Posts tagged ‘family’
Sometimes objects will have a special meaning and inspire me to put them in a composition for a painting.
Last spring, my grandmother past away and left behind wonderful intangible things like love and spirit that will last forever. I hope I pass those along someday too.
Of course there are objects attached to her life and my memories of her that are here still too. When my mom gave me some of her jewelry I knew exactly what I would be painting next.
It was hard to set up a still life for very long because I kept wanting to wear the things on the table. There are no rings in this painting because the couple that I got are on my fingers most days. After I worked on the jewelry part for several days (weeks?) I felt a push to keep going and include more that reminds me of my grandmother’s sense of style. She was into accessories, she made things, and she was always put together in a colorful way. Maybe I over did it. Maybe I went too far. But in my opinion, I can’t say enough about how much the little things matter.
I recently finished another large painting to add to the growing pile of artwork I have no idea what to do with because I can’t afford to frame them and they are too personal to sell (well, too personal to sell for next to nothing, my going rate for art).
This one is especially impossible to do anything with because it’s a portrait of my family. I don’t think anyone wants a portrait of my family, except my family, and there’s no way the kid can afford it on her allowance.
But I like to think of these large paintings as future gold mines for my kid or her kids or her kids’ kids. If she decides to have kids…which I assume she will (please god, let that not be in the next 15 years).
I was feeling all depressed and sad about my lack of enthusiasm for selling artwork and the feeling of being broke that comes with it.
So I turned to Twitter, where in less than 140 characters one of my favorite writers, Anne Lamott wrote that “creating art is a debt of honor.”
So there ya go, Lauren, appreciate the fact that you actually made something. OK?
Ok.
A couple weeks ago my grandmother turned 86 years old. I went to visit her and borrow some more of her cookbooks. She finds it funny that I read cookbooks before bed each night and encourages me to read from her library. I find it very relaxing to go to bed dreaming of cookies, candies, and random hard boiled egg in gelatin recipes. On her shelves of funny old cookbooks I found a collection of hand written recipes acquired by Grandma’s mother, Helfred Herbert.
I never met Helfred. But I think I would have liked her. Upon further investigation I found this photo of her (above) and Grandma told me she was a red head (like me!). Helfred was born in America but her parents immigrated from Sweden. Helfred lived in a little Swedish town in Iron Mountain, Michigan and later married a minister and lived in Chicago where my grandmother grew up. She loved food. According to my grandma, Helfred made cookies from Dec 1st to Christmas Day. This is my kind of gal.
I thumbed through the notebook of recipes she collected and am completely excited to try one out. Yesterday when my daughter was bored of TV and barbies we decided to make some cookies. Well, I didn’t have the ingredients to make some of Helfred’s cookies but I had just what I needed for the world’s most perfect frosted sugar cookies. Recipe below adapted from Better Homes and Gardens:
2/3 cup of softened unsalted butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 egg
1 T. buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla
2 C. all purpose flour (plus more for rolling)
1. In large mixing bowl beat butter with mixer for 30 secs. Add sugar, baking powder, and salt, beating well. Beat in egg, buttermilk, and vanilla until combined. Beat in flour a little bit at a time, stir in remaining if you cant beat it. Cut the dough in half and wrap into plastic wrap tube then put them in the fridge for at least 30 mins.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. On a flour dusted surface roll dough to between an eighth and a fourth of an inch thick. Cut with cutters and place on parchment lined cookie sheets. Bake for 7-8 minutes (depending on the size of your cut-outs). You really don’t want to over bake them. Don’t let them get brown. It would be a shame.
4. Cool them as long as you can. Then frost with a quick mix of lots and lots of powdered sugar and a little bit of water. Water goes a long way. Get your consistency to your liking. Frost and sprinkle…. let the frosting get hard before you eat up all the sweet sugary goodness!
I think Helfred would be proud.
Full fall weekend. How was yours? Here’s what I learned:
1. Raking leaves gives me hives in a major way.
2. My daughter’s adorable-ness makes the hives I got from raking with her slightly more bearable.
3. I always see something new every time I go on a walk.
4. Did you know your city has a “Walk Score?” and you can have your very own address rated. My neighborhood rates at a 45 (100 best) – not too shabby but surprisingly low for the amount of useful walking I can do around here.
