Well, I’ll tell you, there was plenty of talent out there tonight that should be immortalized – for a small town, I am bragging about the artists around here and our little town that pays them reverence! Sanford is doing a great job in spotlighting art, these are wonderful artwalks, but do wish there were artists out on the street selling work, saw only two.
But back it up Abbe, first of all when I arrived it was at 5pm, streets virtually empty except near Sanford Historic Center where they were showing off electric cars, I only arrived as they applauded the speaker. I know my friend GK Sharman was covering for the magazine she writes for, so expect to see something about it in one of the local papers or magazines. Cute cars, hope to see more of them – would do our environment a favor!  Saw Al Fontana sitting on bench. Told me his portrait work was up on walls of Historic Center, so went in to check out the scene. He also has celebrity charcoals, pencils at Art Affair Gallery.  Looked like many artists were represented tonight from painted chairs to photography, they had a lot to look at. 

it was a beautiful night after a day that was supposed to be a belly washer, I think we got next to nothing on the rain scale.
But weather felt great, not too cold – just right for walking around and enjoying the company of others.

I stopped by Framing 508 to see what Rae Marie and Alfredo were up to. Someone is working on a local documentary about artists and both of them have been filmed a few times. When I find out the details, you’ll know.  Alfredo was in fine form talking about his step by step process for his latest work of Three Muses. He’s totally in control and a “Master” at his work whatever he chooses to do. 

On down the street to Art Affair Gallery, have not seen Miss Sherry or Ronda, Tom and Leon for ages. I came across a rice patty hat and underneath it was beautiful Miss Sherry.  I saw they are stocking a large supply of new and exciting wines. They were busy! Ronda was all excited to show me new work. Saw Marie DeCosta had brilliant, shiny abstracts, Peter Cerreta and Toelle Hovan all had new paintings. Tom Abbott’s creations looked great on the colorful wall. Many artists were represented that I have not named. The center room was filled with 12 x 12′s of many many styles, the ones that struck me most were plates. Have a look at the Art Affair Gallery:

There’s so much to look at at Ronda’s I was getting dizzy in a good way from my intake of art. In fact I thought I saw my son and his girlfriend Heather and yep, it was them. Also saw GK Sharman and Tom and Leon, yes, what a happy night! So glad to see them all! 

I had been to Hyder’s Fine Art Gallery and Sharon could not have been beaming more about being busy in a good way! Andrew too seemed excited for the direction of the gallery with new artists applying all the time and new workshops to be given. Reg Garner was featured tonight, he is a stunner of a photographer, had a photo of a rainbow superimposed on metal!  his panorama and ship in fog were quite the visions, he is well known for his eye!  Please go in and see his work on metal, amazing!
I ran into Jeff Drake also, his photography work is centered more on local scenes. I asked him about the demise of the Riverboat Romance, he and 25 employees lost a great job! Well, lets hope another boat will see the opportunity up there soon! I enjoy talking with him.
Andrew Hyder had a ink printing of a cat he had produced on his own paper  with a tribal look and it had sold by the time I had come back!  

The alley looks so lonely without tables and Herbie Hancock. I have not seen him at his new zoo home.

On to Washburns with their exotic furniture, makes me salivate when I look at the pieces. What a great place to take pictures. Tonight it was all about their lighting, loved the  “aneome” looking lights – Their wine bar expected in May:

On down to another furniture store,

Furniture Gallery, lots of exciting pieces in here and accessories.  The place is well stocked with tables chairs, retro looking bedroom and living room pieces.

Went on to see my friend Dlynn selling her wares under street light near Huge Pond, there were only 2 street artists tonight. Dlynn had her own brand of bracelets and earrings and at her own gallery, she sells beautifully painted art, clocks and lots of great candles,  her gallery, Candelite Gallery is at 241 N. Country Club Blvd. near the Lake Mary Event Center.   That’s her nude at Huge Fish, Little Pond.

Behind Dlynn was where Divine Mother Earth used to be, sadly it has sold along with The Gypsy’s Lair. Divine Mother Earth will become a Cigar Bar, it is just beginning to shape up, but will be coming soon.

Jeanine Taylors place was rockin’ last night too, saw Aurore Brunet in Stewart Jones booth. Stewart painted a really energetic red abstract and had put on Facebook. I asked where it was and he pulled it out from behind a table. As soon as it was out, people were commenting on it!  Also I yakked it up with the Abbotts, you feel like you can talk to them all night! Debe is getting miniature mixed media abstracts together for them to be sent to New York. They are wonderful and hearty pieces, the colors and textures inviting and reasonable priced too.  I held a few in my hands for you to see:

And last but certainly not least, Cheri e Dacko and her “Bent Realism” has her two day, Pop Up Gallery near the Mosaic Store and Framing 508 where she has the most exciting exhibit of her work, it’s only there  for a couple days, you must see it, she has a terrific imagination. I am a huge fan of her style, it has feeling, dimension and brings lots of smiles and her framing is spot on which I learned is done by her husband, so together they are quite the team. Go see “Hoarder Baby” in the window. She had sold one piece last night and I am surprised if it’s not cleaned out by tomorrow – Come to Sanford and visit her and the other galleries – you will be so happy to enjoy an afternoon or morning of art and don’t forget the Farmers Market is up till 1pm.  These last art pieces are Cheries’ and she has her own style that is easy to recognize and love! We are lucky to have such great talent right here, take advantage of it! And if you want lessons, go to the galleries, they all offer a variety of things to learn! Plus if you are an artist, talk to the gallery owners, they welcome new artists for their walls!
Props to Cheri for these two day shows – LOVE EM!!!   http://cheriedacko.com/
Keep up the wonderful art all of you – and you art lovers, buy!
Remember, everyday is a beautiful day making and appreciating art!

Now I guess I’ll get dressed and see what the day brings.

Life can be a challenge, chase after what makes it yours!

