Tuesday, January 27, 2009

"The Adventures of Brewskie!"--Brewskie Butt's First Blog


From Brewskie Butt, official spokescat of Art Adventures Studios...

Finally! BZTAT (my person) is letting me blog on the Buzz From BZTAT!!! It's my very first official blog that can be more than 140 characters (Twitter limit). I am so excited!!!!!

For my first blog, I thought I would tell you about my best pals, Noah and Who--the coolest cats around! OK, I'll tell ya about Slick, too, but I don't get along with her as well.

Here's Noah:


Noah and I have been pals for a long time. He was at my house when I first arrived. Noah is a HUGE cat! We think he is a Maine Coon cat. He's lots of fun to wrestle with, and he likes to snuggle too. He got his name from an early life experience he had. When he was born, he was kept in a plastic tub in a basement with his cat mom and kitten siblings. The basement flooded, and all the others got up to higher ground. Noah, though, as the story goes, was left in the tub, and was found floating around in his little Rubbermaid ark. Luckily, he was rescued, and he, too, got to higher ground. He came to live with my human mom, BZTAT, not too long after that.

This is Who:



Who is Noah's brother. He was in the flood too, but he got out of the ark before Noah was stranded. He came to live with Noah and BZTAT for a couple of weeks when he was little, then he went to live with BZTAT's mom in a retirement center. He was the king of that place, let me tell ya! Who is a large cat, too, although not as big as Noah. He is probably a Maine Coon cat, as well. Everyone says he is a strikingly beautiful cat, as he has a very unique face and swirly patterns in his fur. I just know he's lots of fun to play with! He came to live with us in February 2008 when BZTAT's mom went into a nursing home.

Who got his name from the "Cat Who..." book series by Lillian Jackson Braun. I never read the books, but I guess they are about cats that solve murder mysteries. BZTAT likes to sing the CSI theme song to him, "Who are you? Who? Who?" She sometimes calls him "Who-dini" cuz he can be a trickster. She calls out "Yoo Who...." when she can't find him, and calls him a "Ya-Who" when he's being silly.

This is Slick:



Slick is older than the rest of us. She's 13-1/2 years old (We're all 4-1/2). She's still pretty active, though. She is a calico, and half of her face is a different color than the other half. I confess, I get very jealous of her, cuz she and BZTAT have such a special relationship. I have a special relationship with mom too, but Slick was around during the legendary Beezie-tat's era (story for another blog), which gives her special status. Slick gets growly and hissy when I chase her or try to bump her off the cat tower, and mom always protects her. That's why she's my nemesis.

Slick was rescued from an oil spill on the Tuscarawas River in Navarre, OH. That's how she got her name. She didn't get any oil on her, but was brought in with a bunch of ducks and geese that did. She had an injured paw, but was fixed up by Dr. Jeff just like new. To this day, Slick gets nostalgic when she hears geese fly overhead.

My person, BZTAT, as you know, is an artist. She made all of the pictures of us here. She says that, if it weren't for us cats, she would have nothing to draw or paint. I think she would find something, because she does paint other things, but we sure do enjoy being her models. The picture at the top of this blog is my favorite picture that she has made of me. Make sure that you check out her website, her Cafe Press Shop, and her Zazzle store for all kinds of cool art and other stuff. Had to put that plug in, ya know, cuz I am her spokescat and all.

Thanks, mom, for letting me blog! Look out for more "Adventures of Brewskie!" in the future!

The Brew

Follow me on Twitter @BrewskieButt and on Facebook!

Art Adventures Studios
Buy Artwork and Gifts by BZTAT
Art Adventures Studios, located in downtown Canton, OH
near
Second April Galerie and the historic Onesto Hotel.

Sunday, January 25, 2009

"Marley and Me"...Beezie and Me...Brewskie and Me

I went to see the movie "Marley and Me" today. Yes, it was as billed-- a tear-jerker in that genre of movies that pulls at the heart strings of pet lovers. The tears flowed uncontrollably from my eyes, but not just because it had a moving ending to which every pet lover can relate. This was not just a love story between a human being and a pet. This was a story about a man discovering hidden potential in himself that would never have come to be, were it not for the relationship that developed between him and his dog.

