Buy Outside the Box

noreply@blogger.com (Buyoutsidethebox.com) — Wed, 30 May 2012 17:48:00 +0000

Man you have to keep busy to keep up. Internet marketing is constantly changing and just when I put my foot down and say no to the next social marketing craze I end up eating my words. Well things may be complicated but it really is fun for me to try and keep up with the next best thing. Like our newsletter...we have a new service and now we have figured out how to utilize more integrative systems to reach more people. Reach of course is what it is all about, but for us it's not just about selling things, but "reaching" that person that will fall in love with a certain painting or other art work and we will connect the two. That is what Creative Consumerism™ is all about, connecting the art lover with the art. So here is the link to our latest newsletter. If you'd like to start receiving our newsletter, please visit any page of our site and on the lower left hand side of the page there is a place for you to sign up.

noreply@blogger.com (Buyoutsidethebox.com) — Thu, 24 May 2012 01:37:00 +0000

Artist Antzee Magruder, a featured artist at the Bottle Tree Gallery has been selected to participate in the Memphis "Unveil Downtown," a city wide art tour ongoing June 1-20, 2012.

Ancient Kauri Wood

noreply@blogger.com (Buyoutsidethebox.com) — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:10:00 +0000

The grain of ancient Kauri wood has a luminous quality.

Okay, it sounds too strange to believe, but here's the story. Ancient Kauri logs, 50,000 years old, yes, 50,000 years old are being harvested from fields in New Zealand, and because they are not petrified, but have been preserved by peat bogs, make a wonderful medium for artists and craftsmen.

The logs, some with a girth of around 40 feet, and a total height of nearly 200 feet long, grew for 1,200 to 2,000 years before they were felled in an unexplained act of nature at the end of the last ice age. Radio carbon dating places the age of the Ancient Kauri trees being excavated from New Zealand fields at 50,000 years old. This is the maximum limit of radio carbon dating, so it is possible the logs are even older.

The logs were preserved by a unique balanced environment beneath peat bogs, that kept them so well from rotting or becoming petrified. Ancient Kauri is similar in density to cherry, with textures like basswood. The grain has a luminous quality that gives the ancient wood a unique quality. Kauri trees still grows today in countries around the Pacific Rim.

Art of Information

noreply@blogger.com (Buyoutsidethebox.com) — Sat, 05 May 2012 16:03:00 +0000

We've been publishing our blog since May of 2008 and since that time we've had nearly 80,000 page views. We have racked up a good bit of information about art on our website in that four years and wanted to remind you that the buyoutsidethebox.com blog has become a good resource, whether we've written about your or a topic you enjoy. You can use our blog as a specific information center by using the blogger search slot, located at the top right hand corner of the page, to search our blog for a certain topic. I use this tool all the time to reference information that exists within the blog. Also, we'd like to invite you to "friend" us on Facebook. This wonderful resource is connecting people all over the world and gives us another outlet to work with our public audience. Have a great weekend!--Ruth Mitchell

noreply@blogger.com (Buyoutsidethebox.com) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 16:39:00 +0000

"The Lantern Bearers" by Maxfield Parrish

Recently I was privileged to stand within one foot of this amazing painting, "The Lantern Bearers" by Maxfield Parrish at the Crystal Bridges Museum, in Bentonville, Arkansas. Although the painting was originally created to be reproduced as a frontispiece for the December 10, 1910 issue of Collier’s magazine, its visual effect is much like the Grand Canyon, you just have to see it in person to understand the magnitude of depth it presents.

Parrish achieved the glowing blues and yellows in this work by layering pure pigment and varnish repeatedly on a blue white background, a time-consuming technique inspired by Old Master painters. In this particular painting the lanterns appear to glow as if they are back lit. Parrish also took photographs and worked from them; the seated figure in the lower left of the painting is based on a photograph of Susan Lewin, a favorite model who was employed as a housekeeper in the Parrish household for many years.

Parrish would build up the depth in his paintings by photographing, enlarging, projecting and tracing half- or full-size objects or figures. Parrish then cut out and placed the images on his canvas, covering them with thick, but clear, layers of glaze. This explains the clarity of the faces of the clowns that are not painted but yet do not look out of place. The painting was purchased for the museum at Christie's in New York on May 25th, 2006 for $4.272 million. Go see it if you can.--Ruth Mitchell

Star Bright - Suzanne Valadon

noreply@blogger.com (Buyoutsidethebox.com) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 18:27:00 +0000

Dance at Bougival, by Pierre-Auguste Renoir

Oh, If I could have half the fun in life as impressionist artist Suzane Valadon and have a crater on Venus named after me as she did. The beautiful model for Renoir's painting, Dance at Bougival, was not only the subject of several of Renoir's paintings she was an impressive artist in her own right, becoming
the first woman painter admitted to the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts.

