Sunday, May 23, 2010

Are You In Love Today?



I can't tell you how many times I have listened to the Philippe Saisse Trio playing this song entitled "If I Ever Lose This Heaven". There are times when I find that I have gotten out of my chair and am dancing. Jazz is wonderful way to unleash the creative powers within.


This print expresses that feeling of being so in love with someone that the only way to describe it is "heaven". Here is the tune. It is for my pleasure and yours and it's okay with me if you dance!



 




This next video is up close and personal.  Saisse talks about making the music for the "Body and Soul" cd. Amazing that such smashing music can come from a basement studio, which is shown here in 2006. 



Monday, May 17, 2010

Slow Boat to China


After spending a couple of years in the Orient, I returned with a love for all things Asian -- Asian films, books, woodcuts, pottery and art. Here is a drawing portraying one of those elegant Chinese women.  She's dressed beautifully and has an air of sizzling sophistication about her.

This YouTube video of Gary Cooper features the song from which the title of this print is taken.  He was dashingly handsome and I can see him falling desperately in love with this woman.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

My Morning Coffee




I  have sketchbooks filled with mostly pen and ink drawings -- some are enhanced by ink washes.  This is a sketch of a coffee mug we have had for years.  Can't begin to count all the delicious brews that have been poured into this stout little clay vessel and sipped out.

I came across the sketch the other day and decided to give it a pop look.  Now it is trendy and modern and even has graphics. 

For your pleasure and mine, I have added an old tune performed by Frank Sinatra -- I remember hearing this as a little girl.  At that time, coffee was percolated.  You put water in the pot, filled up a small metal basket with ground coffee that had tiny holes in it, put on the lid and set it on the hot stove.  The lid had a glass dome so you could see the coffee percolating up through the basket with the coffee in it.  You could tell when it was done by the color of the coffee.