New Work, In Praise of Local Businesses, AOL Group Work and Rob's Birthday

Solitude
Reinker, acrylic paint, and glaze medium on panel

Cornwall, 1865
Reinkers, tissue paper, used teabags, acrylic paint and

garnet gel medium on panel.

Communion
Reinkers, vintage book text and illustration, stained shop towel

Above, some new work. Below, the photos I've finally been able to download from my digital camera. As noted in my last post, I misplaced the USB cord for the camera that I'd only had a few months. I tried to order more online and was sent cords that didn't fit. Thanks to Citizens Photo, where I bought the camera several months ago, I now have a new cord.

Photo by V J PDX
Click here to see more excellent photographs by this artist

Before I contacted Citizens, I phoned the huge corporation that makes the camera. Their response was a robot-like reply: "That part is no longer available." No amount of pleading could raise a suggestion, an apology, or anything but this response from a human trained in robotic customer disservice.

Citizens Photo, a small independent business, was helpful and promised to do their best to find a cord if I'd bring the camera down. I did so, and they found me a cord, testing it with my camera to make sure it worked. I insisted on paying them something for it. I value our small local businesses who CARE!

On this subject...

Vintage chest stuck in vintage Neon

Recently, I bought a very reasonably priced 20's chest/bureau from a nice person who advertised on craigslist. A couple of friends of hers managed to get it in my car. I tried to get it out of the car a couple of times after I got home, once with my daughter helping and once with my carpenter helping. No luck. I decided maybe the car door would have to be temporarily removed. I drove car and chest up to Beets Autobody a few blocks away. These folks have been wonderful when I have needed repair work done, and I thought maybe I could pay them to remove and reattach the door. (Obviously, I was desperate.)

Two of the friendly Beets employees were eager to help try to get the chest out. They struggled mightily, until Paula, the manager, receptionist, poet, negotiator, and cultural attache of Beets, calmly removed the headrest on the passenger seat (who knew?) and the chest easily slid out. Then one of the fine employees drove the recalcitrant bureau home, where it now reposes waiting to adorn the new studio. They refused to charge me anything.

Hooray for Beets!

The chest/cabinet/whatever --looks better out of the car

Below is a Fantastic Free Find. It was out on the curb of a nearby house in the soaking rain. I saw it as I was returning from PSU. I couldn't move it by myself so I drove home and asked Steve, Carpenter/Contractor Extraordinaire, who was there working, if he would help me bring it home. He was just as excited as I was, so we jumped in his van and rescued the heavy oak vintage table. It has some cotton batting like stuff stuck on the top, but it scrapes off. What a find!

Great studio table!



Most excellent tool house built by Steve to house all the tools, boating stuff, and more that can't be in the garage-soon-to-be-studio

Some pictures formerly stuck in camera:

Weird old handbuilt trunk/box thing found in bushes in back of our aging fence

Work by Sarah from The Art of Life group

Collage in progress by Renee, a new group member who heard about the AOL group when I spoke on professor Marlene Howell's
show on KBoo (Fridays 8 AM.)

Jodi's Asia-inspired piece. She used one of my favorite tricks for the stems. She squirted on black puffy paint and then smashed the paint.

An alcohol ink painting by Jacey, another new group member and
counseling student

Cindy's mysterious painting--she's not sure what it means--just worked with what came to her.

Last but not least, a tribute to my wonderful stepfather Rob. His 80th birthday party was held yesterday at Fishermens' Bend Park. In addition to being a retired scientist, Rob is still an active, expert kayaker. He's my role model for continuing to do what you love, no matter what your age!

Rob



His cake