The loss of ceramic tiles

     For years now I've been able to sell ceramic tiles with my images on them. The mainly consisted of words composed with a flower designed in them as a letter. Customers loved them and needless to say I sold a lot of them. I used them in the kitchen as a spoon rest or as wall decor attached by simply adding a piece of velcro.

    I've been using the same company for years to order them and they have been doing a great job. But now they decided to up the price to the point where I simply cannot afford to buy them and then try to ask my customers to pay 1/3 more then they were in the past.  So the end is in sight for my little tiles unless I come across another company to make them for me at a low price without having to order 500 of each or put in a huge investment and make them myself. Which of course steels my creative time.

     So I'll keep searching for another avenue to purchase them. And if any of you know of a place, then please let me know.

     All the images will still be available on note cards. I will continue to make new ones like "Carrots" in that another company will come along.

Food Still Life

     This morning, while fixing breakfast I got to wondering what it would be like if I were born just 100 years earlier. Would all this fresh produce be available to me? Fresh blueberries from Chile, oranges from Florida and cantelope from who knows where. Would I have to had canned it all last fall and bring it out as a treat on these cold winter days? Will my grandkids even know what home canning is all about?  I sure am gratefull for all the advancement the world has made since my grandmother was a small girl. I now couldn't imagine going to the store and not finding my favorite part of the grocery store, fresh produce.
     These cold winter days are excellent for setting up shop to take pictures for food still life.

Above we have grapefruit and lace. I love to combine antiques with flowers. It portrays a quiet, relaxing, feminine moment from times past. I strive to make you want to take that much needed break to relax, savor and enjoy the moment. Cheesecake and Bluesberries and Yellow pepper below.

And the best part of doing food still life? You have to eat the leftovers.

Check out my Heirloom Gallery

The Westcotts

Thomas and Mary Westcott lived at Westcott manor in Marwood, Devon , England in the early 1400's. They had two boys, Thomas and Stephen who would often play in the woods and gardens. One day while playing hide and seek they stumbled upon a tiny little village of garden fairies.
Garden fairies live hundreds of years and if they like a family they will stay with them forever. This village of fairies has been with the Westcotts since they met Furbert De Wescote in 1175 when he was  a young boy in Exeter.

Now the garden fairies don't usually show themselves to the families they live with but Thomas and Stephen were so much fun to watch that the garden fairies enjoyed seeing them play. They both had a wonderful imagination and the fairies were very entertained.

Clover Hailleaf has been telling me the stories of both his and our ancestors being together for 23 generations. And soon their knowledge will be passed on to Dawson and Avery, my grandchildren.

He and his wife Gossamer have taken a liking to the new atrium in my living room. I've taken them in from the cold gardens Only you have to look very fast for if they think you are looking at them, they freeze and look like stone.

Well, I better get back to work with my clay. Gossamer is asking for me to build them a home.

A New Adventure

I really thought that 2011 was going to be my slowest year since An Artist View Photography started. With the economy as slow as it has been, I've been avoiding doing art shows. There were lots of lookers but unless you were selling food, there were just not enough buyers to pay the rent.

But then it happened, one day over lunch with a friend. We got to talking about publishing books. POD's they call them. Publishing on Demand. Which means basicly....you do everything yourself. You write it, edit it, design the layout, buy the books and promote them all by yourself. Yep, lots of work.

I took on the writing of Second Glances, An Introduction to Seeing. It's a pictorial book about my Second Glances photographic collection. Second Glances started on the beach at East Tawas State Park in my home town of the Tawas Cities. While on the beach taking pictures of the sunrise I came across a really cool design the colored sands were making with the waves and just had to take pictures of it. Later I discovered the awesome designs within the sand design. It contained faces. Lots of them. That is when the game began for me. Every since then, I look just a little closer to designs in nature. You would be amazed at what is there, just by taking that second glance. And that is what the book is about. Showing you how to see the images within the designs of ordinary things.

So now that the book is published and is available through my web site, www.anartistview.net, Amazon.com, Barnes and Nobles or any other book store, book signings are my next big adventure. Where do I start? What do I do now? Well, today I'll start by putting it all in motion. My first step, making a list of book stores and libraries in my area. Then I'll need a flyer designed to mail to all of them as an introduction. I have a feeling the writing of the book was the easy part.

