Busy

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Goodbye Summer

More or less, anyway.   It's been a somewhat slackery season for art.  Commissions here and there, small batches to replenish the galleries, the usual face painting gigs, but no big exhibits or receptions for me to buckle down for.
With the advent of autumn, however, the calendar begins to fill up.  Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition's annual fundraising gala, 12x12, is coming up September 25.  More details here http://www.ovac-ok.org/Events/events_12x12.cfm

This year, in addition to the invitational artworks, there will be 12 photographs depicting the historic Fred Jones Manufacturing building , offered individually or as a complete set.  There was a stunning variety of imagery submitted by area photographers, which was (somehow) pared down the final dozen.  I'm honored and delighted to have had one of my photos selected:

In fact, I need to rush off this afternoon to sign the final print.

Another annual fundraiser is also coming up - IAO's Red Dot.  I've been invited to paint a piece for this show, which will be in November, though I haven't the exact date.  Should I manage to create something satisfactory, I'll post it here and give details of the show.  Well, I'll give the details when I get them, whether or not I've managed to harness the Muse.

The Peace Festival will be on a Sunday this year, due to scheduling issues with the Civic Center, but I expect to be there nonetheless.   Last year was my first absence in over a decade, as I couldn't resist the offer of sitting for the portrait workshop at Quartz Mountain, which coincided with Peace Fest's date.   Make a note of Sunday, November 14, when I'll be joining with a very festive assortment of individuals and groups offering info, networking, food, and a wide array of gift shopping opportunities.   I'll have my glass work, along with text and hammered wire jewelry, and who knows what else.  

In non-art news, Tony and I have discovered the addictive joys of kayaking, and make a point to hit the water several times a week.  With the two public boathouses in the city, our very reasonable monthly fee allows unlimited paddling both at the Oklahoma River downtown (although one has to share the water with Olympically-training rowers and paddlers, which can be nerve wracking at times), and the Route 66 Boathouse at Lake Overholser, offering more peaceful adventures and wildlife sighting up the North Canadian River and into Stinchcomb Wildlife area.   A generous friend has offered us the loan of his kayak, which was otherwise gathering dust in storage.  Having that little craft to cram in my car allows me more freedom to be impulsive, without worrying about boathouse operating hours. 

We were well on our way to pricing assorted kayaks, and making a plan to purchase our own, but you know how life works.   Yesterday I received a hysterical phone call from Sara, on her way to work, telling me she'd wrecked her car.  The Saab we'd helped her buy only last month.  Ouch.  Other than being a little sore, she seems to be okay, though naturally frightened about how much worse it could have been, and very down about losing her wheels.  So, there goes the kayak fund, and much, much more, no doubt.  Ah well.....

Red and Shiny

Haven't fired up the soldering iron for a while, but the east window gives nice morning light, and since I had a special request, I gathered some materials:

And whipped up a hand mirror:

(Click on images for detailed enlargement.)

Hot Hot Hot

Has it been a month already?   I guess so.  Sometimes there's just too much living to do to take time blogging it (but that's a pretty lame excuse).  Sometimes life experiences are so diverse it's a daunting task to condense them down to a couple paragraphs, which is a less lame excuse in my book.   Anyone with a burning desire (?) to keep up with my day-to-day stuff is more than welcome to look for me on facebook, which is the perfect place for random nonsense that may contain a few genuine specks of interest, but only if you pay very close attention.
Things that have been going on: Tony and I have a weekly date night, cost be damned.  Sort of.  As long as we can splurge for a bottle of wine and have enough dosh left for an appetizer or salad, and maybe dessert, we call it a success.  The challenge is to find a new place each week.  While it can be a place we've visited before, it can't be a previous date night experience.  I check the online menus to make sure there are at least one or two meatless offerings for me.  (Though to be fair, several places that had none listed were more than happy to have the chef make adjustments for me.  I don't relish being difficult, so  it's always a delight to find tastily prepared vegetables strewn over my pasta rather than a slab of animal.)  We also choose to stay nearish to home, having no desire to battle traffic up to Edmond or Memorial Road, or the Southside.  Naturally, chain restaurants are out as well, so you can imagine how the pressure sometimes can mount when Tony casually asks, "where will it be for date night tonight?"   After the first two or three, we began rating them on facebook.  Things like service (of course), ambience, menu variety and/or flexibility, and that pesky, mysterious bar tax one sometimes encounters in Oklahoma City.  I haven't cracked the code yet.  Someone suggested it had to do with the "Empowerment Zone", which involves Midtown and Downtown, but some cafes in those areas didn't seem to charge it.  If they did, maybe they just wisely incorporated it into the cost of the drink (bottle) itself. 
Anyway, rather than going on about it here (too late, you have observed), I think I'll attempt to compile our experiences and favorite/least favorites eating places into a useful (and hopefully somewhat entertaining) entry.  I also intend to take my camera from now on, to document our meals.

In other news, we've had a foster kitten for a few weeks.  I think she may go home tomorrow or the next day, and I'll probably miss her.

She's a wee thing called Paris, who likes to lie on records, and help out with the Friday evening wine.

The red did come out of my white capris, so all is well.

We're on the verge of joining that kayak movement that seems to have gripped the Big Town.  Tony went this afternoon, and I may just sign up this week for a month of unlimited water adventure.  I would be a little more enthusiastic if the temperatures would drop 25 degrees, or one were at least allowed to splash around and swim in one of the local bodies of water.  It's cruel to be so close, yet so far. 

