FROM THE IDAHO STUDIO of CHARLEEN MARTIN

MERRY CHRISTMAS

AND

THE HAPPIEST OF HOLDAYS!

THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING PART OF MY JOURNEY

I WISH YOU GOOD HEALTH
AND SUCCESS IN THE COMING YEAR!

CHARLEEN

www.charleenmartin.com

http://www.charleenmartinstudios.com

WE ARE ALL . . .

JUST A SHADOW IN TIME.

SHADOW WALKER

6 x 8" Acrylic on wood panel  ~  SOLD

I did this piece a few weeks ago ... just in time for my November Newsletter.  Since it's almost time for my December Newsletter I'd better get back in the studio and get some more work done. :) 

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A CHANGE FROM CLOUDS OF THE DAY . . .

Since we went south the first few weeks of November, and I did more sightseeing than I did Artwork, I thought I would share more of the photos I took on some of our explorations.  We will be heading south again in a few weeks, this time for three months. 

If it was up to my husband, we would have just stayed south but I wasn't quite ready to give up spending the Holidays with family.  As our daughter said "let's just take baby steps on this whole idea of you going south!"  :)  Don't know that I'll get away with that next year though.  I've been hearing too many mumblings about how "we could be in 80 degrees but here I am having to plow snow in 10 degree weather!"   I can't say that I blame him, especially since I haven't been any help.  I chose this time to have 'double' foot surgery (maybe there was a little method to that madness!)  :)  It was something that needed to be done, and since I was going to be laid up because of one foot, why not get it all over with at once and just do both.  And, what better time of year with well over 3' of snow on the ground already and that blanket being added to as I type. Our real problem may be just getting out of Mullan when the time comes!

 

Death Valley was not at all what I expected.  There are so many varied landscapes all within this one National Park.  It can go from 280 feet below Sea Level Salt Flats to over 11,000 foot high mountains.  I had no idea about the mountains ... I thought it was all predominantly below sea level.  Fascinating to see.

Salt Flats to Mountains

This is one of the drives off the main highway through the Park.  It's called 'Artist Drive' because of the many beautiful colors in the rock in this area.  It's aptly named.  :)  Iron Salts provide the reds, pinks and yellows while Micas produce the green and magnesium makes the purple.  Unfortunately my photos don't do justice to the actual coloring.

You can actually see the difference in colors in this photo.

And for you oldies out there that remember the old ads on TV . . .

And yes, this is where the original '20 Mule Team Borax' came from  :)

Easily the most desolate area I've been to.  I would not want to be lost out here.  Well, I don't want to be lost anywhere . . . but especially here!

As in the last Blog, if there are any photos here that any of the Artists out there would like to use as reference photos, please feel free.

Since there was not a cloud in the sky the day we went to Death Valley I decided to share this cartoon my friend Indy sent to me.  Kind of emphasizes how we can all see life (and clouds) so differently.

Charleen

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MY WISH FOR YOU AND YOURS ....

A LITTLE TIME AWAY ...

GREETINGS FROM NEVADA!

I would like to say that I have been getting all kinds of Artwork done these last few weeks but that would be 'inaccurate'.  :)  I did get a few new pieces done but don't have them with me to post.  I'm currently on a short vacation so I thought I would share with you instead, some photos of our trip.  Now I know most people hate looking at other peoples vacation photos, but I promise, there are no humans in these.  I thought, for the Artists among you out there, there just might be a photo or two that you might find inspiring.  :)

If you do see something that you would like to paint, please feel free.  As  you will note, I do not make my income from my photography so I have no problem sharing.  If you do get a painting out of any of these, and you would like to share it, I would love to post it on here so the others can see it too.  :)

We were on our way to The Grand Staircase Escalante' National Monument (a part of Bryce Canyon National Park) when we took a wrong turn and found this beautiful place.  It's called Kodachrome National Park and it's a little off the beaten path.  When discovered, it was thought to be so photogenic that the government asked Kodak if it could use its name for the Park.  Obviously they gave their permission.

How do you like this pose?!  :)

It doesn't show up very well in this photo but, yes, that is a double Rainbow forming.

 The vast differences in the Rock Colorings in a small amount of space is just amazing.

