Karen's Muse and Musings

Lunching in Rome

I ate lunch in Rome yesterday. My sister, along with my niece just in from Athens, whisked us away for a lovely day in her private jet.

Gotcha! Actually it went more like this: I ate lunch in Rome, Georgia, yesterday. My sister, along with my niece just in from Athens, Georgia, home of the University of Georgia, whisked us away for a lovely day in her Honda Accord.

The trip was planned as a Mother's Day treat for my mom who grew up in Rome. She and my other sister met us, and we really did have a wonderful day exploring the old Southern river city, having a delightful lunch at the Harvest Moon Cafe, and wandering through Myrtle Hill Cemetery. I couldn't believe that I forgot my camera! Luckily, my mother let me use her camera to capture some stone angel photos which I hope to use in future art projects. Here are a couple.

Oh, and by the way, here in Georgia we also have a Cairo and a Vienna!

Meet Bobby

A beautiful cabinet card arrived in my mail yesterday from Christine. I just love this little boy with his ball and his adorable toy horse — so much so that I sat right down and created this collage sheet.

Here's a little poem from A Child's Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson.

Looking Forward

When I am grown to man's estate
I shall be very proud and great,
And tell the other girls and boys
Not to meddle with my toys.

Boy with Goose

Make up your own story to go with this one.

You can now order prints of my artwork such as this one at Etsy.

 

Goose photographed by my good friend Joanne Thieme Huffman and used with her permission. Thank you, Joanne.

Clara

I am falling more and more in love with vintage cabinet cards and photos. Clara is one of the latest additions to my little "family." Once again, I can't help but wonder about her life. Was she happy? Did she marry, have children, grandchildren and grow old? Why is her photo being sold on eBay? What happened to her family? I will probably never know the answers to these questions, but, little Clara, you now have a home with me.

You may remember seeing Clara in Tree Hugger, and now I've just completed a collage sheet with her sweet, haunting face.

This week's theme for Gothic Arches is heritage. I chose an old family photo taken at a family reunion in 1936 as the basis for my arch.

My grandmother and grandfather are in the photo along with aunts and uncles. The handsome young boy on the right is my father at the age of 10. This is my heritage.

The quote is taken from Family and Politics by Letty Cottin Pegrebin, but it is well worth reading the entire quote.

If the family were a container, it would be a nest, an enduring nest, loosely woven, expansive, and open. If the family were a fruit, it would be an orange, a circle of sections, held together but separable—each segment distinct. If the family were a boat, it would be a canoe that makes no progress unless everyone paddles. If the family were a sport, it would be baseball: a long, slow, nonviolent game that is never over until the last out. If the family were a building, it would be an old but solid structure that contains human history, and appeals to those who see the carved moldings under all the plaster, the wide plank floors under the linoleum, the possibilities.

Happy Easter!

I wish you all a safe and happy Easter. Peace be with you!

Karen

Blackbird

Another arch for Heather.

The quote is from a poem by William Ernest Henley (1849-1903).

The Blackbird

The nightingale has a lyre of gold,
    The lark's is a clarion call,
And the blackbird plays but a boxwood flute,
    But I love him best of all.

For his song is all of the joy of life,
    And we in the mad, spring weather,
We two have listened till he sang
    Our heart and lips together.

Enough said?

A Thing of Beauty

When my husband brought home those precious, old baby shoes, he also brought a portrait of a beautiful woman. Unknown and forgotten, now she has a home in my studio, and she is the focal point of this arch I made for my friend, Heather. I photoshopped her with an arch we photographed in Siena — two beautiful objects combine to make "A Thing of Beauty."

Four Faces of Hope

When I first saw the photo of this little girl, I was struck by her expression. She looked sad, but in her eyes I saw hope. This is a scan of the original cabinet card.

I worked on the image in Photoshop, and here are my Four Faces of Hope.

   

Speaking of hope, for all of you who are experiencing the bitter cold right now, here's a little sign of hope for spring — the first daffodil in my yard.

Abigail — Before and After

Here's a photo I recently won on eBay from one of my favorite sellers, Christine.

Christine was quite honest that the photo was not in the best shape, but I couldn't resist that precious little girl. Look at her outfit — from the ruffly hat to the muff with the puppy face, she must have been the height of fashion. I named her Abigail and went to work on her in Photoshop. Here is what I have done so far.

Because of the condition of the background, I eliminated the chair in her old background which meant she had to get a new arm. She also received two new legs since her original feet were barely discernible.

Christmas Cactus

My Christmas cactus is in full bloom and prettier than ever, I think.