Ski Weekend

My husband, Jerry and I traveled up to Belair MI this past weekend to go skiing at Schuss Mountain. I figured out that I've been going there one weekend every year for about 20 years now. It started when the Tedrick lab, a few photographers and their staff started going up to just have a good time and ski. If it weren't for them I probably never would have started skiing.
Many years were spent with just the girls going up. We all stuck pretty close on the hill since none of us really knew what we were doing. I remember all of us being pretty embarrashed when a little boy about 5 years old keep passing us up on the hill. He would just schuss right on by like he was born with skies on his feet. The fifth time he past us, he stopped, looked at us funny, then asked, "Are you ladies OK?" We had been falling and laughing so hard on our first run down that this little guy just couldn't help himself. We were all shamed into watching a video on skiing. We did much better after that.
Years later I'm still just as much afraid of those slopes. Although it doesn't take me 2 hours to get down anymore the fear is still there. Jer learned just four years ago and he is the one who looks after me. I guess I better go watch that video again because it won't be long before we start taking the grandkids.

Photo Montage for my bio.

This past week I had to work on updating my bio. If you've ever had to write one, it really makes you stop and think about who you really are and what you have been doing with yourself. It makes you sum up all those crazy fly by weeks and months that make us say "where did all that time go anyway?"

After finishing mine I got to thinking about a picture that needed to go along with it. Do I even have one? Did I take the time to have a professional one taken..... no. (I know, I work with photographers every day, I have no excuse) then I got to thinking. Would they be able to capture who I really am? And then that lead in another thought and that thought brought me all the way around to creating my own photo montage of who I really am.

It didn't start out that hard. I've always wanted to use photoshop to improve the real me. The cartoon look is way out of my everyday world, so I started with that. Then came gathering all the images I wanted in it. Paint brushes, flowers, places Jer and I have traveled. One thing lead to another again and I ended up having to eliminate a few good ideas because my canvas was going to be big enough as it is. My kids will just have to wait till the next one.

Then came, taking out all the backgrounds. Lots of work but worth all the extra care. Arranging them was another four hours work. Then arriving at a pleasing color scheme was another few hours.

The bio is now done and the artwork was a rewarding experience. If you're thinking that your life is boring........stop and think of all your interest and try to write them down or create a photo montage to express it. I can guarentee you'll be amazed at your accomplishments.

It's time now to go play in the greenhouse.

Yellowstone Experience

Last September I traveled with my family to Yellowstone National Park. I have to say it was extrodinary! I never expected to see such beauty!

You stand there overlooking the endless beauty and then that voice starts creeping in. You know, that little voice that says.. " um..excuse me.....but you do realize you are standing on top of a LIVE volcano?" It's funny how sometimes danger is so enticing. Even knowing that soon after we left, it rumbled for a day, it doesn't stop me from planning another even longer stay at the park. At one point while capturing a coyote coming down a path at me, it wasn't until the lens stopped that I realized that I couldn't focus anymore because he was standing only 3 feet in front of me (hoping I would get off his path) that I was in reach of immediate danger. The coyote crouched down and I stepped out of his way with no hesitation. But I now can see how someone can get eaten or stampeded or whatever. The beauty and ahh of the whole experience kinda puts you in a trance of sorts.

If you get a chance, visit but take at least two or more days to see everything.

You can experience my visit at

http://www.anartistview.net/Yellowstone%20DW%20Products.html

I'll post the coyote under Curious Creatures sometime soon. As I'm not done with the whole PayPal thing yet.

Announcing PayPal addition

Last week I started out just tweeking the website. And you know how it goes.....one thing leads to another and pretty soon you get all caught up in doing ten things you really had no intension of starting until later. Much later...
Well, now I'm in the middle of adding PayPal onto the site. It's not as easy as it would seem to be. Just copy and paste this button on your site.........yeah right! @##$.... It's a lot of tedious patience. There's that word again...patience. It seems to be a constant lesson in my life. Not one I really want to deal with. Anyway I've come to appreciate web design people at a new level thought this process.
Please be a little patient and I'll keep copy and pasteing along.
Thank you!

A photographic season of fruits and veggies.

What a beautiful summer we're having! And a perfect time to go out and get those wonderful images of summer while the gardens are in full bloom.
After lots of request for something different to hang in the kitchen, I've decided to direct my work into a line of fruits and veggies. Sounds pretty simple until I started the project.

This process started back in March when we heated up the greenhouse to start our seeds. Then the garden soil had to be prepared for planting and with weeks of weeding and watering everything is coming in all at once.

This weekend we'll be out there collecting plant leaves, bringing them into the greenhouse, setting them and finally getting to take the long awaited shots I've been planning all year. Seems it would have been a lot easier if I could have purchased them from the grocery store but without the leaves that come with them, it's just half the shot.

These images will then be edited using my close friend, photoshop along with any other computer program that fits my imagination. Sorting through at least 2000 images will take me all winter long to edit. After which they will be used for prints or even a line of ceramic tiles. So by next summer's art shows , a simple print of tomatoes or squash will be ready for the harvest, two years after an idea was conceived.

Our kitchen designs from last summer can now be seen on my webpage http://www.anartistview.net/K%20gallery/index.html

Enjoy and happy gardening!

A new season of Art Shows

June is here and it's time to get going on the summer art shows. Every year we get a little nervous starting out because you just never know if we are really prepared until we're at the shows setting up. Then the inevitable question comes up....."Will anyone even show up?" And every year they do, and Jenny and I get to visit with everyone who came last year and the previous years. Like old friends stopping by to say hello and catch up on what's new. Thanks guys, we love it.

This year we added a new show in Toledo, Ohio. We're branching out of state even if it is only a few miles out of state. We hope to do well there since it is the Crosby Botanical Gardens and well, you know how much I will be fitting in there. Only problem is going to be keeping me and my camera in the booth. As I'm sure I'll be needing lots of creative breaks in the gardens.

Looking forward to seeing you at the shows.

Ann

this years show schedule

http://www.anartistview.net/Notes%20from%20the%20Garden.html

Going Green. Spring is here.

Going Green!

Spring is here. Our long michigan winters really make you appreciate spring. At the first sign of color, any excuse is a good one to go out and enjoy it. Of course all those garden chores come along with them. I've been working hard at getting all the gardens in order for the summer. Planting annuals, perenials, trees, vegetables and of course planning that next garden.

I've been studying companion gardening this past winter and have tried something different when planting my vegetable garden. Basil with the tomatoes and beans with the strawberries. Sounds strange but it may work wonders. My garden journal will be filled with notes this year that's for sure.

This grass image and others are part of the New Blooms collection available on my website www.anartistview.net or at any of my upcoming art shows.