24 Hours - My Trip to Roanoke, VA Part 2

Welcome to part 2 of my 24 hours in Roanoke, VA. This post is solely dedicated to Taubman Museum of Art! I simply have too many photos and want to take the time to break down the area and the experience I had so that others will have a better idea of the area/interests. I've received some very awesome feedback on my first post - which you can read here. If you enjoy these posts please let me know and feel free to share! Again, thank you for taking the time out of your busy day to enter my wacky world.

Much love!

For those of you that do not know me personally - I feel like I'm at an AA meeting. Hello my name is Mika and I'm an art addict. Taubman Museum of Art is only one of many museums in Roanoke. I chose Taubman's while I was researching the area. They simply offered more of what I wanted to see!

As with most museums photography was not allowed in 90% of the areas. For those areas I will link directly to their website.

Welcome to Roanoke!

Taubman Museum of Art

 

This unusual Nylon floating sculpture greets every guest at the museum. Hand sewn by artist Anne Ferrer - "Hot Pink" is suspended 20 feet in the air, giving the rather masculine architectural design a more feminine and rather whimsical feel.

Art Venture was the first area I visited inside the museum. It was inspiring to watch the children reading/painting and opening their beautiful creative minds!

I took this photo for Tamara. :)

 

 

Matching Anne Ferrer sculpture from the lobby.

"Un-usual Folk" Exhibit 

Artist: Unknown

Left: "Quilting Memory Painting by Helen La France

Right: "Self Portrait" by Mose Tolliver

Artist: Unknown

This painting was my favorite of all the "Folk Art"
Artist: Theresa Disney

These were the most unusual pieces. "Buster in Cage 2004" by Marvin Francis who is incarcerated in North Point Training Facility, KY. The most amazing part - they were made with materials Mr. Francis had access to in the facility. Proving you can literally make something from nothing!

Also on exhibit when I visited:

Faberge collection - over 100 separate pieces collected from 1899-1917 ranging from cigarette holders to crystal stamp viewers. Most were originally owned by Tsar Nicholas II.

Judith Leiber Handbags - over 100 crystal handbags. Simply beautiful.

Edward Burtnysky- Collection called "Oil" Mr. Burtnysky shows us in full detail the impact we make on the Earth and on one another. An absolutely beautiful photography collection worth viewing!

American Art from the Permanent Collection - Of course this exhibit was my of my favorite if for no other reason than I was able to view amazing American Impressionists paintings. I love Impressionism and was thrilled to have the honor of gazing upon such strong pieces from a lost era.

State of the Art: Virginia Crossroads - A vast collection of artists from the area (and around Virginia) ranging from sculptures to photography and everything in between. I spent more time in this section than I realized, mainly due to the fact the guard talked me to death! lol

Harold Little - A wonderful painter and Printmaker

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That's it folks! If you enjoyed my little review please let me know!

Street art outside of the museum. Buy the print here.

There you have it. If you enjoyed my review please let me know! I can't wait to do another one!

Forever Fifteen

I get to this point every now and then...where I have to let the demons out and hate doing so because I always piss someone off. I don't care today. I will not apologize for this post. If you are offended by a real blog post - then go back to reading the prefabricated shit you prefer. This is who I am...this is what I do.

For the rest of the readers I didn't lose (lol) if you look deep in your heart you will find a time in your youth that changed you. Dramatically. That's exactly what this poem is about.

I offer no remorse for my feelings and will not deal with drama.

Forever Fifteen

I'm still 15 years old
Heart broken and distressed
fresh wound

I'm the same girl
with the same heart
salty tears

My 15 year young soul
has long been lost.
too many pills

Pills to remember
how to forget-
the breaking inside

Before years of attempted suicide
and the meds that followed
I was whole

Somewhere inside I'm 15
inspired by joy and tragedy-
but ever motionless

When the pills don't work
I'm a hollow shell

I crawl inside to be 15
to contemplate another try-
gas, water or gun.

Pick your poison, love

I always find my way out of Hell
to the realities of life

The thought is ever inside.

