Goodbye 2010

Another year is quickly coming to an end.  I have no reason to  complain about what the past 12 months  have brought me, and only hope the next 12 are equally as generous.

We were fortunate to have crisp, clear skies the night of the Solstice total lunar eclipse.  It was a magickal thing to witness as slowly but steadily the shadow overtook the moon, until just a fingernail sliver of gleaming white remained.  Once the shadow was complete, the moon appeared as a faint, muddy red orb, constantly undergoing subtle shifts of hue and dimness.  My intent was to watch until the light began to return, but earth sure casts a huge shadow - the darkness must have lasted an hour, if not more, and by 2:15am, I was so cold and sleepy, I took myself indoors to bed.

I designed this heron as a gift for my client who lives near the wildlife area where Tony and I kayak.  Patterns aren't my favorite thing to work with, but now and then I enjoy drawing one up and turning it into a completed work of glass and wire.

Christmas was a treat, as it always is.  Low key, stressless time with family, as well as calling on friends to deliver cookies. 

Here is a small portion of some of the charmingly thoughtful gifts I received.

This morning, I took myself to the Red Cup for a brunch of gringo salad and Columbian supreme coffee.  And a little read of Little Edie's charming diary.

Merry Christmas

May we all be as satisfied as Scrumbles and Miss Blue are with simple gifts.

A Little Color

Over the weekend I was thinking I need to collect my found object painting, "Lisa se Klavier" from IAO Gallery after the Red Dot auction, but Monday morning before I left the house, the mailman brought a check and a thank-you from IAO for participating in the event.  That's the kind of surprise I could get used to.   I didn't recognize the name of the buyer, but am happy the painting has a found a good home.

Tomorrow night is Trinkets and Baubles at Red Cup, for which I've finished a few new works, other than charms and the previously previewed collaged pendants.

These are quickie photos, taken just before packing and delivering to the site, and primarily for documentation, but with a gloomy winter weekend looming, it seemed the thing to do to share some glowing color.

This evening is Paseo's First Friday Gallery Walk, which I recommend taking advantage of - much fresh art up and down the street (including some brand new saucy text pendants in A Jeweler's Art), treats and libations, caroling, some sort of tree-lighting ceremony, and mostly - one final balmy evening before winter blasts   into OKC.  

Tony and I were planning a kayak outing this afternoon, but time didn't allow, so I'm watching the lengthening shadows, knowing this could be the last golden, friendly day for some time.  

Oh well, more reason to bundle up at the easel and make more paintings....

Trinkets and Baubles

Red Cup Coffee House is having their annual holiday extravaganza in less than two weeks.  December 4, in fact.  While I'll have an assortment of arts and jewelry on offer during the event, today I created a new set of collaged pendants.  Here there are, before soldering.
This photo shows side 1.  Images are comprised of paper, transparencies, labels, foil, superfine glitter, tiny stars, text.

 Here you can see the reverse side of the same pendants.

leaves in birdbath

leaves in birdbath
Originally uploaded by glassgrrl_ok

Autumn is so beautiful.

Music and Art

At 90 minutes, the drive to Tulsa for Decopolis' Gatsby Picnic was a jaunt.  (The picnic was slightly disappointing in its near minimalism, but I'm still glad to have gotten to experience it.)  At closer to 5 hours, the carry on to Kansas City must qualify as a proper road trip.  Jeri and I  made it to our destination without incident, and enjoyed a beautiful, high-energy outdoor performance by The Parlotones, who didn't even have their name on the ticket.  Apparently 98% of the audience were there for Blue October, and it seemed a large portion of those had traveled from out of state for the show.  We tried to stay & enjoy the 'main feature', but after having got what we came for, along with some photos and a chat with the band after their set, it just didn't seem the right thing to risk clouding the experience with a different band, different sound, so we retired to our hotel room up the street, content to bask in our delight.

Back home, it's been time to ratchet up the creative gears a notch or two.  Pendants and other small items being made in time to offer at the Peace Festival, and completion of my mixed-media painting for IAO's Red Dot.  A few detail images:

(Pics will enlarge with a click.) Want to see the entire piece?  I guess you'll have to attend the Red Dot auction, won't you?  (Or at least wait until I have a quality, all-over photo to share.)
It's titled "Lisa se Klavier", having been inspired by a song of that title.  You can hear it here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AME5nO672IY

Cooler, gray autumn days are so perfect for taking the kayak up to Stinchcomb, where the migratory birds are gathering on their journey south.  It's a real pity hunting season opened Saturday, and more a pity that hunting is allowed at a wildlife sanctuary, and one inside the city limits.  The 'ba-boom' of shotguns does not make for idyllic kayaking ambience.  Nor does the idea of coming back with extra holes in my body.
Guess I'll stick around the house for a while and deal with things like rusted out water heaters.....

Busy

Click image for expanded view.

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.....