"Maypole" by: Unknown

Photo taken by: Scott Douglas

This 18X24 watercolor is something I proudly went "dumpster diving" for. The artists name is illegible. This piece now is displayed in my home. I enjoy this piece because of the children involved with it. One can see the action of the children as they weave in and out of one another, the ground is worn where they skip and sing. There is no major emphasis on any part of the painting and the artist was able to set the depth by creating the line of tall grass in the background. The artist captured the simple things in life that kids enjoy. I can hear them laughing as play.

"Eternal Light" by: Diane Romanello

Photo taken by: Menseh Jones

24 x 35 x 28 x 38

Giclee on Canvas

A giclee is accepted as Museum Quality printed on canvas with archival inks and an expected life-span of 120 years.

Diane Romanello was born in 1944 in New York City. Romanello is a self-taught artist. Romenallo's scenic paintings are characterized by sense of beauty and romance, inviting the viewer into a serene natural world. Romanello's images always suggest the memory of treasured place. Her paintings blend luxurious, soothing color with sumptuous texture. Romanello's brushstrokes evident every image, and her luminous beach scenes, landscapes, gardens and country retreats merge elements of fantasy with realism, accomplished by Romanello's keen sense of light, texture and composition. Romanello savors the intensity of color and calming energy inherent in nature.

I see the above painting of Diane Romanello at work on a daily basis. It is hung on the wall in the hallway leading to the cafeteria in the building. Because of the nature of Romanello's work as a self-taught artist, I am very impressed and admire what she does.

"Depression Bread Line", 1999 by: George Segal Cast Bronz 2/7 108" x 148" x 36"

Photo taken by: Patrice Rine

My husband and I had nothing to do and we decided to take a ride on Saturday to Hamilton, New Jersey to the Grounds for Sculpture where we observed magnificent pieces of art. It was George Segal's the Depression Bread Line, that I absolutely loved. This is a cast bronze, larger than life, sculpture that was done in 1999 and depicts five male figures in line against a wall during the Great Depression, a period of economic hardship during which many people were in need of government assistance for survival. The original sculpture was made in 1991 from plaster, wood, metal, and acrylic paint. It was from this original sculpture that a mold was made for casting. Segal was born in New York to a Jewish couple who emigrated from Eastern Europe. He later moved to New Jersey and helped his family throughout difficult times by working on a poultry farm. He attended Cooper Union and finally New York University where he furthered his art education.
http://www.groundsforsculpture.org/c_gsegal.htm

"Hope" by: Dan Campanelli

Photo Taken by: Patrice Rine

Hope, (34 x 21) Watercolor on Canvas Dan Campanelli has been true to his original vision when it pertains to his art. He is a watercolorist and has painted Northwest New Jersey's landscapes for over a quarter of a century. He is an American Realist artist who has had enormous success in the United States and abroad with his paintings. Being a resident of northwest, New Jersey we have grown to love his simplistic American aesthetic expressed in his paintings. His paintings are able to convey the simple luminous beauty of their subjects. I think what drew us to his work was the composition that he chose were places and landscapes that we are familiar with and recognize. He painted scenes from Jockey Hollow, Phillipsburg and from the villages in Pohatcong Hills where he lived with his wife, Pauline. Dan Campanelli print sales have grown to approximately 1.2 million which is why many people can clearly recognize his work. http://www.njskylands.com/clartist3.htm

"Flower Note Cards" by: Lauren Magenta

Photo taken by: Susan Magenta

This picture includes some of the note cards that my 16 year old daughter, Lauren, makes. Lauren was diagnosed with Juvenile Diabetes four years ago. During her first week with diabetes she came up with this idea to raise money for research. Lauren takes pictures of flowers in our garden and creates note cards which she sells. The three flowers that are shown here are Lilly of the Valley, Hydrangea, and a Sunflower. Lauren has fun capturing flowers at the perfect moment. Her technique is very original and other photographers are amazed when she describes the process. Lauren uses a standard digital camera with no additional zoom lens. She only shoots with direct sunlight. There are times when her camera is as close as two inches from the flower. Her framing style is also unique. Though many of her pictures show a full flower in bloom there are often petals that are cut off giving the feeling that there is more outside of the frame. Many times she will shoot only petals and not take a full view of the flower. The viewer is left to imagine what the "Big Picture" looks like.

