That Bahama-blue water color — turquoise — is the theme of this week’s ARTchix challenge for fun and prizes. Here are a couple “inchies” (1″x1″) collages made from ARTchix images and aqua bits of a shopping bag.
The flutterby collage ATC’s (artist trading cards) feature new images from ARTchix’s Hot & Cool Butterflies sheets, along with some of their lovely vintage ladies! (and some recycled Daytimer refill sheets and magazine clippings!)
Let your art take wing!
I found this quote artfully created on a calendar frame …
Having a marvelous summer stretch and wishing you the same!
This isn’t about the kind of conch (pronounced “konk”) we find all around The Bahamas. This is not about that staple of island life (and a staple that’s so popular—but not necessarily so prevalent these days—that it may well need some common sense seasonal protection to bring it back to a state of plentifulness, but that’s another story!). No, this is not about the beautiful pink-lipped mild conch that lives in the grassy sea banks of The Bahamas and tastes great in conch salad, fritters, or pounded thin, battered and fried into cracked conch (can you tell it’s around lunchtime as I type this?) …
This is about conch as a verb. Something I just discovered thanks to The Art of Eating Magazine.
This amazing independent print magazine (that celebrates all the best in food and wine with in-depth articles about the people, places, traditions, growers, and artisans who produce the freshest and most flavorful fare) introduced me to the term “conch” as it applies to the the fine art of making chocolate ….
Yes. Chocolate! And not just any chocolate. Some of the finest chocolate produced anywhere: Taza Chocolate (where a debate on whether to conch or not conch the chocolate is appropos and just a normal part of chocolate-making lingo!).
What I learned reading the Art of Eating article in Salon.com (click here) is that in chocolate-making “conching” refers to a process by which chocolate’s texture can be smoothed. The original conching machine (developed in 1874) was used to give creamy smoothness to the gritty raw chocolate beans, tempering it for taste and texture. The original chocolate conching machine was shaped like a seashell, and the name still refers to the chocolate mixture smoothing process that happens in the final stages of any chocolate making.
In the true artistry of chocolate purists who craft from bean to bar, Taza Chocolate is unique because they do not conch. They roast, winnow, grind, temper, and mold their chocolate by hand. And they use only authentic Oaxacan stone mills (instead of steel machine mills) to grind their organic cacao beans on a slightly imperfect surface, which allows small small particles of unrefined cacao to pop with intense uncompromised flavor in the finished chocolate, and to give their bars a distinct granular texture.
Chocolate. I love it all. Conched or not conched. And I’m so happy to know that Taza Chocolate exists, and to learn that something sea-inspired is a part of chocolate making history.
And as is the case with all the good things I blog about here, I’m not selling anything—I’m just having fun sharing some of the inspiring stuff that makes life a little more full of wonder and joy—and handcrafted all organic-ingredient chocolate is right up there near the top of that Sweet Life list.
And now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll go in search of my copy of one of my most favorite all-time movies: Chocolat! (I’m wondering if there’s a conching machine or grinder anywhere in the background that I didn’t notice before … and even if there isn’t, I just love Johnny Depp in this, don’t you?!)
Indulge! (And share a note about your favorite chocolate-lovin’ treats!)
I just adore this time of year on Grand Bahama Island. Everywhere you turn there are bright bursts of flame red flowers atop wide canopied treetops dotting the landscape — so regally red and naturally elegant — it’s the annual blossoming of the Royal Poinciana trees, and it’s spectacular, even amidst a landscape known for its lush and dazzling tropical flora!
Passion-red petals abound at every turn …
… fancy-dressed arbors everywhere …
This splendid annual show starts somewhere around the middle of May and continues for a good month or more. It’s at its peak right now.
This gorgeous annual Royal Poinciana Red Dress Ball — free and open for all to enjoy — is a May/June extravaganza that twirls the landscape with delight as nature shows off some of its more flamboyant stuff.