Chimney Rock

 This reminds me of a great, old Wise Man standing guard over some Ancient Treasure

See you soon!

Charleen

THERE'S 'MAGIC' IN THE AIR TONIGHT ...

MAGIC ...

I don't think this is quite what Phil Collins had in mind when he wrote his debut solo 'In the Air Tonight'.  In fact, after reading about it, the song was all about the anger he felt after a divorce from his first wife in 1979.  Amazing example of how channeling our emotions, even negative ones, can be put to work in such a positive way. 

'HEARING THE SOUNDS OF MAGIC IN THE NIGHT'

12 x 12 Acrylic on Wood panel

For more information on this Piece Please Click HERE

This is a little different for me.  The background, once again, was just a randomly painted background which sat for several weeks before deciding to add the tree.  Added the tree and the Moon and then it sat for a few more weeks before the barn and the Buck were added.  I have painted deer before but its been ? years.  Almost all the animals I've done in recent years have been Collage.  Way more whimsical.  This was a fun change.

And ... just in case you want to hear a little music here is the link to Phil Collins singing 'In the Air Tonight'    Phil Collins   (sorry, you'll have to skip the ad to get to this)

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CLOUDS OF THE DAY ...

This Sunset was taken by our daughter from atop the Space Needle in Seattle.  I don't really see any 'shapes' in this one (ok. maybe a 'Goldfish' or two up there' :) but I do see the Skyline itself on fire, or ... is it more like a Tsunami of fiery waves starting to crest on the Horizon!  Can Supergirl stop them?!  O.K. I see at least a short story happening here.  Better go while I'm in the moment.

A little humor.  (And I do mean little.)  For some reason I could not get the photo below enlarged without distorting the whole thing so it was not readable! :/  A friend sent me this (Thank you Darlene!) and she thought we might enjoy it.  Just in case you can't read it, here it is ...

I wonder if clouds ever look down on us and say

"Look. That one is shaped like an Idiot!"

Your smile for today.  :)

Charleen

A LITTLE CHANGE FOR FALL ...

I thought I would get my Blog in to the Spirit of Fall.  :) 

It's definitely different than my normal Black Background.  Let me know what you think!

AUTUMN IS A SECOND SPRING, WHERE EVERY LEAF IS A FLOWER.

~ Albert Camus

'THE FIELDS SPEAK THEIR PEACE'

6 x 8" Acrylic on Wood Panel

More information on this Piece can be found HERE

This reminds me of our time living in Mount Vernon, WA.  It was predominantly all farming with miles of beautiful Tulip fields blooming in the Spring.  (It still is that way) 

  http://www.tulipfestival.org/multimedia
photo: Michael Brannan

We moved up there when our oldest daughter was in eighth grade.  At the end of the school year she came home and announced she wanted to go to work in the fields like the rest of her friends.  It seemed that most of the kids her age went to work rogueing spinach, picking beans or gathering bulbs out of the fields.  At 12, she was a year younger than most of her classmates but even at 13, I couldn't imagine her going to work in the fields.  As a New York City girl, work for me at that age was called 'babysitting'.   After much begging, pleading and our investigation, we relented.  Off she went the first day.  Her job was to walk the rows in the tulip fields and pick all the bulbs out of the dirt that had been loosened by the plows.  They got paid by the bulb.  If I remember correctly, it was 2 cents a bulb.  At the end of her first day her friends Mom dropped her off back at home. Covered in mud from head to toe, our daughter was literally unrecognizable.   One or two tears streaked down through the mud on her face and out came the statement "I don't want to go back!" 

After getting cleaned up, having dinner, and with things not looking quite as bad, we sat down and had a talk.  I explained how it cost money for companies to put you on a payroll and train you.  How, if she quit, they would then have to do the same thing all over again with another person.  That wasn't really fair to the company.  Her Dad and I said since she has made this commitment to the company we wanted her to stay for two weeks.  If, after the two weeks she still felt the same way, she could quit.  Besides the obvious moral to this story, I will tell you that at the end of the two weeks, and after having received her FIRST PAYCHECK, there was no longer a hint of her wanting to quit (even at 2 cents a bulb!)  It's always amazing what a little incentive can do!

