Friday Art Smorgasbord - A Journey

Greetings!  This week I took a virtual journey which took me artistically around the world.  No, my projects are not monumental, but believe they are meaningful.

© Arnoldo L. Romero 2012

I am in charge of the Gifted and Talented program at a local elementary school.  Therefore, it is very appropriate that the first stop in my virtual journey be the school office.  I thought of this when Mike Baker, my blog manager at Monday Artday, challenged us members to use the office as our theme.  The majority of the secretaries I've worked with during the past 20+ years love children, but there have been a couple that my students were afraid of.  However, I have to say I've loved them all!

© Arnoldo L. Romero 2012

© Arnoldo L. Romero 2012

The second virtual stop in my journey was at Mustang Island, Texas.  Carolyn Saxby, my artists' tag team head at Tag Tuesday, challenged us to use a "Sea Bird" theme.  I began by doing a pen and ink sketch of a great blue heron scene for the Twenty Minute Challenge.  I took the picture when I was walking alone on the beach during a break at a Christian art retreat.  You can only see the heron's silhouette, but I love the way he is looking into the horizon.  I had intended to scan the sketch and use it in the tag.  However, I had 2 prints of the 4x6 inch photograph, so I opted to use one of them for the tag itself.  You can read more about the process at the Tag Tuesday, as well as take a look at my talented colleagues' work.  I am also submitting this postcard size tag to Three Muses - Alone and Sunday Postcard Art - Happy.

© Arnoldo L. Romero 2012

My third stop was in my studio.  I shot this photograph for What's on your Worddesk Wednesday - #163, where Julia Dunnit has been showing us vignettes in her studio.  I decided to follow suit, so here is a shot of a vignette behind my drafting table where I keep some of my stuff for tags, ATC's, greeting cards, and postcards.  I love to use vintage or artsy looking containers to store my stuff, because they help create a warm and inspiring environment.  I am currently working on getting everything labeled.

© Arnoldo L. Romero 2012

© Arnoldo L. Romero 2012

The fourth stop in my virtual journey was Eurasia.  My initial inspiration came from Jennifer McLean who challenged her readers to use "pears" in their art work for Artists' Play Room #18.  I couldn't find pears at the grocery store, so I researched pears on the web.  I found out that pears appear in several Eurasian myths, so I chose 3 of them to write and illustrate my World Pear Myths book in a bag.  In the bag that I designed there is a handmade paper pear shape tag on which I painted a partridge using acrylic paints; an ATC collage of a "poire" made with my hand painted papers, which was inspired by the French artist, Henri Matisse; a tri-fold ATC featuring a stamped image of a pear and an origami pear tree flower that I designed; and a miniature origami book decorated with scraps of paper and featuring a summary of the myths.  The summary in the book, which is based primarily on Fruits Fable and Folklore, reads as follows:

Pears can be traced to Europe and Asia as one of the oldest cultivated fruits.  Therefore, it is the subject of fascinating myths.  Perdix, Lord of the Pears and a genius engineer, is tossed into the sea.  Athena carries him into heaven in the form of a partridge.  This myth served as the basis for the English Christmas Carol, where the pear symbolizes the cross and the partridge, Christ.  In China, the pear tree is a symbol of immortality, because of the tree's longevity.  Because of this tree's trait and the tree's fruitfulness, in Europe it is a symbol of strength in a marriage and the couples proliferation.  Enjoy!

I am also submitting this project to the following challenges:

• Project as a whole - Simon Says Stamp and Show - No Rules; Crazy Amigo - Free Theme; and Craft Art Work - What I Have In The Bag?
• The tag on the bag and the origami book cover - Simon Says Stamp Challenge - Dawny's Sketch; and Collage Obsession - Maps
• The pear shaped tag with the hand painted partridge and the Henri Matisse inspired ATC - Paint Party Friday - Week 19
• Henri Matisse inspired ATC - Inspiration Avenue - Paris

© Arnoldo L. Romero 2012

My last stop brought me back to my studio.  Bella Cirovic, at the 52 Photo Project, challenged her readers to post photographs in Gallery 13 that represent "Growth."  I wasn't sure of what I wanted to do, until I read Karen Letchworth's blog post at Word Art Wednesday - Challenge #37, which features the hymn verse by Civilla Martin, "His eye is on the sparrow and I know He watches me."  (See Luke 12:6-7 & Matthew 10:29-31)  This inspired me to take a picture of a shelf in my library.  The books, pen, paintbrush, and tablets represent my growth as an artist, teacher and writer.  The Bible, which is prominently displayed, represents God's Word helping me grow as a man, husband, father, teacher, and artist.  By the way, I used a Carolina Wren, because I didn't have a Sparrow to use as a prop - LOL!

I hope you enjoyed my virtual journey around the world.  I want take this opportunity to thank you for your motivating comments in my last post.  You are cordially invited to leave comments again, as well as join my list of followers.  Next week, on July 26th, I will be celebrating the 1st year anniversary of A. L. Romero Art and Design blog, so please be sure to come back.  Blessings!