Felicity's Top 5

Get ready! It's my turn to share some cool art. 

Team Spirit

Is there a better way to start my shortlist of favorites than with this trio of large horse paintings? I think not! The subjects of all three 6' x 5' acrylic-on-canvas paintings are the same real-life team of dapple gray Percherons. This artist has entered similar so-perfect-they-could-almost-be-photograph paintings in previous ArtPrizes, including polar bears and tigers. According to the video on the ArtPrize website, her favorite subjects are horses. (As a kid, she used to get in trouble for drawing horses during math class. =)) I love everything about this piece, from the horses' beautifully textured and shaded coats to their intricately detailed harnesses to the delicate clouds of vapor coming from their nostrils. Well done!

Not All Ideas Are Good Ideas

The artist did not elaborate on these at all on the ArtPrize website, nor did he even post a photo. (This is one Mom took.) But I suppose the scattering of deflating ceramic light bulbs pretty much speak for themselves. I'm not sure whether to laugh or feel sorry for them. Maybe a little of both? So many ideas I have end up like this...

Where They May Find Me

This entry is a series of oil-on-linen paintings of tranquil nature scenes. I appreciate the artist's painting style (they are clearly paintings but not chunky and overly-blurred) and how well he captures the light and shadow of the scenes. The story behind them and their title made me like them even more. The artist explained that he carried around a premonition for many years that he would die at age 43 while painting in some remote spot. These paintings are - you guessed it - ones he painted during his 43rd year of life (hence they depict possible places he could have kicked the bucket). This past summer, the artist made it to 44, so I hope the danger has passed...

Owl

No, this is not a photograph. It's embroidery. The artist first painted the owl design on silk backing and then painstakingly embroidered the owl with various shades of silk thread. It's so detailed and shimmery, and it looks so incredibly real!

Changing Oceans

A sculpture of ocean life made from a wide variety of recycled metal objects?! What's not to like? The artist got really creative while putting this together. Some of my favorite elements are the bike helmet turtles, the cheese grater shark, the colander puffer fish, and the octopus with egg beater arms. <3

I regret that nothing noteworthy happened on HI2 this past week. That's probably because we have hardly been on at all - this past week was extra busy in our house. Hopefully Julie will have more to report next weekend. 

Let's not get ahead of ourselves, though. Before the weekend comes Halloween! Here is a preview of the costumes we're going to wear to our Halloween party this year. Bethany convinced us to all dress up as royalty.

The one snag: we only own two tiaras. We could get crafty and make two more out of paper and tin foil or something, but I'm guessing that's not going to happen in time. Oh well, it's not the end of the world to just take turns. I think that at the party, whoever's wearing a tiara has to 1. speak in a British accent and 2. refer to herself using the royal "we" instead of "I." For example, if someone were to tell a tiara-wearer a lame joke at the party, an appropriate response from the tiara wearer would be, "We are not amused." XD

I will share one more photo with you that has nothing to do with ArtPrize, HI2, or Halloween. Why? Well, because it could have been the last photo Mom's camera ever took!

Our house aquired several floral arrangements after a funeral last week. Mom was going around the house taking photos of them on Saturday afternoon. She took this photo and then moved on to the pink arrangement in the next room. The problem: this brought her into the path of Nala at full zoom. Mom had just enough time to think, Oh crap. Please go around me. before impact. Nala knocked both Mom's legs out from under her from behind, and Mom and the camera found themselves lying next to each other on the carpet. Fortunately, neither the camera nor Mom hit the cabinet with the flowers on the way down. Nala is fine, the camera is fine, and aside from a mildly sore leg, Mom's fine too. Just goes to show you that we're not totally kidding when we talk about the dangers of living with a 2-year-old pit mix. Oh, and for the record, Nala did not stop zooming when this occurred, but at least she had the courtesy not to run them over once they were down. XD