From a very young age, I was fascinated by architecture. I can draw the floor plan for any of the 17 different places I have lived in my life. The first one we moved out of when I was 4-years-old. That should have given me a clue as to what I should have become in the business world, but Continue reading Mosaic of Life #136 – Architectural Art
I have had pets for most of my life, but my first personal pet was Sam. Before that, they were always family pets. I got Sam as a puppy in October 1972. When I graduated from college in June 1970, I got an apartment about 5 miles from where I worked. It was the first time I had ever lived alone. The first two years I enjoyed the solitude, but within a couple of years I started getting lonely. It was time for a pet. I really don’t know why I chose a dachshund who was the biggest in the … Continue reading Mosaic of Life #85 – Sam
I don’t remember when my fascination with glass began. Maybe it was my first visit in the 1980s to a museum in my wife’s hometown, Neenah, Wisconsin, named Bergstrom-Mahler – Museum of Glass. There are literally thousands of pieces of glass art. I will save any more details of that museum for future mosaics.
Peoria is a city in central Illinois, and has a population of about 100,000. Its Riverfront Museum has some of the most unique art around. When I was there, the main floor was dedicated to Lego art, several are shown … Continue reading Mosaic of Life #62 – Peoria Riverfront Museum
And this is definitely artsy. These Artsy Ladies were in the Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens which is located in Rockford, Illinois. When I visited in 2017, the Bruce Monro Light Exhibit was the current attraction. This was in the beginning phase of my search for artsy. I don’t know if these ladies were part of that exhibit or a permanent part of the conservatory, but they did fit very well into landscape of the dome. They were about 5 feet tall and made of glass, but I can’t imagine exactly how they were actually constructed. The conservatory itself is certainly in the top three I have … Continue reading Mosaic of Life #29 – I Know Artsy When I See It
I seriously started my Artsy project in mid-2023. For a few months, it was almost exclusively freehand doodling. That got my confidence up that I could at least do rudimentary hand-to-eye coordination. I have created a collage of these sketches above, and they are on Mosaic Wall. As almost everyone knows, to be good at anything takes PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE. Some of the things I attempted in those first three months were just plain awful. They stayed out of the trash can for about 3 seconds after they were completed. But, they served a purpose. They were learning experiences. The first … Continue reading Mosaic of Life #1 – Doodling & The Analog Stage Of Artsy
It’s been a while since I put out a quote from one of my main heroes in life. Will Rogers speaks to me like no other person. He died almost a dozen years before I was born, but he left … Continue reading Tired Of Doing Nothing…
In order to be an artist, you must pretty much reside on the margins. I’m sure the artist’s name who made the above painting has long … Continue reading LOM – Pueblo Art
I was recently at the Ft. Wayne Museum of Art and came across a fabulous collection of glass. If I remember right it was on loan from the New York Museum of Modern Art. I have always been fascinated by … Continue reading Celebration of Glass
I was recently at the Ft. Wayne Museum of Art and came across a fabulous collection of glass. If I remember right it was on loan from the New York Museum of Modern Art. I have always been fascinated by glass art and this was the best I have seen. I can’t leave you with just one example so here is a gallery of other pieces. Click on any pic to see a larger view. Continue reading Ft Wayne – Celebration of Glass
I don’t try to understand how my mind works. But, I am totally happy that I get quick broad streaks of inspiration on a regular basis. Sometimes I get quick mental flashes that interrupt whatever I was doing that demands my immediate attention. In the past, I would most likely decide to write it down when I got back to my desk. But, of course, most often the thought would vanish as quickly as it appeared. So, now I immediately jot them down. Getting to the point of the post, I have always admired those who can take a pencil/pen/brush and create … Continue reading Wild Inspirations…
I am finally convinced that I am a pretty creative person as my mind constantly wanders into unimagined areas of thought. In my retirement years, I have done a pretty good job of cultivating my creative processes. But I am always looking for ways to unleash my creativity to new areas and levels. When I ran across this article from the New York Times it gave me a different way to think about creativity. We all have fantasies or, if you prefer, ideas. I will give them a different word: “Seeds.” These seeds are the germ-line of books, short stories, songs, the … Continue reading Creativity
Yes, I know that the heyday of the railroad is long past but I am one of those who believe they will return again in all their magnificence sometime in the future. They are just so much more eco friendly than the millions of interstate trucks that currently dominate our highway system. The point of this post is about a recent visit to the Green Bay Railroad Museum. It is a massive place displays dozens of the giant engines of the past. If you are in the area it is well worth a visit. Here are some pics for you. … Continue reading Green Bay Railroad Museum
RJ's Corner - Having My Say 