Dropping off art for jury in WV....

In my world, it will forever be about the art, but it can certainly do me no harm to also be about the food. The Purple Fiddle in Thomas WV is one of those places, if you haven't discovered, you need to drop in and check it out. They have a line up of music that includes old-time and traditional bands, but also a little rock n' roll, jazz, funk, raggae, Celtic, folk, Latin and more. The menu consists of a lot of fresh made unique wraps, homemade falafel, hummus, and pico de gallo and is served in a dining area either outside or eclectic in nature inside. You can even draw with chalk on the walls in the lady's bathroom! Fun.

A cute and small artsy gallery is located just a short jaunt away. It is owned by a couple local artists.

One of their displays is quite interesting. They had a bow in the floor and decided it would be really cool to insert a door to take care of the issue, then suspend another door on top to use as a display table. Clever and fun. This was currently being used for "buttons", of which Seth created a lot of the sayings and images on them. My daughter ended up with many of them. They included a couple of my favorites that he made to just see if you would say them out loud to make you sound silly: "supa sep secky suchy saba susser sa!" and "licka lally lupa luck luk!". Then there were "buttons are sexy"and "cheeses priced".

This is Sean, one of the co-owners. His work is super cute and comic in nature about life, drawn with sharpies and microns. His work can be seen at http://www.theartofseth.com/. We spent a good bit of time talking to him and Chaise walked out with several items, to include a print. He had a wonderful and welcoming personality and was super easy to talk to about why he does what he does.

Our main goal to our journey was to stop in to Mountain Made. It is this wonderfully old, large building and has a fabulous gallery of art and fine craft. Not only can you shop here, you can shop on-line at http://www.mountainmade.com/. Since I also have a home in West Virginia, I was able to take my jewelry to be juried to see if I could become an artist represented by Mountain Made that was established to promote WV artists. They offer classes, art studios and, of course, art. The work is dropped off and the wait time of about a couple weeks begin as they look over my work to see they agree that I am a nice fit for their gallery and that my quality is what they are looking for. Judging by the work currently there (I've shopped there many times before), I think I'll make a nice addition. Wish me luck!

Art on the River & the new display....

It was that time of the year for me when you decide it's time to go be one with your customer base. It never is a small task and I always appreciate what other artists do to get their work out to the masses. I started this season with a trying out a new, and what I hoped to be, easier and less time consuming display to set up. My family humored me as I roughly tried it out in our livingroom for about a week!

My daughter helped me pack the Rover. This is only part way filled and with the new display, quite the puzzle to put together! I can't believe what I stuffed in there! Uhm, time to buy a larger vehicle.

The new display. It set up, knocking 2 entire hours off my time! It is a flat surface set-up only though, so on unlevel ground, I'm back to tacking on those hours. I was pleased with how it clean it looks.

I love my snazzy banner a friend created for me out of my images. It all added to my professional image and was very well received by my customers at Arts on the River in Morgantown! Thanks to those who always make it worth my while to hump and slump my entire store to them.

Another contemporary artist was at the festival and decided to play artist on the sidewalk in front of his space. Some kids even joined in, and it ended up to be a pretty cool piece. He almost had his own type of language and it was about 20 feet long by the time he stopped. It stuck around for both days considering people were walking on the Deckers Creek Trail that begins at the Hazel Ruby McQuain River Front Park, where our small festival was located. Funny, but people didn't want to step on it!

Of course, one of my favorites is the paper booth! Annie Morris Simcoe (from http://www.annabellpetunahead.com/ or check her out on facebook.com under ABPH) makes fabulous hand made paper, out of things like ramps, vegetable matter and so many other items. Then she sews the papers together to make both 2D work and 3D vessels, jewelry and lamps. This lovely friend put me up for the weekend in Morgantown and we both tried to deal with the upper 90's that mother nature threw at us. It is always lovely to be at a festival, side-by-side with a friend, but especially one that has such refreshing and original work. Did I mention, I own many of her pieces! Now, on to the next festival.

Chincoteague + girls + art + BILL = fun!

So we left the big city behind by crossing the linear and cool geometic Bay Bridge on our long girls week & end adventure to go hang at a cute little vacation pad on Chincoteague Island in Virginia, owned by another friend who graciously said - have it.
We arrive to see lush, marshy areas as we made our way to the island.
The trip surrounded this lovely chickie because it was her special birthday. We all got to enjoy the yummy peachy dessert Ceil made for Dalis.

And who could resist purchasing her something from this way cool shop!
Truth be told, we must have been in here a half dozen times, at least during the trip. This coffee and way fabulous art shop sits right at the entrance to the island and you can't miss it or it's quaint attitude!
We just couldn't leave it. There was something crammed in every nook on both floors.

So we went to the island for the water, right?! Annie had a wonderful suggestion that we take a tour with Captain Ray. We got to explore for 3 hours, since the Captain was passionate about the island. Good thing we thought to bring wine and cheese over this dinner hour! Ceil and Annie were enjoying the wonderful breeze of the evening, prior to spotting some dolphin. Favorite quotes from the Captain? "Maam, I think you're losing your dress!" and "My goodness...."
And speaking of the sea... do you sea what I sea?

Annie in her new island cowgirl get-up, that has made it's way back to Cumberland.

A nifty assemblange.

Who

can be so close to Ocean City without going and

playing with Ceil's family who has a vacation home by the beach. We got together with them for a fun and fabulous dinner at Fager's Island. Elizabeth , Theresa, Helen and Maria told us wonderfully entertaining stories.

