Ill Gotten Gains

This head, from Northern Spain, is part of a show of Medieval Heads at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Of course I didn't pay $20 to get in. I paid MY price of $1.00. I then committed a crime by taking this photo. Why are there no signs up? I didn't use a flash, I swear to you.
But it was all worth it. Look at that lovely expression. And the two little dots of rouge on the cheeks. The person who did these sculptures, and once you see them, you will recognize the style again and again, always puts the little smiles on the faces. Even when they are being eaten by lions. I saw some of these same style heads in Galicia. It was nice to meet the artist again in New York.

Moon over Brooklyn

The moon was full last week so I set up my camera and took this picture. It's part of some research I'm doing on a new painting: a bird standing on a staircase on a narrow street in the night.
Wil and I saw this bird, it was a magpie. Something must have been wrong. Why would a wild bird just be standing there in the dark? This was in Gerona, in the medieval quarters. We were staying in a hotel at the top of the town, a stone building from the 1700's. There were 3 large churches nearby that rang every hour. No, they rang every quarter hour, each one. First you would hear a low burrrrrr. Then the bells would toll. Then the next church, then the next. All night long.
To have a coffee or eat a meal, we had to go to the bottom of the town, 164 steps. Wil counted them. First down one winding narrow street, then we would walk along that street till we came to another narrow alley leading downward. After our meal we would climb up again in the dark. On one of those nights we saw the magpie. All part of this mysterious place.
Years later, I gushed over the beauty of Gerona to my sister and her husband and they went there. I forgot that her husband has really bad knees. They weren't too keen on the stairs.

Beans and Art

It's not MAMA'S Beans, but it's beans nonetheless. Red kidneys, calabaza, tomatos, onion, garlic, green pepper, parsley and cilantro with some spices: oregano, thyme and cayenne. Don't forget the Louisiana Hot sauce. Oops, I forgot, I did use some smoked turkey. That's Jon's idea, to replace ham hocks and it works great.
I brought my piece, Alley, to the BWAC Fall show. The opening seemed kind of subdued. I sure hope it sells, cause I don't want to bring it home again.