Art and the Swim

The weekend is over, the OVAC tour is done and in the books and it was a grand success.  Gosh, it was really fun to interact with all kinds of people through our studio.  

There was a steady stream of visitors both days, 52 on Saturday and 59 on Sunday.  Pretty awesome.  Who needs an official open house when you can do this. 

On the Thursday before we got to tour the other studios and that was quite interesting.  Matt Moffett's studio is 50+ year old house he and his hubby are renovating just for studio space.  Really cool.  We also went to a place called Black Moon which is where several artists are in residence.  The upstairs from them is a guy named Skip Hill...AWESOME!  Such a nice guy and his stuff is fantastic.  Plus the building is so cool.  It's an old manufacturing building that a conglomerate has purchased and is refurbishing for studio spaces.  

We also got to go to Otto Duecker's home/studio.  Wow, all I can say is WOW!  He is a hyper-realist painter.  I don't have it in me to be that much of a realist but WOW!  Super nice and funny.  His wife was fun too.  His home is up a super steep driveway and I walked up that drive and back down!  Could not have done that a year ago.  

I did finish a painting that I'd started several years ago and I think it turned out great, even with all the people walking through.

"Blue Dress"

9x12

Oh and the grands, oh the grands.  This past week our girls finally got to meet the great-niece.  Such a cutie.  Someday I will get to meet her too, hopefully soon. 

Summer for the babies...

Snicklefritz had her first swim meet last night and I went to show support.  So proud of this girl.  She got 3rd place in her age group-heat for the back-stroke!  WOW! She also got 8th, and a ribbon in the free-style (American Crawl - not called that anymore) in her age group.  She is such a strong swimmer, much like I used to be many, MANY years ago.  You go girl.  I love you to pieces.

 

supreme court EPIC FAIL

 I AM UTTERLY DEVASTATED by the supreme court (not going to capitalize that!)  Yesterday was a very dark day for WOMEN!

ALL of my grandmothers would be crushed by the appalling turn that women's rights took yesterday, especially...

my mother!  She would absolutely turn over in her grave at this.  I watched my great grandmother be sub-servient to my great grandfather and it was not pretty.  I remember her taking the horrible verbal abuse from him and we cannot let this happen again and it is happening right before our eyes.  It is NOT about babies here ladies, it is about our rights, as people, as WOMEN to have control over our own bodies.  If I want an abortion then it is MY RIGHT, not some government entity to decide that for me.  Next will be our right to vote, do you want that, do you want to lose your voice because that is what is going to happen next, I can guarantee that.  The republican right wants to control us, to tamp us down, to take our rights away, to keep us barefoot and pregnant!  We are delving back into the dark ages for women and we have got to take control and stand up to them.  Do you really think that DT cares for the republican rights, no he does not.  All he cares about is he found a way, like a cult leader to control the sheep, to lead them to fall off the cliff and bow down to his feet.  He does not care for anyone else but himself, not even his children.  Just really look at him and you can tell he is an egotistical maniac and if you keep this up you will fall off that cliff with him and his republican cronies. 

I am so upset by this turn of events and will as a woman rise up and take control back for ourselves.  It's much MUCH more than saving babies ladies and if you do not see that then you are part of that crazy right.  I am all about saving babies but in the process we have lost saving ourselves as women.

Those were dark times before Roe v Wade and we are heading back down there.  Very dark times.

Life's Little Pleasures

Oh this kiddo.  She spent a lot of time with me last week, the week before, and she's here for a couple more nights. It's SUMMER and time to spend time with Granny and Grandad.  I absolutely love having her over here.  She's nearly 10 and we just chat and visit and just hang.  

This little kiddo is going to SPEND THE NIGHT tonight for the first time.  I had her for a couple of hours yesterday while they went to the doctor!!!

She opted to skip her nap which at this age happens BUT she DID potty in the big potty.  She is nearly 3 now going on 5 verbally.  Goodness this baby has such a huge vocabulary it is mind boggling.  She still has the emotions of a 2-1/2 year old but is trying to learn to tame them.  You can see almost see her mind working it all out.  

I tell you my mother would have just been in heaven having these great-grands.  I know last weekend was Father's Day but on Saturday I saw her coffee mug in my cabinet and grabbed it because I was feeling her at the moment.  Daddy's mug, PaPa sits on a shelf over the sink that we don't use.  I am certainly missing both of them lately.  Mostly I wish they could see the grands and I really wish Momma could see how far I've come in my art world.  I think she would have been very proud of me.

