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!!!

Hear the Bells

Posted on December 22, 2014 by AM Roselli

Dear Friends,
A Christmas song that remains near to my heart, like the satin chime of a throaty bell is the tune, I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day. The passionate words were written on December 25, 1864 by a master of American poetry, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Wadsworth’s prose were polished into a shimmering melody by John Baptiste Calkin in 1872.
Though Wadsworth penned this song beneath the onus of war, I like to imagine it represents worldwide peace arrived at nonviolently…
I love playing “Bells,” on my piano (albeit badly). I don’t practice as much as a should. Hmm, is there a New Year’s Resolution ringing in my ears? 🙂
Thank you. May you fall asleep to the sweet lullaby of magical bells…
Galeen’s Bell Song rendered a week ago after plinking the ivories awhile. I couldn’t get Rocky the Shepherd or Mojo the Dachshund to pose, so Snoopy signed on for a very reasonable rate. 🙂

Earth’s Angel

Posted on December 18, 2014 by AM Roselli

Dear Friends,
As glorious as this time of year can be for some, for others it can be quite sad and horrific. Dreaming of peace on earth is juvenile. Hoping that mankind can protect every child is naive. But asking each one of us to help someone in need – adult or child – in some small way is possible.

Thank you. Dream like a child this night…
And never stop believing in dreams or hope…

Earth’s Angel created this afternoon.

If I Was Eight Again…

Posted on December 16, 2014 by AM Roselli

Dear Friends,
I didn’t save my childhood Christmas lists, but for some reason my 1971 Santa letter has followed me ’round from house to house. Below is the Santa letter I penned at eight-years-old. I remember my mom giving us these adorable cards to write our Christmas wish lists on.
( My penmanship was neatest at 8 years of age) –
I’ve read the list above many times since 1971 always thinking what if…
My 2014 Santa list (written by my eight-year-old, inner-child) would look like this-
My 1971 Santa list, with a few 2014 inner-child edits-
Thank you. May you dream of peace on earth and in every heart…
2014 Inner-child Christmas Card rendered today after shopping and before giving art lessons.

My 1971 Santa list resulted in a pink stuffed dog named Charlie, a small zither and no rabbit. Our German Shepherd would have eaten it. 🙂
I still smiled wide every Christmas…my parents made Christmas wonderful whether we got our list or not.

Of Peppermint Pigs and Promises

Posted on December 15, 2014 by AM Roselli

16 years ago I learned about a 134-year-old tradition. The giant husband and I were dining with friends over the Christmas holiday when someone produced a small satchel. From the pouch fell a little hard candy, pink pig. It was explained that the candy pig was broken into sharable pieces for good luck in the new year. She told me breaking a Peppermint Pig was a longtime tradition. I was quite amazed that a Christmas enthusiast such as myself had never heard of a Peppermint Pig. The following year I learned about the Christmas Pickle…
Here’s a link to The New York Times article, if you’d like to read about the Peppermint Pig’s sweet history.
Now there’s another reason for this post. A few weeks back I promised a wonderful friend I’d show her how to draw a pig. So Deb, as promised, please see sketch below. It’s all about seeing the basic shapes and once you can see the shapes you will become a pig master 🙂

The Magical Slumber

Posted on December 11, 2014 by AM Roselli

Dear Friends,
A sleeping baby is magical. His flawless face bestows peace. His satin skin softens hearts. His bowed lips know only love…
Thank you. May you sleep in the arms of sweet peace.
Baby Elf sketched in pencil last night and charcoal detailed today

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

Faith Enough to Hug Rudolph

Posted on December 4, 2014 by AM Roselli

Dear Friends,
“…Faith is believing when commonsense tells you not to…”
Thank you. May you dream of flying on a reindeer…

Reindeer Hug inspired yesterday morning while watching, Miracle on 34th Street. The art turned out a bit differently than originally imagined. I was going to make the elf younger and chubby-cheeked, give her wavy curls and wrap her arms around Rudolph’s muzzle. I decided or rather my pencil did to go a different way. My pencil desired a more bizarre face. It said “let the Christmas hat’s white trim ‘act’ as hair and let Rudolph’s head have a clearer presence.” So pencil and hand skipped down a different candy cane path. Hope this was okay, I was only allowed one vote…

The Big Heart of A Little Sister

Posted on December 2, 2014 by AM Roselli

Dear Friends,
I’m the proud owner of a little sister. Those of you that own little sisters know full well that as much as we age, our little sisters remain little in our hearts forever. They often keep us young. Mine keeps me laughing. She has a wry, wicked sense of humor. Whenever she tells a joke – which is often – her blue eyes sparkle and she wears the impish grin of her pig-tail days.

My little sister is an avid dog-lover. She keeps two dogs as friends. I used one of her pet portraits as inspiration for my artwork below. The eccentric pooch – Shamus – was adopted many years ago. Shamus has many issues and enjoys dressing in my sister’s lingerie. The other one, Jamie – adopted a year ago – is black as night and as crazy as a bat in daylight. Jamie is a ninety pound pooch who believes his work office is on the nearest person’s lap.

So, to you my dear, little sister Dolores – I wish you the happiest of Birthday’s today!
Love, AnnMarie xo

Praying for Holiday Magic

Posted on December 2, 2014 by AM Roselli

Dear Friends,
When I was a little kid, I used to sneak down to the small créche my mom set up every Christmas. I’d kneel before the nativity scene and pretend I was a humble shepherd. Swaddled in midnight darkness, I’d whisper to Baby Jesus that even if I didn’t get the rabbit and the banjo that I asked for every year, I’d still be kind and good to others.

Today I’m thankful for so much in my life, but maybe I’ve become complacent in my gratitude. Perhaps this year I need to be a humble shepherd. I will kneel and pray that the magic of this holiday season touches those in need of magic…

Sometimes even wizards hope for real magic…
Thank you. May your dreams be fills with the magic of slumber…

Thinking Wizard created yesterday for a good friend. He will be auctioned along with many other items to help raise money for the Washingtonville Wizards Senior Class’s Graduation Celebration.