Create and Relate

Commission: Wedding Painting

2008-07-25T08:04:00.000-07:00

I love painting commissions to commemorate a happy occasion or life experience. This morning I finished this 22" x 30" painting for a couple who are marrying and wanted an image for their wedding announcements (and for their wall). They asked for the image in my Paint Happy style and had a few ideas for the image. They love bright colors (sent me a list of the wedding colors) and they sent me photos of their wedding clothes along with a photo of the lighthouse in the San Juan Islands where the service would be.

This was a very fun piece to create. The groom is steadfast and loving, supporting the heart he and the bride embrace. She is happy and sanguine, serenely floating with flowers, music and hearts. Together they are flying over the sea surrounding the lighthouse.

The painting is 22" x 30", Acrylic and Hard Pastel with 22kt. gold leaf on 100% rag paper.

If you'd like to commission a painting, contact me for details.

Outdoor Decor: Shade Sails Save Energy and Look Great

2008-07-23T07:00:00.000-07:00

Do you need some SPF for your home? Cutting down on sun exposure in your home will save you air cooling costs and UV damage to your decor and furnishings. Not only can you create some SPF, you can add an outdoor living space at the same time (or make a hot, sun-soaked deck liveable). Though there are many ways to add shade and outdoor living space, most solutions require a contractor or a very energetic Do-it-Yourselfer. My husband, Randall Barna and I discovered Shade Sails (originally an Aussie import) and use them with great results. (We're building a cool looking garden structure -- when we're done I'll post photos).

Available in a variety of colors and simple rectilinear shapes, Shade Sails can create an instant outdoor living area. Shade Sails are an inexpensive and stylish (I love it when those two concepts go together) addition to your home. Set up some furniture and a few potted plants under your Shade Sails and you'll be spending more time outdoors.

I write a column in Latina Style Magazine titled Su Casa (Your Home). My most recent piece on outdoor living featured outdoor furniture and ideas for easy-to-create outdoor living spaces. Here's an excerpt from that article:

Su Casa : Ask Cristina (Read the current issue of Latina Style Magazine for the full article.) By Cristina Acosta

Dear Cristina, The days are getting warmer. I have a nice backyard, but with just a concrete paver patio and grass, it isn’t very cozy. I’m ready to create an outdoor living space in my backyard that invites my friends and family to sit and relax. I also want something I can put together quickly. Any ideas? Rosita R.

It is easier than you think to make a great outdoor space. Outdoor living is the big trend in home décor and the new crop of products are stylish and durable. Because you already have a deck or patio and landscaping, you have a good foundation for your outdoor living area. Shelter from the sun and stylish comfortable furnishings will give you the sense of gaining more square footage without a home remodel. If you’re renting or on the move, the ideas I’m giving you will fit into either a temporary location or your permanent home.

Think of these ideas as layers. The first layer is your existing patio, the second layer is seating and the third layer is shade. Lets start with a layer of SPF for you and your furnishings. A little shade goes a long way to keeping both looking younger, longer! Pavilions and shade sails will shelter you from the sun with style.

Shade sails from ShadeSails.com are a stylish and simple idea that the sun-drenched Australians have perfected. Simple geometric shapes of rectangles and squares with gently curved edges in a selection of colored polyethylene knit are striking modern accents to most any architecture. Pulled tight and attached to the home’s structure, or sturdy posts, they withstand most weather (except snow loads) for years. You’ll love the colors and the prices. Most ready-made designs are only about $100 dollars. At that price you can afford to layer a few in the same or different colors.

Pavilions (or cabanas) like this example from Tropitone are lush Sunbrella™ fabric rooms suspended from a wood or aluminum frame. Curtains complete the look and give you some flexibility for privacy or sun shading. You can take them anywhere! Set up a table and chairs or comfy seating that encourages a chat and you are ready to settle into the perfect setup for seasonal living. . . . . Contact Latina Style Magazine for more.

Read more of my Articles on my website www.CristinaAcosta.com
Thanks to www.ShadeSails.com for the photos.

Creative Solutions - FootPOWR Gets Us Moving

2008-07-21T07:00:00.000-07:00

My uber creative friend, Judy Shasek has developed a new product that will get everyone moving, and I'm excited to share it with you. It's a computer mouse pad that you can stand on. You don't have to use it all day long, just when you want to burn a few calories. If you slip in a game of solitaire (or other computer game) during the work day, use the FootPOWR mouse pad and you'll be up and moving. And if you have kids, the FootPOWR mouse will get them active while they game or even do their homework.

Don't worry -- you don't have to get sweaty and ruin your work clothes. How fast you move is up to you. Even a little extra movement in a day can add up to pounds over the year. Here's what Judy has to say about the FootPOWR pad and office work:

". . . office workers burned on average 180 more calories per hour while using FootPOWR pads for casual games like Bejeweled, AstroPop and Bookworm Adventure than they did while sitting and playing. The gamers wore heart rate monitors and the calorie burn was estimated based on the size of the person and the difference in heart rate measured FootGaming or sitting and playing the same game. There are likely other benefits, too. Research suggests that employees who are more active are often more engaged, healthier -- and happier. Activity helps increase energy and can improve concentration and focus -- important attributes for the office. In theory, FootGaming could also help reduce office stress, since numerous studies show the stress-reduction benefits of walking. If FootGaming can result in employees who need fewer trips to the doctor, the addition of FootGaming breaks throughout the work day could potentially pay for themselves. The idea of moving while doing mental work is not new. It's a skill that early humans had to master to survive. Recent books by Dr. John Ratey, SPARK, and Dr. John Medina, BRAIN RULES, explore that fact that for best brain function, humans are meant to move. If you’d like to learn more about FootGaming at work or at home, please e-mail us for a personal consultation at no charge.

I believe that good health is the foundation for a productive life. Nutrition and movement are the keys, and I'm excited to share with you creative solutions that enable you to make good health the easy choice in your day.

