Memorial Day

I'm having a hard time trying to get back in the groove. I need to go back into the darkroom, I am in dire need of mats, and I need to make additional cards and smaller prints for the gallery, which means digital printing...I think what I need to do is put some Louie Prima in and get going! I used to put in a Louie Prima CD whenever I was doing housework - it makes you go really fast! Very motivational. So I think that's what I will do and get going here.

I hope you are having a great Memorial Day Weekend. My Dad, Bill Jackson, a Korean War veteran, was a devout supporter of veterans for many years, and continued to do so until the day he passed away in the hospital which was just before Veterans Day. Just to give you an idea of what his life consisted of, this is an excerpt from a fellow 'brother' who wrote, "...On Flag Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Armistice Day, Brother Bill will perform four or five ceremonies for the occasion. He and the Color Guard, rifleman and the bugler from the American Legion will perform at any service when they are asked. In the last five months he has participated in over 45 events, covering more than 5,000 miles which has taken some 400 hours of his time. And what does he ask in return? Just that if someone in need asks for your help, that you give it to him."

I was perusing thru his paper memoirs and found one of his scribbled notes on an envelope for an upcoming military ceremony. It reads in part, "...It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us - that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave their last full measure of devotion - that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain - that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom and that the government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the Earth."

Samuel P. Taylor Campground

Well the Artful Bra III show was a success and it's over and I was done to say the least! ;) We left town on a spur of the moment with our friends Sheila & Jerry and headed out to the Samuel P. Taylor State Park. We were so impressed - it's the most beautiful campground we'd ever been too so far. Lush grounds with huge redwoods and oaks. Samuel Taylor was from back east I think Minnesota or Missouri, came out to California to strike it rich with gold, did just that and started up a lumber mill. It campsite is located about 12+ miles to Point Reyes and the beach area. We had great weather until the morning we left and then it poured from there all the way home! So we picked two perfect days to go.

I finally had picked up my two film Minolta's (SRT 201) that had been in the shop and loaded one with film, and also took my Canon T2i with me. Spent a little time figuring out the manual settings on the digital. Digital cameras as probably you all know, when you put it on manual you get a picture that is somewhat 'perfect' - in other words the whole thing is lightened and doesn't really depict what is actually there. Learning to use it in the manual mode you capture the scene with the actual shadows and lighting. This photo I'm posting was taken on our way out while it was raining.

Artful Bra III Show

Well the work is still going but there is light at the end of the tunnel! There has to be because the show is this Saturday!! Yesterday I went down to High Hand Gallery and took all the bid sheets down that have the photo on each one identifying the entrant, and also, the little title sheets to be tacked up to the wall next to the bras/artwork.

I ended up making a bra myself at the last minute dedicated to my friend Joy who just went thru reconstructive surgery, and also dedicated to a friend who went thru breast cancer treatment several years ago and survived, as well as my sister-in-law Nancy who is a cancer survivor as recent as a year and a half ago.

I titled it, "Woman Reconstructed" and made it out of a bra - one cup covered in sliced corks, the other in clear glass beads, outlined with gold/black binding. I sprayed a cloth hanger and then added some shiny gold netting around it.

Last night I stayed up to finish the program and spread sheet. The program came out pretty nice. Thank goodness I had my husband proof it - I had the cover sheet on the wrong end of the page! It's a 2 fold sheet, so there will be some back to back copying to be done. Here's my bra!

Artful Bra III Show

I've been really busy on the computer resizing photos from my camera, then creating bid sheets with the entry photo on it, and then uploading to Facebook for the High Hand Gallery!! I mean, I don't even upload these many photos to FB!! I'm only half done on that chore. Then I have a spreadsheet to do...and do...and do. ; ) But I guess I'm having fun!

I did sneak out to the garden this morning and finished planting another pony pack of walla walla onions! Gotta have those in my garden. Everything is in bloom out there and I just love walking around. We need to get busy and start entertaining - life is just too short for everything you want to do.

I can't really post any photos since they're not my property, but you can go check the first day's entries at: https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/ArtfulBraShow

Barstow Weekend

The last four days we were in Barstow, California, for my brother-in-law's memorial. The weather was at least sunny and not so hot which made it quite pleasant. However, there was the wind and we just couldn't remember if this was the month for wind, or whether it was always windy in Barstow. Bring out the allergy meds!! I didn't take any 'scenic' photos except for on our way out of the desert floor up thru the Tehachapi mountains. As you can see they have oaks in them thar hills and I have stopped and taken photos in this area before. I took these on the fly as my husband was driving. It was a beautiful ride I must say.

So now it's back into the art world and tonite is a general meeting at High Hand Gallery. Then for the next two days I will be onsite at the gallery photographing the entries, as they arrive, for the Artful Bra III Show & Auction, which is scheduled for Saturday, May 21st. That date is also our Third Saturday Show which is featuring Kim Grace (mixed media/jewelry); Anne Bradley (mixed media/painting), Unni Stevens (painting), and Jay Malone (jewelry).

Photographing Plein Air Artists

Sunday was a great day weather wise with just maybe a little too much 'breeze', but the artists were having a great time. The High Hand Nursery is a great place to paint and/or photograph because of all the lush plants they have on the grounds. Plus they have archways and statues. It would also be a great place to photograph portraits. Just an idea if you live here locally.

I took numerous photographs of the ten entries as they were painting. I don't normally do this type of photography, but it's part of my duties at the High Hand Gallery. So in this instance, because of the time - middle of the day - and the shadows that the trees and shrubs cast, I used my larger flash attachment. I think I got some fairly good shots for the High Hand Gallery Facebook page. I immediately came home and uploaded them to the page, which isn't an easy feat because we have satellite. But it went pretty fast for some strange reason. The picture I decided on to post here, is of one artist painting another artist.

Monday I was busy finishing up getting my photos ready for the gallery. The artwork gets changed out every two months. This round I went with 'trees'. I have numerous photograhic images of trees in various locations of the country: New York City, Carmel and Point Lobos, Oregon, etc., to choose from. I just had to frame them and cut one mat. I delivered them to the gallery yesterday.