IT'S ABOUT TIME, SHE SAYS . . .

I know, it's been awhile.  I sort of took the summer off.  Not actually planned, it just seemed like there was a lot going on and I didn't get into my studio nearly as much as I would have liked to.

Part of my 'excuse' was a 6 week camping trip through parts of Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico.  It was a great trip. We got to see family, friends, and a lot of very beautiful country.  We didn't get to see everyone, or everything we wanted to, but we felt fortunate to see who and what we did.  

I thought I would share a few fun things from the trip with you this time. 

'THE LOOK'

6 x 6" Acrylic on canvas

(I both gave, and received this look, numerous times on this trip!)

  

'POTATO FAIRY' 

A potato plant I found in the woods was hugging a Cactus, 'Eves Pin', a Desert plant that is originally from the Peruvian Andes. This was in amongst Pines, Alligator Junipers and who knows what else.  Wouldn't the history of how these two met be interesting.  :)

'THE GATHERING'

Doesn't it look like she is just extending her arms, offering  protection.

Chiricahua, National Monument,  AZ

'THE BUTT TREE'

'LOVERS'

New Mexico trees just seem to be very 'expressive'.  ;)

HUBCAP ART

How about a little Hubcap Art from Silver City, N.M. 

This planter wound around a small corner park outside a Gallery downtown.  Note reflection of the building across the street in the last hubcap.

'THE SKULL'

Sounds like a 60's TV Show.

This what welcomes you to town in Hall, MT.

(the whole tree is actually covered in various and creepy (sorry, no getting around it . . . just creepy!) skulls.

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?

Dolores, CO.  I'm not sure what this is going to be when it grows up.  Truck? Bus? Train?

UH . . . O.K. I GET THE HINT!

No, he really didn't want his picture taken!

Devils Canyon Campground, N.M

CREATE

We took a hike in an almost empty campground up in the mountains outside of Durango, CO.  This little gem was on a path down to the river.  No one was around, just a little 'creative' surprise, someone left for others to enjoy.

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CLOUDS OF THE DAY . . .

This was the sky that welcomed us back to Ajo the day we arrived home from our trip.  Take your choice . . . rain or sun?  Obviously the Weather Angels were having some discord as to whose turn it was to plan the weather for the day.

Unfortunately we were turning into the rain. 

'The Beauty of Butterflies

is that they allow us to dance with them'

4 x 4" Mixed Media Collage

I hope the rest of your day is great!

Charleen

GRAB YOUR SLIPPERS . . .

AND GET OUT IN THE GARDEN.  OTHERWISE YOU MIGHT MISS SOME GOOD GOSSIP!

'THE EARLY MORNING SLIPPER CLUB:  

GARDEN GOSSIP'

I recently brought The Early Morning Slipper Club back.  I haven't brought them to life for quite a few years but I had a recent request for some ladies along this line so I thought who better than the Slipper Club.  This is the second in the series.  They are fun ladies to play with. You just never know what kind of gossip they might be spreading now. :)

 You can find both on my website at www.charleenmartin.com

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We recently went out for an evening ride with friends to have dinner in the desert.  Thought I would share a few photos with you.

you just never know what you might find

a 'cristate' which is a deformed saguaro. nobody knows why this happens

superbloom of orange mallow after the heavy winter rains

an old well

i saw a dog. my friend saw an elephant.  i think she was right. :)

mexican poppies growing in the roadway

CLOUDS OF THE DAY . . .

and the western sunset reflecting off these mountains ended our day

Happiest of Easters Everyone!

Charleen

Gossip can be entertaining: occasionally, I've heard the most fascinating things about myself I never knew

~ vanna bonta

www.charleenmartin.com

AT THE MARKET ...

AND A LONG DAY UNDER THE SUN ...

THE BASKET SELLER:

LONG DAY AT THE MARKET

12 x 12" Mixed Media Collage on Canvas

Another of my sisters Series.  Interestingly, when I recently brought some of my newer pieces into one of the Galleries I'm in, the owner was surprised, and pleased, that some of these newer pieces were on white backgrounds.  She had recently been in a Gallery back East and saw some work done on a white background and she said she thought to herself " Why doesn't anyone work on a white background anymore?"   Voila!!  There I was!  :)

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We went camping this past weekend on the St. Joe River here in Idaho.  Overall we had beautiful weather ... a little warm (95ish) and the skies were a little smokey from the fires  :(  in the area, but we had a spot right on the river so why would I complain?!  :)  I did get some great reference photos for future paintings too.  :)  (And for my Artist friends, please feel free to also use them)

This is evening over Black Lake as we headed for the St. Joe.  Smokey, but beautiful nonetheless.