The only thing missing was the music, so I have included some for your entertainment  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyzLd0Xtj7s
Great excuse to include Hair!
So you’re saying get on with it! What Happened? It felt like I was going to be blind when I was through, I sat up and my left eye had half its vision, the light had been cut to a dull shadow.  I wondered if doing this would cause a big old rip, so I asked if he ever had anyone that lost their sight from that, he said he had not lost a patient yet. He said the vision  would come back. Plus I was dilated and everything was uber bright. He told me the good news was that there were no holes or tears, that I had a retinal hemmorhage in the left eye. what was the cause? Sometimes it can be from underlying illness like diabetes, OR if you have strained and yes, I was guilty of moving a queen sized mattress from one room to another the day before. He told me he had patients who had strained from bowel movements could get them too, so be careful! There was nothing to do but wait it out and get another check up. But was also told that if I lost vision or it seemed like a veil had come over my eye, to get examined as that could mean a detachment.
WOO, I was relieved, though still light sensitive and with half the light gone in my left eye, I asked for those funky  dark inserts and shoved them inside my sunglasses and drove myself back home. Next time I will take someone with me,  I was squinting and flashing and when I got home I headed for my bedroom and took a nap. When I woke I had plenty of flashes, they are startling as you are continually looking to see what you might have missed to the blind side of your vision.
The flashers have quieted down since last week, though now I am seeing occasional cobwebs that float across looking like stretched fishing line that has then curled up and it taunts me and makes me aware of what the body is capable of doing especially as we age – Getting old is not for the weak! I still think I’m seeing birds every so often,  real and fake. Make sure to get eyes checked about once a year, make sure your eye pressure is good, your blood pressure too, glaucoma can be dangerous. I also have slow growing cataracts, bummer!
Now it’s already a week gone again. But a nice gesture was made by Dr. Logan who did call me on Monday and left a message wondering how things went. I was really touched by that. How many times does a doctor who doesn’t know you from diddly squat care enough about you to call and you aren’t even their patient? NONE except Dr. Logan. Here’s her website if you happen to live around the Lake Mary, Seminole county area.
http://loganeyecare.com/
Dr. Logan has been working with eyes for 20 years, is a Optometric Physician and it says she is sincere and cares about her patients, I can vouch for that and even top it since I am not her patient, yet she was concerned enough about me as a person, a rare rare quality today, rare rare indeed, thank you Dr. Logan.
Other than that the heron in my tree has been slow to mate and slow to finish the nest. She has been standing by it for a week. The males come and mate in early morning then leave, though one has been staying close by and leaves in late afternoon. As I went to fish last night, I noticed that she finally sat in the nest. I figured she must have laid her eggs, but this morning she was standing off to the side with the male so there can’t be eggs up there as it has been freezing the past few nights and those eggs would never make it without a warm body over them. Once the eggs are out, both parents are spending all their time on that nest. I am not seeing that as of this morning. Love hearing their prehistoric squawking as they males shuttle from nest to nest making their presence known.
So stay healthy, pay attention to your eyes – I would be lost as a photographer /artist without use of them, blindness for anyone after living in the light would be so difficult so get those eyes checked and the body vitals too because many diseases and conditions affect your sight! So, have a great weekend, look around and take it all into appreciation,  do what you love and make your life the best it can be!

Now I think of the upcoming new years  I will need to write a few resolutions.  I have to make some to break like cutting down on carbs and sugar and exercising. Those are easy to overlook! I should find something to teach  people regarding photography so I can try and make a little living, my health insurance premiums are killing me, taking 20% of my income and I’m relatively healthy!
WARNING  DIATRIBE IN THIS PARAGRAPH – I hate these insurance rip off companies, they are killing America from the stress of paying their exorbitant premiums while pretending to keep us healthy as they deny deny deny services! In my case, I have a $5,000 deductible just to afford their lousy insurance. I have friends my age who still have about 5 years till they receive medicare, (if we have it still by then), and they are without any health insurance playing Russian roulette because they can’t afford the premiums with their pre-existing conditions.  My thought is, all it would take would be a car accident, or a major disease and they could lose everything! Obamacare — will it be repealed? Will it change the premiums? We will have to see who gets into office. Right now in Florida, our lousy ass-clown legislators are considering what Florida insurance companies will accept and reject, knowing these jerks, we can see their only real interest is that big Corps are making huge profits as lobbyists pad their pockets while pretending to care about the actual people they represent, but then again, why should our legislators care? They get free (socialized) health insurance for themselves and their families paid by us the voters, why should they care at all? I say take their damn healthcare away and make them pay like we do  then they WILL care!

OK, no preaching… back to business. Today we are waiting for a wet cold front to come as promised, we need rain! Right now at 8am it is in 70′s and still a bit sunny and the birds have been busy, especially the herons, it’s nesting time. I have watched this past week as herons have been robbing the old nest in my tree of it’s twigs preferring my neighbors big pine, the neighbor’s nest is used each year. I figured mine was not going to be of use to the herons this year until yesterday,  a young female sat up there all day. She stood above the nest grooming herself , but did not notice the males coming to help build it even though there are 2 males up there this morning. I can hear their chatter through the open glass doors. I hope they will be rebuilding mine! I noticed that it is courting time for the herons in the neighbors nest, they are lovey dovey, mating will take place soon.
Now it’s been 4 hours since last sighting, she is still up there alone preening and standing above the nest. No male sighting.  ( Had to update as they are rebuilding the old nest,have a look and you can listen to my camera ‘snoring’ everytime I work the lense, has to go back to manufacturer and hate being without it!)   movie link of herons rebuild      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coN46ofHufw&feature=youtu.be
The cardinals and jays are all over too as are the red wing blackbirds and grackles, here’s a view of the wildlife this morning – the cranes kicked their baby out 2 days ago. 

Today was predicted to be rain maker, I went to the marina to check out the clouds. Nothing going on up there really, but here’s a few scenes: 

I just heard thunder, maybe we will get rain in advance of that cold front! Supposed to be 44 tonight – (75degrees right now) the wind is pushing around a bit. Love this gray feel! I hear tiny drops of rain. hope we gain an inch or two, winter means very few days of rain so it’s all needed.
Guess I’ll publish this and try and ponder ways to make money off photography. I really think to do it means teaching something about it. I know there are no wedding or portrait plans in my future, I much prefer the wildlife that doesn’t complain about lighting and a lousy group picture! Will I keep any of the resolutions I make? Do you? Well, you are a much better person! I’ll keep a couple, and only because I’ll throw in a couple of things I already do. Hope you all had a Merry X-mas or Chanukah, or Kwanzaa or whatever was celebrated. Now get ready for 2012, the year of the Mayan calendar – okay, if this is it, the last 12 months of life before the apocalypse, then my resolutions are all about wrecking my credit, getting credit cards and taking them all to the limit, a world cruise, travel,  have to see the Aurora Borealis and buying a car or two, maybe a new house, plastic surgery, then default on everything since this is the last year of earth’s existence! Okay, you’re right, maybe I should make a resolution not to exaggerate so much, it is bit more practical just in case the Mayans were off…

Club Turtle Med was in full swing as these temps were at about 80!

