Here's a new slide show I created from art I have posted to Flicker. The site that hosts the show has a wide variety of designs and many music choices. (If you show more than one post per page, the music is not a good idea.) I recommend this service for sharing art and photos. It's easy and fun. Read Full Story

I just photographed a series of paintings I did in 1997 with my new camera and uploaded the pictures to MyArtSpace. Here's a slide show. Read Full Story

More and more newspapers are in trouble. This situation could threaten the future of our political system, but it also could open us to a new era of even better coverage and more responsive journalism.The internet has already changed so many aspects of our lives, and is about to change even more. Amazon's Kindle sold out this holiday season, in spite of the grim economy. This device offers newspapers and magazines for download, as well as books.There are already online services that have ... Read Full Story

In these difficult times, we have an opportunity to rethink the direction in which we are headed and the approach we have been taking.The strength of the United States has always been in its flexiblity and creativity. At our best, we are an agile bunch. I think we need to approach our current problems with this trademark verve. Here are some ideas to get things going:1. Clothing designers and fashion mavens create amazing clothes that do not require dry cleaning or hours of ironing. (Cleaners... Read Full Story

As a way to promote my artwork and books, I joined a few content develpment sites this week. They are so much fun, it is hard to pull myself away.Here is an article I am particularly proud of. It gives directions for writing a love poem and, as a sample, contains a poem I just wrote about my first date with my husband. We met in an art class taught by Latvian artist Vija Celmins (long before she was famous). Our date was an assignment to visit local art galleries. In Los Angeles, at that time... Read Full Story

This morning, as I was pedaling an exercise bike at the gym, I watched a show about ancient paleontology . The program pointed out that the ancient Greeks and Romans collected and displayed fossils of Pleistocene mammals. Certain historians have speculated that some mythical creatures could actually be theoretical reconstructions by the ancients, based on these bones.This program reminded me of an exercise we did at the workshop on Saturday. For those who were not there, we combined parts of ... Read Full Story

For those of you who attended my workshop on Saturday, and for those who were not able to come, here's a book you might want to pick up. It contains more than a hundred ideas for classroom teachers who want to teach art, but who have little time and few materials. Many of the ideas can inspire adult artists, too. Read Full Story

During the Saturday workshop (see previous post), members of our group made quick sketches inspired by poetry. The poems I read were from "Talking to the Sun" (see the picture link on the right for more information, or to purchase), but the internet is a wonderful source for poetry, too.Try it! Read the following poem. Without referring to the text, do a sketch based on any impressions that "catch" in your mind. Develop the drawing into a painting. It will not be an illust... Read Full Story

Are you stuck? Here is the first in a series of posts based on activities I tried out on a bunch of great sports, and terrific artists at the Western Colorado Center for the Arts yesterday.Our first activity, very loosely inspired by Japanese Calligraphic paintings and the exciting works of Franz Kline, was string painting. We used black tempera and jute package twine, but you can also try black ink with yarn, string, or even rope.1. Pour the paint or ink into a cup.2. Dip the string into it.... Read Full Story

An excerpt from the free online ebook "All at Once: A Practically Instant Guide to Creativity"Any experienced teacher will tell you that the most valuable lessons are learned from students. Find a place to share your interest in art. •Ask at your local elementary school. There are probably several teachers who would schedule art sessions more often if they had an extra adult to help. •Work with a youth organization such as 4-H or start an after school art club at your local church. ... Read Full Story