Wednesday, December 30, 2009

The New Year and Old Habits


















Which End Is Up? wood, 2005

For the past six months I have found and followed blogs of wonderful artists who are very organized--a real learning experience. During the past week most have posted their resolutions. After reading and thinking about so many great plans I have no idea which end is up.

As is my custom, I will prepare my Mark Bittman (the Minimalist) black-eyed pea and collard greens soup, eat it on New Year's Day, and hope for luck.

This torso was lying in the street five years ago. My friend Lamar helped me load it into my car; then we hid it behind my workshop. The fungi was beautiful; I made three trips up the ladder with the camera; then stitched the photos together. When she was wormy I walked her to the woods in back; she returned to the earth.

11 comments:

  1. Whichever way is up, she sure has some beautiful colors radiating throughout her being. I'm glad you captured her essence before she returned to the earth.

    My only resolution for the past several years has been to never resolve anything during the holiday season. It always just added to my letdown in the early stages of the new year. Goals I'll set as I need them... which has to be quite often since I bore easily as soon as previous goals are attained...

    We'll be having the black-eyed peas for lunch this Friday, as well. But, I haven't had collard greens since I didn't HAVE to eat them anymore when I left my parents home. I ought to try them again someday, I may find them tasty now as an adult instead of the torturous required eating of a youngster...

    Happy New Year My Friend!!!

    -Don

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  2. Hallie- you are so expressive in everything you do! What a great example of seeing form- and how interesting that each view a great profile of curves. I never noticed the symmetry of the female form before. Your photos are beautiful- the fungi- a lovely flowered dress. Your soup sounds delicious.

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  3. By the way, my word verification on my previous comment was "UTERSET". My paranoia tells me GOOGLE is sentient.

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  4. Happy New Year, Hallie! Beautiful tree trunk (am I right?) - at least that's what I make of it. I hope that 2010 is a great year for you and yours. Enjoy your soup :)

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  5. Don, you may want to add some collard greens to your black-eyed peas (green for money). I forced my kids to eat one tablespoon every New Year's Day.

    Pamo, these are actually just one photo--I could never decide which way was up; legs or arms. Google is a mind-reader.

    Kathy, this was a heavy 5-ft. branch. As I drove around it I thought "torso." I hid it because my husband would have though "junk." My neighbor Lamar had soul (musician/artist/story-teller); he died unexpectedly and young--he never saw the photo.

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  6. As always, love your humorous and tongue in cheek take on things!

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  7. Hi Indigomar. I forgot to mention in my blog that my mother always said, "Whatever you do on New Year's Day, you'll be doing for the rest of the year." I plan to spend the day drawing or painting.

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  8. I'll be spending the day participating in the Audubon Christmas Bird Count with a group of old friends.(One of my birding buddies is from down south, her name is Beulah, when I read your posts I think of her. A fine human being, with a sharp wit, sharp birding eye, and avid reader and great fun to be with) So, birding and time spent with friends; a great way to spend the rest of the year. Of course, I plan to add artmaking to the mix!

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  9. Hi Hallie

    What an interesting piece of wood! The colors and textures a fascinating.

    I enjoy your blog; always interesting with a touch of humor! Can't say I've ever had black eyed peas with collard greens. It's a Western thing...deprived I'm sure!

    Drawings good! Have a good year too!

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  10. great torso--and I like that you put her back ...it made me smile, thinking how fisherman sometimes put the fish back...it always seems like a generous thing....allowing something to have it's natural life. I don't do resolutions--but the black eyed peas sound like a good idea!

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  11. Hi Celeste. You had a quote on your blog one day; I believe by Andy Warhol--that the best thing one can do is buy land and do nothing with it. I think of that often--a "Catch & Release" program for the earth.

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