If you are not a pet person, then you have no idea what I am talking about. But if you are a pet person, you know exactly what I am talking about.

Pets have an effect on us that is indescribable and beyond our verbal capacities to capture. Tears are all we have, sometimes, to express that effect. You see, animals have a way of getting into that place in our hearts that is totally unguarded and unfettered. We have pure love with no conditions. Through that kind of love, you discover the parts of yourself that are your best, and you realize how truly blessed you are.

In "Marley and Me", the main character John Grogan is a journalist who is sure of what he wants, yet distracted by the adventures of life. The adventures include marriage, family, career, and all the personal sacrifices that come along with the choices he has to make along the way. Enter Marley, a boisterous and undisciplined Labrador Retriever. Forced into writing a newspaper column for which he is lost for inspiration, John draws on his experiences with Marley for material. The column is a hit, and John discovers himself as a writer, as a husband and as a father through his relationship with Marley.

I am writing about this because the story very closely parallels my own life. I have had pets my entire life, and as a shy and awkward child, they were my closest companions. As a young adult, a small black and white tabby cat entered my life and stayed with me for 19 years. Now, I have four other cats who are the very joy of my life. But like John and Marley, the beauty of the story is not just in the love I have for animals.

Like John Grogan, I have drawn upon my experiences with my pets for "material". That black and white tabby was named Rembrandt (Shortened to R.B. by a friend, then later to R.Beezie, then to Beezie-tat), and she quickly became my model and artistic inspiration. I cannot tell you how many paintings I have painted of her or how many I have sold. Painting Beezie and having her as my soulmate companion for 19 years, I discovered my best as an artist and as a person. She helped me discover the best I could offer as an artist, and personally, she helped me develop an identity that was true and unique. Over time, I started using her name to sign my artwork--BZTAT.

Today, my mainstay of artistic production is bright, colorful and fun pet portraits. Not only do I enjoy painting them, I enjoy sharing them with other pet lovers. Even if no one buys the paintings, I love sharing them with other animal lovers. I love sharing stories about their pets and sharing tears about that special quality that we feel but cannot describe.

One of my current feline children has recently helped me develop a new line of communication with pet lovers on a global scale.

Enter @BrewskieButt, a slightly undisciplined yellow and white cat who is fast becoming a star on the microblog Twitter. My incorrigible cat Brewskie, you see, has taken to blogging on Twitter, and he communicates with other "cats" and "dogs"; "hamsters" and "chinchillas"; "horses and donkeys"--you name it, there are "Tweeters" of every pet breed. Through Brewskie, I have shared the joys and the sorrows and the day to day humor of pet life with others who share that unique love of animals. By chronicling Brewskie's little ways--his love of TUNA and catnip, his penchant for chasing the "Slick cat", his disgust for hairball "goop", etc.--I have found a new vehicle for artistic and social communication with people around the world.

Like Beezie, Brewskie is helping me overcome barriers within myself to become the best that I have to offer--artistically and personally.

Truthfully I started exploring Twitter because I had read that it was a good marketing tool for artists. It is that. But the best marketing happens when it is genuine, and Brewskie's play with his Twitter Critters is very much that. Some of Brewskie's pals have given me permission to use their photos for artistic inspiration, so look for the "Twitter Critters" series to be coming soon.

What would we be without our pets? I do not want to know.

And with that, I must stop writing, as I have a furry face *nosetapping* me, wanting some very well-deserved love.

Life is an Adventure!

BZTAT

Art Adventures Studios
Buy Artwork and Gifts by BZTAT
Art Adventures Studios, located in downtown Canton, OH
near
Second April Galerie and the historic Onesto Hotel.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

BZTAT's Thought for the Day


Far away in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they lead. --Louisa May Alcott




Art Adventures Studios
Buy Artwork and Gifts by BZTAT
Art Adventures Studios, located in downtown Canton, OH
near
Second April Galerie and the historic Onesto Hotel.