The sky at times was dark, clouds gathering quickly and turning dark, then dissipating. It was like having a kalidescope and watching water vapor changed shape and form.

Monday am

twists and turns for a few days…

Red Sun Yoga had their first open house on Saturday – they are a very peaceful studio.  Met a few new artists: The Geeky Bead Designs by Kate Gingrich  — http://www.etsy.com/people/geekybeaddesigns on red table

     paintings by Creative paintings, Paula Cortese, paularob@cfl.rr.com  - Paula had 2 sales! Congrats – hope to see her in Sanford showing her work.

Asha Beads by Amanda, cannot find her card, but you can call Red Sun Yoga and they will know, also jewelry by Bibi Bernal was beautifully done,  

Alison Marse, owner of the studio had well designed jewelry and she does creative cards and photography.
Again, check with Red Sun Yoga for details and artists, I seem to have lost their cards.  If you read this contact me…
Red Sun Yoga  http://redsunyoga.com/contact-form
321-438-0771
Thanks so much to Lisa Moore’s husband for the help with the table, much appreciated!

I leave you with peace and harmony and an appreciation of mother nature and what she can create – gotta get to bed….

Here’s the scoop, I am soooo busy this week I am going to let you go without much of a lecture – These are from last nights Alive After 5 which was a very slow night as there were no food vendors. The artists were all there and lighting for many seemed poor for some reason. The people that came mainly congregated in the Square where Santa and singers were hanging. There were Carolers and lots of jewelry/art/glass/ photos. etc, but somehow it seemed the artists really did not get full attention from the public tonight. Bonnie Sprung in Blue Hat attends to her tie dye and art, Framing 508 had beautifully hand made ornaments from Rae Marie and a new painting of goldfish by ALfredo.
Toelle Hovan was outside Art Affair with her art and was prepared  to make X-mas ornaments,  Art Affair looked great, the middle room with artist work was being shared with  Sobovada Holt &  I am forgetting who shared the space, will find out tomorrow, oh wait it is tomorrow.  ANyway, Art Affair looks FAB.                .
The Abbotts were in the house at Jeanine’s looking good with Mary K and her great collar!  Out by the Maya’s book store was Bill Belleville with  Fredric M. Hit and their many books for sale, prolific writers about the environment, both truth and fiction. Jeff Drake has  great photo packages  for the Holidays, (Jeff Drake Photography) and Myrna Cummings had cute little dolls wrapped up and was working on exciting new art. Saw Joanne and Tony Borges with their pottery and woodworking, so many gift items all over the downtown First Street. Santa and the Mean Elves were at Huge Fish singing away , and as always, enjoyed taking with Radha, owner of Divine Mother Earth/Gypsy’s Lair and Marjorie Baughman who was displaying her little soft pieces.  There’s a new store with furniture and accessories, just opened too. Home Furniture Gallery by Carrie Bailey, she put her new store together well. Adorable rings and pins all antique and designed by Catherine at Catherines@catherinesjewelrydesign.com she has an Etsy Store – Saw Steven Mosher but forgot to add a pic, search his name to see his glass work.
As you may have heard, Herbie was taken to the zoo. People were feeding him junk food and there was concern for his safety. I heard there was a good article in the Sanford Herald as to why Herbie has been incarcerated at the zoo for his own good. We will miss him on First Street, but after he gets out of quarantine at the zoo, he will be part of the pack over there.
John Lennon’s anniversary was yesterday also and his brilliance is missed –

I’ll be at Red Sun Yoga with art for sale at their open House on Saturday the 10th in Winter Springs at Tuscawilla Road in the Albertson’s shopping center 5965 Red Bug Lake Rd, Ste 201, Winter Springs, FL
Wednesday I’m giving a speech in Deland for The Florida Woman’s Artist Association, it’s great to be busy, if only I was worth the big bucks for “consulting” like Newt- oh well, I can only IMAGINE!         Hey, sorry, lame jokes at this hour and wait,  is there a lunar eclipse this am?  Gotta see it, but then again, the sky was terribly cloudy, will let ya know — gotta go, gotta go back down the rabbit hole… Waa, Leon and Tom were not there tonight, Miss you guys! And thanks to Mary K, Miss Sherry, Ronda, Andrew and Radha for putting up with me and my blogging – Now go look at downtown Sanford, they have a ton of unique gift items! BUY, support our town and artists!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtFazE7cmfc

Above find the link for a quick marina view. The water was swaying so slightly it looked trippy!  It wasn’t one of the more exciting mornings, and there are a lot less seabirds than are seen during spring and summer.

I stopped and got my donut at Donuts To Go in Sanford in front of the Hospital. Remember local artists, they would love to have you showing your work – mine will be on the walls till the end of the month.

The eagle was way up in the neighbor’s trees three doors down, about an acre away. 

   The eagle won’t be taking Ringo who is over about 20pounds. Little Sasha weighs about 4lbs at the most, she’s all fluff. 

   The sky tonight is clear as clear can be, the moon is beautiful and I could even take a very blurred picture of Jupiter and 3 of it’s moons, so go grab the binoculars and have a look at the night sky. Another day almost gone, someone on tv called it “time burglarization” – so enjoy your time the best you can and do things to make it memorable!

Edgewater Library is on 5049 Edgewater Drive right off Lee Road, it’s a large library, and looked larger when no one was there but myself and a few of the library staff. As I looked around I noticed quite an amply stocked library – a large inventory of books, DVD’s, a nicely stocked childrens section with books set out on little tables to entice them to read. It brought about a nostalgic for those of us over 30 for the days when you’re a kid taking home a stack of books to read. In Akron I remember the wonderful small Library near the West Point Market and the one that was built near Maple Valley school many many decades ago. There was nothing so enticing and overwhelming as looking at thousands of books and deciding which to take home. My sister and I would spend hours roaming through miles of words and pictures,  enjoying the many sections and selections.  As my children grew up in South Carolina, there was nothing where we lived, but once we moved to Florida, the library came to us each Friday in the form of a mini mobile home. We boarded the bus in the shopping center up by Sweetwater and Weikva and they too got to experience the joy of reading and listening to books on tapes. Then the new library in our neighborhood opened and again, it was a place to explore. Somehow you feel smarter just by being there!
The Edgewater Library has all that and artwork, they gladly open their available wall space to artists and lucky for me, I am the artist for the month of December. So if you happen to be somewhere around Edgewater Drive, have a look at what I put up. Here’s a view of the branch in Orlando, Fl.

