I can't believe it...

 This beautiful piece of glass was created by Harvey Littleton. He literally invented the idea of artists being able to make glass works. Before Harvey, artists designed glass pieces but they were made in factories by glass blowers. He started the first University program ever in glass blowing. He taught many of the famous glass artists, including Dale Chilhuly. There is an exhibit of his work at The Visual Arts Center in Richmond, VA.

 I'm continuing my crazy two for one daily Mail Art projects. This is card #153 (day 153 of project 1) which is an alteration with the addition of the head, to a postcard of my honey's art piece, Evidence Box. The quote on the reverse: " My gift of fantasy has meant more to me than my talent for absorbing positive knowledge." Albert Einstein

 This is #02 (project 2) Another day in Tiny Town. The reverse: Helene went to Tiny town intent on buying some of their (mini) pastries, which she'd heard were divine.

 Card #03 (project 2) Reverse - The crate appeared, mysteriously, the big concern of Tiny Town residents: Who was going to take it away.

 Card #154. I'm really fond of the way that this turned out. I like the way the hand , which I cut out of a catalog, really looks like it's holding/placing the match book on top of the number cards. It really changes the spatial aspect of this piece. Reverse quote:
"Nothing is really lost to us as long as we remember it." L.M. Montgomery. Do you know this author?

 Another Tiny Town visitor. Card #04. The reverse - Laverne's warm smile and pleasant demeanor made her a welcome visitor to Tiny Town.

Day #152 of project 1 was yet another alteration of one of my honey's images. I only added the figure. The quote on the reverse: " What I like about photographs is that they capture a moment that's gone forever, impossible to reproduce." Karl Lagerfeld


I'm enjoying altering these cards with just one addition. I can change space, scale, concept, etc. How cool is that?

Mail Art +

#78

 I didn't go minimal or maximal, I altered a vintage card again. I couldn't help myself. These tap shoe feet had to be used. I love the idea of a giant tap dancing on an empty road with an Indian dancer looking on. As usual, I amused myself.

 More from the Chihuly exhibit. These pieces are called Persians and they're in the ceiling of a short corridor. I wanted to lay down on the floor and look up, but too many people to do that. So beautiful.

 Sarah L. was traveling in Vienna and came across this gallery. Pretty fun to see my family name in BIG letters on a gallery.

Here I am with the REAL HiMonkey. I was so happily surprised by his arrival at the launch of The Alternative Speakers bureau last month in New York City. I had no idea that he'd be there. Wow, what a treat!

Back on track!

 We went to Chicago for a quick visit with my honey's cousins. The five cousins came together in the city for 2 days, then 2 days out in the corn and soy bean fields at the home of one of them. It was a lovely trip and I felt inspired to begin my 2nd 365 Mail Art project. Here is card #1 using some scraps I had in my traveling Mail Art kit. I'm labeling them 365.2.

 This is the second day, using scraps from things that I picked up plus some bits from the travel kit. I had taken blank cards with me, knowing I'd be making Mail Art. I just didn't think I'd make the commitment to a daily practice again. But I did.

 This is a view from the Charles City Tavern. It's a lovely location on Route 5 east of Richmond. Very historic area of the country, this route leads to Jamestown where the earliest English settlement was established.

 I never tire of taking cloud photos, or photos that include Robinson House, on the grounds of VMFA.

These are glass pieces, reeds, set in place behind the museum's main building. They are, in my mind, one of the nicest installations of Chihuly glass pieces. The red glass is gorgeous in the sun and the reflections are so nice.

Thrift Store shopping

Last week, I went to a new, for me, thrift shop with my friend Bridget. who gets lots of her collage materials here (old patterns, old books, etc.) Things are very inexpensive at this shop, which is in a very large space in an old shopping center on the other side of the river from where I live. It's filled with cast off stuff of other people's lives. Dishes, glassware, clothing, books, furniture, toys, decorations for holidays, jewelry, things and more things. I bought books for 30¢ a piece and rolls of ribbon (to use for displaying items at the Richmond Peace Education Center auction) for 30¢ and a letter holder for 50¢ (which has really helped tidy my studio work table) and this cute little glass jug, for 99¢. I got this little jub because my mother-in-law had a large version of this. My honey thinks it's 1950s, or mid-century as things are now designated. The jug holds 1 1/3 C (300 ml) and is 6" tall (15 cm appx.) It's so sweet. I'm going to use it to hold home made vinagrette, but I think it's meant for individual tea or coffee.  Have you seen anything like this? Do you have any information about it? I'd love to know more about this.   Okay, I just went to eBay and look what I found here.

Spencerian calligraphy

My tattoo is based on the Spencerian calligraphy by Michael Sull that my friend Amy found for me in a book about calligraphy. I simplified it from the original as you can see. About a month ago, a friend sent us a catalog that she thought I'd like to use for collage, but instead, we found this glass plate for sale and Chuck got it for me as a treat. How cool is this? No attribution to the image on the plate so we don't know if it's a Michael Sull or an old Spencerian design. In any case, I love having it.

Rush, Chuck's exhibition of Glass (2)

Last night was the preview for Chuck's show. These are just a few of the many pix I took. The gallery was packed and it felt SO good. Chuck was relaxed and happy, and even better, a piece sold. One of the smaller ones that isn't in any of these images. I've just dropped Chuck at the gallery for opening night for the public, I'll change into some black, going to the gallery clothes, and will join him there.
Afterwards, party time at our place!

RUSH, Chuck's exhibition of Glass (1)

Chuck's been working in glass, a new medium for him, for the past three years. His work accumulated, moving from his studio into the rest of the house, wherever we could find places to store it. Boxes and boxes of glass pieces! Yesterday, was the big moving day. The pieces went to Quirk Gallery for hanging. The show previews tomorrow night and opens for the public on Friday night. We're pretty excited! These images show some of the boxes in our living room, and Chuck, Jude, and Jack working on the packing up. Jude is a glass artist and has been Chuck's mentor. Jack is our neighbor, next door. On Friday night, we're having a big joint party in our backyards. Jack's built a dance floor and we're opening a section of the fencing to combine the yards. it'll be so crazy fun. I hope I'm not having too much fun to take some photos! I'll post photos of the show next. Stay tuned! If you clik on the gallery link above, you'll see a couple of Chuck's pieces.

High Up

Rarely do I get the chance to go above a second floor these days. Last week, I had lunch on the 21st floor of a downtown building. I loved seeing the reflections in the windows and the view of the James River.

Holiday season fun.

Our friend , Jude, is a glass artist. Each year, she invites family and friends to make their own gift. Her studio is our workshop, with lots of supplies to use for our creations. Here we are in the creative process and here are some of the pieces before they are fired. I'll posted mine after firing. I hope they turn out nicely. Even if they don't, it was great fun, and the music was good, too. Oh yes, so was the food, and the people.