Monday, January 19, 2009

BZTAT's Thought for the Day

"Have You Hugged Your World Today?" by BZTAT


"I cannot expect even my own art to provide all of the answers. Only to hope it keeps asking the right questions." --Grace Hartigan

Art Adventures Studios
Buy Artwork and Gifts by BZTAT
Art Adventures Studios, located in downtown Canton, OH
near
Second April Galerie and the historic Onesto Hotel.

Brewskie Butt "Obomiconned"

BZTAT and her charming little spokescat Brewskie Butt couldn't resist the latest internet craze--Obomicons! Anyone can create an Obomicon at Obomicon.Me. Simply upload a photo to the website, and you end up with an image in the style inspired by Shepard Fairey's iconic Obama poster. What fun! Brewskie's positing of his Obomicon on Twitter led to a pick up on Openzap, where his Twitter friends voted him as the number one cool link of the day! His pal Oscar the Cat was not far behind.

Brewskie is the ultimate "Cate for Change". He and BZTAT celebrate the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States as they look forward to the new presidency with hope and optimism.

Life is an Adventure!

Art Adventures Studios
Buy Artwork and Gifts by BZTAT
Art Adventures Studios, located in downtown Canton, OH
near
Second April Galerie and the historic Onesto Hotel.

Friday, January 16, 2009

Kimono as Art: Cat style


Ok, I am starting to give in to my entrepreneurial cat Brewskie's desire to be the official spokescat for Art Adventures Studios. He is getting ready for the big Kimono show at the Canton Museum of Art by wearing his feline styled "Ki-meow-no".

Life is an Adventure!

Kimono as Art: The Landscapes of Itchiku Kubota


BZTAT is excited to share with you the excitement and enthusiasm that is growing in Canton, OH for the phenomenal art exhibit "Kimono as Art: The Landscapes of Itchiku Kubota". The Kimono exhibit opens at the Canton Museum of Art on February 9, 2009 and last through April 26, 2009. Featuring 40 giant landscape kimono created by the Japanese Master Itchiku Kubota, the exhibit has two exclusive showings in the United States and then returns to Japan. Canton is the last stop, as the pieces will soon be arriving from Timken Museum of Art in San Diego, California.

Kubota spent much of his lifetime perfecting a lost textile process called Tsujigahana, a simple, subtle dye technique that had been lost over centuries. The centerpiece of the Kimono exhibit is his 30-piece landscape kimono panorama, “Symphony of Light,” which displays his rediscovery and refinement of the Tsujigahana technique. An homage to nature and the passing of seasons, “Symphony of Light” consists of fifteen kimono depicting autumn and fifteen depicting winter. The ten additional kimono in the exhibit celebrate Kubota’s reverence for the natural world of Japan.

There are may events going on around Stark County to celebrate this amazing once in a lifetime exhibit. BZTAT hopes that you will get a chance to see the kimono and some of the events! Special thanks to the Canton Museum of Art, Arts in Stark, and all of their sponsors for making this wonderful cultureal event possible!

Art Adventures Studios, located in downtown Canton, OH
near Second April Galerie and the historic Onesto Hotel.


Thursday, January 15, 2009

BZTAT's Thought for the Day

"I am unable to make any distinction between the feeling I get from life and the way I translate that feeling into painting."

"It is my dream to create an art which is filled with balance, purity and calmness, freed from a subject matter that is disconcerting or too attention-seeking. In my paintings, I wish to create a spiritual remedy, similar to a comfortable armchair which provides rest from physical expectation for the spiritually working, the businessman as well as the artist."

"I have always sought to be understood and, while I was taken to task by critics or colleagues, I thought they were right, assuming I had not been clear enough to be understood. This assumption allowed me to work my whole life without hatred and even without bitterness toward criticism, regardless of its source. I counted solely on the clarity of expression of my work to gain my ends. Hatred, rancor, and the spirit of vengeance are useless baggage to the artist. His road is difficult enough for him to cleanse his soul of everything which could make it more so."

