Ok, start filling up this discussion with all your adventures or activities or new art or works in progress or art shows or what ever you want.

I finally caught up with all my "To Do" chores. Such as up dating my blog on my art-e-studio.net website, adding a new post to my FAA blog, up dating my weekly featured painting ( which I've been behind on for three weeks ), finished writing, editing and sending a "Letter to the Editor" to two Maui news papers ( it's a thank you letter to everyone who was involved with our "Maui Masters" fundraising event and last but not least, catching up on all the submitted images to our group. Dorothy, Maggie and Pat, nice new pieces you added, I featured some of them.

I'm now ready to paint! I hope you all have a great weekend.

Morning....found the new thread.
Had a great painting day yesterday with 3 girlfriends. Art is an awesome way to come together. Had some munchies as well.
Been really cold but it is expected to warm up here next week...yahoo.
Sometimes I look at the new uploads. You often find great new work and artists you haven't seen before, I have always wondered how/why does masters works get posted here? They are old masters paintings that get posted. This has always seemed very weird to me. You look at them and think whoa what a great painting then realize it is an old master. Odd in my opinion.

Wow, I was just informed by a friend that one of my images was placed on a Facebook page. Luckily they are not trying to sell it and it doesn't link to anything so not real worried. It was shared 75 times though? Who knows what happens with it at that point? It is obviously a screen shot from FAA....

Good day all,

Welcome is March. It was over 70F here in Terry, MT today. We got a number of longed for tasks done outside in the sun. I am hoping the warmer weather holds.

Darice, I really love your interesting facts for each month. Mad as a March Hare has been a work theme recently...staff especially.

Photo work right now has been use of older pieces for digital painting and use of layers to create effects. The black and white/monochrome one I took today was for a series I am planning with a gallery theme of how the ordinary objects we see every a day influence our views and perceptions of life. It's the odd moments when we realize we are incredibly intrigued by the texture and color of a piece of toast at breakfast, or the cracked layers of paint on a windowsill, purely for the interest of it, not for any judgement. Neurosensory and somatosensory influences are a significant part of my work as a therapist. Seems it spills over and vice versa in art.

I hope all in the group are well and enjoying these swing months in both hemispheres.

Best regards,
Aliceann

Hi everyone, back from my trip to the UK and managed to pick up a cold so I am a coughing, spluttering thing. Lovely to be home! Stevie Mouse gave me a hero's welcome!

March... tomorrow is Festa della Donna here in Italy (woman's day) and everywhere will be mimosa cake and sprigs of mimosa. Traditionally the ladies are given the sprigs of mimosa. Usually Barnet Boy nicks a piece off a local tree, not sure what he has planned this year :-)

Darice as always you are so busy! Thank you for featuring my work.

Pat it must be nice to do some creating with other people. I really like the new stuff you have been posting on Faceache LOL. Re the old masters - yes, it is strange

Julie I hope you went in and commented how delighted you were that they had featured your work and her is the link to the website where people can buy a print of the image????

Aliceann, your new series sounds intriguing, I look forward to seeing how it develops.

I have missed two blogs because of work and being ill so I really must sit and write one this evening!

Dorothy, get well soon! I'm sure everyone is happy to have you where you belong ;)

I made a comment with a link to my web page on the photo but they have not recognized in the main photo that it is mine. It is a screen shot of a cell phone cover with my image on it so I know it was from FAA. It was actually a friend who saw it and tagged me in a comment to see it. Oh well, what to do? They aren't selling it or anything, just saying how cool it is which is a compliment...

Thanks Julie. Barnet Boy didn't nick any mimosa this year he bought me a sprig from the local supermarket.

Re the screen shot you have done all you can. You could send them a PM asking that they reference you in the original post but I honestly don't think anything would be gained by doing so in the long run and you can't catch all the shares now, as you say, nice to get a compliment.

Struggled with a blog tonight but couldn't miss another one. It is okay once you get into the flow of the subject. Three false starts and it sort of works!

Morning all.
It must be nice to be home Dorothy. So awesome tho to meet Abbie and the pups (again).Drastic changes in temperature seem to generate illness.
Yup not much you can do Julie. One of the hazards of posting work on internet. I post small images...not much anyone can do with them, inluding myself. After taking countless photography courses I now just photo with my ipad. It takes the best photos...go figure.
Sounds like you are having nice weather Aliceann, spring is coming.
Off to walk AB now (Anna Banana)...glorious day out...sunny and warm.