5. Home made biscuits are good. G—-ooood. I ordered a copy of Home Made by Yvette van Boven and the thing weighs a ton but has wonderful recipes and other do-it-yourself ideas for home cooking. My thumbs are totally up for the amount of recipes and pretty pictures. More testing must be done!
6. You might see a bright green Statue of Liberty head there mid-collage above. It’s a student artwork that is there to remind me how much great stuff my students are capable of.
7. Okay, it’s also there because I have officially decided to make the effort to go to the 2012 National Art Educator’s Convention in NYC. Any art teachers out there gonna go? Let me know 
Just a little montage of the goings on in Lauren Alexander Land:
Sorry other art teachers, I am in fact the best art teacher “ether”.
It’s absolutely the most beautiful time of the year and I am trying to get out and walk around and enjoy it as much as possible.
My little cousin Daphne was born and she’s super sweet and schnugglie.
The vile greedy rotten squirrels devoured my patch-perfect pumpkins.
My daughter bopping along in the park after dinner singing “It’s a jolly holiday with Mary” is pretty much the most wonderful thing I can think of.
What is making your heart light in an otherwise heavy world?
Took the kid to Whole Foods to pick up some dinner ingredients on the fly. I found this crustacean in the produce aisle. Freaky huh? Turns out it is some genetically formed hybrid of broccoli and cauliflower – and that is based on about 30 seconds of internet research I did. It could all be baloney. But the thing tasted a lot like cauliflower with slightly more flavor. I just chopped and boiled it. Served it up. Nobody complained. I think this veggie is a little too style over substance – or maybe I should have just been more creative when I cooked it. It is gorgeous after all! It’s like staring at a optical illusion. Can’t take eyes off…..
Curious, what’s the freakiest thing you ever served up? I’ve never eaten anything with eyes still attached. And don’t plan to…
Last weekend I found myself in the middle of a Thomas Hart Benton Painting. Or perhaps more accurate would be a Grant Wood painting. I visited the wonderful land of Iowa; home of a zillion corn fields and the cleanest interstate restrooms in all the land. It only took me 6 hours in the car. Luckily my child in tow was sleepy most of the way there and she did not blow chunks in the back seat (thanks to Dramamine). We were visiting family and relaxing and enjoying ourselves. I got to go to a museum – my new favorite thing to do. The kid got to play in a pool with her cousin. Grandparents were in charge. Win-win-win situation. Oh and there was pizza. Very delicious juicy pizza.
There was only one major setback for me. What started as a serene and peaceful stroll through a mid-west mid-century landscape painter’s dream turned quickly into a nightmare, horror movie style. More on that soon. Very soon.
Once upon a time there was a little 8 year old girl who believed in mermaids.
She wraps her legs in blankets and ties her feet with belts. She mentions daily that she still wants a mermaid tail for her birthday (5 months away). She holds nightly dinner discussions about the science of living on both land and at sea.
I decided it was time to pull out the crafty mom card! Presenting the handmade mermaid princess….. Read more
July is here. Time to beat the heat with a little simple pleasure; enjoying the beauty of art! Right now all my original paintings (the actual thing I painted with my hands!) are on sale for 20% off. You don’t need to enter a coupon or anything. It’s already done for you! Everything original – even ACEOs are on sale. Here’s a few things you might find just perfect for your collection:
Not One to Judge - Original ACEO painting on Sale
Storm Lotus - Original 5x7 painting On Sale
Brooch - Original Painting 3.5x5 framed On Sale
Worth the Wait - Original Matted ACEO painting On Sale
How much fun it is to spell the word nincompoop? You hear it all the time but never write it down. Fun stuff.
I’m in a bit of a “what does it all mean” phase of my life and I’ve decided the meaning of life requires growing plants. I have a black thumb. I could kill a plastic tree if left in my care.
But I want to fix this. I want to grow a garden. And if I successfully grow my own food I would be so proud of me! Last weekend I pulled out (almost) all the weeds, got some serious hives, and am nearly scratching myself to death. But this didn’t stop me from planting some 
veggies with my daughter yesterday. Tomatoes, zucchini, sweet potatoes, and some cherry tomatoes….I’m a farmer! I am totally open to your advice, tips, tricks, and other words of encouragement.
Especially if you know how to stop these crazy itches. I’m dying over here. Seriously. I look a little pox-y. I actually made a doctor’s appt which I NEVER do so you know it’s bad.
We only filled half the garden box. What could I plant that won’t die? What will grow with minimal effort?
Do I have any chance at success here? Time will tell.
