For Art's Sake

I am a true art lover. I love all things artistic. I love the time, effort and emotion that goes behind illustrations, paintings, sculptures, etc. It feels like their soul poured onto a canvas and a step inside their thoughts. I adore falling in love with art pieces. I hope to add many more to my collection in my lifetime!
Indeed, I have dappled into painting and illustrations, but I found I am more into photo manipulations aka PHOTOSHOP and computer graphics, and of course crafting. I will share some of my work with you in another post.


So, I want to share a few of my favorite thought provoking pieces.

Unknown:


I was walking in NYC on my way to a Cormega concert when I saw this piece and it stopped me dead in my tracks. The artist was a young man by the name of David. Unfortunate for me I lost his contact information, otherwise I would have more pieces by him. He used all sorts of media for this, spray paint, pen, colored pencil. This is my favorite art piece, by far. It hits home. It was symbolic to me, and it meant- Life is a game of chess, and god is always watching over us.


Victory's Child By Russ Horseman

I am lucky to have been a part of this art piece. This is me and my daughter featured in
in a photo manipulation by Russ Horseman, called Victory's Child. He is truly an amazing
artist. Check him out here. http://www.elfwood.com/~horseman I am fascinated by all things mermaid, I truly wish that I could live inside this painting.

Amy Winehouse By Arthur Morris.

One of my best friends, Arthur, (who actually created the background and logo to this blog) is such an amazing artist. The funny thing about artists is, they are their own harshest critic. He calls this beautiful illustration unfinished. The coincidence is, the illustration is beautiful but unfinished just like Amy Winehouse's musical talent.
You may contact him if you would like to work with him on any art/logo/photo rendition work!
arthurmorris4@gmail.com

Now -I have to share a funny moment. I remember my first day at Parson's school of design, I had an illustration class, and there was a live model we had to draw. An 85 year old nude man was our focus- -pause- needless to say I was unable to focus and finish my illustration. I have also noticed, sometimes, some of the best work is unfinished...


Medusa - Camille Kuo


I have been drawn deeply into this painting. Medusa feels like an alter ego to me. The perfect blend of beauty and beast. I have studied her myth for a long time and it has always fascinated me. I am drawn to many of this artists paintings. check them out here, AMAZING! http://www.elfwood.com/~camilkuo




Head of Roses by Salvador Dali

Salvador Dali is by far, My #1, favorite artist ever! He is truly amazing! He pushes you headfirst into this alternate surreal reality which grotesque yet beautiful comes together.
Many of you will be familiar with his melted clocks, which to me is symbolic of time melting away as you get older.

The Massacre of the Innocents, by Pacecco de Rosa

There is something about this photo that I find intriguing. Chaos, Anguish, death, mass confusion, deep sadness, violence, the sense of innocence being ripped away. I'm not sure why I am even drawn to this, I cant put my finger on it. I saw this in person at the Philadelphia Art Museum, and it took up a while entire wall, it was huge. It provokes a deep sense of grief and anguish inside of me. I think I shed a tear as well. I think that is why I liked it so much, because it made me actually FEEL emotional. Which in a sense made it real.





Queen of Night- Josephine Hall

My dad gave me a card for my birthday with this painting on the front. I instantly fell in love with it. I love this artist's work! But this painting hits home for me, she is a masked lady looking out in the crazy world surrounded in beautiful nature. ALL of her work is gorgeous and detailed, check it out here http://www.josephinewall.co.uk/


Unknown amateur artist @ artallnight

This was at the ART ALL NIGHT event in 2011
I should have bought this piece or at least wrote the name down and contacted artist for more work. Sorry for crappy cell phone pic! But it stirred something inside me, bizarre, taboo, sexy yet grotesque. I loved it!


Motherhood, Selina Fenech

This drawing I loved so much I got it tattooed on my ankle. It symbolizes the beauty of love in motherhood, which is my complete world at the moment. She has beautiful fantasy art, I think her work is simply gorgeous and amazing. Check out her other work here! http://selinafenech.com/


UNKNOWN- antique 40's era

This is the painting I wake-up to and look at every morning. I found it in my mothers storage and she had written my name on the back of it, because she wanted me to have it. I find it so comforting and therapeutic and feel honored it is part of my collection. It is one of my most prized possessions. Sorry for the flash!


Follow The Leader- NOBODY
I ran into this artist on the streets of NYC, literally when he almost ran me over with his skateboard, dodged and then he had to dodge a car. I noticed his hands were full of paint, sign of an artist!! <3 he gave me a business card and I looked him up and I was amazed! all of his work is thought provoking, original, fun, bright, sometimes controversial, distinct and addicting. I hope to someday own a piece for my walls or hell, come paint all of my walls lol! Was so hard to pick just one of his pieces! Check him out here! http://www.menobodyknows.com

Theather- Aleksandar Milenkovic

I discovered this artist in NYC as well. There is a lot of talent you can find just by taking a walk on the streets of Manhattan. I purchased this piece as it called out to me. The audience appears to be really enthused and the actor on the screen appears to be so life like and yet melancholy. You almost don't know if he is watching you.
Check out his other work here! http://www.alex-star.com/Site/Home.html

A good painting to me has always been like a friend. It keeps me company, comforts and inspires. --Hedy Lamarr

Dealing with Grief- Communication with lost loved ones.

As many of you may know, I have lost quite a few loved ones.