Valadon painted portraits, flowers, still lifes and landscapes, but is best known for her candid female nudes. Her style features strong composition and vibrant colors. A perfectionist, she worked on some of her oil paintings for up to 13 years before showing them.

"Reclining Nude" Susane Valadon

In addition to appearing in several of Pierre-Auguste Renoir most famous paintings, Valadon also modeled for Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (who gave her painting lessons), and Pierre-Cécile Puvis de Chavannes. Composer Erik Satie purportedly proposed to her the first night of their relationship, and was devastated six months later when the relationship ended. Her marriage to stock broker Paul Moussis ended too when, in 1909, she left him for a painter half her age, André Utter. Artist Pablo Picasso was present at her funeral.

WHAT???? REALLY???

noreply@blogger.com (Buyoutsidethebox.com) — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 14:45:00 +0000

Sometimes I am more naive than I realize. I am always grateful for the information that the internet lays at my fingertips, but reading the Kipling Report recently, I came across this little gem, and I don't think I'm alone in my innocence.

Apparently your browsing history is tracked and this information is sold to online marketing groups so they know what kind of advertising to deliver to you. And while the Digital Advertising Alliance, which includes over 95% of online advertisers will begin to push its members to off a "do not track" option on web content, many people don't realize that Mozilla's Firefox has offered this option for over a year. I know I use Firefox and was unaware of this option. Currently only 10% of Firefox users are using it.

At buyoutsidethebox, we think this ability to track your browsing is wrong, so if you use Firefox here's how to enable the option:

The Do-not-track feature is turned off by default. To turn it on:

At the top of the Firefox window, click on the Firefox button (Tools menu in Windows XP) and then click Options
Select the Privacy panel.
Check Tell websites I do not want to be tracked.
Click OK to close the Options window

Cross Sections

noreply@blogger.com (Buyoutsidethebox.com) — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 16:15:00 +0000

"The Silence Of Our Friends"

Arkansas-born comic book artist/illustrator Nate Powell who was drawn to comics at an early age, self-publishing his first collaborative book at 14. His breakthrough graphic novel Swallow Me Whole won the 2009 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Novel, 2008 and 2009 Ignatz Awards for Outstanding Artist and Outstanding Debut, and was named a Los Angeles Times Book Prize finalist for Young Adult Fiction—the only comic to be nominated in that category.

Nate's comments concerning his upcoming exhibit, "Cross Sections," at the Historic Arkansas Museum April 13 through June 3, 2012.

"These are slices of much longer narratives developed from 1998 to the present. Viewing long-form comic book work in a gallery setting has its difficulties—each story or graphic novel I create sits as a single body of work, but is also made of 200-300 individual pieces, each then comprised of 5 or 6 panels, all of which are intended to be absorbed as part of the larger body, but which must also hold their own, free of sequential context.

"With this exhibition, I present core samples from more than a dozen different projects over 14 years. The first period of work, from 1998 to about 2005, is defined by focus on failed communication, guilt, transience, and thinly-veiled desire. The second era, lasting until about 2008, is more focused on unassuming depictions of highly subjective experiences and characters, finally exploring dread, menace, selfishness, and loss of control. Works from 2009 to 2012 condense these questions, reintroducing them as more pointed narratives about Southern culture, shifting notions of identity, questionable legacies, and the threat of violence.

"Many of my narratives are ambiguous or open-ended, and some readers are uncomfortable with the absence of a clearly established viewpoint. I’m personally drawn most to stories that demand multiple visits, those that contain the strong possibility of multiple true perspectives, and those that respect an audience’s ability to explore those questions themselves. My work is increasingly defined by questions that invite (and require) the reader to meet me halfway, invest some of their own lives into the narrative, and emerge from a unique and immersive reading experience with questions and dialogue of their own." Read more here....

