New in June

This month was wildly undocumented and exhilarating. It started off modest with a few stops into new stores, driving new routes, and taking a closer look at places I'd never noticed before. The month included a trip home to Chicago so there was something new every day there.

The month's highlight was a trip to Telluride. My first time and full of "new things" every single day, every moment really. It was too much to document, but it led to an inspiring epiphany - one that will play out over the next few years and one that has given my life a renewed purpose and inspiring significance. More to come on that...

May there be Music

My plan was to play piano every day. I miss playing and thought this would open up piano for me again. For some reason, I lost interest after just a few days. I decided to let this month go...

In hindsight, I wish I would have redefined the month, or at least played 5 minutes a day. Then again, maybe there is courage in owning up to what isn't working and letting go...

Maybe next year...

Artful April Recap

While I'm sad to see Artful April come to a close, I'm coming to realize that most of my monthly ambitions continue well beyond the 30 or 31 days. In some ways, the month serves as an intense study that creates a foundation that will hopefully serve me for the foreseeable future, and perhaps even a lifetime. And, in some cases, the month-long focus establishes a habit  I've also really enjoyed asking friends and new acquaintances about their favorite artists - I've learned from my friends and also learned more about them too.

April Recap:

Museums Visited (all new to me except for LACMA)

• Norton Simon
• Laguna Museum of Art
• Oceanside Museum of Art
• Japanese American National Museum
• Los Angeles County Museum of Art
• Frederick Weisman Foundation 

Art Created

• Took photographs of Penny every day for a month
• Made the project social by posting on Facebook
• Project will live on! I have guest photographers lined up for the next several months
• Finally, after years of wanting to, took a pottery wheel class

Online Explorations

• Klimt
• Neoplasticism
• Degas
• Sarah Perry
• Bal du moulin de la Galette
• Victor Hugo Zayas

Takeaway thoughts

• I loved, loved, loved taking photos of Penny. I may take her with me in the future. 
• I am even more intrigued with photography. I would love to continue: to explore, to learn, to create.
• Considering a series of photographs like those of the 60's - something you could see taken backstage with the Beatles, black and white portraits, rock and roll style.... I have images in mind. 
• I have an instant reaction to most art. I either love it immediately or I don't. 

Penny explores LACMA

April Showers

This month I had planned to focus on water conservation by taking shorter showers. But it turns out I already take short showers and I wasn't really willing to give up any more time. So, I had to research new ways to conserve water.

Best new strategy: I started flushing the toilet using a bucket of water from the shower. This is so simple! During my shower, I simply place a bucket in the shower to catch the run-off. Then, the next time I'm flushing the toilet, I pour the bucket of water into the toilet bowl. Done!

I started the month following the instructions of some websites which tell you to flush the toilet, then pour the bucket of water into the back storage basin. Totally unnessary and too many extra steps! Instead, you can pour the bucket (a standard bucket is exactly the right size) directly into the bowl, you don't have to flush the toilet since the gravity of the water initiates the flushing action on its own. Simple!

It's not exactly glamorous, but really easy and quickly became a habit.

Don't forget that being a vegetarian is one the best ways to save water - consumption of meat is an extraordinary waste of water!

Additional resources:

• http://eartheasy.com/live_water_saving.htm
• http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/freshwater/water-conservation-tips/

2013 Update: I kept up with this for almost a year, then I put the bucket away when guests came over. After the guests left, I forgot to put the bucket back out. What a ridiculously innane way to stop doing something that is easy and so good for the environemnet. And who cares if there is a bucket in the shower - maybe it can start a conversation to help spread the word. So, before writing this update, I placed the bucket back in the shower and I'm ready to start 2013 right!

Penny's theater debut

Penny in glass

Penny says "It's soooooo good"

Penny, meet Coco

Penny at the Oceanside Museum of Art

Palomar Observatory with Penny

Penny's 5k

Penny's Party Favors

Penny Profile

Penny at the Japanese Museum Tea House and the Natural History Museum

Walking free

Penny's weekend

Party at Penny's

Penny's perch

Penny's Posse

Penny Sideways

The purpose of art

capture the essence of a moment



                                    evoke an emotion, a reaction



    an experience




a way to transcend monotony, routine, reality



                                                             a pathway to a new understanding




       a representation of a culture, a people, an era



an embodiment of a soul, a life, a person



                                         a method to overcome, confront, witness a fear


to create stillness


                                               to press pause



       a therapy for the artist  /  a therapy for the observer

                                         

                   to witness, to participate


                                            to express beauty

a translation


                                                   to create / breathe / live

  

Penny Takes a Sirsasana

Artful April: lirpA luftrA

My blog seems to have disintegrated into a journal. Let the dissolution continue, or steer the writing back towards purposeful expression?

Leaning towards the latter, although that will take more time than I have today...

Ponder this: "You can't cross the sea merely by standing and staring at the water.” -- Rabindranath Tagore

Penny's bedtime

Laguna Museum of Art

Again, another museum that has been on my list far too long. It's a small museum, but they had one spectacular exhibition from Victor Hugo Zayas. I walked into this gallery, and lost my breath. High ceilings, stark white walls, and I was alone... so that the art came alive in a way I hadn't anticipated. The walls featured giant canvases by Zayas - thick paint, texture, curves, motion - some urban some landscape. In the middle of the room, six sculptures of welded, black gun parts created organic limbs reaching for the sky. This room was so beautiful it made me wish I was a museum curator, it made me want to meet the artist, it made me want to create my own art, immediately.

Penny at the Beach

Norton Simon

I love this museum. It's been on my list for a long time, so I was thrilled to visit today.
Highlights:

• Countless Degas - sculptures, paintings, sketches
• Picasso - Woman looking up from a book
• Beautiful lily pad garden

Mesmerizing collection of Hindu and Buddhist sculptures, and the curator did an impressive job of showcasing these statues. The layout, design, and walls became part of the exhibit.