You can learn more about Judy Shasek. Judy is also my surf buddy. Here's a photo of her catching a wave on her Stand Up Paddle board on the Oregon Coast.

www.CristinaAcosta.com

Exhibit: Paint Happy at the Onda Oswego Gallery

2008-07-19T10:35:00.000-07:00

The Onda Gallery in Lake Oswego, Oregon is devoted to sustainability and fair trade. The August exhibit, "Paint Happy and Human Adventure" features J.D. Bump and me. J.D. is a multi-talented artist who is both a sculptor and painter. He's also honing the art of travel, and chronicles his many trips with sketches and paintings. I especially love the sensual shapes and textures of his sculptures.

Lush bright colors and playful rhythms describe my Paint Happy se ries. Named after my book, Paint Happy, this is my series of images that focus on those moments in life that evoke happiness and contentment.

Pablo Merlo Flores and his staff invite you to visit the gallery.

Onda Gallery - Lake Oswego, Oregon Info:
Gallery Opening: First Friday, August 1, 2008 First Friday evening the gallery is open to the public. Duck Pond Cellar will be the wine tasting host.
When: Exhibit runs August 1 through September 1, 2008
Daily Hours: 11-6 Tue-Sat., 12-4 Sun
Where: 220 A Street Suite 104, Lake Oswego, Oregon 503-496-3922

Green Health: Low VOC Wall Paints

2008-07-18T15:45:00.000-07:00

Color consulting clients often have questions about low-VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) paints. VOCs in paints are usually chemicals including formaldehyde or benzene, etc. On a planetary level these types of chemicals are linked to ozone depletion and water pollution. On a personal level, these chemicals are linked to asthma attacks, headaches, irritation to the eyes, nose or throat, cancer, nervous system disorders and more.

Sounds scary -- and it can be, which is the reason low-VOC paints are popular and no-VOC paints are now getting more interest. Clients are usually all for the idea of no-VOC paints until they see the difference in price between low and no-VOC. Here's what I usually tell them.

Most of the VOC's are released as the paint dries (cures) and are gone within days. Paint has a curing time which can be from a few days to as long as a week depending upon atmospheric conditions such as humidity.
The highest amount of VOC's are in the colorant. A light color in most brands will have the lowest of VOC's.
One brand, Benjamin Moore Aura paint has acrylicized colorants (they own the patented process). What that means to you is that the darkest colors have no VOC, and that the paint is very durable and covers in one to two coats for even the darkest color. You can order any of the over 3,500 Benjamin Moore colors in the Aura paint, so color choices are not a problem.

I do still hand paint the walls of my home so that I can personally test a paint. As a fine artist, my standards for a paint are high. My current favorite for coverage, durability, ease of application (feel when wet), color choices and no VOC's is the Benjamin Moore Aura line. It's also expensive, but I think a good investment (especially factoring in coverage coats for dark colors).

I'm not saying that Aura is the only paint to use, just that when I personally paint a wall, I love it. I do still use and specify other lines including Sherwin Williams and Pittsburgh. Smaller or more regional lines of paint such as Yolo Colorhouse and Divine are also very good paints.

Interested in Color Consulting? Get my free E-book detailing my services.

Museum Vist: Chakaia Booker at the Kemper Museum

2008-07-16T07:30:00.000-07:00

Black rubber tires sized for all manner of car, truck, bike and other conveyances are the medium artist Chakaia Booker has worked in almost exclusively since the early 1990's. This past weekend I visited the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art in Kansas City, Missouri and saw Booker's exhibit.

I happened to be in town and didn't have any pre-conceived ideas about Chakaia Booker's work. I'd never seen it before. Not because she's not well known, but because I dropped my subscription to the art magazines. (Maybe I'll start up again.)

The first thing I noticed were the sensual textures and engaging shapes of her sculptures along with the strong scent of industrial rubber tires. I don't particularly like the scent, so the combination of the odor with the pleasing visuals was interesting. Overall the feeling of Booker's work for me is sensual, thoughtful, loving and sometimes (just a little) disgusting in a visceral, gooey way that is curiously friendly. Her large hanging chandelier-like sculpture is the piece I'm thinking of that fits the visceral-gooey description. Seeing the graceful beauty of bird shapes and candles under the gooey blackness I thought of both the Adam's Family comedy (the chandelier would be great over the Adam's table) and the havoc left behind by the Exxon Valdez. I appreciate the emotional resonance of that piece -- it was quite beautiful.

The exhibit includes about 20 sculptures completed during the past 7 years. Here's an excerpt from exhibit pamphlet describing her work:

"Through a physically demanding process of slicing, twisting and weaving found rubber (primarily from bikes, cars and farm equipment), she forms dynamic, whimsical sculptures that fuse ecological concerns with questions about racial, and economic differences, globalization, and existing sociopolitical power structures."

See more of Chakaia Booker's work on her website at http://www.chakaiabooker.com/

www.CristinaAcosta.com

Farm Direct Foods: California Olives and Organic Olive Oil

2008-07-14T15:04:00.000-07:00

I love buying food directly from farmers and ranchers, especially when I'm traveling. Local foods represent the culture and climate of their origin. When I meet the farmers and ranchers and buy their products I feel a better understanding for the area AND I get some really great food. It's a win - win!

I spent the past 2 weeks traveling and want to share with you my 2 favorite food stops on the I-5 freeway in Northern California. The Olive Pit and Heath Ranch.

The Olive Pit in Corning, California (north of Redding, CA) is a 40+ year old family owned enterprise selling all things olive along with touristy gifts including jams, candy and nuts. You aren't meeting any farmers, but you can buy local olives and nuts. Sited in a old Denny's type of building, it's not a visually interesting store, though it is clean and neat. Order an ice cream or hamburger at the snack cafe, enjoy the very clean restrooms and a huge parking lot with RV spaces. Ask and the staff will show you the local olives and products, including organic olives and organic olive oils. There is also a selection of imported olive products. My favorite product is the Olive Muffuleta, an Italian style olive salad that includes bits of cauliflower, carrot, garlic, capers, peppers, onions and spices. It comes packed in either brine or olive oil (my favorite). Pour the Olive oil packed Muffuleta on pasta for an instant head-start on a pasta salad or hot entre. You can order online from them if you aren't up for a drive.