I have to thank Kelly who was a big help to me and appreciate Rae Jean for giving me the exhibit. I wanted to make sure the kids section had fun work of them to smile at as it is   important to expose children to art.
Thanks to all at Edgewater Library.

Lately I have been watching the small mud island about 300 feet from my shoreline. Through my lense I have been seeing many turtles and water birds hanging around. Today over a dozen were sunning their shells this afternoon. By fishing time at 4pm, they are mostly gone.  make sure to click on any pics to enlarge them. I know they are not as sharp as they could be. These are the begging reptiles that go after my doughballs and sometimes get hooked. I would say the majority are cooters or sliders. I don’t see many soft shelled participating, nor many snappers. Once in a while the turtles will come up looking for a place to lay eggs. It’s rare to see baby turtles, but when you do they are so cute and again, it takes you back when we were young and had that little plastic turtle bowl with the palm tree until they found out that if you don’t clean it of the salad and meat you would feed the turtles, one could contact salmonella. So so much for the turtle craze of the 60′s.  Here’s a few snaps of turtles past and present:

The baby turtle was from a batched I dug up and hatched. The raccoons with their keen noses will find them and eat all the eggs. In 2006, I was able to hatch a half dozen and release them back into the lake to take their chances.
The big tortoise with the dog on top is a non-native, he’s 

Attached here are photos of our art and the bottle art that stocks the shelves. I really enjoyed looking at labels. A woman shopping near me admitted she would buy a wine for the label. The manufacturers of these wines do take time in making great designs for the bottles, have a look and go there and patronize, it’s important to keep our locals in business!  Below look for the homemade jams, pickles and chutney by Sunchowder. The case was brought it while I was there this morning and they looked charming and the assembly was beautifully appealing, contact them: www.sunchowdersemporia.com   or email     aread1@cfl.com
The ingredients looked so good, many different varieties, fresh lemon, raspberry, grapes, cherries, ginger and more   .
 

Hey Julie Compton, (shameless namedropping ) they even carry Dave Matthews Bands own label of wine, white and red called Dreaming Tree. 

Also, while there the woman making the baskets was working her own magic with creation of great gift baskets for all occasions, 

  She really was very careful of how she put them together and it showed!

So all that’s left, the back room with the art. GK Sharman is having more photos made as we are exhibiting early, so I have a lot more work up on the walls,  next week we will remedy that, so here’s a peek at our art and it’s a perfect excuse to go visit a thriving business committed to their customer. Anthony enjoys talking and advising all who walk through his doors and he samples many of his wines.
GK’s banana spider and her frog,

my red shoulder Hawk

Come by, ‘vino’ is good for you, soothes your soul and art is also there to let you have a look into “The Nature Of Things” – Our exhibit through December – and if you are an artist, stop by and let Anthony book you into putting your own show up – he has many many events that are packed. Market Market Market!
Now I’m at home and instead of cleaning, cooking, and doing what I need to do, I’m blogging which takes 3 hours, oh well, I’m through now – I wish you a great Happy Thanksgiving with family, friends, love and great companionship, plus a lot of fantastic food! Enjoy and I will leave you with a look at the Florida sky this am as I tooled around here or there.  

Take a walk after Thanksgiving, appreciate nature!
XOXO

Outside the gallery was a stunning Husky, it belonged to Aurore’s friend. The dog was  well behaved and had the most gorgeous coat – what a looker!
Talked with other artists, The Abbotts and also Cheri Dacko who will be having her unique work on display next weekend right around the corner . As always, great to see Mary K who is always so very happy and enthusiastic!
Then back home without checking the other galleries, it was Aurore’s night and she made the stars jealous!      

butterflies too  —

The sky was bi-polar, mad and happy, bright and dark.  Because of the continual change, I thought I would head to the marina.
I love the color of the Lynx bus, no missing that!  There were birds all over the place. Loads of seagulls.

As I drove past the empty Gateway Condominiums I noticed a coffee shop was open, so being nosey, I had to stop.

The new coffee shop had no real sign, but it is open. The name is Caffe d’ Riverwalk and was packed with homemade goodies from bagels, to cookies, muffins, and quiche, to many many coffee flavors, lattes, cappachino, etc etc, Plus a variety of smoothies and canned drinks. They are open from 7:30am to 2:30pm. They are also looking for a few willing artists to show just a few pieces inside their shop. The address is 225 W. Seminole Blvd. Have your coffee and bagel while watching the people fish along with the motion of the water and sky.  

I sampled banana bread, very moist and good. I bought a muffin chocked full of cranberry, yum.
So please patronize these new businesses. We encourage and welcome them into Sanford’s community!

Further down at the Motel near the marina I saw mattresses stacked high and remodeling going on. I talked very briefly with a worker and he said it should be up and running as a new Motel and restaurant in 2 weeks.

It will be interesting to see what goes on up there. This motel seems to pass on and on is not given the real makeover it needs, a total updating, make it shiny and new, give it a scrub and make it a place that will bring people back again and again. It is good to see they are doing something so it does not become an eyesore and a place for ‘ the bad element’ that takes place after dark. Monroe’s will be the new moniker. I will miss Kathy being there!
There were quite a few fishermen, but none of them was catching anything, (yes, I always ask). 

and a few more pics:

And then it was back home to blog and play with the kitties. I let Sasha and Luna out and the same ibis were still in the trees. The clouds had softened.

I took out my pole and some bread and there came Ringo, my fishing buddy walking down to the lake, but he stayed way off to the side. That’s not like Ringo, he’s by my side when I fish. He saw the females and didn’t stay, he took off and it’s 5 hours later, have not seen him since then. I guess you must analyze the psyche of a cat as if it were like ours. Ringo and I have shared fishing time together for years, now its’ obvious  Ringo resented those two cats who have invaded our space and took attention away from our sacred Zen fishing time. Now he’s gone and making me pay by worrying about him, but, that’s Ringo, he’s like that – can you imagine, cats controlling people’s lives – OR worse yet, cats controlling people’s minds — yes, cats controlling human’s brains?  Sounds like a scenario Kafka or Vonnegut would dream up. It’s something you hear about and say, “are you kidding, my cats would never control me”! And then, suddenly I gained this new self -perspective from reading ones own blog and realize that I had become one of “those”, those cat-controlled people – well, maybe that’s why I always am chasing a ‘mews’ – please tell me you laughed, or groaned, it’s okay, Ringo won’t mind, or maybe he will….