I lost my grandfather who I was very close to in my late teens. He was an amazing man, straight from the old country of Italy. He was that old school- traditional hard working Italian man, the sort of wonderful man you won't ever see nowadays. I learned so much from him that I have wisdom for years to come. I gardened with him, cooked with him, sewed with him, and ate many a delicious meal with him. He made the best tomato sauce, the best cappicola, he could humanely slaughter a lamb or a chicken very quickly. He made plants soar towards the sky and he had the best tomato plants in the state, promise. I miss him terribly. But he is in a much better place now with infinite gardens and animals and delicious meals.




In 2009, I lost my mother. I was 25, and it was during my pregnancy. It was the most difficult time of my life and at the time it was unbearable. We were very close. And for about 10 years she struggled with a disease called dementia/pics disease. That disease is the absolute worst thing to experience, watching someone you love so much be in so much pain is unbearable. It hurt more while she was sick then now that she is in peace however. But the emptiness in my heart where her presence used to be is very tough. Luckily the painful period was very quick and she transitioned before my eyes as I was holding her hand. I miss her so bad and I will forever be heartbroken missing her




Then last year I lost a good friend to me, who was only 30 years old, beautiful and full of life.
Unfortunately Destiny fell into a dark period of drugs and partying and I was too scared and involved with my own issues to get involved and drag her out. Many people say I am being tough on myself, but they don't feel the tremendous amount of guilt that I will carry for the rest of my life. My heart smashed to pieces when I lost her. She was gorgeous, sweet, amazing, and a wonderful friend and mother. And her down-spiral was painful to see, and scary, and not knowing what to do to try and help but praying for her at the same time, you never think that your friend will go too far deep into drugs, but she did, and I lost her :*( I have goosebumps and tears in my eyes as I write this.




Losing a loved one is the hardest thing you will ever have to experience. It leaves a gap in your heart and tears are always behind your eyes waiting to stream down your face. I did find some coping mechanisms to help me deal... at least, once I was able to peel myself out of the bed of despair.
You need that first stage of absolute grief shock and disbelief and pain in order to let it all out and let it all go. Don't ignore it, or it backfires and explodes later. During this time I tore thru pictures of my loved ones, &; I listened to music and wrote tons of poetry.

I have some sort of spiritual connection with the afterlife and I say that honestly and wholeheartedly. You do NOT have to believe me, I believe in myself and that is quite fine enough. However, listen to this- I got signs from the other side after their transition- thru music.

When my mother passed away as I was holding her hand, it seemed like a song instantly played in my head. A completely random song, like my brain was a record player. It was the song at the end of the movie SET IT OFF. Its called Against The Wind, by Lori Petty. If you haven't heard the song, go to youtube NOW and listen to it. Haunting, but beautiful, and meaningful. When I got home to heal myself I listened to this song on repeat for a couple days straight as I looked thru pictures and cried. I didn't do anything else. The day before the funeral my sister called me, to come over and sort thru my mothers jewelry. When I got there, the movie SET IT OFF was playing on her t.v. completely a coincidence. (I had not told her about the song) As soon as we sorted thru all the jewelry the movie ended and the Lori Petty song played. If you knew my mother, you knew how important her jewelry was to her, and I took that song as a sign of comfort. That is my special song for her. The lyrics mean everything to me as it describes everything we have been through.

My girlfriend Destiny also communicated to me through music as well. My and my big brother figure were devastated after her passing and spent many hours talking about her. He mentioned how she used to sing this song real silly like "Umbrella" Rihanna. I went to her funeral the next day and on the way home driving the sky opened up and it POURED and the song Umbrella came onto the radio... and I have goosebumps as I write this, but, I knew she played that song for me. The lyrics also hit home for me as it describes our friendship.

I have had dreams of my mother and my Grandfather and they have given me many words of comfort after their passing. It seems that all people who have passed come to life in my dreams and give me a message. I am a very vivid lucid dreamer. I don't take my dreams seriously- until they mess my whole real world up.

I know most people think these are coincidences, but one can only have too many coincidences until they realize.....MAYYYBE something special is going on that's out of your control. So many situations have come to me like that, that now, I am a firm believer in the spirit world. No one can judge that or shake me out of that, I have my OWN proof and no time to try to convince YOU.
That has been a source of comfort for me, the fact that I have felt their spirit around me. So I know, deep in my heart- they aren't truly gone, and I wont have any new memories with them, but my old memories and photos are SOLID GOLD and are forever captured in my heart.

For you, Little one.

I wanted to feel the love I lost years ago

And once again meet my inner childhood

& Wear the white tights with small red hearts

Feel the innocence and excitement

Completely oblivious to the outside world

At the end of my childhood path, I was met with two options, life or death…

I grew up fast, quickly learned the up and downs of life,

I felt the loss life brings for decades

And then felt the painful burn of karma

I watched people I love struggle and drown

Counting my days as lucky but numbered, I had to keep on going

No idea what I was striving for, and no direction to go but up

My dreams and aspirations just out of my reach

One disappointment after another, I smiled despite it

Kept aiming high, but I was shooting low

I had one person in my corner- my mother

She fought long and hard to protect me

But it was her time to go and up she went

Back to heaven where the angels meet again

But before she left, I felt her leave me with something inside

A bit of insight and a seed that was alive

You were given to me after I had given up

I had accepted life, as this is life and then you die

Anything between is just the up and down rollercoaster

Happiness is not a STATE of mind,

Happiness is only fleeting moments just out of your grasp