a peek at my world....

This is what I call "Lala"...I share a spot with my buddy, Lansing, in the Los Alamos Antique Mall. I have been really busy since Madison came into our lives and have not been working it like I should. Lansing has all the excellent pottery. He is very good at identifying unmarked pieces and knows the year they changed the molds etc. I price things more loose. I paid x so I will sell it for xx....I enjoy doing this and I am happy when I cover my rent. I need to put about half of my various collection in here.....but that takes time I don't have right now.....

And here is my main job....
After Madison did her thing at Jill's...Joe thought they had been broken into....She is an amazing mess maker! ...but so sweet. She is starting to pretend and play with dolls and stuffed animals. She is tucking them in, gently patting and kissing them...but she hits and pinches the cats...no matter how much I scold her......drives me nuts. Then she puts her arms around me and gives me a little pat and I am better.

Fun day at the Art Clinic

Sukey's amazing piece....

We all got plastered at the Art Clinic today...I mean we did some art with plaster of Paris. I took a class from the amazing Stephanie Lee last May and I was ready to do some more art like she taught me. So I invited Diane R., Carol. Sukey, Mary, Barbara and Sue to come play with me. It was really fun and exciting to see what everyone did.



This is my latest abstract called ...Floral Arranging 101....

I just got this cool piece of Wodaabe handwork from Lori. I love it! There is a little burn in the fabric that they did handwork over...Lori knew I would love this piece.

a little beach time

It so fun to watch Madison discover all the wonderful mysteries of the beach.....

La Brea fire

I caught this pic just as the noon wind was picking up and blowing all the ashes our way. This fire has dumped more ash on us than any fire has in the past. It is 75% contained....now.

Here is what I am doing Saturday

"Art Round Up at the Grange"
Annual Art Show by the Artists Guild of the Santa Ynez Valley

Held in conjunction with "Quick Draw" in Los Olivos
Saturday, August 15, 10 am

The Santa Ynez Valley Grange will be ablaze with color on August 15, when members of the Artists Guild hold their festive annual fine art exhibit. The theme is the Infinite Variety of Art. Guild artists express their artistic visions in a variety of intriguing ways. You'll enjoy seeing the exhibit and talking to the artists. Refreshments will be served.

The Grange is located at 2374 Alamo Pintado Avenue, right next to the Park in downtown Los Olivos where "Quick Draw" takes place. Sponsored by the Los Olivos Gallery Organization, this is an all-day visual arts experience. There will be gallery open houses, special art exhibits, art demonstrations, and a silent art auction. Highlight of the day is the actual Quick Draw, where professional artists race against the clock in the park to create a finished painting in 45 minutes. These art works are then sold to the highest bidder in a live auction.

When you're in Los Olivos for Quick Draw, take in the Guild's special exhibit,
"Art Round Up at the Grange." Saturday, August 15.

I am not in the quick draw. I am exhibiting in the grange during the event. Come by if you are in the area. I have some new work I will bring. The quick draw is fun to watch.....

LE went home

Madison's first sentence.."bye bye auntie LE" with a wind up for a kiss to throw ....with a wave finish. It just melts your heart.

We all wish LE could have stayed longer. It was so fun to have her here...and she hardly had to do any work. She got to just hang out. We went to the beach, had lots of Mexican food, visited with friends..my friends anyway...and hopefully she caught up on her sleep.
Anyway today we had a get together at Susan H's magazine-worthy house ....so good to see everybody again....then LE to the airport (sniff) then on to Santa Barbara for the First Thursday Art Walk. I maned the wine bar at Santa Barbara Arts most the night. I met some fellow artists and there was a weaver set up in the gallery from Teotetlan de Valle, Oaxaca weaving a rug with natural dyes. Really beautiful work! Georgeanne Alex had done the window using some of my pieces and it looked fantastic!

Great weekend...

The biggest thing is LE is in the house! She is getting her Maddie fix... LE came Saturday while I was doing a show at the La Arcada in Santa Barbara. Sunday was a very nice gathering of friends for Fred Carr's memorial in Santa Barbara. Then Earl, Jill, LE, Madison and I went to sushi in Solvang tonight and played a fun game of Pictionary on the deck.It feels so good to have the girls here....sigh...

What I am working on...

I have a show in the La Arcada walkway in Santa Barbara on Saturday the first....so I am busy trying to get a few things done...I had "a wild hair"...and did some fun birds and have 2 other painting started. I had some down time at the doc office to get some drawings of ideas done ...that helps alot.
Cpme by the La Arcada in Santa Barbara if you are in the area Sat. It is just down from the SB Museum of Art.