Another scene from Black Lake

This is the old guy in our family.  Well ... in dog years, he's the same age as I am so I guess, really, he's just a Spring Chicken!  :)

I followed this fellow down the River for a while until he could get into places I couldn't!  My presence didn't seem to faze him one bit.

Some flowers from the old Train Depot in Avery, Idaho.  They also have a very nice Fly Fishing tackle shop there that serves the best Ice Cream!  :)

I think the photos over Black Lake can serve as cloud photos for today.  :)

"When I am no longer rapping, I want to open an Ice Cream Parlor 

and call myself Scoop Dogg".

~  Snoop Dogg

CHARLEEN

THE WISEWALKERS CAME TO VISIT ...

I LOVE DOING MY 'WISEWALKERS'.  I FEEL LIKE I AM ABLE TO STEAL SMALL BITS OF WISDOM FROM THEM AS THEY APPEAR ON THE CANVAS BEFORE ME.

'THE WISEWALKERS: 
COATS OF MANY COLORS, YEARS OF MANY SMILES'

12 x 12" Mixed Media Collage

For more information on this Piece Please Click HERE

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We recently went through the small town of Palouse, which is located, appropriately, on the Palouse Prairie in Southeastern Washington.  This 'bus' was parked on one of the side streets and I thought I would include it here.  It caught my attention because, by the style, you can tell it's quite old.  But, it's licensed and the tires are good, so it seems like someone has converted this to an RV.  It is definitely someone's 'Happy Hour'.  :)

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CLOUDS OF THE DAY . . .

O.K. This is a stretch, but I can see a bear, laying on his back, with his head up in the air, wondering ... what the heck he is doing there.

Palouse Country Clouds.  They have some of the prettiest skies down there.

CHARLEEN

SOMETIMES BEING A LITTLE WILD IS A GOOD THING.

AT LEAST THESE BURROS MIGHT AGREE WITH THAT ...

There are wild burros running loose all over the desert surrounding Ajo.  These fellows (and a few more hidden behind the bushes) were meandering along side of the road not far from the RV Park we were staying in. They are fun to watch, and as you can see, they evidently find us just as much of a novelty as we do them.

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HOW ABOUT A LITTLE COLOR ...

'ROYALTY'

12 X 12" Mixed Media Collage on Canvas

For more information on this Piece Please Click HERE

I'm sure I was a little influenced by the bright colors of the Southwest ... and, the steer that was laying just across the road, watching us as we ate lunch, at a little Tohono O'Odham Indian Cafe in Sells, Arizona.  The food was simple and delicious.  

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A little trivia that some of you may already know.  The dark spots in the tree above ... that's wild Mistletoe.  Kisses everywhere!  :)  It's transferred from tree to tree by our little birdie friends in their 'dropping's'.   Unfortunately, it feeds off the bark of the trees, eventually killing whatever host tree it attaches to.

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CLOUDS OF THE DAY ...

I just happen to really like this photo ...

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!  

CHARLEEN

FROM THE DESERT SUN TO THE EASTERN SUN

THE DESERT SUN

I just love photographing these fellows.  

I can just hear the stories they are telling ...

"And then he said, put all your arms up!"

"How many times have I told you not to do that?!"

  

Strength ....  and ...   Confusion

"Bring it on!!"

And then, there is this Princess below ...

"Mirror, Mirror on the wall,

Who is the fairest one of all?"

So far, out of thousands (millions?) of Saguaro, only 25 like these are known to exist. This one is in the desert just outside Ajo. These are known as a Cistrate, or Crested Saguaro.  No one knows what causes the unusual shape.  One thought is lightening ...

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THE EASTERN SUN

KIMONO OF THE SUN

8 x 8" Mixed Media Collage on Canvas panel

KIMONO OF THE FALLEN LEAF

8 x 8" Mixed Media Collage on Canvas panel

For more information on these Pieces 

Please visit my Website at:

www.charleenmartin.com

The photos of these two pieces didn't get taken until after I varnished them (I forgot to do my job right!) so there are spots on them that aren't really there and the color is much darker in these photos. :(

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A sculpture. Old, rusted, seen a little purple rain in its time, left to face the elements all alone, and upside down to boot.

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 CLOUDS OF THE DAY ....

I see a kitty cat, sitting high up on a perch , 

getting ready to pounce!

Pardon the antenna. This was taken as we drove through a Cholla (choy-ya) 'forest'.  These are very nasty  guys so it is not a place you want to get out and explore.  They are often called jumping chollas because they just seem to magically attach themselves to you and with their sharp stickers they not only hurt, but are hard to unattach. OW!

Youth is a gift of nature,

But age is a work of art.

Stanislaus Jerzy Lec

(I am so into this quote!)  

Charleen