tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66609810149390758522024-03-12T21:45:02.134-07:00Maxine on the runA repository for my artwork...Maxinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11902368308119784137noreply@blogger.comBlogger93125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660981014939075852.post-38319967657264750342013-10-05T13:27:00.000-07:002013-10-28T13:27:25.499-07:00Conference speaker (10-05-13)I really enjoy working on caricatures and to draw out the odd
elements in a plain face (in this case, the rigid pose, the small eyes
and the felt-like hair).<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fGIslm7AshU/Um7IP24o-SI/AAAAAAAAClk/Lg96BshI8lo/s1600/72+Church+Conf.+10-05-13.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fGIslm7AshU/Um7IP24o-SI/AAAAAAAAClk/Lg96BshI8lo/s400/72+Church+Conf.+10-05-13.jpg" width="277" /></a></div>
The Competent Eclectichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01542139097336770028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660981014939075852.post-79010040244131483052013-09-16T17:52:00.000-07:002013-10-28T13:55:05.801-07:00A not-so-good portrait (09-16-13)This is what happens when I draw with my arm outstretched, rather
than bring the sketchbook closer to me: the results are distorted and
look almost caricatural.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yUm-svnOgtA/Um7PCPU20SI/AAAAAAAACmE/qNVqJ_P02_U/s1600/72+Julia+09-16-13.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yUm-svnOgtA/Um7PCPU20SI/AAAAAAAACmE/qNVqJ_P02_U/s320/72+Julia+09-16-13.jpg" width="191" /></a></div>
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<br />The Competent Eclectichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01542139097336770028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660981014939075852.post-24465238182813618172013-09-13T13:50:00.000-07:002013-10-28T13:51:05.255-07:00What shoes to choose? (09-13-13)Since the store group I belong to has had a 180 days' safety record,
we get to choose a pair of Keen shoes. A difficult decision to make!<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V1ECAVtdOuk/Um7NnZ1TmeI/AAAAAAAACl4/6xdjnWIv1d8/s1600/72+Keen+09-00-13.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V1ECAVtdOuk/Um7NnZ1TmeI/AAAAAAAACl4/6xdjnWIv1d8/s320/72+Keen+09-00-13.jpg" width="224" /></a></div>
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V1ECAVtdOuk/Um7NnZ1TmeI/AAAAAAAACl4/6xdjnWIv1d8/s1600/72+Keen+09-00-13.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>The Competent Eclectichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01542139097336770028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660981014939075852.post-63671114270448148872013-07-24T19:55:00.000-07:002013-10-26T17:00:00.929-07:00And now, for something different... (07-24-13)Here is an image that I created, reworked in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adobe_Photoshop#CS4" target="_blank">Photoshop CS4</a>. To not get
too specific in details, this image was part of a large event board,
with text underneath. I erased the text, copied the upper border,
reversed it, reduced its size and added it to the bottom of the image,
carefully erasing the text underneath.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UaUGR7T6PHc/UmxWCkFBW7I/AAAAAAAAClA/0bgry6szgQA/s1600/72+Taste+of+Summer+07-24-13.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="330" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UaUGR7T6PHc/UmxWCkFBW7I/AAAAAAAAClA/0bgry6szgQA/s400/72+Taste+of+Summer+07-24-13.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
The Competent Eclectichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01542139097336770028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660981014939075852.post-46651699695605141772013-07-04T23:30:00.000-07:002013-07-22T23:10:14.929-07:00Hawthorne Bridge and the Blues Festival (07-04-13)We went to the<a href="http://www.waterfrontbluesfest.com/" target="_blank"> Waterfront Blues Festival</a> planning to end the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_Day_(United_States)" target="_blank">4th of Jul</a>y with a concert by <a href="http://marchfourthmarchingband.com/" target="_blank">MarchFourth Marching Band</a> followed by fireworks.<br />
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Major chaos! The crowd at the waterfront was so dense we barely were able to find a place to sit; Valérie and Patrick were forced to go someplace far from us. Not to be picky here, but although we were relatively close to the stage, it was difficult to hear the concert, to the point that I felt distanced and inattentive, When it was time for the fireworks, we realized the stage was blocking our view of most fireworks save those that were high up in the air...<br />
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There was no room to move or do anything, so I pulled my sketchbook out and worked on this watercolor of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawthorne_Bridge" target="_blank">Hawthorne Bridge</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lFHX7A4PkEY/Ue4cspez4zI/AAAAAAAACZY/haNtle2BT6Q/s1600/FB+Hawrhorne+Bridge+07-04-13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lFHX7A4PkEY/Ue4cspez4zI/AAAAAAAACZY/haNtle2BT6Q/s640/FB+Hawrhorne+Bridge+07-04-13.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />The Competent Eclectichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01542139097336770028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660981014939075852.post-77009666095570196002013-04-24T21:44:00.000-07:002013-05-06T14:46:21.580-07:00Stained Glass Window (04-21-13)Valérie came up to Portland to sing in a fundraiser concert for the <a href="http://singorange.com/" target="_blank">Oregon State Choir</a> at <a href="http://www.firstpresportland.org/" target="_blank">First Presbyterian Church</a> downtown.
