Catch up…

I have received the order from my customer and am busily working to produce 3100 pieces of ceramic tile and 225 various other items. While it is not a mural, it IS the largest job to date. It is exciting and stressful at the same time. So many things can and usually do go wrong in the middle of a time sensitive production. Here are a few…the printer has spurted ink (clogged head), eaten paper (worried that it would knock the head out of alignment or worse…lucked out and is up and running again), the thermostat on the press is reading 40 degrees hotter that actual temperature (wasted 2 cases of tile figuring that out!) and finally my hired help has been a GOD-send but they are not as physically strong as what is needed to control the release of pressure upon opening the press. I cringe every time I hear the head of the press P-O-P open. Over all, however, we are doing good and the “head-popping” doesn’t seem to be causing any problems except for grating on my nerves.

 We have five more days of production with the second load of tiles due to arrive on Monday…keep your fingers crossed! At least I have the weekend off.

 

Ohhhh, the things we do…to ourselves!

I recently received an email from Jennifer Loudon (click here for her website) that really spoke to me. It was about learning to be in the moment and to enjoy the place where you are in your life. Boring may just be the precursor to “ENJOY THE SERENITY NOW BECAUSE THERE ARE EXCITING TIMES AHEAD!”

I have a terrible habit of worrying about things I can’t control. For instance, a couple of weeks ago I was waiting for a large order from one of my customers. I felt like I couldn’t move forward on ANYTHING because I needed to have some type of resolution concerning the order. I was paralyzed. I realized that I might as well enjoy the down time so I read a few books. If your interested…..Forever Odd by Dean Koontz, The Darkest Evening of the Year by Dean Koontz and Deception Point by Dan Brown. All worth the time I spent reading them. In fact, I have requested the other “Odd” books from the library. I can’t wait!

 

Some pictures of our groups

This one is of Vida and me. We were co-chairmen of the Float committee for The Woodlands Art League. 

Here we have the “Sunday” crew that helped on the “Flora and Fauna a Child’s View” scratchboard project. We had 16 sections of a mural that approx. 200 children at the festival helped us create. All of the pieces will be matted, framed, and installed in the Montgomery County Women’s Center. The children’s names, ages and hometown will be displayed as well. Thank you to all of the children who lent a hand in producing this art piece and to the hard-working crew, led by Elissa Fletcher, who put it all together.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next is just a sampling of the more than 50 volunteers who made WAL’s projects happen during The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival. The weekend was a huge SUCCESS for our group and the community.

Thank you Abilu Studios for these great pictures and for the Face Painting/Picture Booth at the festival.  Please check out their website: Abilu Studios Abby and Luis Salazar.

 

Woodlands Art League @ Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival on Sunday

 

WE WON!

What a surprise! We won “Best of Show” for our float.

The trophy was designed by artist: Robert Rynearson. Thank you Robert, for such a beautiful piece of glass!

 

Woodlands Art League at the Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival-Saturday

What an absolutely wonderful day! We had so much going on, it was hard to take pictures of everything but I will get more shots on Sunday.

 If you want to download any of the pictures for yourself, here are the steps to take:

1.       In the lower right-hand corner of the slide show you will see View All Images. Click on it and you will be taken to a new window.

2.       As the images scroll by and you see one you like, Click on it and you will be taken to a new window.

3.       Below the picture and on the left-hand side you will see View Full Size. Click on it.

4.       The picture will open in the same window. Click on the picture again to make it as large as possible. Now, Right click on it, choose Save Picture As and save it to your computer.

 

 

The Octopus has EMERGED!

Name of the Float:  Art Reaches Out

Brief Statement about the theme:

An octopus has many arms that reach out much like the many creative arms of the members of The Woodlands Art League who further the cause and interest in the visual arts through teaching, programs, demonstrations, exhibitions, and community involvement.

Many artist were involved in the design of this float and contributed their own special vision of WAL and its members. The float is made completely of wood, except for the three plastic barrels we used for flotation.

Names of people on the team and contributing artists:

Committee Co-Chairmen: Theresa Thornhill and Vida Tuminas. Committe members: Linda Henderson, Scott Burke, Kelli Varner, Kim Abbati (and her daughter’s Girl Scout Troop), Terri Harris, Fred Hulser, Dee Meredith, Doris Provost, Mary A. Crabe, Allan Boase, Elissa Fletcher, Martha Barr, and Betty-Ann Brose.

I can’t even begin to tell you how excited we ALL are with the completion of this float behind us and the Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival’s water parade in front of us! There were a few “re-thinks” while we were assembling the float but everything worked out great in the end!

 

Boy, was I nervous!

For the very first time, I hung pieces of my own artwork in a public place. Not artwork for a job, not artwork for family but my own STUFF! The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Library in The Woodlands allows The Woodlands Art League to occasionally hang a show there for various months of the year. I took three pieces and arrived with an acute desire to RUN. I made it through this personal milestone only realizing how nervous and anxious I was about the whole affair as I was leaving the parking lot. I felt completely spent! My legs were tired, my back was sweating and I needed a drink! What was THAT all about!!!!?????!!!! Everyone was very complimentary but I guess I still consider myself a “fake artist”….whatever that is! ANYWAY….after a glass of wine and some much needed reflection, I decided to just be proud of myself for taking this giant step by putting my art out there for people to see. I’m sure (I hope) the next show will be easier!

 Autumn Girl. Digital Art on Glass     

 

Entitlement Enlightenment. Digital Art on MDF.

 

Organic Ensemble-Hot. Digital Art on MDF.

 

Whoa, what an experience!

I’m just back from judging a middle school art show that determined whether the student proceeded to the state competition. What a wonderful and awkward experience. I felt somewhat intimidated by all of the other “professional” artists who were there to offer their services. The other judge I worked with in the 7th grade level was an art teacher and as far as choosing which pieces placed and the reasoning behind the decision…I was on track and we were totally together. I was relieved! Toward the end of our critique, parents and other judges started filtering through the 7th grade room. There seemed to be discourse in the 6th grade entries and their final placing. Oh! Oh! Time for me to leave! Overall, I’m glad I went and participated but WHOA! the stress level was HIGH and the weight of responsibility was un-nerving!

 

Octopus Sushi…sort of

I spent a good part of the day yesterday, cutting octopus tentacles, a head and ocean waves out of 1/4″ plywood for the Woodland’s Art League’s float entry in the Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival. Today I delivered the pieces to several different people so they could paint them in any way they wanted. All of them should be done within 2 weeks and then the float assembly will begin! I can not even begin to explain the tremendous weight that was lifted from my shoulders when the last piece of the octopus was handed out! Pictures will be posted as soon as the octopus makes its way back into my possession.