Big I’s

Posted on January 15, 2015 by AM Roselli

My Friends,

Big I’s
I wish I had miles of long hair to toss out a tower window.
I wish I knew my children when I was a kid.
I wish I kept the little black motorcycle I never stayed upright on.
I wish I had a spotted cow in my backyard.
I wish I could wear a silver ball gown and waltz.
I wish stars were close enough to taste.
I wish I felt this young when I was.
I wish beds were made of clouds.
I wish I could share all my thoughts.
I wish I could wear night as a pair of mismatched socks.
I wish the sun set on my shoulder.
I wish words were made of water.
I wish dreams fit inside my secret decoder ring.
I wish I had a secret decoder ring.

And yes, my post title was inspired by the movie, Big Eyes which sadly I haven’t ‘scene’ yet, but hope to soon! In homage to Margaret Keane and her lovely Big Eyed Waifs, I’ve done a quick sketch of a modern Big Eyes. There is only one Margaret Keane. I am an imitator here, though I really did own a pair of earrings like the one(s) shown. Back in the 1990’s, a coworker quipped, “…waiting for the dog that’s gonna jump through those things!”

Thank you. May you dream wishes into your coffee…

Face Feature Mix done for studio class way back in, hum, I think 1983. Big Eyes Homage done quickly while wishing…

When’s the Last Time You Talked to a Tree?

Posted on January 13, 2015 by AM Roselli

My Friends,
Give yourself the freedom to imagine. Open your mind and hear the gracious wisdom of a tree. Spend a precious moment. History is gently preserved within its wooden clock rings. Deep-etched lines of warm bark, give rise to fantastical images.
Rooted in a tree’s very heart are magnificent stories there for the listening. Magic is all around. So I must ask my friends, “When is the last time you talked to a tree?”
Thank you. May you dream of having a tree party with friends.

Tree faces created yesterday while listening to the giant husband and big son’s football ruckus 🙂 Tree Root photo taken this past summer at a Newport, Rhode Island mansion. I thought the root looked like a slumbering child.

Let’s Live with Open Eyes and Open Land

Posted on January 12, 2015 by AM Roselli

My Friends,
“…No human being can live without healthy land, clean water, and the diversity of life that thrives on this planet. Taking care of what takes care of us makes practical sense, and maybe more than that for me, morally and spiritually, it’s just the right thing to do.” – Virginia Kennedy

I greatly admire ‘open land’ champion and advocate, Virginia Kennedy. In NY, as Otsego Land Trust’s Executive Director, Ms. Kennedy has dedicated herself to saving our rapidly disappearing green vistas. “Otsego Land Trust has been named to the Land Trust Alliance National Land Trust Excellence Program, one of 70 land trusts from over 1900 organizations nationwide to be selected…Executive Director, Virginia Kennedy, has also been invited to join the Leadership Program...”

Besides serving as a passionate environmental steward, Ms. Kennedy and her husband Kevin have raised three children who’ve blossomed into magnificent adults. Daniel, Joseph and Marygrace are my wonderful nephews and niece. And yes, Ms. Kennedy is my brilliant sister. Though Virginia is only one year older, she’s about one hundred years wiser. She’s a role model to emulate in every way (except maybe her singing voice 😉 ).

The environment weighs on the scales of humanity. It’s up to us to keep it balanced.

Daniel detail

Joey detail

Marygrace detail

Thank you. May you dream all the world is healthy as are its children.

Planet Balance created yesterday. Platinum children: Dan, Joey, Marygrace painted several years ago upon my mother’s request (I’ll never forget painting 10 sets of teeth for Nana).

Running in the Circles of Life

Posted on December 30, 2014 by AM Roselli

Dear friends,
Our lives are often spent running in circles navigating around the circle of life.
Before 2015’s ball drops, let us stop our spinning wheels a moment and give thanks, hopes, dreams and thoughts for this new beginning.
Let a shiny twelve months of renewed resolutions ring true.
Let this set of 365 roll in with songs of peace, words of wisdom and acts of compassion.
Let a fresh solstice bring the gentle moon nearer to our souls.
Let this year open balled fists across the planet into clasping hands held on earth.
Let this latest revolution around the sun remind mankind –
we are but humble guardians in the circle of life.

I wish for you a joyous New Year. Let 2015 be – Mr. Magoo said it best, “…more glorious than grand!”
And as the ball drops, let the dreams rise 🙂
AnnMarie
Circles of Life art created yesterday playing with Christmas markers from giant husband. New Year’s Ball photo taken yesterday too. Originally a Disco Ball (found this terrific idea on internet/broken CDs glued to styrofoam orb – made this for delicate daughter’s strobe-light 2007 birthday party) will now double as a New Year’s Ball for party! Thanks to the big son for playing pedestal. 🙂

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

2 new poems published in the Avocet

Posted on December 12, 2014 by AM Roselli

Turquoise Eyes

howling through the blackest part of night
damp nostrils inhales the moon
silver molding the shape of their song
turquoise eyes cry out for harmony
as voices peal across the earth
a universal language floating on the wind
beckoning to the deepest part of light
and to the humble sleeping spirit
of all living things

Fake Smells

behind these walls
annoying lights flicker
a singular flame   attempts escape
desk   tick tocks   tick tocks
white noise is suffocating
beneath night’s cape
foxes hunt
coyotes beckon
stars breathe
should go out and play
with the ‘rousing moonlight
where the autumn dogs
don’t give a damn
about work deadlines
or silly jar candles
laced with fake scents

Published in, ‘Avocet Magazine,’ a marvelous print journal paying homage to nature and its beauty

wolf created a few years ago using prisma pencil and dabs of acrylic

Crossing More Than Fingers

Posted on December 10, 2014 by AM Roselli

Dear Friends,
Over the last few days, I’ve seen two excellent conscience-bearing movies. Into the Wild, directed by Sean Penn is based on a true story. It’s a convincing cinematic portrayal of a young college-educated man who forgoes the trappings of society and our manmade shackles. His search for a ‘purer’ existence ultimately brings him to Alaska where he must attempt survival. The other film, The Eleventh Hour, directed by Leonardo DiCaprio lays out mankind’s future if global warming isn’t taken seriously. Both films left me thinking about how I live my life. They left me pondering my children’s futures if we can’t reign in our want, and stop treating nature as a thing to be bartered and sold.

Yesterday my post included a silly Christmas tree. For reference I’d snapped a photo of the delicate daughter crossing her arms. While on a sub break today, I was perusing my photos and stopped at my daughter’s image. I drew her sweet face during lunch. I pray the bright future reflected in her caramel eyes, is the bright future she will have on a beautiful healthy planet…
Thank you. May you dream of pure air and crystal water.
Delicate Daughter sketched today. Little Miss Green Apple below done with Prisma pencils several months ago.

Miss Green Apple

House Mermaids

Posted on September 10, 2014 by AM Roselli

Dear Friends,
Look ’round your home. If you have a daughter, you have a mermaid. A beautiful, lovely creature who’s sometimes unsure of where she fits in. She is playful like the seal, but can be stormy like the sea. She adores her sparkling fin but pines for shoes. She is bold as the barracuda, when she’s not ‘hermitting’ within a vacated shell. She cherishes her hair, but would trade it to save the world.
My little mermaid above, and my other little mermaid below.

Mermaid Girl

Thank you. May you dream of swimming with dolphins and whales upon a sparkling sea…
Delicate Daughter Mermaid taken in Vermont 2007,
Earth Mermaid created after getting mad at daughter for her messy room.