We sat upstairs at the balcony level and I had a close view of the
beautiful workmanship in the interior woodwork (how different from the
stone interiors of cathedrals in Europe!). Rather than draw the singers during the concert, this time I painted the south rosetta window.<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SUyl0Ogm78g/UYgj4Kv8F0I/AAAAAAAACPQ/XfrpZ7gCt6k/s1600/72+Stained+Glass+04-21-13.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SUyl0Ogm78g/UYgj4Kv8F0I/AAAAAAAACPQ/XfrpZ7gCt6k/s640/72+Stained+Glass+04-21-13.jpg" width="640" /></a> The Competent Eclectichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01542139097336770028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660981014939075852.post-72536510809378026702012-07-10T04:30:00.000-07:002012-12-03T02:29:37.396-08:00Self-Portrait in Watercolors (07-10-12)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I struggle every time I use my watercolors, but I like the results this time...<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sXhUzUBaYwo/UHNDobO-TrI/AAAAAAAABKA/VEMa2IgDZR4/s1600/72+Profile+Painted+07-10-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sXhUzUBaYwo/UHNDobO-TrI/AAAAAAAABKA/VEMa2IgDZR4/s320/72+Profile+Painted+07-10-12.jpg" width="226" /></a></div>
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The Competent Eclectichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01542139097336770028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660981014939075852.post-42007632678675614162012-07-08T04:30:00.000-07:002012-10-08T14:11:37.922-07:00New Sketchbook (07-08-12)I started a new sketchbook, and decided to introduce some other colors
than the usual black pen, and work on patterns for the signatures.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-twxPCsWVtXk/UHNANcjuQyI/AAAAAAAABJg/fxTq7PHTilY/s1600/72+Sketchbook+07-07-12.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-twxPCsWVtXk/UHNANcjuQyI/AAAAAAAABJg/fxTq7PHTilY/s320/72+Sketchbook+07-07-12.jpg" width="239" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-o9yHl3u-iSI/UHNALmT5LiI/AAAAAAAABJQ/kbbmoOkbh5M/s1600/72+Cover1+07-07-12.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-o9yHl3u-iSI/UHNALmT5LiI/AAAAAAAABJQ/kbbmoOkbh5M/s320/72+Cover1+07-07-12.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Xoysm2jbEoI/UHNAMl6-lnI/AAAAAAAABJY/WoIHnQFrcpo/s1600/72+Cover2+07-07-12.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Xoysm2jbEoI/UHNAMl6-lnI/AAAAAAAABJY/WoIHnQFrcpo/s320/72+Cover2+07-07-12.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The Competent Eclectichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01542139097336770028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660981014939075852.post-71443133616853993762012-07-03T23:00:00.000-07:002012-12-03T01:59:29.097-08:00Random Designs (07-03-12)I was trying to work on some forms and shapes that would suggest
fabric patterns; I used a black brush pen and a silver and a gold gel
pen.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N3UYUWqJ2WY/ULx3lvimsGI/AAAAAAAABak/CWxGABE1Bys/s1600/72+Design+07-03-12.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N3UYUWqJ2WY/ULx3lvimsGI/AAAAAAAABak/CWxGABE1Bys/s400/72+Design+07-03-12.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
The Competent Eclectichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01542139097336770028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660981014939075852.post-76068343126946736162012-07-03T14:30:00.000-07:002012-11-01T13:54:33.744-07:00Cruise to Alaska: Tracy Arm Fjord (07-03-12)<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inside_Passage" target="_blank">The Inside Passage</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tracy_Arm" target="_blank">Tracy Arm Fjord</a>
were the most beautiful part of the cruise... At the risk of sounding
cliché, -and I am not one to start posting vacation photos-, but
really... WHALES! We saw whales!<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oyRGd5AyTfE/UJLgUEatqBI/AAAAAAAABP4/M529b0vf6dM/s1600/72+Cruise+Water1+07-12.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="292" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oyRGd5AyTfE/UJLgUEatqBI/AAAAAAAABP4/M529b0vf6dM/s400/72+Cruise+Water1+07-12.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The water was an exquisite opaque green, and looked like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jadeite_%28kitchenware%29" target="_blank">Jade-ite</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_g8HCHElkXY/UJLehw0bu_I/AAAAAAAABPg/s8k5rK8ufCI/s1600/72+Cruise+Water2+07-12.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_g8HCHElkXY/UJLehw0bu_I/AAAAAAAABPg/s8k5rK8ufCI/s320/72+Cruise+Water2+07-12.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9OuIZOBm2ec/UJLeoVoy6gI/AAAAAAAABPo/gFWydpNCfs8/s1600/72+Cruise+Water+Color+07-12.