Bright Flowers in Late Afternoon Light

Bright Flowers in Late Afternoon Light (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

This is the second of three photos that I took yesterday during my late afternoon grocery store run. The display of flowers in front of the cereal aisle took me by surprise. Just grocery store flowers, perhaps, but they looked amazing in the late afternoon light streaming through the plate glass windows, so I took some pictures with my digital camera. Last night I edited the three photos with basic software in my laptop. Tomorrow I will post the third photo. . . .

Late Afternoon Bouquet

Late Afternoon Bouquet (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

Late this afternoon, I realized that I still needed to go to the grocery store to pick up a few things. I think I was heading for the cereal aisle when I saw a small display of flowers. All the bouquets were predominantly yellow, and they were gorgeous in the late afternoon light of November. I stopped in my tracks, got out my digital camera, and took some photos. Tonight I used the Microsoft photo editor in my laptop to adjust the brightness and crop the photos, for composition and to eliminate the grocery store tags and labels! This is the first of three photos. More to come tomorrow. . .

Branch with Red Berries

Branch with Red Berries (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

It was cold today, with temperatures in the thirties. It didn't feel like walking weather, but if you live in Massachusetts, you just have to get used to the cold and keep going unless you want to stay inside all winter (and I don't). The destination today was Long Hill Gardens here in Beverly. Well, it is too cold even for the hardiest flowers, and most of the leaves are gone, but even so, there is always something to see at Long Hill. This afternoon I saw this shrub full of bright red berries. It looked like a candy tree, so I took some pictures. Tonight I transferred the photos into my laptop and edited them with basic Microsoft tools. This is the composition I liked best.

Heart Shaped Box as of November 17

Heart Shaped Box as of November 17 (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

I went to the studio early this morning to work on this project for a while, a heart shaped box that I am covering with collage and decoupage. I am very busy this week, life is hectic, and my desktop computer is a goner. Good reasons not to go to the studio? No, good reasons to make time to make art, even if it is just for an hour. When I make time for art, I am happier and more productive for the rest of the day. Today was cold but bright and sunny in the studio. It was fun to see the sunlight play on the printed metallic ribbons on the sides of the heart-shaped box.

Leaves on the Grass

Leaves on the Grass (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

I took this photo last week during a walk on the Beverly Commons (a small park near the center of town). I loved the look of the colorful autumn leaves against the bright green grass, so I took some pictures. Today I cropped the image to get the composition I was after. I was very happy to be able to post this photo! Although my main computer is still on the fritz, its hard drive is attached to and accessible through my computer, and that is how I was able to post this photo here today.

Still Life with Red Flowers

Still Life with Red Flowers (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

Tonight I made another still life using Microsoft Paint on my laptop. (Yes, my main computer is still broken.) I have been enjoying making these digital sketches, so I decided to do one more. It's great practice and lots of fun. This image is drawn from my imagination (and memory, because I often draw from observation.) I used three tools: digital spraypaint, digital brush, and digital eraser (to get the reflections in the glass).

Flowers in Blue Bowl

Flowers in Blue Bowl (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

My main computer is not yet fixed, so tonight I decided to use the Microsoft Paint program in my laptop to make another digital sketch. This is another still life created from my imagination. It was fun to draw this little digital sketch, and very good practice.

Simple Little Still Life

Simple Little Still Life (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

Today began with a computer crash first thing this morning, and the day seemed to head downhill from there. At this point, my (main) desktop computer is now useless and awaiting a new fan, which I hope will solve the problem. Much of the day was spent getting set up to do basic operations on my laptop until my main computer is working again. I was wondering how to post here today. (No Painter IX on my laptop!!!) So I explored the laptop, looking for a basic paint program. I found Microsoft Paint, and started to sketch. It's a good program, simpler than Painter IX, so I decided to see what I could do. I thought I would keep it simple, and started sketching a little still life from my imagination. At first, I was having trouble controlling the 'mini-mouse'. But I tried switching from the digital brush control to digital spray paint, and things began to fall into place. As I worked, I began to relax for the first time today, and I am happy to have made this little sketch. It helped get me past the frustrations of the day, and reminded me to focus on what is working and what I have, rather than what is missing and what is broken. That's important in art, and even more important in life in general.