Madison at daycare

They just sent this pic of her...which makes me so happy since she was crying when I left her...2 handed artist....

Busy weekend....

Besides being Earl's birthday it was Melissa's big birthday bash.

They will be talking about this event for awhile. It was full of lots of happy people and fun going-ons with a few surprises added in. Susan along with her crew of mostly Ray and Armando...did an amazing amount of work. And it all turned out beautifully! ...as you can see...








There was a song sung to Melissa by none other than Sean Cassidy. Most the women at this event said they had his poster up in their bedrooms when they were teens.....Melissa's husband and his back up singers did a rendition of "Do Run Run"....Lots of good toasts and fabulous performances by her son, Bear.

Sunday for Earl's birthday we took Madison for her first beach day. She loved it! We finished off with a great meal at Brothers. Earl had his long awaited prime rib dinner complements of Joe, Jill and Madison.

Madison and her new tricks

I survived the weekend...

2 beautiful days ...but I am exhausted! I still have not unloaded the car....2 events back to back is hard on old people like me. I had to miss the fireworks and sleep...not like me at all. I love fireworks! But I met some great people and visited with some friends. Thanks everyone who stopped by my spot in SB and Shell Beach. I guess I got my pic in the SB News Press today. Jill picked one up for me but I have not seen it. I have a "ringer" customer, Penny, in the photo too.
Now it is time to start up my acrylic painting classes at the Art Clinic again. Carol is doing a metal clay class and we are having a felting class on Sunday the 12 with Barbara Carr. I can hardly wait!

I am back....

physically anyway....still exhausted....I am the last to post from the ArtFiberFest posse of Mary, Charolette, Pam and I. So go check out their lovely posts and I will write more after this weekend. I have a show in Santa Barbara Sat. and Shell Beach Sunday with too small of an inventory...yikes! Anyway I want to say I had a really great time at AFF. New amazing friends and warm re-acquaintances with old friend. And of course Mary is so great to travel with. She likes the same things I do. We did get lost several times but it just added to the adventure.
I had amazing students.
Emily, Reenie and Alma made the class a real treat. I had a really fun time with Reenie at some nearby garage sales. I think anyone would have fun with her...she is so fun and super sweet. And of course there are not enough adjectives to describe how great Teesha and Tracy are.....they work so hard so we can all have this amazing experience. I love them both....


On the home front...Earl is on his way home from his NewBeetle show in Roswell and visit with his folks in Cortez, CO. He called from Barstow. It looks like the mothership missed him again...but by this photo, it was close.


These are my latest sockies....

One more hug...

before I take off for FiberFest....Please don't forget me Madison while I am gone.

I went to a class get together in Santa Paula Saturday, the Gerry Griffin Memorial kegger, with childhood buddy Billie Jean. We had such a good time! It feels more like a family reunion than a class reunion thing. Thanks again Birkys for opening up your great home for us all. I did not take too many pics. I did not think of it until it was almost dark. For any of my classmates: I think my biggest surprise was to see Ronnie Everett there..aka Bamboo...Anyway I always leave those events feeling lucky I had such a great chilhood and...that I survived it!

more of the co-lab....

This is the new doll Tara made. She is trying to cozy up to Captain Nimrod.....

This is the treatment Tara did to the portfolios that hold the double sided art. I have to do my part...but it will have to wait til after FiberFest and the July 4th show I have in Santa Barbara.

I just love these little things! They say they are for mayonnaise. The banana is a tiny flat spoon thing...also from Tara.

A quick post

My big news is I am teaching at ArtFest next year!!! ...Trees of Mystery. I will post pics later.
Here is an Earl update. You see him here in the shirt he and LE did for the Roswell trip end of the month. I think we have finally started on the road to normal eating.....so he is feeling stronger now and will be able to return to work in July as planned we think.

This is part of the co-lab Tara and I have been working on...did I already post this? If so it is good to visit it again. I have more pic to post but will probably get busy on that when I get back from FiberFest and the July 4t show is over....As for AFF...Mary and I are doing our road trip again. This time we are only going as far as Portland. We are both teaching, vending and I am taking classes too. I am hoping LE can make it down for a visit. I am teaching a custom apron class...basically make an apron to suit your personal needs from a pair of Levis...and paint it. I am looking forward to teaching this class. Teesha said I have some awesome students!

...and of course a pic of Maddie with Grandpa...


I liked this email funny:

I feel like my body has gotten totally out of shape,
So I got my doctor's permission to
Join a fitness club and start exercising.
I decided to take an aerobics class for seniors.
I bent, twisted, gyrated, jumped up and down, and perspired for an hour But, by the time I got my leotards on, The class was over.

Here is what Madison is up to