Artisan "Art-as-in" Cheese

noreply@blogger.com (Buyoutsidethebox.com) — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 14:05:00 +0000

Recently I visited the Schoolhouse Artisan Cheese Company in Egg Harbor, Wisconsin and was delightfully presented some of the best cheeses the state of Wisconsin has to offer by Peter Kordon, lead Cheesemonger. Peter and Kathy McCarthy prepared my party an array of artfully presented cheeses to our delight and opened a bottle of 2009 French Vouvray to complement the array of flavors.

Kordon holding a veined cheddar

One of the more interesting cheeses was a semi-soft – Mobay by Sid Cook of Carr Valley Cheese, in LaValle, Wisconsin.

The unique Mobay is derived from an old French cheese making style that features two layers separated by a layer of edible grapevine ash. The French cheese uses two different types of cows’ milk to create two separate layers of cheese. One layer is made up of morning milk, and the second layer is made up of cows’ milk from the afternoon milking. This process is said to have developed by small farmers with limited dairy supplies who had to wait until afternoon to get enough milk to finish the cheese. This ash layer prevented the waiting milk from forming a crust.

Two-layered Mobay cheese

In the United States, artisan cheese makers are creating a cheese that is one layer goat and one layer sheep's milk. The strong flavor of the goat cheese is mellowed by the sheep cheese layer, creating a flavor that is both delicate and rustic. It is a must try--Ruth Mitchell

Ooh la la mon cherries

noreply@blogger.com (Buyoutsidethebox.com) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 18:08:00 +0000

Cherryful Door County Cupcakes

I so regret not getting one of these artful cherry cupcakes at Door County Coffee and Tea the other day in Carlsville, Wisconsin. What was I thinking? But then the breakfast to follow was out of this world. We toured the roastery and learned much about roasting coffee. Our host the CEO, Vicki Wilson, was a true delight. She bubbles over with enthusiasm for making coffee.Read more...

Living it Up in New Hampshire

noreply@blogger.com (Buyoutsidethebox.com) — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 21:42:00 +0000


Cross country ski trails start at the doorstep ot the 1785 Inn.

The 1785 Inn in North Conway is named after the year the building was constructed. That blows me away, a building that old, over two hundred years. We had an exquisite meal there recently. Our table was right in front of the fire place and I enjoyed one of the best veal dishes I have ever had.

Our flaming Cherries Jubilee was prepared tableside

The dining room and bar areas were very creatively decorated for the holiday season by Becky Mallar, who with her husband Charlie owns and operates the Inn. Becky is not only a talented decorator but a cake artist as well, and the Inn is a perfect location for a wedding with its incredible views of the mountains.

Wine Spectator magazine has lauded
the 1785 Inn for the past 26 years for its wine list, calling it "One of the finest in the world."

Veal Picatta
Sauteed with Mushrooms, Capers
White Wine and Lemon Juice.

This was one of the most romantic evenings I've enjoyed in a long time, and one of the best meals I can remember. The Washington Mountain Valley region is truly filled with a plethora of activities and dining opportunities. Just a short drive from Boston you will not be disappointed no matter what time of year you go.--Ruth Mitchell

The beautiful Wentworth Inn

noreply@blogger.com (Buyoutsidethebox.com) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 14:37:00 +0000

Sitting in the cozy bar of the historic Wentworth Inn in picturesque Jackson, New Hampshire, we were delighted to acquaint ourselves with the owner Fritz Koeppel, a Swiss hotelier and graduate of the Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne who purchased the Wentworth in December of 1990 after having worked for Four Seasons hotels and managing the Banff Springs Fairmont.

The gracious ambiance of the Wentworth is inherent from its beginning. It was built in1869, by Joshua Trickey as a wedding gift to his daughter Georgia Trickey and her husband-to-be, General Marshall Wentworth.

Fritz and his wife Ellie have created a comfortable hotel, managed with contemporary efficiency and amenities, but with the tradition of European and turn-of-the-century New England innkeeping. It is home to the only 4 star-restaurant in the Mount Washington Valley, and we were pleased to enjoy an excellent meal with a distinctive menu offering. The Wentworth’s Chef Brian Gazda is a graduate of the New England Culinary Institute in Essex Junction, VT. The wine offerings include foreign and domestic selections as well as a superb private label Wentworth offering from California.

The artwork throughout the Inn was created by Erik Leighton Koeppel, Fritz and Ellie’s son. Fritz pointed out to us a painting behind our table, and shared an anecdote with us about his famous son. “He was always painting nudes, and I told him not to paint any for the Inn, so behind you, you see a dress on a rock, and an outstretched arm. That is the dress of the woman not in the painting.”

