Experiments

I'm in the final countdown for closing the campground here. We're still quite busy and have two big weekends as our "finale" yet. But I've been stealing a little time, here and there, to try to keep pushing some new pieces along.

Not a lot has been photographed from the past month or so of work, but this experiment did get in front of the camera a few days ago. The bracelet and earrings feature a very interesting stone I discovered called a "wax opal." Very warm, somewhat translucent, interesting variegation and striations, quite earthy. I'm not really sure what I think yet and so no, it hasn't been listed in either of my shops yet.

I'd be happy to hear any opinions...don't worry, you can't hurt my feelings if you don't care for it! Just say what you think!

And a note about my "Wordless Wednesday" photo, because I like to stick to the idea that an image can be presented without explanation...but then sometimes, it's good to fill in the blanks, like in this instance.

That wall could be classic midwestern--"Everything for the Barn," in an old style, side of the brick wall, sign painting. What's interesting is this is currently a rather neglected corner of this huge building which is being turned from an abandoned factory into a thriving art space, including a gallery and lots of individual studio spaces (not for living unfortunately--at least not yet!) It's possibly half occupied at this point and needs a ton of renovation work yet. It's located in the next town north of Woodstock--an old dairy town called Harvard. I was surprised to find such a thing in our county some years after I returned here to the farm, and better yet, that there's a growing arts community sprouting in this area!

Wordless Wednesday

(Feverish?) Art Shopping Spree

Amy Lilley, Lilleypics

I may have been a little bit out of it as I worked my way up to the past weekend and beyond. I hate to think so, but time sort of warped on me the past few days and I can't explain it other than to say I wasn't completely myself while ill, but in between sleeping I wanted to be busy and productive. Yeah right, so now, shopping for some new art is busy and productive?? Hmmmmmm.....

But I must confess that yes, over the past week or so, well, I've added the work of two artists, both quite new to me, to my little collection.

First, I decided to inquire of Amy Lilley, who blogs here about her life, photography and wearable art (sound familiar?? Like likes like?) if she would consider a custom order of her photographic cards that was made up of 6 selected images rather than 6 matching ones, as they are listed in her Etsy shop here.

She replied that not only would she be happy to let me choose my own set, but that she was about to start a special where the customer could choose 8 cards for the price of 6. You can read all about it on either her blog, Amy Lilley Designs, or her Etsy shop, Lilleypics. There is a lovely selection to choose from and I am planning to frame up a selected few from the ones I chose in order to install them as a little photo vignette here in my home. I love her macro photos of, what else? Flowers!! Be sure to take a look because you just might be smitten too!

Cara Walz, Floodplain Studio

Then, I happened to read this blog posting on ArtSnark's Artifacts. It's written by a Florida artist named Stacey Merrill, who has featured my work on her blog in the past (which you can check out here and here, if you missed it.) I was truly excited by the mixed media drawings being featured by an artist I didn't know before, Cara Walz. So besides entering the drawing ArtSnark's blog is holding, to try to win a piece of her work, I went straight to Cara's Etsy shop Floodplain Studio, to see more of her work, and was enchanted by a piece, which, after a conversation about how to mount and display the piece, I decided I had to have. So I bought it. We later learned we both got our graduate degrees from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, just not at the same time.

As you can see, it features a ROBIN!! Why is this special to me? Well, I've been collecting "bird stuff" forever (I need to take photos of some of my cool things to share here...I've got quite a few sculptures, crafted objects, and other "birds" I've found or have been given over the years.) But not so many two dimensional pieces in the collection. So now, I shall have a very wonderful new addition! Also, on the topic of the Robin...when I was in about first or second grade, I wrote my very first poem, you guessed it, about a robin. I'll spare you from hearing my childish rambling, but it was straight from the heart as I was smitten by the Spring robin then, and continue to adore them to this day.

OK, so these aren't super expensive investments, but the reason I collect art (and have most of my life) is to be able to look at and live with things that give me pleasure. I've been very fortunate to have been able to trade pieces of my work with other artists that I admire and so have some pretty good pieces, in a very wide range of media and sizes. And if I can't work a trade (or it's just not appropriate) if I'm financially able to, I buy the work! Art auctions, such as fund raisers for art centers and art schools are excellent places to pick up new pieces, where the money goes to a good cause AND you get to take home something wonderful. And yes, over the years I've also donated many of my pieces to causes such as these. When I couldn't donate in cash, I could often donate in artwork so the organization could sell it and raise the needed funds.

So I'm coming back to life here...and I thank all of you wonderful friends and readers for your good wishes for me and my health!! I'm still too tired but maybe soon, I'll be back to running on all 6 cylinders! And Dakota says thanks for the compliments, too...she's a sweet old girl!

Down for the Count

I've been down with a bug of some kind, mostly intestinal--I actually stayed away from my computer all day yesterday, no writing, dropping, etc. Wow, I didn't know I could do that! But seriously, I've been sleeping. I just hate being sick and I'm thankful to be feeling more normal today. So no photography happening, etc.

But I had this photo of Dakota that I made a week ago, while she was at the campground (where she must be on a leash) and as you can see, her winter coat is really getting thick and long! I wish I could grow hair like this lady because it's barely 3 months ago when she got a buzz cut! But this dog loves winter, thrives in the cold, wallows in the snow.

The campground was still quite active over the weekend, despite the cold and rainy weather. I had a friend pitch hit for me Friday and Saturday because I didn't know if I was contagious or not and didn't want to risk it. It's the first weekend I haven't worked there since we opened May 1 for the season.

Two weeks from tomorrow we will be closed for the season. There's a lot to do to button up and winterize things, but then, when that's all under control, I should be back in my studio full time! And for that, I'm very grateful!!

Pastels, As Promised

Almost reminiscent of Spring, I have been finding small pockets of fresh blooms despite the late season. What a treat! The contrast, in a long view, is pretty strong as so much is going to seed or already dry and dead. But I decided to ignore that part of the view and focus on these fresh, tender blossoms for a few moments of denial that the weather is changing now, and changing quickly.

The optimism of nature: the odds are very good that few of these plants will have time to set seed before frosts overcome them. So this wave of blossoms is for our pleasure and to provide a bit of food for the bees and the bugs.