Just makes the garden of your heart dance, doesn’t it?! Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy …
I’m feeling a little tickle in my throat today. A little dryness. A slight cough now and then. I hope I’m not coming down with a cold. Vitamin C on a regular basis is a traditional way of keeping your resistance up, but here in The Bahamas, you can walk right into your garden and find something that will make you feel better in no time: Cerasee.
Can you see the cerasee growing like a vine in this tangle of green in the picture above? It’s the one with the yellow flower and the five-fingered leaves. Taking some of the cerasee leaves, stems, flowers, (and even seeds!) and pouring boiling hot water over it and letting it steep to make a tea infusion is said to be one of the best cure-alls for whatever ails you. It’s known as a blood purifier, blood sugar stabilizer, skin soother, immune system enhancer, and just all round tonic for keeping you strong and helping you “live long”, as they say in the islands! The wise elders in The Bahamas recommend a cup a week to keep you going. It is a nasty tasting medicine — I have trouble imagining how anyone drank enough of it in the first place to realize it had therapeutic properties — but it is a long standing, sworn-by, tried-and-true remedy recommended by countless 80 and 90-somethings in The Bahamas. I’ve given up on putting honey in it to kill the taste. It doesn’t really help. You’ve just gotta down the bitter brew. It doesn’t taste like Paradise, but cerasee’s body-boosting abilities do make it a true heavenly gift if you like living well. I’ve thought myself too busy to brew up a batch these past few weeks, and you see what happens?!! Okay, I’m going to take Mary Poppins’ advice and maybe add just a spoonful of sugar … augghhh … To your health!
altered old-fashioned slotted wooden clothespin decorated with ARTchix images, ornamentals, some paint, and marker
other side of the clothespin
Having fun … making art!
It’s fun to play with color. I created this collage playing mostly with shades of deep blues and various orange-reds as part of this week’s ARTchix Studio challenge about exploring the fullness of the color wheel …
… this pinwheel is a simplified version of the full color spectrum, but it nicely illustrates the pop and zing you get in your artwork when you pair up colors that are opposite each other on the wheel to command maximum attention … like yellow and purple …
… orange and blue …
… or pink and green (or red and green!)
Color wheels can be sweet and simple with primary colors like the pinwheel, or hugely detailed with all the multi-shaded variations of color that printers, designers, and artists use …
… either way, it’s a wonderful visual reminder of how contrast gives you the most impact and why some pairings automatically appeal more to the eye than others. And when playing with color—whether in art, graphic design, fashion, food, or decor—it’s all eye-candy! Play away — it makes you feel like a kid again with a new box of crayons!
“Create Art. Share Happiness.” — ARTchix Studio
Because Grand Bahama Island sits a mere 68 miles off the coast of South Florida, the closeness creates a sort of fandango of back-and-forth, here-and-there-frequently two-step, where the best of both worlds is readily at hand.
The small flock of flamboyant feathered friends in this picture were gorgeous to see recently at Ft. Lauderdale’s Flamingo Gardens, and it got me thinking about the great abundance of flamingos in The Bahamas, where the world’s largest colony of West Indian Flamingos (some 50,000 of these long-legged lovelies!) are a true Bahamas National Trust conservation success story on the southernmost island of Inagua. Protected by law, the wild flamingos of Inagua live in a beautiful symbiosis, thriving along the shallow lagoons and salt ponds created by The Morton Salt Company in their harvesting of almost a million pounds of salt each year.
Known as the national bird of The Bahamas (and sometimes locally called “fillymingos”), these brightly colored wonders take their name from the Latin word for “flame”, and are just one of the many shared tropical ties between Florida and the 700 islands and cays (pronounced “keys”) of The Bahamas.
Images of flamingos and their iconic pink plastic lawn ornaments (created in 1957) became so widespread and overused in the marketing of Florida’s development boom that some people see them as a cliched symbol of paradise. Their image has swung back and forth between the ultimate in tacky taste and retro-cool for decades now. I can’t argue with that (and I’m actually a big fan of kitsch and love seeing a flock of pink plastic for a good cause!), but I also can’t help but be amazed at the odd elegance of these exotic creatures in a more natural environment.
