Sonnet Challenge #33

I haven’t posted a sonnet in a while.  I was going to post one about hot flashes (seeing as I’ve been enjoying to the extent that I need to start laughing about it) but Andrew Eales’ post this morning reminded me about this sonnet:

Birdsong

It’s in man’s heart, because it’s in his head
to merge both words and music into song.
There’re places in our brains they both belong
together – feelings more than just what’s said.
But too, we wonder how that seed was sown
that made us lilt our words into a tune.
Was it the wolves a-howling at the moon
or cat’s meow, or buck’s loud rutting groan?
It’s much more likely that the sound above
that we sometimes call angels, were the trills
inspiring us to develop singing skills
to tell our stories, feelings, sadness, love.
Whatever was that singing that we heard
outside our souls? It was a little bird.

Shakin up the Arts

Each year there is a ‘Shakin up the Arts’ show at the Carmen Durazo Center in Calexico.  This year the show was just about equally divided between high school students and adult artist entries.

Some of the adult entries

There was quite a crowd at the reception

Some more adult entries.

The support pillars are ideal places for the small artworks

The one on the left was my favorite in the whole show

Artist Sherry Nash and I met and discussed work – this is one of her mixed media pieces

Sherry also does acrylic pours

Some more of the student work. This young lady had no qualms about asking me whether I liked her painting!

There were some 3-d pieces also.

Cloud Appreciation Society

Always my pleasure to post the Cloud Appreciation Society newsletter.  This one especially is one to dig into and see whether you can get your tongue round the word “cataractagenitus”.

Tales from the field #24

Well this is more of a tale from the business desk of the studio.  These three letters came in the mail today.  In fairness I picked them all up today, they probably arrived over a series of days, I just present them in the order I opened them.

I’m sure these are all automatically generated.  At least, for the sake of Arizonans, I hope so. Having previously spent 31 years in the computer industry, and about half of that working for government entities of some sort, I still think some test planner’s head should roll for allowing this kind of scenario to waste money. Not sure whether to laugh or cry.

The best part: This is probably in response to the fact that on April 19th I sent them a check for $2 for underpayment of something I couldn’t figure out what I’d underpaid.  I thought my math was just bad on the sales on the check I wrote them in March for the show I did in February, and that they were probably better at math than I was….

Reality is Overrated show

I entered three paintings into the Collage Artists of America show ‘Reality is Overrated’ and one was accepted.  I was delighted that I was able to make the reception at the Betsy Lueke Creative Arts Center in Burbank.  Amazingly I arrived on time after setting up for the art fair in Calabasas, with a little help from my Airbnb host on confirming that my alternate route would be good. 

There was quite a crowd there that evening.

There were awards (though I didn’t get one)

Just thought I’d take a photo op with my child.

Indio Senior Center

May 1st I went over to Indio Senior Center and hung 21 paintings.  Or more accurately, Nancy Vance, the community program administrator hung them after I opened boxes and set them out against the wall.  And we put up the prices and signage and photographed the show.  In 45 minutes.  Talk about knowing what we’re doing!

Looking good!

And we had compliments before we’d finished.

…from the other direction…

The fastest hanger in the west, Nancy is going to put them on their facebook page.

Tales from the field #23

Sometimes life give you just what you need.  On Saturday I was at an art fair at Rainbow Stew in Yucca Valley.  My neighbor, Christine Chase, had brought a project to work on during the day.  She had a number of pieces of upcycled household objects that she assembled into a sculpture.  At the end of the day, we packed up a little early because it had gotten windy and we were starting to get blown away.  I helped Christine with the last few stages of taking down her tent safely.  As she was packing she realized that now that the project was complete, she didn’t have room for the sculpture  and the box that the pieces had been in.  She asked if I needed a box.  I said I didn’t, but had room to take it and recycle it appropriately.

As I disassembled the booth, it got windier.  Because it had been a 1-day show with no chance of rain, I’d put the loose canopy top on.  It’s easier to transport, I put it on the frame at home, but it isn’t waterproof.  As I had intended to leave it on until I returned home, I didn’t bring the bag it goes in.  As I was taking the booth down, it became obvious things would be safer if I removed the ‘sail’ from the top.  I was bemoaning the fact that I hadn’t brought the bag, but then suddenly realized why serendipity had given  me a box….

What do I need a box for? Oh, wait…..