What's happening in Lodi? Group show and Country Living.

The opening reception for the Mixed Media Group Show and Frances Scott's show are tonite.     I'll be wearing jeans and a cowgirl hat, and toting along western music, as well as 6 bottles of drinkables.      I ddn't volunteer to bring food.     My granddaugher is going to drive as none of  those going in my car are night drivers.     Candis is excited about the reception, she helped there the other day when we were logging in the artwork - and she met the gals, then we went to pizza with them and she got to know them a bit better.      She just started a new job, but has today off, so it works perfectly.  Also, being grandma's girl - she still loves to dress up too.      I'm sure she'll be a beautiful cowgirl!     Frances is excited about the evening and can hardly wait.     It's going to be a long day waiting for time to pass.  I've alreay had the car washed and done other errands.  It's not even noon yet.    

The pictures here are of my friend Sandy's new shop in Lodi.  Country Living has moved down to the Valley from Amador City in the foothills.      They are only a block away from the gallery, so I can sneak over and say hello whenever I want - instead of driving for an  hour.       It's fun to have her here, but Amador City will never be the same.    She's had her shop there for close to 40 years.       My little shop was right down the street from hers many decades ago, and that's how we got acquainted.   I wish her all the good luck in her new location.    

Calm after the storm

We didn't blow away. We're still here.   It's been raining for days and our water table is vastly improved.    On days without rain, we have fog because there is so much moisture in the air.     So any time the sun pokes it's way through, I really appreciate and enjoy it.        

Our Monday morning senior group had tables at the annual holiday bazaar/party at the senior center.    I didn't take anything to sell, but sat and drew leaves in the nature journal, and a few people stopped to watch.  Helen, Lillian, Elizabeth, John, and Jean all sold some of their art work.  Celia set up a yard sale kind of table and got rid of a lot of her things at bargain prices.      There were also potters, crochet and knitters, quilters, card makers, and lots more.   the fun part of the day is the games.  Reverse bingo where if they call a number on your card, you are out.     They played this a number of times, and those at our tables were out pretty quickly and had fun rooting for each other.     They also had other games, musical chairs, and raffle prizes.   It was not my lucky day.    

Here's a pic of Jean and Helen setting up the table.

Annual Holiday get together in Amador City and Sutter Creek

My friends and I have been doing this for years.   Usually there are one or two missing, as other things take precedence, or because of health issues.     There were just 7 of  us this time.     Missing our good friends, but having a grand time anyway.      Some of us started in Sutter Creek at a new restaurant that was recommended by locals.   And for good reason.   It's tiny and clean and the owner runs it all, makes all the foods, serves and is just a really friendly nice person.  visit Cavana's Deli for salads soups, breakfast and desserts.  16 Eureka St. Sutter Creek.

There is a parking lot right behind it which has a footbridge across the stream to the parking lot behind the auditorium.    Most of the year this is a dry stream.  We have had good rains the past week, so it was running again and looking much better.  The bridge was decorated for the season.  I thought the rusty railing and  the landscape behind made a beautiful sight.     Here are pics.

 We have not had a hard frost yet, so there are still leaves on the trees with plenty of color.    I think this would make a good painting.   i wish we had some sun or blue skies for a background.      Paints can take care of that.    LOL

We left Sutter Creek and went on to Amador City just a few miles North.     It's one of those little lazy foothill towns, left behind by the gold miners in the late 1800s.   Now a tourist town.     Decades ago I had a shop there.    Our friend Sandy still has a ahop there you can see it on her facebook page.   https://www.facebook.com/pages/Country-Living/125433924201697


We visited for awhile then went next door to Buffalo Chips our favorite luncheon place.     Another family owned business, now operated by the younger generation, but keeping the same type menu and prices, and fresh cooked to order foods.    They are famous for their home made pies.  It was hard to decide between the apricot and the  tart dark cherry.      Phyllis and I split a hamburger and a piece of the dark cherry pie.      Yummm..... the tiny touch of almond extract helps bring out the flavor so well.

I had a post card in my purse which I had forgotten to mail to o ne of the CA Art Girls - so we walked down to the tiny little Post Office.  There are no lines in Amador City.      I also stocked up on  Post Card postage stamps.   Now I can get busy making and sending some card to friends again.     Then we visited some nearby shops  (be sure to visit Bellflower Home and Garden Store, 10787 Water Street, Amador City) .  It's chock full of wonderful things that would look great in my garden.    I have to laugh when I look at the address.    Water Street is something like 2 blocks long.   How the heck did they get an address of 10787?     I would have given it a number like 17.  

Then we piled back into the cars and returned to Sutter Creek for more wandering/shopping.   

