Bad Horoscope 2014-W08

Glazed Over Cat Abstraction

After a tedious morning consumed by errands on foot, I got to painting late and even that went astray near the start.  Bad kitty.


I must have an unfavorable horoscope today — better quit while I'm not too far behind and look forward to better painting and blogging next week. 


Enjoy what's left of February!

Bright Eyes at 35 2014-W07

I can't imagine what it must be like to be famous the world over.  Fun at first I'm sure, but then it must be wearying.  Now, try being the most famous celebrity in the world for half a dozen years, those years being the Great Depression.  Oh, and you're five years old when the fame wave hits.

So with all that in mind, I have to credit Shirley Temple for surviving all that and leading a fairly normal life...  if you call being a country-club Republican turned diplomat normal.  Two times an Ambassador and the nation's first female Chief of Protocol.  A distinguished career piled on top of another distinguished career.

It should give us all hope that we are right to always believe the best is yet to come.  Though probably not in the form of today's painting I think.

It depicts Shirley as merely Mrs. Black — before her first ambassadorial appointment; gone are the golden ringlets, replaced by an ultra-60's pre-groovy look.  For contrast, you can search online for a Salvador Dali work that features Ambassador Black from her days aboard the Good Ship Lollipop.  And to save you wondering, Bright Eyes is the name of the film that shot her to fame in 1934.

At the Time, Mrs. Black

Survival 2014-W06

Normally when March starts coming into view, I'll feel I've gotten through another winter.  This year, I will feel I have survived this winter, which has been terrible and seems to have a hostile personality.  Probably we were overdue to have a bad winter so my hope is that our account is paid back in full and we won't see this kind of relentless nonsense for a spell of many years.

No connection meant to St. Valentine's Day by today's painting, but I hope you have a nice one!

Je Vois la Vie en Rose

Hold Your Horses 2014-W05

Let's open up with:  Happy Chinese New Year!  Evidently this begins the Year of the Horse.  I'm not sure what qualities this bestows on babies born under its auspices, but good luck to them all.

Speaking of horses, I'm not sure if young girls of today are fascinated by/obsessed with horses as they were in my youth.  I have to admit, I never got that... not that there's anything wrong with it.  I just found it puzzling, probably like the girls of my time scratched their heads about the allure of little plastic soldiers and cap guns.  But I'm sure we all agreed that Slinky did not deliver on its promises.

Our weathermen promised us a few inches of snow overnight and sadly, so it came to pass.  This inclement weather forced us to cancel our painting salon today, so I whipped up a quick (and timely) study of a newborn horse in lieu of the painting I had planned.  And when I logged in to write up today's posting, I saw my blog had its 2,500th viewing earlier today, so thanks for your patronage and a happy horse year to you all!

Baby Clyde