Enjoying the Sun

Last Sunday my Mom and I enjoyed the beautiful fall afternoon. I was taking some research photos. I always call my photos "research" since they probably contain more than a photographer would want. I look at them with an artists eye. Being Queen of my art space I can make any changes necessary to make a better composition. Having the digital camera I now take thousands of research photos. Now to get some drawings or paint on canvas. I need two pieces framed for the upcoming KVAL group show at the Egyptian Theatre in DeKalb for November 9th.

The beautiful yellow tree is one my Grandmother planted many years ago. It is finally a tall mature tree. Picture is taken from the vantage point of the deck on the garage roof.

Honor for a Fallen Warrior Should be Front Page News

The Sailor Pictured Above Is,Navy Petty Officer, PO2 (Petty Officer, Second Class) EOD2 (Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Second Class)"MIKE MONSOOR"April 5th, 1981 ~ September 29th, 2009

Mike Monsoor, Was Awarded "The Congressional Medal Of Honor" For Giving His Life In Iraq , As He Jumped On, And Covered With His Body, A Live Hand Grenade, Saving The Lives Of A Large Group Of Navy Seals That Was Passing By!
~ During Mike Monsoor's Funeral, At Ft. Rosecrans National Cemetery , In San Diego , California .. The Six Pallbearers Removed The Rosewood Casket From The Hearse, And Lined Up On Each Side Of Mike Monsoor's Casket, Were His Family Members, Friends, Fellow Sailors, And Well-wishers.

The Column Of People Continued From The Hearse, All The Way To The Grave Site. What The Group Didn't Know At The Time Was, Every Navy Seal (45 To Be Exact) That Mike Monsoor Saved That Day Was Scattered Through-Out The Column!
~ As The Pallbearers Carried The Rosewood Casket Down The Column Of People To The Grave Side. The Column Would Collapse.. Which Formed A Group Of People That Followed Behind.
~ Every Time The Rosewood Casket Passed A Navy Seal, He Would Remove His Gold Trident Pin From His Uniform, And Slap It Down Hard, Causing The Gold Trident Pin To Embed Itself Into The Top Of The Wooden Casket! Then The Navy Seal Would Step Back From The Column, And Salute!

~ Now For Those, Who Don't Know What A Trident Pin Is, Here Is The Definition!
~ After One Completes The Basic Navy Seals Program Which Lasts For Three Weeks, And Is Followed By Seal Qualification Training, Which Is 15 More Weeks Of Training, Necessary To Continue Improving Basic Skills And To Learn New Tactics And Techniques, Required For An Assignment To A Navy Seal Platoon. After successful completion, Trainees Are Given Their Naval Enlisted Code, And Are Awarded The Navy Seal Trident Pin. With This Gold Pin They Are Now Officially Navy Seals!

It Was Said, That You Could Hear Each Of The 45 Slaps From Across The Cemetery! By The Time The Rosewood Casket Reached The Grave Site, It Looked As Though It Had A Gold Inlay From The 45 Trident Pins That Lined The Top!

This Was A Fitting End To An Eternal Send-Off For A Warrior Hero!

This Should Be Front-Page News! Instead Of The Garbage We Listen To And See Every Day.

~ Here's An Idea! Since The Main Stream Media Won't Make This News. Then Choose To Make It News By Posting It.
~ I Am Proud Of All The Branches Of Our Military. If You Are Proud Too, Please Share This Post.

Trip to see WPA Murals

In May I was Part of a group from the NIU Art Museum who went to Chicago to view murals done as part of the WPA project.

At Lane Tech. High School we saw 9 frescoes in the lunch room called "Epochs in the History of Man'" the beautiful memorial garden, and a whole series of murals painted on canvas hung above the lockers in the hallways.

The murals in the hallways depict industries from various states, are landscapes or representations of the indigenous people. I believe these were from the Chicago Worlds Fair 1932-34. Some may have first been displayed at the Columbian Expodition held in Chicago in the 1890s. This was the "White City" which was the beginning of GrantPark.

Nettelhorst School holds the only mural done in the "Cubist" style, and has reciently been restored. There is a frieze-like mural illustrating fairy tales in the kintergarten room.

The final stop was Chopin School where Chopin and Stephen Foster are each honored in an 80 foot long mural painted in the auditoerium.

A June trip is planned to see Chicago Architecture on land and on the Chicago River. I can't wait for June 25th.

Showing at Next Picture Show Dixon Illinois

Artwork by Sherry Lee Sadilek Patterson.
The "Orchid Lady" Oil/Acrylic on board 9 1/2" X 13" and "Poppies on Purple" Acrylic on canvas 11"X 14" will be at the Kishwaukee Valley Art League Exhibit being held in the lower gallery space at Next Picture Show Gallery in Dixon IL. An opening reception will be May 8, 2010 at 6 PM.

Achala Mohanty's Family Restored

A co-worker knew I did art, then she found out I had worked as a retoucher back when we used film, negatives and lead pencils to fix damaged or old photos. She had a project that had been rejected by various photographers who currently restore old damaged photos and she brought it to me to see if I could rescue it. The damaged photo was missing quite a lot of the edge which included the little boys foot. After completion the client wanted it also made into sepia as well as the black and white.

Ding Dong the House is Gone

It is a done deal. Hard for me to believe, the house is no longer my responsibility. It does seem like forever. Now maybe my projects will move on and me too. I attended a
"Stamp Camp" and made a bunch of cards. Not art, but a mental health boost. I had a great time. The easel card is my favorite.

Two pieces at the Egyptian Theatre

The house project is still in progress. Art work has taken a back burner for a time, but I currently have two paintings in the KVAL exhibit at Egyptian Theatre DeKalb, IL. Both are studies for larger works to be done in the Lilac Flower series. (Lilacs on Mint [10"x10"] Small Bunch on Orange [9"x7"]. The larger bouquet study has been sold. I have been working on the Bonsai trees mentioned in my last post. I will get a new post up soon.