‘

Up and down the sidewalk there was a lot of talent, if I went into detail these blogs would take days to write, no, never mind I wouldn’t bother writing them, I have art to make. So I will show some of the sights I saw tonight.

Myrna Cummings was eating cotton candy and showing off her latest.

Deborah B. Smith did this curvy piano and gave me some adorable cards, (In my hand). (www.deborahbsmith.com) I am sure I have met her before, possibly Lake Mary a few years back.

Cool hanging glass bottles and and glass bottle windchimes and painted fish, Bottle art by The Bottlesmith, Michele Pasternak, (mpasternak.artist@gmail.com)  The adorable fish creations by Patty Clifton.  The painted maps and other items on table belong to www.joannraulerson.com – Bare Feet Art , (Jo Ann Raulerson)

I stopped by Hyder’s Center for Fine Art Gallery and saw Andrew, his beautiful wife and the gallery dog of which I still did not take a good photo of that precious dog. Lori Anne was missed, but always good to see Sharon too.

Bonsai’s creations by De Angel Creachiones, Dory Angel who also does painting and graphite sketching, doryangel@gmail.com – facebook.com/deangelcreations
Her bonsai art is done with a focus on each being a different theme. The one I featured was a dancer tree.

Clay Jewelry design by Deb DeSantis, maebeecreations@gmail.com – she had earrings and other jewelry.

Kiss My Glass by Janet Lafata, (jlafata1@cfl.rr.com) makes stained, fused and mosaic glass. She has classes and enjoyed those class bottle cheese trays.  Her mosaic looking glass X-mas tree and stocking were very cute.

Steven Monser, glass creator and instructor, monserglassstudio.com had so many colorful pieces, the table looked so sparkly. He’s always got something new, always enjoy seeing what’s new.
a stroller full,  of what looks liked papillions  (there are 3, but the third dog was probably tired of the paparazzi.)

http://galleryonfirst.com/    Debe and Kevin Abbott were busy in their studio at Gallery on First. I should have concentrated on one because you can’t appreciate the beautiful work at all from my picture,  he’s a blogger too,   http://kvabbottsartblog.blogspot.com

Go visit the Jeanine Taylor Gallery on First and enjoy their art and read his blog. Their work on brick wall.

Nene Everling usually sits in the same spot on the corner by The Sanford Herald with her two huge dogs. She looks classic ‘artiste’ all decked out in her hat. She had a knock out with her photography of a rose she had grown. Also a beautiful acrylic rose painting  too,    She needs to get her work out more, she could become known for her obvious love of that flower!

Then over to Art Affair to see what’s new. The Palette Cafe was full and the art looked stand out!   Went over the walls and then into the third room where the original gallery Ronda had opened. On the walls were large mixed media pieces full of motion, texture, depth and color. I just stared at them and Lake Mary Food Critic,  Leon Konieczny  and artist Tom Abbott joined me. All of us in awe of the work. Whose was it? No names, no tags. We all guessed and guessed incorrectly as Ronda approached and we asked – surprise surprise, it was Ronda’s work from years ago she had stashed away in storage. The three pieces had Biblical themes in their interpretation, one of the parting of the Sea, with ropes and layers, the others equally thick with interpretation. She has several more  in her ‘cubby’ – anxious for her to pull them out too.  http://www.artaffairgallery.com/

The glasswork by Nancy Moore was gorgeous  - Art Affair Gallery is full of Fine Art to enjoy. Too many quality artists to even name them all, but I do know and have met many of them.  Love those damn bugs made of kitchen appliances and martini shakers.
Ivaldo’s work always catches my eye

You leave the gallery feeling you have been in New York.  And TOMORROW Tom Abbott will be having a big reception for his ‘creations’ at  7-9pm – The Center, 946 N. Miles Ave. Orlando, know it will be well attended, his work is so very interesting and I know he is smiling as he creates each piece because I always see Tom with a huge smile on that wonderful face of his!  Please do a search on my search bar to see his work.
SUPPORT THE ARTS.
The streets were not as packed as last month and the darkness cut like a knife at 6pm to make it feel like 8pm. In fact, I was talking to fellow photographer G.K. Sharman who is Associate Editor at Sweetwater Weikva Springs Magazine and also has a blog associated with it called Off The Page With GK at Facebook.com/swwsmag. We had had lunch a couple days ago filling our souls full of GREAT Italian at Giovanni’s,  discussing how in Florida we need to leave the time set to Daylight Savings Time like Arizona, there is no excuse! Darkness by 5:30pm is for the birds! GK is a great person to keep up with the happenings around town, both politically and socially, it’s what she does, events events and then she takes time to enjoy her hobby of nature photography. She’s got books and photos and up at the Historic Welcome Center, she has an award winning photo. (I didn’t go in there last night)

Also saw longtime friend, Bonnie Sprung who always has that optimist view and showed me her new phone with the app to plug in and take credit cards, how cool is that. I hope she got to use it a lot!  These are her tie-dye hand printed shirts and hats, she has wonderful art, scarves, many products!  

     Headed up to see Framing 508 and to find out what Alfredo had challenged himself to this month, he is ever expanding his parameters. Was not surprised to see another masterful piece, he is truly reincarnated from one of the Dutch masters!  Take a look at his beautiful Galleon and the other two works:

  Alfredo and Rae Marie are both doing pet portraits also. Quite a bundle of talent between the two of them.  http://508gallery.com/

Saved my last stop for Radha at Divine Mother Earth.  http://divinemotherearth.com/

Her artist being showcased was Julio Sanchez Julsan, (www.facebook.com/JulioSanchez-Julsanart)  and he was a spark plug of electric color and motion, Radha knows what fits into her Gypsy’s Lair and it shows. Have a look at Julsan’s art:  

We talked about events and projects to do. She is a person with such  unique styling! I  admire all these strong women I meet who know what they want and do it, they take charge, they make decisons right or wrong and brush it off if it wasn’t right.  Maybe if I hang out enough it will brush off on me!

