This and That: A Blog

  U rban Showers  is my U , and my title for this ink on newsprint by Mary  Pedri.  In a previous life it won an award at the 1963 Lodi (California) Grape Festival and National Wine Show. It was a birthday gift from one of my sons, who found it at Goodwill.   An U ta poetry form can be found here  for U Day. 

 This week's Thursday Postcard Hunt is all about the color Purple.   A Postcrossing card from the Czech Republic from Michal. Forever Thine German, c. 1908-1912  Purple Petunias, Georgia O'Keefe, 1926 "I decided that if I could paint that flower in a huge scale, you could not ignore its beauty." Georgia O'Keefe, a quote from the 1920s . Blue is next week. 

 T urquoise Memories (what I believe the title reads - the signature and title are in silver on the black border, in cursive) is a monotype, a print created by drawing or painting on a smooth, non-absorbent surface and transferring that image onto paper.  A monotype is one of a kind.  I bought this at Goodwill for $5.21.  There was a gallery sticker on the back, " Monotype $550 "!  I can't read the artist's signature, but obviously not an amateur attempt for that price. A T poetry form can be found here . 

  S udden S hower over S hin-Ohashi Bridge , by Hiroshige Atake.  My print is either a late Edo-period (1857-1868) or early Meiji impression (late1860s-1870s), both considered "original period" impressions printed from the original blocks, using the same pigments and techniques as the first edition (1857).  There would be a seal to date it more accurately, but it's currently matted and framed.   How it came to be in my family is a sad story.  My father bought this, and a few other Japanese prints, from Japanese neighbors who was selling their belongings prior to going into WWII internment camps in California.  He paid 50¢ each.   My S poetry form is here . 

For R I have The R anch House,  my name for this unsigned mid-century (1930s - 1950s) California regional impressionism.  I bought it as a present to myself with a tax refund back when I worked and got tax refunds!  I did pay more than you are used to my paying for art, $89.00.  An R poetry form can be found here .

 A few cute things from a few St. Vincent de Paul trips.   A cute little bone china pup made in Japan c. 1950s-1960s.  Someone donated a few small dog figurines, but the manager priced most at over $6 due to them being "original" so and so made.  Not worth it.  These 4" ceramic fish were just 75¢ each and puzzled me when I bought them.  What are they?  Whistles!  Or to be specific, "edge-blown aerophones," like fish-shaped bottle flutes. Yes, they work just like blowing across a bottle, or playing a flute. Which I did, played the flute, for years.  My father was completely unable to play a flute, or even make a noise blowing on a bottle!  These are Japanese made, sold as good-luck items, from around 1960-1970.  Red Wing Pottery salt and pepper shakers in the Lexington pattern produced roughly 1941-1957, in their hand-painted dinnerware era. The two different shapes through me, and the manager.  She had them displayed in se...

 This is Q ueen Isabel , my name for her.  I have always seen a woman in a royal type headdress, and my imagination sees the background as ship sails!  You're welcome to see something else, that's the beauty of an abstract without any artist information.  To me this looks like a black ink print over paint.  I bought her at a Goodwill for $5.39, in an amazing, and expensive, frame and matting.  A Q poetry from can be found here .