The Force of Creativity

The Foot Muse

Inspiration comes from the most unlikely places. I created a digital art piece once before from a photo of a friend's new shoes. In my holiday card this year I wished that Santa brought them a new pair... and this photo of shoes arrived in my email box... and as I listened to my ipod inspiration and my computer brain took over the shapes of this photo to create the new piece. A great way to work at the end of 2008. Now I need to sleep and dream of new digital art pieces for 2009.

Copyright 2008 William H Miller All Rights Reserved

Time Flies

Can not believe that my time in Myrtle Beach has come to an end. In the early morning hours, I will head to the airport for my flight to Houston via Atlanta. If all goes well and uneventful I will be in Htown by noon. Today we saw "Seven Pounds", framed and hung numerous pieces of art. The cowboy boot by Jim Frederick, the artwork from my mom, my Dad's hole in one certificate, some of my digital prints, and some of the art collected in their cruises around the world. The week was filled with great home cooked meals of roasted pork loin and turkey... stuffing, potatoes, green beans, beets, and top it off with Christmas cookies and pecan pie and ice cream. Well signing off for now.

Thankful

"Some days we forget, to look around us, some days we can't see, the joy that surrounds us. So caught up inside ourselves, we take when we should give.

So for tonight we pray for what we know can be. And on this day we hope for what we still can't see. it's up to us to be the change, and even though we all can still do more, there's so much to be thankful for."

This was part of a song that was sung at the community theatre Holiday production in Conway, SC. It was really good and the words are very inspiring. Prayers to Karen for safe passage to Houston on her drive this week. Happy Birthday to Seth. Merry Christmas to all my friends and family spread across the globe.

The Holidays in Myrtle Beach, SC

The Miller's have a routine - breakfast at the Omega Pancake house. All the staff know Mom & Dad, and they know their usual orders. I was welcomed as the boy from Texas.

The snowglobe is from the flowers sent to Mom & Dad to start the Holiday Season. Now I have time to rest, and do the usual Christmas routine - Addressing my holiday cards, and update my address book. I got news also, that my friend, Karen, has gotten an assignment in Houston and will be my neighbor for a number of months. I am very excited, and she is moving here on the same day I did two years ago - must be good Karma!

What?! SNOW in Houston!

It was a very rarely and fleeting sight that we had snow flurries in Houston tonight! December 10th, 2008 around 6pm we have had a few hours of snow. Enough to catch on your tongue! Once it hits the street or the car it melts. But it was a nice reminder of the season!

New Homes for New Art

Attached are photos of artwork that now has new homes with individuals who live in Houston and Dallas.

The Triptych to the left is now in a great home in Dallas, owned by David H.

This is now owned by RQ in oakcliff part of Dallas.

Chris & Lisa are enjoying their commissioned piece with some wine, a pet barking at some watermelon in the Woodlands, TX.

This great couple owns the piece called Motel Memory in their Houston home.

And the symbolic Red Dot is now in a new home as well in Houston.

Good Memories

This is an amazing photo that I took while I was away for Thanksgiving in Florida. It was one of those moments. To be able to capture such a smal creature in such great detail.


This is a picture of how I used the Painted Umbrella that I got from jim when I moved to Houston. It was used for a backdrop of the food table for the Art Chatter group I hosted at my home. (It was also good at hiding boxes of junk!)

This is my tree this year, small and practical, and blue glowing lights and blue balls!

Finally the evening at Art Conspiracy -- Auction Auction Auction --- so much fun!

A co-worker and his wife, and their friend joined Armando and his cousins and I for the evening and they really got into the art buying. Here I captured one such high bid! Who knew they were artists themselves. Lots of cool people! Lots of great art.

ART CONSPIRACY CREATION

On December 5th, it was another yearm the fourth actually for Art Conspiracy. Artist's gathered among their supplies and heaters in a semi open warehouse that was the staging area for the creation as well as the event.

Two Artist Knomes, not sure they are woodsmen, helped with the supplies, we never did catch their names. They were supposed to be welcome gifts for someone who shall no longer be named. But he had different plans and decided Dallas wasn't the right place for him.

Pictures of my P.A.C.E. art buddy, Jim looking great - not sure which I like better the piece of art or his art shirt! (To think someone tried to throw that away! Never!! That would be treason)

Jim is standing between his "I need a hand" painting and my Artist Soul painting (digital art on canvas with acrylic embellishments).

