Thursday, August 22, 2013

Art Unplugged 4


Early June saw the return of Art Unplugged and a week long schedule of classes.  But first we must prepare.


   Cecile was the first to arrive, but not the last.
Cecile and her little bear Boyd.  Her ever-present traveling companion.
 patterned patinas
enameling

gel du soleil

microfolding - rolling mill

finished product


Worker bees making ready the frames.

Shadows of Our Past

more studio time




Tin Type Book - the closing act

The party's over...  till next year.


We need to replenish!

Alive and well in River City.

No I haven't fallen off the face of the earth, but I have been insanely busy for the past 4 months.  Between the store, restaurant, rescue dogs, studio purging, teaching and traveling there hasn't been a moments rest.  But I am here to catch you up on the activities of Mrs. O'Leary herself.

The rescue dogs, Benny, Chester and Jazzy are all doing well.  They have hair now and are waiting for new homes.  They are all sweets dogs.  They are a Lab and Doxie mix.  Figure that one out.  The 2 boys look like miniature black labs with a bit of white and Jazzy their sister is totally brindled so she looks tattooed.  All have been neutered, shots and a clean bill of health.  Anyone interested in expanding your family?



I just have to share this image with you.  This planter was outside my Drs. office in the spring.  Just goes to show any nest is a home.



Early May found daughter Faron and I back on the road headed south to Stamp Asylum in 
Plano, Texas.  Always one of my favorite places to teach.  Everyone has become my 
friends so it is like going to a reunion.  

You can tell we have our priorities in order making sure the snacks were in easy reach.


Among our favorites to visit are kitties Oliver and Chester.  Oh...  I miss your purrs.












Etching Basics



Upon returning home to Wichita we started tearing up and building the new walk in for the Brickyard.



Then it rained, and rained, and rained, and rained some more...
It did leave us with a green garden in the Brickyard.  

Travis & Brooke Russell (our kids and owners of the Public, restaurant)



Sunday, April 28, 2013

Artiscape, Columbus, Ohio

Last week, daughter Faron, husband Mark and myself traveled to Ohio to teach and show at the  art retreat in Dublin Ohio.  We had to make the trip all in one day due to the fact that I wasn't ready to leave on time.  Imagine that...






      We traveled through the rain, whizzing into Indiana and past Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.      



On to the show.  We were so busy with teaching that we never really got our show space all set up.
Forgot to take pictures too.
Vintage chandelier crystals.
Brass numbers for the old St. Louis Library shelves.

Cecile was my great helper all weekend.  We stopped for a bit of refreshments before getting started.


    Working in the hotel room.  I always wonder what housekeeping thinks we are doing in our rooms.

                My late night snack after never stopping for food during an all-day teaching session.

Class Time!
Jane in Chains.

                                               Copper Book Necklace - Looking In.


This gentleman's name is Jeff.  He is an art teacher I believe in Eastern Ohio.  The only one for the entire area and he works with teens keeping them busy for the summer and out of trouble.  I shared with him ideas and products he can use to keep the interest high for his students.  We will stay in touch.

She is off to the Mad Hatter's Tea Party.


Time to head west.  We have been helping several of the dog rescue groups transport animals as we are traveling.  We knew there was a chance that we would bring back a neglected dog that had been pulled from a farm in Ohio.  He was one of 30.  His name is now Chester.  Chester had been chained all last summer to the outside of the barn unprotected from the sun.  He had been coated in motor oil that had never been cleaned off which left his skin burned and infected.  He was also covered in rat bites and has every kind of worm in his body that a dog can get including heart worm.  When we went to get Chester, we learned there were also 2 siblings that weren't in as bad of shape, but there was nowhere for them to go.  So Mark went out a bought a kennel, food and chew toys and we ended up with all 3.  Not being able to get a hotel with 3 dogs, we ended up sleeping in a truck stop.  The dogs were so frightened that I had all 3 under the covers with me through the night.  
And you all think I have a glamorous life.  

The medical bills (even with a generous veterinarian, Dr. Julie that gives us a great deal) for these three dogs over the next 2 months will be over $1,000.  If anyone would like to help by donating for their care or the care of the other animals in the rescue, you can send a check 
or call to donate by credit card to:
Ark Valley Animal Clinic - 122 N. Park Avenue, Valley Center, Kansas, 67147 - 316-201-6690.
You can make it attention Chester-Benny-Jasmine (Russell).

 Benny being the strongest of the 3 spent some time at the store while his brother and sister were boarded at the vet for a couple of days.  He is introduced to Jeager the rescue cat.  

Hanging out in Mark's office.  Getting used to the idea that not all humans will hurt him.

Just loved this image.  Circleville, Ohio.  Trompe-loeil on the side of a building.  
I had to really look at this one.


Arriving home to a cruel joke.  It's my birthday and the best part of April 24th for me every year is the great weather.  This is what we were met with pulling into Wichita.
 my flower beds.

The next day in the Public/Brickyard Courtyard.

On our way back from Ohio we stopped in St. Louis to help our son Travis and his wife Brooke pack up there belongings as they are moving back to Kansas this week.  I ran across this in the process. 
 I gave this to Travis 16 years ago. 
I was surprised to find it sitting in the living room on the book shelf filled with the
same treasures (and a few more) that were there when he received it.  
They may grow older, but a son at any age is
still your little boy.