Heart Shaped Box as of November 12

Heart Shaped Box as of November 12 (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

This morning I went to the studio to work on this project for a while. The heart-shaped box originally contained a Mother's Day gift from my daughter. Now I am turning it into a keepsake box, covered with collage and decoupage made from printed metallic ribbons. Today I worked on the outside of the box (the gold area). I made some headway on the top rim and also filled in some gaps around the side. I also did a little bit of work on the red area inside. I really enjoyed the time, short as it was! My studio was filled with sunshine this morning, so bright that it was hard to see (like driving into the sun), but wonderful light! In this photo, you can see how the heart-shaped box looks when the sunlight plays on the golden ribbons.

Zooming in on Zakim Bridge (Posterized)

Zooming in on Zakim Bridge (Posterized) Originally uploaded by randubnick

This image is a close-in crop from the photo of Boston's Zakim Bridge that I posted here yesterday. Zooming in this way shows off the stunning geometry of the bridge. I cropped the image to find a format and composition that would emphasize the beautiful lines of this structure. I also posterized the image using my Painter IX program.

Driving onto the Zakim Bridge in Boston (Posterized)

Driving onto the Zakim Bridge in Boston (Posterized) Originally uploaded by randubnick

Yesterday the weather was beautiful, perfect for an early run into Cambridge for coffee, a Nutella crepe, and then bookstores. This is the view on the way, the access lane onto the Zakim Bridge. I love this bridge, and keep always trying to get a good picture of it! It's not easy to do, especially from a moving car (passenger seat, of course). This picture wasn't taken during yesterday's trip to Cambridge. I took this picture two weeks ago on October 27th, during a drive into Boston to have lunch with a friend. But inspired by yesterday's excursion, last night I cropped and posterized this photograph in Painter IX.

Bouquet (Digital Mosaic)

Bouquet (Digital Mosaic) Originally uploaded by randubnick

Last night I used my Painter IX program to create this digital mosaic. Except for the tutorial when I first got the software (back in 1996!), I have never attempted a mosaic in Painter. (And there have been several new versions since then, anyway.) So it took me a while just to figure out how to do it. To keep the content simple, I started with the idea of a bouquet of flowers, and worked from my imagination. Here is the result. This was more of an exercise than an attempt at a finished piece, but it was fun to make this little mosaic on the computer.

Hospital Point Lighthouse from Lynch Park

Hospital Point Lighthouse from Lynch Park (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

This is another of the photographs that I took here in Beverly, MA, on November 4, Election Day. There were pockets of fog early that morning because the weather was unusually warm. I took this photo later that day, during a late morning dog walk at Lynch Park, and by then, distant outlines were still softened by the fog, even though much of it had burned off. I was very excited but also apprehensive about the outcome of the election, and it was good to take a walk and relax. I took this picture when I was standing on the beach, looking north towards the small lighthouse at Hospital Point. The effects of the fog are still visible in the diffuse light in the distance, although the rocks in the foreground can be seen quite clearly. I liked the combination of the rocky coast, the lingering fog, and the lighthouse, visible in the distance.

Leaves on the Windshield (Posterized)

Leaves on the Windshield (Posterized) Originally uploaded by randubnick

Lately, when I leave the house in the morning, my windshield is covered with leaves, and I have to clean them off before I can drive, just as if it had snowed. It makes me laugh every time, and I love to look at the leaves, so I took some pictures. I like this view because you can see the reflection of the trees in the windshield. I opened the image in Painter IX and used some digital pastel to clean up some marks and tears in the leaves, just in places that were distracting, and then I posterized the image.

Heart Shaped Box as of November 5

Heart Shaped Box as of November 5 (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

Early yesterday morning, I went up to the studio to work on this project, a heart-shaped box that I am covering with collage and decoupage made from printed metallic ribbons. I am still working on the outside of the box (in gold) and the red area inside. I am starting to work on the border around the top, as well as fill in the sides. I can see some slow progress, with the emphasis on slow. But yesterday, nothing had the power to discourage me! Patience, and persistence pay off, and small steps can lead to big goals. That's true in art, true in elections, true in life.

