Natural Fitabulous Lifestyle Art Corner: Interview with local artist and painter Lynne Mayer

Hi and welcome to Natural Fitabulous world!
I have not blogged in a long while, but I have certainly been very active, living the many healthy tips that I share around here. 
I have not been blogging but I have instead been writing books. I have two published books available on amazon and two coming up soon. My first book is a delightful healthy story that's a must read.


To see more of the fun healthy things I have been up to check my books on Amazon.




A few months ago I had the pleasure of visiting a show at an art gallery in Dalton Georgia where I immediately fell in love with the works of the artist.
Having spent a portion of my childhood in France, I immediately noticed the French flair in some of her works and it added to my interested to know more about her!




I could not interview her for my sole enjoyment and figured that you and others might be inspired by her. I strongly believe in the therapeutic virtues of art, I believe that you don't have to be a professional to appreciate how art can calm, heal, energize, uplift, de-stress, and benefit us mentally and physically!




I pray you will enjoy my conversation with Lynne and be inspired to create more often...


In bold are my questions to Lynne, in red are my additional thoughts on our beautiful time together...


















Painter Lynne Mayer and Author N'nako Goodhealthdiva

How long have you been painting?

I have always liked drawing and painting since I was 8 years old.

I have been creating paintings and selling in galleries for 22 years.

Where do you find the inspiration for your work?

I love finding compositions in Nature for my work and Native American studies.


I certainly share with Lynne a love for nature and I naturally gravitated toward her paintings of leaves, butterflies and her stunning painting of a fish that had all my favorite colors!

What made you decide to become a painter?

There is so much beauty around me that I want to feel a part of it through the process of painting my interpretation of what I am seeing.

What would you say are some health benefits of painting?

It seems the older we get, the more our minds seem to ramble on with thoughts about everything even when we don’t care about thinking. For me painting is a way of stilling the mind by immersing myself into a dream creation of the painting I am foreseeing and focusing on a brush stroke that becomes part of it.

When I sit and paint, it’s like I am in my own little happy world with no other thoughts or cares.


Below is a fun collage of our time at Lynne's Art Show.
She paused by my favorite painting and the gallery owner sneaked behind her and photo bombed our picture.
When she asked to take a picture of my book I assumed she was only taking a picture of a book, so I continue to talk and laugh with our friends around totally oblivious that Lynne was photographing!


Lynne's painting are not just beautiful, they allowed us to create some fun beautiful moments!


How has painting changed the quality of your life?

The process of painting has helped me be in the present more rather than dwelling on the past or fearing the future.

I noticed on some of your painting that you traveled to France before? Why France? What other location have inspired you?

France is the heart of Impressionism. The two trips I took to France were with other painters who wanted to paint the beautiful countryside just like the Impressionists did years ago.
As I mentioned before, I lived a portion of my childhood in France and in Ivory Coast, a French speaking African country.  You will enjoy some beautiful photographs of both places in my book Little Corey and Cousin Nia

I have also enjoyed plein air painting from Tennessee to Maine on trips with fellow artists.

Do you have a favorite painting technique? If yes which one (s)?

In recent years I have come to love many techniques in Encaustic painting.

This is painting with 200 degree colored beeswax much like the Egyptians , Greeks, and Romans did for the artwork in pyramids and bath houses.

What advise would you give anyone interested in pursuing their interest/passion for painting?

Every one should find out what gives them passion for life. Do you find yourself desiring to create in art, enjoying the challenge, and feeling happy from the process?  Then this is your passion and this is what will balance you in everything you do and think.

Even if you choose a career that is very mind analytical, be sure to keep your passion for creating in painting going on a routine basis.

There are many opportunities today to learn techniques in painting and all forms of art without going to college for the instruction.

Sign up for one of the many professional artists with instructional workshops all over the USA and Europe. This will really let you know how you react and feel about your art process.

What are some of your other passions/interests?

I love being outside seeing how things grow in a garden and listening to the wild ducks on our ponds quack remarks to each other.

I love playing with my two dogs and looking into their dreamy faces of love and loyalty. My two cats teach me how to relax and don’t worry so much.

I have returned to bowling in my older age and love being with my team every Wednesday morning.

When I first saw Lynne I could tell that there was more than Art that kept her healthy and sharp.
Like I share a lot throughout this blog and my books, physical and mental health are important to our total well being and we might not love the exact same things and attain our goals the same way, but either it's music, dancing, playing an instrument, drawing or painting, there are simple ways to enjoy life and add beauty to the lives of those around us.





















Thanks for stopping by, sharing your comments, Following , Liking the FB page, following mw on Instagram, subscribing by email, sharing with your friends and all those good stuffs...(smiles) Until next time have a better and healthier life... N'na

NFL BOOK CORNER: Book review of Life is Gift by Tony Bennett

Welcome to the Natural Fitabulous Lifestyle's Book Corner

 

I decided to revive my blogging activities by sharing something I am absolutely passionate about and that is books, especially Memoirs and Biographies.

