Misc.

 I have done small art projects here and there but did not think it would be enough for the monthly blog.  So, below are the miscellaneous projects I did the past few months. ~ JM

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Drop Cloth Art: In the April 2026 Elle Decor, there is a short blurb of Patrick Frey and his team recreating Belgian painter and sculptor Isabelle de Borchgrave's paint-splattered drop cloth.  Visit Pierre Frey's website to view his beautiful collection.  I thought it would be perfect to pull out my old drop cloth from the different art projects over the years and have fun looking at it as a "spontaneity of creation".

The drop cloth I use for art projects.

pierrefrey.com - "Inspired by the artist’s Brussels studio and the freedom of her gesture, this joyful collaboration brings together the three métiers of Maison Pierre Frey: fabric, wallpaper, and rug."

River Map Art:  I was inspired by both the Australian Indigenous art that was featured a few months ago at the National Gallery of Art and picture of the river I took from the plane heading to California.  It is interesting of how the lines flow and where it leads to and what it becomes.  

The perks of sitting at a window seat. 

My interpretation of the river.

Read here about the Australian Indigenous art.

Rock Art

Decorating the potted plant with rock art.

Portraiture + Photography Exhibit at National Gallery of Art

 I need to dust off my Nikon camera.  A while ago I was practicing taking pictures of people.  Below is a picture of Edward who I see on my daily walks.  Edward always makes it a point to say "hello" and is impeccably dress while sitting on the park bench.

Many photography websites provide similar tips.

- When using natural lighting, consider the golden hour (hour after sunrise or before sunset).

- Position your subject in a way where the light is indirectly illuminating them to avoid shadows or squinting.

- Camera setting: use a low ISO; select a wide aperture for shallow depth of field and a blurred background; adjust the shutter speed to control motion and light.

- The subject: capture candid moments as well as posed shots.

- Composition: practice the rule of thirds and focus on the subject's eyes (so shoot at eye level).

Picture of Edward near the park.  Lessons learned - I am glad I took a picture with the neighborhood as the background and captured him in a candid pose as he was talking. But wished I repositioned Edward so that the sun was not so harsh and directly in his face, causing a shadow.

Relatedly, there is a fantastic photography exhibit at the National Gallery of Art that is closing January 11, 2026.  It is called, "Photography and the Black Arts Movement 1955-1985".

Grace Jones. 1970s. Anthony Barboza photographed Jones in this close-up portrait.  The description reads, "Jones's face is even more powerful for being tightly cropped and unadorned other than the glints of light reflecting off her nose and her lower lip."

I forgot to take note of the title and the photographer of this picture.  But this photograph instantly caught my attention.  

~JM