"Hand Made Greeting Card"

Photo taken by: Sean Thoman

This hand made greeting card was sent by a relative to one of my friends for her 16th birthday. It is three and a half inches by five and a half inches and made of wicker or straw pasted onto black felt and then pasted onto a piece of thick folded paper. The artist is unknown and the cuts are uneven, yet I find it quaint and sincere.

"Wild Rose Berries" by: Pauline Eble Campanelli

Photo taken by: Scott Douglas

Wild Rose Berries is in my living room. This piece was a wedding gift 14 years ago. We love the look of this print, simplistic. The colors are perfect and the feel is warm. This is our attitude towards life - simply said simplistic. Pauline uses this approach in many of her pieces and they are sold nationaly. This is a signed print by the artist, it is a dear treasure.

"Winter Hand Wreath" by: Meghann Brady

Photo taken by: Sean Thoman

My friend Meghann made this simple hand wreath in the year 1990. It is 18 inches by 18inches and made of finger paint on construction paper and red yarn. It reminds me of my childhood. I remember making a similar art piece in my early grade school years. Art is very freeing as a child. I remember only being concerned with my own aesthetics. Those were works that may have lacked in skill but made up for it in sincerity.

"Survival Series -Truism" 1995 - Allentown Benches by: Jenny Holzer

Photo taken by: Patrice Rine

Allentown Benches: Selections from the Truisms and Survival Series 1995
Granite: 5’ long, 1’6"deep 1’5" high.
Jenny Holzer was born in 1950 in Gallipolis, Ohio. She received her Masters of Fine Arts from Rhode Island School of Design and moved to New York City. She now lives and works in upstate New York and in New York City. Fourteen granite benches were commissioned for the United States by the General Services Administration to Jenny Holzer and are located throughout the federal building. Each is inscribed with a selection of text from "Holzer’s Truisms or Survival Series". Both thought provoking and meditative the inscriptions offer a sampling of opinions, sentiments and conflicting truths. Holzer believes that these texts are well suited to the courthouse because, like the people who come before a Judge, they present ideas, which the speaker believes to be true. Readers must then interpret these "truths" and draw their own conclusions.

"Cloud Gate" by: Anish Kapoor

Photo taken by: Patrice Rine

Award winning sculptor Anish Kapoor was born in Mubai, India in 1954. In the fall of 2006 "Cloud Gate", nicknamed "The Bean", a 66' long x 33' high stainless steel sculpture was unveiled. Cloud Gate weighs in at approximately 110 tons. Kapoor went to the Doon School in Dehra Dun, India and then moved to England in 1972 and has remained. I find myself in Chicago at least once a month on business and had the opportunity to see this sculpture a couple of weeks ago. It is truly magnificent as is the entire Millennium Park. Millennium Park is an award winning center for art, music, architecture and landscape design. It's a wonderful place to visit.

"Pendant" by: Marilyn Druin

Photo taken by: Susan Magenta

My photograph is of a pendant made by my husband's aunt in 2001. Marilyn Druin (1941-2001) was a very well know enamelist. This piece is made with 24 karat gold cloisonne, guilloche and basse-taille enamel on pure silver (base metal for enameling) and 24 karat gold. The piece was then set in 18 and 24 karat gold with diamonds. The diameter of the piece is 1 1/8 inches.
Transparent and translucent enamels were used which required many firings. Individual colors were added layer by layer to create the delicate shading. The use of cloisons (very thin gold wire) creates cells that can be filled. The shaping of the cloisons was influenced by the artist, Gustov Klimt.
The exquisite beauty that I see in this piece is secondary to the place that it holds in my heart. It is art and it is a treasure.

"Sande Zoe IV" by: Nora Musu

Photo by: Menseh Jones

Nora Musu is a Liberian artist whose art and life experience epitomize a multiculturalism that transcends boundaries or specific styles. The artist achieves this effect with an innovative blend of acrylic polymers, and iron and copper particles enhanced by a process of rusting and patina that results in a three-dimensional sculptural relief effect.
The significance of this painting is about the village girls doing their ceremonial dance prior to a celebration of a wedding. The girls' dance symbolizes the inner and outer of both the bride's and groom's family's history. i.e., the tree of both families. It tells who's the elder, or who gives the authority for the groom to ask the bride's hand in marriage. And, who authorizes the acceptance that the bride is ready to be taken. The girls would dance for several hours until the groom's parents come up to give the kola nuts and cowries (ceremonial items used for high esteem of African Families) as a sentiment for continuation of the ceremony. If not, the ceremony will be postponed to a later date. Because, the no show of the groom's parents do show that they are not yet ready to take the bride's hand in marriage.

