Hartford neighbors have a social media site dedicated to all things positive about downtown, where I’ve lived for decades. Recently someone posted an article pointing out that when people say Hartford isn’t safe, they usually aren’t citing crime statistics. Often they are simply reacting to sensational news stories or, more likely, confusing safety with comfort. […]
Discussing Kentucky Derby parties we planned to attend, an old friend told me about her outfit and, in particular, the bling she intended to add to it. A very creative person, she anticipated the party might be on the traditional side, so her stated goal was to be slightly unacceptable. The phrase instantly grabbed me. […]
It turns out I’m not crazy after all. Or at least not in a cranky old woman kind of way. Yet. Apparently other people also hate the beeping from modern appliances, so “beep rage” has become a thing. There’s also “second-hand beep rage” from having to hear other people’s toys beeping – seat belts, phones, […]
Usually a trip to another country is required to refill my creative well, inspiring me to capture the energy and scenery of a new place that I can share in paintings. Sometimes, though, inspiration is closer to home, in sunsets over the water near my studio. And once in a while I need reminding about […]
My paintings are more expressive than realistic, since I’m most interested in showing how it felt to be there. Enhanced reality is another way to describe it. I use more intense colors in an almost Fauvist way to help the viewer understand whatever it was that stopped me in my tracks and made me go […]
Some months ago I read an article about proven methods to reduce stress. Apparently I’ve been intuitively utilizing several of them – coloring (so to speak), changes in spending, and reduced screen time. Research has shown increased screen time to be a major risk factor for mood disorders among U.S. adults. One key recommendation was to […]
Our recent trip to Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Montevideo, Uruguay, had beautiful architecture and great weather. We found it a bit more “faded glory” than anticipated, but one real high spot was the amazing energy of the carnival parade in Montevideo’s old city. Uruguay’s carnival celebration is more family oriented than those in New Orleans […]
A boating magazine is not where I’d normally look for psychological insight or painting inspiration. Nonetheless, a recent article entitled “This Is Your Brain on a Boat,” from BoatU.S., offered both. It reminded me that research studies support what is intuitively obvious to me – we feel better around water. There’s evidence for it, based on […]
Last month I realized I was in the middle of reading five different books. They range from fun fiction, to an award-winning literary novel, to compelling nonfiction accounts of the flood in New Orleans, girls raised as boys in Afghanistan, and the criminally insane murderer who helped create the Oxford English dictionary. Apparently, my thirst […]
It is always a challenge to give presents once people reach a certain age. While I hope you are enjoying the holidays, they do tend to exacerbate the issue. People have what they need, or they have very particular tastes, or you don’t know what they really want. Plus it’s often awkward to calibrate the […]
