DO YOU REMEMBER THE SPIRIT GUIDES WE FOUND ALL OVER AJO LAST SEASON WHEN WE WERE HERE ...?

WELL, HERE ARE TWO NEW ONES WE JUST FOUND LAST WEEK AS WE DROVE AROUND AJO RECONFIRMING :) OUR DECISION TO SPEND OUR WINTERS HERE.  i THINK THERE WAS SOMETHING LIKE OVER 80 LAST SEASON!

BECAUSE I REALLY DON'T HAVE A STUDIO AT THE MOMENT MY WORK TIME/SPACE IS SOMEWHAT LIMITED AT THE MOMENT.  WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THE STUDIO SPACE (AS A FRIEND SAID ... OUR SHABBY CHIC WHITE HOUSE WITH THE HUMMINGBIRD FEEDER!) ALMOST DAILY.  THE INSIDE IS NOW AT LEAST HALF GUTTED. (yes, this is a BIG job!)  TODAY, FOUNDATION REPAIR WORK IS BEING DONE.  ANYWAY, I DID MANAGE TO GET A FEW RAVEN PIECES DONE SPECIFICALLY FOR A GALLERY DOWN HERE CALLED 'THE RAVENS NEST-AVITA BOUTIQUE'.  I HAD SPOKEN WITH THE OWNER JUST BEFORE WE LEFT FOR HOME LAST APRIL ABOUT POSSIBLY CARRYING SOME OF MY WORK.  SHE WAS ESPECIALLY INTERESTED IN, WHAT ELSE (!) MY RAVENS. SO, I AM PLEASED TO SAY SHE NOW HAS 7 OF MY RAVEN PIECES IN HER GALLERY.  THIS FELLOW BELOW IS ONE OF THEM ...

'HE WHO LISTENS.  SOMETIMES.'

6 x 6" Acrylic over Acrylic Pour

THE RAVENS NEST GALLERY-AVITA BOUTIQUE

AJO, AZ.

A CLOSE-UP OF THE RAVEN ON THE BUILDING

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CLOUDS OF THE DAY . . .

NOT REALLY ANY CLOUDS BUT THOUGHT I WOULD SHARE THIS AJO SUNSET WITH YOU.  THIS WAS TAKEN 2 NIGHTS AGO, JUST FROM THE OUTER EDGE OF TOWN.  I LOVE THE SUNSETS (AND SUNRISES) HERE.  THEY ARE A TREAT FOR US BECAUSE IN IDAHO WE ARE SURROUNDED BY MOUNTAINS.  WE DON'T SEE MANY SUNRISES OR SUNSETS.

I believe cats to be spirits come to earth.

 A cat, I am sure, could walk on a cloud without coming through. 

~ jules verne

Charleen

MEANWHILE, OUT ON THE RANCH ...

LIFE GOES ON ...

'GAME FACE'

6 x 6" Acrylic on Acrylic Pour

"I LOVE DRESSING FOR THE OCCASION."

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THESE PIECES PLEASE CLICK HERE

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THIS IS ACTUALLY THE NIGHT BEFORE THIS RECENT SUPER MOON.  I TOOK THIS STANDING OUTSIDE OF OUR RV LOOKING THROUGH THE BRANCHES OF A MESQUITE TREE.  THERE WAS JUST SOMETHIG A LITTLE MYSTERIOUS IN THE AIR AS THE COYOTES HOWLED JUST BEYOND THE HILL THAT IS ACROSS THE ROAD.

Charleen

WELL INTO NOVEMBER, THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE HERE ...

(ACTUALLY, IT'S NOW INTO DECEMBER.  ALL I HAD TO DO WAS HIT THE 'SEND' BUTTON WHEN I FINISHED THIS AND FOR SOME REASON IT JUST DIDN'T HAPPEN)  :(  

 'HAZY SUNDAY MORNING. LATE SEPTEMBER.'

12 x 12" Acrylic on Textured Canvas

SEE WHAT I MEAN ... THIS WAS YESTERDAY MORNING.