Composition in Red and Blue

Composition in Red and Blue (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

"We are not red states and blue states. We are the United States." Barack Obama

Fog in the Distance (View from Lynch Park)

Fog in the Distance (View from Lynch Park) Originally uploaded by randubnick

It was warm all day today, good weather for voter turnout and for standing in line! On the way to vote this morning, I noticed pockets of fog in low-lying areas along the way. By late morning, it was warm enough for a walk at Lynch Park with the dog. Although much of the fog had burned off, it was still having an effect, softening the view of the horizon with diffused light. This seemed a fitting image for the way I feel on election day, knowing that change is coming, but not yet being able to see clearly what that change will be.

Looking Across the Bass River

Looking Across the Bass River (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

Today I went to the local car wash so I could vacuum the inside of my car. Tomorrow I am providing rides to the polls for my political party. I don't want to get too political here, so let's just say that my candidate is That One '08. Anyway, a family member suggested that unless I cleaned out my car, the result would be voter suppression rather than getting out the vote. So that's how I ended up outside the car wash on a chilly, overcast November afternoon. This car wash is located right next to the Bass River, with nothing at all obstructing the view except for a low fence. So while I spent my sixteen quarters (yes) on vacuuming for change, I noticed the view. When I was finished cleaning out the car, I took out my camera and walked the four feet over to the river bank and took some pictures. The overcast weather changes the color scheme, bringing out the subtle burnt orange and bronze colors of early November.

Evening Out (Posterized Photo)

Evening Out (Posterized Photo) Originally uploaded by randubnick

This image began with a photo of my parents that I scanned into my computer a while ago. It looks like they were out for the evening. When I was little, if they said they were going to a party, I always begged to go along too, so after a while, they began to tell me that they were going to a meeting instead! My uncle was a wonderful photographer, and it is possible that he took the photo. In any case, this piece is a collaboration with whoever took the photo. When I found this image tonight, I realized that I had already begun to work on it some time ago, so I decided to finish it. I had already simplified the background with Painter IX. So tonight I reopened the image and used digital pastel to clean up some scratches. In the original photo, my mom's eyes were closing just a bit. (She hated the flash of camera lights.) So I also used digital pastel to fix that problem, as well as some wayward locks of hair! Then I posterized the image, using the magic wand tool to select the areas. Well, I enjoyed working on the image tonight and spending time thinking about my parents. It made me smile to think that when this picture was taken, they might have been out celebrating her birthday, which was November 2nd. Whatever they were celebrating, tonight I got to tag along!

View of Charles River from Storrow Drive (Posterized)

View of Charles River from Storrow Drive (Posterized) Originally uploaded by randubnick

This image is from a photo I took during last week's excursion into Boston. I like going to Boston, and I even like the drive to get there. Storrow Drive is one of the main roads through Boston. It winds along the Charles River, and the scenery is great! But Storrow is also very challenging to drive: Boston traffic, curves and reverse curves at highway speed, city traffic, and lots of tricky entrances and exits. When I am driving, there is zero opportunity to admire the scenery, unless traffic comes to a complete standstill (which sometimes happens). But during last week's trip into Boston, I was in the passenger seat, so I took plenty of pictures. I love the view of the river along the way, and last week the October colors were great. I took some photos as we moved along (and you can see a bit of the motion in the photo). Tonight I trimmed the image and posterized it in Painter IX.

Scary in Salem (Digital Woodcut with Special Effects)

Scary in Salem (Digital Woodcut with Special Effects) Originally uploaded by randubnick

It's October 31, the weather is gorgeous, and Salem is expecting 12,000 Halloween revelers tonight. Around here, it's hard not to get caught up in the fun of Halloween, even if you are just a spectator, like me. So today I used Painter IX to create this digital woodcut from a photo that I posted here October 4. This is a view of the Phillips Library at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem. I took the original photo in the morning, so to change the mood, I used Painter IX to turn it into a digital woodcut, then adjusted the brightness, the colors, and the lighting to create an evening scene. It looks like a haunted house, just scary enough to be fun. But despite all the fun of Halloween, around here there also are lots of reminders of the Salem Witch Trials. (Some of those events actually took place here in Beverly!) Well, it is the story that frightens me, not the location, because it could happen anywhere. (There is nothing scary about Salem today, unless you count getting stuck in the Halloween traffic.) But back then, it was a short path from accusation to execution, and it is still alarming to think how labels can lead to real harm. Such a scary story! But that was centuries ago! Surely, that kind of thing can't happen today. . . .