I need to add that Casselberry Arthouse tonight :

Come join us at the Casselberry Art House and enjoy a special art exhibit featuring the   artwork by McRae studios on Friday, November 11 from 6 – 8 p.m. Light refreshments will be served. McRae Art Studios presents a body of work exploring the individual artist’s influences surrounding a creative project, path or process.      Location: Casselberry Art House Free Reception: Fri., Nov. 11, 6 – 8 p.m.

Also  upcoming  November  is another vibrant woman artist and person Aurore Brunet, showcasing La Vie en Couleurs… her new collection of art celebrating the beauty of the visage.— at Jeanine Taylor Folk Art on November 18th . Please check the  Jeanine Taylors website.

So after all the art goings on, I left the event and drove down the road hungry and under a full moon with veiling clouds brought on by a cold front.   Where to eat? Where to eat?  I drove along and wondered, Pollo Loco? Panera? Logans? Giovannis? Lee’s? What did I feel like eating? I had so many options! So I finally decided and drove past it all and went home for leftover pizza.  There’s my Ringo waiting patiently for me   That’s so Abbe, hey at least it was a decision not to make a decision!!! SUPPORT OUR LOCAL ARTISTS AND GALLERIES

The event was well attended, saw many people I know and met new artists exhibiting. They are still taking new artists, they have a website and a pdf for the application if you are interested. http://hydergallery.com/

It was great seeing another art gallery come to Sanford, a few other businesses have fallen out, Efes’  and JJ Hancocks went out, (luckily I grabbed my Herbie picture a week before they left.) Herbie is being fed and cared for. In fact last night he was happily asleep in his tree and today someone had brought him some fresh corn.  Everyone loves Herbie!

The Weather was cool and a bit drizzly last night, the parking spaces on First Street were all taken so I parked back behind the building, got a bit wet, but was happy to see how busy the gallery was as I approached the front.  Saw Rusty Wahl and Don Fox as I entered and noticed Rusty’s work to the right. She is versed in many different styles, can also jury and teach, she has a lot of media practice under her belt. Don does photography  and we are sharing space on the Healing Art Wall at Florida Hospital in Altamonte with Sharon and Lori Anne too.
These are a few of Rusty’s pieces, she has several versatile styles on the walls.  It’s always interesting to see what she comes up with. There are many more pieces. In fact, all the work I post are just a few representations of each artist, I want to show you some teaser art so you will go have a look.

There two photographers, Jesse Harris who had lovely lighthouses and water views, he does many of the festivals. 

The other is John Zawacki,  www.jzsstudios.com  –  he is a commercial photographer and a busy one. He had a style of his own with his flower portraits.

The softened edges and dark backgrounds and mats really accentuated his work.
      

In the center of the room was a Bradley Stallings designed “Rat Bike” – a 1977 Triumph motorcycle.  

   There is plenty of work by the Hyder family – I missed seeing Sharon’s husband as he has mastered the construction of all her custom frames. Last time I spoke with him a few weeks ago we spoke so fondly of the wood waiting for him up north, I think it was black walnut. He’s been quite the carpenter in the past. I hope he is feeling better soon and one day will be wood working again.

There  was the poignant work of   N. Sandhaus. Love the soft colors and especially the lines and depth of faceless people blending into scenery, a great perspective.

There was paper work by   D. Meloy.

Also, cleaver pieces put together by Celine Lang -

Celine has an unusual art style and I love the smaller pieces, the pieces were well constructed, her colors nicely blended. 

Bright blondes with wide eyed faces by Janice Heinzelman.    

These 2 orange works with interesting lines belong to M. Rodriquez.  Also work by Amy Wilkinson who I have enjoyed at Art Affair Gallery, type her name in my search bar and you can see her past reception there.  She does body casts and mixed media that are quite interesting. The painting with the lamb was beautifully done. She is also another artist who is so easy to talk to about their work. 

And then there was for me very interesting figure work by  Lori Platt,  it blew me away, the faces on each of her people have to be examined from different angles and light. I spoke with her for a while and she has won awards with several of her pieces. I loved each one and know she is on her way to being recognized for her work!  Have a look:
Jack over the Candlestick - 

Hide and Seek with two girls in the woods, look at all their expressions.

   These is a happy and joyful feel as you look at them.

Thank you Hyders for contributing to the art atmosphere in Sanford and making anyone who steps into their gallery feel like family. Always smiles and happiness. I hope it is a great success!

On my way home I noticed the fair at the Catholic church so snapped a few pics as I drove past. I had talked earlier with one of the photographers who said he discarded bad photos, not me, I love trying to do something with a photo that isn’t quite worth keeping, but has something that makes me keep it anyway, so here’s what I did, Godzilla fit the bill!

Now use your extra hour wisely -
P/S November  18th
6-9pm
Aurore Brunet
Gallery On First
“la Vie en Coleurs”

I was reading Lake Mary Life Mag and came across Page 16 where they mentioned that Lake Mary has a new Art District – so of course, I had to go exploring. The area is across from Lake Mary Event Center on Country Club blvd. There is a small L shaped shopping area with The Art Studio of Lake Mary where Stella Tagliavore has had her art school for years now. She owns the building and now she has a few artist tenets.
There is Studio 6 where they rent space for artists to display their work within a private small room for a fee. Painter, Bettye Reagan who I have seen many times displayed at the Historic Sanford Welcome Center was on display as was studio director, Robert Sassi. These are  for rent, get in touch with Studio Six to find out rental price, (contact Robert Sassi 847-477-1295 or email iddesign1@aol.com  .)  It’s a very nice and clean looking studio.
There is also Candlelite Gallery owned by artist, Dlynn Roll and her husband who are candle manufacturers,  Park Avenue Candles which used to be in downtown Park Avenue and has now moved to Lake Mary. She has a wonderful shop filled with candles, pillows, clocks, art and other gifts. They are on Facebook for more info,  “like” Candlelite Gallery  & Gifts at FB.
Dlynn was so delightful and had a distinct knowledge of the different candles that graced her shop – her art is wonderfully expressive, she has a very calming style and demeanor. I enjoyed the chat. Attached are the pictures of her shop and part of the shopping center;
  The jewelry is all about messages and is in dots and dashes of Morse Code so you and your friends or lovers can wear necklaces or bracelets with secret messages spelled out! Dlynn would be happy to design one for you.  If you are running back and forth on Country Club, stop in and check out the new wave of art  hitting Lake Mary. It’s wonderful to see some media culture added to their tiny downtown. I look forward to watching it grow! The address is 241 N. Country Club Rd. Dlynn’s shop # is 321-262-1880
Got to get back into the art grove – tonight — is the Hyder Gallery Opening Reception in Sanford. I must get work together for the Edgewater Library at end of this month and The Cork and Olive Winery which I will be sharing space with award winning Sanford photographer, G. K. Sharman.
Monday I put new work up at Physicians’ Associates of Lake Mary at Dr. Caggiano’s waiting rooms, so keeping busy.
Check me out on Monday after the Hyder’s Reception – better yet, come and see their new gallery on 104 E. First Street Sanford, 6:30pm — see ya there…

