This is great!!! #2 of 2 news posts

Attention Art & Soul attendees and everyone who will be going to vendors night.

Here is an opportunity to really help and get some art in the process.

 Some of the teachers at Art and Soul were ask to take a tea pot and alter it in the medium of their choice. Then that piece will be entered into a silent auction at the event next week.  The auction will be held near the Art & Soul office at Embassy Suites 7900 N.E. 82nd Ave. Portland, bidding starts Tue 10/5 and ends Sat evening at 9:00 pm. All the proceeds will go to CHAP . Here is a clip from their web site....

CHAP works with over 10,000 children and their families each year in our partner facilities: Doernbecher Children’s Hospital and Shriners Hospital for Children.

  Please click on their link above and read all about them I think you will be impressed.

 Poor little crow has really got himself into a pickle this time. You can see by his expression he is a bit worried.

 His wings are pined and just three tail feathers have popped out of the spout.

I think this silly crow will be just fine and hopefully he has learned a lesson....

I would love for my tea pot to go home with someone and help CHAP at the same time. Thank you in advance, Tory

First Friday at the Stone Buddha - #1 of 2 news posts

The little town of Silverton is big into art! I was invited to participate at the Stone Buddha 216 East Main Street for their First Friday (that's this Friday) 6:00 till 8:00. The entire town will be open and welcoming to all comers, they will have food music and plenty of art. The main theme for the Stone Buddha show is Ravens and Crows contributed by several artist and the murder (a group of crows) will be show in the main window.

Also included will be several of my Santos. This very large one stands over 5'7" and wears a rosary or my artistic rendering of one that is made from scrabble tiles. It reads the first lines of the Lords Prayer up to "on earth as it is in heaven". I have told you before how I never know what the face will look like till it is there. And I was surprised and happy with this one, he looks like a nice person.

There are so many little lovelies in the store it takes time to see it all.

Beautiful hand made jewelry, clothes, tea sets, and so much more.....

The show will be up for the month of Oct.

This was my second large Santos if I don't watch out I might need to build a monastery.

The clouds moved as if Picasso was painting them in front of me.

It is 7:30 pm Saturday, the night sky is Payne’s gray with the tall firs black in silhouette. I’m working on an art piece that is due Monday. I’m sitting at my work bench next to a large open window with cool wisps of the night air drifting in. I just heard the call of a large owl. I envy what he will see tonight flying quietly over the trees, fields and river. A few nights ago as I sat in the same spot I saw the moon rise behind the firs and went out with my camera and tripod. The clouds scuttled across the sky on winds I could not feel and the colors drew me in, the owl I bet he loved that night.

The edge of darkness is so active with the changing of shifts I wish it lasted a little longer.

Once in a while I get to see the Herons looking for their night roost. He is sitting on the top of a very very tall fir tree over looking the river.

I wanted to share these paintings by art students at Lincoln Elementary School in Woodburn it is part of their art appreciation class. The art is hanging in a Starbucks, I was very impressed with their work.

 I really like this last one and the third one down as well.

Photo Opportunity

I met my friend and fellow artist Debi Koenig in Woodburn last Saturday to take some shots of her art for a new page on the Portland Art Collective blog (this is the page  2010 Open Doors Art Show and Sale ) it shows what kind of items we  will have for sale at our annual art show and sale in December. Debi is known for her super bright colors and whimsical nature, I ask her to tell me about the piece above and below. She told me she was inspired by a class she took from Traci Bautista  at Artfest last spring, I can see Debi's unique touch and in these piece's she used some of her beautiful hand colored paper. 

The books below are covered in Debi's yummy multi layered art paper. I think they are  note pads, journal and a calender.

These beauty's would be fun to have on any desk.

Debi also makes cute little felted balls.

Here is a plain black and white doodle......

and with a little color...

it will be fun to see what she will be doing with these.

I may have to rethink rust all this color looks good.

I cannot pretend to feel impartial about colors. I rejoice with the brilliant ones and am genuinely sorry for the poor browns.
Winston Churchill (1874-1965) British politician.

Oliver

Sunday Sept 19th at about 7:00 pm Oliver Norman Brokenshire took a deep breath and met his parents.

On Monday morning I drove to Portland picked up Oliver's big sister and we headed north to meet him.