Flamingos became a symbol of the tropical good life in Florida at about the same time a group of concerned world citizens took steps to save actual wild flamingos from extinction. Because of their timely efforts to save the flamingos, they are now a symbol not only of the good life, but of a natural and national treasure in The Bahamas. I am encouraged to think that The Bahamas still has a chance to thoughtfully and carefully develop its many precious and unique islands, and to grow in a more sustainable and environmentally friendly manner, learning valuable lessons of restraint and environmental awareness from its more commercially overgrown-up cousin, Florida.
In The Bahamas, the flamingo was saved from extinction through a combination of foresight, vision, international cooperation, hard work, and dedication to preserving irreplaceable distinctive rare beauty. May this same approach (and sparks of divine design inspiration as graceful and eclectically riveting as those seen in the flamingo!) ever be present in any development of the stunning, world-enhancing, and incredibly beautiful and beloved islands of The Bahamas. Amen.
This blog started out as a list of a whole buncha stuff I love …
… having fun making art collages is definitely on that list, especially when I’m inspired by the fabulous ARTchix Studio …
… ARTchix inspired their chixies to create Twinchies (2″ square collages) in a red, pink & green color palette …
… featuring “I love …” messages of whatever strikes our fancy at the moment … I loved making these …
… with snippets of this and that … bits and pieces from a magazine … great images and goodies from ARTchix …
… recycling … refreshing … renewing your creative spirit … reminding yourself of some favorite things that make you smile …
… yes, I love making art … making collages … taking little trips into the imagination … especially in The Bahamas!
ps … 5/18/2010: I’m posting the back side of the twinchie collages now. The originals have been mailed out as part of the swap and are arriving in their new homes … I like to leave some small element of surprise for the recipients of the originals when they receive them in the mail (in case they’ve already seen the card fronts in other ARTchix places!). For me, it’s just as fun creating the back side of the cards as the front side, so here they are!
I Love Movies (Movies Thrill Me); I Love Gardens (Nature Lover); I Love LOVE In Your Heart (True Love); I Love A Love Story (Sweetly Told); I Love Being Me (Surprise); I Love Vacations (Sea Post)
Hooray for being closer than ever to meaningful and significant legislative health insurance reform! But what’s on my mind today is a different kind of health care reform — something that doesn’t take an act of Congress, but is definitely a way of saying “cheers” to your health with just a little green. Organic greens that is. Spinach, kale, or swiss chard, mixed in with some cucumber, celery, green pepper, a strawberry or two, an apple, a bit of lemon juice and water, all blended up together and downed first thing in the morning, gives your system not only a wide variety of vital fresh nutrients and vitamins — it also provides enough glorious greens to gently alkalize your body and counteract any foods that may have an acidic effect on the body (meats, sugar, dairy, alcohol — all the fun stuff!). More and more studies and nutritionists are agreeing that an overall alkaline ph balance in the body boosts your energy, maximizes your metabolism, helps eliminate toxins and inflammation (which can lead to dis-ease), and keeps your cells operating in optimal vibrant health.
Does it taste good? Not especially. Does it taste bad? No … just …. mild and green! Does it feel good knowing you’re giving your body a quick treat of green goodies in their ultimate raw beneficial state? Oh, yeah!! Do I sometimes pull out the ingredients and decide a more leisurely spinach salad would also fill the bill? Yes, sometimes I vote for that lovely leafy option! And I give thanks for my dear friend who turned me onto this health care reform in a glass. I also gaze at this magnet on my refrigerator and am reminded of President Obama’s overriding campaign message, which has been echoed through the ages by many wise leaders as the true starting point for making the world a better place:
Lettuce giggle more and gulp more greens along The Good Life Lane!
LOVE this art adventure!
