identity Crisis

I am going to start recording vignettes of my mom and dad's life on this day 6/4/2017.
I believe my parents had a serious identity crisis!  their names for instance. Mom's name Esther, sufficed for seven years in Ioannina, Greece-her birthplace. Esther or Esthir (phonetically) Mosios is the name she knew. She was called Roula from Estheroula in Volos, Greece at 7 years of age.
My dad was a "traveling salesman". His name was Moisi (morris) Negrin, yet his customers knew him as Elias Hlias.

will elaborate on this often, begging your patience, with your permission, as I am on a quest to realize my own struggle for identity!

These are my holiday cards using acrylic on colored card paper created for family and friends.

I have been inspired by two and have produced the following.

my floral, acrylic sunflowers in vase partly snapped with my cell directly from canvas

I have been away for awhile but have actually been busy creating my art. I have been thinking of the blog lately, must admit that I've missed being here. I'm posting some of myacrylic paintings and one imposter, guess which one. I started working with acrylics when I purchased a new computer and didn't have all my graphic programs installed and found I love the medium. Yes, I admit I am an acrylic lover!! Below are some of my stories in art, 1) the sunflowers for my friend's special birthday 2) my mixed admiration, love and coming to terms with the horse 3) The most freedom one can experience riding on a horse and the history telling of its contribution to mankind and every country really but this one depicting a rider in the USA, and last but not least the universal love of a mother and child. Which one is rendered in Painter? Stay tuned I have just begun!

Right about here I revisited something a started a while back, and decided to finish it for what it's worth so, take a look:

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Elephant (My Story)


You can find me in the circus, I protest!
You can find me in the desert and the jungles
That’s the best!
In Africa and India I Rule!

Once the fools displayed me at the zoo
Alas, they saw the light -
They placed me in a conservation park…
At least there I roam around in simulated manmade freedom.

It’s safe to say they finally saw my beauty
They’re not trying to hunt me
For my lovely ivory tusks
They’re luminous and spiffy I’ll agree,
But they’re attached to ME!

Things are getting better all around - I hope and pray.
Look for me, I’m a survivor and still standing proud and free!
But if you fail to find me in all of the above
Look for me in still and moving pictures
Of those who had the courage to find me in my turf
Just take my picture, but
Leave me here happy to be alive and FREE!


By Anna (voliotisa's arts.©

My Little Frida

How can I describe my little Frida?
Inquisitive, Temperamental,
Perhaps the best way is Independent
Always alert and oriented - and
That’s to say the least
Personality plus
Of distinct and discrete caliber
One in a million?
A million to one?
I struggle to find fitness in my description
The following is but a weak try:

She flew into my heart the day Diego left her
I’m sure by just bad luck and not intent
She’s occupied a big place in my heart thereafter
My love destined to grow as big as her persona.

That persona is marked by her eclectic style
I’m sure to match her namesake “Frida Kahlo” -
Never familiar, anything but the usual stuff
She’s not a Bird but rather a Grand Lady
Endowed with the intrigue, beauty and unpredictability
Only a Lady can possess and get away with

My Frida’s spirit has grown and I suspect will keep on growing
Forever she is Diego’s, but Casper, her new mate, he sees her worth
And keeps on trying to possess her
Because he too can see A Lady such as Frida
Is hard to fly by in a Lifetime, be it for Birds
Or Humans alike to behold and cherish
We all strive to please and impress her with delight.


