Latest Music

The studio sound system is getting a workout. This means two things: new music and I'm getting work done.

Forty-three pirate ballads, sea songs and chanteys; that is what we have both been listening to this week! All sorts from Nick Cave to Baby Gramps participated in the making of it, and it's quite the fantastic mix, rough & crude and sweet & smooth. Of course it's mostly the coarser lyrics that tend to stick in my head.

I also now have Dolly Parton's Little Sparrow album (I first heard this when I borrowed it from the library. I borrowed it so often that Rick finally took the hint...) She has an amazing voice, and I do like her personality quite a bit, I mean, look at how long she's been in the business, and she still kicks ass! I tried singing in her range though, and that hurts without proper warm-up.
Here's a sweet little synopsis from a 2004 interview she did with CBS. The bit at the end about her "features" is precious.

I could not help myself.

moarfunny pictures

buy some

Okay! So I've been invited to take part in a one-day art sale Dec. 15th down in Burlington. Sort of off the beaten path of Burlington shoppers, but if I get the word out enough perhaps there will be substantial traffic! Coincidentally, it's in the same warehouse my grandparents used to have the family appliance shop. 'Tis a small small world.

Consider yerselves invited, though time of sale is TBA.

In addition to underwater paintings, I'll have a weird little series of (tiny) monster-dress paintings, and some creatures too. Kind of an odd mix, but I aim to have some sort of common thread throughout.

My Seahorse piece finally got picked up this weekend, so that's another bit of dough for the art-fund. Including two tiny paintings at Open Studio in May, that makes four pieces sold this year. It's a nice, encouraging bump!

new member of the family

and he's full-grown too!
Please say your hellos to Filbert Appleshrug.
Made by this fine seamstress, he's come to us as a wedding gift from my dear Cali-bound friend e. Rick got to see him first, as he arrived in e's car, but I met him later that night upon walking into our rather dark living room. Please note tE'he white fur and you can imagine the eerie glow. Apparently my reaction was something to be savored. And e just about got his ribs crushed in many thank you hugs.

He is taller than me, though his appendages have a hard time staying put when standing upright. He's really a couch boy (his hands are perfectly shaped for holding the remote...) Fully detachable head, arms and legs. Red chennile-type fur at each seperation point.
PURE FUCKING GENIUS.
We love him.
And I think e will miss him.

Oh, by the way I paint

(You'll have to settle for snapshots)











Rabbit & Creature
Graphite, chalk & acrylic on illustration board.
9.5 x 15"
Started this one back in May. It has a few issues, but surprised me with some very nice moments.
(Consider this one done.)





















LizardMan
Acrylic on canvas.
18 x 24"
Still in progress.
Oh how I love my projector!
This guy loves his sandwich, thanks to andrezero.

Harvest Market

So today we (after a few starts and stops) wandered down to the United Church of Underhill's annual Harvest market. It rocked. We spent hours there, and I'd go tomorrow if I wasn't teaching a class. But perhaps I'll get out in time...

The Clutter Barn was where I immediately got swept away from the Rick. Crowded like crazy but dang: the treasure! I got one of those terracotta cooking pots, assorted kitchen utensils that I couldn't live without, and a small spiky fish-lizard thing that was someone's 8th grade ceramics project. I could not resist him, he was only 10 cents! And he will look fabulous in the garden next year.

After that, I joined up with Rick who had found an interesting lamp and a set of headphones. From there we hit the cider & donut tent for a snack, tromped through the flea market, I had a taco, then we shared a small fried dough, listened to the Fife & Drum band, talked with one of the members, and saw the best kilt ever: it looked like this guy had taken carharrts and made a kilt out of them. Pockets!
Somewhere after that we made it back to the cider tent and bought a half gallon. This is the unpasturized, they-squeezed-it-twenty-minutes-ago right there stuff, and it is ABSOULUTE PERFECTION.
Then we listened to the first set of Bob Degree and the Bluegrass Storm Rick took pictures, and we got their cd too.
I think we headed back after that, but with one final stop in mind: GERT's PIES.
Let me just say: Michael Smith was right. Apricot pie.
Seeing as how I found rather heavy treasures early on, my arms were about to fall off at this point. We headed back home for pie & the hammock. I was so wiped that we didn't make it back down in time for the book barn, and then on the way to Jacob's to get Rick's soda, we realized we'd also missed a whole street's worth of other yardsales & booths! There was also the craft fair in the middle school. I certainly hope to get back in time on Sunday.

art art art

Rather out of the blue today, I sold a painting. Zing! It was one I had put up at the store on a sort of "gee I should get this framed and see how it looks" whim. One of our regulars happened to see it on her way out with her husband, and about an hour or so later, they came back, brought it home to take a closer look, called back, and approved! Thank you!
Another bit to add to the art account. And a former art teacher had seen the same piece yesterday and gave me some great ideas for places to show locally, one in particular which I never would have thought of on my own. Thanks Ms. Rupe!

Excelsior and all that...

now back to work.