We highly recommend the Wentworth if you find yourself in the area. Truly delightful--Ruth Mitchell

Steam in the Snow

noreply@blogger.com (Buyoutsidethebox.com) — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 14:48:00 +0000

Recently we were privileged to ride the Conway Scenic Railroad in the snow through New Hampshire's beautiful White Mountains. What an experience!

Early trains brought snow skiers into the area. When Mount Cranmore opened for its first season in 1937-38, snow trains helped bring skiers from nearby Boston to fill its slopes. Even through the war years of the early 1940s found as many as five trains coming into North Conway on a Sunday, carrying up to 4,000 skiers for a one-day trip. At their peak, the Snow Trains carried 24,000 passengers each season.

Part of the fun was before the ride, anticipating the engine coming out of the roundhouse. It felt like we waited for hours in the cold, but of course it wasn't that long. They call it live steam for a reason. Steam engines are like a living, breathing organism that shakes and shudders with power. The ride is truly thrilling and yest they do make the inspirational chugging noise..."I think I can, I think I can, I think I can. And yes, creative souls you can!

Dogsledding--the ultimate winter fun

noreply@blogger.com (Buyoutsidethebox.com) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:58:00 +0000

What a rush, to be pulled behind a team of 12 amazing sled dogs. Before I ever knew what a bucket list was, I had one, and dog sledding was certainly on it.

We recently had the opportunity to join Muddy Paw Sled Dog Kennel on an amazing adventure through the New Hampshire countryside near Jefferson in the White Mountain region. Here they have provided homes for over 150 sled dogs, ranging from racing Alaskan Huskies, to more traditional breeds like Siberians and Malamutes. This non-profit organization focuses on rescuing Alaskan huskies in need of a home, giving them a "job for life" but no sled dog is turned away.

We arrived rather well bundled up we thought, but our mushers took one look at us and offered us additional clothing. To our surprise we were encouraged to embrace the dogs rather than a cautiously extended a hand to let them sniff us. These dogs were raring to go. We were quickly also encouraged to help harness up the 12 dog team. Mitch jumped right in. The dogs were led out on two hind legs, which doesn't harm them, we were informed, but necessary if a handler is not going to be pulled over by the strength and enthusiasm of a sled dog who is ready to run. And boy were these dogs willing to run.

We were also a little surprised to see the dogs chained to a platform with a small house atop. We were informed this was perfectly kosher for the outdoor "working dogs" who often threw the straw out of their house to sleep outside on it. Now these dogs were real athletes we were soon to find out.

There was not enough snow on the ground to actually ride in a sled. Instead the 12-dog team was hooked up to a buggie fashioned from an old Volkswagen. The buggy was tethered so that the eager dogs wouldn't bolt before the driver was ready.

What ensued was a 20 mile journey along an old railroad trail that was filled with sheer adrenaline. The dogs are only controlled by verbal commands, and on the way home our driver commented, "I hope they don't shortcut through the hay field."

One of the biggest challenges, besides staying warm, was when we would go between the balusters that were set up to control motor traffic on the trail reserved for cross country skiers, snowshoers and of course dog sledders. There was only a few inches clearance on either side, and at times we must have been going 15 to 20 miles an hour.

Muddy Paws offers a variety of adventures from Mush-Inn Tour An Overnight Experience with the "Longest Dogsled Ride in New England” that begins in Jefferson and ends in Milan with a two night stay at the Mahoosuc Inn. The “Presidential Range Ride, covers 7-15 miles of trail along the historic Rail Trail in the White Mountains that offers incredible views of the Presidential mountain range. Or there is the 15-22 miles of scenic, remote, “authentic back woods” trails. But perhaps the biggest thrill of all is the "Drive your Own Team" excursion.

Summertime adventures include the “Paws &; Paddles” Adventure Package which combines a rafting trip and a buggie ride, "designed for those guests that want to pack in as much adventure into one day as humanly possible."

The White Mountain region of New Hampshire offers a variety of winter activities, and the Muddy Paw adventure was high on our list of fun we had there. For more information visit: http://dogslednh.com/--Happy winter fun.