Join my along my journey and be sure to post your suggestions of stores near you. It's always nice to see a familier face.

A fall trip to St Louis

So I was reading the magazine, Midwest Living and they had an article about taking a trip down the Illinois river. Beautiful scenery, canyons, waterfalls and when we reached the end of the river we would be so close to St. Louis we just had to go there as well. Sounded like a fantastic plan so my daughter and I packed up Emma(our springer spaniel), my mom and dad, and were off on our way.

Our first stop was to Starved Rock State Park. What a beautiful place to spend the day. I had been practicing taking waterfall pictures so I could capture the water coming over the canyon walls. That didn't quit happen since it was all dryed up by this time of year. But with it all dry, we were able to climb into the back of each canyon and take some wonderful shots that would have been impossible with the water flowing. The place was packed making it hard to get some great shots without people in them. But without the people in them it would be hard to show the vastness of the canyons. My recommendations....go on a weekday, were your hiking boots, bring the dog and be ready to climb hundreds of stairs. It was well worth the stop.

Our next stop was Chautaugua National wildlife refuge. It was a little rainy that day but the forest was still beautiful and the birds where plenty. We went in hopes of seeing the white pelicans that make their home there. Of course that day there were on the other side of the lake.

Dickson mounds museum was next. The story goes....Dr Don F Dickson desided to start excavations on the family farm. Which turned out to be the burial mounds for the american indians who lived there some 12,000 years ago. They have a wonderful museum filled with artifacts and a awe-inspiring journey of their way of life along the Illinois river valley. What I found to be fascinating is that their culture really didn't grow at all until the explorers introduced them to their way of life and all the things they had learned to make and trade for a better way of life. This is diffently a must see place.

We were off to Beardstrom. The only place where President Lincoln ever tried a court case. And of course he got his man off because the farmers almanac said it was cloudy that night so the witness couldn't possible have seen him commit the crime. That courtroom is still in use today and tours are available by this very nice lady. She dissappered before I could get a picture of her and get her name.

We made it to St. Louis that night and stayed at the Drury Hotel right next to Union Station in downtown. I highly recommend this place. Emma was very welcome there, although she really didn't care for the elevators. Very resonable pricing that included the dog, breakfast, drinks at 5, a small evening meal and free parking. The hot tub and pool was very clean and much needed after a long day of exploring.

We visited the zoo and loved it. It is very clean and the animals seem to be happy and moving around so you felt like you were so close. This guy was in with the baby giraffe and seemed to want all the attention on him. He was posing very well so I didn't mind.

Next stop was the art museum and the botanical gardens. Again, very nice and clean. Oh and by the way...the zoo and the art museum has free admittion. The botanical gardens was 12.00 to get in but well worth it. And lunch is exceptional at their cafe.

We made it home the next day tired out and ready for the weekend to relax.

The one thing I do have to say......Although we seen some great places along the way, Michigan has the best fall color you're going to see in the midwest.

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Spring Inspiration

I don't know of one gardener who doesn't start looking for even the slightest sign of new growth sneaking up through the last remains of our michigan snow. If there is even a hint of spring in the air we are out there inspecting. I'm so quilty of this myself.

And those first hints of spring are my inspirations to get out my camera. I've always been amazed with leaves. All kinds of leaves. From the new buds on the trees to the unraveling of the first ferns. Their shapes, their textures and even the many, many shades of color. I ask myself every time...."Who designed these anyway? They are fabulous!" Year after year I go through the same rituals, discovering, amazement and then taking even more pictures of them. I may have 20 images of grape leaves but there always seems to be another special leaf or bud.

Here are a few of what I've found in just my own back yard.

Ground covers, boxwoods, grasses,


lavender and grapevines all make wonderful subjects

to study.

To me it's all about color and texture. I try to keep my images to many different shades of the same color. To me, it seems be easier on the eye. A kinda calming effect. But don't overlook the importance of your lighting. Making sure it is playing off your main subject will keep it the center of attention.

There is no need to wait till the plants are in full bloom. Get out there now and discover the first round of amazing beauty all plants have to offer.