This next weekend is the OVAC (Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition) Studio Tour.  Our studio is 2nd on the list for the artists that are participating to pre-tour Thursday night.  I'm more anxious about that than the Saturday and Sunday visitors.  Those are my peers and some are in a whole realm above me but in some respects I feel equal.  I love my studio partner and we work really well together but sometimes she can get me down.  She doesn't want to "make her mark" anymore in the art world and has lost the desire to put herself out there.  I still have that drive and have to watch it not be squelched by her indifference.  Plus with this month's show at the Broken Arrow Historical Museum, I am making a name in my home town, my little area of the world.  It is extremely important to me because I was such a wallflower, a part of the scenery, an introvert most of my life.  I've stepped out of the shadows and want to BE SEEN!

Monday I finished this little jewel.  I call it "Telephone Line".

I so love doing these landscapes and think they will be more of my focus from now own.  I do love the florals but just am not feeling them.  That being said, I dug this one out of the "blocked-in-may-paint-over pile" to possibly make something out of it.  I was pleasantly surprised when I really got into it.  I can't decide if I want to go and work on it today or wait for Saturday and Sunday.  During the OVAC tour we are there from noon to 5 both days and I need something to work on, so think I will just leave it for then.  I have Snicklefritz today and tomorrow and want to keep her entertained.   Hmm, maybe we will do a jigsaw puzzle and read.  She has to read at least 20 minutes each day I think her momma said.  I could read 20 hours a day...LOL!  

Children Are Our Future

Oh my goodness, the director of the museum where our show hangs sent these darling photos of the summer art camp from down the street.  They toured our show! I LOVE that these kiddos are experiencing art at young ages.

These kiddos, so close to my heart, have spent some quality time together this past week.  I had Snicklefritz three nights and she spent one night with Min.  Min absolutely ADORES Snicklefrtiz and Af said while they were on their trip to NY she often called out for Snicklefritz.  

These babies are my heart.

Sweet Snicklefritz and I spent a lot of time playing cards (Uno, Old Maid, Connect 4, etc...) and just visiting.  One evening she just wanted to hang in the backyard and swing in the swing.  She found the bubbles and I captured this wonderful photo of her in all her awe.  She finally was home on Saturday after we spent time at the studio.  She was great help with hanging some paintings and organizing a bunch of stuff.  I think it's about in shape for our OVAC Studio Tour.  She no longer got home but within an hour she was facetiming me to show me her turtle that lives in her backyard.  She talked about it a bunch and wanted to share with me.  She is such a wonderful little lady.

You know I've always said, as did my mother, that you raise your children to leave you.  You teach them to be able to stand on their own in the world, make their way but let me tell you I love having them close to me right now.  It's really exciting to see the light in these babies eyes as they learn about the world, good and bad, it's all teachable moments.

 

Ranting

 I am just going to get on my soap box here so hang on while I rant please.

Everyday, especially around news time the commercials start, the political commercials and I get madder and madder with each and every one.  First of all I am a Liberal-Republican and not proud of the Republican part of that either, especially now in this political climate.  First of all where the HELL ARE THE WOMEN running!  There are none to speak of and that is scary for a woman right now.  All the women I see are the wives standing by their egotistical Republican husbands with their bajallion children, just nodding and smiling like a Stepford Wife!  Good grief.  These "men" are all running on the conservative republican platform, praying and preaching all about taking back America.  We have America you IDIOTS!  If I wanted to pray or be prayed too I would go to church.  Please DO NOT cram your religious leanings down my throat, they are NOT SUPPOSED to be a part of politics.  We have taken a GIGANTIC leap backward for women in this country and I am scared to death to be a woman right now.  We are losing our rights women, letting men control us yet again and it scares the hell out of me.  We are also wanting to put our children in fricking "prison" schools with armed guards, locked doors, and absolute fear.  The damage that is happening to our children is heartbreaking.  Hey, I like owning a gun but when are we going to wake up and take a stand and put a halt to civilians owning military type guns.  That should not happen, ever.  In my day when we went to school it was nothing to see a shotgun in the back window of a kids truck.  We had a healthy fear and were also taught about guns, they were used to hunt deer or squirrels.  I don't understand where it has all gone wrong.  Is it video games that have desensitized our children to them.  All this crap on television, video games, movies about this horrible violence, just dishing it out like Sesame Street for those vulnerable brains to absorb and twist into weird reality.  

Friends, I am scared for this country.  I am scared for my fellow women and what is happening for us.  I'm scared for our babies.  I can't keep getting angry at the idiots on television and I'm tired of muting it constantly.  This is not right, none of it is.  This latest shooting at St. Francis, The Hubby and I both lost a doctor, my shoulder doctor and his back doctor, Dr. Peterson.  I loved Stephanie Husen.  This one has hit way too close to home and that school in Texas just...I can't even find the words how horrific that was.  Why in heaven's name do these idiots take it out on babies for God's Sake!  WHAT THE HELL!  