Wow:) I just notice the new features
to FAA/Pixels.com! When you click on a
throw pillow, you can leave a comment
about the pillow, give it a thumbs up,
or select the little heart:)
You can also share the pillows page!
I haven't notice much of anything for
a long time concerning this website.
These are nice changes.
Happy March everyone~

Debbie gorgeous absolutely gorgeous pillow. Your work really stands out perfectly.

Did you notice that this group has 64,108 images in it! Wow Darice, time to take a few out. I'm just as bad with my groups, I hate to throw images away, especially featured images.

There is so much talent on this site as we all know, but we are all buried. Fortunately when I moved to Hawaii, I got rid of my cell phone. Don't need one here on Moloka'i. I understand now that phones take pictures, people have thousands of images on them that they never look at. Times are a changing!

Sorry to have been absent, but just like the rest of you, I stay very busy. I don't think there is such a thing as retirement, when my tires wear out I just put on a new set and start over again. Thank God for creativity, it keeps our minds well oiled, and gives us a unique window into the world.

PS Nice pillow Debbie! We had the largest whale sightings this year ever. They come to Hawaii to have sex... in case anyone wants to know.

Hi James:)
Glad you like the whales:) LOL, not just whales visit Hawaii for sex:)
When my dad past away long ago, I end up with
his old 3D Polaroid Camera. You take a picture,
out comes the image just below the camera.
You had to wait 5 minutes for the camera card to dry. You couldn't touch the backside of the camera card.
With 3D, the backside would fade off if you weren't careful.
Having the image in your hands was great to see. The Polaroid has made it's return along with cameras
that use film. I don't care for digital age anymore. I love that records-albums and record players have all return as well.

My cell phone doesn't take pictures or connect to the web. I don't use the web that much.
I cannot use aps with my cell phone. What I don't need or use, I don't miss.
Chico has had lots of rain! More flooding starts tomorrow~

Love the pillow Debbie!

I am starting to feel a bit better so I thought I better get some of the artwork posted that I processed before I got sick. This is one of them, there are small series of floral abstracts I have been working on.

Nice image Dorothy, reminds me of a peaceful dream.

I don't miss those Polaroid cameras Debbie. I hated that stuff you had to coat the photo with. It smelled like some kind of nasty glue and alway got on your hands. I love the digital cameras, instantly I can view them on my computer.

I'm playing carpenter today, building 4'x4' vegetable boxes for a new vegetable garden.

Have a great day!

James, the type of Polaroid Camera I'm talking about, no coating, priming the camera card box.
The 3D camera, you insert the cardbox into the camera. Then take a picture.
Out comes the damp image, you place it flat with image side up on your desk. Allowing it to completely dry.
I still have the 3D Polaroid camera:)
Have fun planting:)

Pretty image Dorothy:)

Thanks James and Debbie.

My latest blog looks at the chaos that ensued on finding mice in the kitchen - some of you might find it amusing: http://www.shannathshima.me.uk/artblog/i-hate-you-meeces-to-pieces/

Sorry for my absence the past four weeks. I've been stretched way to thin. Today is our last day for the Maui Madters show. We are loading out and cleaning up. We are also doing our board meeting this afternoon. I'm looking forward to tomorrow already....hehehe.

James, I deleted about 500 or more images yesterday. Didn't have time to do more. Maybe next week.

Dorothy, I'm glad you're feeling better.

Debbie, I love the whales. Stay dry.

Hi to everyone and have a super great weekend.

Morning all.
Poor Darice...managing a group is no small feat. I have to admit I only pop into the discussions, never even go to home page. Time has gotten very scarce. I have no idea how she keeps up with it at all. Why we see so many groups dissolve.
Glad you are better Dorothy and I follow your mouse stories on fb.
James sounds like you are busy as always.
Gotta go wlaking with AB.

Ok, I finished my painting, Red Feather.

Very nice Debbie!! :)

Sorry I haven't been around to much. I've been busy with a new group that I am helping to administrate on facebook.

