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An Elle Fagan Artsite ~ Fine Art & Writings
Happy Independence Day ! 'Patriotsite" Links & Images. click here!
"Available Works" ! ~~~~~~~~~~ Newly-upgraded "Artsite Store" ~~~~~~~~NEW Art Quality Prints ~~~~~~~~~~ CONTACT ~~~~~~~~ "Art With Heart" ~~~~~~~~ "Stories"! - Including interview with Artist, Natalia Tejera!
Floral & Botanical images ~~~~~~~~~~ The Connecticut Pages ~ Hartford, Vernon, Fairfield ~~~~~~~~~~ The Friends Page & Animal Art ~~~~~~~~~~ Wordsite ~~~~~~~~~~ Patriotsite ~~~~~~~~~~ Spiritsite
Happy Independence Day ! 'Patriotsite" Links & Images. click here!
"Available Works" ! ~~~~~~~~~~ Newly-upgraded "Artsite Store" ~~~~~~~~NEW Art Quality Prints ~~~~~~~~~~ CONTACT ~~~~~~~~ "Art With Heart" ~~~~~~~~ "Stories"! - Including interview with Artist, Natalia Tejera!
Floral & Botanical images ~~~~~~~~~~ The Connecticut Pages ~ Hartford, Vernon, Fairfield ~~~~~~~~~~ The Friends Page & Animal Art ~~~~~~~~~~ Wordsite ~~~~~~~~~~ Patriotsite ~~~~~~~~~~ Spiritsite
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artsales@ellefagan.com |
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"Art With Heart" ~ Your Arts Purchase Can HELP ! The American Red Cross When help can't wait, Redcross is still there, and with your help, will always be so! Pituitary Network Association ~ website focusing on Pituitary tumors and conditions like Acromegaly Modern medicine reveals pituitary tumors as causal to more conditions than we knew, and early detection is key to the level of power achievable in treatment. So do visit this site, and become one of the informed. Donate if you can! How "Art With Heart" works to make it artful, easy and SAFE to make your donation a double good: Easy no? That's all there is to it! It started years ago: this site began offering some of the art at eBay GivingWorks/MissionFish for part-donation to charity. Then it grew to outright donations of the art to specific charitable organizations. Then, the idea of doing it as described above took form and the combination of these paths has proven a fine success - a WIN/WIN transaction. At Hurricane Katrina, just ticking away at my Mac, I raised a thousand dollars for response, donating art or offering discounts on art sales, for buyer donations. Here's how it works: Let's say you like a painting at my site that costs 100USD. And you donate 50USD to your response group favorite. You contact me at artwitheart@ellefagan.com and include a copy of your donation receipt/confirmation. I deduct the amount of your donation - in this example, 50USD - from the 100USD cost of the painting and ship to you, with no additional charges for shipping and handling and insurance. It's THAT easy! note: If the cost of your choice of painting is less than or equal to the amount of your gift, I must withold the costs to me, but that still wins you almost a free painting! Also: all my normal guarantees still apply - repair/restore/replace, but NO REFUNDS on charity items, since the funds are gone to the charity. So, if you find, upon receipt, that the painting does not appeal to you, simply "pass it on" - artwork makes a fine and tasteful gift, and your church might like it for their next fundraising bazaar. I never touch your donation, so the experience is completely SAFE fun - and your donation as your tax deduction is not impacted, either. This offer is simply my arbitrary sales offer. We all get to help and enjoy the art, too! This offer applies to all available images at this site. I hope you agree that this idea is a grand opportunity for all of us to show our best! I hope you will want to Click here to view: and let your purchase help! Thanksomuch! elle smith fagan |
Recently, Elle Fagan hosted "Celebrate Spring!" Fine Art Contest at Fine Art America.
The prize for First Place was a link to the artist's site and a Personal Interview posted here. South American Artist, Natalia Tejera won, with her lovely portrait of "Gardenia" and the little interview follows here:
I emailed a list of my questions for Natalie and she graciously replied.
Natalie apologized for her English, but I had no problem understanding her fine responses, and I hope you enjoy them, too!
Elle: when did you begin study and art work?