Patterns in the Sand (Dane Street Beach at Low Tide)

Patterns in the Sand (Dane Street Beach at Low Tide) Originally uploaded by randubnick

Here is one more photograph from my recent adventure at Dane Street Beach, walking out on the sandbar during low tide. This photo is cropped to emphasize the late afternoon light, the patterns in the sand, and the colors, shifting from sand to water.

Walking on Sand Bar (Dane Street Beach)

Walking on Sand Bar (Dane Street Beach) Originally uploaded by randubnick

This is the second in a series of photographs that I took yesterday during a late afternoon walk on Dane Street Beach. The tide was very low, and people were walking out on the sand bars, like the tiny figure of a person on the right. (I usually crop innocent passersby out of my photos, but I didn't in this case to show how far out people were going.) Some of the people walking out on the sandbar had their dogs with them. It looked like fun, so out we went, even though our dog was a little skeptical at first. The reflected light on the water makes it look deep, but the water is very shallow. You can stay pretty dry if you are careful where you step. (Taking pictures doesn't help with that, however.) As in yesterday's photo, the smokestacks mark Salem in the distance. I took lots of photos of the patterns made by the sand and the water, and I will post one of them tomorrow. But I wanted to post this photo first because it continues the story of my little unexpected adventure. My shoes got soaked, my clothes were full of sand, and dinner was late. But I was smiling all the way home.

View from Dane Street Beach at Low Tide

View from Dane Street Beach at Low Tide (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

I took this photo yesterday during a very late afternoon walk with the dog. It was a beautiful day, maybe the last of the good weather for a while, so we headed to Dane Street Beach here in Beverly, MA. I took a lot of photos, and this is one of the best. I took this picture while I was standing on the beach, looking toward Salem. (The smokestacks in the distance are in Salem, only ten minutes away from Beverly, MA, except it October when Halloween tourism creates major traffic jams. So this is probably as close a view of Salem as I will get until after Halloween.) The dark areas in the water are sandbars exposed by the low tide. Yesterday we watched as lots of birds and several people (and their dogs) were walking out on the sandbars, out towards the ocean. It looked like too much of an adventure to pass up. To be continued. . . .

Bright Tree in Boston's Back Bay (Posterized)

Bright Tree in Boston's Back Bay (Posterized) Originally uploaded by randubnick

Today was full of surprises, one of which was an unexpected trip into Boston for lunch with a friend. The weather was great, and I was in the passenger seat on the drive down, so I was taking pictures all the way. I took this photo through the windshield just as we came off of Storrow Drive and entered the Back Bay. There were lots of problems in the original photo (including too much sun and many reflections in the windshield). But I liked the bright tree against the Back Bay architecture, so I did some cropping. Then I opened the image in Painter IX, fixed some reflections with color overlay and the magic wand tool (no kidding!), and then posterized it.

Looking Up at Yellow Leaves (Posterized)

Looking Up at Yellow Leaves (Posterized) Originally uploaded by randubnick

I used Painter IX to create this posterized version of yesterday's entry, a photo of yellow leaves. I took the original photo in Beverly Farms, which is a short drive up the coast. I pulled in to a parking lot where I saw these beautiful maple trees in the neighboring lot, so I took some photos. Sometimes beauty can surprise you in the most ordinary places. So I try to remember to be prepared. . . .and to keep my eyes open!

Looking Up at Yellow Leaves (Digitally Modified)

Looking Up at Yellow Leaves (Digitally Modified) Originally uploaded by randubnick

This photo began on Friday afternoon, during an excursion up to Beverly Farms for a dog-walk. In fact, I took this photo in a parking lot! From my parking place, I could see the afternoon sun hitting these beautiful leaves. So I rolled down the car window, leaned out, and looked up! I took several photos, and tonight I cropped this view from the best of the lot. But there were a few marks on the leaves that I wanted to fix, so I opened the image in Painter IX and cleaned up the most distracting problems with a little digital pastel. Then I cropped the image again, paying close attention to how the lines of the branches related to the geometry of the image. I also created a posterized version, which I will post here tomorrow.

