Phoenix Art Museum

While I was in Arizona, I visited the Phoenix Art Museum. I was excited it was nearby the convention center where I was attending the design conference, so I decided to walk there when I had a couple hours to myself. It was near lunch time, the sun was bright overhead (as it is everyday in Arizona) and I set out on my journey.

However, it happened to be 98 degrees and rising (literally), as I walked down the sidewalk, lugging a tote bag filled with papers, my camera AND my purse. I started to question the 1.5 mile walk, seeking the shade of every building I could. But I had already committed. I wanted to go to the art gallery. I must press on.

At last, I reached the gallery and it was air conditioned!

It was worth the sweat I broke, because I got to see some real art. Framed masterpieces by famous artists throughout the centuries. Not computer generated imposters or calendar reproductions. 

They have quite a collection of western American art. 

European and American pieces, straight out of art history.

Georgia O'Keeffe

Modern sculptures

Contemporary art

They even had this piece, which I immediately recognized as "Panther Devouring a Hare" by Antoine Louis Barye. Gruesome, I know, but this was one of the first pieces I had to memorize in Art History 101, and for whatever reason, it just stuck with me. With a name and visual like that, it's hard to forget!

And best of all, this beautiful Monet. 


The gallery was quite large with an extensive collection. If you ever have the chance, I recommend going. As a designer, it was so inspiring to walk around a gallery, by myself, taking time to admire at each piece. Taking it all in. Enormous paintings. Intricate sculptures. Detailed drawings. The color. The texture. The light. The form. Artists with talent beyond my comprehension. It felt good to stand face to face with "real" art, instead of behind a computer monitor using a mouse to control line and color. These artists dipped brushes into paint and hand depicted every line and shadow. No live trace, Photoshop, or scanners. They did it the hard way. The real way. Today, we have so many shortcuts and quick fixes literally at our fingertips. Real art takes time and dedication to craft. Sometimes that's easy to forget. 

I think I need to visit galleries more often.

Back From the Desert

I've been back from Arizona a whole week already. It's hard to believe my trip has come and gone. This week was a bit of a blur, going back to work after almost 9 days of sunshine and a healthy dose of relaxation. It was a week full of blessings, big and small, and I came back refreshed. Only to catch a cold almost as soon as I stepped off the airplane back in chilly, rainy Rochester. All good things must come to an end! Makes me appreciate my trip even more. I did miss my husband the whole time I was gone and wished he could have been there with me. Somehow he managed to survive without me, living on hot dogs and not a lot of clean laundry. LOL.

The best part about my trip was getting to see my Dad and Mom and my Uncle Bob. 

I also got to meet Beau, my parents new lovable dog, a 6 year old Bichon Frise with the fluffiest fur. He and I got a long very well. 
 

It's such a treat going back "home" to visit my parents. When it's just me, it feels like I'm in college again, living at home, sleeping in, Mom making me breakfast. They spoil me with apple pie and home cooked meals. I love every minute of it. Even though it's not the house I grew up in, most of the furniture and decor is the same and it takes me back to my childhood. The pictures on the walls the blankets on the bed, the chairs in the living room. It always amazes me how the little things spark such memories. 

I still get a kick out of the different cacti. The prickly spikes and textures are so interesting. 

Try as I may, I wasn't able to capture a photo of a real humming bird buzzing and chirping in the back yard.  

The weather certainly delivered and temperatures reached 100 degrees! This was taken at 10:30 in the morning when the heat was still rising. Sunshine and blue skies. Every. Day. I loved it! 

Surrounding mountains in the distance. Immense and awe inspiring. It's impossible to relay their full beauty with a camera. 

I miss this spot. Lounging on the patio. Taking in the sunshine. Birds chirping in the morning. The still quiet night air. God's beautiful creation has so many forms. 