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="90" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9OuIZOBm2ec/UJLeoVoy6gI/AAAAAAAABPo/gFWydpNCfs8/s320/72+Cruise+Water+Color+07-12.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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So I spent the day inside one of the ship's restaurants, trying to paint what I saw.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QfYdPZpVJKI/UHNJH2MV-zI/AAAAAAAABLM/edeYq2F_E6M/s1600/72+Tracy+Arm+Fjord+07-03-12.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="218" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QfYdPZpVJKI/UHNJH2MV-zI/AAAAAAAABLM/edeYq2F_E6M/s640/72+Tracy+Arm+Fjord+07-03-12.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tracy Arm Fjord in early afternoon<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DsAyJdSU2Gs/UJLeygZr3LI/AAAAAAAABPw/AZWmR3VT_mQ/s1600/72+Cruise+Fjord+07-12.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="436" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DsAyJdSU2Gs/UJLeygZr3LI/AAAAAAAABPw/AZWmR3VT_mQ/s640/72+Cruise+Fjord+07-12.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The Competent Eclectichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01542139097336770028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660981014939075852.post-56279881464191981392012-07-02T16:30:00.000-07:002012-10-08T14:54:56.135-07:00Cruise to Alaska: Skagway (07-02-12)The cruise ship's second stop was in <a href="http://skagway.com/" target="_blank">Skagway</a>, a spectacularly beautiful natural area.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-l9Wa-HdTEYE/UHNHfGuKjAI/AAAAAAAABLE/H-wr9dgAKjA/s1600/72+Skagway+07-02-12.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-l9Wa-HdTEYE/UHNHfGuKjAI/AAAAAAAABLE/H-wr9dgAKjA/s640/72+Skagway+07-02-12.jpg" width="640" /></a> The Competent Eclectichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01542139097336770028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660981014939075852.post-71368204386030374462012-07-01T15:30:00.000-07:002012-10-08T14:52:31.779-07:00Cruise to Alaska: Juneau (07-01-12)I used my old watercolor pencils to record my first
impressions of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juneau,_Alaska" target="_blank">Juneau</a> as the cruise ship entered the city...(there isn't
much). <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Kv2EE2-B82s/UHNEdci73bI/AAAAAAAABKQ/DOjkUYummqY/s1600/72+Juneau+07-01-12.jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="279" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Kv2EE2-B82s/UHNEdci73bI/AAAAAAAABKQ/DOjkUYummqY/s640/72+Juneau+07-01-12.jpg.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
The Competent Eclectichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01542139097336770028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660981014939075852.post-75971256638083576792012-06-27T23:00:00.000-07:002012-12-03T02:17:09.260-08:00Finishing my sketchbook (06-27-12)When I complete a sketchbook, I sometimes add some finishing touches,
such as color, collages, whatever strikes me as interesting. Since we
are leaving on a cruise very shortly (this, despite my absolute fears of
ending at the bottom of the ocean), I decided to do something that
would indicate a them of voyage, without tipping over into scrapbooking.<br />
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This is the title page of the sketchbook. <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O2ezStfVU-o/ULx7_DNbDMI/AAAAAAAABbI/8oXzK1Xd4t8/s1600/72+Sketchbook+Interior+06-27-12.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="449" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O2ezStfVU-o/ULx7_DNbDMI/AAAAAAAABbI/8oXzK1Xd4t8/s640/72+Sketchbook+Interior+06-27-12.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
The Competent Eclectichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01542139097336770028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660981014939075852.post-26898757428793231052012-06-26T22:12:00.000-07:002012-07-09T22:13:58.961-07:00A house, in the style of Flemish architecture (06-26-12)During the first session of the Cartooning class I teach at the <a href="http://ncprd.com/milwaukie-center" target="_blank">Milwaukie Center</a>,
I gave the kids the assignment to draw something without letting the
pen leave the page. While they were busy, I decided to work along on the
whiteboard.<br />
