Actually, it's bustling by in a rush. So far the major events were Candis' graduation from 8th gradeon the first, Trevor's high school graduation on the 3rd, Candis and I went to an art show at a winery in Woodbridge on the 6th., Quick trip to Timber Trails on the 7th, Pot luck dinner and election of officers at the Lodi Art League on the 8th, started watching Works of Arton the 9th, a TV program on Bravo, new season of Americas next top chef started, also Design Star on HGTV. So You Think You Can Dance started their new season as well. That's three nights I have to watch TV. In the summer. I wish they had waited for winter when I like to be home more.
Mixed Media group met on the 10th and I taught everyone to make the tyvek wind socks, then we had a tail gate party, where those of us with things to give away opened our cars to the others so they could take whatever they wanted. We all got rid of lots of stuff. I have no idea who took what. I don't even care, as long as it left my car I was happy. Lots of good things were changing hands that day, that's for sure.
Friday the 11th Jean and her daughter's dog (an adorable Pomeranian) came up to the country for a few days. Lulu met her with lunges and growls and so we started off with one defensive and one aggressive dog - plus my two neutral ones. We had a nice time, it was her first time there. But, having the dog issue always on her mind kind of wore her out. Lulu eventually settled down and tried to make friends but by then Latte (the pom) wanted nothing to do with her and let her know it at every opportunity. We probably should have just turned them loose and they would have relaxed more. But, since it wasn't Jean's dog, she felt extra caution was needed since she doesn't know the dog as well as I know mine. She only stayed two nights but I stayed over another couple days as the weather was perfect and I had lots of little chores to do - and wanted some quiet time too. I'm in the middle of a good book, and did a couple quick sketches while I was there.
I've been putting lot of time and effort into my new piece. Several people have urged me to sent photos in for possible publication in Somerset or the like. So, I have not been sharing the step by step process as it develops. Now, I think I'd like to enter it into the Haggin Museum show - but have not found how to mount it so it is stable and can be seen from all sides.
On the 17th Jen and Francis and I went to Modesto to the reception for Sam and Pepe at the Chartreuse Muse Gallery. Nancy and Eddie came too, and several other people came down from Lodi. It's such a nice gallery and the spread they put out for the reception was outstanding.
I've spent the last two days digging things out of my closet that I have not worn for awhile for one reason or another. Lost weight, no more working, tired of them, etc. 6 big garbage bags full of perfectly good clothing going to the thrift store. They are already loaded into the car. My closets look so much better, and I can see the things I like now. One bag of old shoes made their way to the garbage and some other things as well.
Has anyone else been watching the Hoarders shows on TV? Pretty scary. some of them live in piles of stuff, and can barely move around their living spaces. I can't relate to that at all - but there are things they say or the mental health workers say that make me think part of the thought process I can relate to. I hate to throw away anything that I think is useful to anyone - I want to find it a good home. I simply cannot put it in the garbage. I consider it wasteful and almost sinful. As long as I can pass it along to someone else - I can part with darn near anything. I know so many people who are hoarders, that it is almost considered normal in art circles. Particularly mixed media artists who see endless possibilities for the most seemingly useless objects, or parts of objects. All of a sudden we are all talking about hoarding and trying to work our way out of our collecting habits (hunter, gatherer). Even public radio had a segment on hoarding and the statistics are staggering. People filling their spaces with things they don't need or even really want, just because they are driven to hunting and gathering, and then can't part with it. Some void in their life seem to compel them to fill it with stuff.
I dont' see me there, but the mixed media artist part is definitely me. Sometimes I can barely part with a little scrap of paper because I like the shape it is cut in, or the color of paint that is on it. I just know I can work it into a piece of art sometime. Most of my best art is done very spontaneously and I utilize whatever I see close by - which may include things kept in a basket that should have been tossed but hasn't quite made it to the trash yet. Occasionally I use only things from that kind of source, and for some reason, people really relate to my scraps. The piece I'm working on now has things like a tiny tin box, some piece of metal with the words "other side up" stamped into it that came off the bottom of my toaster oven. Parts off a wheeled stamp that fell apart - they look kind of like gears. An old latch from a gate, more sudafed "bubbles" for goggles, part of a plastic toy robot, a small computer motherboard, a key, a nail, a rusty washer and a scrap of rusty metal off something that rusted out in the garden, an old perfume vial, a pin shaped like a rabbit from a rummage sale, and some scraps of images from other projects. A little tulle from a swewing project. a bamboo bead with a stamped image. See, it doesn't pay to throw these things away when they can turn into art. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. LOL Until I decide whether to enter this piece for publication, I can't put up photos yet. If you really want to see it though, I could email you a pic. momzart101@yahoo.com