 

Today I will be sharing about my latest intellectual goody and that is Life is A Gift by Tony Bennett.

 My excitement upon finishing the book last night:
"Wohooo I am done reading this delicious totally awesome amazing stupendous book and I have to tell youuuuuuuu!!!

Oh my! Okay where do I start... The guy marched @ Selma and has been close friend to Belafonte for years.
When I read the book of Dr Martin King sister last year she mentioned the role Belafonte played in their lives. So here I am reading again about this man whose voice I have love sinc...e I was a little girl! Oh I had a crush on him because he was so handsome!
Okay back on track, I was saying... Belafonte invited Benett to walk with them in March 1965. And he shares in the book that amazing story of how all the performers who attended find have a stage to perform so a mortician donated some coffins that were used to create a platform for them.
Don't you just love how reading teach you things from a different facet?
Memoirs reveal things that history books can't and that's one of the many things I love about books. I shared his Selma story with my kids today and we went from discussing Selma to a few other things! Learning never stop and reading is so much fuuuuunnn!!!



Just to show a few of the people mentioned in the book :
 

http://franksinatraschoolofthearts.org/

 

 

Ella and Bennett were very close and lived near each other in California. She was a close family friend to him and his girls.

Amy Winehouse recorded with him her last song before she died 4 months after. The song was a favorite of her dad ' Body and Soul'!

 Louis Armstrong: Benett painted his portrait and Louis teased that he out Rembrandted Rembrant and hang the portrait in his office. When Armstrong home was turned into a museum the portrait was kept in the same location.

SINATRA was his mentor and eventually his best friend. He credits Sinatra to being the one that gave him his big breakthrough because Sinatra's public praises of him gave him a big recognition.Sinatra taught him the importance of supporting the younger generations.

Bennett created an Art sShool in Astoria NY and named it after Sinatra. http://franksinatraschoolofthearts.org/

 

 Throwback from March 28.....

"What are you guys up to?

I'm back from the ranch and it's #datenight with #tonybennett!
Like #princeroyce would say #thatsclassrightthere this guy is not just a legend he is what good music is all about! Oh my and to learn about Duke Ellington (who was one of his close friends) and learn all the rich 'behind the scenes' history of the music industry is just too fascinating!"

 

Now that I am done reading this delicious book I will have to tell you what I absolutely love about it:

 

SEVEN THINGS I LOVE ABOUT THE BOOK

 

1) Reading memoirs gives you facets of historical facts and moments that school books can't ever give.

 

2) I love that he wasn't just a singer but also a painter and is now learning sculpting. This to me shows that being an artist doesn't mean you confine yourself to one form of expression. I love that he would go between painting or singing when one project was too overwhelming.

 

3) I love that I learned some musical and artistic techniques from him. Even though I am not a singer I can appreciate learning more about music.

 

4) I love all his tips and lessons on the importance on being true to yourself. This alone is powerful lesson in itself!

 

5) I loved that BEAUTY matters to him because I too love to see beauty in everything.

 

6) I love learning about other celebrities like Lena Horne, Belafonte that I absolutely love, Louis Armstrong. It is fun to see how they impacted each others.

 

7) I love that he lived long enough, still living, to share his ups and down with so much class and inspiration.

 

I could go on but just read this delightful book for yourself and let me know what you think of it!

What is something inspiring that you read recently? What would you recommend for my next reading selection? Answer me here or on my facebook page!

Ideas for summer vacation: "Georgia on my mind" and things to do in Atlanta! A staycation in Atlanta Part 1!

In my article " Ideas for Summer vacation: Thailand's on my mind" I mentioned that some people's vacations could simply consist of visiting a nearby city" or having a staycation trying something new in your town.

If you are from Atlanta or from it's surrounding I hope this article will give you a new perspective into Hotlanta! (smiles)! If you have never been to Atlanta and are somewhat curious about its history and identity I hope that this article will trigger a deeper interest.
There are fun things to do in Atlanta like
Visiting the GA Aquarium it's easy to spend a whole day in there.
Spending time at Centennial Park
Visiting the Botanical Garden
Visiting the CNN center which is one of my favorite after the GA Aquarium.
Enjoying Piedmont park especially when there's a concert or event.
Educating yourself at the Martin Luther King Center if you are interested in the Civil Right Movement or The Jimmy Carter center is you are interested about Human rights.
Visiting the High Museum during one of their fascinating exhibition, attending a Live Jazz event on Fridays...
Well I could go on and on about fun things to do in Atlanta as I have explored all the above plus some; but today I wanted to talk about a simple and enriching excursion I recently had in Atlanta.