It's funny, but as I started drawing a house, the style that immediately came to mind was that of <a href="https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&tok=I1xnTY4Hw-P6VAEEv81niA&pq=flemisg+building+style&cp=11&gs_id=nl&xhr=t&q=flemish+architecture&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&biw=1136&bih=916&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=prf7T_TRKIj1qAGm1LWLCQ" target="_blank">Flemish architecture</a>,<span id="goog_1278088554"></span> tall houses with crenellated gables and small windows, as one commonly sees in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgium" target="_blank">Belgium</a> in such cities as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brussels" target="_blank">Brussels</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruges" target="_blank">Bruges</a>, or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghent" target="_blank">Ghent</a>...<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8Sn3kq-njwQ/T_u2OxSIcsI/AAAAAAAABFU/CWHiVtCXQvk/s1600/72+House+Bruges.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="348" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8Sn3kq-njwQ/T_u2OxSIcsI/AAAAAAAABFU/CWHiVtCXQvk/s400/72+House+Bruges.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Left: As drawn from memory Right: A random example of the real thing</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The Competent Eclectichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01542139097336770028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660981014939075852.post-40690312139206152822012-06-16T22:58:00.000-07:002012-06-26T15:38:06.230-07:00OSU Commencement (06-16-12)<br />
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What a long and exciting day!</div>
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Valérie just graduated with<span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text"> a Bachelor of Arts with options in Choral Music Education and Piano Performance. And so, she participated in that necessary rite of passage, the <a href="http://oregonstate.edu/events/commencement/" target="_blank">Commencement </a>ceremony...along with 3,500 to 4,000 other graduates from <a href="http://oregonstate.edu/" target="_blank">Oregon State University</a>. </span></div>
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<span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text">What made the day a unique and especially </span><span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text">challenging </span><span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text">one was that <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michelle_Obama" target="_blank">Michelle Obama</a> gave a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foAe-u1N0kg&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">speech</a> at <span id="goog_1573223154"></span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/">Commencement<span id="goog_1573223155"></span></a>. Consequently, in addition to long wait times, access to OSU's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reser_Stadium" target="_blank">Reser Stadium</a> was subject to all the expected extra security measures, such as airport metal detector gates, unsmiling people rummaging through bags and purses, even sharpshooters on the stadium roof! </span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yayjDT1adyI/T-o5emn961I/AAAAAAAABDc/8ZXxXQjK-HY/s1600/FB+OSU+Commencement+06-17-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yayjDT1adyI/T-o5emn961I/AAAAAAAABDc/8ZXxXQjK-HY/s400/FB+OSU+Commencement+06-17-12.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text">The speeches were good, the graduates were happy, and the 30,000-strong audience consisting proud parents, relatives and friends was supportive. All in all, it was a nice day.</span></div>
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<span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text"></span><span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text">We sat on a sunny side of the side of the stadium closest to the <a href="http://oregonstate.edu/cla/" target="_blank">College of Liberal Arts</a> (and could see Valérie from afar), but as the afternoon wore on, shade came on our side while the other side of the stadium was still sunny, and there was a nasty little breeze that made everyone wish they'd brought a warm jacket...</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZSh4jZaCukU/T-jWKOE3iuI/AAAAAAAABBs/DL8xY97-C2s/s1600/72+OSU+Graduation+06-16-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="193" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZSh4jZaCukU/T-jWKOE3iuI/AAAAAAAABBs/DL8xY97-C2s/s640/72+OSU+Graduation+06-16-12.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a></div>
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Watching the ceremony</div>