I did go to the farmers market and the veggies looked so colorful and appealing. I bought tomatoes which are still nowhere as tasty as in Georgia and Ohio! Must be our sandy soil here.   Here’s a view of Market and marina:

Herbie of course was out strutting his stuff.

The sunset that night was stupendous!! The colors most of the week have been absolutely stunning to watch just as the sun has been going down, have a view of Florida splendor!

  The days too have been a beautiful mix of clouds with a huge front over us sweeping moisture across the state.

At night, Divine Mother Earth was busy with a group called Midnight Caravan – they did their tribal dancing and got the audience moving in their seats to the hypnotic rhythm: (click on links to play)

   watch?v=CHdbySAZp90

enjoy a taste of the exotic on many Saturday nights at Divine Mother Earth and just a few doors down at Art Affair Gallery and their cafe, The Palette is the soulful Arika singing away, 

I got a nice little dance from Ronda the owner and artist Tom Abbott   click link
watch?v=5B-SIhJDxgw

And so it has been another fast week coming and going – the big storm headed our way pretty much fizzled out for us and hit down south near Miami and Keys. Get ready for the weekend, cooler weather here, the 70′s will feel like the 50′s! Now go make it a good day, appreciate something and someone and tell them!

I have included both natural shots that have not been photoshopped and clearly photoshopped work – Enjoy!

TO THE MOON

Art thou pale for weariness
Of climbing heaven and gazing on the earth,
Wandering companionless
Among the stars that have a different birth,
And ever changing, like a Joyless eye
That finds no object worth its constancy?

By Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822)       

  any questions?  culusmus@yahoo.com

ATT does have a weather channel. when you go there, ‘Weather on Demand’ makes you jump through hoops to manuver the weather listings and the video always hesitates and then restarts. So I will have to switch back, I did want to give it a chance, but it’s thrown my whole routine off! In my opinion ATT is not reliable like Brighthouse, (and I hold ATT stock!)  I rarely had problems with Brighthouse. So must suck up and go crawling back, BUT think this is probably the way to do it as BH offer bundles cheaper now than I was paying, ($142 without any HBO, Showtimes or fancy DVR/Tivo/HD boxes.) Will see how they feel about rebounders, but bet they have a lot of us!
On Friday the weather did change to a day of storms off and on all day. Till late Sunday night we had surges of water. Not much lightening and thunder, but various places did flood, luckily we weren’t one of them. I did catch birds enjoying the rain from my window: 
And of course, the rain on flowers is naturally beautiful. 
The rain did not overwhelm the septic system at least so we had flushable toilets which was great because we hosted the Key West High School Swim team for dinner Friday night. And with 15 kids eating and needing to use the facilities, well, having working bathrooms are a must. You might ask why I had the swim team at my house? Because my brother is a coach and this is one of the cities where they have competitions. Can you imagine driving the bus for 7 hours to go compete? Well that’s how Key West rolls, their nearest competition is about 4 hours away in Miami. We had a nice time and they seemed to enjoy their brief stay and of course the best part is seeing my little brother — he’s been coaching something for 25+ years down there whether it’s swimming football, girls softball, basketball, they all know him as Coach Wise.
Later that night I was putting away towels and did not see little Luna the kitten go into the bottom of the linen closet. But her sister Sasha did and I kept wondering why every time I went up or down the hall,  Sasha was at the closet walking back and forth and sniffing under the door. Finally I figured I should open it to see what Sasha was after and Luna popped out!
Ringo our big male came in to get out of the rain and the two females are totally enamored by him and as soon as he comes inside, they have to sniff him to get the vibes from where he’s been. It’s funny because he wants nothing to do with them, but has enough manners not to be cruel. 
Sasha has a bad cold, she is snotting all over with big sneezes. These Persians and their flat faces! I feels lousy for her, at times we go into the bathroom and steam up the shower so she can breathe easier.

Yesterday the day began with many clouds, I tried fishing in the morning, but all I got were the cranes flying over for the bread and turtles wanting to be fed.  

The day was quite sunny and very humid, the storm moved north leaving us with big wet benefits.
Later that night I fished again, the sky was filled with beautiful clouds and a murder of crows coming from the east, heading south. At one point I was under a crowd of hundreds and wondered when I would get sprayed, but luckily none crapped on me.

The dragonflies too came back out, didn’t see one during the rain. So I will leave you with yesterday clouds and moon, (which taking moon pics became a huge peril of fighting the vampire mosquitos for the view, they came from everywhere hovering over me in a their own buzzing, sucking  cloud!
Don’t know what type of day we have today, it began as a golden sky, very yellow, but now is cloudy and even had a bit of a misty rain for about 5 minutes. But it’s a new day, ummm, what can be accomplished? The question stull remains, how to find one’s own style and make money from doing something artistic! That’s the plan and I’m sticking to it! Enjoy, have a beautiful and fulfilling day…

They are offering artists to be juried into the gallery, looking for 30 emerging artists to come join their ranks. www.hydergallery.com has all the details for those of you who would like more information. They are starting with a blank slate and hope to be up and running by November 5 – It’s a great thing for Sanford to become known as an art center. How lucky are we that the Hyder’s have chosen to bless us with their talent and a venue for teaching and sales. I look forward to watching it grow.
 

