Black and Orange

mixed media on arches paper 7 inches by 6 inches
Penelope Dullaghan has done it again! Have you seen the new Black and Orange contest? Click on over to view some Halloween magic with black and orange colorways. Get cracking if you haven't submitted yet -- the bewitching hour is drawing near! My entry deals with my anxiety of the children's Halloween costumes. Each year we put together their ideas with what we have on hand or can be thrifted. Some of their costumes over the years have been hilarious. Examples:
Cloud 9, a bad bird, superhero - as in the one she had a dream about, a dinner table (cardboard box) with head sticking through a (tinfoil) platter - complete with parsley and baugette, princesses and fairies galore, pirate queen and a monarch butterfly. To say the least, I stick to my guns and try and make the costumes (often with them) and so that is where my Black and Orange entry idea came about. I am inadequate as a seamstress, but determined beyond belief.
Just another little tidbit for you all -- artstream will be showing original work by Penelope next May in the gallery!

Pictures are worth 1000 words

art to wear coming on saturday!
sweet little bowls from diana fayt now in the shop!

wall sculpture by Ron Fountain

another gem by Albina McPhail

my personal favorite of the Albina McPhail paintings...

The word for the day was sponsored by my daughter Grace (my personal vocab queen) ...bibliopegy (bib-lee-OP-uh-jee) meaning simply the art and craft of binding books. More on that later!

design*sponge goodies & ullabenulla new shop

I got so many packages this week, but one of the most lovely was my order I placed with the design*sponge shop... my new Henry Road table runner! It came in a flash, was beautifully presented and the colors are so perfect for our diningroom table. It was supposed to be a gift, er, uh, but I just can't give it away now that it has arrived. Go see more beautiful items at the design*sponge shop
There is something for everyone! One of my favorite people in the blogsphere -- Ulla -- has started selling her adorable and unique jewelry online. These earrings are simply Ulla. Go see more of her offerings of the spookie season! (Simply Ulla means simply wonderful and unique!)

New Coe & Waito and Diana Fayt

new gorgeous large platter with poppy

small bowls in ice and blue - each one different! i love that...

small plate with flower all above photos of diana fayts work by artstream

small cups by coe and waito - photos by artstream

porcelain birds by coe and waito -- photo by coe and waito

tall vase by coe and waito photo by artstream
Diana Fayt work arrived and Coe and Waito arrived at the gallery -- both at the same time! How exciting. Here are a few photos of some of the items which will be in the shop later today...
I love opening the boxes! All the work is always so much more beautiful in person!

Enjoy this lovely day where ever you are - it is one of those perfect ones here in New Hampshire, sunny and colorful, cool yet pleasant. Who could ask for anything more?

The word for the day is ... ripple ... as a stone in a pond, the effect of your actions - extended to others, and a little bump in something otherwise smooth.

Smitten

acrylic, tissue paper, ink 5"x7" on arches #140 paper
This morning I got up and started early with some collaged papers I have been dabbling with all week. I have been thinking about the Art to Wear show, fashion, it's effects on women (if you know me, you will clearly know that fashion has never done anything to effect me..) and how I simply love black with the odd splash of red.
I just had finished this piece and poof, into my inbin comes Penelope's prompt for IF - ::smitten::
Well, that was easy. The paint isn't dry, but I think you get the picture. She is smitten with that red coat cape. But like an unruly showercurtain, it is a drag to get out of. She'll go into the shop today too.

The word for the day is ... independence ... as in freedom, self sufficient and a certain ability to get on with things.

Felted bags!

Here is a sneak peek of one of the beautiful new Stringbean girls felted bags. The ever "effervescent" Ms. Jennifer just delivered it for a photo shoot for the Art to Wear show! It measures 9" by 10" and is needle felted with decorative applique! All wool and just too lovely for words. $40 and will be available at the shop!

The word for the day is ... fringe ... like a trim for apparel, a movement of people striving for an ideal not mainstream and the old fashioned word for "bangs"

Chris Chun

Via the lovely ImedaGoze ... many thanks for introducing Chris Chun a wonderful designer/artist to me today! I fell in love with this work immediately and all I can say is you must go take a look at this art work. I could ramble in prose here about the color and line, but go see for yourself. Here is my favorite so far. But, how could you choose just one?

The word for the day is ... delicate ... as a leaf in fall, someone's feelings and the perfectly balanced paintings of Chris Chun.

Apples + Gardens + Nature, oh my!

the pear grove on the way to the apples (click to enlarge)

come on you slow pokes ... (click to enlarge)

one on the ladder hands to the other...
Some of us love to get out to our favorite orchard - Butternut Farms - right here in Rochester, NH. It is so amazing to drive a mile and a half up the Meaderboro Road from the gallery and be near three working farms. Meaderboro farm has draft horses, Scruton's Dairy has hundreds of cows and then you come to my favorite apple orchard Butternut Farms, (since leaving Cedar Rapids long ago and my friend's family orchard - Kazimour Farms)

why would you pick when you can snooze in the sun?
So, you can see who did the picking, who did the photos and who did the sunworship. What an amazingly beautiful autumn day!

M.E. and the wild northern end of the garden (click to enlarge)
The final shots are from master art gardener Mary Ellen McKeen. Her still blooming zinnias are a main attraction for the monarchs who have come to rest and drink exotic nectar! (of course some of us drink exotic nectars on her veranda as well) Did you see his wildly spotted body? Nature inspirations - are everywhere.

monarch beauty with a spotted torso (click to enlarge)
The word for the day is ... peek ... as in sneaking a peek, a little look at something splendid and
a tiny crack or hole which lends itself to looking through.