I believe that walking is a great form of exercise and learning is good for our mental health so one morning I indulged into a little excursion downtown Atlanta.

I moved to the Atlanta GAArea 10 years ago before relocating to a nearby city in TN. I never took the time to enjoy a simple, peaceful and relaxing walk downtown. So about a month ago I had a very very short vacation/staycation and stayed just one night at the Hilton Downtown Atlanta with my husband. Walking around Downtown Atlanta was honestly one of the highlight of our vacation/staycation. I was certainly rediscovering the city. I never took time to walk downtown and take pictures. I knew downtown only by car and only knew it during busy hours.

It was on a Sunday morning, it was quiet and very different from the hustle and bustle that one is used to in such a metropolitan. It was such a relaxing time and since I took a bunch of pictures I am sharing some for your enjoyment and adding some interesting facts along the way.

Sleeping arrangements are important for a pleasant vacation no matter how short the vacation. Downtown Atlanta has many nice hotels and something for any budget. Just to name a few there is the Sheraton, The Marriott, the Westin, and the Hilton where I stayed at. (check the many pictures below)

Inside the Hilton hotel downtown Atlanta, Georgia.
We just checked in,

 I am checking the second most important room in any place, the bathroom that is, bathroom comfort is crucial for any quality vacation...

In the meantime hubby is taking in the view...

Hilton Hotel downtown Atlanta GA.

Being up so high, the 17th floor, the view of the pool down there makes me think of a weird scene from CSI Miami or CSI NY...or was it a scene in the first Lethal Weapon (1987) starring Mel Gibson and Danny Glover? I don't know but I am not sure that I like being so high....

Hilton Hotel Downtown Atlanta GA night view from the 17th floor.

But...there are some advantages to being on a high floor, advantages like being on a very quiet floor and having such as a panoramic view of the city by night or by day.....

Atlanta GA view from the Hilton's hotel from the 17th floor.

Atlanta GA view from the Hilton hotel downtown Atlanta view from the 17th floor.

Hilton Hotel Downtown Atlanta GA view from the 17th floor.

If you are afraid of height just don't look down....I have to tell you I am not a fan of glass elevators.

Hilton Hotel  Downtown Atlanta GA inside view from the 17th floor.

Hilton Hotel Downtown Atlanta GA view from the 17th floor.

Getting a quick peak at what's going on outside the hotel...

Okay, we are on the main floor, so glad to be out of the glass elevator, I will not take it again. I am doing a little exploring indoor, there's a Gift Shop with some very cuuute things passed the Coffee shop! Here are some pictures inside the Hilton

Hilton Hotel Downtown Atlanta GA main floor.

Hilton Hotel Downtown Atlanta Georgia.

Hilton Hotel Downtown Atlanta Georgia.

Hilton Hotel Downtown Atlanta Georgia.

Time for a walk Really a beautiful day to go on a walk...

Exploring the architecture of a city is certainly a fun thing to do either on a vacation in a new city or just playing tourist in your town. Talking of tourist...what are these buildings below? Can any of you tell me?

Downtown Atlanta Georgia.

I was clearly intrigued by this building in particular can any of you tell me that is? I have heard years ago of a rotating restaurant but not certain if that's it?

Downtown Atlanta Georgia.

Downtown Atlanta Georgia.

Some hotels downtown Atlanta Georgia

The Westin Hotel!

The Marriott Hotel Atlanta GA

The Ritz Carlton Hotel Downtown Atlanta GA

We (hubby and I) passed by the Sheraton Hotel before we saw an old church that grabbed my attention.

Sheraton Downtown Atlanta Georgia.

I love history,old buildings, and educational vacations...

History of the First Congregational Church

First Congregational Church Atlanta GA

This is probably the one building that I photographed the most, I am sparing you all the many pictures I took but I have to share with you some of its history that I researched well after my peaceful walk.When I returned from Atlanta I was determined to learn more about this old church and I must tell you, I learned so much as I not only researched the history of the building but the lives of some of the people who attended there as well.

First Congregational Church Atlanta, Georgia.

So let me share a little history lesson...hope you don't mind...if you do just skip to the rest of the stuffs but for you all who love history, Black history, and/or African-American studies here's a treat...

