Tag Archives: Art

Maputo, Mozambique

Maputo (sounds like Ma-pu-tu) is the bustling capital city. Previously named Lourenço Marques after a navigator who explored the area in 1544. Upon independence as a Portuguese colony in 1975 it was renamed Maputo. It borders Eswatini and South Africa.

The architecture is a combination of old uninteresting concrete buildings with occasional unique and charming Mediterranean buildings in between – like the creamy middle of an Oreo cookie.

*click to enlarge photos

The city is right next to the port and easy to get to by foot. The streets are lined with jacaranda and flame trees (our favorite from Baja – árbol de fuego).

Armed police were scattered about and security guards stood in doorways which I took as a warning to keep my camera hidden.

The Maputo Central Train station was quiet with only a couple people wandering around. Two passengers napped on a bench engulfed in their luggage. It’s named one of the top 10 most beautiful train stations in the world by Time Magazine and Newsweek.

Outside of the main city center it became lush and hilly. We only took a short ride but it offered a yin to the city center’s yang.

Photo of the Day 312

The French Dome in Berlin, Germany.

So excited to be here.

November 7, 2016

#berlin #germany #frenchdome #franzdom #gendarmenmarkt #nightphotography #visitberlin #berlincity #artscene #cantwaitogettoknowyou #explore #welltraveled #fromwhereistand #tlpicks #doyoutravel #cntraveler #guardiantravelsnaps #lonelyplanet #photofrommyday2016 #photooftheday #sonya7rii

Photo(s) of the Day 235

Spent the day in my art room ramping it up for Burning Man 2016. This year’s theme is Da Vinci’s Workshop – I must have been channeling him in some minuscule way…

My primary project was to reinvent a top that I crafted for 2012’s burn (bra, feathers and a broach) by adding fringe, gold glitter dots and chain. The skirt was 2012 project using leather, scraps of material, fringe and jewelry bling.

Before…

Burning Man 2015

New motorhome + new camp = new experience.

This year we did not have a planned camp. There were 5 of us in 2 vehicles – a 34′ RV and a pickup truck pulling a large horse trailer with living space.

Campers enter from the 6:00 axis – where you can then turn right or left. We chose left because that was familiar to us. Burning Man had only been officially opened 18 hours and we discovered tens of thousands of people turned left too. It took 2 hours and a flat tire to find a spot.

A perfect spot mind you because we met the kindest, funniest people and despite the 4 straight days of wind we giggled.

Perhaps the highlight of my burn this year was spending those 4 windy days making a Djembe drum thanks to Dr. Thelonious and his Family of Vagabonds.

and taking Fish Lips Kisses photos…

and volunteering at the Center Camp Cafe.

But in spite of the constant dust storm, did we ever have fun, including the margarita party in a 75 mph gale –

just look at these photos (click on photos to enlarge):

Birth of a Vision – Our New Burning Man RV

Who knew at our age we could conceive….

We have yet to name her. I was thinking Lizzy – Bill is pleading the 5th. Perhaps you can help? One would think that after conceiving, nurturing and then finally creating life a name would appear – especially after looking into her eyes and seeing our reflection.

We sold the Pinnacle of Love after Burning Man 2012. It was time for a new canvas and a newer motorhome.

February 2015 brought exactly what we were looking for. A 1996 Pace Arrow Vision – the inside had been well cared for and rocked the perfect floorplan. The oversized refrigerator and sectional couch were luxuries we hadn’t dreamed of – the outside was faded – crying out for some lovin’.

Having years to mull over themes and spending many a sleepless night searching the dark recesses of my brain looking for something unique to paint – I always came back to what was comfortable, cozy – images from colorful Mexico – Calaveras, Frida, sombreros and cardones (cactus).

So it began….

First – caulk and reseal the roof. Next, Bill scrubbed and washed the sides with a degreaser followed by a primer coat of Kilz paint. A clean canvas. We were ready to roll…

Luckily we were able to work inside an enormous old metal building to avoid the intense summer sun. It was Bill’s perfect environment – a sauna! We got to paint and detox at the same time. Our reading glasses continually slipped off our noses and the sweat dripped from our brow. Bill was in heaven. It was the perfect environment to create.

As Heywood Broun said: Sweat is the cologne of accomplishment.

I sketched for days using the remaining Kilz as my whiteout (perspective is hard to obtain without an eraser). Whilst Bill and our paint angels started bringing this baby to life.

We painted from dawn to dusk using an array of semi gloss and high gloss exterior paints.

And finally she was born…

A special shout out to our angels ~ Kate, Darrell, Roxanne, Piper and Boo. Without you we could not have made the deadline.

A Space for Artfulness

In recent years the desire to have a dedicated “art” area has been intensifying.

It started with the notion of buying a large storage shed and plopping it on our parcel – only to find out it would not fit within the mandatory setbacks.

Next was a consultation with a contractor to have a little room built off the laundry room. “This roof line doesn’t meet that – the floor elevation doesn’t meet this. We have to change the roofline, dig out a new subfloor”. Dollars were mounting. The heck with that.

Penny pincher Paige gave up on the whole thing.

Last month we decided the clean out the garage – the walls seemed to be closing in. It was time to give the kids all the childhood clutter we’ve been storing for years (why make them wait until we kick the bucket). We sorted through all the novelties we haven’t looked at in 10 years. Give away this, throw out that, save enough for the kids to reminisce about later on. Divide and conquer.

And then the lightbulb went off.

My new art room.

*click on photos to enlarge

* Our handy dandy handyman took down one of our shelves in a creative way – lowering the middle shelf to create a tabletop and then cutting off the remaining top selves. He installed particle board over the tabletop to allow room for a cantilevered sitting area while notching out room for my legs on the shelf below. Pegboard now hides the torn sheetrock.

New paint gave the table and adjoining shelves a crisp clean look – Minwax Polycrylic Gloss protects the work surfaces from chipping and scratching. Walmart curtains hide the storage shelves and create a more finished effect. I painted the floor a checkerboard pattern to pull all the colors in and chose teal green to paint an old barstool and storage boxes to add a little pop.

Violà – or Walah for us Americans…..

Making the Pinnacle of Love – a Burning Man story

As Burning Man approaches this year I am scouring the internet and circle of friends in search of a blank canvas – a “new to us” motorhome to paint since we sold the Pinnacle of Love in 2012 – after our last burn.

2007 – First Burning Man and motorhome. The unknown awaited – so we showed up.

2008 – From the expansive dull dust of the Black Rock Desert – grows a community of self expression, color, creativity, personality…

and so The Pinnacle of Love was born…

2009 – and perfected – full on love blossomed…

2015 – Images of Mexican folk art dance in my head.

Por favor – send a little motorhome finding karma our way…

The Colors of Valparaíso, Chile

Like a big bowl of colorful Jelly Bellies – Valparaíso offers the same eye candy.

Old homes, wrapped in corrugated zinc siding covered in wall art/graffiti, cling to the 17 hills (cerros) towering over the port area. The best way to access this wonderland is to take a nail biting ride up one of many funiculars (acensores) – operating since 1833.

The town is most known for its historic center of town – named a World Heritage site in 2003. The best part is the artist vibe oozing out of the cerros. A close second has to be the array of artisanal restaurants – from the architecture to the decor to the cutting edge menus.

Have a look…

Click on a photo to enlarge.