Happy Halloween

This little face just grabbed me! What a little sweetie in a Halloween costume!

Dutch Oven Bread

Dutch oven bread is a favorite this time of year. The crustiness reminds me of someone! 

I set it late afternoon or evening....let it do it's thing overnight and bake it in the morning. Crunchy fresh bread yumminess.

Waves of Color......

and texture punctuate a recent panel made for a special occasion.

Gourds As Wearable Art

Lisa Johnson helped us ring up sales on Saturday and found the perfect fashion accessory at the Gourd Fest table! $350 was raised through generous donations toward the Refuge Farms horse rescue! The snake gourds were a big hit.

Art Tour Photos

The Fresh Art Fall Tour was a huge success! We have had a beautiful stretch of weather that was with us through the weekend. Having mid-80's in October was a real treat. Crowds of people arrived on Saturday and Sunday after a slower start on Friday. 

Thanks to new friends and old who visited and brought treasures home with them. I think there were hundreds of photos taken over the weekend--and the stars were the chickens, horses and geese! The horses went out to pasture today for a well earned day off. They're such hams for the camera.

We are talked-out hoarse and tired but after we rest up we'll probably be silly enough to do it all again.

Guest Artist, Jan Brunkow with her framed silk paintings.

Jan's card display and decorated gourds.

Jan's watercolors and oil paintings.

Friend, Janene Nelson helped us on Friday. Thanks, Janene!

My giclee art prints display.

Framed originals in the main studio area.

The Daisy collection.

More of my paintings and pastels by the glass bins.

This sunny window sill holds the "pink" glass display.

Cobalt and clear glass pieces.

A colorful collection of flowers and mission style panels.

Setting Up Gourd Fest

I made trip to the garden with the John Deere wagon to pick gourds today. It's in the 80's which is pretty warm for the first week in October. I wasn't sure I was going to have much to offer for the Gourd Fest which benefits Refuge Farms, but I was surprised when I filled the wagon and three big pails full and STILL have more to pick!

The snake gourds are huge and very unique! 

Art Week

I borrowed this from a fellow artist because it is so TRUE and reflects the mood of this busy week leading up to the Art Tour weekend.

I am so excited about the tour this year. This is the first time I will have prints available of some of my current works. Gail Pommerening did a beautiful job on the first artist proofs of five of my originals.

The artist proofs are the first prints that will be the precursor to an actual edition of prints. This is where the colors are set and each print is scrutinized as being the most exactly to match the original. Gail has invested in the giclee technology that can do this and is a master at manipulating the image. A giclee print is created from an archival printer that has 12 ink jets that applies ink dots of archival ink to create the image. The result has a beautiful matte texture and is especially suited to reproducing my pastel works. However----a print is still a print! It is not an original. But it's as close as the process can achieve and I think the result is beautiful.

I will also be displaying:

      Over 30 original works in oil and pastel


      Dozens of stained glass panels 


      Multistrand necklaces, earrings and bracelets


      Hurricane lamps


      Seasonal Ornaments - angels, snowmen, etc.


      and I'll have the Gourd Fest --- which will benefit Refuge Farms! (Wait until you see the  SNAKE GOURDS! They are awesome and not scary at all!)

To top it all off --- Jan Brunkow is the Guest Artist! She paints on silk and has GORGEOUS framed silk paintings as well as beautiful WEARABLE scarves. Jan will also have framed watercolors and note cards available.

The weather is going to be gorgeous so it will be a great weekend to hit the road, see the colors and some great art along the route.