Not Much Ado About Anything!

I have a passion for indigenous folk arts from around the world. I love the idea of people decorating the common everyday objects and items they use in their daily lives. I have studied and painted folk art for just about 30 years. I can paint almost anything in just about any country's style of folk art from flowers to pastoral scenes, from faux chinese painting to russian florals.

So now I have an equal fascination with folk arts made from found, used or trash items. This sun, currently adorning the outside wall of my studio, is from Haiti. It is made from a used oil barrel. The Haitians fill a barrel with newspaper, light it on fire to burn out the residual oil, then remove the bottom, cut up the side and begin designing. Their images are usually of nature, sun, birds, flowers, plants or of people; angels, mermaids, children.

I appreciate that the artisans use " at hand " tools or tools they have created. I love the whimsey in their designs and I am glad that a space was donated to them after the earthquake so they could work again. Their livelihood has not been lost in the destruction of Haiti and they can continue to create from nothing images that bring a smile to the face of people across the world and me.

I am going to be watching for the aurora borealis tonight in the darkened skies over PT. They are supposed to be visible but I think clouds may get in the way!