Herkimer Diamonds

noreply@blogger.com (Buyoutsidethebox.com) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:20:00 +0000

My ears perked up recently. I was in the Bottle Tree Gallery, buyoutsidethebox's retail gallery on Main Street in historic Heber Springs. A good customer was in the gallery talking with one of our artists, Dawn Peters who makes wonderful wire wrapped jewelry. Dawn and her husband David travel around the country mining interesting gemstones and gold for Dawn to make into her extraordinary adornments.

They were talking about "Herkimer Diamonds," which of course aren't actually diamonds at all, but double-terminated quartz found in the Herkimer County region of New York state. I had never heard of this and so joined the conversation.

Herkimer diamonds were first discovered by workmen while cutting into the Mohawk River Valley dolostone in the late 18th century. While they are not "real" diamonds, these beautiful gemstones from New York State are often known for their extreme clarity.

Santa Fe's Spanish Market Offers a Unique Experience for Art Enthusiasts

noreply@blogger.com (Buyoutsidethebox.com) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 22:28:00 +0000

Walking through the Plaza in Santa Fe during the July Spanish Market I was greeted by a small girl with a big smile. “Hi,” she said with a big toothy grin.

“Hi there,” I mirrored her enthusiasm. I had just met Marissa Chavez, aged 10. I thought she was helping her mother who stood in the background. But then wasn’t I in the youth section of the market? The sun shone and it was a very pleasant 80 degrees. I dreaded going back to 100 plus degree temperatures at home.

I took another look at the bird carvings in front of the small, friendly girl. They were excellent. I examined them more closely and was drawn to one particular sculpture. Read more here...

Crystal Bridges Announces Launch of a Collaborative Project with the musée du Lourve and Two Others

noreply@blogger.com (Buyoutsidethebox.com) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 21:18:00 +0000

Art lovers everywhere can celebrate with the recent announcement by the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville that they are launching a four-year collaboration between itself, the musée du Louvre, the High Museum of Art, and the Terra Foundation for American Art. Curators from each of the partnering institutions are working together to shape the themes and installations, and works will be drawn from the collections of all four institutions. The first installation premieres at the Louvre on January 14, 2012 before traveling to the other collaborating museums, and will explore the birth of American landscape painting through the works of Thomas Cole and Asher B. Durand. In addition to works by Cole and Durand, the installation will include an earlier painting by Pierre-Antoine Patel the Younger which inspired Cole's work after the artist saw it in Paris.

At each of the museums the works will be displayed within their permanent collections galleries to add new dimension and nuance to the museums' own holdings. The six paintings in the inaugural installation, titled "New Frontier: Thomas Cole and the Birth of Landscape Painting in America," at the Louvre and "American Encounters: Thomas Cole and the Narrative Landscape" at the two American venues, include:

Thomas Cole, The Cross in Wilderness, 1845 (Louvre)
Thomas Cole, Landscape with Figures: A Scene from 'The Last of the Mohicans', 1826 (Terra Foundation)
Thomas Cole, The Good Shepherd, 1848 (Crystal Bridges)
Thomas Cole, The Tempest, 1826 (High)
Asher B. Durand, View near Rutland, Vermont, 1837 (High)
Pierre-Antoine Patel the Younger, The Summer, 1699 (Louvre)

Following its premiere at the Louvre, the works will travel to Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, AR (May 12 — August 13, 2012) and the High Museum in Atlanta, GA (September 22, 2012 — January 6, 2013). The organizing themes of future installations and their tour schedules will be announced at a later date.

On January 14, 2012, in coordination with the opening of its installation, the Louvre is hosting a symposium, "American Art: New Projects and Installations at the Louvre and at Museums in the United States and Around the World" that will feature presentations by the leadership of all four partnering institutions and other speakers including Guillermo Solana, chief curator and artistic director of Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid, and Bruce Robertson, art history professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Among the topics that will be addressed are the re-installation of American art collections and the development of distinguished private and public collections of American art. The symposium and a program at the Louvre on February 13 are supported by American Friends of the Louvre and the Mark Pigott Lecture and Research Fund.

"For the past several years, the Louvre has been revitalizing its interest in American art," said Henri Loyrette, president and director of the Louvre. "We have partnered with various institutions to organize exhibitions and conferences about American art and will continue to do so as we strive to build our own collection in this area. This project is a natural extension of our previous collaborations with the High and the Terra, and responds to a great demand for seeing and studying American art in France."

"As the newest museum devoted to the study and presentation of American art, we are a natural partner in this collaboration," said Don Bacigalupi, director of Crystal Bridges. "We are excited to share works from our collection and spread awareness about American art history worldwide."

