Sunday, August 27, 2017

A Thought for Sunday, August 27, 2017

"The best portion of a good man's life is his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and of love." -- William Wordsworth

Monday, August 21, 2017

The Eclipse: An Alternative View

While most of the America was busy looking UP this afternoon during the eclipse, Hubs and I were busy looking DOWN. Since we had neglected to buy special glasses to view the eclipse safely, we weren't able to gaze upward to observe the moon blotting out the sun. Instead, we enjoyed quite a show on the ground beneath our feet! Take a look:


What amazing patterns the eclipse cast on these flagstones!

Its light patterns on the gravel driveway


These resembled ocean waves
The curvature of the moon obscuring the sun's corona created the arcs of light.

My studio, seen here at the beginning of the eclipse when the light is just starting to change. We were able to see the beautiful light patterns on the ground because we're surrounded by woods, as you can see. The trees provided enough shade for the light patterns to be visible.
Text and images ©2017 Lynn Edwards

Sunday, August 20, 2017

A Thought for Sunday, August 20, 2017

"Justice: A decision in your favor." -- Harry Kaufman

Sunday, August 13, 2017

A Thought for Sunday, August 13, 2017

"It is easier to do a job right than to explain why you didn't." -- Martin Van Buren

Thursday, August 10, 2017

My Favorite Brush Cleaner

When I started painting 16 years ago, I dutifully bought the brush soaps offered through art supply stores and catalogs. These soaps worked well enough but were extremely pricey. I dirty a lot of brushes when I paint, so I found myself flying through those bottles of brush cleaner faster than a speeding Ferrari. Being thrifty by nature, I started searching for alternatives.



That's when I discovered Murphy Oil Soap. I had a huge bottle of it on hand for general cleaning so I decided to try it on my brushes. Eureka! It cleaned them just as well if not better than those expensive brush soaps. Worked well into the bristles, it cleaned them of acrylic paint with ease.

Then I learned I could raise the dead with Murphy Oil Soap. Not literally, of course. I'm speaking of dried out, paint encrusted brushes I had failed to keep wet. Suspending them in undiluted Murphy Oil Soap brings them back to life. Depending on the type of brush and the amount of dried paint in it, immersion can take anywhere from a day to a few weeks to be effective.

Artist brushes aren't the only brushes it restores. I've used it to clean and revive large house painting brushes with great success. This included a cherished nylon trim brush, loaned to and left out in the sun by a careless workman. The latex house paint clinging to its bristles was as hard as flint when I found it, but after several weeks in a "Murphy bath" the brush rinsed clean of paint and was good as new.

(Please note: I can speak to the use of Murphy's with acrylics and latex paints only. I've never used it with any other types of paint.)

Murphy Oil Soap won't break the bank, either. It's a real bargain compared to those "artist's" brush soaps. You can buy a 32 ounce bottle of it for under four bucks. Compare that to the "artists" products which often cost a dollar an ounce and up!

It's also readily available. You'll find it at big box stores, grocery stores, hardware stores...just about everywhere.

Just to be clear, I'm not being compensated in any way by Murphy, nor am I connected in any way to this company. I offer my commentary for the sole purpose of convincing fellow artists that it's not necessary to spend a bundle to make art. Often less expensive items can be substituted for "artists" products, without detrimental effect,. Murphy Oil Soap is one such product. Buy a big enough bottle and it might well last you the rest of your life!

©2017 Lynn Edwards

Saturday, August 5, 2017

A Thought for Sunday, August 6, 2017

"Everyone has talent at 25. The difficulty is to have it at 50." -- Edgar Degas

My Work Is Now Available Through Atlanta's New Design Center!

Exciting News Department! My paintings and mixed media works, art jewelry and accent mirrors are now being sold through the Upper Westside Connection, Atlanta's new art, antique and design center!



This impressive 25,000 square foot facility is located at the corner of Collier Road and Defoor Hills Rd. in the city's unique Upper Westside area. You can't miss it: a brightly colored mural featuring the Atlanta skyline and a huge locomotive envelops the exterior facade. The latter is a nod to UWC's proximity to a soon-to-be-developed section of the Beltline, a former rail line now given over to outdoor recreation. Drawing thousands of runners, walkers, bicycle riders and other sun seekers as it revitalizes surrounding neighborhoods, this future section of the Beltline is directly adjacent to one side of UWC's building and is scheduled to be completed within the next three years

Fortunately you don't need to wait three years to shop UWC! Open to both the public as well as the trade, UWC is fast becoming an important resource for interior designers, home staging firms and the film industry. Inside you'll find a tremendous selection of furniture, lighting, works of art both original and reproduction, sculpture, mirrors, rugs and much more ... everything you need to create a stylish, comfortable home or office. With an emphasis on furnishings and accessories that are one of a kind artisanal creations, finding that special piece becomes a thrilling adventure at the Upper Westside Connection.

One of my small accent mirrors, now available through UWC. It features my own hand painted papers. Can't you see this in a gallery-style grouping? Or adding some flair to a ho-hum bookcase??? ©2017 Lynn Edwards


In future posts I'll introduce you to some of these amazing finds and the artists who create them. Meanwhile, considering treating yourself to a field trip. Come check out the UWC and see it for yourself. It's open seven days a week, and there's plenty of free parking. You will not be disappointed!

Upper Westside Connection
2060 Defoor Hills Rd.
Atlanta GA 30318
404-254-0626
http://www.uwsconnection.com