Natalia: I never study art but my dad was a great Uruguaian painter and he always had his atelier at home , so I spent much time with him, watching him paint.
I draw since I was a little girl, and I start painting with acrylics when I was 14 more or less. Then when I was 17 I started laws in the university and put aside brushes, until 5 years ago that I decided that working as a lawyer didn't fill me, so I begin with my paints again but this time with oils.
Elle: how and where the study?
Natalia: My dad encouraged me to paint and people liked my works, so my dad put some of them in his gallery , and I start selling them and I realize that being an artist was what really made me feel good. So I left my lawyer life aside and I became a full time painter :) and what in one time was my law studio became in my gallery...
Elle: South American artists are VERY popular right now - who inspires you among your fellow countrymen?
Natalia: As I said before my dad, Angel Tejera.
Elle: do you have a mission to your art? One guiding motive or power?
Natalia: I have an inner need of painting, as we all need air to breathe so to keep our body alive, I need to paint to keep soul breathing ... I really love painting, and working at what we love to do is one of the most important things in people's lives, and I am so grateful for this. So the top mission of my art is to make me feel plenty...and in these times its also my way of living. But there is something else that I wasn't sure to expose and it is something very personal, and its that my dad passed away a few months ago, and whenever I start painting I can feel he is with me guiding me, holding me...
Elle: what are your goals in your work?
Natalia: I really don't have many goals, I just want to keep on painting and maintaining myself with my gallery. Elle: if you feel like adding a personal note , people like to know if an artist is "marriage-and-family" or single, etc....or wanting either.
Natalia: Personal notes? ....mmm.... I was born in Buenos Aires Argentina, I grew up in Montevideo, Uruguay, and since 1998 I'm living in Punta Del Este, a beautiful place. I am divorced, actually - I have a boyfriend but I don't think I would like to get married ever again,I enjoy my freedom too much (but in a "healthy " way), I'm a spiritual person, love to meditate, lighting incense, lighting candles , animals around me (I have four dogs and 3 cats) , I am an"eco-friendly" person, love writing and I like my spaces and my times for being alone.... maybe I'm getting old :)
Elle: what makes you happy?
Natalia: Life makes me happy, animals, art (any kind of it), creating, nature, family, freedom, .... Being useful to anyone that could need me...
A simple life...
Truth....
faith.
my regards,
nat
Elle: I want to thank Natalie Tejera for her participation in my Contest, for Sharing the beautiful "Gardenia" and for her perfectly fine interview, posted here. Best Wishes!
Happy Easter
The Cheer at the Resurrection from the Bible:
O Radiant Dawn ( "O Oriens!" ) ~ Malachi 3:31
O Radiant Dawn!
Splendor of Eternal Light, Sun of Justice !
Come, Shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of Death!
And this great thought prayer, at this time of Rebirth! From Dublin Ireland's Jesuit Communications Center and "Sacred Space" its world-renowned website for prayer, meditation, inspiration and more!
"On the first Easter morning, the apostles and the holy women did not see a ghost of Jesus. They saw him in the flesh, but in a different flesh, as the oak tree is different from the acorn that was its origin. We touch on the mystery of a body, not just Jesus' body but our own, which will express us at our best, will not blunt our spirit with weariness and rebellion, but express it with ease and joy. The Lord knows my name and my body. He sees my lived-in face, shaped by my history, showing the lines of love, indulgence, suffering, humour, gentleness. As the proverb says, ‘The face you have at forty is the face that you deserve.' Teach me to love my face and body, my temple of the Holy Spirit. It will grow old and die with me, but that is not the end. My body is sacred, and Easter opens a window for it and me onto a mysterious but endless vista.
This is a mystery beyond our imagination, but it is the centre of our faith. As we grow older, nothing in our faith makes more sense than the Passion and the Resurrection, the certainty that our bodies, like Jesus', must suffer and die, and the certainty that we, in our bodies, have a life beyond death. When we wish one another a happy Easter, it is not just three days in an armchair, but deep joy in the knowledge that the best part of us will cheat the grave. Our weary bones, heavy flesh, addled brains, already hold the seeds of that resurrection. We are none of us mortal. "
Spring 2009 ~ "Celebrating Spring" in time that call for "Hanging In"
These are some interesting days for people!