We were not much help to the economy, no one really came away with much.      Sorry, I know they need the business but we are all at the stage of life when we no longer collect much, instead we are giving it away.  Both towns were so quiet, we practically had them to ourselves.

Here are the girls at lunch.   I'm sure we'll be back again next year.

Playing catch up

Oh my, I'm way behind in posting much here and I glanced around and found some things I'd like to share here.    Some are things I made, some are people I know and places I've been.     

This first pic is my granddaughter and her creation.     she cut up a red t shirt and pinned in the red white and blue ties as straps.    My job was to stitch it for her.    She'd better wash it by hand, it will never hold up in washing machine, but the look is cute.   

 This pic was taken of friend Charlene who did a demo of transfer techniques for photographs at the Stockton Art Leage this month.  there was a good turnout as usual, and I was totally surprised by how many artists didn't know anything about transfers.     They were very interested and appreciative.    Mixed media gals use transfers all the time, but for watercolorists, oil painters and photographers, this was unexplored territory.    

 these next two pics are from a trip to visit Pat and Char at Pat's house in Folsom.  The little plants are lantanas.   The colors look so good together I had to take a snap.

 Here's just part of the group that got together to make altered vintage tags at Pat's house.    I didn't get my camera out in time to catch the rest before they drove off.     Thanks to Rosemary our chauffeur for hauling us around and all our stuff.    It was a good time to visit in the car.   We took a road I had not been on in decades, so that was fun too.      Foothills are so lovely regardless of the time of year.  Right now they are golden.

 the post cards I swapped out with the Carving Consortium were done on the opposite side of recycled cards.  I just thought I'd show the address side of one.   these were all from my aunt's stash of cards from friends.    My art is on the other side.  I showed them earlier.

 this is a stitched face on an old napkin.      It's large enough I'm using it as a cover for my sewing machine which is always set up.  And it usually has red thread in it.    LOL    My favorite color for stitching on paper or fabrics.   

 this is a picture of the shoulder/arm area of one of my favorite blouses.  I bought it years ago at the White Pines Flea Market.  I bought it because I loved the linen print.  Seems to be made of tea towels.  Everyone is wild about it when I wear it.      My friend Rosemary made  me another one from a vintage tablecloth, but I loaned it to Pat so she can make one for herself.    I particularly like the splash of yellow under the arms.      

the next pic is me modeling and  taking a "selfie" for Rosemary, who plans to teach her sewing group how to make these shirts.   it looks pretty cute over a turtle neck also, but this one has such sweet summery/springy colors I just slip into it.   Looks really good with white pants or white skirt.

BTW it took ages for me to crop around this pic - the background was such a mess I didn't want it to distract.    I need to get out the pad and pen for doing this work instead of using the cursor to move the photoshop elements tools around.       I have not tried them with  my  new computer set up.       

Julia and Bob - new portraits

Between classes I painted Julia from a n advertisement in a fashion magazine.     I love her wide mouth.     

She is in my new journal.   The former one is almost full.













At the class this week, John asked us to paint someone in our families.    I chose to paint my brother since I had already done Candis.   This is Bob.      BOB is an acronym for Best of Brothers.   Most of the students are painting grandchildren.   
 I think we are finished with the class now.

I give John a lot of credit for helping some of the artists who are basically landscape painters, get over their absolute fear of trying to paint  a face.     Some hare blossomed and are doing very well, others have struggled and probably will not continue, and others will take this and build from it.    It was well worth doing.      next week the Mayor will be there, so perhaps we will  impress him enough to get a little grant.  We hear his mother in interested in joining us.   Guess we'll have to stop talking trash about polities and polititions.    LOL  

One of the most meaningful conversations this week was about eyes.   With my own problem, and my brother's, now two more of the ladies in this group have had bad diagnosis.  About the same as mine or Bob's.    Another one had wonderful news about her cataract surgeries.    Both extremely successful and she's going without glasses except for reading.    Says she sees so much now, colors are brighter and clearer, distance vision is great.   But she sees things that she never noticed before.    Like her cleaing woman is not doing a very good job.    And she didn't know she had so many wrinkles.    LOL     hmmm... maybe that's why I though my wrinkles were looking better, - I guess I just can't see them.   LOL    Another friend had eye surgery last week and it was not successful.    In fact it did more harm than good.       You just never know.      

Another loss

Our mixed media group in Lodi just lost a wonderful friend.   We knew it was coming,, she was fighting bladder cancer that had moved to her bones,  but the finality struck home Sunday morning when she passed.     Suzanne was a phenomenal artist and person.   Direct and honest, she spent much of her working life teaching art for the California Youth Authority (prison).     It takes a special talent to do that.    And she found it very rewarding.     When she retired she joined out group and taught us a few things too.     Like origami, and making paste papers, and twisted wire beads.   You can tell she had a lot of resources and talents.    We will miss her terribly, but glad she no longer has to face days of discomfort and pain.    