MEANWHILE, DOWN IN AJO, THIS IS MY HUSBANDS MORNING VIEW . . .

    

                                                        

      

IF YOU READ LAST MONTHS BLOG THEN YOU KNOW WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT ...

NOTHING LIKE TRYING TO MAKE THE PLACE SEEM A LITTLE HOMEY ... AT LEAST FOR THE HUMMINGBIRDS! :)

                                                                                                               ~ indy behrendt

IT LOOKS LIKE THIS TREE IS SWALLOWING ALL THE ENERGY FROM THE SKY. 

ACCORDING TO THE OLD CELTIC ALPHABET THE LETTER 'STR' (YES, I KNOW, BUT IT COUNTS AS ONE LETTER :) IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE BLACKTHORN TREE AND THE BLACKTHORN TREE IS SAID TO BE GOOD FOR GROUNDING AND SETTLING DISTURBED EMOTIONS.  

LET'S GO WITH THAT.  THIS IS A BLACKTHORN TREE AND IT'S GROUNDING/SETTLING A BUNCH OF UNHAPPY ANGELS DISTURBED EMOTIONS.

I HOPE THEIR DAY IS BETTER TOMORROW!  

AND I HOPE YOURS IS GREAT!

Charleen

NOT QUITE THE ROCKETTES ...

BUT THEY STILL DANCE THEIR OWN DANCE ...

'THE CHORUS LINE'

6 x 6" 

'EARLY EVENING.  END OF SEPTEMBER.'

6 x 6"

Both of these landscapes are Acrylic Paintings over Acrylic Pours.  It's interesting how similar subject matter can look so different just by playing off the abstraction of the original pours.

Someone is sitting in the shade today 

because someone planted a tree a long time ago.

~ warren buffett

A LITTLE  'WHAT THE HECK ...'

 Last winter when we went down to Ajo, Arizona, for 'just' a visit  we wound up buying some property.  As my friend Mel said to me ... "You either get Ajo or you don't."  I guess we got it.  The property we bought has two houses and  I use the word 'houses' very lightly.  More like one that's  "how fast can we get this torn down!"  

And one ...

 "What would Chip and Joanna Gaines do?!

(Probably tear  this down too!)

 

But then, sometimes challenges can be fun so we'll have to see. 😉  Fortunately, we didn't buy the property for the houses, just for the property itself to put our RV on, so we have options.  I'll keep you posted.  

In the meantime, this calendar below was on the wall of the white house.  As you can see, it's from 1997.  That's the last year someone lived in the house.  (And yes, the inside looked as bad as the outside.)  You can also see the calendar has a little something attached to the right corner. It was hanging on the wall in the kitchen just like this.  Fortunately, its inhabitants had abandoned it a long time ago too.😊

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CLOUDS OF THE DAY ...

I'm seeing a tipsy Donald Duck looking straight on at me. 

Do ducks drink? 😎

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Charleen

www.charleenmartin.com

THE LAST OF THE SUMMER RAIN ...

NOW, WE HAVE SNOW ON THE HILLS HERE ...  :(

'REFLECTIONS OF A SUMMER RAIN'

16 x 20  Abstract Acrylic Pour

I was really pleased with this Pour and immediately had the title because that is what I saw.  Probably Cherry Blossom Petals reflections in the water.  :)

For more information on this Piece Please Click HERE

This little gem is in the next town over, just off the highway. 
Whaddaya think ... ?

Think they might be into collecting ... stuff.  :)

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CLOUDS OF THE DAY . . .

A LITTLE JURASSIC PARK GOING ON HERE, DON'T YOU THINK?  AND THIS WAS TAKEN IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD!!

Charleen

"I've watched Jurassic Park twice in my life ~ once when I was six and the second time a couple of weeks ago.  It inspired me to think about how the gaps in time change our way of perceiving.
                                                                        ~  Nicolas Jaar

www.charleenmartin.com

30 IN 30 ... ONCE AGAIN

ANOTHER 30 IN 30 CHALLENGE WAS HELD AGAIN IN SEPTEMBER . . .