Heath Ranch (south of the Olive Pit). 4814 County Road 99w, Orland, CA. 530-865-3472. This is a small ranch owned by Ron and Melanie Heath. From the barn behind their home the Heaths sell organic olive oil, oranges, local honey and whatever else they or their neighbors might be growing that time of year. This is a very small operation -- they don't have bathrooms (they do offer a porta-potty) or air-conditioning. They do have DELICIOUS homemade olives, fresh olive oil, oranges and honey that is well-priced. They don't have a website. Here's how to get there: From I-5 take Road 7 exit #671. Go East on Road 7 to Hwy 99w. Go South on Hwy 99W - 200 yards.

My grandmother, Catalina Ortiz Acosta, was a strong proponent of olive oil. Despite living alone, she bought olive oil in a 2 liter can (and would use them up regularly). I love to dip my fresh artisan bread into the oil. If you're not up to baking your own loaves buy a good artisan bakery loaf.

www.CristinaAcosta.com

Journaling and Art

2008-06-27T15:28:00.000-07:00

Journaling seems to be as popular as ever -- maybe even more so since it's one of the few reasons left for a person to write something by hand. For several years I journaled almost daily, inspired by Julia Cameron's advice to write "morning pages", a process she details in her book, The Artist's Way. I never read my journal entries. Just stacked college ruled notebooks filled with entries in a pile. I stopped journaling when the pile reached 30".

After that phase, I had a stint making "morning drawings". Eventually, I took up running and gave up journaling altogether. Something shifts -- I become completely saturated in an activity (sometimes for years) and then I suddenly stop doing whatever it is I was dedicated to and move to the next interest.

I'm thinking of revisiting my interest in journaling. I had to quit Nordic and Alpine skiing and running this past winter and spring after I sprained my knee on the way into the lift line after a morning of epic powder on the backside of Mt. Bachelor. Thanks to the highly skilled sports medicine/massage/therapists in our town of Bend, Oregon, I'm back on my exercise track.

During my hiatus from my usual activity I had more time to read. I revisited some of the books I read during college. Daybook - The Journal of an Artist by Anne Truitt was a book I scanned quickly and check off the book list my painting professor gave me in the 1980's. Revisiting the book was a real pleasure. Passages Anne Truitt wrote have new shades of meaning to me now that I have 20 years of art experience behind me.

Here's what Truitt had to say about creating. She wrote this in the early 1970's long before computers dominated our culture. Long before the rise of emailing and texting have almost completely eliminated the hand written letter:

"Like earthworms, whose lives are spent making more earth, we human beings also spend ourselves into the physical. A few of us leave behind objects judged, at least temporarily, worthy of preservation by the culture into which we were born. The process is, however, the same for us all. Ordered into the physical, in time we leave the physical and leave behind us what we have made in the physical."

Whether I'm drawing or writing, watching the marks as my hands guide the pen across the page, I see my thoughts made physical in a way they aren't when I'm at my keyboard. Maybe the general fascination with journaling has a little to do with this creation of a physical mark. Like our ancestors leaving marks with charcoal sticks on the sides of rock caves, we have left something material to mark our passing.

I really should re-read those old journals and see if they are going to be next winter's fire starter.

Doing it All - As Good as it Gets

2008-06-18T10:00:00.000-07:00

How do I have a life and continue being an artist? Or is the question -- How do I remain an artist and still have a life? The question I ask myself depends upon which part of my life is getting most of my attention. Like most professional women with a family, I'm always balancing my activities as a mother, wife, daughter, sister and friend along with working and making art ("work" means running a household, paying bills, marketing my art work, etc.)

So, how do I do it all? If I measure my actions or progress by the day, I often feel like I've grasped the tail of life as it whips past me in a strong wind and I'm barely hanging on for the ride. Along with that feeling sometimes comes the sense that I'm not doing anything at my best. At those times I have this fantasy vision where all of the non-creative yet essential stuff in life is done for me and I "just" make art. In the midst of that fantasy I'm serene and focused and everything I do turns out well because I have the time to make it marvelous.

But my life doesn't work that way. And neither does my art, at least not now. Whatever the creative work I'm engaged in, speed and multiplicity are the order of the day. There is little time to mull over every thought. I don't have time to change much. Whatever I'm doing now is my "best." Whatever just happened is as good as it gets. Vision has been outpaced by reality, again.

That concept is an interesting and challenging idea to make peace with. Art like life is what it is. The meaning assigned to art (and life) is what changes. And with that in mind, let's make the best of it!
www.CristinaAcosta.com

Orphan Works Legislation Update June 17, 2008

2008-06-17T13:50:00.000-07:00

You don't have to be an artist. If you've ever picked up a camera and taken a photo, the Orphan Works Bill, if passed will strip you of your copyrights, a right EVERY CITIZEN in the U.S.A. has when they have finished taking a photo, creating a film or painting a picture.
I've written about his before. Here's an update from:
___________________________________________________________________
FROM THE ILLUSTRATORS’ PARTNERSHIP
A Million People Against the Orphan Works Bill
http://www.petitiononline.com/Stop2913/petition.html

We support this petition. We urge you to sign it. Please forward the link and urge others to sign. You can help increase the power of the petition by signing your real name and listing your artistic specialties. If you are not a US citizen, we suggest that you note your country, and state if it is a member of the Berne Convention.

This petition is sponsored by A Million People Against the Orphan Works Bill, a new grassroots group founded by multimedia journalist Steve Lehman on Facebook and Flickr. All people are welcome to participate; it is not exclusive to these websites.

In 1987, Lehman broke the story of Tibetan unrest, later profiled in his award winning book "The Tibetans Struggle to Survive." As a visual artist intimately acquainted with the power of free speech, the protection afforded by the right to privacy, and the critical need for independent voices, Lehman, like the rest of us, is deeply troubled by any national policy that affects artists' control over their works.

Please forward this message to every person you know.