Tonight they will be bidding on Bat Houses at 7pm at The Art Affair Gallery, this will also benefit The Central Florida Zoo, so go on over and put your money down, sample wines and enjoy the evening – check out info at www.artaffairgallery.com — there are even bats that come out at night and fly around the buildings helping rid us of mosquitos!  I must comment on Ronda’s bathroom that started with a canvas for people to paint while there – it has completely over taken the doors and walls inside, good to see that people are so inspired as they sit looking at the surroundings!

Washburns down the street has new managers, I met Laura today and she was so interesting, showing me how to tell furniture from India and retrieving bits of info on the finish of a chair, the wood on a table, the carving of wood. She told me the building is an old J.C. Penney’s from the 60′s and they still have room to rent upstairs if anyone is interested. The ceiling is all stamped and they have a circular stair out the back which they intend to put to use for weddings. They will also be adding a beer and wine bar in December, another addition to life downtown! I love the pieces they have on the floor. My grandfather had a furniture store and I loved looking at good wood and smelling it too. These are all imported pieces one even coming from a Saudi Princes estate.

  Thanks Laura for showing me around and I enjoyed the talk, she will be glad to help in anyway if you need a specific item. The bowls, the rugs, accessories are beautiful and defining. Enjoy  culture!

Popped by and saw Herbie hanging out. Checked to see if they ever put my photo up at JJ Hancocks, but they never bothered, it was still face down over the cash register so I took it with me and gave the photo to Miss Sherry who loves Herbie, she was quite appreciative!
Mary K. Shaw told me last week I must go to Hollenbach’s new Deli in Magnolia Square and get a pumpkin muffin, I went inside and what a treat! They have a tantalizing deli over there full of fresh cold cuts and wines and desserts, but no muffins. Have a look.

Very clean and shiny inside, will have to try a early morning to get the fresh muffins. Also at Jeanine Taylor’s Gallery On First, new tennants in Cheri Dacko’s old digs, the Abbotts, Debe and Kevin, a long married couple of painters, now have  the walls filled with color and skilled application of paint and wax and beauty Their mixed media, encaustic pieces surely will be noticed.   I will include a couple of pieces inside their booth.
Plus Jeanine has more hats than before, the hats have been selling fast and as the holidays approach, you better hurry! They are also working on their wonderful Halloween displays, they always do it right!
Now enjoy the Abbotts, look for them at   www.abbottsstudio.com. They have a great mixture of style and the framing is done to perfection.

And on to the marina as the clouds were both dark and light. Lots of fishing people, and buzzards too:

The morning had been a beautiful sunrise yesterday, the sun is usually right across the lake blinding me with her light, but it was off to the right sneaking up behind the trees making it for easier viewing

  and the moon equally was soft in its’ presence, making its’ way around the clouds that clogged the sky late last night. I leave with a quote Steve Jobs quotes – what a mind, gone way too soon!

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.  ”  

“Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me … Going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful… that’s what matters to me.”

“Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure — these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.“

You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.”
.     “Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure — these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart…” Steve Jobs
     

The Welcome Center too,  http://www.sanfordinfo.com/   was decorated from this month’s theme, “Summer Blues” -  they are working on the back room and have less work on the walls, but still have quality work. Next month’s show is themed for the environment.
October 13 is Alive After 5′s October Fest, always a great and large turn out for that one so get ready, before you know it, it will be here.
Ronda’s Art Affair Gallery,  http://www.artaffairgallery.com/    had new art up from the 24 X 24 contest.  Good bold art and a wonderful menu too. Plus, Ronda is not only cooking up meals and art, she’s cooking up ideas for the holidays so pay attention.  Here’s a look at Sanford  and Art Affair Gallery and Herbie Hancock:   (I still don’t know if my picture of Herbie is up at JJ Hancocks, last time I looked it was face down over their cabinet!)

Don’t forget that The Art Affair will be auctioning bat boxes to help the Zoo, check their site for details.

Got back in the truck and headed out to Seminole State College for the Reception of “Our Village” by Judy Gilmer and Beau Wild. I always enjoy the receptions put on by the college and they have a wonderful art department under the watchful and articulate eye of Gallery Curator, Megan Paquette Stepe.
http://www.seminolestate.edu/arts/arts-events.php
And the gallery was right up to par and beyond. As I repeat repeat repeat, Megan has a gift for knowing how to hang a show to bring out it’s full potential and she knows how to pick the best artists to bring the focus of important and meaningful art to us.  The Art Gallery on campus is a ‘gem’ for our community and you can go see it any time during school hours – don’t over look this if you live or are visiting in the Lake Mary/Sanford area. The campus itself keeps expanding and is a wonderfully serene place to visit or take classes.
Judy Gilmer and Beau Wild are seasoned artists who have collaborated on an exhibit that is both thought provoking and intense. The paintings are quite cerebral, the installation art well thought out and planned so that each time you go around the gallery, you see something you missed which is the way you want it.  Beau is also up at the Art Affair Gallery on display so I was familiar with her talent, and I know I have met Judy at other venues, but seeing her bold and expressionist vision up close is exciting, the colors are applied with a trained eye, in fact the whole installation which took 3 days to put up, is very exciting and what an exhibit should be. It all ties together so well, both certainly have a mindset that works well together and shares it to make  us a part of it too. I am going to leave you with a little portion of the show and encourage you to get yourself out to see it for yourself. 


Just heard the economy won’t pick up for at least 3 years, ugh, how disheartening. Also listened to the news and a terrorist was killed who would write for a ‘Jihad’ type magazine called Inspire – who knew terrorists authored inspiring articles, but had to laugh at the title of one of the articles: How To Make A Bomb In The Kitchen Of  Your Mom.

http://gawker.com/5577082/make-a-bomb-in-the-kitchen-of-your-mom-al+qaedas-official-english+language-magazine

that made me laugh, but also brings in a reality far removed from the little art world I float in.
As for me, getting ready for a Library show, but found out  Maitland gave my time slot away for October – boo hoo, apparently a mix up when they changed people and positions — oh well, I will be at Edgewater Library for December I’ll just use my work, it’s all bundled and ready anyway called  Among The Lilypads – and of course, Iyla will be featured under glass. 

Also getting ready to see Planet of the Apes, stuff to do, catch ya later and have a great weekend and do something that makes you smile! OH, P/S, thanks for those of you who see my new kitten, Luna  on Facebook and ask how she is getting along with Miss Sasha. They have bonded well, though Luna is a bit demanding and an out of control maniac who exudes a dynamite load of energy, they do seem to get a long well, have a look,