If you are at all interested it's https://www.facebook.com/groups/179070905789043/ "Watercolor Steps"
It was created to share artists watercolor paintings and help to teach and encourage others by showing the steps that are taken in completing a painting. Artists share their final painting and then post pictures of the steps from beginning to end to see how it all is done and comes together.

It has been a great group and fun to learn all the different techniques by people. There are some amazing artists on there who share their work.

I hope all is well with everyone!! Don't see much action here so everyone must be pretty busy!

Debbie that is really beautiful - love the colours!

I finally got my big report finished on Tuesday so it is now with the client for comment and they will give me feedback on Monday. After the end of the month I have a nice long break and am looking forward to getting back to my art work. I have made a start, posting a few images this week and working on another site for a relaunch Monday. I also started to re-market some of my older images - going back 18 months to when I first started selling my stuff, my earlier images didn't get such a lot of attention when they were launched compared to my new pieces so I thought I would give them a bit of an airing.

We also are pleased to announce that, subject to passing a home visit on Saturday, Barnet Boy and I will be the proud parents to two puppies, 3 month old brothers who were found abandoned, starving and flea ridden at the road side. I can't decide whether to think we are mad or to be excited - I think it is a bit of both. We have told the girls that the boys are coming, my money is on the kittens knocking them into shape.

Oh Dorothy, bless your heart, it is so good of you to take some in that have no home. And they are going to a wonderful home as you are a great mom. I hope the adjustment period goes smoothly.

Another good one Debbie! Your paintings are so vibrant and full of motion.

Pat, I'm beginning to wonder how I do it too. There's just not enough hours in a day any more.

Dorothy, good for you!. Puppies are wonderful. They will keep you and the kitties busy for awhile.

Julie, I checked out your fb group but since it's a closed group I couldn't see anything except who the members are. I'm not a watercolor artist but I do use some of the techniques with my acrylics.

A FAA member just came to my studio. He is a photographer and use to run the "Beautiful Hawaii" group here on FAA. I took the group over from him about 2 or 3 years ago. He and his wife, daughter and grandson stopped by because he, Dick, wanted to meet me. There were all very nice. It's fun meeting fellow FAAers.

Dorothy how wonderful for you and the puppies. Two will be good they can play together. Puppies are hard...so darn cute but the energy.OMG! Good luck.
Our snow is gone and today I was cleaning the yard. Anna B with me. She ventured out on the ice on the pond and fell in. I watched her for a minute or so to see if she could get out. No so in I went over my head and hauled her out. Okay I am too old for this...happy st. Paddy a day!
Cool,Darice about meeting other FAA'ers.

I'm cooking for St. Paddies Day tonight, the usual corn beef and cabbage with boiled potatoes and carrots. I love the stuff. I bought my golf clubs green golf shirt today in honor of this special day, and will wear it on Saturday for my monthly golf tournament. Everyone brings food to each tournament, kind of a huge pot luck lunch. I'm thinking of making a coconut sheet cake tomorrow, I have a great recipe "Pineapple Perfection Cake" on my website http://www.tastinghawaii.com/2012/01/hawaiian-pineapple.html.

Good for you Dorothy for rescuing the dogs, I don't know what I would do without mine. They all have such different personalities, sort of like people.

Still working on building my vegetable garden. Getting close to finishing it finally!

Liked your new painting Debbie!

Oh my, Pat! That must of been freezing....I've got chills just thinking about it. I hope both you and Anna B warmed up fast.

Aloha James, I love corn beef and cabbage. But Charlie doesn't. So we had spaghetti tonight. I had forgotten it was St Paddy's Day until late this afternoon. I didn't ware any green....no one pinched me thank goodness.

Oh my goodness Pat!! That's scary. I'm glad you are both ok.

James, the husband doesn't like corn beef, I was tempted to put a pot of it and cabbage & potatoes together anyway but instead made a chicken salad. So boring compared to the corn beef pot.

Hi Pat:)
I'm glad you and Anna B didn't drown! I have never been on ice.
The Spring heat is on out my way, yesterday it was 78.
Gosh, all last week we had pounding rains with local flooding.
The beautiful color green has taken over the entire area:)

I hope everyone had a happy St Patrickts Day yesterday:)
Here, I'm Dutch Irish, never had corn beef and cabbage.
We didn't do anything for the wearing of the green.

Dorothy, the word is out, animal spirits locate two puppies that need a good home.
They select you and Barnet Boy:) Congratulations:)

Thank you, happy everyone like's the painting.

