Flying Colors

IF • Unbalanced

The challenge was to create an upward movement even though it holds a center diagonal line.
Was it achieved? Please leave your opinion, thanks!

original painting - private collection - Nashville, TN  - USA - "Fall"
watercolor, wax, rice paper, quilted • 38"H x 38"W • © Lisa Rivas

"Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky.”
~ Rabindranath Tagore

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GESTALT is a general description for the concepts that make unity and variety possible in design.
Gestalt theory is involved with visual perception and the psychology of art among other things.
5 gestalt concepts are: Closure, Continuance, Similarity, Proximity, Alignment
Click here to read more on - GESTALT - Design & Composition

IF • Pattern

Art is the imposing of a pattern on experience,
and our aesthetic enjoyment is the recognition of the pattern. ~Alfred North Whitehead

original painting - private collection - Memphis, TN  - USA - "Palindrome"
watercolor, wax, rice paper, gold leaf, quilted • 40"H x 36"W • © Lisa Rivas

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This painting was designed to be hung in any direction, thus the title of "Palindrome"

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A palindrome is a word or pattern that instead of developing in different directions it folds in on itself
so that the beginning and end mirror each other, that they are the same.
~ Todd Solondz (American film director and screenwriter)

A Pink Delight... yum!

Today I harvested my very first watermelon and then I dropped it!
This watermelon spilled sweet juice everywhere...

...all over my shoes, it was like a downpour of  ❤ "pink rain" ❤

When one has tasted watermelon, one knows what the angels eat. Mark Twain

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Watermelon rinds are also edible, and sometimes used as a vegetable. In China, they are stir-fried, stewed, or more often pickled. When stir-fried, the de-skinned and de-fruited rind is cooked with olive oil, garlic, chili peppers, scallions, sugar and rum.

...the secret leaves

SPINES ARE EVOLVED LEAVES TO PROTECT THE PLANT AND REDUCE WATER LOSS, THEY ARE NOT THORNS.

MEN ARE LIKE TREES: EACH ONE MUST PUT FORTH THE LEAF THAT IS CREATED IN HIM. Henry Ward Becher

IF • Talisman

A Talisman is an object marked with "magic signs" and is believed to confer on its bearer supernatural powers or protection.

Very often a talisman's symbol is created from a sacred geometry.

Sacred geometry may be understood as a worldview of pattern recognition, a complex system of religious symbols and structures involving space, time and form. It is used in the design of sacred architecture and sacred art. The basic belief is that geometry and mathematical ratios, harmonics and proportion are also found in music, light and cosmology. Sacred geometry is often referred to as a language of G-d.

"La Vida" (Life)
• digital collage • 10.5" x 10.5" print (limited edition) • Lisa Rivas © 2002

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The Tree of Life is one of the most familiar of the Sacred Geometry Symbols. The structure is represented in nature and relates to the "Flower of Life".

There are many spiritual beliefs associated with the Flower of Life; for example, depictions of the five Platonic Solids are found within the symbol of Metatron's Cube, which may be derived from the Flower of Life pattern. These platonic solids are geometrical forms which are said to act as a template from which all life springs.

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A fish is commonly used as a fertility amulet. It is also used as a talisman in some households to repel the Evil Eye. This originates from the Talmud - where it is stated that fish are immune from the evil eye because they are under water!

Gego

For the past few months, while focusing on the diverse / unique structures of cacti and rendering their forms, a very dear professor of mine would come to mind often, her name is Gertrude Goldschmidt, also known as GEGO.

Gego taught a course called "Three-Dimensional Form & Spatial Solutions" at the Hans Neumann School of Design in Caracas, Venezuela where I studied  Graphic Design. I took this in depth course of hers for 3 consecutive years and worked extensively with spatial concepts... that explains why I think of her so often when I look at these cacti and succulents.

Upon pondering it came to me how spatially interconnected we all are and thus with nature also. And that thanks to the web and art we have been able to express it in so many a wonderful ways, like this Cactus Monday group has done!

• 10" x 10" • (thelocactus) • © Lisa Rivas • "Tribute to GEGO"
• watercolor, digital, printed on ricepaper and mounted on canvas

Gego is a very well known artist, she played with the idea of the stable and the unstable elements of art. The stable elements of art was the sculpture itself, while the unstable elements consist of the constantly changing shadows and the slight movement in her design. She used scraps of metal that she would bend and weave together in order to evoke movement, experimentation and spontaneity. (Venezuelan, born Germany. 1912-1994)

She did a whole series called "Drawings without Paper"...
...to read more about her click GEGO

The creative economy is giving rise to a new spatial fix and a very different geography
– the contours of which are only now emerging...