For additional information about Orphan Works developments, go to the IPA Orphan Works Resource Page for Artists at: http://www.illustratorspartnership.org/01_topics/article.php?searchterm=00185
_______________________________________________________________
FROM THE ILLUSTRATORS’ PARTNERSHIP -- An Orphan Works Solution

We have a proposal to solve the Orphan Works issue. It would let libraries and archives digitize their collections and let individuals duplicate family photos without fear of massive infringement penalties. These are the two needs most commonly cited by the bills’ sponsors and they can be resolved quite simply. Our proposal would limit the bill’s effects to works that are really orphans, with no unnecessary spillover effect to damage the commercial activities of working copyright holders.

Digitizing the Collections of Libraries and Museums
Digitizing someone’s work is an act of reproduction and is therefore subject to the authorization of the copyright holder. But to let accredited libraries and archives bypass these authorizations, the law could grant them certain exceptions to reproduce works without the prior consent of the rights holders, mainly for preservation purposes.

To avail themselves of this privilege, institutions could file a notice of intent to infringe with the Copyright Office, documenting that they’ve made a reasonably diligent, but unsuccessful effort to find the copyright holder. These exceptions should not be extended to cover reproductions on a mass scale, because that would clearly conflict with the artists’ own exploitation of their works and that would prejudice the legitimate interests of the copyright holders, a clear violation of the 1976 Copyright Act, the Berne Convention and Article 13 of the TRIPS agreement, to which the US is a signatory.

This proposal is consistent with the submission of the International Federation of Reproduction Rights Organizations (IFRRO) to the European Union’s i2010 Digital Libraries project. See our 2006 report on this: http://www.illustratorspartnership.org/01_topics/article.php?searchterm=00195
This means our proposal would meet the needs of libraries, museums and archives, harmonize US policy with our trading partners overseas and win wide praise from the creative community in the US, who would not see the rights of their own work put at risk.

Solving the Grandma issue
We believe similar orphan works situations - family photo restoration and duplication, personal genealogy usage of orphan works, and orphan works rights clearance for documentary filmmakers – can all be resolved in a similar manner, by carefully and precisely expanding Fair Use to permit limited individual infringements under contractual agreements.

For example, family photo issues could be resolved by means of a simple contract: the person who wishes to duplicate or restore a photo of Grandma could sign an easy-to-understand agreement (with either companies such as Wal-Mart or with the photographer next door), stipulating that they've made a reasonably diligent, but unsuccessful search to identify or locate the photographer of record. By doing so, they’d qualify for a precise limited copyright exemption to restore or duplicate the work for home and/or family use only. Under this scenario, it the photographer of record subsequently shows up, the contract would define the specific remedies.

The case of an individual who wishes to duplicate his or her own family photos would be even simpler to deal with: the individual would simply sign a form stipulating that he/she is the author and copyright holder of the photo - period. Any bad-faith assertions or violations of such agreements could then be dealt with as a contractual matter between individual parties, with no unnecessary damage to the rights of others.

A Limited, Workable Solution
We believe this kind of contractual solution to individual orphan works problems would have two virtues:

1. It would create certainty by specifying the terms of each transaction and would, in fact, mirror the kind of indemnification that professional artists and photographers routinely supply to clients, stipulating that our work is original and doesn't infringe the rights of others.
2. It would have the additional virtue of requiring that only those who avail themselves of the right to infringe would be required to understand the complexities of copyright law, unlike the present bill, which would require all citizens to familiarize themselves with the risks and obligations inherent in the proposed Orphan Works Acts.
3. It would not legalize the infringement of billions of managed copyrights on the grounds that some of them might be orphans.

We believe solutions like this could be arrived at amicably by working with members of the creative community, who are familiar with how copyright law intersects with standard business practice. This kind of imaginative solution should win widespread praise from all parties, while preserving the sanctity of existing copyright-related contracts. It would protect the small businesses that are the heart and soul of the creative community and would continue to act as an on-going incentive to further the creation of new work.

—Brad Holland and Cynthia Turner, for the Board of the Illustrators’ Partnership

Dear Cristina: We Disagree Over the Colors to Paint Our House

2008-06-12T08:20:00.000-07:00

Titled "Designing in Pairs" this article was first printed in Latina Style magazine.

Dear Cristina,
Help me! My husband and I have completely different ideas when it comes to decorating our home. I love bright vibrant colors like deep red and citron lime. His favorite colors are beige, brown and white. We haven’t been able to agree and we’ve hardly fought about anything until now. Do you have any ideas that’ll help us figure out a color scheme we’ll both love?”
M.E. Salazar

Since you both care enough about color to fight over it, make the time to choose your color scheme together. Don’t fall into the trap of first choosing colors for both of you and then bring the choices to him for his approval – you’ll only end up in a power struggle. Giving the partner who doesn’t do any of the work veto power over the other’s color choices is a sure-fire way to get into another fight or end in a frustrating standstill.

The colors you see in your home reflect the choices you both make to define your life together. Use this disagreement as a way to reach a new level of understanding in your marriage. Here are a few ground rules to start – add any others as needed.
1. Don’t criticize any color choices (including your own). You can say no to a color without getting personal.
2. Say things you would be comfortable hearing.
3. Remember that you love each other. Compromise is necessary for a new beginning.

Begin by working together to collect swatches or examples of favorite colors. Go through your closet together and collect piles of clothing colors you love. You might be surprised to find that your favorite color of faded blue jean is really more blue-gray than bright blue. When you spot a great color combination, like his natural linen trousers paired with your soft turquoise blue shirt, take note. Move your separate piles of clothing out of the closet and set them aside.

Keep an open mind as you walk around the house and collect other objects that have colors you adore. Don’t limit yourself to the assortment of colors in a few pictures or throw pillows. Open the kitchen cupboards. You may love the deep, rich brown of your favorite blend of café or the amber gleam of a cup of brewed tea.

When you feel like you’ve collected enough samples, sit down together and look at the collection of items. Take turns choosing a favorite color from your own pile and then a color you like (or can at least live with) from his pile. You may both be surprised with the color combinations you discover you like. Remember his favorite linen trousers? Team that soft taupe color of linen with the deep red of your favorite dress and you’re on your way to a great color scheme in the living room – taupe ceiling and walls with a red accent wall. Pair the cocoa powder brown color of his. . . . READ MORE on my website.

