Visual Art from Fort Myers Florida...and more

www.claudelylesartworks.com   for my website

Reminder that you can select the photos featured below, they should pop open and then pinch open to enlarge, as would be helpful to read about our visit to the Florida Rep to see the wonderful August Wilson's Fences. More about that below.

INSTAGRAM: I am on Instagram, my only social network. If you know how I can add that button to my website or the blog, I would appreciate knowing how. Both are pre-programmed to add Facebook and Twitter, but that is all. And, has anyone tried to get this RSS feed? Not sure if it works. 

New Art:  

I really am working on new pieces.

Flowers in acrylic and Thompson River on right in oil.

Furthermore, this Saturday will travel with The Edison Ford Museum on motor coach to Miami for the Wynwood Culinary and Art Tour; Wynwood is the largest outdoor museum in the world while we will be savoring cuisine by some of most talented chefs in Miami. I'll be sure to take pictures.

Old Art:  

Waiting on word from Bonita Springs Art Center to see if my two pieces submitted will be accepted for the next show. Should know by Jan 19th.

Workshops, classes:  

Bonita Arts Festival Jan 13 in Riverside Park. Next Demonstration is by David Douglas on the 23rd, Oil Painting Technique.

Reading: 

From the Smithsonian Magazine: Jan/Feb 2019 issue p.58 Where We Fight.

I have generally been of the thought that we should fight evil "there" rather than here; that we should defend the defenseless, etc. On the other hand, I have thought that the Middle East, ultimately, will have to solve their own problems. On the (third) other hand, some (clearly) bad players needed to go. And there are countries, regimes that we absolutely want to deprive or delay the establishment of nuclear weapons. When President Trump announced his wish to leave Syria, I, like many, was caught off-guard. About the same time, this article showed up and I was stunned to see in how many countries we have troops, fighting, support, training, etc (see the table at the top). There are not many white or blank countries where we have no presence. No wonder our forces are stretched. We have to fund all of this, the troop and equipment transportation, obtain the land rights. There is the exposure risk where we might be attacked and then what? The communication needs. On and on. Now I am not so sure we need to do this on such a broad scope. I realize that presence in a country gives us highly valuable intelligence info and contacts, quick strike capability, and provides some assurance to friendly regimes. In this particular situation, the Kurds need to be protected in the final decision; however, so what would it look like if we don't leave Syria - in 10 years? Will anything change so that we won't be there in 20 years? 30? 

Meanwhile, Russia and China are watching us spend all of this money, taking on the political headaches (internal and external) while they, China in particular use their funds to build infrastructure in countries and who then become beholden to support China's escapades or propaganda. With just a few location cutbacks we could easily take some of the saved money to fund a wall along our southern boarder, staff immigration needs, provide true asylum assistance on a timely basis and still provide for our troops. 

Difficult questions. 

Humor:  

Grant Wood's American Gothic

Do you see a resemblance?, NOT a SNL skit by the way.

Upper painting brother and sister, lower photo, two sad, sad, excuses for "leaders". In my opinion.

Shows: 

If you can, open up the photos and read about the play and playwright. This all-Black cast was excellent. Being a child of the 50's and 60's, much of this rang true, including the baseball references. I thought of my grandfather who was born dirt poor, 8 children on a "farm" in central Alabama and his stories, how he made his way to Saint Louis and overcame the depression, raised three boys, bought a house, etc. I appreciate that The Rep retained Wilson's script, not cleaning it up for today's sensibilities. Blacks talked they way they did in the 40's and 50's just as did whites. They referred to Color Folk just as did we. They had their words for Caucasion and we had ours for them, sometimes in malice, but not always, it was just a way to reference. I lived it for a summer in 1972 as the only White as a playground coach in northwest Saint Louis near Kingshighway, Union, and I-70. And, the play accurately captured the "family" issue when couples stray. And how someone, usually male can end up in the Pen going down a misguided path trying to provide, repenting, and seeing his son do the same darn thing. And, how do we forgive very real hurts as we try to overcome barriers thrown up in front of us as we live. Needless to say, I liked it. I usually shy away from plays about dysfunctional families, but this one worked. 

 Before the show we ate dinner at the Fort Myers Marina... which photo is better?

Sunset started off gentle, pastel

And left with all its blazing glory

Baseball:  

Spring training is approaching. The Cardinals are not coming to FtM, they usually play the Red Sox and the Twins every March but not this year. So, I will attend the Cards - Phillies in Clearwater and Cards - Tigers in Lakeland.  Hope to see Marty those days and maybe visit the Dali Museum. And, I again have 2 Twins season tickets in a great location (yea, the stadium ) so that should be fun.

Tennis:    

For several reasons, mostly circumstance, I have not played as much as I would like. Nevertheless, I have gone out multiple times by myself to practice my weakest, weakest, weakest ability - Serving. So, today, for example, I hit 74 balls softly from just beyond the service box to work on technique, developing muscle memory. Then, I hit 74 more from the baseline...some did not make it over but most did. I'm feeling better about my serve, but I can't play match until I get it down, can I? It is lonely for the athlete to do it alone, but necessary, however, to keep pushing through. You play little mind games while going forward, sing a song or two, and I only said two bad words the whole time today, "gosh darn" and ... let's leave it at that. I will say it was not as bad as words used by some of the new liberal reps in congress.

Pick 'em up and do it again, right?

Remembrance:  

On the 17th my youngest sibling Tommy would celebrate his 55th birthday. Hard to believe. Died suddenly at the age of 37. Never saw 9/11. Example #1 of why they should not legalize recreational mariuanna. My favorite picture of him, so full of happiness, hope, all that he might become. Hope he is all right.