Just a subtle reminder of a great man and the power of words...

Fall is all around (even here in Dallas).  As the weather cools and sunset occurs earlier, the grackles seem to gather together even more than the rest of the year.  I must admit that (unlike many I know) I am fascinated by them.  I have been honked at many times for not moving at a green light because I am mesmerized by the hundreds of grackles delicately perched on the wires at the intersection.

The grackles are the inspiration for our Art You Can Do project today.  This technique is a form of reverse painting and couldn’t be easier.  The results are modern and fun.   We have included the grackle templates that we used so you can make one just like ours or draw your own.

savour... social gathering

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Spring has officially bloomed and despite some nasty weather around the US, the air is filled with twittering birds and floral fragrance.  It won’t be long before spring gives way to summer.  We thought this might be the right time to celebrate a bit of what spring has to offer in terms of color.

We have chosen 5 spring themed pictures from around the web and pulled some color combinations directly from the images.  This first table setting photograph is from www.stylemepretty.com.  What a nice place to sit for a meal.  The colors are so sunny.  How might you use them?

Beyond the subtle muted palette of this art from www.freya-art.com, the message is sweet and completely spring.  Spring colors do not necessarily mean pastels.  This is a wonderful example.

savour... a colorful life

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What is it that makes things so appealing to the eyes?  Somehow, instinctively, we see something and know that the proportions are just right.  It may be human nature or our experiences throughout our life that form these decisions.  Some of it we learn through our environment and what we are told is beautiful.

For those who have studied art or design, you may likely be familiar with Fibonacci, the golden ratio, and the golden spiral.  This ratio is the backbone of much of what we see in our world that appears to be in the ‘right’ proportion.  In mathematics, the ratio is often symbolized with the Phi symbol shown here.

Fibonacci was an Italian mathematician who is credited for spreading the Hindu-Arabic number system throughout Europe.  He is also known for his work with the golden ratio or golden mean.  The Fibonacci numbers, as they are known, start with 0 and 1 and increase by adding the last two numbers in the sequence together to create the next number in the sequence.  For example: 0,1,1,2,3,5,8,13,21,34,55,89,144.

I’ll try to keep this simple.  When dividing one number in the sequence by the one just before it you will roughly end up with the golden ratio – 1.618.  The mathematical equation is a bit more complicated than that, but that’s a good base to start.

When you stack tiles with these numbers as the square dimensions in a spiral form they fit together perfectly.  By drawing an arc from one corner to the opposite of each tile  and continuing around the tiles you get a perfectly formed spiral – the golden spiral.

So where do we find the golden ratio and golden spiral?  The ratio 1:1.618 shows up in all aspects of our life from nature to music to architecture. 

savour… mathemagics

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Do you ever feel like your to do list is far too long for ordinary paper?  Here is a relatively easy project with fantastic results.  I like to think of it as somewhere between modern art and organization.  I must say that I like art that evolves.  Part of this may have to do with my desire to keep creating things.  Part of it may be because I have the attention span of a gnat and like things to be fresh and exciting.

This piece hung over a simple writing desk can be used as your dry erase board, filled with doodles, or a lovely hand-written poem.  The materials are very easy to find and the hardest part is working out the math for even lines.

savour… doodle space

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Today we are taking a break from food posts to bring you a little art project.  I have made a commitment to finish the boys bedroom redux this month and I needed an art installation for one of the walls.  This art project was an easy way to add an urban edge and tie some of the colors together.  I am hanging the pieces off of a pipe rail, but I will show that detail in another post.

The inspiration for these pieces came from a some art hung in the hotel lobby where we stayed in Memphis on our recent Holiday Road Trip.  The ones in the lobby were 3 feet square and ours are only 1 foot square, but the idea works for either set of dimensions.  The key to using others art as inspiration is that you need not worry about being exact.  You don't even have to do a "professional" job as long as it is staying in your home.  For my purposes, this art was meant primarily to carry out a theme and add some color.  Mission accomplished.

savour... public display of inspiration

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Our second installation of the Color Story feature highlights a picture from our post earlier this week on buying art from Art Fairs.  Please check out the palette we have selected from the painting and send along any ideas for its uses.  I look forward to seeing and sharing your comments.