There have been many blog topics floating around inside my head, but it feels like I may have a case of bloggers-block (if there is such a thing). There's things I'd like to share and projects to tackle, but it's almost as if I need to wait until I "feel it." It's the same way with some design projects. You just know when you're ready to jump in. I think the desert sun did me some good, in that it caused me to slow down. Not stress over stuff. Take a look at what's really important to me. Something that's good for all of us to do from time to time. I was hardly on a computer the entire time I was away, and I kinda liked it. Some days it feels like a power cord is plugged into my brain and all I do is go from one screen to the next - work computer, phone, home computer, TV. Sometimes you need to cut the cord. I'm thankful I was able to do that for a few days. I have more to share about my trip another time. 


It's good to be home sweet home again.

Going to the Desert

I'm headed to Arizona for a week of business and fun! I will be attending the Pivot AIGA Design Conference in Phoenix. I am very excited about that. I've been looking forward to it for a few months. This will be my first big design conference - and I'm going solo. Eeek! I'm hoping to be inspired, learn from interesting professionals in the industry and meet other designers from all over. I don't quite know what to expect, but it should be an adventure! 


I'm also excited that I get to spend time with my Mom and Dad and my Uncle Bob, who live in Arizona. It will be a mini vacation! 

Especially since this is the 10 day forecast! Forget autumn - I'm going back in time to relive summer! Whoo hoo! Sun everyday? Check. Chance of rain = 0%. 


I may be a bit scarce around here for a little while, but I'll be sure to come back with good things to share. Gotta go pack my bag(s)! 

Arizona '09 Part 3 Finale

It's time for some BINGO! I had my first real bingo experience with my Mom and her friends at their weekly bingo night. Let me tell you, they are in it to win it! Everyone brings their stampers (in multiple colors of course), their raffle ticket holder, and their determination to play 12 rounds. Where can you have that much fun for $4 on a Wednesday evening?

I learned that each round they play a different bingo pattern. Not your boring old five-in-a-row game. Anticipation was in the air as each game got closer and closer to a winner. Once someone called out "Bingo!" and the winner was confirmed, you could hear the disappointment and conversations of "I only needed one more number!"

My Mom's friend Liz is a pro, she doesn't even need to mark the patterns before each game.

This is our cousin Fran. Her husband was one of the winners. Lucky!

Mom and I didn't go home with any bingo dough, but we worked with some in the kitchen (pie dough that is). My Mom's apple pie is the BEST. Simply divine. (Recipe to come)

 

We also made greens (escarole) and beans. We didn't know escarole would be so difficult to find this time of year!

We went to dinner and a show at Barleen's Arizona Opry. The Barleen family has been entertaining with diverse musical talent for over 30 years. It was a great show, featuring Christmas music and practically every musical instrument known to man.

George Staerkel (the guy playing the horn), is best know as the voice that sang "In the Jungle, the mighty jungle, the lion sleeps tonight..."

 

A delicious home-style meal is served before the show, with a giant piece of chocolate cake for dessert. Yum!

There was singing and comedy.

The world's largest saxophone (literally).

 

And Swiss horns. Which inevitably made me picture this....

"Riiiiiiiiiiicolaaaaaaaaa."

We had a really fun night out together.  I recommend catching the show if you're ever in Apache Junction.

 

Dad and I made a trip to the garden center at Home Depot. I was admiring the beautiful plants that flourish in Arizona, such as bougainvillea, my favorite.

And these succulents (A.K.A. hens and chickens).  Aren't they cute?

Dad has always had a green thumb (I like to think I inherited it). He has made their desert yard look very pretty with different cacti, flowering bushes, and potted plants.

On my last day in AZ (sniff, sniff) I spent some time sitting in the back yard, just soaking up the sunlight and savoring my last few moments in the Grand Canyon State (which I have yet to see some day).

Teddy didn't want me to leave, I could tell. It's always bittersweet to hug my Mom and Dad goodbye, and head back home after a wonderful visit. Especially when winter in NY is waiting to receive me.  But so is my wonderful husband, who let me be away for a week. Isn't he sweet? I know he was the one who made the biggest sacrifice - especially when I heard what he had been eating while I was away.

Mom & Dad, thanks for spoiling me and making me feel like I was still a teenager living at home. Those were some good times...sleeping in, Mom making french toast for breakfast, shopping the afternoon away, watching TV, staying up late and not working full time. I wish someone would have told me back then how quickly those years would fly by! Love you Dad & Mom.