War, recession, extremes in controversies, and life-in-general behaving as "Up and Down" as the Stock Market, as Monday's picture is conflicted and upset by Wednesday, and flying-high on Friday or plummeting completely.
Thinking about it all this week, this memory returned:
It was the 70s and I was enjoying travelling alone, returning to our North Carolina and home, husband and children, after a visit to family roots in Connecticut.
I love to fly and am never travel-sick, but this time, halfway there, things got "interesting".
A storm front was coming in and creating extreme air-pockets - the plane would suddenly dip or upsurge. The seat belt light went on and the stewardess instructed us in the best way to ride it out. The abrupt and extreme motions of the plane provoked mightily, and even the hardy fellows in the military uniforms in the row ahead of me were reaching for the little courtesy bags for airsickness.
The lady across the aisle from me was the Director of a School for the Blind and I often shared my art/redcross things in the schools and had really fine feelings about gifted and disabled children. So, of course , she and I began a lively chat, to pass the time pleasantly, till we reached our destination
The woman was wonderful - knowledgeable and compassionate and yet not "hard to take", as she told me about her work and we shared stories, and nice ones. I was really feeling privileged to be speaking with her.
Then I noticed that the jarring of the plane was affecting our meeting - as the bouncing about increased, so did the pace and tenor of our conversation - and as the pitching about went on, and on, so did our good talk, with increasing "muscle", and she and I began to laugh, suddenly aware that we were using the talk as a dynamic between us to hold onto our tummies, in the tumult!
We locked, dug in and held on, in our chat, until landing took us out of the difficulty.
We were among the few who "kept their lunch" in its place,that day.
My super husband was at the arrival gate to greet me - greeting me with that look a guy wears, when he is centered and fine, and folks about him are definitely on the wobbly side! He'd heard there was turbulence on the flight, but that the plane had landed safely. His wry expression came from watching the other passengers at the arrival gate, doing their best to 'level out' and regain composure.
Then he saw me. I must have looked ok - if a bit pale, because his eyes lit up with pride. "You are the only one coming thru the gate under her own power!", he exclaimed in a whisper to me, as we hugged.
It made me very happy to have pleased him so , but I had to confess: "I did not do it alone - the woman across the aisle and I talked and talked with a funny "muscle", of some sort, and aimed it at Hanging in through it all! And we did!"
He smiled again - respecting "girl talk" in a whole new way!
I never saw the lady again, or heard from her in any way, but will always remember that flight - what a blessing to have been able to win through it the way we did!
I hope through the years I am as good at putting one's mind to a "moment" and following it up with whatever is at hand to win through it.
In these days of special challenge, may we find whatever of the sort we need of such inspiration, and share it "Loving it all!", and may we live our todays so that we can enjoy such fine memories of it tomorrow!
Holiday Note
Whatever your beliefs about Life - all believe there is Source of all Life.
Most feel themeselves 'not quite there' about it all, and feel they frustrate the Source, routinely.
This is not true.
Rejoice!
At this Holiday Season, realize that you ARE a part of the Source, the Life, the Light
and that it is a part of YOU.
Wherever you are, whatever you do, however you spend your day -
you are serving the Source in some way, and it is serving you.
Awareness of this experience of life often touches our consciousness only when truly needed -
during times of commitment, challenge, loss, struggle, and not just at celebration!
Later, we hope to remember what we discover in such moments, but often, must let it go and get on with things:
But DO know this:
You not only earn a part of the Holiday Glow - you ARE the Glow!
We celebrate it at this time of year, when the external reminders of it may be dormant, and discouraging.
But the glow is there, every moment and always! And you are part of it!
Delight in that fact, and see it in others and celebrate it in Holiday exchange of spirit;
this spiritual exchange, ongoing and dynamic, that supports all Life,
which is symbolized by the Gift-Giving at this time of year.
And delight in it all, realizing that, if the Gift-giving is so symbolic, and special,
then, the dynamic - the universal exchange of life, all year long,
symbolized by the Holiday Gift-Giving must be a thing truly Grand!