The afternoon ended with of all things a flat tire, and I am not talking about the beer. One Auto Rescue came and left because he could not find the crank to get the spare out. Leave that to handy lesbians - one came and quickly helped me. After two other trucks never showed, a nice fellow named Jack, (wearing a cool Billy Goat sweated hood shirt) changed the tire for me and I was on my way after three long hours in the cold. Nice friends, Al & Robb took Jim home so he could get warmed up and not wait for this to clear up. I topped the evening off with getting warm, comfort food from Cyndy's New York Deli!

Some great links of other artists that documented the event

http://lifeoutsidethebubble.com/2008/12/08/awesomeartcon-4/

http://sarahjanesemrad.blogspot.com/2008/12/sitting-in-my-all-good-cafe-rempte.html

http://artconspiracy.org/

and I was the proud owner of David Hopkins' created piece - here is a blog about his creation of the piece

http://antiherocomics.com/2008/12/120708-art-conspiracy.html

Abstract Madonna

I created this image from images from taken at the Madonna concert from my camera.

In a way it is very dream like, you see images but you do not. I like the layers of this piece and how it is your own imagination that fills in the gaps and your mind trys to make sense of this abstract image.

Copyright 2008 William H Miller All Rights Reserved

Madonna

Lots of images from the master of crafting images. The concert was a feast for the senses. I can only hope that my art communicates as much as those who experience it.

Soul Signals

It was an interesting day. Listening to my own thoughts. Cleaning my house. This new computer image was created from an image that I painted.

Copyright 2008 William H. Miller All Rights Reserved

Explain Why?

YES WE DID !

I am proud to be an American.

It should be noted that Harris County, the county that I live in, voted and won for Obama even though Texas did not. Proud to be part of Texas that is changing with the times.

Happy Halloween

Getting back to normal

Today was a day to just relax, be a couch potato, be a geek. I napped more than I should have. I watched tv. I even fixed the wireless router.

I have been without my wireless router for over a month since Hurricane Ike.

Now I can sit in the livingroom, with the TV on Desperate Housewives, blogging on my laptop.

Dream to Me

This is how I feel when I got home from the show tonight

4th Annual Winter Street Studios Artist Exhibition

Drop into Winter Street Studios and see my open studio and studios of 68 other artists. Work on display in the gallery as well as in each studio and the halls of the building. Live music, wine, beer, valet parking and good visual fun.

WOW !! DV-TV

http://www.dallasvoice.com/dvtv_track.php?s=336

My First Canadian Painting

After spending the weekend with Carmen one of the things we did was discuss art. I shared my story about how I had created some art painting using found objects of crushed cans. She mentioned that she had seen an artist create art from crushed cigarette packs that littered some of the Toronto streets. As we spent time this weekend walking around in the drizzle and rain, I spied a discarded cigarette package lying in the street among the fallen leaves. After drying it out, a quick trip to Michaels for some art supplies, I created my first painting called "Toronto Smokes" in Canada. I used elements to remind Carmen of our walks, leaves, the cigarette pack, ripped newspaper that contains a graphic of the Skylon Tower, graphic elements to represent the city, steps, and time. The painting is small, 8"x10"- but it was created in my hotel room with limited suppplies. It is only a matter of time and the Canadian Seven invite me to become the first American to join them. (Wishful Thinking!)

Copyright 2008 William H. Miller All Rights Reserved

Oh Canada Fall

Spent this weekend driving around with friend, Carmen in Toronto and as you can see Fall is upon the Canadian residents here.

Copyright 2008 William H. Miller All Rights Reserved

Cooking with Mike

Up North

I flew to Buffalo, NY this weekend, so I can drive to Toronto and work for two weeks. I escaped Houston without any power only to learn in the Cleveland airport from my landlord that the power came on Saturday.

This is a photo from the plane of Lake Chautauqua! Good Times and interesting shape.

This is a photo of downtown Buffalo as we approach.

Michael entertained me and we drove around Buffalo doing things he normally does on the weekend. We ate at Bettys, a restaurant within walking distance from his home. His friend, Gretchen joined us and for a long while we had the restaurant to ourselves. Great conversation, food, wine and dessert.


After a nice sleep with the windows open...we went to Ambrosia, a greek restaurant for breakfast. I took this picture of Michael and edited it in photoshop.

Now a nice dinner, homemade by Mike, watching some television and relaxing.

Copyright 2008 William H. Miller All Rights Reserved

Another Day

Still no power
Another day at the office
Not much to write about
but more emails from friends across the country.

Getting back to Normal ?