Lilly Pad Lake by: Maureen Douglas

Photo by: Scott Douglas

This water color was created by my oldest daughter, Maureen, when she was in the first grade. I enjoy this painting and have it displayed in our home. I felt she captures the water movement and placement of the lillie pads just as they would be on a real lake. The flowers and the pads are drawn with crayon and then blue water based paint applied over the entire piece. The water based paint does not stick to the crayon, therefore not covering or drying on those areas. This painting was from her mind's eye, from a child's imagination. Not too often one can capture that moment. My photo does not do it justice and of course I am bias towards it. I will forever enjoy this piece.

"IF"

Photo taken by: Susan Magenta

For my first submission to our team's Art Journal I have photographed a home in Wayne, NJ. This home has the word "IF" as its facade. This structure falls into the category of unique architecture as it has "meaning beyond any preconceived style." I have been amazed by the number of residents who were not familiar with the "IF" house. I believe architecture is art on a large scale and people must be receptive to its presence. Whether it is just having an appreciation of one's surroundings or the need simply to have an awareness. Much can be missed if you are not aware and open to allowing things to catch your eye.

"Hails-Fall Splendor" by: Barbara Hails

Photo taken by: Menseh Jones

This photo is the work of Artist Barbara Hails. The painting is called “Hails-Fall Splendor”, and it is a country path alongside the pond which is tranquil and colorful. The painting is 25 X 36 inches or (61 X 90 cm) in Image. Barbara painted the “Fall Splendor” in 1998. Barbara’s style of painting is pastel to a ground glass, or oil to linen.
(I see this painting on a daily basis at work on the wall in the hallway leading to the cafeteria. Though I am not art oriented, but, something about this painting is really eye-catching. It reminds me of the Firestone Rubber Plantation in Harbel, Liberia - West Africa, where I was born and raised. Most especially, it brings to my memory the autumn season when we used to walk in the woods and sit by the pond to watch the tappers tap the rubber trees for latex to be shipped here to manufacture tires.)

"Soda Jerk" by: Norman Rockwell

Photo taken by: Sean Thoman

I have been passing this painting every morning for the past year and a half. It is owned by a woman that I board with and is hung on the in the hallway outside of my room.
The painting is entitled ‘Soda Jerk’ by Norman Rockwell. It appeared on the cover of the August, 22nd edition of the Saturday Evening Post. With further research I found that Rockwell painted over 300 covers for the Saturday Evening Post and that even though he considered himself as an illustrator, many argue that he is one of America’s best painters. Rockwell often painted ordinary people in ordinary situations but also tackled some controversial political issues.

- Sean Thoman

"Promenade to the Sea" by: Howard Behrens

Photo taken by:Patrice Rine

Howard Behrens

For the past 25 years Howard Behrens, a world renowned palette knife artist has transformed his empty canvas into what I would call the most beautiful works of art. Behren travels the world and captures the beauty from Italy to France to the U.S. in his artwork. It’s the explosion of color that captivates me. Behren was quoted as saying, “One thing about the pallet knife is that you get great color and you can play with the texture, so it’s color and texture and real genuine paint where you see the act of painting.” I have two Behren’s pieces in my office in Parsippany that I treasure. They calm me and motivate me. His work with color is truly magnificent.

Beyond the Garden Wall (25.5 x 35) Oil on Canvas
Promenade to the Sea (31 x 40) Oil on Canvas

Http://www.howardbehrens.com
Photo taken by: P. Rine

"Beyond the Garden Wall" by: Howard Behrens

Photo taken by: Patrice Rine

Team Inspire Outline (please click slide for larger view)

Team Inspire Outline - Please Click Link

http://www.mediafire.com/?b4xfgdex9md

Team Inspire Project Choice

Team Inspire has collectively chosen project #3 - Art Journal

Team Inspire Roles

Scott Douglas & Sean Thoman: Develop and maintain our Team's virtual site.

Patrice Rine: Review Team Charter and combine member's statements. Review Team's virtual site.

Menseh Jones: Create outline for the duration of the team project. Review Team's virtual site.

Susan Magenta: Review Team roles and track notes through the team project. Review Team's virtual site.

*As a group we will stay on target to meet team and project deadlines.

Team Inspire Charter

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