Artwise, I'm creating for myself mostly, except for the momentary laspe of reason in which I said yes to another wedding job.  This one only entails the two Mazel Tov chairs, and it's early enough in the project for me to still be hopeful that all will work out, the first time.  We'll see.

Changing Gears

The Button Show was much fun, and by the second night, all three of my pieces had sold!  Plus, one had received an honorable mention award, so it goes without saying I hope The Children's Center makes it an annual event.
Even though I've more ideas for canvas in mind, it's time to change gears for a while, and get back to the metal work. Today I've created a couple pairs of earrings and two necklaces, probably destined for Istvan Gallery by the weekend.
First, though, it's the exciting Edith Head exhibit at City Arts Center, along with "Mother's Hats".  What to wear, what to wear?......

Paseo Festival is behind me, so let me offer a great big happy thank you to all my pals who came along to keep me company, help set up and/or tear down, bring treats and drinks, as well as the plethora of  folks who offered their body parts to be painted.  It was fun, fast, and furious, and now I can move on to other things.
The first other thing will be Button Day at the Children's Center in Bethany, OK.
http://www.thechildrens-center.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=322&Itemid=374

I've had three paintings accepted to the show, including these:

Opening festivities are Thursday and Friday nights, 6:30 - 9:30 at The Children's Center, 6800 NW 39th Expressway, Bethany, OK, and the show will continue through the  following week.  (I think.)  More details to be found by clicking the link.

Festival Time

I know I'm delinquent, and there's really no time just now to go into the storms and the storms and the storms, etc.  Mostly it's been the wedding job keeping me occupied, and hopefully it's coming to an end very soon, seeing as the wedding happens this weekend, as does my long stretch of body painting at Paseo Festival.
With the festival in mind, and prompted by the sudden onslaught of thick hot sticky steamy weather, I was compelled to hit the thrift shop in search of fun, bits and pieces that would be practical to work in.  No one wants to get glitter and smears of paint all over their favorite clothes, but then, neither does one want to spend long hours amongst the public wearing something that's not at least a little delightful.  When garments are picked up for one or two bucks at the second hand store, there's not such a worry about what will happen to them during the festival frenzy.  Unless they're still such lovely pieces that it'd be a shame to ruin.  Ah well.....
Amongst today's loot (three skirts, three tops, a romper, and a belt, all for under $20), were the cotton/lycra halter top by Angie, and the silk two-tone skirt shown here.  I'm wearing them today; maybe they'll be retired until after the festival safely passes.  ;)

This sweet instant ensemble was also part of today's haul.






Part of the epic wedding job was five huge umbrellas.  (Two painted in a wilder, colorful style, and three 'elegant', more subtle ones).  They're finally finished, as are the two decorated chairs.  Well, the chairs are almost finished.  They're coming back for some last-minute touches, because really, what else have I to do a couple days before a big crazy festival?

Speaking of which, don't forget to come see me on Paseo, NW 30th and Paseo Street, Oklahoma City, all weekend long, from Saturday morning till Monday evening.  I'll paint you up real fancy with my exciting new kit of body paints!  And add glitter at no extra charge.
My text and wire jewelry will be (is already) on offer at "A Jeweler's Art", also on Paseo, as well as "Istvan Gallery" on North Western.
Now I think I'll go have a little rest before the creating begins again.

Having heard of exotic, violet-flavored liqueurs that were once widely-available until they seemed to disappear, I found myself investigating, to see if they were really gone forever.  It seems a few are now being created again, though not always easily acquired.  At least not yet.  While waiting for the right moment to drop some $ for a special postal order, I figured it couldn't hurt to experiment a little here at home.  Due to my lenient groundskeeping technique (which means anything with a flower avoids being cut, no matter where it should be located), I've acquired a modest patch of violets in my north-facing back yard.  

Though I did feel a twinge of regret at harvesting those beautiful, happy blooms, it really is just a fair payback for those years of allowing the plants to grow and multiply. Right?

So I gathered what I could, gave them a quick rinse in cool water, packed them in a little jar and covered them in vodka.  French vodka, actually, though I doubt that really matters.

Stashed away in Tony's blue cupboard, the color quickly leached out of the flowers, leaving them pretty much white. 

Some new face painting supplies have got me excited to play around with fresh ideas.  A Chinese brush painting book is inspiring me.....

Stripey Nose II update:  I'd managed to procure a 10-day dose of amoxicillin, which I'd been putting in his wet food twice a day.  There was a little medicine leftover, so on day 11, I went out to dose him again, only he wasn't on his little cozy couch spot in the garage.  Despite my calling and searching I never spotted him again. 

Until this morning, exactly two weeks later.  It was rather a shock to see him sitting at the bottom of the back steps this morning, as if all those days hadn't elapsed.  Naturally, I immediately offered him a tin of food, which he immediately accepted. While his obviously broken back leg is still obviously broken, the other three limbs seemed much less injured and painful.  He lounged around most of the day, was still here for dinner, after which he sauntered (as much as a three-legged cat can) down the path to nestle in the shrubs by the garage.

Sadly, when I went out at dusk to check on him, he wasn't there.  Stripey Nose III (also known as Ring Tail) was lurking around, as was the big, strange, fighty ginger cat who's trying to horn in on our territory.  More disturbing than that, though, were the rather substantial blood spots and puddles that were scattered along the path and near the garage entrance.  Was it a fight?  Or a freshly-opened wound?  I don't know. I do know Stripey II is a toughy, and a survivor, but that doesn't make it any easier when worrying about him.