Pigs Fly in New Orleans today....

Well, almost. Early this morning, a relentless rain turned into snow flurries. Soon after, it was White Out in New Orleans. Looked more like Wyoming, driving past City Park, than N'Awlins. Driving down to the French Quarter for a must have cup of Cafe Du Monde coffee and beignets, drivers were stopping everywhere to take photos, sometimes in the middle of the road.

 It was so disorienting that beignets and coffee became needed comfort food, a reminder of reality during a Wonderland moment. Yes, the world is not flat; yes, beignets are still delicious.  We were like little children again, astonished, cold and happy.

In all, we received 1 to 2 inches.

By noon, a cold rain had washed away most of the white stuff.

Above is a pic of our semi-melted one-eyed snowman, or what was left of him, after returning from Cafe Du Monde.

Birthday Bash & Japanese Woodblock Show at the Art Institute of Chicago

"Cafe Du Monde", pastel, 22 x 28 inches.

Idaho was fabulous. I fully expected to come back, chain myself to the easel, and paint for weeks, coming up for air once in a while. I did manage one day in the studio, when a spur of the moment opportunity came up to spend my birthday in Chicago, visiting the Art Institute by day and listening to Astral Project at the Green Mill Jazz Club by night.

Splendor itself, there is currently a show, "Evening Glow" of Japanese prints on view from September 22–December 9, 2007 in Gallery 107. Overview from the Art Institute: Over the centuries, Japanese printmakers have expressed the many aspects of evening. From the soft light of dusk to the darkness of night, the sky’s changing moods have been captured by Utagawa Hiroshige, Kawase Hasui, and others. On view are over 30 woodblock prints of nighttime images.

Additionally, the Art Institute has 2 Chardin pastel portraits on display. Museum policies prevented me from following my natural urge to build an alter and strew roses at the base in front of Monsieur Chardin's late pastels of his wife and his own self portrait. Mon Dieu!!

I felt a similar urge in front of The Great One, Degas.
"At the Milliner's Shop" opened my eyes to new possibilities.
Made me want to paint; changed my vision.

I'll be re-visiting and posting drawings and pastels that I painted several years back. I feel the strong need to look back at what inspired me, what work I did before I worried or thought about galleries and sales. I have no way of knowing how long that inspiration will last- days, weeks or months- but in looking back I also look forward. There's no more difficult task for an artist than to find your own voice. I must embrace every opportunity to find my own way, irregardless of gallery sales, what collectors want, what I painted last week or last year. Inspiration is everything.