The After "Party"

The opening is over and it was an overwhelming success.  I was so appreciative for all who showed up to support Linda and I.  It was a grand event and will be up for the entire month.  

The next day was the "BIRTHDAY" celebration and it was so wonderful.  My oldest friends came and we had such fun, especially the husbands.  They hadn't seen each other for quite awhile and boy they never stopped talking.  It was the perfect birthday.

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday to me, Happy Birthday to me...

(Yes this is a few years ago!)

YUP to day I turn 66 years young!!!  Having a few friends over for dinner tonight, ala Olive Garden!  We went to breakfast, my favorite, FAVORITE meal to eat out!  He was going to cook but I insisted we go out, besides I didn't have any biscuits or hash browns for him to cook and I didn't want the mess left on my stove he can make...LOL!  I got up early this morning mainly because I was an absolute dreaming fool last night and they were kind of creepy dreams.  Really must not watch Stranger Things at bedtime!  I had my cup of coffee and waited for him to rise, hopefully not too late as I wanted breakfast and I have a meeting to go too and I needed to shower before we went to eat.  He got up, I showered and off we went.  I have a few things to do before I leave for my meeting and when I get back.  Well, best laid plans is I promptly popped the button on my jeans, it was literally hanging by a thread and spilled syrup all down my clean shirt.  So home we went and I threw the shirt in the laundry and sewed the button back on my jeans.  Next was clean out the bird cage because I could smell it from the hallway.  I quickly cleaned him out, tossed the clean shirt in the dryer and now I sit and wait.  I still have to go get gas in my car before I pick up Linda for our meeting.  Thankfully it's Saturday and the traffic should be light to head out south.  

Later today I plan on a NAP, watching more Stranger Things, a bit of Harry Potter (my fav) and cutting up tons of fruit for "fruit" shortcake.  I have fresh fragrant peaches, strawberries, blueberries and I think blackberries and will make whipped cream.  It's going to be a great day.  Yesterday was lunch with my two favorite siblings, Bro and Sis and we had a great time.  Another day another year older...Social Security is on it's way...LOL

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME...

Post Opening Exhaustion

Well, IT IS DONE!  

Last nights opening was awesome.  So many people showed up for the show, high school classmates (my bestie from high school!!!), friends, family, work colleagues, art group(s) peers and just people off the street.  It was FANTASTIC!  If you looked close at my face in the first photo it was glistening with sweat.  I was so hot getting all the last minute stuff done.  We had it catered by the Palate but had to pick up the trays and drive them there.  We had wine which I had chilled to serve.  Then I just waited for the art admirers to come and look.  It as such an amazing experience and I am overwhelmed by the support.  Thank you everyone for being there.  

The show will be open for the entire month.  If you didn't make the opening go by any time the museum is open, 10-3 I believe and Thursdays till 8.

Art Opening

 TOMORROW is the day.  I'm really getting excited for this show.  I've been framing and putting wiring on paintings for weeks now, typing labels, pricing paintings, making lists and more lists to get it tweeked just right. We got an email from the director that we could set up a day early too!  I took that opportunity to at least get all the paintings, or most of them down to the museum yesterday instead of today, the original set up day.  I went to the studio thinking I was the only one with the idea of loading up since Linda was going to do it Wednesday, Buttttt, she got there before me...LOL!  Great minds as they say.  Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to get all 24 paintings in my own car, all by myself.  In the end though I took four back and got another large painting and one to replace one I took that had no label.  When I arrived at the museum I was already a sweaty mess because of the humidity but I was pretty proud of myself for being able to get it all done.  Since this surgery I so able to do so much now!  I unloaded and was planning on coming back for The Hubby to help hang the show but the director came in and started helping with her son and before you know it my part of the show was up and ready, except for the exchanges and additions.  In all I have 21 paintings.  Linda ended up going and her husband met her at noon and they got all theirs hung too and she has 21 paintings!  It looks AWESOME!!!  OMG, I'm really so excited.  What a great birthday present to have an art opening show. (FYI, my birthday is Saturday!)  The show runs the entire month of June and hopefully we will sell something.  I have a QRcode to hang that will enable anyone to buy something too.  People keep telling me they are coming to the opening and that is extremely exciting.  This show means so much to me because it is in my hometown.  

I'm honestly surprised I'm able to sleep because I'm so excited.  Tomorrow will be hugely busy because I also have a teeth cleaning, pedicure appointment, pick up food trays, wine, and to make myself presentable for the show without being a sweaty mess.