I wish I had more pictures to share of the books she made.    And the prayer flags, and the jewelry made with origami.      She could do everything and did them all beautifully.   Wnd she made it all look so casual and easy.    I saw her teach children at the art shows, to do intricate folded things that I can't do.     Yet she could capture their interest and channel their energies into producing something lovely.    A rare talent.    

We will miss you Suzanne.


  

Visit with Tuff

A bunch of friends descended on Rosemary's new residence for her first get together there.      We had such a good time.    Here is a pic of a beautiful rose in her backyard.

 This is her new backyard with the landscaping finished.      Very low maintenance but with a lot of interesting textures, colors, and shapes.    It is charming.     

And here is the little king of the premises.     Although Rosemary's husband might dispute that statement.   LOL
This is Tuff, a soft, silly, independent little guy who was groomed for the day.      Looking good little fella.    Sorry I didn't bring the girls with me this time.    

Saint Patricks Day and Frances

Spring is full of green and good spirits.   So is my friend Frances.     She is 82 now and so full of fun, it makes you wonder what she was like when she was a fresh  young thing.     And I bet she was really fresh, as she is still full of spunk and vinegar, loves to start a row or any kind of mischief.   Don't take her to a meeting unless you are prepared for unexpected challenges she might make to the leaders.  LOL   Phyllis and are in charge of getting her home safely from the Spring Art Show Gala event.     I'll be working the whole evening at raffle ticket sales, and Phyllis is signed on for at least half of the time.    The other half, I think she may be keeping Frances out of trouble.      Here's my new sketch of Frances.    Photoshopped in green in honor of her ancestral and heart homeland.    I hope to have at least half her energy and spunk when I reach her age.  
Phyllis will say I'm too kind in leaving out some of the wrinkles (and she will be right), but this is more the way I see Frances.   This is done with #2 and 2.5 pencils in my art journal.










While we are thinking green, here are some of yesterdays pics from my garden.  

This little arbor is next to the entrance to my studio(which of course is painted green.     We are expecting rain today so the head/planter is lying on its side so it won't drown the succulents that are planted in it.    

 I like to perch little unexpected things here and there in the garden.  They sort of make me smile or even giggle when I come across them.    These are plastic bugs (old toys) that live on the birch tree.    They do nothing to scare away garden pests as you might expect.   

This one is in a cage which my friend Nancy gave me awhile back.   I'm so happy to have little reminders of my friends when I'm out there alone.    

 I've been waiting and waiting for this ground cover to start blooming. The neighbor across the street has them in front, and they have been blooming for over a  month.  A wild mass of bright blooms.     I pulled most of mine out as they had overrun the rose bush and everything else.    There are times we might get overambitious in pruning and pulling, and I thought perhaps I had done it permanent damage.  But, alas, the blooms have started and I'm loving them again.    The pink oxalis in front   is something I've toted along from home to home, splitting and sharing with anyone who wants them.    The originals were in a wheelbarrow in a little shop in Ione some 30+ years ago.     The shop owner was going to plant them and I talked her out of a couple.  They grow like weeds and most people think they are weeds.  But, I know from all these years that they are the most dependable fresh p ink blooms in spring and way into summer if treated kindly and with respect.    

This little corner has succulents and white oxalys next to a taller pot with the pink ones growing.     They look sweet together.     

Now, I'm inspired and might just paint some flowers today.     Or bugs... LOL       

Mid July

This month is speeding by.      Back to the hills again, this time with Phyllis and Jean for a quick visit with Frances and a few fun hours at a sneak preview for White Pines Flea Market.    It doesn't open until the first weekend in Aug, but they had so much in the ladies wear room and the furniture building, they opened for one day to clear out some of the clutter at bargain prices.      We didn't even make a dent.     Then we grabbed some hamburgers and went to picnic area at the lake.   Here are the gals munching down burgers.

The Mixed Media Group in Lodi, nicknamed M&Ms met this week as we had to cancel the week before, and will not be meeting next week as usual.     We had a quick challenge to use M&Ms in an art piece.   Here are a couple of the things the gals made.   You may recognize the art of Roberta with the gal with the bow.   

    Here are pics of the group meeting around the work tables at the new studio space in back of the gallery.

We planned to work on a collaborative collage, but we had so much show and tell, our time was used up by that.    Most everyone had something to show.    After the meeting people had time to check out the art in the gallery.  It was a fun time. 

