A Well Known Snail

The Snail

By Henri Matisse

1953; Goauche on cut-paper, 9' 4 3/4" x 9' 5" 

Tate Gallery, London

This composition of 

rectangular and squarish patches 

form a snail-like shape, this has no precedent in 

Matisse's career. "The Snail" is one of Matisse's final works. 

It points to the fact that his career could go on indefinitely, 

  and to directions that later art would take beyond his own lifetime.  

The various works of Ellsworth Kelly, Kenneth Noland, 

and Frank Stella are instances of how 

Matisse's insights would later 

be fulfilled.

You may view it by visiting:

http://www.henry-matisse.com/snail.html 

NOTE: This link is also the source for the information above.

Using Toys!!!

Day 30

Two Playful Snails

Toys include a baby noise-making toy and a kazoo (a grown-up noise-making toy!). 

Yo! The second image is a yo-yo.

School Supplies

Day 28

Chalk Snail

Thanks, CG, for the box of chalk! 

I'm certain to  . .    s . . .l . . o. . . .w  . . .. l . . y      use it all!

Inspired by Dreams

T

Day 27

Dreaming Snail

Recent dreams move between the joy of home and the joy of travel.

Q:  Will the skyward wrestling cupids realize a life can have both?

A:  Perhaps like me . . .  they will realize slowly . . .  but certainly!

Something Portable

Day 26

Snail with Shoulder Strap

The large white piece is the base for the new shower SF is installing in the basement bathroom! The black head and foot piece is the shop-vac hose. 



This little mover caught my imagination as well.
I'm not sure what kind of tree the slice of wood is from . . . 
but I can tell you that the little wood car wheelie gets around!  :)

Wheelie Small Snail

Running Onward Toward the Treasure Shed!

I should have pushed it a bit more.

I am .3 from my next destination, The Treasure Shed.  

Distance 1.1      Averages:    4.7 mph    12 mn. mile

Yes . . .  I will finish drinking that water. 

Yes . . .  I will take my shoes off the kitchen table.

FYI:

The book in the background, Food Rules by Michael Pollan, planted a seed in our thinking. We've joined a local CSA, Loon Organics. 

www.loonorganics.com

Thanks SMF!

I wonder if kale will help me run faster?

Ten Loving Words

Cautious slow keen

nonchalant ultra alluring 

mini-impressive tranquil leisurely 

snail.

Day 21 

Love Snail

CF captured this precious snail personality.
 

This is wonderful . . .

. . . like coming upon a clover with four leaves.
Thank you thank you.

Work With Nature

Day 25

3D Snow Snail

The most amazingly HuGE snowflakes tumbled down today.

'Turns out they had enough cooperation to be a snail!

Zella's!

I've virtually arrived at Zella's !!!  I've completed the 1.1 mile first leg of my journey to Minnetonka Mud.

My treadmill reports an average 4.3 mph with a 13.0 minute mile.

It is good to be on the move once again.
Time to chug some water . . . and get to work! 


F.Y.I.
Zellas features ambiance with excellent meals prepared with locally grown ingredients.
www.zellas.net

A 41.2 Mile Plan!

Here is my first virtual running plan.
It is a path with which I am familiar . . .  by car!




From my house . . .

it is 1.1 miles to    
Zella's  
14 Main St S  Hutchinson, MN
(total 1.1)

it is 1.5 additional miles to
The Treasure Shed
1170A Highway 7 E, Hutchinson, MN
(total 2.6)

it is 3.0 added miles to
Crow River Winery
14848 Highway 7 E  Hutchinson, MN
(total 5.6)

it is 5.1 additional miles to
Silver Lake, MN
(total 10.7)

it is 7.0 additional miles to
Shadowbrooke Golf Course
3192 State Hwy 7
Lester Prairie MN
(total 17.7)

it is 14.8 additional miles to
Saint Bonifacius MN
(total 32.5)

it is 3.2 additional miles to
Gale Woods Farm of Three Rivers Park District  
7210 County Road 110 W.  Minnetrista, MN
(total 35.7)


it is 5.0 additional miles to
Hope Chest for Breast Cancer  
3850 Shoreline Drive Orono/Navarre, MN
(total 40. 7)

AND yes    . . . . it is .5 additional miles to

Minnetonka Mud Coffee Cafe

3465 Shoreline Dr Wayzata, MN

(total 41.2)

And when that happens I will say to myself:

"You have run the amazing distance!
Make plans to stop in and celebrate with an iced mocha!!!"
[And I will take along a map so I can plan my next journey!]

Only Green Colored Materials

Day 24

Snail Verde

Yes, I see blue too.

BUT, it is very very close to blue green don't you think?

The circular piece is a component to a puppet kit I never completed

and at last I understand my reason for saving it these many years!!!

Use Recycling for ALL of Today's Materials

Day 23

Recyclable Snail 

[with Pear]

I was SO tempted to use a tiny dab of poster putty to hold the can lid in place vertically.

BUT, the whole point of this for me is the creative challenge.

Upon further thinking I found a little slice of discarded pear in the compost garbage and set that in the groove behind the lid. Voila! 

