Christmas Blessings

Wishing all much warmth and abundance filled with His Blessings throughout the coming year. Peace!

Jordan

Focused on what I needed to achieve this week. A monochromatic figure. Obviously I could have chosen brown, but where would the woodland nymphs be then? Jordan was lovely as usual. Cold night, small more intimate group. Celebratory libations and food. Lengthy pose. Enjoyed the evening.

Art Thieves

My first experience with Kendall Art Guild's Christmas Party with it's popular "art thieves" grab bag. I came home after some delicious dinner and fellowship with exquisite fused glass coasters handcrafted by Jeanne Dennis. Quite a delightful array of gifts to steal from.

Rise and Shine

Aggie just has not adapted to the time change last month and gets me up as early as
3:30 am to go out! I resisted until 5:00am this morning, but it's not sleeping with her prancing, whining and barking. But being up before the sun, I sometimes forget to look out at the morning's glory. Here it is, the almost winter sunrise. There's a crescent moon behind the trees and the morning star. Should have set the camera to close up.

Some time to draw

First time I've drawn new model Laura, she's fantastic and holds some really great poses without complaint. It's been a very long day, starting with lack of sleep last night as anxiety crept in as how I would pull the day off. Needed to get out on lunchbreak to fix car headlamp, and schedule with teaching this afternoon, crammed up everything very tight. Stopped at Michael's on way out for markers for my friends at Hesed House. Using those 40% coupons to the max! Worried about the predicted snow, worried about being everywhere I needed to be. So tired now, seems it's all on order, survived without effort. Survived without sufficient sleep.

"There but for the grace of God go [I]." ~ John Bradford


"Peace is seeing a sunrise or a sunset and knowing Whom to thank." ~Unknown

Carvings by Joe Dillett

Kendall Art Guild meeting this evening. Failed to bring my camera but brought up a couple images off the artisan's site. www.thecarvingshop.net
Joe is a fantastic speaker who had so much information to share, it was an extremely informative meeting. Wonderful demonstration of tools and techniques, previewed by a very positive session of business promotion. I was equally pleased putting an artisan to face with the wonderful altar carving I've witnessed at St Mary's Parish in Plano. There's a fireplace mantel up for raffle for Sandwich Opera House of Sandwich's historical district on his site. Wondered if April and husband had met this carver in their promotions of this art? Where are my carving tools?

Quick Sketches of Gerry

Holiday Party! Rushing through the evening to capture Gerry's poses. I was eating at the same time and that doesn't work so well while the timer is ticking. I went off my vegan diet plan to try the different dishes the group worked at bringing to the Thanksgiving gathering. There were chicken wings and sausage and kraut, moussaka, pumpkin pie, tira misu, apples and caramel, pretzels and mustard, carrots, deviled eggs, and apple carrot muffins. Quite the spread. Many new faces and much warmth to see the old ones. Somehow I was the only one who brought tunes, so we enjoyed Enya, Mellencamp, Van Morrison and the Nat King Cole Trio. A little for everyone.

Gerry

I had several short poses done last night, but my photos didn't capture them well enough to put up. I really enjoyed having time with my friends instead of working all the time. It's a nice little treat that I haven't been able to do when running so many hours. Thought there was a possibility of cutting back to normal work schedule like everyone else, but that was a pipe dream and reality is a cold slap in the face. So for now, two and a half hours art a week is all I can do.

More of the Flying Pig Gallery

Upstairs in the gallery. Where you find great art. There's Laura heading down the spiral staircase. I'd hate to be the one hanging work down the staircase walls... every part of the gallery is to see! I took a shot of a room full of handmade walking sticks upstairs, but my camera shutter didn't open. Maybe next time.

Flat Stanley spotted at Danelli's Restaurant in Oswego, IL

Tried to post this photo last week when Flat Stanley arrived in Oswego IL to dine at Danelli's Restaurant. Looks like he could use a couple meals.

Soft Pastels and Ashley

Finally back to home. Out for Tuesday night drawing with dearest friends and started off slow with gestures I was not excited about, but got into the groove with soft pastels and wonderful jazz and Ashley's beautiful poses. Life.

Flying Pig Gallery, Algoma Wisconsin

I have so many images from "The Flying Pig" that I filled my camera too soon, but there was so much there to see, the outside gardens were quite magical, this path and that path and where to next?