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<span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text"> To distract myself from the chilly weather, I pulled out my <a href="http://www.dickblick.com/products/caran-dache-supracolor-soft-aquarelle-pencils/" target="_blank">color pencils</a> and worked on painstakingly trying to match the colors I saw; but I didn't quite finish my drawing...</span></div>
</div>The Competent Eclectichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01542139097336770028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660981014939075852.post-6157201432837397032012-05-06T20:11:00.000-07:002012-11-01T15:25:16.235-07:00Meeting of the Dreamers' Club (05-06-12)I got an intriguing invitation via email for a meeting of the <a href="http://dreamersclub.org/" target="_blank">Dreamers' Club</a>...<br />
<br />
This took place at <a href="http://taborspace.org/" target="_blank">TaborSpace</a> on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belmont,_Portland,_Oregon" target="_blank">SE Belmont</a>, but I wasn't in the best frame of mind... In fact, I was right in a such deeply depressed state of mind that made it impossible to even think of any project in my life that would be of any worth to even think about.<br />
<br />
So I wrote down other people's dreams for the group.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2TvlK_PwzGE/UJL1pp3BScI/AAAAAAAABSU/xCPKGPpyjN0/s1600/72+Dreamers%27+Club1+05-06-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2TvlK_PwzGE/UJL1pp3BScI/AAAAAAAABSU/xCPKGPpyjN0/s640/72+Dreamers%27+Club1+05-06-12.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Members of the Dreamers Club, with miserable me, on the right</td></tr>
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<br />The Competent Eclectichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01542139097336770028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660981014939075852.post-3704499317958590142012-05-02T18:30:00.000-07:002012-12-03T03:00:47.380-08:00Crystal Springs (05-02-12)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RRpZL_ppng8/ULyCoLIMNQI/AAAAAAAABcQ/_sEWD7Xo-5o/s1600/72+Crystal+Springs+Garden+05-02-12.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RRpZL_ppng8/ULyCoLIMNQI/AAAAAAAABcQ/_sEWD7Xo-5o/s320/72+Crystal+Springs+Garden+05-02-12.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I have driven through Eastmoreland for years, always wondering about Crystal Springs Rhododendron Gardens.
I finally decided that since this was a day when the
entry was free after 4 PM, I might as well put my inner questions about the
place to rest.<br />
<br />
Yeah, it is pretty, but kinda boring. There
were lots of people, actually too many, some of whom were jerks, like
the guy who was showing his kid how to pester a duck, and the couples
who blocked the way with bulky strollers.<br />
<br />
I can see color variations, shadows, etc., in a photo, but I struggle with real scenery. So I made a valiant effort, even though the result looks static...<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oQOKPt4UVD8/ULyEob_WIoI/AAAAAAAABcY/PrV9unnbG8A/s1600/72+Crysrtal+Springs+05-12.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oQOKPt4UVD8/ULyEob_WIoI/AAAAAAAABcY/PrV9unnbG8A/s640/72+Crysrtal+Springs+05-12.jpg" width="441" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hmmm...</td></tr>
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<br />The Competent Eclectichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01542139097336770028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660981014939075852.post-35964837005025384662012-04-21T20:00:00.000-07:002012-06-26T15:11:24.429-07:00PDX Urban Sketchers at the Chinese Garden (04-21-21)<br />
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The <a href="http://urbansketchers-portland.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Portland Urban Sketchers</a> met at the <a href="http://www.portlandchinesegarden.org/" target="_blank">Lan Su Chinese Garden</a> as a group, to sketch or paint. As usual, I got there so late that I might as well have not bothered going (and that's exactly why I make myself go, even if late...). I was so late, that it was almost closing time, and a nice man at the gate let me in for free; he probably felt sorry for me...</div>
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I don't feel very confident with color, but made a valiant effort to paint with my small portable watercolor kit.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pIM3HkFgryg/T-oyG-3WWDI/AAAAAAAABDI/IfuWA9r_sBQ/s1600/72+Chinese1+White+04-21-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="195" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pIM3HkFgryg/T-oyG-3WWDI/AAAAAAAABDI/IfuWA9r_sBQ/s640/72+Chinese1+White+04-21-12.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entrance Gate<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cr2CECnwPi8/T-oyHl53OWI/AAAAAAAABDQ/iMmvKs4J2vM/s1600/72+Chinese2+White+04-21-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="330" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cr2CECnwPi8/T-oyHl53OWI/AAAAAAAABDQ/iMmvKs4J2vM/s640/72+Chinese2+White+04-21-12.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a></div>
