IT'S A WHAT!

Whatever this imaginary vessel is, it is fun and in this illustration it is sparking romance.

Can't you just hear a throaty voice over the sounds of the steam engine saying, "How about a............ light big boy?" as the charming captain catches the come hither look from his coy passenger as she lights his cigarette.

Well now wait a minute!  What is our charming captain up to?  The boat is beached with the anchor overboard in the sand and yet he is busy steering and the steam engine is puffing away.... must be steering his love to her heart!   Oh.....the romance of yesteryear, have to love it!

Makes for a playful e-card!

A Bend in the Branch

A walk in the woods to feed the soul reveals a tree bare of leaves with crooked branches belonging to an ancient Chinese painting, a delicate flower searching for a ray of sunlight, or perhaps a cluster of berries of varying shades reminiscent of paintings of the past. The lowly weeds when isolated and viewed with new eyes can be a study in line with graceful curves or clashing angles.




Bits of nature would come home with me to become my inspiration. The resulting photographs would join a library of images from which I would draw upon to create mixed-media pieces reflecting my desire to connect with nature and a peaceful place within.




The process for this work involved digital images printed on a special material which was then applied a painted board in a way the background would be revealed. Paint strokes embellished the photographic images creating a blend of the two processes.



This body of work was shown in a 2 person gallery show in Asheville NC and Atlanta, GA along with all the weeds, flowers, pods, branches, vines, seeds and leaves pinned to the wall of the gallery. The inspiration and the finished pieces informed each other and I'm told the viewer.


A few of these pieces are included in the fine art postcard images on E-Motioncards site along with fine art pieces by other artists. The receiver of the e-cards will have the added pleasure of music selected by the sender to add to the experience of receiving the fine art images.


All images copyright Sherrie Hunt 2008

Colors of Guatemala

Endless visual inspiration. Senses wonderfully overwhelmed. Beautiful people with graceful gait, colors, textures, patterns, sounds, the fragrance of incense and flowers, cathedrals reaching up to the heavens as does the peak of the volcano, the ceremonies captivate and mesmerize, amazing artistry within every gaze.........all gifts to inspire the creative spirit. Guatemala is beckoning.

Many of these images found their way to become post cards on E-MotionCards. I enjoy sharing visuals I love.

Harvey's Trees

Perhaps whizzing down this country highway one may not notice these wonderful cone shaped topiary trees majestically standing at the edge of the road amid the pastures, barns and sporadically placed homes. As I have a total fascination in the art of alternating nature in the name of beauty, I did come to a screeching halt in the tiny town of Bent Mountain, Virginia. With camera in hand and not believing my good fortune of finding such trees on the road between here and somewhere, I approached the property just as a car pulled into the driveway. Again my luck for I was about to learn the story behind Harvey's trees.

I was warmly received by a lovely woman who eagerly shared the story of her husband's dedication to the shaped trees. Harvey, planted small pine trees across the front of their property and started trimming them when they were but a few feet tall. As time passed the trees grew to towering heights but Harvey's passion never ebbed and he found ways to continue shaping the trees in spite of their height.

Last year Harvey had a stroke. Just as the height of the trees did not stop him from continuing to shape his stand of trees nor did the stroke. Harvey now has a partner in the endeavor of creating a beauty for those of us who whiz by on the country road to somewhere and just happen to catch a glimpse of the trees.

A smile crosses my face when I reflect on the trees and a sense of awe prevails for the man who is so very dedicated to his trees and his sense of beauty.

Harvey's trees became an e-card my site E-Motioncards for those who don't have the opportunity to happen upon them on the country road in Bent Mountain between here and somewhere.

For the Love of Vintage!

I am totally enjoying my new found world of vintage postcards.

The quest is a treasure hunt.

The window into the past is inviting and intriguing.

The quirkiness is delightful.

The visuals are endless and amazing.

The story lines are telling of a period now past.

Nude = white body suit.

Erotic = a female dressed in petticoats..

Men with painted lips and slick hair.

LOVE these images.

And so perfect for E-MotionCards!

Fly On Over

Halloween is a great time to surprise friends with scary and fun e-cards. No other holiday offers such freedom to be silly and frivolous in our choice of cards or who we send the cards to. It is the time for our playful spirits to come out frolic.

As for me, I have the same freedom in designing the cards. Last year one of the cards I designed was a funny card using my royal standard poodle as my alter ego wanting to be a "Rock Star". He didn't mind the wig and receiving my undivided attention, in fact he got bored and went to sleep giving me the opportunity for the final shot of the card.

This year, well, I dipped into the dark side of Halloween and created as scary a card I could; scary in a psychological sense using a fly as a metaphor for something that is disturbing and creepy. I never really have any idea of what I am going to do when I start out projects like this card. Rather than trying to come up with a great idea I look for objects or things that "speak" to me. Actually I learned long ago doing window display to pay attention to the things I am drawn to forthose things hold within them the seeds for conceptual ideas - solutions to my design task of the moment.

Walking down the aisle of halloween costumes I noticed one lone mask of an old woman that had the look of a great character rather than the grotesque. Nearby on a peg I noticed these creepy eye-balls that were just the correct size for the mask; some red pupils, some blue pupils. Next to them was a package of flys, yes plastic flys, why not. Perfect! It's a start....and oh those fake eyelashes are a must. The old woman spoke to me and from there I had the beginning of the card I was about to make.

All my years of experience in window display, set design and photography come into play when I create the motion cards. I found scarves and fabrics to use for the old woman, applied her eyelashes, put her in eyeballs and took photographs of her in varying positions. We spent awhile together as I became in awe of how photogenic she was. She definitely "spoke" to me and the flys, indeed they added the element of repulsion I was seeking to create a creepy Halloween experience.

Now the time had come to import the photographs into the Flash animation program, find suspenseful music and go to a place within to create a visually stunning and perhaps delightfully disturbing, if disturbing can at the same time be delightful, e-card.

Now I must admit I struggled with this part trying one thing then another never pleased with the outcome and starting over. I always am a bit envious of creative people who conceptualize and have everything planned out before they start. Unfortunately, I am not in that category. At times the path is revealed quickly but most often I work and rework the piece as ideas float into my consciousness. I'm as curious as to how it will unfold as anyone else would be.

My creepy Halloween card is almost complete and I reach the point to decide whether or not the flies fly into the old lady's mouth. I decide not to have that happen thinking perhaps maybe that is just "over the top". The next day I look at the card and know a few flies have to fly into her mouth, after all, didn't I want to make a really creepy card! Yes, so in go the flies into the old lady's mouth. A-la and there you have the story of "Fly on Over" - a Halloween card for my website E-Motioncards meant to be quite creepy! Enjoy.