First mixed media art in months.

Friday Night Stop

Just as my very original title says - It's a Friday Night Stop. I wanted to share these two photos with you before I pass out from exhaustion. I'm really digging the first one, I could totally use it in a mixed media project. Maybe transfer it on a vintage mirror. What do you all think?

A new follower? Say hello! I love comments :D

Mixed Media Numba One - Revisited

Revisiting an old post tonight. I added the following image to Etsy last night and went back to my blog post unveiling it almost a year ago. How my life has changed since May of 2011. One change, I can't remember the last time I logged in at GetGlue...not my favorite outlet. Pinterest? Yes please!

Visit my Etsy shop to view the print - at a cool price!

I hope you enjoy my post down memory lane, it was rather fun to look back!

And P.S. the whole "Paris" thing wasn't a kick...I'm just obsessed with the city of love.

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Mixed Media Numba One

Day 104 and I must admit, I'm a lot more comfortable with my new routine of photographing when possible. It takes a lot of the pressure off, and gives me more time to fine tune my work.

I'm doing some shameless promotion today. If you haven't already, go to my Facebook page and "Like" it to keep up to date. Garnet Photography.

You can follow me on Twitter here.

My deviantART page is here.

You can find my little corner on GetGlue here.

I have also hopped on the bandwagon and joined fiverr.

I've found it's easier to run my jewelry and photography on the same account. I mean, it's not as though I have split personalities (or do I?) where one part of me photographs and one makes snazzy necklaces. Me thinks that would be much easier though!

Anyway...

I finished a request for a felt flower barrette today. I'm trying to incorporate some mixed media in my photographs, I love the organized chaos of it.

I'm still on my Paris kick (if you couldn't tell) maybe it's the Spring doing it to me. We may never know.

Marilyn Monroe Number One

Tuesday's uh, photo, art, post...something....was a practice on technique and inspiration. I plan on doing a Marilyn Monroe canvas collage and figured this would help me reach my destination.

FYI: I love the quotes!

Thoughts?

Mixed Media Number Two

Sunday May 15, 2011.  This is a very exciting post for me. Why? you ask. I am finally sharing a piece of mixed media I am proud of. It took about 3 hours from start to finish, thus I didn't post it last night. 

I have to thank Kelley at http://artjournaling.blogspot.com/ for giving me the inspiration and the drive to finally branch out into mixed media and art journaling for myself. She is simply amazing. If you haven't already, head over to her blog and get lost in the pages. I visit nearly daily and always find something different, something inspiring. Thanks again Kelley. :)

Without further adieu,

 

 

I think this is the start of something beautiful. :)

<3

Mika.

Mother's Day

I will be posting photos of Mother's day a day late...I can't celebrate the day with my Momma until tomorrow. So for today, I made a mixed media print. You really can't consider mixed media being lazy because it takes a lot of time to get things just so so (once the ideas start flowing).

The photo is rather cheesy, but it's the thought that counts...right? The zebra print is the actual photo and I added everything else in with Photoshop.

So, Happy Mother's Day to all the Mommas!

Mixed Media Numba One

Day 104 and I must admit, I'm a lot more comfortable with my new routine of photographing when possible. It takes a lot of the pressure off, and gives me more time to fine tune my work.

I'm doing some shameless promotion today. If you haven't already, go to my Facebook page and "Like" it to keep up to date. Garnet Photography.

You can follow me on Twitter here.

My deviantART page is here.

You can find my little corner on GetGlue here.

I have also hopped on the bandwagon and joined fiverr.

I've found it's easier to run my jewelry and photography on the same account. I mean, it's not as though I have split personalities (or do I?) where one part of me photographs and one makes snazzy necklaces. Me thinks that would be much easier though!

Anyway...

I finished a request for a felt flower barrette today. I'm trying to incorporate some mixed media in my photographs, I love the organized chaos of it.

I'm still on my Paris kick (if you couldn't tell) maybe it's the Spring doing it to me. We may never know.

<3

Mika.