walla walla artist on the loose

Saturday, sunny, balloons floating over the house in the early morning, making the dogs crazy - apparently afraid of some alien invasion happening in their world. 2nd day of Balloon Stampede and lots of balloons were able to fly. Morrie really is frightened by the "whooshing noise" - but tolerates as long as he is held. Mac is pretty "whatever" to the whole scene. Similar reactions to fireworks.
We left the house about 9 and went to the farmer's market. WOW! what a difference a year makes...so many new vendors! Lots of stuff! Met my friend Sandy Lizut and we talked art, education, print making and book making over a WW Sweet Onion sausage dog. Nice to connect. Visited with my friend and vendor Antoinette and picked up some of her really good hummus, berries and breads.
Now it's back to the basement and the rest of the clearing of the desks,etc in preparation of the yard sale next weeekend. And it is my full attempt to get a little painting in on this fine weekend. I really wanted to just spend a bunch of time visiting garden centers and focus on new plants and landscaping....but the yard sale HAS to happen!
I just looked at an artist's site and blog from NE Oregon...Katherine Treffinger...really nice things...I am going to add her blog site t0 my list...

pastel art walla walla miniatures

I promised images of the miniatures...each is less than 4x6 inches. I painted these on the Wallis paper which is the really toothy pastel paper...my favorite, because it will hold a ton of pigment! Not only that, but it is a good rigid surface without working on a board. Great for blending.

I am working on pieces for the Joseph show...not a thing to show yet...Looking forward to the journey there anf 4 day stay. We stay at a guest house out in the county. It's a house/barn divided by a laundry room and tack room. It is a wonderful little 1 bedroom accommodation and the owners welcome Mac and Morrie.

Les and I are working diligently on a yard sale. Wow! Another good weekend of prep and we should be ready for the sale the weekend of the 16th!

I am getting the yen to do some jewelry. I am loving all the great southwest chunky turquoise and silver pieces I am seeing and I have some starter material....hmmm.

walla walla art pastel

Wow, the weekend came and went in a hurry. I didn't use much of my creative skills today unless getting things orgnzied for a yard sale fit that bill! The good thing is I have been spending time in my studio going thru a lot of stuff and accumulation. I had yet to go t hru my Mom's stuff that I have had sitting in boxes for the past 3 years.
I found some really great penand ink renditions by Ben Burnett. They were mostly Christmas cards that my Mom had saved, but also some from his monthly cartoon in a magazine. He did these really interesting cartoonish drawings - always animals, usually horses and cattle and there was always some wry humor associated. I have not decided what to do with them...whether to put them in a scrap book format or what. Something collectable for a former MT kid. His drawings I think, are his alter ego when there is a guy on a horse in them...I see a resemblance to Ben anyway, in the drawings!
I did not take anything to the show in Pendleton for the month of May. There was a little overlap with the Joseph show, so just decided to focus on Joseph and not get in a dither and have to ask someone to pick stuff up at Pendleton when I'm in Joseph, etc.
Think I will take CheatGrass Hills to the Joseph show...don't know what else.
Spent last evening and dinner with Jeff and Judy Schlicher. Jeff brewed up some really god Manhattens along with his pasta carbonera and spinach salad. We cheated and picked up dessert at La Patisserie. Effortless, but worthwhile!
Richeson Co has started manufacturing new pastels...They are reputed to soft and compared to Unison. Dakota Arts is offering them with a special price, so may have to give them a test drive!
Make it a great week...I will post the last 4 miniatures early inthe week.

state of the art in Walla Walla

I have been neglectful in my blog - but I have my excuses :-)!

A week ago the showdogs Mac and Morrie and I drove to Bellingham, met the bf - aka Les there. He had been in Blaine for the week at the Spring Conference for WA Realtors. I drove up so we could attend the Blue Horse Gallery opening for the Northwest Pastel Society show. My two pieces looked fine and dandy amongst 125 really good paintings. Interested parties can go to http://www.nwps.org/ and see some of the pieces. It was a great gallery space. The weather was wonderful and we were in the Skagit valley in time to see the tulips in bloom. What a sight to see acres of color! We really viewed the fields on the fly...it is pretty congested with visitors and we just wanted to get out and be in the green and sort of sunny NW! Drove Whidbey Island on the way back to Seattle.

I hung new work at Whitman Cellars last week - Fields of Green...8 pieces there in their tasting room...Also got a call from Ceil Blaine who now is managing the 1928 gift shop at the Marcus Whitman Hotel. She asked if I would bring work there in July and I agreed. Did take her some note cards and two smaller paintings to introduce "Upcoming shows". As one might guess, if you know Ceil...she has her expert twist on this little space with really wonderful items. And she has an espresso set up and makes superb coffees! It's a must stop for WW visits and outings. And you can wander thru the beautiful restored hotel lobbies as well!

It's Spring Release for the wine industry...Oh,and it is raining hard today...was hoping it would be sunny and warm...But there is some fun in walking in the rain in and out of tasting rooms, having a great time with friends. Kate and I will maybe go out tomorrow for a little while and see how we fare!

I finished some miniature paintings this past week. I have not decided if they will go into 4x6 frames unmatted or 8x10 matted. image size is about 4x6. Also finished another image of Scenic Loop.

My focus now is the show in Joseph 5-7 June and working on a commissioned piece.

One more thing...I am working with the social worker for the local cancer center to offer art classes to people who are patients and want to learn or work on a particular medium. M'Lisse Moerk, Laurie Borer, CarlyRae Hiphauf have expressed interest in doing some classes. I think it will be a rewarding endeavor and look forward to getting it off the ground - providing an outlet for people experiencing a difficult time in their lives.

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...