Ceramics Demo, Garden City Art Show and 3D Art Projects

I just got back from spending two days in Banks, Idaho, surrounded by pine trees. It was a sort of church retreat that I went to, this time without my husband. I made a lot of new friends and in spite of this being a very busy time for me, I'm glad I went.

This coming week is going to be very busy. I have an art project due this Tuesday for my 3-D art class. Then I have an art show opening at the Garden City Public Library that starts in October and I have to go into the library to hang the show Friday. There is also a party my husband and I will be hosting this Saturday, so I have to prepare the house for guests.

I found out last Thursday that I got an A- on my first 3-D art project! The teacher really liked it. I hope I do just as well on this next art project. My next project is a flower design I am making out of orange prescription bottles that will be cut into various shapes. I am also utilizing actual prescription capsules into the design. This is a project that focuses on conceptual art. We are suppose to use something that is an everyday object and turn it into some sort of interesting artistic design. The goal is to alter it so that it no longer looks like the original object it was intended to be used for. This project has a subtle reference to the health care system.

Last Thursday I went to an art demonstration given by ceramics artist, Rich Briggs. He is a teacher at the University of Idaho in Moscow. This was a mandatory event I had to attend that was a part of my BSU class, beginning ceramics. I really enjoyed the demonstration. I found the artist's work very creative and interesting. However, I have a lot to learn in this field. I haven't even started with the glazing part of ceramics yet. That will come in the next few week, probably.

Roseberry, Idaho

The Church and the Valley County Museum of Roseberry

Let me introduce you to Roseberry, Idaho. This is a ghost town about 11 miles outside of McCall near Donnelly, Idaho. It has been re-created to look just like it was way back when. My husband and I decided to visit it Saturday and found it to be a really fantastic place! Talk about a blast from the past! It was the 1880's and early 1900's all over again. The Long Valley Preservation Society restored this town and recreated it. Some of the buildings on the walking tour were part of the original town and others have been brought in from other locations in the Valley.

I have posted a photo of two of the buildings in Roseberry, the Church and the Valley County Museum, which use to be a school house. My favorite building was the general store. It was stocked with items exactly like what you would see during the late 19th and early 20th century. There was a potbellied stove and some chairs, just like you would imagine in an old fashion general store. My grandfather would feel right at home here. It use to be called the McDougal Store and was originally built in 1905. The owner of this building, Frank Eld, collected all kinds of artifacts and goods from this time period and put them into this store. Frank and some volunteers have restored this building complete with period wallpaper, tins or canned goods and dry goods to look like it use to. This is not just a replica--this is the real deal from history. The closest thing I have seen to this was Knott's Berry Farm, where I grew up. At Knott's you walk into a general store that is made to look like it existed in 1890, but was actually made in the 1950's.

I think you could consider this general store a type of art museum that recreates the look of the 1880's, 90's and early 1900's. Even the architectural design of the buildings are unique and have their own artistic merit. Even the dry goods in the general store have their own artistic merit. I think there is something really wonderful about re-creating an atmosphere from a time where life was different and slower, and there were no high-tech toys around.

Has anyone seen the Twilight Zone movie about the guy who kept dreaming about a place called Willowby that he wanted to live in because his life was too stressful? Well, Roseberry is just like that town. I felt like the guy in that movie and I just stepped out of my fast-paced, high pressured world and stepped into an old fashioned paradise! Cool!

Gallery Hopping in McCall

Stone Art that I bought in McCall

I just got home from my vacation which was a weekend at McCall, Idaho. It was wonderful! I have posted a photo of McCall (above). I stayed at the Holiday Inn Hunts Lodge, which was an awesome hotel that served a full breakfast, had wonder little extras like an indoor pool and fitness center.

