Friday, April 30, 2010

Earth Awareness




Earth sculpture by Rosa Phoenix


One small blue-green planet in the vastness of space. 

One Earth, one sky, one water, shared by all of us. 

When one part of the body is poisoned, the whole body is sickened.

It is hard to comprehend the magnitude of the oil spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico.  

In the news, I keep hearing about the costs of this disaster in terms of how much money is being lost, and how many lawsuits are being brought against BP. 

To me, discussing this in monetary terms doesn't have enough significance. 

We humans could never manufacture enough money to compensate for the loss of precious water, habitat, land, animals and plant life. 

What could be more valuable to us, than that which gives us life? 

These are not things that we can buy or create ourselves. 

No legal action can correct this. 

I would not trade clean air, water and soil for any amount of money, yet frequently that is the trade-off that is being made.

I've just learned that a second oil rig overturned in the Gulf of Mexico:


Current.com/green is a good source for environmental news.

I hope that all people will take this disaster to heart, and consider our relationship to all life on Earth.

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

I'm a Featured Artist of the Northern California Graphic Artists Guild



I joined the Graphic Artists Guild. It's a professional organization of graphic artists and designers. I went to the meeting for the Northern California chapter, and met some really cool people: graphic designers, web designers, photographers, cartoonists and illustrators.

I'm the newest featured artist on the website! There is a bio, some artwork, see for yourself.




Thursday, April 22, 2010

Celebrate Life on Earth!


Rosa Phoenix and Selma Brown
with World Mother painting by Rosa Phoenix


Celebrate Life on Earth! 

I'm sharing some photos from the 2008 "Love Our Mother" Earth Day Art Show. 

The art show was held at Eternity Bliss in Oakland, and it was a benefit for Trees for the Future. We raised money to plant 1,000 trees in Senegal, Africa!




Didjeridoo demonstration

These beautiful instruments are tree trunks 

that were hollowed out by termites.










a well-dressed gent

in the sun, his suit makes

rainbow sparkles





tree art by Rosa Phoenix and Selma Brown




"Leaf a Message" by Rosa Phoenix

people wrote messages on the leaves
for the people of Africa 
who will plant the trees





art by Selma Brown

"Palm God" (made from a palm frond)




"Mother Universe" by Selma Brown

(made from the belly cast of a pregnant woman)



Happy memories of Earth Day 2008.  

Good people, art and music coming together in a beautiful healing space called Eternity Bliss. 

We raised funds to plant 1,000 trees, through Trees for the Future.

Earth Day is a good time for people to gather together and celebrate Life on Earth! 

Time to unite to protect and care for the Earth.

I'm sending my best wishes for peace and prosperity to all Life on Earth!  

Happy Earth Day 2010!

LINKS

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

My Etsy Shop Is Open!


World Mother Greeting Cards
by Rosa Phoenix

I opened an Etsy shop! If you don't know about Etsy, please check it out! It is a great marketplace for artists and craftspeople, who are selling mostly handmade, original artworks and products.

The very first item for sale is a set of 8 blank greeting cards and envelopes printed with the image of  "World Mother." Affordable art, you can save one to put in a frame, and give away the others.
 
This is my original painting that debuted at my 2008 Earth Day Art Show. That show was a milestone for me. It was my first art show, and we raised money for Trees for the Future to plant 1,000 trees. In 2009, for Earth Day, "World Mother" was also my very first blog post. So, for Earth Day 2010, "World Mother" makes her debut on Etsy!

There are so many reasons to support artists. The Earth is one reason.

Just say NO! to factory-produced, mass-market garbage! Many of the artists on Etsy re-use, recycle and re-purpose materials that would otherwise go to the landfill. Instead of creating trash, they create treasures.


LINKS



Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Sketchbook: San Francisco


felt tip pen and ink drawing by Rosa Phoenix


This is the view from Tank Hill, looking toward downtown San Francisco and the Bay.

You can see some San Francisco landmarks in this sketch, including the TransAmerica Pyramid building, the Bay Bridge, City Hall, Mission Dolores and Market Street (which I colored yellow). The big rainbow flag marks the intersection of Market and Castro, center of the Castro District (birthplace of the gay rights movement).

There is also a new huge tower at the entrance to the Bay Bridge. I think it is called Rincon, but I call it the Sharper Image Ionic Breeze Tower, because that is what it looks like, to me. If only it cleaned the air as well!

I did this sketch with black Uniball pen, and then I colored it later with felt tip pens.

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Birthday Self Portrait


watercolor pencil in moleskine watercolor sketchbook
by Rosa Phoenix


I was wondering, what should I draw now? Since it was my birthday, I drew myself! 

I haven't done a self portrait in years. Since it was my birthday, I gave myself blue hair (something I have always wanted!) Hey, it matches my outfit!

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Easter Bunny and Earth Egg



Happy Easter!



This sweet little bunny was given to me by my friend.   

The bunny is holding a mini Earth sculpture I made from polymer clay. 

Earth Day is this month too!







here is Earth in a basket

resting on azurite balls

in the background is a metal sculpture of a turtle







Earth in a glass cup

an interesting reflection appears

on Earth's surface
it looks like an angel




. . . . .





here is World Mother

do you see the egg?

eggs and bunnies celebrate fertility

the babies of spring


World Mother

painting by Rosa Phoenix 







Thursday, April 1, 2010

Redwoods





Muir Woods

just north of San Francisco,

home of the Redwood trees





natural sculpture




look again




bear face




who is this?




mushrooms like flowers






towering trees





time for a hug


I played with PhotoShop to get different effects with some of these photos.


LINKS


Muir Woods Virtual Walking Tour 

Muir Woods on Wikipedia

National Park Service website