Today, a little bit of regular routine. Wake up early, shower, and off to work. But this time you need to stop at every intersection (no traffic lights), dodge down debris, carry a flashlight since the parking garage has no power. About 30% of the people in my office made it to work - we all shared the different stories of who had power, who did not, who had ice, who needed ice, and more... can not say that things are back to normal, but working today in airconditioning, with internet access and phone is much better than being at home without. Still may be some time before people have basics covered (gas, water, ice, electricity, cable, internet). But working does somehow keep you distracted... that is until you have to head home.

The Kindness of Strangers - Tuesday

Just a short post as the Internet Cafe that became a haven is now like a factory for all those with computers, cellphones, blackberrys and need a charge and some communication with the outside world. They are limiting users to an hour, which is plenty of time, but certainly not for some who planned on camping out in the cool airconditioning.

Yesterday, I met my neighbors behind me - I am still with out power, but they never lost power. Strange how the electric grid works. So after a knock on their door, an introduction, they agreed to let me run an extension cord from their front door to my back door. The cord runs into my kitchen and has my refrigerator hooked up. Back in the business of keeping items cool and making ice. Can not believe how a simple electrical applicance can be so important here.

I was able to return some kindness to them by giving their car battery a jump. Strange how you can live next to people and not know them until something like this happens. Now I have welcome faces on both sides of me and across the street.

The artshow that we planned for Team Tough as Jim has been cancelled until October (we are hopeful that Jim will be back in Dallas then).

Take care - Billy

More Ike -Monday

Here are some more pictures from yesterdays walk. No power yet. Coffee House has power and internet put is closing early due to lack of food and coffee. Food from freezer has been thrown out. Making soup from Frozen vegetables on the gas stove. No work today, but able to communicate some via internet.

Lots of perspective.

Lots Of Trees down all downtown
Blinds from building make nature's abstract sculpture.
The Chase Building next door to friend Jennifer's apartment building.

Night gameswith no power.

Love you all for you words of support.

Pink House After IKE

Just thought you would like to see how the Pink House and I survived Hurricane Ike, this was shot Saturday morning around 11am. It is now Sunday, approx. 2pm- I am seeking cool air, iced coffee and charging cell phone battery, uploading information to the blog and checking the internet.... Catalina Coffee a haven in the storm aftermath.

IKE at NIGHT Commentary

I posted this on You Tube and on my blog - not sure what it will sound like, but inside my house after the power went out and I was in complete darkness except for my hurricane lantern/radio and flashlight. Laying away from windows on a blowup mattress (my actual bed is located by two large windows) in the middle of the house. It was quite terrifying to just hear the sounds... the transformers exploding in the distance, the things hitting the roof, the windows, the creaking, the knocks, the rain, and that wind -howling, whistling, sounding like a train --- all in the dark. I can honestly say I had my first panic attack laying there. So I hope it captures it.

IKE at NIGHT

I HEART CATALINA COFFEE

The beauty is that some places can be a haven in the storm. That haven is the local coffee shop with Internet access that has power. The rest of the neighborhood is without power, but the cafe is doing a briskbusiness and I am taking this chance to update the blog for my family and friends who read this.

As you can see this is the pink house (compare to the previous post) - can you see the tree that fell on the house next door. Not many branches and leaves left - the car is ok, just a bent antenna, and it has become a haven for airconditioning and charging the cell phone.

This is a picture of the Buffalo Buyou that if you look closely you can see the lights that light up the waling path...all underwater... they are normally 10-12 feet high -so the water is really high!

This is Washington Street & Sawyer-as you can see the line of cars as far as you can see, the police stopping traffic.... they are in line to go to the local Target which is open....but they are only letting a few cars at a time,

becuase their is a building that collapsed on Sawyer.

This is a few of the skyline....not sure if you can tell but many of the skyscrapers have windows out.

So here it is 24hours since IKE roared through. Now we are awaiting power, awaiting water, ---when the simple things in life are put in perspective. Thank you to all the friends and family that have made calls to me or my parents. As long as the Catalina Coffee Shop is open - I have place to visit get some java and some electricity and some internet!

XXoo Billy

I survived Ike

X marks the spot

It's almost midnight, the winds are heavy around 40-50mph... all my windows are taped up with duc tape


The scariest thing is the sound. The noise of the wind is so ominus. The lights are flickering, so this might mean that power is going to go out soon.

Wonder what I will wake up to this morning, when the eye should be over us? That is of course if I can get any sleep.