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</div>The Competent Eclectichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01542139097336770028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660981014939075852.post-7456937186176121872012-02-23T22:31:00.000-08:002012-07-22T19:37:46.201-07:00Tablecloth Sketch (02-23-12)<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
I went to Romano's Macaroni Grill with my friends Suzanne, and we had a nice time talking... </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3tqExJA6YH4/UAy43Seb9SI/AAAAAAAABGg/MXMNJDqrmGQ/s1600/72+Restaurant+02-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3tqExJA6YH4/UAy43Seb9SI/AAAAAAAABGg/MXMNJDqrmGQ/s200/72+Restaurant+02-12.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
<br />
Doing so, I drew this face; it's a bit distorted because I wasn't drawing it close to me, but almost at arm's length...The Competent Eclectichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01542139097336770028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660981014939075852.post-70498826703076894962012-02-16T17:30:00.000-08:002012-06-25T12:57:04.408-07:00A Food Cart on 82nd (02-16-12)I was driving by the <a href="http://www.cartlandia.com/Cartlandia_Home_Page.html" target="_blank">Cartlandia</a> food cart lot on <a href="http://portlandwiki.org/East_82nd_Avenue" target="_blank">82nd Ave.</a>
in the rain, when I stopped on an impulse, thinking it might be fun to
draw a food cart. I parked the car and decided to try my hand at <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Caran-DAche-Supracolor-Set-Colors/dp/B0009I52O2" target="_blank">watercolor pencils</a> for a change from the usual <a href="http://www.pilotpen.us/ProductGroup/90-Vball-BeGreeN.aspx" target="_blank">black pen</a>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mv_y7kS5Vu8/T-UO1yUQSAI/AAAAAAAABBg/VOExSNkBV9Y/s1600/72+Food+Cart+02-12.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="263" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mv_y7kS5Vu8/T-UO1yUQSAI/AAAAAAAABBg/VOExSNkBV9Y/s320/72+Food+Cart+02-12.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cute little food cart</td></tr>
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<br />The Competent Eclectichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01542139097336770028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660981014939075852.post-72685304269017832362011-12-28T17:44:00.000-08:002011-12-28T17:46:52.010-08:00The Akwarius (ca. 01-04)This is some of my older work, originally done in my 2004 sketchbook. I decided to post it here because I like it and I still find it pertinent and meaningful.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-svSnYIx4caI/TvvGQ4KgCfI/AAAAAAAAAuw/qzluJOiNSlw/s1600/BLOG+Aquarius1+72+01-04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-svSnYIx4caI/TvvGQ4KgCfI/AAAAAAAAAuw/qzluJOiNSlw/s320/BLOG+Aquarius1+72+01-04.jpg" width="203" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Akwarius</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-p5VT0MJhMtY/TvvGRYVyQdI/AAAAAAAAAu4/bRfQr92KqNg/s1600/BLOG+Aquarius2+72+01-04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-p5VT0MJhMtY/TvvGRYVyQdI/AAAAAAAAAu4/bRfQr92KqNg/s320/BLOG+Aquarius2+72+01-04.jpg" width="203" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Xdd4nFy9K8g/TvvFjZBmwWI/AAAAAAAAAuk/d9q8KYZQD8M/s1600/BLOG+Aquarius1-2+72+01-04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="285" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Xdd4nFy9K8g/TvvFjZBmwWI/AAAAAAAAAuk/d9q8KYZQD8M/s400/BLOG+Aquarius1-2+72+01-04.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sketchbook layout</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The Competent Eclectichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01542139097336770028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660981014939075852.post-37689437321626104262011-12-11T23:55:00.000-08:002012-06-22T00:01:08.156-07:00Speaker at Church (12-11-11)A caricature is done by exaggerating facial features to a point that, although still recognizable, they look out of the norm.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dpsRg-pkDDo/T-QXzWTc7eI/AAAAAAAABBQ/mzcs7nA3fZg/s1600/72+Church+Caricature+12-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dpsRg-pkDDo/T-QXzWTc7eI/AAAAAAAABBQ/mzcs7nA3fZg/s320/72+Church+Caricature+12-11.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
Not to make fun of people...but I couldn't help extrapolating on this person's solemn attitude, long face, and dour facial expression.<br />
