The Third and Fourth Thursdays

“Le Beaujolais nouveau est arrivé!”

Every year since the mid-19th century, French vineyards have celebrated the harvest by producing Beaujolais nouveau as the first wine from the season's crop. It is a young wine made from the Gamay grape and is meant to be consumed during the holidays -- up until New Year's Day. Beginning around the early 1950's, the release date was moved from early December (but only in France) to the third Thursday of November, throughout the world.

So last week was the third Thursday of November...

Copyright © 2011, Scotti Vaccaro

from Every Day Matters,

sketchbook journal entry dated 11/24/11

and today is the fourth Thursday... Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

We never really grow up, we only learn how to act in public.

Mon Journal de Montréal

I recently began a brand new journal... and chose this scene for my title page. I have always thought the lines of the bridge were absolutely elegant and the view is one of the best of the center city core.

Montréal Skyline from Lachine Canal,

Copyright © 2011, Scotti Vaccaro

I was working from a photograph I took about 18 months ago; I have been told that the city removes this bridge to allow larger boats to move in and out of the canal during the summer and replaces it in the fall and winter. I prefer to work on-site as much as I can, but in this case I am grateful that I took the photo because I was completely unaware that it moves around!

At Last...

Belize City, Belize

Copyright © 2005, Scotti Briggs

Costa Maya (Mahahual), Mexico

Copyright © 2005, Scotti Briggs

I finally did keep my promise. I said, literally years ago, that I would publish my sketches of Belize and Cozumel, which were on the same trip as the Cayman Islands that are somewhere down below this post. Whether I just forgot about it or got side-tracked, I couldn't tell you. And wouldn't -- because it might be something I'd rather forget...

A Fresh Start

I have recently become re-inspired to keep my blog posts more current. I thought that it might motivate me to greater productivity in my artist's journals if I was committed to posting some of my journal pages on a regular basis. Anyone who knows the joys and agonies of periodic artist's block knows how that one goes and usually, it only takes a small commitment at the sketchbook to get the rhythm flowing once more.

In my case, I always have more than one journal that I am working on. I have my "everyday" journal that contains bits and pieces of my life as I experience it, but I also have my travel journals: Western Europe; The Caribbean Islands; and most recently, Montréal. I am also seriously considering doing a journal for the International Fake Journal Month next April. There is an artist named Roz Stendahl who issues the call to action on that one.

Bottom line... I love my journals! Sometimes, the only art commitment that I can make is a short, temporary commitment. It's gratifying to be able to sit down and put something on paper, no matter how brief the time...

September 11th

The best thing any one of us can do is to remember...

[Budweiser ran this commercial only one time, immediately after 9/11. It was never shown again.]

Yippee!

This one is hot off the presses...

I received word yesterday afternoon that I have just been awarded an Honorable Mention at a judged art show for the Society of Bluffton Artists. Actually, they told me about the award and then said, "the check will be in the mail." Even better.

Usually, I don't have anything ready to frame and submit to these shows, so this is only the second time I have entered a judged show. I paint, but unless I love a painting enough to want to hang it in my home, my paintings go into a storage box under my bed. I already have about six framed pieces tucked into corners around my house because storage space is limited. So, unless this piece sells, It will have its own place on the wall. Maybe even a prime location.

The painting is called, "Oh, My Gourds!" It's a still life of a pumpkin, some gourds and an opened chestnut. The title came because I just couldn't bring myself to call it, "Still Life with Gourds" or some other really dull thing like "Autumn Harvest." So, when I was painting, I just called it, "Oh, My Gourds!"

So, with no more build-up, here it is!

Oh, My Gourds!, Copyright © 2007, Scotti Briggs

From the Heart

I promised quite a long time ago that I would post some of my watercolor sketches of my travels for you, so on this day of Valentine's, I thought perhaps sharing some of the work of my heart and of my hands would be more special for you. So, from my heart to yours, let me share some of my little adventures.

Georgetown, Cayman Islands

Copyright © 2005, Scotti Briggs

The view from the tender as we approached Georgetown is perhaps the most comprehensive view of the town that you can see. The pavilion to the right of the tender -- that's "boat" to non-nautical types -- with the yellow roof is a hospitality area provided by the tourist board. This is the place from which most of the tours depart. The large red roof is Kirk Freeport, a very large retail store selling luxury goods. Directly in front of the tender is the local Tourist Bureau, which also houses the local museum.