Feeding The Fish .... a Watercolor Painting by Joyce Baldwin, Blue Ribbon 2008, Phoenix Artist Guild Art Show

(Art Show Photo courtesy of Yolanda Martin, Webmaster 2008, Phoenix Artist Guild)

I am sure there are as many answers to this question as their are readers of it.... What makes a painting valuable?


To me, the fact that I retained a vivid, ever present memory of one out of literally hundreds of paintings that I took photos of in 2008 made this painting "Feeding The Fishes" by Joyce Baldwin valuable enough for me to share it with you and insert it in this Koi-Pekingese Blog post. It truly is a Blue Ribbon winner over time and not just for the moment of decisive authoritative judging at the show (selecting her painting over all the other competing paintings). I know Joyce Baldwin personally and admire her greatly.  She is truly talented and creative.  I particularly like her subject matter for each painting she does.


Thinking about all the reasons I invested so much time, energy, and money to create my water garden pools complete with Koi fish this summer, I am sure the initial viewing, photographing, and remembering of Joyce's painting was a inspiration. It motivated me to convert the vision and message of her painting into my personal reality and space on the West side of my home.


Art inspires art. Art is the language of the soul. Is there anything more powerful in this world than art? Art is universal and timeless. Art speaks to all cultures and countries, and we can not help but respond to it.

Water Ways Unlimited

Keeping Our Fish Healthy

I caught a documentary on Sundance cable TV very early (6:00-7:30am) that began my day with a dismal raising of my consciousness of mankind's planetary destruction. Damage already irreversible....???



The program, narrated by Ted Danson and presented by Filmmaker Rubert Murray (2009), explores scientists' assertion that if mankind continues fishing at the current rate the planet will run out of fish in the ocean as soon as 2048 ... fish droppings consume carbon dioxide as explained in a paper date 2009....



Knowledge is Power .... ??? Oh? Then why do we reach the End of the Line (the title of the program documentary).... no more, for evermore .... extinction....impossible to recover or restore....... the Native American Indian's proverbial End of the Trail ???



Yesterday while shopping at a local Basha's Grocery store in Phoenix, I was waiting in line to have some sirloin beef on sale ground into hamburger (cost only $1.99/lb) .... (standing next to me was a middle aged gentleman asking the butcher for what was displayed in the showcase as $19.99/lb wild tuna ..... ?????). I was astounded by the difference in price between what I considered affordable to consume and his choice (but he did look handsome and healthy). Now I understand why fish (halibut, salmon, shellfish, and other varieties) prices are sky rocketing. The supply and the demand ratio dictates the price of the sale. Soon the supply disappears entirely no matter how much someone is willing to pay to indulge their appetite and dinner plates. Fish farming is not a viable future (it takes much more fish to feed what is being raised than product produced) .... (and this was explained very well by the program) .... also sustainable fisheries are not solving the problem either ..... what is the solution .... ????? The TV program recommended creating Marine Reserves (20-30% of the world's oceans) where commercial fishing is completely banned. Also required, the human population must stop eating fish eliminating the voracious demand for what is already beyond the peril of extinction (and by the domino affect the habitable planet's extinction).



The program stated that it costs 12 to 14 billion dollars a year to fund the marine reserves and would create a million jobs worldwide.... more than that amount is already being spend to subsidize the fishing industry detrimental to the future of the ocean's health. To effect change requires exerting pressure on governments and not the kind of pressure exerted on BP and its oil spill.... a more intelligent approach is needed. Intelligent politicians? Where are they to be found and can they get elected by the uncaring apathetic populations? :-(



I realize now why I am so intensely involved with my Koi/goldfish pool .... with water quality.... with water plants..... with the natural balance of the environment provided in which the Koi are expected to live..... land, air, water .....



Have you sustained a healthy aquarium? It is a learning experience, a rewarding one providing entertainment and relaxation, and almost always keeping fish healthy in their balanced ecology contributes to spiritual enlightenment, personal growth, and greater appreciation for fragile ecological environments.  We are all fish in the same water together on this planet. 



Here is the web site which created the program I viewed.  http://endoftheline.com/


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My Song Pekingese Park with Koi/Goldfish Water Gardens

Please visit my web site at http://ymmartin.com/ to view photos of my AKC Champion Pedigree Show Pekingese of all colors including the very rare blue.  Occasionally there is a litter of show quality home raised puppies available for adoption.

In this blog you will find news about my Pekingese enhanced with occasional photos, videos, and digital art images created for local art shows. The reader will also have posts about what I have learned providing Pekingese care and breeding quality healthy puppies.  As an enthusiastic keeper of Koi and Goldfish that I keep healthy in outdoor pools used as water gardens, that too will be reported in this blog.