I DECIDED AT THE LAST MINUTE TO PARTICIPATE AND ACTUALLY GOT ABOUT 25 PAINTINGS DONE.  ALL SMALL, 4 x 4" to 6 x 6".  ALL OF THESE, EXCEPT ONE, ARE ORIGINAL ACRYLIC POURS WITH AN ACRYLIC  PAINTING ADDED.  YOU CAN PROBABLY TELL WHICH ONE (bottom row, center left) IS NOT A POUR.  THE CHALLENGE TO MYSELF WAS TO SEE HOW I COULD USE A  POUR AS THE BACKGROUND FOR ANOTHER PAINTING.  STARTING AT THE TOP AND GOING CLOCKWISE ARE THE TITLES OF THE PAINTINGS.  IF YOU WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION ON ANY OF THESE PIECES JUST CLICK ON THE TITLE:

1.    CONTEMPLATING

2.    THE GARDEN GNOME  (that's an actual name of a poppy!)

3.    AND THE SEA TAUNTED THE BEAR TO COME OUT AND PLAY
                                  (this is the original pour without any additional painting. 
                                                               How could it not be this title?!!  :)

4.    LORD GREENWINGS

5.    FLIGHT PATTERNS IN BLUE

6.    DRESSED FOR THE WEATHER

7.    THE FAMILY TREE: "DO YOU THINK SHE'S JUST PLAYING COY?"

8.    FIORI ROSSI

9.    DANCING QUEENS

10.  BALANCE AND SYMMETRY

11.   PERSEVERANCE (center)

"AS YOU CAN SEE, I HAVE ENOUGH OF MY OWN
PROBLEMS AT THE MOMENT ..."

This one is actually 2 pours.  A 5 x 5" pour with another 4 x 4" pour adhered to the top, and then the chicken painted on that.  

'IT'S A DOUZY!'

This one will be a challenge, as will be a few others that are waiting in the background.

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CLOUDS OF THE DAY . . .

                                                                                                                  ~ katie morford

This was taken recently by my granddaughter Kaitlyn.  The first thing I thought of when I saw this photo was 'the light at the end of the tunnel'.  With that I will share this quote with you . . .

"The light is not at the end of the tunnel.  The light is wherever you are.  If you keep thinking your resolve lies in the future then it will always be just out of reach."
                                                           ~ david ault

Charleen

www.charleenmartin.com

TO PLAY ...

OR NOT TO PLAY ...

'AND THE SEA TAUNTED THE BEAR  TO COME OUT AND PLAY'

This was one of those very happy surprises.  In a Pour, at least at this stage of my pouring 'career' :) you have a semi-plan and you hope for the best.  In this one, the colors are vibrant and I love the story being told ... at least the story I see being told.  What do you see?!

12 x 12" Acrylic Pour on Canvas

For more information on this Piece Please Click HERE

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CLOUDS OF THE DAY . . .

Beautiful Sunset. The clouds look like they are chalk lines in the sky. 

'God writes the Gospel not in the Bible alone, but also on trees, and in the flowers and clouds and stars.

~ Martin Luther

Charleen

VIRTUE

AND FRIENDSHIP . . .

THE WISEWALKERS:  

THE VIRTUES OF FAITH AND FRIENDSHIP

For more information Please visit my Website at

www.charleenmartin.com

Follow me on Facebook at 

Charleen Martin Studio

YOUR FAITH CAN MOVE MOUNTAINS AND YOUR DOUBTS CAN CREATE THEM.

~ unknown

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CLOUDS OF THE DAY . . .

We don't often get to see very interesting skies where we are here in Idaho.  We are surrounded by trees and mountains, and then when you throw in some really obnoxious street lights, stars and a beautiful night sky are a rarity to see.  I actually took this from my back patio.  I had a little bird telling me "Look up!  Look up!" 

