A Walla Walla Weekend

The sun is shining and you can tell spring is happening with blooms beginning and allergies coming to life! Not complaining after the long winter, however.
Les and I worked on rematting and framing a large piece that had some pretty big waves in the paper. Sometimes the coated paper is pretty wavy and when we originally matted it, didn't get it stretched enough....so today we did with the assistance of some tacky, archival glue. I like to work on the Art Spectrum coated paper, but have notice some of the largest cuts come wrinkled...so I like to hand pick those sheets. I do think the tacky glue around the periphery of the painting and mounting it on the foam core will keep it pretty flat, however.
Will start a new one of the Bennington Lake area tomorrow...I think. I also need to be working on a body of work to take to Kelly's in Joseph in June.
I had a great email from Sheila of IdahoBeauty today. I will see her on her journey to or from western OR in June. Looking forward to seeing her.
I got my submissions emailed this morning for the International Pastel Show...I submitted the "River Dance" as one, "Cheat Grass Hills" as the other and the one "To Summer Pasture" of my Mother on Jackpot moving cows and calves up the hill thru the gate to the summer pasture. It's an image in an earlier blog.
Looking forward to packing up the show dogs Mac and Morrie and driving to Bellingham to meet Les and go to the NPS Juried Show and then back to Seattle to goof around next weekend. They are good travel companions; listen well, don't need much, no arguing about what CD is playing or my singing. :-). Who knows...maybe they will be mistaken again for show dogs! That happened at the Davenport Hotel in Spokane...someone commented that these two must be show dogs. Are they kidding, we thought! Not our schnoodle and poodle....they are not quite that well pedigreed. But since someone thought it; we now call them "the show dogs."

pastels and more

I am thinking that perhaps spring is really going to happen in Walla Walla this year! It has been a cold, unpredictable year thus far with snow at the beginning of April!
The show at Le Chateau Winery is up; the reception on the 11th with a great turn out. Angela, who manages the winery tasting room is wonderful to work with hanging shows. She does a nice job of advertising the openings, etc.
I recently was surfing the web and came across a quote relating to my work from a show in 2008 at the Waterbrook Winery. I did some research and tracked it back to a quilter from Idaho - a quilter who does amazing art quilts. Check out Idahobeauty on my list of blogs that I follow.
New work...another of the Walla Walla River called River Dance....the river in late fall, after some snow as the last light of day reflects on the water.
A goold email today from Kelly from Kelly's on Main Gallery in Joseph, OR wanting more work which I will happily get to her when I go to Joseph for the Festival of Art there in June. That is a great show to attend. There is so much quality art that comes to Joseph for 3 days. All the energy those folks have to put on a fun and quality event!
It's late; I'm tired...maybe I can be profound in another blog!

The Allied Arts artist reception and juror's awards was a well attended event. There is a telltale sign that a piece is receiving an award - a small discrete nail below your piece of art. As the awards are given, the plaques are placed on the nail for the appropriate award. Cheat Grass Hills was nailed. It was down to the last two awards before it's award would be known. The Juror's Gold Award was given to it. The last award, Best of Show went to an incredibly stunning abstract piece that I was immediately drawn to when I looked through the gallery prior the awards. That would have been my choice as well for BOS. Were we pleased for "Hills"??? Absolutely! It is one of my favorites that I have done.
I am working on new work; finished one on Sunday. We will have work at the Feast of WW on Saturday as well as our opening at Le Chateau. Will take cards and some prints to Feast as well as originals. I am working on some small pieces for that show as well...
Another exciting item...I will be working with Barbara Bates from the St. Mary Cancer Center to provide some variety of art classes to patients who desire to explore different art medias. CarlyRae Hiphauf has agreed to do some classes and I have other artists on my radar that might want to get involved. Strictly voluntary; a means to get in a whole different zone than thinking about their health and serious issues. This will probably commence in June. We have been fortunate to receive some donations of supplies from Dakota Arts, Walla Walla University and maybe Whitman College. This is all about making a difference for someone - even a tiny one...

We are going to the artist's reception today at Allied Arts in Richland. Cheat Grass Hills is in this show....so we are wondering if it will be awarded any juror's award....suspense!!!
Since March 22....Both "Light Show" and "Scenic Loop Road" were accepted into the Northwest Pastel Society show. Opening for that is April 24 in Bellingham at the Blue Horse Gallery. I will meet Les there since he has a meeting in Blain for a couple of days preceeding that. So, I think Mac and Morrie and I will hop in the Prius early Friday morning and prepare to drive for 7 or so hours. Then meeting Marcia in Seattle to go to Amy's production in Bellevue on Saturday.
Some new pieces of work are completed, but not photographed. Maybe tomorrow that can be accomplished.
We hung the Le Chateau Winery show Wednesday and the opening for that is the 11th - 2to 4 p.m. Also that day is the Feast of WW and 4 artists are showing in the tent at first and main...Diana Schmidt, Todd Telander, me and ??? Les will do the honors of manning that spot while I go to Winery.
Idalee and I met and talked about the design and the story line to "Sleeping Beauty Overslept" - the Dance Center production May 17th. The attached image is a result. It was so fun to do that...makes me want to illustrate kid's books.
The other image is a new piece - about 4-4.5 feet wide of the Walla Walla River. It is hanging at the Le Chateau show.
We are off to TriCities to the Allied Arts show!