Morning all and thanx for your well wishes but I am fine as is Anna B. Debbie you are lucky never to have been on ice...this I can't even imagine.
I am not a big fan of winter but that being said I do enjoy seasons. Winter is a fairly productive time for me as I do a lot of art...not much to do outside.
Corned beef and cabbage yum!!! I love it.
Dorothy do you have your new pups yet? Names?
I have a new art friend who is an amazing artist...she has a fabulous eye and its really nice to have a great resource to bounce ideas off.
Sunday I am doing a mono printing workshop...now this is fun!!!

Debbie re animal spirits - yep!

Thanks for the best wishes for our two little guys - we pick them up in about an hour and we are very excited! We had their name tags made this morning. We are about as ready as we are going to be.

Pat - Ringo and Spud!

As soon as I have a decent picture of the two boys I will post it!

Ladies and gentlemen! I give you Ringo and Spud

Those two very lucky dogs!
I'm glad these puppies have you as there mom Dorothy:)
I love the names you gave them:)

Thanks Debbie 😁

Great dogs Dorothy! I like the names as well. It looks like you will be having your hands full with those two.

Just came back from golfing, it was a nice change from my normal life, getting to meet new people and enjoy the beautiful outdoors. It was misting this morning with a cold north wind and a beautiful, huge rainbow over the golf course. Everyone brought food and we had a feast after the game.

So very cute Dorothy! I can't see the picture because the gallery is password protected but they look very cute from the little one posted here.

Love your pups Dorothy. They look like two peas in a pod! You are going to be a busy lady with those two. People forget how much energy puppies have.

James, that sounds like a perfect day in paradise :-)

Dorothy, your new puppies are very cute!

We took a break yesterday and went on a whale watching cruse. Didn't get to see any breaches except far off in the distance, but we had a really good time. We went with a small business group and all of us went to brunch afterwords. Charlie got some great shots. I had only my iPhone so couldn't zoom in on the far away whales. When we got home I made crock pot chicken Cacciatore for dinner. First time I ever made it and it turned out great! Charlie loved it, I'll be making it again.

I was interviewed on The Crazy Mind blog. here is a link http://www.thecrazymind.com/2016/03/the-art-of-painting-in-acrylic.html

Darice congrats I saw your interview on fb. Nice to know a famous person!!!!!
Whales breaching sigh....if only...you sure do live in paradise.
Did my mono printing workshop yesterday...awesome..I loved it...new art venue for me....just gotta get me some gelli pads.

Congrats Darice:)

Congratulations on the interview Darice (and the whale watching - did that once many, many years ago off Cape Cod).

Back to puppy training...

Happy Easter everyone! I hope you all have great plans for the weekend.Here in Hawaii the vog has been really bad and it's suppose to continue through the weekend. Which means no out door activity for me. James are you still around? your beautiful island has been hiding behind thick layers of vog for days. I can't see Molokai or Lanai. I'm so looking forward to our tropical trade winds coming back to blow all this vog out of here.

I'm a juror in the Northern California & Hawaii Regional Art Competition "The Zeitgeist Exhibition- Capturing the Times through Art" in Petaluma California. I don't have to go there to see and jury the art. The judging is all done through the computer. I'm really excited to have been asked to be one of the three judges. I even get paid for it. Here is a link to their website https://petalumaartscenter.org/exhibition/call-for-artists/zeitgeist-exhibition-juried-regional-art-competition/ A friend of mine from Chico who moved to Petaluma years ago, is the Exhibition Manager at the gallery. This is the first time I've been asked to judge an art show and I'm pretty excited about it.

Well that's about all the news from here. I hope you all have a safe and fun weekend.

Still here Darice. I checked out your link to the Petaluma Art Center. I used to live north of San Francisco and just south of Petaluma, it's a cool town. I tried to find out about the Art Competition but it seems that you have to join in order to enter. All I want is information. I saw your name mentioned as a Juror... very impressive!

Yes, the vog has been awful to say the least. I went to college in Los Angeles which had really bad smog but different than our vog. The weather report says that they don't know when our trade winds will return... SWELL. This is bad PR for Hawaii, maybe if the plug up the volcano it will come up somewhere else?

