Helping Hands

VSA of Alabama pairs 100 community artists with over 150 emerging artists, youngsters and adults living with disabilities and chronic illnesses.  Last Sunday, Birmingham pediatrician Dr. John Cortopassi teamed up with VSA's Art Partners and opened his office to his very special patients.  There was a whole lot of painting going on with plenty of encouragement from Dr. Cortopassi, not to mention the grand finale...the ice cream truck! Thank you Mary Jane Coker and VSA for asking me to be the photographer.  I don't know when I've been so moved or had so much fun at the same time.  I asked Mary Jane to select the photo and this is the one she chose.  If I play my cards right I might get to join them again for their monthly sessions at their southside offices.

NOTE: August 19th is their annual Live Auction fundraiser at B&A Warehouse  where you can purchase some of these masterpieces!

Welcome to Birmingham, Leonardo!

It's not every day that you go to the Bimingham Museum of Art and bump into the master himself!  Several weeks ago the museum threw a Family Day and look who showed up?  Leonardo da Vinci schmoozed with the kids and greeted visitors as they came in the front door!  Everyone in town is excited about this special collection of his drawings that have never before traveled as a collection from the Biblioteca Reale in Turin.  The works include one of his most celebrated notebooks, the Codex on the Flight of Birds and 11 other important drawings.  The exhibit is unusual in many respects.   Because the drawings are small and detailed ( you can actually see each and every stroke of his stylus) , the viewer is allowed to get extremely close with a magnifying glass.  This invites a very personal experience between the observer and the artist.   The room is kept darkened somewhat with a chilly temperature of 62 degrees F.  To highlight the theme of the flight of birds and some of his horse drawings, the museum invited the Birmingham Zoo to bring birds which everyone enjoyed seeing in the Sculpture Garden and horses from the Birmingham Police Department were a favorite in front of the museum.  In addtion, art activities were provided in the main lobby area for the kids.  What a great way to introduce children to the wonders of art and make them feel comfortable visiting our museum.  

Tomorrow,  I will be a volunteer inside the exhibit for the first time.  It will be a very chilly 3 and a half hours, but getting to view the drawings as much as I'd like is a good trade off I think!

Postscript: Grazie to my friend Fabrizio, who taught me that he is referred to as Leonardo, not da Vinci. He explained that "da Vinci" merely means that he is Leonardo of Vinci.  

BELOW: Art Birds!

The Tune du Jour is " Per Te" by Josh Groban

PARIS COUNTDOWN.....18 DAYS!

Merci beaucoup to my friend D.C. Confidential for sharing the BFF AWARD!  You have raised the bar for me in so many, many ways,  and I thank you for that.  You are talented, articulate and passionate about what you believe in. I hope to follow your example my friend.

Discover Josh Groban!

Wall Art

I love this wall.  It makes me smile every time I visit Sweet Peas Garden Shop on Linden Avenue in downtown Homewood.  You've been here before as well.  You all admired their fabulous pumpkin display for quite a while as my header and here.  Today I will be showing my photographs right here at an art show and open house.  There will be chili, beverages, music and  you can stroll the grounds and gift shop for fall plants and gifts.  My local readers of this blog, I hope you will stop by and say hello tomorrow.  I would love to meet you in person. ( The time: 11:00 till dark today)  

A very Happy Birthday to our friend  Abe Lincoln at Brookville, OH Daily Photo.

Bon weekend everyone!

The Tune du Jour is "The Sweetest Thing I 've Ever Known"  by Juice Newton

Thanks Jay Gilbert for helping me find this one!

PARIS COUNTDOWN.... 22 DAYS!!!

Discover Juice Newton!

Color Explosion

These lovely  flowers are by glass artist Dale Chihuly.  They are a spectacular burst of color as you enter the lobby of the Birmingham Museum of Art.

Red Door

These great red doors are found at Space One Eleven, a community arts organization.  The gallery is located in downtown Birmigham on 2nd Avenue North.