Red Leaves and Yellow House (Posterized)

Red Leaves and Yellow House (Posterized) Originally uploaded by randubnick

This picture began with the image that I posted here yesterday, a digitally modified and posterized photo of a beautiful red tree. While I was working on the original photo, I noticed that the leaves looked brightest against the windows in the yellow house, in the lower left-hand corner. So I cropped out that area, then rotated and cropped again until I had the composition I wanted.

Looking Up at Red Tree (Modified and Posterized)

Looking Up at Red Tree (Modified and Posterized) Originally uploaded by randubnick

During a recent walk, I saw this tree at the top of a steep hill. The colors were amazing, and I stopped to take a picture (and to catch my breath). There were a couple of heavy telephone wires running in front of the tree, and there was really no way to take a photo of the whole tree without those wires. But the tree was too gorgeous to pass up, so I took the picture anyway. Tonight I opened the image in Painter IX and used digital pastel to cover up the heavy wires, and then posterized the image.

Heart Shaped Box as of October 22

Heart Shaped Box as of October 22 (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

I went up to the studio early this morning to work on this project for a while. I am covering this heart-shaped box with printed metallic ribbons. I have enough gold on the sides of the box to begin to see how it will look when it is finished, and also I can begin to imagine how the red interior of the box is going to look. It seems to take forever to create the tiny collages, but bit by bit I am getting there. In art, as in all of life, perseverance is important.

Stairway to the Sea (Independence Park)

Stairway to the Sea (Independence Park) Originally uploaded by randubnick

Yesterday, during a walk through Independence Park here in Beverly, I noticed this old staircase leading down to the beach. Well, I have certainly seen it before, but yesterday I really looked. You could see the ocean waves coming in and hear them crashing against the shore. I liked the view of the ocean waves from above and the geometry of the staircase, so I took some pictures. This one is the best of the bunch. All it needed was just a bit of cropping and a little help with the contrast.

October Path (Posterized)

October Path (Posterized) Originally uploaded by randubnick

This is a digitally modified version of the photo I posted here yesterday: the path around the pond at the Cummings Center here in Beverly, Massachusetts. You can see additional colors on the path, and stronger areas of color in the shrubs. I used Painter IX software to posterize the image, and while I was at it, I also added a little gentle color to the sky with a color overlay of digital pastel.

October Path

October Path (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

This image is from a photograph that I took yesterday during a walk at the Cummings Center here in Beverly, Massachusetts. This is the path around the pond and the colors are beautiful right now. Tonight I cropped the image, trying to align the edges of the path with the lower corners of the image. I also made a posterized version of this image, which I will post tomorrow.

Heart Shaped Box as of October 18

Heart Shaped Box as of October 18 (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

I worked on this project today, a heart-shaped box that I am covering with collage and decoupage made from printed metallic ribbon. I am making progress on the sides of the box. I am beginning to see more gold than pasteboard, and that is encouraging. I also worked on the interior (red area). While I was in the studio, I looked through the remaining ribbons and made some decisions about the inside of the top of the box.

The Leaves Were Electric Red (Fall Fantasy 2)

The Leaves Were Electric Red (Fall Fantasy 2) Originally uploaded by randubnick

Today I was up in Beverly Farms with my daughter for a quick errand and a walk with the dog. On the way home, I noticed a beautiful tree with autumn colors. The leaves were an electric red! I was driving, so I couldn't take a picture. But the image stayed with me. So tonight I decided to create another "fall fantasy" at the computer, so I opened Painter IX and made this image using digital pastel. I worked from memory and imagination, and it was fun to create the swirling leaves on my computer screen. It was a nice way to relax after a hectic day!

Fall Fantasy

Fall Fantasy Originally uploaded by randubnick

I was too busy to get to the studio today, but after dinner I took a break for an hour to make art on the computer. I used Painter IX to create this digital pastel. It is a fantasy landscape drawing created from my imagination. But it is inspired by the bright fall colors of October in New England.

