Albuquerque artist art dreamer gypsy blog

It's so CSI

---------------------image from "CSI Images" on the internet.

------------photo by Elaine A. Russell



I love the show CSI... the one in Las Vegas with Grissom. I absolutely adore his character.... as well as alot of the other characters on that particular show. I think it is awesome. Some day... I will have to get all the episodes and have a marathon. Wouldn't that be cool ?
Bring on the popcorn baby.

In other news... I have discovered that (like duh)... it has influenced my work/art life. I have included a photo that I did not too long ago... very CSI (don't worry.. it's just pomegrant juice). I also had started a complete jewelry line dedicated to aspects of CSI with some steampunk thrown in... but then I discovered someone had copied the entire line (someone I know).
Ah well. I will probably do it anyway. Damn bastards.

But then -- what would Grissom do ? I guess I will take it as a compliment and move on.


hump


-----------------------------photos by Elaine A. Russell

When I was back in high school (albeit.. the dark ages)... wednesday was known as "hump" day. As in mid-week hump. As in ... half a week to go.. hump. Course, there were "kids" who had another meaning for hump.. but we won't go there today.

Today was a great day to just sit around at Starbucks and enjoy a coffee... and the birds singing.. and the panhandlers panning.. or whatever.

ramblings from an unkept mind


---------photo by Elaine A. Russell

I love pita chips. No rhyme or reason here... just love em. Especially with sea salt. No fancy flavors.. jut all natural and healthy snacking goodness. They can be hard to find. I don't know why. You'd think they would have them in the snacks section, or the healthy foods section... or just in the plain awesome section.... but no. You have to hunt them down like wild beasts. capture them. Ravish them. Assimilate them into your being.


In other news.. I took a photo of the Yucca tree in my backyard. No real reason there... just looked cool.

tired


-----------photo by Elaine A. Russell

I am so feckin tired. Not sure why... I am assuming it is allergies (as opposed to the Lupus). But... things are progressing along. Am working on a "show calendar".. gathering info on shows in the ABQ area. I got my business taxes taking care of. Now I am working on organizing my studio space at home.

On the plus side... look at how pretty the trees are right now !

Goddess approved....


---------------------photo by Elaine A. Russell with Holga digital effects

Usually I clean the house on Mondays.. but I have been pretty sick lately, and just wasn't up to it. So, fortunately, the laundry is mostly caught up, the dishes are caught up.. and my daughter swept the floors for me.
I got to thinking about things that I really really enjoy doing. I am a gardener. I love to dig my hands in the soil. Now, if you saw my yard, you would probably question my ability to actually do this... but.
At christmas time instead of have a large real tree, or a fake tree (last year I gave our tree and most all our decorations away to a family that needed it)....we got a 2 foot tall real pin tree in a pot from Home Depot. I have been trying to figure out the best place to put it in the yard... and the best place was always seeming to be where our peach tree was(it died last year). I really wanted to put the pine tree there.. but was afraid I wouldn't be able to pull up all the roots necessary to get the pine tree in.
Well ---- low and behold.. I went to try to dig up the roots... and it went surprisingly well. Apparently I had given the roots enough time to sufficiently rot so that they were easy to pull up. So. I got the little baby tree in the ground, pulled some weeds that were trying to come up in the area... and watered it.
Just as I finished, a very gentle rain came down and assisted in watering the baby tree.... Goddess approved.

dreaming of Quan Yin


----------photo by Elaine A. Russell. Statue is at the Buddhist temple on Louisianna Blvd


I woke up at 3am, after dreaming of Quan Yin.......

Quan Yin is one of the most universally beloved of deities in the Buddhist tradition. Also known as Kuan Yin, Quan'Am (Vietnam), Kannon (Japan), and Kanin (Bali), She is the embodiment of compassionate loving kindness. As the Bodhisattva of Compassion, She hears the cries of all beings. Quan Yin enjoys a strong resonance with the Christian Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and the Tibetan goddess Tara.
In many images She is depicted carrying the pearls of illumination. Often Quan Yin is shown pouring a stream of healing water, the "Water of Life," from a small vase. With this water devotees and all living things are blessed with physical and spiritual peace. She usually holds a sheaf of ripe rice or a bowl of rice seed as a metaphor for fertility and sustenance.

