We made the most of the sunshine and headed off late morning to see the latest art exhibition at the Burton Gallery in Bideford. Quite interesting! It was prints done by Picasso, Matisse, Dali & Warhol.

My favourite was Dali’s ‘Blue Owl’ – amazing what can be done with a biro and scrubbing circles!

All that culture was exhausting – coffee and cake required! Mmmmmm!

Suitably feed and watered, we headed to the beach to walk it off!

Beautiful day and Westward Ho! beach is so lovely to wander along.

Finally we called at the supermarket to pick up a few bits so I could make a curry – I made ‘Chicken with Fried Onion Sauce’ and a cabbage & pea side dish – all from Madur Jaffrey’s Indian Cooking book. Scrummy food! Full now!

Tomorrow – hoping for more sunshine and a bit more shopping.

Have a scrumptious Saturday!

And then don’t be in a hurry. The next step has to be taken very slowly. The movement from the body to the mind has to be very, very delicate, because you are moving from the gross to the subtle. And the movement cannot be very direct; it has to be very indirect. Slowly, slowly let the child know about music, poetry. Let the child know about great paintings, architecture. Let the child enjoy the exercise of his mind.

And then when the child is ready, when he has fulfilled his mind needs, help him to meditate. And nothing has to be done in haste. Let everything ripen, help everything to become mature. Just remember one thing: that the child should not get stuck anywhere. There are many who have become stuck at the body, the physical pleasure; then sex remains their center of life. There are many who have got stuck in the mind; then thinking, philosophizing, logic, and the joys of thinking and philosophizing and logic, remain for their whole lives. These people are half-grown people. Before the child gets stuck somewhere, push him to the further level, to the further plane. Help him to meditate.

You can’t really tell but both sides of my head are shaved now. I now have a very thick Mohawk style. I think the undercut-ish style will look great with my new dreads. Speaking of there seems to have been a shipping error. Still waiting on the yellow ones.

They say that Anthony Weiner is likely to announce his candidacy for Mayor of New York City next week. Could anything be more bizarre? Yes, of course: they could elect him.

So this post is about the bizarre. Take Besalú, for example. Besalú is a Middle-Ages city located on the Fluvià River, about a forty-five-minute bus ride north of Girona. The place is so meticulously built (no blueprints; think men with chisels) and maintained that it was declared a “conjunt històric-artístic” (historic district) in 1966. Under such protection, it’s swept and polished like the cherished jewel it is, and it made for a joyous day-trip today, my first outing since coming home from the hospital.

But back to the bizarre. In the Ninth Century AD, the Mayor of Besalú (they were “counts” back then) was Wilfred the Hairy. (“…he was hairy in places not normally so in men…” according to the Gesta comitum barcinonensium – “Deeds of the Counts of Barcelona” – which, being transcribed by monks, was unable to run mirrored self-portraits, so the hirsute places in question will remain perpetually … in question). Wilfred pretty much unified Catalonia, and as such, is greatly respected here today. Whereas Anthony-Weiner jokes abound in American culture, one does not tease a Catalonian about Wilfred the Hairy (nor about any of the other Carolingian monarchs: Charles the Fat, Louis the Stammerer, or Louis’s son, Charles the Simple. Thank God Charles the Simple didn’t have a cell phone. Or a mirror.)

OK. I’ve had my little fun with the Weiners and the counts. This is a travel blog, and when it comes to travel, there aren’t many places that capture the pride of history as well as Besalú. As evidence, the following gallery:

(Top of the post: photo of the Statue of Wilfred the Hairy at the Plaza de Oriente in Madrid. Sculpted in white stone by Luis Salvador Carmona between 1750 and 1753. Credit: Wikimedia Commons. And you thought I was making this stuff up.)

Take a moment to like Alex on Facebook and see more of his work.

Alex has a great approach to art that is green. Here is how he describes his choice of material:

If you ask me to define my work in one phrase it would have to be “My Art is where dreams come true!” My paintings are done in a 100 % recyclable paper (Antique paper, wrapping paper, wall paper, old maps and vintage magazines). The frames and the canvas used in my artwork are also recycled. And all of them are done in acrylic paint.

Orange County Creatives has a gallery located in the heart of the Artists Village, in the Santora Building in Santa Ana, CA (207 N Broadway, Suite D, Santa Ana, CA 92701). At our gallery, we host monthly open call showcases for emerging artists on the first Saturday of each month, from 7 pm to 10 pm during the Santa Ana Art Walk.

If you are an artist looking for an opportunity to showcase your work please contact us via email at orangecountycreativesinfo@gmail.com.

John Scott Martin, An Early Morning off the East Coast

I’ve been a busy little bee these past few weeks due to a vast amount of reasons! Why is it that everything happens at once?? Well, since I went to the coast two weeks ago, I have been inspired by the sea, and I thought it was quite fitting that John Scott Martin is producing an exhibition at the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists Gallery in Birmingham.