Angela Johe Porcelain

Three years ago while traveling back to my husband's home in Muenster through the Black Forest in Germany, we stopped overnight randomly in a little town which was off the autobahn and found the most enchanting gallery called Gallerien Neun ... right around the corner from our lodging. It was closed for the evening, but we thought we would try the next day - even though it was a Sunday.
The next day we set out of the zimmerfrei and walked around the village. First stop was the beautiful gallery. There and then began a wonderful friendship with the owner, Angela Gwinner. That is a story for another day however ... but I did find some of the most beautiful porcelain pieces I have ever seen in her gallery. The artist's name was Angela Johe. I still have the postcard with her work on it I loved it so! Here are some of her beautiful pieces in objects, hanging lights, and dishes. She also does installations. I love her work and hope to carry it at artstream soon! (stay posted...) Thank you Angie for introducing us to another Angela!

The word for the day is ... bask ... in the sun, in the love, and in the kind words of others!

Trouble

Trouble ... it usually is thought that a black cat brings trouble. Our cat was white. She was trouble. Her tail was the trouble indicator. When it looked like a question mark it was good to stay out of her way. She was a tough old kitty, as she lived 23 years.
See more trouble at Illustration Friday.

Autumn is falling

Long afternoon shadows, warm sunshine, and leaves with colors to inspire anyone ... a snippet of the mile between the gallery and home.

Corniglia

another view of Italy from Tom Glover... from our Two Views of Tuscany exhibition. This one has people captivated when they come in to view the show. So many are spoken for already, but this beauty is still available. It just sings with color!
I'm out for some theraputic atmospheric out of doors time, to shoot some lovely autumnal photos this afternoon because the sun is shining, the day is one of those special can't miss color spectacular beauties which only comes to us here in New England.
The word for the day is ... capture ... as in photo capture, rhymes with rapture, working for it.

Art to Wear

it's coming ... with previews online very soon!

Jane Kaufmann

Jane stopped by yesterday with some new sculptures - from beach houses to virgins in olive boats - (yes, we have the "extra virgin") but this little witch seemed a bit seasonal, so I thought I would show you to her today. The air is crisp, the leaves are red and gold and still enough green for contrast ... the moon is filling out, so witches must be in the air! Well, they are also in our shop in the Art under 30 section, along with a dragon, an artist, a sunman, and a quilter!

Memories

One more of the memory pieces from upstate NY.
My great Aunt Florence. Queen of the kitchen, garden, house and everything involving a needle. She hand quilted everything on the beds in their four bedroom colonial. Every pillowcase had tatted openings with her lace. The sheets did too. She monogramed with embroidery on the everyday towels in white on white! The glass beaded bags she made in the 20s are some of my most prized possessions now. She needlepointed footstool tops and dining room chair seats and backs. She cooked the most delicious things I have ever eaten. Most of all she was deeply in love with my great uncle Fred. (and he was with her). You just knew it the way she would hum a tune while fixing up some apples from their gentleman's farm for canning or peaches from their tree across the road. When they died, only a month apart, my mother inherited the house and we found an entire trunk full of love letters written over the 64 years they were married. Nothing has ever touched me more. I have great warm memories from that house.

The word for the day is ... sip ... a nice congac, a very very hot drink, and a tiny little bit of something good.

Lullaby

Just another lovely painting we have by Albina McPhail.
They are all 6 by 6 inches and 1.5 inches deep with painted sides.
Lullaby. Layers and layers of lullaby paint...
zzzzZZZzzzzz....

artstream Renovation

From time to time people stop by our gallery (yes it is artstream with an annoyingly small "a") and ask about our building. What was it before? (a hardware store, a sporting goods shop) How old is it? (104 yrs old) How much renovation did you people have to do to make it like it is today? That is when we pull out the photographs. Pictures speak a thousand words. It is hard to imagine four + years ago, as it is seems like it has always been this way. One local architect wrote a letter to the local paper about the renovation - here is an excerpt. And if you want to see some more photos you can click here. It is a beautiful building and it came with a lot of hard work.
The word for the day is ... shortcut ... my husband's nickname for his ability to use computer keystrokes, a way of quickening a recipe with less than good means and something which never works in building up something real and lasting.

Dragon days

When teaching a class I often draw along, paint along or simply doodle with the class. I never try and show a model as I am a firm believer that it thwarts free thinking and development of one's own work. During the creativity class we were working with large 26x36 inch papers and conte and oil pastel.
What do you think? I think it is called the Dragon gets loose and stomps about the Netherlands... More about some of the work we did yesterday in class at Whip up... a recipe for fun with or WITHOUT children.
The word for the day is ... stomp ... as in your foot, toss your head, the musical production, and tramping around in the muck.

Must go see

Ashely G. her hello October print which I purchased straight away last evening... I love this! I think it would be nice in a quilt too. Which I am all fired up about - quilting that is -- since the wonderful Jan at Be*mused sent me a delightful book on Janet Bolton. How thoughtful and wonderful is she? Completely.
Oh yes! and we are impatiently waiting, waiting to see the new design*sponge shop! Good stuff for a Monday...
the word for the day is ... listen ... to your heart, to your conscious and your loved ones.

Quiet

"quiet" old book papers.mixed media/ collage 6 x 8 inches
Quiet is what I think of when I think of my great uncle Fred. He was one of my favorite people ever. Kind, quiet, gentle and gentlemanly. I admired him greatly. He was really a dapper dresser and so this piece I made today as a memory piece from my childhood, going for a walk with him in my red hoodie. I am going to be making more of these memory pieces for the under 30 art section of the shop.
For more illustrations of the word Quiet go visit ... Illustration Friday
the word for the day is quiet ... A quiet, whisper, soft spoken, lovely friday to you all!