--Henri Matisse

Art Adventures Studios
Buy Artwork and Gifts by BZTAT
Art Adventures Studios, located in downtown Canton, OH
near Second April Galerie and the historic Onesto Hotel.

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

BZTAT Celebrates the Presidential Inauguration with New Art

To celebrate the historical inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States, BZTAT has created new art work! You can purchase BZTAT designed images on various products at her Art Adventures Studios CafePress shop. We look forward to the new era of change with hope and celebration!

Monday, January 12, 2009

BZTAT's Thought for the Day


"Adventure is worthwhile in itself.
"

"The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity. The fears are paper tigers. You can do anything you decide to do. You can act to change and control your life; and the procedure, the process is its own reward. "

--Amelia Earhart

Art Adventures Studios
Buy Artwork and Gifts by BZTAT

Art Adventures Studios, located in downtown Canton, OH
near Second A
pril Galerie and the historic Onesto Hotel.

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Artwork by BZTAT of Art Adventures Studios Video

Here is a video I put together of different pieces of my work. It includes pet art, digital photography, guitar and piano artwork, whimsical folk art drawings and paintings, etc. Enjoy the adventure!

Art Adventures Studios

Buy Artwork and Gifts by BZTAT


Art Adventures Studios, located in downtown Canton, OH
near Second A
pril Galerie and the historic Onesto Hotel.

BZTAT's Thought for the Day


"Sell your cleverness and buy bewilde
rment." --Jalal Ud-Din Rumi



Art Adventures Studios, located in downtown Canton, OH
near Second A
pril Galerie and the historic Onesto Hotel.

Sunday, January 4, 2009

"Cool Cat" Ice Sculpture--BZTAT's Great Ice Adventure!

It has taken me a day to thaw out and come down from the high of the the Great Ice Adventure! The ice sculpture was completed at about 9:30pm Friday night. What a rush it was making this thing!

As I have written in previous blogs, this was my first attempt at sculpture, much less an ice sculpture. I was pretty apprehensive, as I was not sure that I could pull this thing off. I had never handled a chainsaw or other power tools before, and it is a whole new conceptual realm to be carving in 3-D. As I got into it though, the apprehension left me. In fact, I became almost crazed with creative enthusiasm when I realized this was an adventure that opened up all kinds of creative possibilities!

I started out with a drawing and small clay model I had carved the night before to give me the conceptual idea. The model helped me know what to cut away from the block of ice; the drawing helped me know where to make the initial cuts to get the silhouette profile started.


Then I got out the chainsaw. I got over my intimidation of power tools pretty quickly! Soon, I was winging the thing around like I knew what I was doing! I actually had quite a bit of fun. Bundled up in sweaters, coat, snow pants, and two pairs of gloves, I didn't get too cold.




I used a drill with wire bush to grind out details and to curve out some of the straight-edged lines.







I had lots of neat people stop by and say "Hi".


The finishing touches were done with a blow torch. The blow torch smooths the edges and makes it look like glass.




Then, it was done!

I was thrilled with the end result, I must admit. I really felt accomplished, doing something that I had never done before, and having it turn out so well! I apologize to all my friends for my bragging--I was just too geeked not to share my high!

Having done this, I am charged up with new energy and adventurous creativity. Self imposed limits to my creative pursuits are now dissipating--If I can do this, I feel like I can do anything! What comes next? Well, I have started on a new adventure already! More about that in a future post...

Life is an adventure! Live it... Love it... Explore... Imagine... Enjoy!!!!!!

Thursday, January 1, 2009

First Friday Ice-O-Rama--BZTAT's Great Ice Adventure!

Well, it's less than 24 hours from the Ice-O-Rama, and BZTAT is about to embark on the great Ice Adventure! The block of ice will be delivered around 1pm Friday afternoon, and the sculpting will begin at 5pm. I practiced with a small block of ice today, however, I suspect the real thing will be nothing like that. For better or for worse, it should be almost done this time tomorrow. I will make sure that we get photos, maybe even a video, and I will post them as soon as I thaw out. The weather report calls for 32 degrees, snow flurries and 20 mph winds! Looks like I will be getting snow pants tomorrow morning.