July 11, 2011 In art, creativity, design, drawing, illustration, imagination, inspiration By Patricia Saxton

A Plethora of P's / #29: Precious

proactively punctuating life with the plausible, powerful possibilities of positive thought presented through a plethora of “P’s”.

– ♥ –

This week’s inspiration came from a friend in Tennessee who saw a cool “P”, took a picture and sent it to me. I love the image, and imagine the inhabitants settling in, holding court and squawking defensively at the parking lot below.

And the thought it provoked is this: that life… wherever it calls home, wherever it thrives, feeds, flies, laughs, cries, loves … is precious. Yours, mine, the new baby’s, the old man’s, the birds in flight, the rivers and trees and fairies and whales and clouds and rocks and deserts and mountains and suns and moons.

It reminded me that life is a gift, a tapestry of twists and turns, of madness, hopes and dreams, offering a nest of precious treasures in sometimes unexpected places.

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July 7, 2011 In animation, art, children's books, creativity, design, illustration, imagination, presentation, skill By Patricia Saxton

"The Lost Thing": Awesome Children's Book ~ Fabulous Film

I love this! It’s just superb, and completely delightful, from the great artist/author Shaun Tan.

With good reason, The Lost Thing won Best Animated Short Film at this year’s 83rd Academy Awards. And there’s an extra bonus ~ because the behind-the-scenes telling of how the film’s sounds are created is a fascinating treat of its own. In the video below, supervising Sound Editor/Sound Designer John Kassab shares his experience working on this animated treasure.

Very cool stuff all around. Enjoy!

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July 4, 2011 In art, creativity, design, imagination, inspiration By Patricia Saxton

A Plethora of P's / #28: Patriotism

proactively punctuating life with the plausible, powerful possibilities of positive thought presented through a plethora of “P’s”.

– ♥ –

Patriotism is like a giant batch of team spirit… loyalty to your own, devotion to shared values, an overriding love of country, flaws and all. It’s a heartfelt high-five for freedom and a star-bangled banner ever waving o’er the land of the free and home of the brave.  ~ Happy 4th of July, America! ~

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July 1, 2011 In advertising, branding, business, communication, creativity, design, imagination, marketing, social media By Patricia Saxton

Beer, Chocolate and The Web

Beer, Chocolate and the Web … for some reason makes me think of “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” ~ maybe not with such an intricate storyline, and I’m not sure C.S. Lewis would like the comparison, unless perhaps, he was a beer and chocolate person… but either way he would certainly appreciate the imaginative quality.

So, thanks to my good friend and fellow designer Jim for knowing that I would love this. Sagres, Portugal’s leading beer brand, launched a new product this year: Sagres Preta Chocolate, a chocolate flavoured stout beer.

I can’t attest to the beer itself, but their decision to launch the product with a website crafted entirely from chocolate gets a big thumbs up from this corner.

Personally, I’m not convinced of the “rightness” of beer and chocolate co-mingling in one drink, but I definitely give these guys credit for ingenuity. And (for possible future reference) I’d have gladly been on the team that made all the chocolate pieces!

Here’s how they did it:

And here’s the final website for Sagres Preta Chocolate. Enjoy!

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June 30, 2011 In art, fine art, imagination, inspiration, painting By Patricia Saxton

Suspended in Time

I’ve been a little lax in my postings this week. Not for lack of things to say or share … honestly, I’ve just been pushing pretty hard, lots of irons in the fire. And in some ways I’ve been feeling a bit like this painting.

When I painted this piece several years ago, I didn’t have an “intent”. I simply liked the visual that came to mind, and have always liked drawing and painting fruits… which, if I thought about it, is probably because they’re shapely, rich, innocently sensuous; somehow mysterious, cloaking nature’s passion.

Once the painting was complete, I stood back and quickly understood what had been a subconscious expression ~ and it’s been a favorite of mine ever since. It holds promise and vitality; it breathes and ripens ~ yet floats, in suspended anticipation, like a dream awaiting fruition.

You can almost reach out and pluck it from the air … just not quite yet. But soon.

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June 27, 2011 In art, creativity, design, drawing, illustration, imagination, inspiration By Patricia Saxton

A Plethora of P's / #27: Peas

proactively punctuating life with the plausible, powerful possibilities of positive thought presented through a plethora of “P’s”.

– ♥ –

Peas may be petite, but they sure pack a big positive punch.

Did you know that peas have twice the protein of most vegetables? They also help lower cholesterol, strengthen the immune system, maintain level glucose levels in the blood to keep energy levels consistent, promote healthy bones and boost cardiovascular health. Not to mention their high vitamin C content is a great natural antioxidant that protects the body from cell damage. Plus, they happen to be yummy, especially fresh from a garden.

So, do like Mom said, and eat your peas!


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June 20, 2011 In art, creativity, design, illustration, imagination, inspiration By Patricia Saxton

A Plethora of P's / #26: Pools

proactively punctuating life with the plausible, powerful possibilities of positive thought presented through a plethora of “P’s”.

– ♥ –

Pools are like self-contained mini-vacations. A clear, sparkling invitation to wash away worries, soak aching muscles, rejuvenate tired thoughts.
Water is movement, the flow of emotion, harmony and balance. Refreshing, cleansing, invigorating, weightless, necessary. … So plunge in and feel the tension ease. Splash and play. Float and do somersaults. Blow underwater bubbles. Or, if you’re like me, find a lane and swim and swim and swim. Your body will thank you, your heart will thank you, your mind will thank you. And you will thank the water.
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June 13, 2011 In art, creativity, design, drawing, illustration, imagination, inspiration By Patricia Saxton

A Plethora of P's / #25: Pigs That Fly

proactively punctuating life with the plausible, powerful possibilities of positive thought presented through a plethora of “P’s”.

– ♥ –

Why not? Can’t you just imagine them huddling in their pens, planning some nighttime fun? Their wings (invisible during the day to avoid alarming the humans) coming alive, carrying them effortlessly through the air under a shiny new moon; pigs and piglets soaring above field and fencepost, performing weightless pirouettes over the barn, their squeals of delight breaking midnight’s stillness as they tickle treetops and wreak havoc in the hen house.

Ah, if pigs could fly…  Maybe they’d teach us to lighten up, be a ham, play in the mud sometimes ~ and every now and then, perhaps, to enjoy our own small acre from a loftier, unexpected, improbable, fantastical and quite extraordinary point of view.

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