Maria has a lovely

evening walk way through the dunes to the beach outside of her condo.

One of our mornings,

we decided that Dalis, Ceil and I would take a bike ride through the Assateague Island Wildlife Refuge.

The mist was still apparant above the water.

The Great Egrets could be seen in large flocks having marsh parties.

I was taken aback at how uniquely beautiful and preserved this area was.

I thought perhaps I could sit here for days. That could have been the case, had it not been for the plastic bag that was wrapped around my camera, that came loose and took a hike on the wind, making it's way at this beautiful scene.

My mad dash to stop the tumble of the plastic bag into the marsh, put me behind a bit and I had to pick up my speed to catch up. Trust me, these girls have been exercising a bit more than me lately. I did so, right about the time of seeing Dalis and Ceil pass through these tall trees. I felt almost as if we were going through a tall gate, because all the surrounding trees were dwarfed compared to these tall'ies.

I wanted to stop and sit right there to see what would pop out of the refuse, but alas, the girls were always ahead of me and we had a beach to go plop our butts on. Annie was already there by car, waiting for our arrival.

We got detoured one last time, to see the famous wild ponies of Assateague Island. They were all bowed down to nibble on the grass and one little one decided it was nap time.

The beach is only backed by the Assateague Island Wild Refuge, so there are no condos, restaurants or shop in view. Only nature. AND BILL. He was always around, every day we went to the beach and loves Goldfish brand crackers.

This is BILL, BILL, BILL, BILL, BILL, BILL & BILL.

I am and forever will be a texture girl. I love applying it to my art in so many forms. So my images tend to not be of the people on the beach, but the waves crashing in, creating such a mix and play of colors, shapes, light, and I can almost touch the bumpiness of the view.

The transistion of the color and textures are fabulous. I found myself almost trying to pick out shapes to throw into my jewelry designs. Almost! I was tired from all the biking and decided to go read a book on my new beach chair as the breeze and mist from the ocean washed over our mini vacation. Okay, okay, so MY final trip to the coffee art shop ended up in more purchases, to include a little cup like vessel from this artist. AGAIN with the texture. Love it. Too bad I procrastinated and missed a set I was going to purchase. But I was happy to take any one of these little guys home for my art collection.
Our mini vacation was coming to an end and we had had a fabulous and relaxing time of it. I enjoyed my time on the beach with great friends.
BILL was even there and we learned he spied something else orange on the picnic table behind the pad. What's witht he orange BILL? I'd like to think he was there to say goodbye.

Friends felting on Friday....

A beautiful day, some fiber & silk, two friends and some fun was the perfect way to spend a Friday afternoon on a porch in Cumberland! The result: lots of laughing, lots of strong java, lots of serious business talk, a "little" wine and a way cool scarf! I'm modeling my fabulous Nuno Felted Scarf that we spent about 2 hours making. Takes a little less time if you aren't "yapping" - but what fun would that be?!

This scarf ended up with so much texture and is made by felting hand dyed merino wool, silk hankie, mohair, wool yarn and glitz onto a hand dyed 90" silk chiffon scarf.
The colors were simply gorgeous together. And look how the edges of the chiffon are left to sort of curl. This is the outcome due to the felting process as the wool sinks deeply into the chiffon as you work it while it's wet. It is a fun process and you get a little exercise while making it!

The edges at the bottom of the scarf have wool yarn that extends down past the chiffon to create fringes.

I would love to take credit for this gorgeous creation, but it is actually a kit that is created and sold by my friend Dalis Davidson. Dalis is as vibrant in her personality as her scarves and other products she creates and sells at http://www.dancingleaffarm.com/. You can buy a premade scarf from her or the kit to make yourself! It comes in all sorts of colors and can be made all sorts of ways and even using a shorter scarf. She also teaches this very fun class on making this fabulous neck art. She hand dyes her own scarves and wools at her sheep farm in Barnesville MD and then assembles the kits for sale. Doesn't she look wonderful in MY scarf?!

Jewelry to Lost River...

It was the time of year to clean the barn and install art work at the Lost River Artisans Cooperative in Lost River West Virginia. As usual it was a wonderful collaboration of cleaning fiends or should that be friends, because it sure seems like this is a great group of peeps who come out to lift a dust rag and eat good food together to get ready for the public!

The buds will hopefully soon be popping in time for this seasons opening of April 10th. The Lost River Artisans Cooperative was founded in 1988 in the scenic Lost River Valley in West Virginia's Potomac Highlands and is home to nearly 100 regional artists and crafts people. http://www.lostrivercraft.com/

Tim Wheeler (current LRAC President) is directing his artistic cleaning crew to paint, dust and sweep this large space. About 30 people showed up to lend a hand.

A little window washing (also known as an outside comedy act!). Much more goofing off from the heights of the ladder would have resulted in a few broken bones!

Yours truly on another ladder for a calmer job of dusting lights. Trust me, Tim was running out of jobs to give people. "What do you want me to do now, Tim?!"

After clean up, a little installation of some of my work.

After a nice warm day with this lovely group, I took off in my old car for a nice 20 m.p.h. ride home. Okayyyy, I was BEHIND this slow poke, but what a cute slow poke it was, until I passed him. This is always a nice country ride to and from Lost River and well worth the drive. So is the art - take a stroll and wheel on down sometime. Check out their site and see the demos, classes and festive activities ramping up for the year. If you are an artist interested in selling your wares, they will still jury new artists in for 2010. There is even a cool shop next door for a yummy bite to eat.