LANA, ARE YOU HOME?

The city of Wallace, Idaho recently celebrated the 100th birthday of one of their most favorite daughters, Lana Turner (or aka Julia Jean Turner).  I am going to guess there may be a few people reading this not familiar with Lana, but she was a famous (and also somewhat infamous on occasion) actress whose popularity was predominantly  in the 40's and 50's. She often played the part of a good girl gone bad, and sadly, life often imitated art in her case. Despite fame, hers was not a life to envy, even from her earliest years. After winding up in a foster home in California, she suffered abuse as a child, and like so often happens, that pattern of abuse followed her into adulthood.

 Lana Turner

Her childhood home still stands in Wallace and several years ago I took photographs of the house 'just because'.  I loved the style of the home, reminiscent of something you'd see in the old south.  Any grand ideas this home may have had though, have long vanished. 

*****************

a wee bit of my art . . .

"BUT, DO YOU THINK SHE MEANT IT?"

4 x 4" Mixed Media Collage 

comes with a stand for display

*****************

 CLOUDS OF THE DAY . . .

INAUGURATION DAY 2021

See the Eagle in the sky? This was our sky over Ajo the morning of Jan. 20th.  I don't think it could have been any more appropriate!

Shortly before the Eagle flew in . . .

'IN THE EAGLE THERE IS

ALL THE WISDOM OF THE WORLD.'

~ lame deer

WELCOME TO AJO, ARIZONA ...

We have been on the road traveling and reached our destination of Ajo, Arizona last week.  We have friends who moved here two years ago and have been talking it up ever since so we decided to come down and see what all the hoopla was about.  :-)   Turns out they were right ... Ajo is a little gem out in the middle of the Sonoran desert.  A small town, Ajo was originally a copper mining community and, like so many mining towns, it is still suffering the economics of a long ago closed down mine.  A lot of empty homes sit abandoned and for sale. 

 But, places like this seem to be having a little resurgence these days.   A lot of people want a slower paced lifestyle, like our friends (and we've already met a lot more people down here like them).  Then you still have a spirit within the people who remained here to keep what they have going.  And, speaking of 'Spirit' these Ghost Figures of Ajo are all over town ... street corners, incorporated into landscaping, empty lots.  They are done by a local Artist, Val Uschuk.  It's my understanding that there are about 85 of them around town.  So far we've found about 20 so I guess we have a lot more exploring to do.  :-)

As you can see, she uses a lot of recycled materials in her work.  Not an uncommon theme here as you can see by this wall below ..

 

Since we are going to be on the road for an extended time (3 months) I needed to make a workplace for myself.  So ... out went the sofa that came with the RV, which I never did like it ~ it was really just plain ugly. One of those things that seem to be a right of passage for most RVs. (To my RVer friends please note that I did not say all)  We then put in this toolbox which holds just about all my must haves.  When working I set up a small table right next to it and off I go.  It actually works very well.  And, just in case you're wondering, we have still have 3 very comfy chairs left to sit on!

And yes, I did manage to get some work finished while we were on the road.  I have to admit, not much has been done since we got here though. We've been too busy exploring!   :-)  This Piece was done with thanks, once again,  to my friend Indy and her Dad who supplied almost all the stamps used here.  It was another fun Piece to do.

 

'WRAP YOUR DAYDREAMS IN A BOX AND GO!'

12 x 12" Mixed Media Collage on Canvas Board

For more information Please Click below

    www.charleenmartin.com

*************************

CLOUDS OF THE DAY ....

 

How about some Sunshine for a change!

Night comes to the desert all at once, as if someone turned out the light.

~ Joyce Carol Oates

See you soon ...

Charleen