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<br />The Competent Eclectichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01542139097336770028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660981014939075852.post-14989189162932099952011-12-04T21:54:00.000-08:002012-06-22T21:37:06.120-07:00I was a vendor at the DaVinci Arts Fair (12-04-11)Here is what my table looked like at the <a href="http://www.pps.k12.or.us/schools/davinci/232.htm" target="_blank">Da Vinci Arts Fair</a>. I was
selling blank cards of my pen and ink drawings and some knitted scarves (too bad I don't make jewelry, because I'd have made a killing...Sigh...)<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lm7pNSrCJ2I/T9Euw6DtMUI/AAAAAAAAA8s/HmBv24-Bl-M/s1600/72+Da+Vinci+Booth+72+12-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lm7pNSrCJ2I/T9Euw6DtMUI/AAAAAAAAA8s/HmBv24-Bl-M/s320/72+Da+Vinci+Booth+72+12-11.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QimUuSbizSo/T9EuxQw-WhI/AAAAAAAAA80/x5L43NWTDSk/s1600/72+Da+Vinci+Table+12-01-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="283" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QimUuSbizSo/T9EuxQw-WhI/AAAAAAAAA80/x5L43NWTDSk/s400/72+Da+Vinci+Table+12-01-11.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The Competent Eclectichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01542139097336770028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660981014939075852.post-41750026587106552392011-11-30T23:50:00.000-08:002012-04-10T15:09:05.795-07:002011 Pen and Ink Project: The Wedding (11-30-11)Our daughter Valérie got married in October. I decided to draw the
lovely memory I have of that day, the guest tables with my daughter
Julia in the right foreground, and a close-up of the young couple lost
in their own enjoyment of the moment.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EfAzV_q7Icg/T4SP5-oj_hI/AAAAAAAAA6s/dFyQ9OrBYo4/s1600/BLOG+Illustr14a+Wedding+72+11-11.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EfAzV_q7Icg/T4SP5-oj_hI/AAAAAAAAA6s/dFyQ9OrBYo4/s1600/BLOG+Illustr14a+Wedding+72+11-11.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r1wYn4Kw-VE/T4SP6C3iPEI/AAAAAAAAA60/HhDawORQ3X0/s1600/BLOG+Illustr14b+Wedding+72+11-11.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r1wYn4Kw-VE/T4SP6C3iPEI/AAAAAAAAA60/HhDawORQ3X0/s1600/BLOG+Illustr14b+Wedding+72+11-11.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br />The Competent Eclectichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01542139097336770028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660981014939075852.post-21980220315448721582011-11-30T23:45:00.000-08:002012-04-10T15:07:26.765-07:002011 Pen and Ink Project: The Victorian House (11-30-11)I like our former neighbors, Judy and Louis H., and thinking about them, their 109-year-old <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_Anne_style_architecture_in_the_United_States" target="_blank">Queen Anne style</a> house in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neighborhoods_of_Portland,_Oregon#Southeast" target="_blank">Southeast Portland</a>, originally built by Oregon painter <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eliza_Barchus" target="_blank">Eliza Barchus</a> comes to mind.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OhLVK1aBI2Q/T4Sudy2zFuI/AAAAAAAAA7E/n_ykp8go9ew/s1600/BLOG+House+Judy+and+Louis+72+2011.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OhLVK1aBI2Q/T4Sudy2zFuI/AAAAAAAAA7E/n_ykp8go9ew/s320/BLOG+House+Judy+and+Louis+72+2011.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
These drawing are closer to sketches because I wanted to be as
accurate as possible. While we were chatting one day, I took a few
photographs of Judy on the front porch and of Louis standing inside the
ornate front door. I then made light landmark points on the paper with a
pencil, and carefully worked with my pen inlude lines where I wanted
them. When the drawing was finished, I erased all the pencil marks.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y8OkEvvgbWY/T4SOubdiXDI/AAAAAAAAA6c/HY2o-iBFGHo/s1600/BLOG+Illustr13a+Victorian+72+11-11.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y8OkEvvgbWY/T4SOubdiXDI/AAAAAAAAA6c/HY2o-iBFGHo/s1600/BLOG+Illustr13a+Victorian+72+11-11.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-egljx40WPWY/T4SOu-ENf9I/AAAAAAAAA6k/Vl4U7vrD7hY/s1600/BLOG+Illustr13b+Victorian+72+11-11.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-egljx40WPWY/T4SOu-ENf9I/AAAAAAAAA6k/Vl4U7vrD7hY/s1600/BLOG+Illustr13b+Victorian+72+11-11.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br />The Competent Eclectichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01542139097336770028noreply@blogger.com0