I've been experimenting with cut paper trees.

 As, in full view of the world, the crown of the tree unfolds and spreads in  time and space, so does the artist's work ~ Paul Klee

Ladies and Gentlemen, Start Your Kitchens.....

The Wonderhusband special ordered me a copy of Jamie's 30 Minute meals! Squee!

It's a whirlwind of a cookbook. The first dinner I cooked from it took closer to 45 minutes/hour but as I practice some of the techniques he recommends I'm hoping to get faster. In Mister Oliver's defence I'm doing two versions of the recipes, one vegetarian and one carnivore.So I did a spinach pie and a chicken one.

Tonight, I'm trying the satay chicken with fiery noodle salad and pineapple.

Nomnomnom!

 

http://www.jamieoliver.com/jamies-30-minutes-meals/

All I ever wanted to do was to make food accessible to everyone; to show that you can make mistakes - I do all the time - but it doesn't matter.
~ Jamie Oliver