It’s been a challenging year and my energy for painting was in short supply, so I was thrilled when the urge hit me, strongly, this month. Here’s how it goes. First I sort through my photos thinking about what to paint. Next I have a phase where I try a few thumbnail sketches to test […]
A recent article in the New York Times explained how parts of Andalusia, in southern Spain, are using techniques from the Middle Ages to combat climate change. Known as acequias, the clever systems were designed by the Moors, who ruled southern Spain during a golden age of knowledge, culture, science and architecture. Their acequia irrigation […]
A friend’s email signature contained this quote from Eleanor Roosevelt, which I loved: “Learn from the mistakes of others. You can’t live long enough to make them all yourself.” Good advice, and there are certainly things I’ve watched others do that made me vow to never do the same; I call them negative role models. […]
Many people think of relaxation as involving lots of catch-up sleep on the weekend. Others relax by sitting in front of the tv, or playing games on their computers or phones. A recent article in Psychology Today sheds light on what really works. The research cited said what really helps people recover from work (or […]
According to John Steinbeck, quoted in the Economist, “Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen.” Steinbeck was talking about writing, while the Economist article discussed the concept in relation to technological advances building on each other. I believe it applies equally […]
For people who know Chicago, the Marina Towers condo on the river is instantly recognizable and popularly known as Corncob Towers, for its shape. For those who don’t, a photo or, in this case, a painting, could be confusing. Let me digress a bit and provide some background. While attending graduate school in Indiana, I […]
Once upon a time, a long time ago, I was a junior in college who talked my way into a graduate seminar in environmental psychology. In my 20 year old brain, this was a great way to unite two loves, art and psych. More than my previous attempts – as an art major, then in […]
People often complain about overeating during the holiday season, but a couple of recent articles shed some light. According to Psychology Today there are four types of hunger, at least two of which feed into this phenomenon. The Economist expands that notion with an article about the new field of nutritional psychiatry. It seems physical […]
It seems I have a thing for old cities with quaint, human-scaled buildings. As my husband would say, “you just love arches, lampposts and umbrellas.” If we’re talking the cafe variety, not the rain variety, he’s right. And I’d add balconies. There’s something about those architectural features and streetscapes that feel inviting to me. Any […]
We tend to travel at off times. It’s not just to avoid crowds, though that’s a plus. It’s also because we enjoy being home most of the year, hating to miss spring blooms, summer sailing, autumn leaves, or snow-covered scenes. So our trips tend to be November and March, the only ugly times here, and […]