Lighthouse at Algoma Lakefront

We stayed the night in Algoma, just a hop skip away from the Flying Pig gallery where Laura was changing out her artwork. First photo at dusk in light rain, and light house photos after next 24 hours rain. Fantastic views, powerful surging waves at lakefront and some rock collecting on the beach.

Mucky Duck Shanty, Sheboygan, WI

Lunch at the Mucky Duck, so full of character, inside and out. We were sat at windows overlooking the harbor. It was enchanting and transported some overstimulated brains from the museum off into wonderland. Are we really here? The trolley may have been one that was running ghost tours through the areas haunts. Just turned the corner as I pressed the camera, more magic.

John Michael Kohler Museum, Sheboygan, WI

Animal Instinct: Allegory, Allusion and Anthropomorphism Oct 2010-June 2011 You could not take pictures in the galleries, but the classroom contained one of the elephants by Billie Grace Lynn. In the galleries they were ghostly white. They are inflatable and move and sway with the air. The artist considers the sacred white elephant a metaphor, too expensive to sustain, too precious to surrender, and in a state of rapid change. Looks pretty magical with all the children's paint on it in the classroom.

Ojo Ajuda Rest in Peace

I have some wonderful Door County pictures to share, but tonight I will share Ojo's tale once more. He passed away peacefully while I was gone and I'll miss him so. Ten years back when I was animal control warden, I was called out ago by a forest ranger who thought he came across a wolf tied out in the woods. The soulful brown eyes met mine and he knew I intended to save and protect him. He was starving, thirty five pounds, subsisting for how long on his own feces, unable to fend for himself in any way. I took him in and brought his weight uo to a natural 80# build. He was highly intelligent, able to climb 6 foot runs and escape. Several people requested to adopt him, although he seemed untrustworthy. He adored children and I would let him loose to walk among the visiting tours of children, but he distrusted all men. He moved in with my children and I and considered himself a guardian of my boys. Time passed, my younger son, Randell had been tunneling in the pasture snow drifts when the tunnel collapsed on him. Ojo dug him out. There isn't a hero greater than Ojo in my life. He was a difficult dog to care forbut it mattered not. In time his boys became men and whatever horrors he knew from his previous life faded away. He became the wonderful, faithful companion everyone hopes for. I knew his days were numbered. The summer heat had taken a heavy toll on him and I hoped that winter would bring back his youthful frolicking in the snow. He's there now, rolling on his back making snow angels. I miss him already.

Another Good Reason

Last weeks photos again, but another good reason to get up in the morning. Glorious, magical views. Have to clean pictures off my camera for road trip to Algoma, Wisconsin with cuz Laura Lein Svencner. We're going to pick up her work at The Flying Pig Gallery, and some time with the sights. Is it Friday yet? Wretched cold last week wiped me out on my birthday and lost some time at jobs that I've had to make up this week. So far three days with three jobs a day plus a chiropractor appointment. Only two today and tomorrow. I might be napping on the road trip... at least through Illinois.

Afternoon Walks

Whatever would I do without my lunchtime walks? I listen, I smell, I've got all my sensors ready for a wildlife rendezvous. I find many pennies from heaven and exclaim "why rusty?" I long to walk the creek beds and visit deep in the woods as I continually enjoy visits with SunHawk, WhistlePig and Blue Heron. Once in awhile even Sister Turtle crosses my path. But see here, see here at the lovely fall colors! A treasure in the woodlands, some sprite to my soul.

Sailor's Delight

This was taken earlier in the week, but my schedules run far too tight to stay on top of everything! Clearly I need to remove the downed mulberry in my backyard. I had to crouch below it to take this shot, it obscures some beautiful views. Another project for another day.

ARTBYJOSEPH

Francis Joseph Gagnepain IV demonstrated his recycled junk art for the Kendall Art Guild's September meeting. Check out some youthful vibrant work! www.artbyjoseph.com

Monotypes with Ingrid Albrecht

What a great trip to be invited with! Cousin Laura invited me to join some Midwest Collage Society members for a mini workshop with Ingrid Albrecht at her new Ravenswood Gallery in Chicago. Three days learning rolled into one eight hour session. Ingrid is a great teacher and there were so many new techniques to get involved in. She has a gorgeous setting for her gallery and studio. The blue and gold piece is an acrylic and india ink piece, I think it's upside down, but when I viewed the photo it looked better that way. I rather enjoyed the subtractive quality working with india ink on a plexi-glass plate, some new supplies to play around with, soon again I hope. I pulled many prints that are ready to be basis for some additional drawing or painting.