Contact Cristina for a consultation.

Choosing Paint Colors Home Decor Licensing Who is Cristina Press Philanthropy Hand Painted Ceramics Cooking with Cristina Art and Inspiration Articles and Books Contact Cristina Original Oil and Acrylic Paintings Site Map Hispanic Heritage

When a Wild Beast is Just a Chicken

2008-06-10T07:59:00.000-07:00

How you perceive what your see is colored by who you are. Your experiences, the time and place you live in, these things are inescapable. Everything is subjective. Not only is this true in life, there really is no such thing as objective art and design. Whatever is in the well of our thoughts and experiences spills onto our perceptions of images and design.

With that in mind I want to share with you a painting that I created from my fearful perception of an incident many years ago. I originally wrote about this in my book, Paint Happy.

This painting was inspired by the memory of my first night alone in an old ranch house in Central Oregon. During the dark early morning hours I heard loud mysterious animal noises inside the house. I imagined wild raccoons or bobcats prowling my room. There were no lights, and I'd left my flashlight on a table too far from the bed, so I decided to keep my head under the covers and wait until the animals left. Once the early morning sun began to light the room, I peeked out from under the blankets and saw a clucking chicken standing on the foot of my bed! A tall rooster with a colorful tail was perched on the dining room chair by the picture window and about six chickens were scratching the wooden floor and kitchen countertops. I didn't even know there were chickens on the ranch property. Apparently, there was a hole in the outside wall under the kitchen sink, and the chickens came in looking for breakfast!

More than a decade later, I took the best part of that memory - the comical surprise ending to my dark fear fantasies - and turned it into this painting. The rooster is crowing a rainbow of sounds toward the rising sun. The bed (symbolizing one's life) is the center of this universe and the land over which the sun rises and the clouds billow. This image captures the happy lesson that fear and worry are often a waste of energy.

This framed painting is for sale through High Desert Gallery in Sisters, Oregon.
Rise and Shine, 22" x 30" acrylic and hard pastel on paper.

Guest Contributor: Artemio Paz, Architect

2008-06-06T15:40:00.000-07:00

There is more to architecture than mortar and steel. Cultural and social concerns impact and are influenced by the questions of how and why a building takes shape. Artemio Paz, an architect based in the Willamette Valley, creates public and private buildings that address both the physical and cultural dimensions of the people using the spaces along with a sustainable design approach.

I met Artemio several years ago and got to know him when he took my painting class through Art in the Mountains in Bend, Oregon. I discovered that Artemio is quite the creative renaissance man. He and his wife Edana invited my family to their home on a hilltop blanketed with blueberry bushes and a gorgeous fence of fruit trees pruned to be as 2-dimensional as possible. Old growth timber edges the fields of fruits, cloaking us in the early evening shadows as we picked fruit. It is truly a magical place.

An architect (along with developers) shoulders the responsibility of creating buildings that will likely outlive them while either enhancing or distressing the planet for generations to come. I admire Artemio's creative approach and invited him to share some of his current work. Here's what he had to say about his recent projects:

Here are entry foyer pictures as an example of a recent commercial renovation project, the Oregon State University (OSU) Foundation entry renovation. We have a diverse design project portfolio with an emphasis on a sustainable design approach dating back tothe early 1980's illustrating how to incorporate alternative passive solar daylighting, space heating and domestic hot water heating through to more comprehensive considerations of site, materials and indoor air quality issues and related social / cultural dimensions of frames the issues of the public commons and equity issues of sustainability.

Our office web site illustrates that work, www.apazarchitect.com. In addition, I recently taught an architectural design studio in the UO School of Architecture, this past winter as an Adjunct Professor, and I am currently a member of the Oregon State Board of Education as one of 7 Governor appointed members creating policy direction for the state's 197 school districts and 17 Community Colleges.

Art APAZ Architect, AIA Springfield, Oregon www.apazarchitect.com

Art and Fear

2008-06-03T11:41:00.000-07:00

Most non-artists don't usually couple art and fear when they look at a piece of art. For most any artist who has been working for an extended period of time, art and fear are if not companions, at least at the same party.

Before I began teaching, I often thought that I was a minority when I noticed fear creeping into my art process. I noticed that the same litany of thoughts would drift occasionally across my mind when I was working: What will ____ think about this? Am I --- Open? Closed? Trite? Cute? Dumb? Boring? Good enough? (And more!) Will people think __ (something negative)___ when they see this image? Will anybody ever buy anything? Etcetera.

When I started teaching art in the early 1990's at Central Oregon Community College (a 5 year stint), I noticed that fear was often the biggest hurdle students faced. Talent, though a lovely and inspiring thing to behold was not what propelled artists to progress into mature work. It was their ability to confront and overcome their fears. I'm not talking about things like fear of heights or bugs or something like that, though that can be a starting point. I'm talking about the deep primeval fear of being excluded from the tribe - cast out to fend for oneself in a world full of long, sharp teeth, starvation and separation. That fear surfaces as negative self-talk, despair and artist block.

Most artists, except the lucky few (I don't know any, I fantasize they exist) at some point work in obscurity. There may or may not be local, regional or national success for the artist. Or, if that happens, the inevitable ebbs and flows of time and place, taste and fashion may again press the artist into isolation.

I've been working as an artist for over 2 decades, long enough to have experienced highs and lows. Neither conditions lasts, though that isn't comforting news from either perspective. Though I've taken more rides than I needed to, I've learned that rather than throwing my emotional self reactively on the roller coaster of "Yes, they LOVE it! / No, they hate it!" I had to train myself to put aside my fears and work anyway.

I hope I didn't make that sound easy. It wasn't. Here are 3 things that have worked for me:

Read about other artists: Their essays, biographies and autobiographies
Develop and maintain a meditation practice -- moving, sitting, drawing -- whatever works.
Work regularly regardless about how you emotionally feel about the work.

With this in mind I have two things to recommend: A book and a meditation system.

Art & Fear, Observations on the Perils (and Rewards ) of Artmaking, by David Bayles & Ted Orland, ©1998, 2001
This is a rich, concise, wu-wu-free book about what messes with your head -- or helps you -- as you negotiate the paths of your artistic/creative life.