Happy Holiday!
Closing line to "Peyton Place" 1957 Top Film of the Year, and Sociological Icon
"We'd finally come to that season of love which can only be found in someone else's heart - right now there is someone looking everywhere for it, and it's in you."
- Spoken by the narrator and one of the lead characters, 'Allison McKensie'. A lovely line, and a lovely thought, describing the moment in the film -
a happy ending, of a sort -
And the camera pans out to share with us some of the famous beauty of the famous New England Countryside. All is in a state of peace and joy, and the viewer goes home content.
Why would I leap from the viewing to quickly type and save a silly quote from a silly movie like "Peyton Place"
Because it gave me a headache, with the avalanche of messages from the film in general.
When the book was published, a early-adolescent Connecticut girl of nice upbringing and fine ways, I was certainly among those with the flashlight under the blanket reading it.
I sat demurely years later, feigning innocence, when Mother thought it would be ok for me to see the film, 'I was old enough' , as long as she was right there.
The headache came from the 'blast from the past' / future shock / culture-shock that watching it today brought along.
In the late sixties, and early seventies, "Peyton Place" was cited as key to portraying the cause of the Social Revolution in those days - time to end the ignorance , hypocrisy, and the damage our repressive lifestyle was doing to the family circle - such double-standard morality , as performed in "Peyton Place"
A mode of living full of lies and lies, and lies that hurt and created unhappiness, rifts in the family circle, injustice and still more lies - respect and integrity were crumbling. We needed to deal with it all so much better. And so, it began - the Revolution.
So, here we are 50 years later and we DID that, alright, and we obviously got carried away, making a few upgrades.
The hypocrisy went down, and Truth was often better served, but the divorce rate went up...way up. Lawsuits, rage-pages, and violent expression in every form. From all the upheavals at the family circle, a very frightening absence of feeling - not bad feeling, just NO feeling. Sensitivities that create and uphold the motive forces of our good work and love on earth devastated, or 'just gone'.
Victorian prudery decreased - and millions are much healthier and happier and living in God's own Season of Love - in many circles, we truly live the " Civilization of Love" , and the quality of life is sky-high...and better every day for these millions.
But sexual errors and disease strike millions, too. In "Peyton Place" - in the sensational trial scene, the key witness, the defendant's Doctor, named Swain, says, "I assisted in the miscarriage...." i.e. , the abortion of a fetus the result of near-incest.
The word "Abortion" thank God , was still so horrific to most of us, the word could not be used. The horror at that scene justified the deep-drama drum-roll, like at an execution, even at the declaration of innocence of the victim, accused of killing her attacker....whatever the outcome, the whole thing was without cheer of any kind - only Allison, who had been living far away in the big city, was able to show happiness that true Justice had been served, and innocent friend no longer oppressed, at the end of the trial scene.
Today, breaking the abortion barrier is still not especially celebrated by anyone, although there is more openness about it and compassion and forgiveness and lots of counseling for healing to those touched by a thing that erodes the very foundation of the Life Force in every living thing.
This more Christ-like approach does not follow a sane path, and often today, the unthinkable killing of new life is rampant and often even supported by law, even when it takes place so late in pregnancy , that no rational mind can call it less than murder.
After years of study and experience, I smile - the observation and encouragement from a high school homeroom teacher of great wisdom is the only thought that resolves this headache-y observation
Sister Anne Therese S.N.D. - she taught history in All-American English, and although her order of nuns was French, from her we also knew our prayers in German, yet her age and voice were compassionate gentle and strong, and a smile accompanied most corrections, because she couldn't help it. She loved us very much.
On this day, I recall, she was referring the to the grand sociological moments - 'they are like the swing of the pendulum - things get going in one direction, till the bad of it begins doing real harm, to the point that mankind builds up an energy to set it swinging in the other direction, usually with its own set of ills, at the other extreme - but some good is done.......at least the issues resolutions that caused the big push, to begin with........."
I wish I could remember the word or gesture she used to direct us to use her comment as a start, as food for thought, for teens whose political thinking and rights to vote were still a few years ahead, ....we were to think, and continue the logic.
