Laguna Art Festivals

How can you improve on an artist colony near the beach in Southern California? Throw in a few art festivals during the summer and you’ve got my perfect birthday outing. I used to hate having a July birthday when I was a kid because I never got to celebrate with my classmates in school but the Laguna Art Festivals give me a reason to look forward to birthdays now that I’m at that age where I’d rather ignore them. Since birthdays mean I get to shamelessly torture my husband for 24 hours, I get him up early so we’ll be assured a parking spot. We exit the 5 freeway onto the 133/Laguna Canyon Road (be careful not to veer onto the Toll Road!) that winds through endangered pastoral land developers salivate over, but that’s another article altogether… A few miles down, we hang a right into the Act V dirt and gravel parking lot. Depending on the year, it’s been free and you pay for the trolley that takes you into town or, like this year (2005), we paid $5 to park and the trolley was free. I sure don’t want to think about the politics that go into those pricing decisions each year… Anyway, the trolleys run every 10 minutes or so to the festival grounds and also into downtown Laguna, which makes getting around this typically parking-challenged beach town pleasantly convenient. There are three major art festivals in the summer: The Sawdust Festival, Art-A-Fair and Festival of Arts-all along Laguna Canyon Road within walking distance of each other. The first two celebrate their 39th anniversaries this year and the Grande Dame, Festival of Arts, observes it’s 73rd summer. I advise logging onto the websites of the Festivals to see what kinds of discounts are being offered for admissions. This year, we got a two for one deal with my Bowers Museum membership card for the Sawdust and a half off coupon for Art-A-Fair. If you live close by and plan to visit more than once, most have seasonal passes. And every discount helps--and leaves you more to spend on art! We usually start at The Sawdust, not out of any particular design, just habit. After a visit to their well-maintained ladies room, I’m ready to stroll and gaze and sigh. All of these shows are well juried so there’s no junk here. I want one of everything! Of the three festivals, I think The Sawdust aims to give a total experience to their patrons. Not only do they have good art, you’ll find glass blowers, constant entertainment on a lushly shaded deck, lots of different food choices and art classes for the kids. Their atmosphere is casual (there really is sawdust on the ground), all artists are in individual booths and the art ranges from $2 cards to artwork in the hundreds, with lots of potters, jewelers and even my favorite toe ring booth (this year’s theme-The Toe-night Show with Johnny Carson). And the layout allows for gentle breezes even on the warmest days. We get our hands stamped and move on. Next, on the same side of the street, sits Art-A-Fair. More wonderful art of every description, a tad more serious than The Sawdust, more of a gallery setting as opposed to booths, though most of the artists sell greeting card versions of their work. Some of my favorite painters exhibit here and it’s like visiting old friends. It seems to me that more photography and sculpture find their way to Art-A-Fair and the layout is wide open and inviting. There’s a lovely sit-down restaurant at the far end of the gallery and children’s classes are held in the center of the complex. My husband’s one complaint the whole day (yes, he’s a saint…) was that the tarps stretched above the gallery kept out the sun but they also kept out the breezes. We didn’t have as much time in Laguna this year as usual because we had other Birthday Commitments so we went back to The Sawdust to pick up birthday loot. Something I learned this year is that, if possible, buy your art from the artist if they’re around. When the artists aren’t at their booths, you can pay for your purchases at the Sales Counter run by The Sawdust itself. I had picked up a print, some cards and a gorgeous, colorfully swirly, sparkly paperweight at booths without artists on our first pass and left them with our friend Kathy at the toe ring booth. When we came back, the artists happened to be present at their spaces so I paid them directly. One girl thanked me for paying her because, she whispered, The Sawdust takes a commission when they take payments. From a business point of view that makes sense… But as a creative person myself, I know I like to keep as much of my profits as I can. Since we didn’t get to the Festival of Arts this year, let me tell you about our experience when we took the community tour from our hometown to see the Pageant of the Masters, which everyone should see at least once in their lifetime. Most cities in Orange County offer the tour bus excursion to experience the art show and Pageant, which again makes it very convenient if you don’t have to deal with the raised blood pressure of finding a parking space in Laguna… in the summer… The Festival of Arts show itself rates to me as the most upscale of the Big Three. The pieces are expensive, sometimes bigger than life size and of utmost quality. For John Lennon’s jewelry rattlin’ patrons it’s a buying opportunity, but for the likes of me, it’s a museum where I walk with my hands behind my back and admire the precious items from a safe, non-breakable distance. The karat gold, handmade jewelry is found here and the elaborately framed pieces that belong in teak lined libraries. If I sound like a reverse snob, well, I’m just jealous. A walk through the Festival of Arts makes me long for fine things that I can’t afford. But it’s a rich experience humbled by a section of the work of talented school children. Throughout the summer, many classes and theme days attract families and art lovers. On our tour, we strolled around the Festival, ate dinner at a Ruby’s dinette outside the theatre, then found our seats for the Pageant of the Masters. Basically, the Pageant is artwork brought to life. All year, the hundreds of participants practice their crafts--costuming, lighting, standing very, very, very still… Paintings and sculptures recreated by actors fill the stage and spaces around the amphitheatre, narrated with stories of the art and artists. And you sit, fidgeting, wondering how they can stand with their arms outstretched or squatting like that for sooooo long. Several times during the evening, they put together an artwork piece by piece, bringing in the frame, setting the props, spotting the actors, so you can see how the effect is created. It’s not until the lighting clicks in, though, that the oohh’s and aahh’s echo in the bowl of the theatre. My husband, the actor, explains it this way: “In theatre, you light to create dimension. Here, you’re lighting to eliminate dimension.” You leave the theatre with an appreciation for all the time and effort this purely Californian art form requires. Just a little trivia and some resources before I must go and frame my art treasures from this year’s birthday spree. The Sawdust Festival accepts artists only from Laguna Beach, Art-A-Fair is a Co-op and run by the artists themselves and Festival of Arts admits artists from a limited number of cities in the area. Here are some website must-clicks: www.sawdustartfestival.org www.foapom.com www.art-a-fair.com www.lagunabeachinfo.org Wear good walking shoes, apply your sunscreen and bring your checkbook!