John is producing an exhibition of recent drawings, paintings and prints with ships and boats seen under many skies. From classic yachts to bulk carriers, if they are on the water, they are inspirational!

John Scott Martin, Title Unknown

John was born in Nottingham and studied painting at Nottingham College of Art in the 1960′s. He lives in rural Warwickshire, wish is just about as far from the sea as you can get. This doesn’t stop him from making frequent trips to the coast to build his picture library though.

“My inspiration comes from not only the most beautiful ocean going yachts in the world, but smaller sail, such as Thames barges and fishing boats”.

After a long career in graphics, art direction, printing and photography, John returned to his first love, painting, about fifteen years ago. Cornwall, and specifically the mining districts of West Penwith, have provided a constant source of inspiration. In the last decade, John has become increasingly interested in the sea, sail and ships. He loves painting classic yachts, barges and small crafts. Photographs are vital for John’s artistic process because he is so far from the sea.

John is currently President of the RBSA. John’s choice of media depends on the individual subject. Structure, texture and content determine whether he uses collage, acrylic, pastel, ink or mixed media. John always tries to communicate his own personal impressions of light, atmosphere and weather when painting a specific time and place.

John Scott Martin, The End of the Day, Falmouth

John Scott Martin, Atlantic Sunset Sailing towards Brittany

John Scott Martin, Mariquita in the West Solent

I love John’s work. My house is full of paintings of the sea, whether it is a stormy scene at night, or the soft setting sun on the waves in Cornwall, so it is of no surprise that his work appeals to me. I feel a great affinity with the sea itself, and these paintings evoke great nostalgia for me. The exhibition will open on Monday the 20th May until Saturday the 1st of June. Unmissable!

John Scott Martin, St. Ives and Whitby

And the sea means a lot more to me due to recent events, which I shall be keeping under wraps! But lets just say, it is very good news and I’m so excited about the future and I am very happy!

I dont know why but I really enjoyed this video, In my opinion is one of the best ones for me

and one of my favorites.

Tomorrow the Nike Air Barkley Posite Max “Suns” colorway is set to drop at Nike retailers across the country marking yet another hot colorway to drop in this updated classic. After the iconic Area 72 All Star inspired Barkley Posite Max shocked the sneaker community, the series has continued to impress with amazing colors and interesting texture patterns making each new drop unique in its own right.

The “Suns” inspire pair hitting shelves tomorrow is no exception to this. The majority of the upper is doused in a vibrant purple which is accented with orange highlights and an aqua speckle treatment along the air bubble. On top of the already explosive colors, Nike decided to add a nice shattered texture to the upper giving it that extra detail that sets these apart from other releases.

Make sure you check out the gallery and let us know if you plan on getting your hands on a pair of these. With a sticker of $235 I wouldn’t be surprised to see some still sitting around hours, if not days after they release.

I was in a particular gallery, when I saw an oil painting that immediately stood out to me. I looked over and saw another. Then two or three more. All of them were cityscapes of some sort, capturing places such as New York, Chicago, and Columbus, Ohio.

Upon looking at the tags on the paintings, I stumbled across the name Ryan Orewiler, who I immediately looked up.

A Columbus native and resident, Orewiler is the founder of the German Village Art League and has had his work placed throughout various parts of central Ohio, including the Short North and downtown Columbus.

Included in this post are just a few of my favorite works of his. I have to get one of these for the crib.

For more, visit RyanOrwiler.com

Gathering by Angela Creaser

For the second month in a row, ViewPoint Gallery has made the Shortlist in The Coast Magazine, here in Halifax! Member Angela Creaser received a wonderful write up both on the Coast website, and in print. Pick up your own copy or read it below:

Playing with marbles has never been so much fun. Angela Creaser’s Gathering Colour is a smorgasbord of visual delight. In her first solo exhibition, Creaser manages to capture the glorious beauty of bright, vibrant colour. Using macro and micro lenses, Creaser photographed marbles to expose the intricate curves, bubbles and angles hidden within the objects. The magnified prints show all the details. In “Philip’s Gold,” the subtle shades of flaked gold are in view and the bubbles are visible on the dark blue hues in “Glacier.” Many of the photos resemble everyday objects. See the flowers bloom in “Koi,” where green circles are surrounded by red ink, which resemble petals. “Topography” is a map of mountainous terrain with a blue river cutting through the brown rock. There’s the playful side as well. “Kaleidoscope” is a vortex of colour swirling rapidly. Try not to get dizzy. -  Julie Sobowale

If you haven’t visited Creaser’s Gathering Colour exhibition yet, make sure you come by and absorb some of the vibrant colour of this original body of work. The show runs until Sunday, June 2 and is open every day 12-5pm.

UPDATE: PhotoLife Magazine also featured Creaser on the blog. Check it out here.

Fossil plant remains

More about the guide.

For those of you who don’t know, James Cresswell is a geologist, mountain leader and Ambassador to the National Park, the Geopark and the Dark Skies Reserve. His family has lived in the area for generations. He is widely travelled with 60 countries under his belt and regularly guides in Antarctica and the High Arctic.

