RMW Ramblings

 Treasure Hunt 2025 Yesterday we continued our tradition of grandkid treasure hunts with great-grand daughter  Alaina.  Last year it involved "invisible Ink" (UV fluorescent}.  This year "Clue Keys" and a "Clue Lock." The Clue Keys (popsicle sticks) were numbered, and had color coded letter cells.  She had to insert then to the Clue Lock, made from foamcore, by number align by colors in the Clue Lock window, then read the clues.  Alaina solved it and found the treasure.               

Cranes in the Mist    

  Bison This morning   I finished  Bison , 8 x 10 inches, acrylic on canvasboard.  He was influenced by my 2009 painting,  Armadillo , both using line work and false color. (The figures across the bottom depict him rolling up into a protective ball.)   Both paintings mimic elements of Albrecht Dürer's 1515 print  Rhinocerus .  

  Quartet Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Basso Four framed 8x8 panels The gulls are self-plagiarized from my earlier "Frenzy," but now individually presented on a copper-toned ground.  

"If You're Happy and You Know It..."     "If You're Happy and You Know It..." completed yesterday. Acrylic and pastels, 11 x 14 in, on canvas. Referenced to photos of our great grandson, but pose details and clothing are made up. He does clap enthusiastically.    

  Above Rockford A year or so ago I bought an ugly 34" x 34" abstract painting on a gallery-wrap canvas. At five dollars it was cheaper than a similar size new canvas. I recently pulled it from our basement and over-painted it with  Above Rockford.   Elements of the original orange-ish impasto painting are a visible part of the composition, somewhat like a pentiemento, albeit the original painting was not mine. The balloon basket with Mary and me aloft is a re-use of a theme from a party invitation I did in 2017.  Rockford Tower appears as well here on the lower left.     On the invitation the balloon is the globe light fixture in my library.  In  Above Rockford . the balloon is a full moon.  I signed the painting with a moon-over-tower monogram.  

  Greek Festival Week This week is the annual Greek Festival at Wilmington's Holy Trinity Church.  I've painted the church twice, each one commissioned by a Holy Trinity parishioner.  A line of Greek dancers at the festival were elements of both paintings. A detail from the first painting, a watercolor on paper...  And a detail from the second painting, acrylic on canvas, now with ancient Greek dancers meeting the modern folk dancers...  Here's the second painting in its entirety...  Opa! Opa!