October Trees at Long Hill (Posterized)

October Trees at Long Hill (Posterized) Originally uploaded by randubnick

I used Painter IX software to create this posterized version of the photograph I posted here yesterday. This is a view of the road at Long Hill gardens. The little road is lined with fruit trees which are now full of with crabapples, apples, and berries. I used the posterizing to emphasize the dappled light and the golden colors of October.

October Trees at Long Hill

October Trees at Long Hill (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

During a recent walk at Long Hill Gardens, I pulled out my camera and started taking pictures because the trees looked golden in the October sunlight. Tonight I cropped the photo to get this composition, and used a bit of Painter's digital pastel to clean up a distracting mark on the asphalt in the foreground. The road from the gate to the gardens is lined with trees that are full of blossoms in May. But in October, you can find apples, crabapples, and berries in red, orange, and purple, decorating the trees for the harvest festivals of autumn.

Heart Shaped Box as of October 13

Heart Shaped Box as of October 13 (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

I got up early today so I would have time to go to the studio to work on this collage and decoupage project. I am covering this heart-shaped box with tiny pieces of printed metallic ribbon. Progress is slow, but like so many other things in life (learning to dance, getting in shape, building a relationship, changing the world), the only way to create the result you want is one little piece at a time.

Autumn Leaves (Digital Woodcut)

Autumn Leaves (Digital Woodcut) Originally uploaded by randubnick

This is the third and last of three images of autumn leaves, all created from the same photograph, posted here several days ago. For this image, I used Painter IX to create a digital woodcut from the posterized photo. The posterized image emphasizes the fantastic colors, but I thought a woodcut would emphasize the textures and the patterns of the leaves. I heightened the saturation a bit to compensate for the effect of the black lines of the woodcut. So this is the last look at this little parking lot tree, but I guess I have gotten a lot of mileage from my little excursion around the block to see the fall colors! (And it didn't cost me a nickel in gas money!)

Heart Shaped Box as of October 10

Heart Shaped Box as of October 10

Yesterday I went up to the studio in the morning to work on this project for a while. I am using collage and decoupage to cover this heart-shaped box with designs cut from printed metallic ribbons. I am still working on both the outside (in gold) and the inside (red area). I have decided that I am going to need to mix in some patterns into the red because I am not going to have enough plain red ribbon. I started using some red with a little gold, especially around the inside edge. Progress is certainly slow, but every now an then a fellow artist stops by the studio, and reactions to this project are very encouraging! To be continued. . .

Autumn Leaves (Posterized)

Autumn Leaves (Posterized) Originally uploaded by randubnick

This is a posterized version of a photo that I posted two days ago. I took the photo during a little walk around the block to see the fall colors. Some of the most beautiful trees were on the edge of a parking lot! It's wonderful to go to Aspen or Vermont to see the autumn leaves, but beauty is all around.

Many Apples in Many Bowls

Many Apples in Many Bowls (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

Last week for Rosh Hoshana, I posted a photo of apples in a glass bowl. (Apples in honey symbolize hopes for a sweet year.) Yesterday I used that photo to create a pattern in Painter. Today was Yom Kippur, and the end of the ten days of reflection that begin the Jewish New Year, and one more chance to wish everyone a Happy New Year. So here are many apples in many bowls, lots of wishes going out to everyone for a good year ahead.

Autumn Leaves

Autumn Leaves (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

This is a photo from last week's little excursion around the block to see the fall colors. This is the tree that caught my attention and got me headed out the back door with my digital camera. The autumn leaves are bright, beautiful, and temporary, so it is a good idea to look at them while you can! This is the photo as it came out of the camera. But tonight I adjusted the contrast and brightness slightly, because I wanted to see how the photo would look posterized and as a digital woodcut. I will post those versions here soon. To be continued. . .

Heart Shaped Box Closeup as of October 4

Heart Shaped Box Closeup as of October 4 (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

Yesterday I posted a photo of my collage and decoupage project, a heart-shaped box that I am covering with pieces of printed metallic ribbon. This is a closeup view of the outside of the box, which I am covering with pieces of gold ribbon cut from a variety of printed patterns. As I combine the pieces, I am thinking about color and pattern, just as I would in a larger collage. What makes this project particularly challenging is that I am trying to fit the pieces together with very little overlap, so the top of the box will fit smoothly. So if you look closely, you might see some tiny gaps, which I plan to fill in later with a little gold acrylic paint.

