Hey, I used to eat there. What happened? Signs of emptiness are everywhere. You may spot one someday and wonder where it all went. OK, maybe it's just like sand running through your fingers or toes. That's the price you pay for that new pair of jeans...;-)

three paintings about venice

signs of emptiness

You can take a look at some of this if you like and if you have any of these in your neighborhood and would like to snap one and send it along to me, that would be great:

http://signsofemptiness.blogspot.com/

please send any pix to: davemancini@dialogsplus.com

Incredible storefront in Venice

After we finally settled in to the reality that Venice, Italy is a remarkably commercial place, we began to enjoy the 'scenery'. Thousands of shops all competing with the ancient, crumbling-ness of the old city. It's no surprise that there is a Disney store there. Adds to the charm, ya know?

Tuffi lauded for trumpeting abilities

Tuffi was a female circus elephant. On 21 July 1950 the circus director Franz Althoff had Tuffi, then 3 years old, take the Schwebebahn (a suspended monorail) in Wuppertal, Germany as a marketing gag. The elephant apparently did not enjoy the ride, trumpeted wildly and ran through the wagon, broke through a window and fell some 5 meters down into the Wupper River, suffering only minor injuries. A panic then broke out in the wagon and some passengers were injured. Althoff helped the elephant out of the water. Both the circus director and the official who had allowed the ride were fined.

Tuffi is included here in Tuba Playing Made Easy because while not officially playing a tuba per se still she is reputed to have demonstrated extraordinary trumpeting ability under duress and is thus by the author duly recognized for that.

To view more of my work please visit:

http://decemberpaintings.blogspot.com/

http://falldrawings2006.blogspot.com/

Alchemy- Watercolor 42 X 56 cm.December 2006

To be honest I have always believed in the alchemical process that is, man's ability to transform ordinary substances into gold. This is the last in a series of paintings that I did over the Christmas time and it depicts the alchemical process at work. This is of course a metaphor for what we humans are quite good at, and hopefully use for good ends, and that is 'thinking'.

Visualization. Picturing. Imagineering. What you will...

The process depends on your ability to get into, and remain in touch with, that which we have in former times described as heart's desire, lifelong dream or utmost fantasy.

It has been said that it is very important not to allow your belief in your own ability to create what you want in your life to be contaminated by the contradictory belief that it is not possible. Thought power is God power.

Peace.