I don't even have to say anything... she likes him.

Papa and I gave her a baby doll that was stripped down and given a bath in a matter of minuets. We all went to the little family's home said good night and left them to rest. Mom did a great job, it will be hard to get her to rest. My son is taking three months maternity leave to stay home and with their remodel he may not rest either.

Norm and I stopped in Woodland for dinner, we did rest and our rant was all praise for our new grandson.

A very large Raven and first Friday

What is this?

A very large nest for an over sized raven, it is made from yard sticks, rulers, folding and metal tape measures. It is attached to an old wood tripod and stands about 3'6" but could go higher. 

Here she is Corvus corax or the common raven not a very fancy name for such a wonderful bird. This raven measures over 29" long the real bird is not much smaller at 24" in length with a wing span of 53" thats almost 4 1/2 feet. This bird and nest along with some smaller crows are going to be displayed at the Stone Buddha in Silverton, Oregon. I was ask to be a featured artist  at the Stone Buddha for the towns first Friday in  October. First Friday happens to be Oct 1st the display will stay up for the month. 

I put this photo of the large Santos so you can see the scale of it's size. The Santos stands 5'4" almost as tall as me. I will be adding some eggs to her nest this next week. It has been fun working on the large items, I might have to get a bigger house.

Did you know if a raven is lucky it can live in the wild to a ripe old age of 40. 

I almost stepped on this little fellow the other night right after the rains started. I'm not so fond of slugs in fact I wish I never saw them but I do like snails carrying it's little home on it's back.

But the raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.
Nothing further then he uttered— not a feather then he fluttered
Till I scarcely more than muttered, "other friends have flown before
On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before."
Then the bird said, "Nevermore."

Super Santos and my laptop died.

I have spent the better part of a week working on this over sized Santos. Stephanie Brockway the curator of "Day of the Dead" show at Gaurdino Gallery in Portland invited me to make a special extra large piece for a window display and boy it has been fun. It started with the torso that is a antique phone box two little bells included. The torso gave me the dimensions for the head, I was not sure if it would be a male or female and I'm still a bit fuzzy about it but I'm leaning toward male.

Here it it photographed on white and at an angle for the show card.

His legs are 1940's split wood crutches with size 10 wooden shoe stretchers, the base is a piano stool top. I made the rosary out of bingo balls and his arms are legs from a claw foot stool. There is a small shelve to light a candle and make your day of the dead prayers. Hie crown was fun to make and Steph's idea to make it from an old metal tape measure that I riveted together and soldered a copper cross to the top.

If you click on the photo it will enlarge so you can see the details, I had photos but last night before I got them into blogger my laptop got a bug a died. I think it got me as well because it made me just sick I hope I can retrieve all my paper work and photos. I will be posting the dates of the show and address as soon as I'm back up and running.

Busy, busy, busy but having fun!

It has been a very busy time for me in the last few weeks I have been getting in the last of summer every place I can. Sunday before last the Portland Art Collective had the best time dressing like pirates and going out on a dragon boat practice vessel.

Stripes are in every pirates wardrobe.

If laughter is good medicine we are all in good health.

The day ended with pizza and a nice visit.

Monday my grandson George and I went to the fair. We took the tram to see the animals then walk back for the rides.

George had made a wish to see the baby pigs. He was not disappointed.

So cute the miniature donkeys.

We did go on a ride together but mostly G did the rides and even won a few toys to take home to his baby sister.

Thursday it was off to look for metal assemblage parts...

But Stop! you must cover your toes so we had to run to the Goodwill for some lovely foot ware.

The digging was good but next time I go back with some tools.

And this last Sunday I headed to my friend Debi's. She was cleaning and purging with the help of her super organizing sister Terry. Debi wondered if she had held on to this Daisy Kingdom bag long enough? She was very generous and invited all her art friends to take home anything they wanted( I think I just heard our friend Vay faint)  

I got to see an old friend, Molly a rescue dog that stayed with me for a short while waiting for her forever home with Terry and her son. 

And got meet Debi's new kitty Copper who kept an eye on all the doings outside.

The rain started today and the children went back to school its the end of summer but not the fun, thanks for reading my blog and thanks to all of you who leave your comments I love them.