In addition to lending works from its distinguished collection of American art, the Terra Foundation is providing a grant to support the collaboration.

Thomas Cole, Landscape with Figures: A Scene from The Last of the Mohicans, 1826, oil on canvas, Terra Foundation

A Mission to Paint with Cloth

noreply@blogger.com (Buyoutsidethebox.com) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 22:51:00 +0000

Antzee Magruder's paintings are made with cloth. And it is a true wonder to see just how clever she is at carrying out her mission.

"I have always had a fascination with fabrics. Since I was a young child I have sewn, knitted, crochet, embroidered, cross stitched. I would sit with my mother and grandmother and work on projects. It has always been my dream to be an artist. Using fiber, cloth and paint came from various classes I attended and books I have read. Each medium seems to work so easy together and the result is always interesting."

Working as a contract costume designer for Opera Memphis also led Magruder to further her creative process. "The costumes are a mix of all types of elements and fabric to make a beautiful presence on stage. This process led me to using the fabrics in my art. It inspired me to experiment and let the fabric be used like paints."

Horsehair Raku Firing Technique

noreply@blogger.com (Buyoutsidethebox.com) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 20:04:00 +0000

Raku pottery differs from other kiln fired pottery in that it is removed from the kiln when it is extremely hot.

Horsehair pottery is so named because of the use of actual horsehair to create a unique look. Is a method of decorating pottery through the application of horsehair and to heated biscuit ware fresh from the kiln. The burning horsehair creates smoke patterns and carbon trails on the surface of the heated ware that remain as decoration after the ware cools.

The decorating is performed when the ware is between 480 and 700°C; any lower and the horsehair won't combust, any higher and the carbon will completely burn off leaving no decorative effect.

This beautiful shallow bowl by artist Jean Handley is a perfect example of this rustic firing technique.

In the Interst of Art

noreply@blogger.com (Buyoutsidethebox.com) — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 19:29:00 +0000

While the upcoming generation is waking up to the fact that they may never own their own home, much less have a career for which they were educated and went into debt to procure, we at buyoutsidethebox.com usually prefer to remain neutral on political discussions. But it is hard to remain silent when things are crashing so quickly. We don't consider art a luxury, but visual expression that feeds the soul.

When people are worried about providing food for the table, however, art quickly gets put aside for more pressing essentials. We have come across several astounding visionaries this week on the internet, and want to share their ideas with you. What they have to say crosses all party lines and seeks to correct what corporate greed will not.

Take what you like and pass it on please. Let's make our nation strong again.

Warren Buffett, "I could end the deficit in 5 minutes," he told CNBC. "You just pass a law that says that anytime there is a deficit of more than 3% of GDP, all
sitting members of Congress are ineligible for re-election. The 26th
amendment (granting the right to vote for 18 year-olds) took only 3 months
& 8 days to be ratified! Why? Simple! The people demanded it. That was in
1971...before computers, e-mail, cell phones, etc. Of the 27 amendments to
the Constitution, seven (7) took 1 year or less to become the law of the
land...all because of public pressure.

Warren Buffet is asking each addressee to forward this email to a minimum of
twenty people on their address list; in turn ask each of those to do
likewise.
In three days, most people in The United States of America will have the
message. This is one idea that really should be passed around.

*Congressional Reform Act of 2011*

1. No Tenure / No Pension. A Congressman collects a salary while in office
and receives no pay when they are out of office.

2. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security. All
funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security
system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system,
and Congress participates with the American people. It may not be used for
any other purpose.

3. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans
do.

4. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay
will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.

5. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the
same health care system as the American people.

6. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American
people.

7. All contracts with past and present Congressmen are void effective 1/1/12.
The American people did not make this contract with Congressmen. Congressmen
made all these contracts for themselves. Serving in Congress is an honor,
not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, so ours
should serve their term's), then go home and back to work.

If each person contacts a minimum of twenty people then it will only take
three days for most people (in the U.S.) to receive the message. Maybe it is
time.

THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!!!!! If you agree with the above, pass it on.

Inside Art Restoration

noreply@blogger.com (Buyoutsidethebox.com) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 15:52:00 +0000

Simply Staggering Artisanry Behind the Scenes at Bass Pro Shops

noreply@blogger.com (Buyoutsidethebox.com) — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 17:36:00 +0000

I grew up in a hunting family, my father actually served as a duck hunting guide at one time and we raised Brittany Spaniels,bred for their ability to retrieve.