What can GeoWorld Travel offer you?

GeoWorld Travel can offer you: guided day walks with geological explanation, weekend packages with full board accommodation at their B&B, and road trips that accompany all of Wales including the National and Geoparks.

The Hay Festival

James will be guiding a geological walk in this year’s Hay Literature Festival, and will also lead walks in the Fforest Fawr Geopark Festival, the Hay Walking Festival and Kington Walking Festival.

Examining Devonian Old Red Sandstone at Llantony Priory

What is so special about the Geopark?

The wild mountains and hidden valleys of the Geopark are the result of nearly 500 million years of Earth history. This fascinating area contains evidence of ancient seas, mountain building and sea level and climate change scattered across a landscape that was shaped by the last Ice Age. It’s also worth remembering that some of the important early work in the development of geology as a science was carried out in this area. The names of two of the major subdivisions of geological time – the Silurian and Ordovician periods – reflect the pioneering mapping which the 19th century geologists such as Charles Lapworth ans Sir Roderick Impey Murchison undertook in the northwest of the Geopark.

Iron work – Bleanavon

Blaenavon World Heritage Site – the Iron Works

Porth yr Ogof – the largest cave opening in Wales

Inside the cave

Henrhyd waterfall the highest in South Wales

Fossil plants, Cwm Grelach Geoheritage trail

An old mine addit Cwm Grelach Geoheritage trail

Bwa Maen

Carrig Cennan Castle

Examining a fault plane

“A Decade of Decibels The Photography of Joe Kleon” will open at Space: ROCK, 15721 Waterloo Road in Cleveland, Ohio, with a reception from 6-10 pm Friday June 7.

June 7 has special significance for Kleon: it’s his tenth wedding anniversary. And he bought his first professional-quality camera to take on his honeymoon with his wife Nicole.

PHOTO PREVIEW: “A Decade of Decibels: The Photography of Joe Kleon”

Kleon’s work grew out of his involvement in music. He was a radio announcer for 25 years, including a stint at WNCX, and worked as sound-effects tech for area Pink Floyd tribute band Wish You Were Here. He started shooting for photos for Wish You Were Here and quickly recognized his true passion and gift.

Michael Stanley – one of those photos to be featured in “A Decade of Decibels The Photography of Joe Kleon” at the Space: ROCK gallery – located at 15721 Waterloo Road. (Photo courtesy of Joe Kleon)

In the last ten years, Kleon has photographed nearly 100 shows and events a year. This exhibit will feature top-notch artists like Rush, Aerosmith, Judas Priest, Def Leppard, Slash, Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon, Stevie Nicks, Joe Walsh, ZZ Top, and many more.

Kleon’s work has appeared in many newspapers, magazines, television commercials, and CD artwork.

While shooting concerts can be difficult and challenging, Kleon consistently produces shots that capture the artist’s personality and the excitement of the music in technically high-quality work.

“I love capturing the energy of a performance and the vibe of the venue,” he says. “I want viewers to be transported through my photos to the concert. I want them to feel the electricity in the air and the emotion of the music.”

Kleon tells us, “My favorite band to shoot was Rush, at Quicken Loans Arena, in October of 2012. They have been my favorite band since I was about 9 years old and shooting them was the ultimate “Rush!” Rush changed my life at a very young age and steered me toward a career in the music business. To have access to photograph them was a huge honor.”

But still a few bands remain on Joe’s photo bucket-list like “The Who, Rolling Stones, Robert Plant and country legend Roy Clark.”

PHOTO PREVIEW: “A Decade of Decibels: The Photography of Joe Kleon”

A Decade of Decibels will run through the end of July. 25% of all sales will go to benefit the North Collinwood-based nonprofit Waterloo Alley Cat Project, which neuters and cares for feral cats. Space: ROCK is a project of nonprofit group Cleveland Rocks: Past, Present & Future.  The gallery, which opened April 2013, showcases Cleveland music history through the work of photographers and artists who recorded it. Open 1-5 p.m. Sat & Sun.

To find out more about Kleon and see some of his work, go to www.joekleon.com. Get more information on SPACE: Rock HERE.

Finally, Kleon offers advice for those looking to get into concert photography, saying, “Lots of local bands would be more than willing to let someone new to concert photography come out and shoot a show. Network with bands, find a few to shoot and expand from there. Once you have shot for a few months and have a decent portfolio of your best work, display it online and solicit bands for that first coveted paid gig!! Equipment does matter, especially when shooting shows in small clubs, with minimal lighting. However, you don’t have to spend thousands to get a good camera for concert shooting. Find a camera that does well with high ISO. Many mid range point and shoot cameras, for around $400-500 are a great place to start.”

Stevie Nicks – - one of those photos to be featured in “A Decade of Decibels The Photography of Joe Kleon” at the Space: ROCK gallery – located at 15721 Waterloo Road. (Photo courtesy of Joe Kleon)

PHOTO PREVIEW: “A Decade of Decibels: The Photography of Joe Kleon”