Monday, May 21, 2007

A Little Bit of a Change




Instead of pictures of flowers, pugs, or elephants I'm going to put some silly and strange pictures by the artist Michael Sowa.
He's a living German artist who is known for whimsy and humor. I happened on a lovely and, I feel, quite optimistic picture that is entitled "Diving Pig" that I just had to have. It's quite a large picture with a small pink pig diving off a pier into a small pond surrounded by reeds and trees. She looks so completely free! I just love it and had it framed and it is now in my bathroom. I have had so many positive comments from visitors. He's also painted another diving pig pic but in a rather somber setting - a somewhat stark pond in front of a dark old house in a windswept field called "Diving Pig Autumn" or something very much like that.

Any way, I'm right at the start of my intensive Spring planting time so that I don't have any time right now to take pictures . Today I took a day of vacation and planted a number of containers, went to the garden center with my grand daughter and got her, as well as myself , some plants.
Besides spending $180 dollars on flowers I found a really neat contraption. It's a metal rod welded on a stand. You slide different size pots, either straight down or slanted from side to side, on this rod. What is created is a plant stand with graduated sized pots (about 5 of them) filled with flowers! I'm not sure I've explained it very well so when I try it out, I'll take a picture for all to see.

I'm chilling now to a wonderful CD of Chopin nocturnes - he is probably my favorite composer of piano works. And he was also a extremely romantic and passionate man. He had a tempestuous affair with the female writer George Sand and loved her until he died at the very early age of 39. A genius at composing for the piano.
So now I will show you some of the funny and strange pictures by Mr. Sowa.
Don't some of these make you laugh? or at least scratch you head and wonder what the heck he's trying to convey?
Mostly painting is like putting a message in a bottle and flinging it into the sea.
Howard Hodgkin (1932 - )
Bye for Now,
Alyssa

5 comments:

kate said...

I like these paintings - the flying pigs are great. I like the dog watching the pigs above and looking as if he/she wishes to join them in flying.

The picture of the girl walking the bear in the park made me laugh. It is so cute. What a curious and wonderful imagination Mr. Sowa must have.

I think you explained your new plant stand very well. I know what you are talking about. Please take a pic when things calm down a bit. This is such a hectic time of year - so many things needing to be done in the garden. I was glad to take some time off today and just breathe.

Have a good week ... Chopin nocturnes are so beautiful. I love them.

Mary said...

Alyssa,

I love those paintings - they remind me of "The Never Ending Story" - Oh, gosh. Maybe I'm too tired but I love fantasy.

I look forward to having grandchildren to garden with and to show them cool birds. All the while, listening to Chopin, who is so soothing. I used to listen to him during the morning hours at work.

Lovely post! Made my imagination run wild.

Sophie Honeysuckle said...

I also loved looking at your paintings-what an interesting collection! It is good to meet a fellow Maxfield Parrish fan, and I love the colour blue he uses in his paintings! He was a bit of scamp wasn't he! Thank-you for visiting my blog, I have enjoyed finding yours as a result and will be visiting you often!!

anna maria said...

I like the one of the little girl with the bear. Some of them are quite eerie.

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