The First Congregational Church in Atlanta was built in 1867 (as a picture I took above shows). Some interesting facts I retained form my researches are found in more details in the link I provide below.
The church was the Second oldest congregational church in the United States.
It was built to educate newly freed slaves after the Civil war.
The congregation was interracial.
The first service was May 26 1867 conducted by Reverend Erastus M. Cravath who later became president of Fisk University in Nashville Tennessee.  I could not find any picture of him but this one. He is the man in the center.   This picture belongs to the HBCU library Alliance and is part of the digital collection celebrating the founding of Fisk.
In 1894 the Church elected its first Black pastor Dr. Henry Hugh Proctor.
The church had some very remarkable members three of them were
John Wesley Dobbs  a political leader.
Mattiwilda Dobbs an opera singer and 
Grace Towns Hamilton the first Black Woman to serve in Georgia House of Representatives.
Each of these people has a fascinating biography and in spite of my temptation to share what I learned about each one of them it would be beyond the scope of this article to share more details.But for more on the church please read the following pages
http://www.auctr.edu/rwwl/FindingAids%5CFirstCongChurch.pdf

I know it sounded like we just had a small Black history lesson here but what good is an excursion through  Atlanta without learning a few things? We all know about Martin Luther King but we rarely talk about those people I just mentioned above. When I was taking pictures of the Church, I knew there was a lot to be known about this old building so obviously I had to please my inquisitive side. I hope the facts I shared above would simply inspire you to do some research of your own, this could be a great theme for any parent interested in teaching their children some historical facts about Atlanta GA that most people might not know about. I had visited the M.L.King Center and most things related to King in Atlanta when I first moved there 10 years ago but I never heard a thing about the 1st Congregational church and its famous attendants.

First Congregational church Atlanta GA

  There is something powerful about connecting with history, especially when you least expect it! I wish the building could talk...If that building could talk I would have be seated there for hours just listening....

First Congregational Church Courtland Street Atlanta GA.

Just a block away is...

As we walked around (my hubby and I ) there are few old buildings but nothing like that church. There are still plenty of pleasant things to check, definitely more modern, like the sculpture below:

A sculpture at the United Way building

United Way Building Downtown Atlanta Georgia.

Or the shining light award

Shining Light Award by the Magnolia Bistro Atlanta on Edgewood Ave.
1988 Shining Light Award to Mrs. Leonard 'Be' Haas
Photo by Goodhealthdiva

This shining light award is located by the Magnolia Bistro courtyard on 100 Edgewood Avenue, on the bottom floor of the United Way Building. Upon returning from my trip I did some research about the Magnolia Bistro just to see if it would be worth planning lunch there someday.The reviews on http://www.yelp.com/ were not as pleasant as the cute setting I saw this quiet Sunday morning.

Magnolia Bistro on Edgewood Ave. Atlanta GA picture by Goodhealthdiva

A special note about the Shining Light award. I was very curious about what it was all about and it's worth sharing. ( Ha ha ha another small history lesson...)
 The Sharing Light award is a gas lamp and plaque that's awarded each year to a 'Georgian who has been an inspiration to the lives of others through service to humanity ' (Atlanta gas Light Company). The award has been established since 1963 and is placed at a location chosen by the honoree. The recipient of the 1988 Award ( that I pictured above), Mrs. Leonard ' Be' Haas was a volunteer, fund raiser and community leader.

Okay...moving on with our little excursion downtown Atlanta.
The buildings below certainly got my attention from a distance. Don't they look grand?

Hurt Plaza Atlanta Georgia

The Hurt Building Atlanta Georgia.Designed in 1913 by Joel Hurt.

It certainly looks grand and rich up close with tall Acanthus columns, gorgeous balusters, dental molding and plenty of fascinating details to please all those who love architecture and appreciate old world beauty.  The building...yes (sigh)...another short history lesson...the building was designed in 1913 by architect Joel Hurt and is one of Atlanta earliest skyscrapers. The building host the Venetian Room at the Hurt Plaza, the Venetian Room is a private event space and is greatly recommended for a memorable wedding at an historic venue.
So if you are looking for a wedding venue in the heart of downtown Atlanta with a flair of history there you have it...but I don't know the price tag for rentals...

Hurt Plaza Downtown Atlanta Georgia.

Well, all that walking has led us to what turned out to be my very favorite spot....here we are...the beautiful park nested in the city, Woodruff Park, right across the Hurt Plaza!

I liked the park so much that I honestly forgot about everything else and simply enjoyed...so many things made me smile there! I will return for a part two of my vacation/staycation in Atlanta GA. For now just enjoy all these pictures and the historical and cultural facts I just shared with you. I will see you in a few days with more pictures of Woodruff Park, and certainly a few historical facts...

Hope you enjoyed your tour of downtown Atlanta so far. Thanks for reading and please share share share because some of the facts above are worth sharing since this article is not just about pretty pictures of a metropolitan, it's also about knowing a little more this summer...after all learning something new, fresh and changing our perspectives on a few things is what make vacations so refreshing...well... that's my humble opinion!

Are you in or from the Atlanta area? How well do you really know the city? Any fresh ideas come to mind for you to rediscover it? Are you inspired to re-discover the city/state where you are currently living?

N'na