McCall has several art galleries and of course, I had to go to as many of them as I could. I went to the Artizen Gallery, Mustache Flats Gallery Outlet, and the Mountain House Gallery. I saw some really interesting art. The Artizen Gallery takes art on consignment in the Spring and Summer, so I may try and sell my art there next year. Some unusual art that I saw at these galleries: a coffee table made out of parts from cars, a Caterpillar tractor, and a Harley Davison Motorcycle, Butterfly art made from real butterflies, unusual & beautiful photo digital impressionistic art, Encaustic art made from colored wax, and some very unusual metal sculpture art. I got to talk to some of the artists that made the art and that was really fun. When two artists get together, there is an instant bond that happens and I love to talk about art to anyone who will listen and not get bored! I took pictures and made sketches of some of the art I liked and as soon as I get my film developed, I will post some of it on this blog site.

We also went for a drive and did some walking around McCall's Payette Lake. We went to Ponderosa State Park and viewed the lake from a cliff. The view was breathtakingly beautiful! It was what I call, "God's Artwork." I did a sketch of part of the lake and my husband and I had lunch by the lake. It was great to be able to do some plein aire sketching in such a gorgeous setting. It was so beautiful, I didn't want to leave!

I spent several hours looking through all the stores and gift shops in McCall. My favorite one was the Granite Mountain Nature Gallery. This is a gift store that sells mostly rocks and gems and anything else that can be make from rocks. It also sells fossils and butterfly art made from real butterflies. I am a rock hound and I have a love for any type of art that is made by nature, so this store was perfect for me! They had quite a collection of rocks and unusual items. There isn't anything like it in Boise. I posted a photo (above) of the "rock art" that I bought. The top piece is an amethyst stone necklace pendant, and the item below it is a round box made from rock (marble or granite, I think) with a pearl or mother of pearl laid-in design.

I had SO much fun that I am going to have to make several other blog entries to describe it all.

3D Art 108 Project and Art In The Park

This past week in my 3D art class we turned in our first sculpture project. Mine was a sculpture made out of wire and painted pantyhose that was shaped in all sorts of swirly shapes and fastened together. It was painted white with some streaks of blue and topped off with some glitter paint. I really loved the way it turned out and so did my teacher. I think (I hope) I will be getting a good grade on it. It was really fascinating to see what the other students came up with. Each student is suppose to give a presentation of their work and talk about the process of how we made it. Then the class gives a critique of it. My teacher told us that a few of these pieces are going into an on-campus show. I have yet to find out which ones will be picked.

This weekend was Art in the Park at Julia Davis Park. I went today to check out some cool & very creative art. I did some sketching of the designs and art that I really loved. These sketches will go into the journal I am keeping for the 3-D art class as part of my assigned homework.

I think my favorite art from Art in the Park today was the bamboo sculpture art and some animals that were made from recycled metal. The bamboo artist was Peter J. Gallagher, (www.onewhitebrow.com) and the metal animal artist's name was Rich Kolb (no website). His animals had a real funny and whimsical quality to them and were very creative.

In spite of the uncomfortable heat, I'm glad I went to Art in the Park. (The snow cone helped!) I got some really great ideas for some future ceramic projects.

3D Art Class & First Thursday Gallery Stroll

My second week of school and I am loving it! I am doing a lot better in ceramics now and some things are beginning to make sense now. I am making some teapots right now and so far, they are turning out MUCH better than the first 'thing' I made. In my 3D art class, I am making a sculpture out of clothing hanger wire and pantyhose, then I am painting parts of it. It is due this week, so it has to be fully completed by this Thursday. I am really enjoying this project. It is kind of fun to get outside the 2D art box that I am usually in.

This past week I went to the First Thursday Gallery Stroll in downtown boise this past week. I went with my friend, Lisa. We are both artists, so we are very into the art scene. There were lots of people downtown because that night was the same night as the big BSU Bronco football game which was also the first game of the season. There was a lots of celebrating going on and lots of people wearing blue and orange. First Thursday was also an opportunity for me to do some extra credit work for my 3D art class, so I took advantage of it. I gotta do what I can to get a good grade! I visited three galleries that night. Between walking all day at BSU and the gallery stroll, I must have walked about 5 miles. I was pooped by the time I got home, but it was fun.