Art in Sutter Creek Garden Shop

One of my favorite shops in Sutter Creek is the Victorian Garden Shop.    They feature fairy gardens in pots, with little furniture and fences and gates, etc.   Here are some pics from Sunday's visit.

The second one has more than one level with a little ladder leading to the upper level.  This  is the first time I've seen one like this, and the new gate and gate posts are recent additions to the shop.     They have to keep finding new things for those of us who collect and use their things in our  own little gardens. Click on it to see a larger view.    

I just had to show you the shadow of my cowgirl hat.   

Here is Pamela posing next to a deep scarlet geranium.    Don't you  love these hanging petunias?     

What has this got to do with art?   It's inspiration.    Including nature in your art can bring life to it.     Maybe add a flower, maybe add a butterfly, or bee, or an ant.   Maybe add a ladder and make layers and elevations in your work.   You never know just what will inspire you.   Maybe this garden will work for me.   Maybe it will inspire you too.

Art is where you find it

Yesterday a group of us took off for the foothills, picking up one member of our little group in San Andreas.   Our plan was to drive north up Highway 49 to Sutter Creek and on to Amador City for the annual All American Porch Sale.     When we drove into her senior Mobile home park, we saw a sign o the door to the clubhouse that said ART SHOW TODAY.     Hmmm.... So we checked it out and there were some good artists' work being shown.  All residents.   Several water color painters, one mixed media, two jewelry makers, a quilter who also weaves and does just about anything with fabrics.    Good snacks were provided including a big pitcher of sparkling lemonade.     It was a hot day so it just hit the spot.   What a nice group of people.  Made me want to move there and hang out with them.   

Then we went to the community garden just down the road where signs had gone up - ART SHOW TODAY.    What a hoot.   Only a few artists, one I met before in Lodi who is a good friend of Francis'.   Again, a mixed media artist, a couple watercolorists and a jewelery maker.    The master gardeners were giving lectures and the whole thing was very festive.     But we were in a big rush to get to Amador City to meet up with other friends  for lunch.   

Part of what we planned to do was gallery hop in Sutter Creek but we didn't have time.    The porches and sidewalks  in Amador City were full of bargains, and each of us came home with something.  I got a new sign for my garden that says Bird Sanctuary, hand painted by the artist showing them on the covered sidewalk in front of Sandy's shop "Country  Living".     We've been friends for nearly 40 years.   I used to have a shop there in town too.   She used to teach macrame when it was the hot item.   I feel like I've lived several lives since those days, and here she is, still  successful in her own little town.    The same with the gals in Buffalo Chips sandwich shop.   Family business now being run by the next generation down from the gal that started it. They use the same pie recipes.    I'm a pie person, so appreciate the quality and freshness.   A good pie is a piece of art.  

The first weekend in June appears to be a great time to visit the foothills.   There were yard sales, flea markets, the Italian Festival, and any other number of things that we whizzed past.   There just are not enough hours in a day.      I hope you are having a fun weekend too.  

art in the park

Senior Awareness Day is a great way to show and see art created by seniors.   It is very diverse, both with materials used and subjects.   One of my favorite things today was wire sculptures of cowboys, cowgirls, indians and other humans done by this cowboy.    Here's a pic of me posing with him.  I could not resist, since I had dressed up for the western theme day.

 My friend Phyllis took two ribbons (includes cash prizes) for two of her pieces.  One is an abstract watercolor on Yupo, the other was a manzanita  branch on which she had cleverly painted animal figures that she "saw" in the wood using the knots and bends to inspire her. 

 Congrats Phyllis.   And me.  I'm the one that kept telling her she was ready to show now.   Like Francis pushed me into showing a few years back.   Phyllis did great!    Jean took a ribbon, although she had specified she did not want to be in the competition.  

We walked all around the park looking at the booths and the car show.    It was really fun I've never taken to time to see it all before, as I was stuck with a table display.  Not this year, I was there with my grandson Trevor for the fun.   I'm totally inspired by the color reflections on the metallic paints of the cards.   What a rush!   These cars are awesome.    Can you tell it's my first car show?  

Another of our favorite things was the exhibit by the zoo staff.   There was a cunning pocket sized one eyed owl perched on a stick who kept watch over everything.   There were many skins of mammals and reptiles to marvel over and touch.     This bull frog skeleton was so delicate and precious.    The toes on it's back feet were long, with one toe being much longer than the rest.     Amazing.   I took the photo through a plexiglass case, but you can still see it pretty well.

Look at those toes.    Now I want to make a wire sculpture of a frog skeleton.    Hmmm...   Maybe I can get the cowboy to teach me how.      Hmmm....