Shooting for Stock Photography

A great way to earn money and learn a lot in the internet is participating in stock photography. Stock photography has been around for a while. And there are a lot of great stock sites that sell photographs for a reasonable price.

Just how and what should you shoot to be able to participate in stock photography?

Photographers say you should start with the concept. But the very first thing you should do is to know your equipment. I literally spent ten times more time trying to know how my camera works than thinking of something to shoot.

Stock photography is a very demanding industry. It's as close as you'll get to professional photography. It requires you to be able to produce images of the highest quality. That is because this industry is very competitive.

Try shooting the same subject with different settings. You should know how your camera reacts with different kinds of light. You should also know how it responds to different levels of illumination. Note the differences you see and keep them in mind.

Next you need a concept. Your images should present an idea, a thought or an expression. Consider a photograph of a man typing on a computer. What is he doing? Why is he typing? Is he working? Is he Blogging? Or just playing?

Designers buy stock images because of the concept they present - not because they look good. Stock photos are used in web sites, brochures, magazines, publications, advertisements, and almost anything that has a print.

So you need to have an image that has a concept that satisfies the needs of the would-be buyers of your pictures.

Then, you need a lot of light. Stock photos require that images have the right level of illumination and contrast. They need to be clear. If you can't afford a big set-up, you can always use desk lamps or even the sun.

You'll also need a computer and two kinds of programs: noise reduction tool and a photo editing application. Most stock photographs go through a noise reduction process. They also get a little tweaking in color, contrast and brightness.

Stock photographs need to be as close to perfect as possible. It's like what they say in the computer graphics industry: "it does not matter how you do it as long as you get the job done." Don't think that editing a photo in your pc is cheating. That only goes for journalism.

The next is pretty simple. You need a stock agency to upload your images to. Or you can showcase your work in your own site. Uploading in stock agencies is better. That is because you can find out where and how to improve. Use their powerful community to find out your weakness and strengths as a photographer.

Then when you have all this, what you need to do next is to be consistent and improve and improve and improve. You need to keep up with the ever demanding industries. If you don't, you'll get left behind.

Quick Art Pieces You Can Do - Even If You're Not an Artist

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Art is in the eye of the beholder, so to speak - and art takes many forms - from beautiful hand-painted pieces of intense imagination, or chunky-looking piles of junk that make you scratch your head and wonder. If you’re in need of some nice artwork on your walls, you’re no artist, and you definitely don’t have the funds to go shopping for expense artwork, make some yourself. You don’t have to be an artist to do so. Just use a few things around your house and a couple of things from a craft store. And, your art pieces will be so wonderful yet no one will know how little they cost.

Blank canvases attached to wooden frames make a great base for your art. Use foam or regular brushes and make horizontal swipes, allowing ridges to build from brush marks, and minor drips to remain. These wide stripes, in various colors, can represent everything from a sea scape to a field of flowers.

An example is a beach scene made wide, white stripes across the top of the canvas then wide, blue stripes across the bottom. Switch to a smaller brush and make some white stripes, without much pressure on the brush, across the blue section. You can add a yellow circle in one corner, if you wish, but don’t make it too distinctive. Foam brushes allow you to circle the paint without adding much detail.

An example of a field of flowers requires a blue strip across the top third of the canvas, with strips of white included, if desired, then a very wide strip of green across the bottom. Now use a small brush to dot your favorite color of flowers across the green stripe. The flowers don’t have to have to be all the same color, and can overlap each other, too. This gives the effect of one standing in front of the other.

Use these techniques to make many different scenes, such as beach, cornfield, field of flowers, pond with ducks, row of houses, group of kids, and other images. After you get the color on the canvas, add your own real touches, such as a small group of silk daisies, along with a few sprigs of greenery, glued horizontally across the bottom of the canvas. For a beach scene you can glue on shells or even use glue and sand to enhance the design.