NOTE: Day 21 and Day 22 are still in the "I'm not sure I can" stage.

 

From Clay

Day 20

Earth Snail

[approximate size: 7"x 5"x 3"]

The author of the book I'm reading, Noah Scalin, today suggested I use clay in a way I never have before.

This was a challenge!

I use clay A LOT . . . but mostly rolling, pressing, texturing, and pinching.

Earth snail was created by first carving into a large mound of clay and removing the unwanted mass. Thus, a fresh approach for me! 

Another Camo Snail

Vertical Snail on Horizontal Background

I made this snail because I was curious about direction defining shape.

I'm not sure if you will be able to see this snail from your computer screen, but I hope you can! I've made the image larger in hopes that will improve your chances.

When I changed my viewing distance and angle that seemed to help.

[No amount of concentration made it appear as 3-D!!!]

Something That Floats on Water

Day 19

Floating Yarn Snail

[Nice and Calm and Well Behaved]

Yes, that is a Black Pepper can you see on the edge of the sink.

I tried black pepper after I tried shaving cream, a marshmallow, and a cheerio.

The pepper was CraZy, and totally out of control, but also the MOST fun!!!

So, here is a picture of the pepper too!

OK. I really do see a snail here . . . this might be my favorite floating snail!

Things From My Car

Day 18

Auto Snail

CG and I imagined lots of snail possibilities with the treasures she has in her car!

But we also had a take-out pizza and thus a choice to make: create snails or eat pizza? 

We opted for the PiZZa! 

 

Eyes

Day 17

Snail Spectacles

[using potato prints 4 and 5]

Print It

Day 16

 Potato Snail

[printed on a page from a Martha Stewart magazine January 2011]

Use a Dollar Bill

Day 15

Snail Buck

two snails

Day 13

Quilted Snail

[Use tea leaves in some form.]

Thank you to my Home Extension friends for donating their spent tea bags! 

Snail 14 requires two photos.

 Day 14

Smallest Snail

[ Work as small as you can.]

Day 14

Smallest Snail Magnified!

three more snails

Day 10

 Water Works Snail

[Use only water as inspiration.]

Day 11

Left Hand Snail

[Work with non-dominant hand in a comfortable medium.]

This was a humbling experience. I discovered that my left hand is not comfortable with crayons or scissors (two things I LOVE) . . .  it was almost like I was watching another person work. This took a long time. 

Day 12

Disappearing Snail

or

The Return of the First Snail

[Camouflage.}

The background is a detail from an artwork I made in 2011. 

It is a mosaic of stones and other treasured objects upon a three legged stool. 

It is titled: "She Has A Hard Time Sitting Down."

good morning

Day 9 of 365

Kashi and Clay Coyote Bowl Snail

[Create using your breakfast before you eat it.]

two new snails and three of the things about snails

 Day 7

Stenciled Snail

 [Make a stencil and use it in your work.]

Day 8

Book Snail

[Transform an old book.]

Three of the things about snails. 

Paraphrased from information I read on pages 522 and 523 of S - Sn of The World Book Encyclopedia, Volume 17, Copyright 1990.

1. A snail lives in one of three different environments: land, fresh water, or salt water and is grouped accordingly.

2. A snail crawls about by the wavelike backward motion of its muscular foot. 

3. A snail has a brain and a heart. I don't know if it has courage.

gift of a snail

 

 Red Snail

Thank you, JB! 

orange snail

Day 6

Orange Snail

[Work with the first fruit or vegie you see when you walk into your kitchen.]

I used the tripod for this photo.

Slick and quick!

 

stamps are like tiny works of art

Day 5

Mail Snail

[Work with a collection of objects.]

I've been collecting stamps since I was a child and a member of our neighborhood stamp club! I had a few stamps from Spain, which I believed, was on another planet. Fun memories, that stamp club.

nice day for a little walk

Day 4

Snow Snail

[Take a walk,create something with the things around you, and leave it for others.]

thinking about making art 365

On the 4th of January, after considering possible themes for my art 365 challenge (stars, faces, cats, anything "paper", altering found objects, alphabets, words, cards and gifts, environmental) I chose to focus on snails.

I determined that I will create, title, photograph, and post each snail on this blog.
Postings may include some form of an artist statement and perhaps some inspiration, as the world shares with me.

You can't learn from remembering. 

You can't learn from guessing. 

You can learn only from moving forward at the rate you are moved, 

as brightness, into brightness. 

--Sarah Manguso

And thus, I move forward!

 

Day 1 of 365

Snail on the Rocks

[Make it small and from objects near you.]

Day 2 of 365

Cat Snail

[Be inspired by a favorite animal.]

 Day 3 of 365

Snail with Shadows 

[Use paper without cutting, gluing, or drawing upon it.]

 

Art notes to self:

use camera tripod

use natural light for photos

learn about snails

And a good day to us all!

something new to do

Two 2012 challenges bring me to this blog. 

1. Participating in a 5k event as I am inspired by friends, family, and colleagues.

2. Consistently creating works of art with a common theme as I am inspired by the book, 365: a daily creativity journal : make something every day and change your life! by Noah Scalin.

This blog documents my progress.
I think I can. I think I can!