Different Strokes

There is a blog that I discovered by a fellow artist, Karin Jurick, whereas she takes a photograph of something/ someone every few weeks, then offers artists to paint or draw their interpretation of that photo. The artists have two weeks to paint them, then send them to Karin for her to put on her blog named, Different Strokes from Different Folks.

This is the first time that I have done the challenge. It was a photograph of NewYorkCity-Madison Street.

Since I usually paint underwater fishes and scene, this was totally different subject matter for me. I found it fun. I don't feel like I was out of my comfort zone, because I am pretty comfortable painting most anything.

I had so much fun doing this, that I know I will be back to do more !

Dolphin Song

This is a poem, which later became a song, written by Olivia Newton-John.

See them playing in the moon light,

Watch them dancing a song.

Have they cared for each other?

There is no question , of course,

They deserve to be treasured as a source of love.

In their minds there are answers,

And in time we will know,

What the truth is about

Of what all we don't know.

They have no rule for hatred,

Thought they have suffered much pain.

"From the race we call human,

We are afraid a lot."

If I can only help to ride on with my dolphin song,

Then I have lived what I was set out to do.

If I can only make one man a will,

One passing care,

Then I fulfilled what I promised to.

Let us hope it is not too late,

And that we can mend all the pain

We have inflicted on a friend.

We were born with a freedom,

We were born with a truth,

Why then we abuse

If we could choose to love.

Dolphin Sketch

One of my favorite marine creatures is the dolphin.

While diving in Galapagos in 1997, three of us had just finished our dive and were getting ready to get into the Zodiac that would then take us back to the Galapagos Aggressor, our live-aboard for a week.

Out of nowhere, 3 dolphins showed up, swam around us for about 5 minutes, and then were gone.

That was one of those times when I have to say that I really felt the presence of God. The whole situation was so spiritual, and I cry every time I think about it.

Here is a book I am giving my niece who just graduated from college on Sat, May 9. The book is about never giving up on your dreams. She shares my love for dolphins, so I have drawn this inside the cover for her. I hope she doesn't see this blog entry before the book reaches her in the mail !

My 15 Minutes of Fame

One of my underwater paintings, titled Underwater Diptych, has been featured as the cover of the dive magazine Northeast Dive News. I thank the editor, Rick Stratton, for working so hard with me on this.

Need I say more???!!!!