Mirrored wall designs are often considered art pieces particularly if they’re arranged in a unique and modern way. Mirrors without frames, but with beveled sides, make the best artwork pieces. Purchase one large mirror, then several smaller ones to start the project. You’ll also need small wooden dowel pieces, of various lengths, from an inch to three inches.

Paint the wooden pegs silver or gold. Hang the large mirror on the wall. Glue two to four of the pegs onto the back of each smaller mirror with contact cement, then attach the smaller mirrors onto the large one. The arrangement is your own, but here are some suggestions: Place one of the mirrors in the top corner, with part of the smaller mirror rising above the large mirror, and the other part of the mirror attached. Add a second mirror, in the same manner, placing it below and to the right of the first small mirror. Position the second mirror to where it extends out slightly past the large mirror. Use different sized pegs for each small mirror to get an even different effect. There are zillions of these mirror designs you can do, combining large, medium, and smaller mirrors attached to each other, some separated, or scattered across the entire wall.

Copper or foil, found on a roll at craft stores, can be used along with stencils to create some unique and beautiful shapes. Choose nice frames and mats then center the copper or foil design in the frame. Make several shapes and arrange them inside of the frame in a design that suits your style. Attach one of the copper or foil shapes to the outside of the frame to add to the beauty of the design. These wall hangings look expensive but aren’t.

Use inexpensive, small slabs of wood and rub-on transfers to make various art pieces for your home. Or, cut out slick magazine pictures of flowers, an old barn, or another image that catches your eye. For a rustic look, slightly burn the edges of the picture before mounting it on the wooden piece. Use the pieces in a manner as the mirrors, or hang them separately across the top of a mantel. The wooden slabs come in any number of sizes, shapes and colors.

There are many ways of making quick art pieces even if you’re not an artist. Combine things that interest you, and fit into your color scheme, and use your own style to create any number of beautiful pieces for your home. You’ll have fun with these projects because if it pleases you, it’s art!

How to Make Baby Food at Home

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When our son was venturing into the world of solid food beyond infant cereal, my husband and I decided to make some baby food ourselves. It's an easy thing to do and, for some (like parents of multiples), can also be cost-effective.
There are a few guidelines and things to keep in mind however, when preparing baby food at home. Some things to consider:

· Commercially grown fruits and vegetables, both domestic and imported, tend to contain higher levels of pesticides than organically grown produce

· Trimming the fat from meat will help reduce pesticides, as they tend to concentrate in fatty tissues

· Organic foods have been found to contain lower levels of certain pesticides

· Processed foods (canned fruit for example) generally have lower pesticide residues than fresh foods 

· All fresh produce to be used in preparing baby food should be peeled, washed with very diluted dishwashing detergent, and cooked well

· When making your own baby food, do not salt, sweeten or season the food at all.

Cooked, fresh vegetables and stewed fruits are the easiest foods to prepare for baby, and except for raw bananas, (which can be mashed with a fork) all fruits should be cooked until soft. Steaming is the best cooking method, as fewest nutrients and vitamins are lost this way. Refrigerate any food that is not used immediately, and check it well for signs of spoilage before giving it to baby. Unlike commercial foods, freshly made baby food contains no bacteria, so it will spoil more quickly. Use or freeze within one to two days of preparation to be safe.

Water or formula can be added to mashed foods to create the desired consistency, and food processors, blenders and strainers can also be helpful. Individual portions of the baby food can then be frozen in ice cube trays. Cover the trays with plastic before freezing. After freezing, place the cubes in a plastic bag, seal it and return it to the freezer. Be sure to label and date all foods, and use them within 1 month from preparation date. Do not thaw individual portions at room temperature; rather, thaw them in the refrigerator, double boiler or microwave (on the defrost setting).

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the following foods should not be prepared at home for baby food: beets, turnips, carrots, collard greens and spinach. In certain parts of the country, these vegetables contain large amounts of nitrates, a chemical that can cause an unusual type of anemia (low blood count) in young infants. Baby food companies are aware of this problem and therefore screen the produce they buy for nitrates. They also avoid buying these vegetables in parts of the country where nitrates have been detected. Since you cannot test for the chemical yourself at home, it's safer to use commercially prepared forms of these foods, especially while your child is an infant. If you should choose to prepare these foods at home anyway, serve them fresh and don't store any leftovers. Storage of these foods can actually increase the amount of nitrates in them.

In addition, there are some foods that should be avoided until at least the child's first birthday; some suggest waiting until the child is old enough to speak, and can then inform you of a "funny feeling" in their throat (due to swelling from an allergic reaction). Foods that may cause allergic reactions include egg whites, seafood, nuts, citrus fruits and tomatoes. Honey should also be avoided, as it may contain botulism spores that, though not harmful to adults, can cause infant botulism, a potentially severe illness. Honey is acceptable however, in processed foods such as honey graham crackers, and Honey Nut Cheerios.