I look forward to the next time I can jet off to Arizona. That's all I have for this trip. Hope you enjoyed looking through my camera lens!

Arizona '09 Part 2

I am quickly approaching the one month mark since my trip to Arizona. It's about time I posted some more photos! There are so many little things I'd like to share. For starters, it was mid December in Arizona. Have you ever wondered what Christmas looks like in the desert?

There are still lights and decorations, even if there's no snow (as this photo clearly shows). There was a contest in my parents neighborhood, for the most decorated house (*this is not my parents house).

Neither is this.

 

Or this.

I just couldn't get over the fact that the lights were on the ground. I had never seen Christmas in the mid-west before. I guess when you don't have bushes or evergreens (or grass for that matter) you have to be creative. It was very pretty. And festive. But it still felt like something was missing. Snow. The snow that now covers the entire landscape where I live. Sparkly, white, crisp snow, rolling over every hill and once-green field. Icicles hanging sharply off of roofs, and slush beneath our feet. Gross, brown muddy slush in every parking lot. Brushing snow and ice off my car every morning. Red noses. Boots, gloves, and hats. Trying to keep the thermostat at 62 and increase layers of clothing to combat high energy costs. Yes, I said 62. It's freezing outside! Maybe the desert is on to something!

Back to the land where palm trees sway... Did you know that palm trees are not indigenous to Arizona? They have been brought in and planted, they do not grow naturally here. As a result, they are actually increasing the humidity in Arizona. They look beautiful though. Palm trees, cactus and mountains. So different than the climate here in the east.

 
There are so many types of cacti. I love the different colors and textures.

Some look deceptively "fuzzy" but up close they are a mass of needles. Like this creepy looking one. I can't remember the name of this one, but they are so unusual and interesting to look at. Why is it, that even though I know they are covered with prickers, I still want to touch them?

I did manage to pick this prickly pear in my parents back yard. Got some prickers there. The fruit was more bitter than the prickly pears for sale in the grocery store. But what a gorgeous fuchsia color!

These tangelo's were sweet . I love picking fresh fruit, right off the tree! "The tangelo is a citrus fruit that is a hybrid of a tangerine and either a pomelo or a grapefruit. The fruits are the size of an adult fist and have a tangerine taste, but are very juicy, to the point of not providing much flesh but producing excellent and plentiful juice. Tangelos generally have loose skin and are easier to peel than oranges.^[1] They are easily distinguished from oranges by a characteristic knob at the top of the fruit." (Wickipedia)

It has become a tradition, each time I visit, that we have dinner at Los Gringos Locos, and excellent Mexican restaurant. I especially like their salsa and "cheeps". (chips)

The packaging designer in me likes to visit Trader Joe's, because we don't have any near us. They have some clever designs and interesting products.

Such as these dark chocolate sea salt caramels. The sea salt was a bit much, but the combination was unique. How cute is this box design? 

They also have their own pizza dough...

Which Mom turned into delicious pizza frita! There's nothing like fried dough, sprinkled with sugar! My Mom is still the best cook.

We spent some time together in the kitchen, cooking my favorite recipes. More to come on that in future posts.

We drove through the desert to a town called Florence. The mountains and the landscape really are pretty. It's hard to even try to capture it all on my Canon digital elph, but it did pretty well.

In Florence, we ate lunch at a delightful Greek restaurant. Drove around and looked at the town. This is a church with beautiful architecture.

We also paid a visit to the...

Partially out of curiosity. Ok, largely out of curiosity. Across the street from, none other than, the prison. The sign says "Crafts, clothing, jewelry, woodworking and leather." However, this wasn't your average store. I'll just say that. If you are looking for a funny t-shirt or weird "unique" piece of art, this is your place. Only in the west!

It looks like I will have to conclude the rest of my trip in part three....more to come. Hope you have enjoyed my snapshots thus far. I wish I could go back right now and escape this arctic climate!

 Teddy has no idea how good he has it!