By Anna Angelou
Written w/love For Frida my pet forever!
~~~~~~
Aftermath:
On 12:25 a.m. February 13/14 2007, Frida gently lay down her wings
& passed away
Although I feel she knew I stood there with her till the end
She slipped into a place we cannot see
But her legacy forever remains here with us
She was a twig but left a shadow
A giant would relish to possess

Day of the Heart

One day each year we all await to bring the love
To us we so richly deserve
We look for proof that we belong
To those we hold so dearly above all.

They may be new and full with life
They may be old friends we spent our times
They may be hopes that they’re to come
And they may be flickers of our imagination
Of what should be for us
Flickers that started long since our time began on earth.

There should be love enough to go around for that one day
One day is all it is
One time when people need be reassured
The light of someone’ else’s yearning rests in the face the mirror holds
And beckons love to start and end each day
From that point on.

So for one day we hope and pray and search
To have a token of some other beings love
Perhaps a rich bouquet, a sparkle or a sweet.

We wait and wait and hope to have
That special someone think we’re special too
That’s truly the beauty of it all
There’s always hope that walking down the block
You suddenly turn and find your own true love
This day of hearts this time and –
If not year, fear not
The Day of the Heart comes by each year around this time.

By Anna Angelou
Dedicated to love and those who know the meaning of!

And So I decided to annimate my Leonardo complete with a lady freedom rider.

Life is one big hurdle after another. It's exactly like riding on a horse with obstacles along the way, they come your way, Leonardo (the horse) gallops slower and the rider (me) stops riding tall. One hurdle passes, Leonardo seems to be picking up his gallop, while keeping a happy me onboard, pshou, one hurdle passed, the other one is coming my way. One after the other, but Leonardo has learned to brace himself and gallop through, taking me along with him on the perpetual ride. A

these are some of my needlepoints. The one directly above was given to me by my sister when she traveled to Greece many years ago and I had finished many years ago and framed. The one directly below I bought when my daughter was attending dancing school but finished and framed for her as a gift when she moved into her first apartment. The one on the left I bought and is not yet finished and not framed yet. There is a story behind this too. My daughter moved back w/me to save some money and the ballerina started hanging out in my house. I now find I can't part w/her therefore I am working on a replacement for my daughter which is the needlepoint in question on the left. A

A few days ago I watched the arts channel that was running a program describing Degas' sculpture of the little ballet dancer. It seems that ballet dancers were perceived, in fact, they were of ill repute, and thus of course the little ballet dancer was convicted of being "ugly"as well, which leads me to the evolution theory. At present ballerinas and the people who frequent the ballet are high brow. Can anyone explain to me where people get their ideas of what is elite and what is common?? What is pretty and what is ugly? There is no answer. This only led to my poor attempt at Degas' poor little ballet dancer A

this is the cover for my calendar 2007. It is called the Dance of Love Calendar 2007. It consists of 1900 dance couples and the last couple on December 2007 is the couple dancing in the Roaring '20s. Enjoy it. It comes in a package. I am posting it here becaused when I gave it to an establishment to copy and bind, I was mortified to see that my original cover page was missing! It was highly upsetting but it prompted me to post here and tell my sad story. A

Where are the tears?
It's now the longer part of months - they're two to be exact
I thought the rivers would turn on by now
but they have yet to come
It was October eighth when last I peered
Into those awesome eyes that clouded everything in sight when they awoke
Yet on that mortal day, clouded they were - not able to look back
I searched in vain, and when I didn't feel their warm embrace,
I wept holding her tight while she lay motionless in bed
But then I felt the knowing back into her eyes
Those eyes that I looked into when stories they would tell
more colorful than any words could draw
Abruptly I stopped my weeping my sadness to withhold of the approaching doom
And never could I beckon tears again,
Never to come, stay out -
Those lovely eyes
Don't want to know I'm sad.

here is Seniorita Maria Elena strutting her stuff, enjoy

Turkey – approx. a 10 pounder – no more
Chestnuts perhaps to be used for stuffing with raisins and plain bread crumbs – a specialty that I learned from the Angelou’s
Also stove top topping –don’t stuff the turkey.
Chopped meat – 2 lb for meatballs as an appetizer – used for appetizer (mamma style, wash the onions a-plenty)
Rice – that might be used in stuffed tomatoes, peppers and perhaps squash
Tomatoes
Peppers
Perhaps squash
Parsley, which I have
Onions, which I have
White potatoes to be baked with lemon, shun the turkey, but consider adding to the stuffed tomatoes, and even in the veggie side dishes, etc.
Sweet potatoes to be candied my way w/cinnamon and allspice and butter (maybe adding some walnuts.
Some canned cranberry sauce (don’t forget it this time, MoMo likes it)
Peas, or lima beans, or perhaps kidney beans for the Greek side of the family.
Corn
Perhaps attempt some soup with noodles
Consider getting celery to make as side dish Aunt Karolina style.
Olive oil (virgin)
Reynolds wrap
Pans to just throw away at the end of this
Some fruit
1 pumpkin, apple or custard pie, as people might bring desert.
Some wine and/or beer for those who like to indulge.
Soda
Vitamin water
Good plastic plates (decorative)
Very little regular bread or pita
Think of what’s missing
FAMILY & FRIENDS! and some gravy perhaps

"My Red Cello And Me"

NIGHT & DAY COLLAGE

Shades of Blue is what I drew, and though I never meant to, my heart I did reveal. If there is something I can do to end this melancholy, I would but surely wash away the blue my heart poured out a-plenty

The above is "Baby Love" five years in the making.

I say potato and you say potuto
LET'S CALL THE WHOLE THING OFF!

wake me up when september ends

"Fred & Ginger" The following are interps of Fred & Ginger. They looked as though they belonged together and perpetually ready to dance. This was perceived by a little girl watching them on a TV years after they performed and perfected their mastery to the point it's even real today. I would not be surprised if they're still dancing somewhere up there. "Fascinating Rhythm" - Cheek to Cheek


Night & Day

Fred & Ginger Files