We got spring!

A photograph of the Hawthorn Bush next door...
... transformed with illustrator enhanced flowers.

It is one of my most favorite "shows"... and a sign of spring!

"Hawthorn Snow" • digital illustration - Lisa Rivas © 2008

It's spring fever.  That is what the name of it is.
And when you've got it, you want - oh,
you don't quite know what it is you do want,
but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so! Mark Twain

Spring is sooner recognized by plants than by men. ~Chinese Proverb

A lucky Thank You!

The results for the

Blogversary give-a-way • #3

is to wonderful artist and baker

MESSY FISH

all the way over from

Sydney, AUSTRALIA!

She bakes 1000 lil' cakes a week!

I met Messy Fish through the Cactus Monday group and have truly enjoyed visiting her fun blog. She is so very real in many, many dimensions!
I totally encourage you to visit her realm @ http://messyfish.blogspot.com/

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A tidbit about Sydney, AUSTRALIA this is the city that did the first:

EARTH HOUR

EARTH HOUR will occur again on March 28th. all over the world - I invite you to join in!

For more info go here: http://www.earthhourus.org/faq.php

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Thank you for your visit & comments... Soon there will be the opportunity of another Give-a-Way gift!

one lucky winner...

...from the drawing of names for the 15 Art-eStamp Set turned out to be Indigene.
A very dear & talented artist, with a deep and wise spirit. A wonderful collaborator to the blog world with her regular visits, comments and marvelous posts + art on her site / blog: www.indigeneart.com

This was the dear song Indigene left in her comment to Flying Colors' for one year of blogging
THANK YOU !!!

Happy Blog Year to You, Happy Blog Year to you,
Happy Blog Year, dear Lisa, Happy Blog Year to you!
Way to go! Yeah! Congrats!
I love these stamps! How are they made? I'd love to know!
Peace & Hugs, Indigene

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I want to thank everyone for all their great comments and visits!
I am the lucky one to know that Flying Colors is held in such high regard.

Thank you again and there are more give-a-ways posted and also coming up.
So just keep coming back you might just get lucky the next time :-)

three...

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(¸.•.¸(¨´*•.¸♥¸.•*´)¸.•*´
♥«´¨`•☺"Thank You Box"☺•´¨`»♥
¸.¸.•*(¸.•*´♥`*•.¸)`*•¸

We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.
Winston Churchill

This is Flying Colors' Blogversary give-a-way • #3!

A one of a kind wooden box covered with ultra-thin ricepaper with a custom design.

To win, leave me a comment at this post.

This gift/prize is a courtesy, a special THANK YOU! for visiting and it is totally free.

All countries are welcomed! No shipping fees, I will send it to the winner! Last day to leave a comment to participate in the drawing of names will be Sunday, February 22nd.

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Thank you for your visit & comments... there will be 4 more gifts coming up!

two ...

... another Blogversary give-a-way • #2!

3 custom covered MOLESKINE® cahiers.
These plain journals are covered with
my paper scrapes and print samples.
The design inspiration comes from
"Baby Toes" a painting that is part of
my ongoing cacti / succulent art series.

See that complete post HERE

This cacti series comes about from my weekly participation with the artist group CACTUS MONDAY. An open group from all over the world that meets regularly every Monday on the web and it is all about fun with "The Cacti!".

Find the seed at the bottom of your heart and bring forth a flower. Shigenori Kameoka

 

To win these 3 custom covered "cahier" journals leave me a comment at this post.

This gift/prize is a courtesy, a THANK YOU! for visiting and it is free.

All countries are welcomed! No shipping fees, I will send it to the winner :-)
Last day to leave a comment and to participate in the drawing of names will be Sunday, February 15th.

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Thank you for your visit & comments... there will be 5 more gifts coming up!

Saguaro

Putting up your laundry was never so exotic!

Design by Davy Grosemans

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I have been out of town all this last week and I'm still in Chicago for an exhibit, so didn't have time to create artwork for this Monday post. But I found this "sophisticated Saguaro clothesline" and thought it be a perfect showpiece for the "cactuteers" of Monday Cactus :-) Enjoy!