OK - if it is all like the swing of the pendulum, then there must be a time, once the pendulum is firmly set in motion, when its swinging, back-and-forth movement must find a near-perfect pace and power, so that much good is done, without going too far, and much is demonstrated, without producing quite the difficulties that come along when the pendulum is in its too-aggressive , just-set mode..............a halcyon time must occur..........'the best of times'
Byyyyyyyy the same token.....in time, the pendulum must begin to fail a bit, in its energy path, and times of disease and degeneration follow and career toward annihilation, Unless something is done to set the pendulum , once again, swinging in healthy motion.
Very exciting thinking, but full of holes and only a beginning, and the class bell rang, and I was reprieved.
...or was I, that the memory returns, from time to time, to edify an odd moment.
"We'd finally come to that season of love which can only be found in someone else's heart - right now there is someone looking everywhere for it, and it's in you."
And yet, whatever the path before and after, the line is a really nice one to leave as the closing message for folks, leaving the theater, or closing the book.
May yours be all you dreamed it would be.
As the post-storm assessment and cleanup continue, in Galveston, Texas USA,
and nearby areas impacted by Hurricane Gustav, you might not know that it is not the first time that Galveston has been so impacted:
Click here for the story of The Galveston Hurricane of 1900.
It is still on record as America's Deadliest Natural Disaster, with 6 - 12,000 fatalities, usually given as 8,000.
(ID records were not as good then as now, and so the number lost could not be tallied any better).
To compare, 2005's Hurricane Katrina cost 1,800 lives.
We make mistakes in Preparedness and Response today, but again, compared to times before modern communications and response, I guess we are fortunate!
The link, above, to Wikipedia's data includes video, images and resources for further reading and viewing.
"Winky Dink" & You !
Hailed by MicroSoft superguy, Bill Gates, as a pioneer in interactive media, I was just six, when the show aired, and ran to the mailbox, breathless, for two weeks till my "Magic Screen" arrived, so I could interact with the show.
Click here for 'Winky Dink' pictures and links
But, if you know nothing about the show, Wikipedia's story about 'Winky Dink' is the best: "Winky Dink and You
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Winky Dink And You" was a CBS television children's show that aired from 1953 to 1957. The show aired by Saturday mornings 10:30 a.m./9:30 central. It was hosted by Jack Barry, and featured the exploits of a cartoon character named Winky Dink (voiced by Mae Questel) and his dog Woofer. The show, created by Harry Prichett, Sr. and Ed Wyckoff, featured Barry and his sidekick, the incompetent Mr. Bungle (Dayton Allen), introducing clips of Winky Dink, noted for his plaid pants, tousled hair, and large eyes.
Praised by Microsoft mogul Bill Gates as "the first interactive TV show", the show's central gimmick was the use of a "magic drawing screen", which was a large piece of vinyl plastic which held on the television screen via static electricity. A kit containing the screen and various Winky Dink crayons could be purchased for 50 cents. At a climactic scene in every Winky Dink short, Winky would arrive upon a scene which contained a connect the dot picture. He would then prompt the children at home to complete the picture, and the finished result would help him continue the story. Examples include drawing a bridge to cross a river, an axe to chop down a tree, or a cage to trap a dangerous lion. Many children would omit the Magic Screen and draw on the television screen itself, to the annoyance of their parents.
Another use of the interactive screen was sending secret messages to the viewers. A screen would appear, showing only the vertical lines of the letters of the secret message, which viewers at home would quickly trace onto their magic screen. A second screen would then reveal the horizontal lines, which would complete the text.
A final use of the screen was to create the outline of a character with whom Jack Barry would have a conversation. It would seem meaningless to viewers without the screen, further encouraging its purchase.
The program was wildly successful because of its pioneering interactive marketing scheme, and Winky Dink became one of television's most popular characters of the 1950s. The show was revived in syndication for 65 episodes beginning in 1969 and ending in 1973. However, the show's production was halted despite its modest popularity due to concerns about radiation in television sets affecting children and because of parents' complaints about children drawing on the screen.
In the 1990s, a new "Winky Dink Kit" emerged on the market, containing a magic screen, crayons, and all-new digitized Winky Dink and You episodes.