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CLOUDS OF THE DAY . . .

Can you see the Eagles head just peering out from the clouds on the left? 
This is another one of those that if you look hard enough I'm sure a whole array of
animals would appear.

CHARLEEN

FLOWERS FOR A SEPTEMBER DAY ...

Sometimes when we want flowers in our lives we just have to paint them ourselves.  I randomly painted this blue background and then needed to decide what I was going to paint on it.  Flowers seemed to be in order. 

'A BOUQUET FOR SUNDAY AFTERNOON'

6 x 6 x 1.5" Acrylic on canvas

For more information on this Piece Please Click HERE

Most of my flowers outside are bidding me adieu.  I do have one little Rosebush that does seem to be loving the weather ...

and even my Rhubarb hasn't abandoned me yet ...

but this once lovely 'Summerina', which I just bought a few days ago, and which I thought I would get at least a few weeks of enjoyment out of, obviously did not like the 29 degrees we had the other night :(

Fortunately it's a perennial so I'll still plant it and hope it comes back next year.


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CLOUDS OF THE DAY ...

A FISH BY ANY OTHER NAME IS STILL A FISH.



By all these lovely tokens September days are here,
With summer's best of weather and autumn's best of cheer. 
~  Helen Hunt Jackson

Charleen

INNOCENCE AND HAPPINESS ....

SEEM TO GO HAND IN HAND.

LITTLE SISTERS:

'HAPPINESS IN THE MOMENT'

8 X 8" Collage on Wood panel

For more information on this Piece Please Click HERE

I started this as a companion to the one below but never quite finished it in time because the one below sold right away.  :)

 

("I CAN'T EXPLAIN IT, BUT BIG PEOPLE JUST DON'T BELIEVE IN MAGIC.")

And, the backgrounds do match, but obviously not in my photographs!

A sister is both your mirror - and your opposite.

~ Elizabeth Fishel

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CLOUDS OF THE DAY ...

                                                         Photographer: Unknown

THIS JUST LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING FROM OUTER SPACE!

CHARLEEN

THERE WAS ALWAYS AT LEAST ONE SHOW-OFF IN SCHOOL ...

AND HERE WE HAVE TWO ...

THE FAMILY TREE: 
"I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY ALWAYS HAVE TO SHOW OFF."

24 x 36 x 1.5" Acrylic on Canvas

This is the Commissioned Piece I mentioned in my last Blog (which has now morphed into another Commission Piece  :)  I love working on a Black Canvas.  It just brings out the rest of the colors so nicely.  Probably goes along with my love of black walls in my homes over the years (Not all the walls! Just accent walls. :)  Yes, even had a black ceiling in a dining room in one house.  Very dramatic but it looked great.  :)

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CLOUDS OF THE DAY ...

I thought I would include the whole photo this time, not just the clouds.  I took this on our way over to the coast passing through the high desert in Oregon.  The whole yard was filled with rusted old cars.  It was really rather sad.  So many dreams all reduced to a pile of rust.  I would have loved to have gotten some closer photos but it just wasn't a place that had the 'Come on in' feeling about it.  I'm sure you've all seen one or two places like that ...

By the way .... I see a Snail!

''No one writes as slowly as I do, I'm convinced. It's so hard for me.

I learn slowly; I make decisions at a snail's pace.'

~ Virginia Wolff

Charleen

I HEAR THE MUSIC ...

AND, THEY DO TOO!

'HEARING THE MUSIC'

Pretty Pink Coneflowers keeping time to the rhythm of the Breeze ...

For more information on this piece Please click HERE

'ONE GOOD THING ABOUT MUSIC, WHEN IT HITS YOU, YOU FEEL NO PAIN.'

~  Bob Marley

I have been diligently working away on a Commissioned Piece which I just finished yesterday.  That's why I haven't been around lately to visit with you.  :)  This is another Pointillism Piece which I will post on my next blog.  I do like doing them but they are VERY time consuming. 

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CLOUDS OF THE DAY ...

I can clearly see the face of a wizened old soul up in the lighter portion of the clouds.  I also see a Walrus and I can also see part of an angry Bears head.  :(  What am I missing?  :)

Charleen