Sunday, October 20, 2013

Making a Change

Its been a while since I've posted a Merry Bright blog, but its all good news...
Merging art, design, and science teaching is a lot of fun!

A new blog will start soon, with the nuts and bolts of how
the aesthetics and art of science can be used
to engage a broader range of learners.
Its going to highlight the work Mark and I are doing
with our classes, so ideas can be copied, critiqued, altered, etc.
Yes, science IS beautiful!

Meanwhile, I am only going to do occasional updates on this blog site,
thru 2014, when I hope to amass enough thoughts and pieces to
publish a Merry & Bright Christmas Celebration Journal.

In the mean time, thank-you, and big hugs!
- Lesley

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Berry Colossal Crunch

For an amazing food deal in our hometown,
nothing beats the Grocery Outlet.

Of course, it can lead to moments like this, buying giant bags
of Berry Colossal Crunch (a Crunch Berries substitute).

Its even bigger than our new staple: bags of yellow potatoes.

Nothing beats a trunk-full of food for less than $150,
with at least a few frivolous fun things.

Monday, October 7, 2013

Irving Penn Still Lifes II

Irving Penn can take a flower to a point of artificial splendor,
but I know him best for...

Clinique ads.

Lipstick like a luscious dessert.

Trinkets to collect and treasure.

Even the flotsam of humanity is given
this elevated focus.

Sunday, October 6, 2013

Irving Penn Still Lifes I


Probably most people have been wowed by an Irving Penn
magazine cover or advertisement at some time...

A whole book of back-to-back photos really hits home
how memorable his arrangements are.

A modern take on still life, complete with fauna.

"pre-construction" as a modern version of deconstruction.

Playful arrangements of like shapes.

Graphic tension in photos that can draw out memories.

Even decay and the wormiest of apples have their
place in Penn's world of beauty.

Saturday, October 5, 2013

Friday, October 4, 2013

Make it Real

SARK books show up all the time at Goodwill, and thank goodness
they do, or I may have missed the author's juicy & saucy inspiration.

The best (and simplest) recomendation so far?  Don't just think it,
plan it, dream it...physically make it.  That way you have something
tangible to share and improve, and who knows, it may be awesome
from the start!

I love planning, and the "Make it Real" mantra is perfect for me.

I have the wonderful dilemma of so many fun things to do,
its sometimes hard to know where to start...postage art?  calligraphy?
scrapbook journaling?  assemblage?  Its all fun!

And even better, its now all going to augment my teaching through
four art exhibits, each with at least four "galleries" of pieces.

Yep, I kick butt on the planning, now I need to start making :).

Thursday, October 3, 2013

Doing & Dichotomies

"The Book of Doing" by Allison Arden has me thinking
of the various things I do (imagine, explore, collect,
design, create) and what I'd like the people who
interact with my work to be able to do (think,
feel, make, share, remember).

This creative tension between artists and participant has
been making me think of the dichotomies we're immersed in
every day like nature vs. man-made, timeless vs. current...