Silva Life System, a meditation program originally developed by the late Jose Silva. I stumbled onto this system via some postal junk mail in the late 1980's. I found a set of his audio recordings at the local library, then in the 1990's bought my own set as a refresher. I've tried a lot of different types of meditation (I'm open to new things), but I return to the Silva Method. The Silva Method of Meditation offers the most practical tools for stress relief and visualization to some metaphysical techniques that enable a person to plumb the depths of their spirit.

Recipe: Traditional New Mexican Red Chili Sauce

2008-05-29T16:18:00.000-07:00

Made from Pureed Dried Red Chilis
Cristina Acosta ©2005, 2006, 2007, 2008

My grandmother (abuelita) Catalina Maria Ortiz Acosta's parents were born in New Mexico. She made chili sauce in the New Mexican style, a sauce of mostly puréed, dried chilies with spices. This sauce is the backbone of many Hispanic dishes.

Catalina was an artist who believed that anything worth knowing came at a price, and this sauce was her specialty. She was in her seventies before she would give me this recipe. In exchange for the recipe she insisted I wash every downstairs window of her house. While I scrubbed and polished, she sat in the backyard patio of her home in Playa del Rey, California, by the sea near Los Angeles threading a ristra of chilies from a new box of chili peppers that had arrived from New Mexico. After finishing a few windows I’d stop to visit with her and she’d tell me a little bit more about her recipe. It was certainly worth the effort.

If the sauce is too picante (hot), you can cut the heat by adding a can of stewed tomatoes or a thick tomato sauce to the blender. This suggestion would have been frowned upon by my abuelita who insisted that a proper chili sauce never included tomatoes. Nonetheless, if the mildest chilies are too hot for your taste, this method works.

My abuelita’s original recipe used to take hours when prepared with a food mill. I’ve adjusted the chili sauce recipe for quick and easy preparation. Use a powerful blender such as a Vita-Mix for best results.

Cristina's Traditional Red Chili Sauce

Tools: 1 ½ qt. or larger saucepan with lid. Powerful blender. Stove top.
Yield: Aprox. 3 ½ – 4 cups of sauce

Ingredients:

1 t. to 1 T. ground cumin

1 T. dark cocoa powder (unsweetened)

½ t. sea salt

2 cloves garlic, peeled

½ large onion (aprox. ½ cup) peeled. (use your favorite flavor of onion)

3 oz net wt. package of dried chilies: Use Chili California OR New Mexican OR Pasilla OR experiment with mixing varieties.

3 cups water or broth.

Directions:

With scissors cut off the tops of the dried red chilies and pour out the seeds. (Don’t worry about getting them all out.)
Rinse the dried chilies briefly to dust them off.
Put them in the sauce pan with the water, garlic and onion.
Bring to a boil then cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
In the blender put the cumin, salt and cocoa powder. Add the hot chili mixture including the water. Put the lid on the blender and slowly “step-up” the speed of the blender from low to high. (Never start a hot mixture on high as it may explode out of the top of the blender.) Process the mixture on high for approx. 3 minutes or until very smooth.

This versatile sauce is ready to serve. It freezes beautifully. Use it over tamale pie, as an enchilada sauce, base for chili soups or over fried eggs and omelets. It's the key ingredient to Carne Adovada, a traditional New Mexican pot roast slow cooked in the red chili sauce.

Experiment with the sauce by adding ingredients such as: wine, dried fruits such as raisins, apricots, plums, ground toasted nuts or seeds (about ½ cup) , sweet chocolate and cinnamon.

Note: for a thicker sauce, add a few more chilies or decrease water a little.

Happy Cooking -- Cristina

I Love Using My Vitamix!

Vitamix is more than just a big blender. It's a powerful tool in the kitchen and a powerful tool for a healthy diet. Vitamix recipes and techniques enable you to eat up to 10 fruits and vegetables along with whole grains that are recommended by experts and you'll love the ease and simplicity of the Vitamix.

I use my Vitamix several times a day to make whole food juice, soups from scratch, sauces. smoothies and more. If you're a foodie, you'll love how the Vitamix emulsifies sauces and gravies, grinds grains, purees vegetables & fruits and even mixes a mean margarita or frappuccino!
Read more about why I recommend buying a Vitamix.

Start your 30-day no-risk in-home trial today and you'll get FREE Standard Ground Shipping when you click this link! https://secure.vitamix.com/redirect.aspx?index.aspx?COUPON=06-003174

OR Call Brenda at Vitamix 1-800-848-2649 x 2305 code 06-003174

Do You LOVE Color? Visit this website

2008-05-28T17:19:00.000-07:00

Webby Awards nominated the COLOURlovers website for their prestigious Best Community Website of the Year award for the second year in a row. If you think about color, you're going to love this website. Register and you can post your own colors.

I haven't begun to do more than lurk on the COLOURlovers site and read the great blogs and other entries. I'll let you know when I do more. In my spare time I've been putting together a PDF Color Consulting brochure booklet to explain my color consulting process to people interested in hiring me to do either on-site or remote (via email and phone), color consulting appointments. Until that's done you can see my color consulting portfolio on my website.

When that's done, I have some ideas for paintings I need to winnow down into a solid concept. Creating a painting is always an interesting process. I start dreaming about the pieces, then the images become so forceful that I paint them. This isn't true for all images. Mostly it's the case when I've been doing a lot of non-visual creative work (like writing) and my brain needs a long dose of non-verbal time.

Community Colors - The Ripple Effect. Habitat for Humanity Silver Lake Blvd.

2008-05-23T15:54:00.000-07:00

Success isn't always immediately obvious. I worked on a project a few years ago in Bend, Oregon that has proven to be very successful. I am sharing the result because I believe that each one of us can have a positive impact on our global community with actions that at the time may not create a big splash.