External links
* Winky-Dink and You (1953) at the Internet Movie Database - imdb.com * Winky Dink and You (1969) at the Internet Movie Database - imdb.com "
"Back to School"
A note that it was that time of year, again, right at the top, in this morning's email sent me to YouTube- WOW!
And today I am beginning a series of refreshers and updates using their super Arts Demonstration Videos!
I discovered an ocean of free videos there, of varying length to freshen and sharpen skills and energies - and just to entertain - all by noted people in the arts - not junk videos :
I was sure to click on the lower-right icon to expand the view to fill the monitor screen, for a really nice time of it! Nicest lunchtime this week!
Today:
subjects studied, so far:
special effects, in watercolor, per use of: Mouth Atomizer, spatter screen, toothbrush spatter, artist's tape and American Journey brushes
Also, some videos featuring watercolorist Chris Byrne on a range of watercolor topics
At that point, I thought I was done for the day, as I viewed, "Painting Rough Water" by E. John Robinson
But then realized that all these demonstrations were done by men, and made that face at myself, that women make when that happens, and went back and found
Lori Andrews - Watercolor Demonstrations - Plate of veggies and another lovely still life with daisies and a silver teapot and sugarbowl on a tiled surface with neat lights.
That helped my issue, and I will surely be returning for more of the same, regularly. No matter how set one's style may be, it is wonderful to update and refresh anything that CAN be refreshed. It always shows! elle
If there is such a thing, my favorite earthquake story:
Most of us have seen "San Franscisco" the icon-film, with Clark Gable, Jeanette McDonald and Spencer Tracy, about the San Francisco Quake and Fires of 1906, and most of us enjoyed it as real "Theee -ah -tuh!".
A bit overdone or corny?
Not at all!
In fact, click here to access the San Francisco Chronicle's online series to honor the Bi-Centennial in 2006 - "The Great Quake" Text, images and more, including the previously-hidden photos of the quake, by famed Jack London.
The story at the Chronicle's site "SFGate.com", tells the story well, and soon, the reader realizes the 1906 disaster was "quite the thing", and, therefore, the film a conservative report.
By the time the smoke cleared, paupers slept side-by-side with millionaires in Golden Gate Park.
Quoting from the story:
"The millionaires had plenty of company: 250,000 survivors , maybe more, were sleeping outside in San Francisco parks, or in the Presidio, or camping out in nearby cities. There was no electricity, no gas, no drinking water, no public transportation, no banks, and no jobs -- unless one counted clearing rubble for no pay. "
Food stores were opened for access, for free, and military carted in more, from the 'burbs.
Things were, literally brought as low as they go. But the spirit of the people was GRAND, for the most part, and not unlike the inspiring response that we saw in the old movie.
And so, reconstruction began with the souls of the people, and all helped.
"For a while, no fires were allowed in the city, and San Franciscans built stoves out of bricks and cooked in the street."
But, to me, it was clear that San Francisco was going to make it just fine, when I got to this paragraph in the history:
To respond to the 'not an option' outdoor lifestyle, "The Chronicle's food section offered tips on recipes and dining outside."
Now THAT'S American!!!
And that is why this story is a favorite, because we all have days of absurd challenge, and we with thru it, best, with such life-making winning thinking. Truly the way to win when the challenge comes, because , with the inner-self restored from such winning thinking, we are more likely to follow-thru with actions that win and inspire more of the same, till the day is won!
elle
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My family pages have evolved. Many became stories that "grew up and moved to "Wordsite" , and others are linked privately, only...happy to share the links, as appropriate, in response to your request via e-mail to esfagan@ellefagan.com . |
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The usual rules apply here.
Please remember to contact the artist, via e -mail. esfagan@ellefagan.com if you borrow any of the material at my site - images, text, or html. I am happy to share, but must abide by rules for legal and courtesy. Some images at this site are protected against copying. "Right-mouse click" will not respond when you try to copy an image. I try to be careful about obtaining permissions and posting credits for items that I have borrowed, and hope that I will be contacted concerning any oversights in this matter. Thanks so much! -elle |
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