Heart Shaped Box as of October 4

Heart Shaped Box as of October 4 (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

Yesterday I went back to the studio to work on this project again, trying to make up for lost time. This heart-shaped box, which once held a gift from my daughter, is going to be a container for keepsakes, and I am covering it with patterns cut from printed metallic ribbons. Yesterday I continued working on the sides (in gold) and the inside (in red). Progress is slow (like watching paint dry I guess), but I am filling in small areas around the side of the box and laying down the basic color for the inside. As I make the miniature collages on the box, I am trying to fit pieces together with little or no overlap, because too much overlap would keep the lid of the box from fitting well. This makes for slow going, and sometimes it is a lot like solving a jigsaw puzzle. While I was working, I looked at the ribbon patterns that are left, and thought about what colors and designs to use for the remaining areas.

Phillips Library Peabody Essex Museum in Salem (Posterized)

Phillips Library Peabody Essex Museum in Salem (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

Earlier in the week, I decided to go for a morning walk in Salem, Massachusetts. (I had some errands to run, and it would be on the way.) Salem is just over the bridge from Beverly, normally a ten-minute drive, but during October, it might as well be on the moon! Salem has tourists year-round, but the Halloween activities and grid-lock traffic begin in October, and peak on the 31st. But it was still very early in the month, and very early in the day, so I decided to go for it. I was glad I did, because I had a great walk, and Salem is beautiful in October. As I was walking near the Peabody Essex Museum, I saw this building. (I believe this is the Phillips Library, but in any case, it is part of the Museum.) I really liked the first view I had of the building as I walked along, so I took a picture from the same vantage point, behind the wrought iron fence post. Later, back home at the computer, I cropped the photo, and adjusted the contrast. Then I opened the image in Painter IX, where I used some digital pastel to eliminate a distracting sign, and then posterized it. I think this photo captures what appeals to me about Salem. People flock to Salem for Halloween fun, and witches, of course. But I like the narrow streets and old buildings. That is magic too, just a different kind, a sense of history so strong that you can almost believe in time travel.

Bright Vines on Tree Trunk

Bright Vines on Tree Trunk (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

Earlier this week, during a late afternoon walk at the Cummings Center pond, I was admiring the bright leaves of vines on a tree, so I took some pictures. Tonight I cropped the photo to get this composition, which concentrates on three patterns, the leaves, the tree bark, and the ripples on the pond in the background. I also adjusted the contrast and brightness to make sure all three patterns would show up. (If you see vines like this, stop and look! Take pictures if you like! But don't touch, because this looks like poison ivy!)

Heart Shaped Box as of October 2

Heart Shaped Box as of October 2 (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

This morning I went to the studio to work on this project. The heart-shaped box originally held a gift from my daughter, and now I am covering it with pieces of printed metallic ribbons. I am working on the outside of the bottom of the box, which is going to be gold, and today I began to outline the upper rim, and filled in more of the lower part. I am also working on the bottom of interior, which is going to be predominantly red. I am already worrying about running out of solid red ribbon, and may need to mix in some red pattern as well. I have no preconceived design. I am making this up as I go along, and still haven't decided what colors and patterns to use on the remaining areas, such as the inside of the box top. While I am working on this collage project, I am completely focussed on what I am doing. I usually have only an hour or so to spare, but even if I have more time, I have learned to stop when I feel like I am getting tired (or rushed or impatient). One way I can tell it is time to stop is that I realize that I am no longer making good decisions.

Red and Gold Leaves

Red and Gold Leaves (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

This is another of the photos that I took the other day during my little excursion around the block to see the fall colors. This is a little tree on the edge of a parking lot. I cropped the original photo to get this image, but not by much, and I adjusted the contrast a bit, but otherwise this is the image as it came out of my little digital camera. Some people travel quite a distance to see fall colors, but I think beauty can be found everywhere, if we remember to notice.