Fitting affordable housing into an upscale neighborhood is a difficult task in cities where property prices have outpaced wages, a situation that has happened in my town. Meeting this challenge in the city of Bend, Oregon, Habitat for Humanity developed the neighborhood hamlet of Silver Lake. They planned ten homes to integrate into an existing upscale neighborhood. Building small homes that would coordinate (rather than match) the surrounding Craftsman/Arts & Craft style inspired neighborhood, Habitat planned for Craftsman details to be added to the Silver Lake homes.

Reading about this plan I realized that despite the addition of woodsy front porches and trim, if all of the Silver Lake homes were painted the white and tan tones of the then usual Bend Habitat home, the vision of a lovely hamlet would fade into a cluster of mini track homes.

Calling Habitat, I got permission to approach a national paint company for a donation (this project was too big to rely on one local store for generosity). Benjamin Moore & Company said yes to my proposal and generously supplied free paint to the Silver Lake project for both the exterior and interior of the ten homes! This gift was valued at approximately $20,000.00 dollars! The local dealer for Benjamin Moore paints, Standard Paint & Abbey Carpet worked with the Bend branch of Habitat for Humanity to make the donation a success.

I developed a palette of exterior paint colors that the neighborhood invested into their covenants and restrictions. Clients could choose any paint colors they wanted from that exterior color palette.

Habitat clients, most of whom had never chosen their own house paint colors were ecstatic! I guided them in the paint color choosing process if they requested my support.

The Silver Lake project was so successful, that it won a local community award, the 2005 Bend Beautification Award. The city saw that Habitat’s concept worked, which led to two more Habitat neighborhood projects of ten homes each. I am very proud to be part of this project. It nurtured the seed of the idea to integrate affordable housing within a community into a successful reality. Thank you Bend Habitat for Humanity and Benjamin Moore!

See more of my color consulting work on my Project Portfolio website page.

Read My New Article About Art & Inspiration

2008-05-21T18:57:00.000-07:00

Ancient and contemporary wisdom intertwine in the magazine Pure Inspiration. Robert Becker, the Editor and Publisher of the magazine weaves reader's stories among a selection of articles that inform and inspire.

I wrote a piece for the current issue of Pure Inspiration. Here's how the website describes the piece:
"Cristina Acosta discusses her experience as a painter, pointing out that "art" is more than just a particular activity: "Time and maturity have revealed to me that all humans are artists, whatever our medium may be. Our canvas is time and our palettes of colors are the choices we make." She emphasizes that for her, art is more a process than an end to be attained: "I keep painting, each stroke of my brush a record of the present moment. When the painting is done, my involvement with that set of moments in time is over. The images are now for the viewers. They will discover their own meanings."

Read this article when you purchase a copy of Pure Inspiration.
Read more about my books and articles on my site. You'll find a list of home decor, personal essays and writing about art.

Ask Cristina: Cork Floor Stairs

2008-05-16T08:41:00.000-07:00

Dear Cristina,
Hello, we are about to install Wicanders cork in our living room. I researched flooring off/on for 3 years and kept coming back to cork but was never happy with the urethane finish until I found Wicanders WRT finish.
Question, I noticed you have cork on your stairs. How long has it been installed? How is it holding up? How did the installer match up the noses on the tread to the cork tiles? I really want to expand cork up our stairs. My flooring contractor is willing to experiment, but if he could contact your flooring contractor and 'talk shop', it would be most helpful. Any information you're willing to share would be really helpful.
I live in Oak Ridge TN. Would love to 'swing by' and see your floors but it's a little far. :-)

Thank you, Lois

Dear Lois,
Wicanders Cork Oak with the WRT finish is holding up beautifully on our stairs. We had the Cork Oak put down throughout the entire house (except for Marmoleum in the bathrooms) about one-and-a-half years ago. The installer nailed the floating plank pieces directly to the riser and tread. An artisan woodworker, Terry Scoville made bull-nose trim pieces in white oak to match the trim in the rest of our 20 year old home. Before the bull-nose trim pieces where nailed to the treads, I stained them with a watery artist acrylic I mixed (to mimic the existing stain) then coated them in Benjamin Moore's Benwood Stays Clear acrylic floor sealer (satin finish). We do wear our shoes in the house and our traffic patterns are tight. Nonetheless, the Wicander's Cork Oak has held up beautifully. I highly recommend the flooring.

Best Wishes with Your Project,
Cristina

Honoring Mother's Day - My Grandmother's Life as an Artist

2008-05-14T20:47:00.000-07:00

Multi-Cultural Musical History in Southern California

In the early 1920's my grandmother Catalina Maria Ortiz Acosta and her family, living in Los Angeles, befriended Charles O. Roos and his wife, Jaunita E. Roos. The family connection was certainly enriched by Catalina's friendship and professional relationship with Jaunita. Catalina (1904-1991) was then a twenty year old classical pianist and the featured pianist at concerts the Roos organized. My grandmother spoke with admiration regarding Juanita's musical abilities. Charles, an Easterner, moved to Los Angeles and worked as a newspaper feature writer when not involved with his work as a lyricist. His wife Juanita was a gifted pianist. They collaborated to create a variety of piano compositions. Charles also wrote poems and lyrics for other composers' music. The concert program for the event at the Ramona Convent in Alhambra, California illustrates the typical concert Roos organized. Nordskog Records recorded the concert. Unfortunately, I don't have a copy of that recording or know of it's existence.

Sifting through my Grandmother's photo albums I found several photos of Charles and Juanita. The photos of the people in the Native American outfits are my grandmother Catalina, and Chief Yowlache, dressed in traditional Native American Indianclothing for publicity photos that Roos used in his concert promotions. Chief Yowlache was the "Indian baritone" for the program. Catalina accompanied him and also played solos.

During a time of escalating social injustice, Juanita and Charles Roos were creating musical compositions that celebrated different cultures. Though women had only just received the vote, and womens rights were often negated, Charles Roos publicly acknowledged his wife Juanita's contributions, including her name on compositions they collaborated on. The concert program at the Alhambra Convent School illustrates that the Roos were actively promoting the beauties of the Native American Indian and Hispanic culture to the elite of the dominant Anglo society. Understanding the political climate within which my grandmother was making her musical contributions to culture increases my admiration for her artistry and strength. She steadfastly dedicated herself to excellence in her art form and understood the symbolic importance of her image as a intelligent and accomplished Hispanic woman when many minds were closed to the idea of such a person existing.