Have a great Day! 
Charleen

DARKNESS FALLS . . .

Night Arrives.  With all it's Mysteries ...

'AS NIGHT OVERCOMES THE EARTH'

12 x 12" Acrylic Pour over Collage

More information on this Piece can be found HERE

It's a little hard to see in the photo 

but the shape of the Earth actually shows through.

We are all here on earth to help others;  what on earth the others are here for I don't know.

 ~  w h auden

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Sorry, no cloud photos today. My 'cloud file' is locked away on my computer which, for some reason known only to the computer, will not let me access ANYTHING on my computer at the moment.   I'm trying to figure out what Karma is upset with me over ...

Charleen

BALANCE ...

AND SYMMETRY . . .

'BALANCE AND SYMMETRY'

6 X 6" Mixed Media

Acrylic painting with ink over Acrylic Pour

For more information on this Piece Please Click HERE

Original Pour

Life is like riding a bicycle.
To keep your balance you must keep moving.

                                              ~ albert einstein

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CLOUDS OF THE DAY . . .

                                                                         ~  aimee kenoyer

Our daughter Aimee took this shot from the Space Needle in Seattle.  Besides just being a beautiful photo, it goes so nicely with the painting above, don't you think?!  :)

Charleen

A TRICK HERE, A TRICK THERE ...

EVERYWHERE A 'TRICKSTER'

'THE TRICKSTER'

5 x 5" Acrylic painting over an Acrylic Pour

For more information on this fellow Please click HERE

This is the original Pour below.  I've been trying to keep the integrity of the Pour while creatively adding to it.

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This fellow showed up at my grandson Ryans birthday recently.
 I felt like he was watching me the whole time . . .

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Here's another small Pour that I did and then added Roses to it ...

FIORI ROSSI  (Red Roses)

4 x 4" Acrylic Pour

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CLOUDS OF THE DAY ...

I took this last night from our front door.  Being in the mountains we miss out on the real spectacular sunsets but this was too pretty to pass up.  

'We all have bad days

but one thing is true;

No cloud is so dark

that the sun

can't shine through.'

                                ~  b.c.

Charleen

STRUT YOUR STUFF!

WELL, THAT'S IF YOU HAVE STUFF TO STRUT!

LIKE THIS GUY . . .

'STRUT'

5 x 5" Acrylic painting over an Acrylic Pour

More information on him can be found HERE

And this is what the original pour looked like before I added Sir Strut . . .

Strut original pour

I've given myself a  little challenge to do at least several of these.  I have another waiting in the wings to show you next time but for now I thought I would introduce you to Lars.  I did not get to meet Lars personally.  He showed up at the Depot Museum (where I work one day a week) and my friend, who also works there, asked if she could take his photo.  It seems that this young man, who is from Germany, has taken it upon himself to skate across the U.S. from one coast to the other.  

Evidently he did not want to carry a backpack, so he devised this carrier to pull behind him as he skates.  Since I wasn't there to ask any questions, I'm not quite sure how this works.  I'm guessing it attaches somehow to his waist because I would think you would need your hands free as you skate.  However it works, if this young man has skated all the way from New York (where he started) to Wallace, Idaho, and is still smiling like that, then all I can say is he must have an indomitable Spirit.  Many kudos to him and a safe journey.

(WHAT FUN!!)

"Strength does not come from physical capacity.  It comes from an indomitable will."
                                                            ~  Mahatma Gandhi

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CLOUDS OF THE DAY . . .

photo by Indy Behrendt

My friend, who took the photo of Lars, also sent me this photo of a 'Bird Cloud' that she took.  It took me a minute or two (or three) to see it, but once I did, it was pretty evident.  Especially the head and beak.  Appropriate since I've been on a bird kick in my painting this week. :)

Charleen

P.S. If you are interested in seeing and/or bidding on, Art that has been donated by Artists to help the Victims of both Irma and Harvey, then you can just Click here at the DPW AUCTION