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Showing posts from February, 2008

Digital Cameras and my ACEO Geisha Feb 2008

I have had my present digital camera for at least nine years. It is great except for one thing: the largest Jpeg it can take is 1200 x 1000 pixels, so printing larger than 5 x 7 is difficult to do. I have spent the last few days obsessing and researching feedback and reviews on digital cameras. I thought some of that information might be helpful for others who are thinking of buying a digital camera. Sites that offer professional reviews on digital cameras: CNet Digital Camera Reviews dpreview.com Let's go Digital Comparison Ratings Steve's DigiCams Reviews Consumer Reports Review of Canon G9 by Darwin Wiggett So what digital camera am I getting? I will tell you soon. I plan to buy my new digital Camera by March 3rd. My husband and I made a deal that I would sit and incubate all the information I have read over the last few days before I make a final decision. I also need to look at the used electronics shop down the road to see what digital cameras they offer. Let me e

Nude Woman with Red Towel No 2, mixed media, collage

Nude Woman with Red Towel No 2, mixed media, collage This mini painting, an aceo, is the latest edition to The Nude Female Body with a Red Towel series. I spent the morning drawing the image. The afternoon was spent painting the image on a previously prepared support. I really wanted to work longer on a second painting that I had started but had to stop due to a hair appointment. I love going to the hair salon in Japan. Even though I get a simple haircut. it usually takes over an hour. First, the hair stylist sits down with me to discuss what haircut I would like and what suggestions she has. Then I am escorted to the shampoo area where I meet my "shampoo person. " This is the first highlight of my hair salon experience. I love the shampoo person. She shampoos my hair for about 10 to 15 minutes. This includes scrubbing and rinsing and more scrubbing. I start to meditate with all the scrubbing and am interupted here and there by her polite questions: The water is n

Nude Woman with a Red Towel, original ACEO, mixed media painting

I love drawing and painting the nude figure. We come in so many shapes and forms which makes the body beautiful and alive.

Stairway to Heaven and The Absent Sofa

My husband and I went on a long hike last week. He was my guide, taking me to a shrine he often visits. When we got to the foot of the stairs that lead up to the shrine, I had the sudden urge to start singing Led Zepplin's "Stairway to Heaven." I held back on that urge since I don't know the words and I had to save my breath for all those stairs. I would guess there were enough stairs to equal 12 flights of stairs. Half way up, a beautiful calico cat came out of the woods from the nearby neighborhood, and we stopped to look at her as she stopped to look at us. Most of the way up was quiet with only the sounds and smells from the evergreen trees lining each side. On our way home, Matt commented how, in 22 years of marriage, we have never bought a sofa. We have had hand-me down sofas given to us, but we have never bought one. My mother-in-law gave us our first sofa. She has wonderful taste, and it was the nicest piece of furniture in our apartment. We have nev

Vending Machines in Japan

In Japan, since most people take public transportation, walk or ride a bicycle to get where they are going, vending machines can be found on just about every block in the city. I can't even remember when I last used a vending machine in California, but I can easily remember buying something from a vending machine in Sendai, Japan. There are your usual items to be bought from vending machines in Japan: soft drinks and juice. You can also get energy drinks, beer and cigarrettes. Some of the more unexpected food items: oden, udon, crepes. As soon as you drop your coins in, the udon vending machine will place cooked udon noodles and broth in a bowl for your dining pleasure. The crepes are made locally in my city, Sendai, and lovingly placed in a container and sold in the crepe vending machine . I have yet to try these but I have heard they are delicious. For more information and photos of vending machines in Japan: The Japan Times Two Minute Japan Photomann Travel

Setsubun Day in Japan

I love soynuts and eat them often. February 3rd was( 節分)Setsubun Day in Japan. It marks the changing of the seasons from winter to spring. Most Japanese remember performing the "Mamemaki"soynuts toss as children. A member of the household wears the "Oni" or demon mask and has the soybeans thrown at him or her. The soynut throwers chant " Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi! " ( 鬼は外! 福は内! ). Out with the bad luck(demon) and in with the good luck. Each person must then eat the same number of soynuts as their age. All of this is meant to symbolically purify oneself and drive away any evil spirits that might cause misfortune or poor health. For more on Japanese culture, have a look at Jun's Japanese Culture pages.