I planted some broccoli raab a couple of days ago in one of my new vegetable beds. If you're not familiar with it, as many Americans are not, it's a relative of broccoli, but is on the bitter side. The Italians love it as well as the Portuguese and Asians. I should have some to eat in about a month.

We are supposed to get heavy rain and lightning this afternoon. It's coming down the island chain and is very close... I just heard thunder, time to go close the windows.

Hi James, i was just reading the rules. I don't see where it says you have to be a member to enter. The competition is open to Northern Ca and Hawaii artists. Did you click on the link to the prospectus? https://petalumaartscenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/ZEITGEIST-Call-for-Entries_Final.pdf Entries must be made through SmarterEntry.com maybe that's where it's saying you have to be a member? I'm looking forward to the heavy rains, your island will get it before ours. I hope it will wash some of this vog away.

Congratulations once again Darice:)

gone.

gone

Hawaii has Vog we have snow and ice. Had another ice storm and it is so slippery out. I was out feeding my birds and heard huge crunchy noises...it was deer running across the field breaking through the crust. Winter is tough on wildlife. Last night the coyotes were right near the house and Anna was out howling at them. Wilderness wonderland.
My hubby is still making maple syrup...haven't had any yet ...it is a big process.
Yes congrats Darice...do you have jury rules/guidelines? I am in charge of jurors for an upcoming show and wondered if there were any guidelines anywhere.

Wish you all a Happy Happy Easter! Many hugs from Italy!

Happy Easter Ezeepics:) I hope you are well and happy:)

Yes Pat. I was given a 17 page instruction and tips through smarterentry.com website. it's pretty informative and very helpful.

delete

Julie Senf

Happy Easter everyone!! :) Love your GIF Debbie, very cute. Hope all is well with all of you!

Thanx Darice will check it out.
Debbie I love the sparkly eye bunnies!

Debbie that is so cute!

Sorry to hear about the vog. I hope everyone has had a lovely Easter, we had four days off as Friday was a bank holiday in the UK and today (Monday) is a bank holiday in Europe. It came at just the right time for training puppies and giving me a rest after catching a viral infection!

I published an article on 1stAngel today on how art helped me cope with the death of my pets - it tells you a bit about me, I guess, and has some of my poetry: http://1stangel.co.uk/artforhealth/2016/03/28/art-helps-me-cope-with-the-death-of-my-pets/

I also spent all afternoon working on this! A few twists and turns that I had to salvage including the computer shutting down midway but I managed to finish it! Part of my healing art/colour harmony collection decided specifically for a bedroom.

Hey Darice?
You email me somekind of link that wouldn't open.
What was the link about?
D~

Dorothy your article is beautiful. I got quite emotional reading it. I like you have lost so many pets but I don't think I ever expressed it the way you do. Cudo's to you. I followed you through the death of Barney but did not know the whole story. I do love the spirit image of him.
I know every dog I have lost has left a huge whole in my heart...my Jester the hugest I think....she was my girl to the core and we shared soo much of life together. My Anna banana is sharing life with us much the same now. She is a cuddler and the sweetest GS I ever owned. We both love her to bits.
Anyway lovely Dorothy...your two new characters are cute as buttons....

Oh Pat thank you so much that is very kind.

Debbie, I'm glad you couldn't open the link. My email was hacked. I changed my password and it should be fine now. If you noticed the email sent to you did not come from my email address. Someone got into my contacts and sent out that message.

Thank you Darice for the information.
A few years ago my Yahoo email account was
compromised, I switch my email account straight away.
Hope your account remains safe for you.

April is here and so is our new discussion thread. http://fineartamerica.com/groups/la-creme-de-la-creme-.html?showmessage=true&messageid=2979410

I just received 3 greeting cards (25 each) from FAA which I paid $121.90 for. The mailing package was torn to shreds, the post office put it in a clear plastic bag to keep everything together, and told me to contact the sender. When I got home, the 3 boxes that the cards were in were fortunately not damaged, however when I inspected the printing of the cards, I was really disappointed in the quality. It was as if the color and contrast was way off on all three cards. I have ordered these same cards in the past several times because they are my best sellers here on Molokai. Anyway I sent FAA customer service an email telling them about the poor packaging and printing. Haven't heard back yet.

Normally I have been pleased with the printing but not this time. Somebody is asleep at the wheel.