I searched the internet for more information about the Roos and found an interesting essay. I've included an excerpt with a link back to the original author. You'll recognize the name "Lieurance" in the Composer/Lyricist column of the concert program. I've also included some links to historical documents that record the political culture of the era. The following excerpt sheds light on Roos connection to like minded Anglo intellectuals during this time.

"His (Lieurance's) interest in tribal music began in 1902 with a visit to his brother who was an Indian Agent on the Crow Reservation in Montana. From that time he began a life-long fascination with the music and customs of the Native Americans. He visited over 30 reservations and amassed a collection of several thousand recordings and transcriptions as well as a large number of Indian flutes. He also invited Native Americans to his studio in Lincoln for some of the recording sessions. It was often difficult to coerce the Indians into performing for his recording machine, but his understanding and patience with tribal ways won them over. He had an enormous respect for the people and had learned a great deal from the Native American wives of two of his brothers. Much of his vast collection now resides in the Smithsonian Institution, the New Mexico Museum, and the Archive of Folk Culture at the Library of Congress.

Lieurance drew upon Native American melodies for many of his own compositions which he then clothed in what he called the "harmonizing which our ears demand'. His most famous piece is "By the Waters of Minnetonka". It was first published in 1913, and became the number one sheet music hit of its day, with many subsequent published arrangements. It was performed and recorded by some of the leading musicians of the era and enjoyed world-wide popularity.

In the early 1920s Charles O. Roos, a feature story writer for a Los Angeles newspaper, happened to read about Lieurance and his work with Native American music. In his younger days Roos had been a woodsman and raftsman on the St. Croix River and had written poems based on his experiences with the local tribes there. He realized that Lieurance was the right person to set the poems to music. The two of them met and decided to travel together in the Chippewa forest country of northern Minnesota in order to gather additional material and inspire themselves further. Using thematic material from Chippewa homeland, rain dance, ceremonial, and mourning songs, Lieurance composed music for Roos' poems, and the result was the "Eight Songs From Green Timber" song cycle which appears in this collection." © 2007Linda Marsh Helfman

Photos: copyright 2008, Cristina Acosta. Photo of single woman, Catalina Ortiz Acosta in the 1920's. Photo of Charles O. Roos and his wife Juanita Roos (inscribed to my grandmother, Catalina Maria Ortiz Acosta). Photo of Charles O. Roos with a paddle.

May 2008 Newsletter: Creativity is Connection

2008-05-12T07:30:00.000-07:00

(From my website monthly mailings: sign-up here.)

Dear Friends,

Connections between people are more obvious than ever before in history. Virtual-world relationships on sites like Facebook and LinkedIn are blurring the external boundaries between our work, social and family selves. The boundaries between the different worlds we pass through during the course of our day and the different personas we may inhabit are now permeable. How do we keep centered, balanced and creative when the world around us is increasingly changeable?

Keeping the connections between eyes, hands and heart open requires practice. Meditation is one of the tools I use to keep the connections open within myself, therefore staying centered. A form of meditation, sketching is a fabulous way to stay in the present moment as it requires all of my attention. As my mind travels, my pen follows. My sketchbook is one way I connect with myself and the world around me. Drawing keeps me on track, both in my creative work and in my life. There is no separation.

Accessing deeper meaning doesn't have to be something that happens only in specials places or at special times. It's available to us 24/7 in all of our choices. I recently wrote a blog entry titled Authentic Color Vs. Color Trends that explores using the process of choosing colors for your home as a self-development practice.

Because we are creators, being connected is crucial. The fossil fueled motor and this boon (along with other factors) has led to global climate change, possibly humankind's biggest global challenge. At this time in history it is especially important that each of us are aware of our part in creating our small piece of the world and how those pieces interconnect with others.

Live Happy,
Cristina

Note: I drew these ink drawings during a belly dance event. These drawings of belly dancers are ball point pen on 3" x 5" paper. Completed in about 5 minutes or so (as long as the dance lasted), they are representations of my visceral response to the movements and beauties of the dance and dancers. Though this sketch was 5 minutes, I've been sketching for over 30 years. What you're seeing in each sketch is the refinement of my ability to create an image that relates my experience along with leaving open-to-view the paths my mind took during the drawing/meditation. See how my love of movement influences my paintings on my site at www.CristinaAcosta.com

Can Color Change Your Mood?

2008-05-10T09:03:00.000-07:00

Feel like no matter what goes on around you, even if you're not in control you at least know what's going on? Well, you do and you don't. The senses we rely on to understand the world around us aren't always accurate. Shapes and colors manipulate how you perceive the world around you -- along with texture, temperature, scent, sound and more.

Think about bright colors and food. Vitamin rich fruits and vegetables are mostly colorful. Fast food restaurants don't serve colorful fruits and vegetables, so instead they put strong colors in the decor of the restaurant, the pictures on the menu and the packaging. Candy is almost always manipulated to be artificially brightly colored to appeal to the human impulse to eat brightly colored healthy food.

As obvious as the manipulation of food colors are, colors in our homes and business offices manipulate where our attention goes as we move through the space and how we feel about the space. A red door on a brown house focuses our attention on the door. But don't feel that colors have one note, like the keys on a piano. Though many studies of colors have outcomes that insist yellow is happy or red is stimulating, those studies can only address that color in one environment. Colors interact with each other to create a melody line, just as the keys of the piano can combine to create a tune.

The bottom line is yes, color affects your mood. But don't get caught up in creating a rigid identity for every hue. The interaction of a color with other colors and the cultural viewpoint(s) of the people experiencing the colors is the ultimate arbitrator. Assigning one emotional response to a color is like insisting that each note of the musical scale has an immutable meaning. Like insisting that the note of middle C is always happy and F minor is always sad.

Pay attention to the interaction of colors and strive to be aware of the meanings you've assigned to colors and you will begin to use colors more creatively in all aspects of your life.

See my color consulting work for residences and public buildings on my website at www.CristinaAcosta.com