My father took me on a few hunting trips, but once I actually lucked into downing a duck, it was all over for me. Never would I purposely target animals again, no matter how delicious they are cooked up. While I'm not a vegetarian, I certainly would be if it were left up to me to supply the freezer.

What in the heck does this have to do with art? Well, while on a press trip to Big Cedar Lodge, I experienced for the first time the incredible Bass Pro Shop in Springfield, Missouri. We were taken to the fabrication shop where the magnificent chandeliers, cabinets and carvings are created for the stores, and for Big Cedar Lodge. You don't have to be a hunter to appreciate the great lengths that have been taken, for these now 57 stores across the country, to be incredibly artistically directed.

Pictured is one of the artisans, Josh Cozort, who gave us an in-depth demonstration on how he creates the copper relief items that adorn chandeliers and light fixtures.

Also, while on the trip we experienced a fly fishing lesson at the Dogwood Canyon nature park, which was really a blast. The park is adjacent to a huge land reserve of thousands of acres where bison and elk are allowed to roam freely.

A New Luxurious Spa Experience Awaits at the Quapaw Bathhouse in Hot Springs, Arkansas

noreply@blogger.com (Buyoutsidethebox.com) — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 21:38:00 +0000

While attending the AIA Convention in Hot Springs recently with Mitch, we ran into Anthony Taylor, one of the developers of the Quapaw Bathhouse. He graciously invited me to try out the spa and report my findings. Well, Nirvana!!!

It's really great to see the National Park Service has finally found a way to get developers into "Bathhouse Row" and let them create a modern luxury spa experience. You'll find my article here.

Can you say zhee-clay?

noreply@blogger.com (Buyoutsidethebox.com) — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 01:24:00 +0000

We hear word giclee a lot these days. It comes from the French language word "le gicleur" meaning "nozzle", or more specifically "gicler" meaning "to squirt, spurt, or spray.” The term was coined back in 1991 by printmaker Jack Duganne working at Nash Editions. He wanted a name for the new type of prints they were producing on the IRIS printer, a large format high resolution industrial prepress proofing ink-jet printer adapted for fine art printing. He was specifically looking for a word that would not have the negative connotations of "ink-jet" or "computer generated".

The term “giclée,” has now come to be associated with prints using fade-resistant, archival inks (pigment based, as well as newer solvent based inks), and archival substrates primarily produced on format printers using the CMYK color process. A wide variety of surface materials are used including various textures and finishes such as matte photo paper, watercolor paper, cotton canvas, or artist textured vinyl.
Artists generally use inkjet printing to make reproductions of their original two-dimensional artwork, photographs or computer-generated art. Professionally-produced inkjet prints are much more expensive on a per-print basis than the traditional four-color offset lithography. But the results are impressive as it is difficult at times to tell the difference between an original work and a giclee.

These large-format inkjet prints can cost more than $50, not including scanning and color correction, versus $5 for a four-color offset litho print of the same image in a run of 1000. Four-color offset lithographic presses have the disadvantage of the full job having to be set up and produced all at once in a mass edition. With inkjet printing the artist does not have to pay for the expensive printing plate setup or the marketing and storage needed for large four-color offset print runs. This allows the artist to print and sell each print individually in accordance with demand, making inkjet printing an economical alternative. Inkjet printing has the added advantage of allowing artists total control of the production of their images, including the colors and the substrates on which they are printed, and it is even feasible for individual artists to own and operate their own printers.

So learn how to say the word. It makes owning artworks, hardly distinguishable from the original, feasible at a much lower price.

Welcome Sondra!

noreply@blogger.com (Buyoutsidethebox.com) — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 16:11:00 +0000

Sondra Seaton, an award-winning signature member of Mid-Southern Watercolorists, Arkansas League of Artists and the Arkansas Artists Registry, has studied at the Arkansas Arts Center in Little Rock, Arkansas and privately with her mentor, Amy Hill-Imler.

Sondra's work continues to evolve. She often creates collages using her own watercolor paintings, or uses rice paper, feathers, and other materials to create collage images. A recent move to Heber Springs, Arkansas has brought new subject matter into Sondra's work. She often paints fly fishermen, river scenes and birds, which provide a more emotional element to her work.