Some sexy fruit and one fat frog




---------------------------photos by Elaine A. Russell

There are only about 6 days each year that the weather is not co-operative enough or interesting enough to take photos outside here in ABQ. Today is potentially one of them. It's been cold, windy and decidedly overcast today.
So -- in lieu of an outdoor shot... I have taken some photos of some fine sexy fruit on my kitchen table, and a photo of one of our hugely rotund African water frogs....

To Benefit La Casa ... Art Auctions !





-------------------------------------photography by Elaine A. Russell

so-- in January, I donated 3 photographs to benefit LA CASA. It is a local shelter for abused people and their families here in NM.
And today -- my stuff is on auction ! How sweet is that !
Please check out the links; and please buy for this wonderful cause.

The New Mexico Gypsy Queens (http://www.myspace.com/gqnmchapter)

gatherings ...


--------------------------------photos and art by Elaine A. Russell

So -- I have a show coming up in a couple weeks, and a potential show coming in April. This is exciting. I have a whole new bunch of things I am working on ... and the process is good. I always feel better when I am working on a project.

I am one of those people who .. if I am not working on a project... within a couple days I get really really bitchy, and then I get sick. I physically have to be making something.. or my body will rebel. Weird huh. But good in a way. It keeps me doing things...

Here is a photo of a project I finished not too long ago....It is a recycled old cigar box that has now been made into a shrine. Complete with beaded dangles at the bottom (sort of a signature of mine).

beware the food that could bite you back


----------------------------------photos by Elaine A. Russell

ok. So I have been on a qwest to try out all the little cafe's down near UNM. We went to a nice little Japanese restaurant (Mirai--Light and Healthy Japanese Cuisine) yesterday, and tried a Bento Box, oyakodan, a shot of Saki and some jasmine tea. ( total cost $20 )

Overall, I have decided that I like sushi better when it is without seaweed wraps in it. I didn't like the soup that came with the Oyakodan. The Bento box was good, as was the Oyakodan. I love Jasmine tea. Our hostess was really nice. And while the company was pleasant, et all, I am not sure it would be someplace I would go again. I'm not sure if I am just not fond of Japanese food.. or that food in particular.


So -- then we come home, and our neighbor has brought us a gift for watching their stuff while they went to Florida. A chocolate crocodile with orange flavoring inside. YUM.... but what is it with chocolate that could bite you back ?

And today.. I am making some Nissan Noodle bowls... get almost done with the soup.. and realize I have a closed packet still on the bottom of my bowl. I discovered this only as I was about to choke on said packet. Wow. My daughter thinks I'm special.

So--- if you dare to eat today -- be careful. You never know.... he he he

the poor little tree that could ...

------------------------------photo by Elaine A. Russell

My pear tree in the front yard is coming to life. Usually.. this means that we will get a glomping of snow in the next 2 weeks that will kill all said produce from the pear tree.
I hope not.

While we could certainly use the water.. I am hoping that this will be the first year that this poor little tree isn't nipped by snow and frost. That it's little flowers will continue to bloom and flourish; and that if it does bear fruit .. AND that the damn squirrels don't eat it all !
He he he.

Anyway -- love the blooms. It completely made my day.

sleep glorious sleep


--------------------------------------photo by Elaine A. Russell

I guess I've been doing too much lately. One of the good things about having Lupus is that if you are doing too much... your body just quits. No slowing down of the merry go round. We're talking full throttle stop. Sometimes you get whiplash from the neck jerk if ya know what I mean.

Anyway -- today I slept until 3 in the afternoon. Yep. Like 15 hours. Now, to put it in perspective a bit.. there are MANY nights that I can't sleep for crap. And, on the times when I do actually sleep.. I am broken up by nightmares and nightsweats.

So -- I know I woke up a couple of times with stuff... but dang.


I love my bed.

glass graveyards, mausoleums and more...

-----------------------Rivers of glasss.........
-------------------------more glass.....................

------------------and the geese ! ........photos by Elaine A. Russell

So today was a perfect day to join friends and go to the glass graveyard to scavenge old pieces of glass for mixed media projects. It was a really pretty day out. Afterwards we drove by Gertrude Zachary's house(cough.. mausoleum.. cough)... and then went to the studio to work on some stuff. A good time was had by all. More pics to be posted soon.... but in the meantime....