Day 219 - 365/2014

Day Two Hundred Nineteen

Much excitement today.  Juana and I went to DAM to see the current show, we had lunch at Cass Cafe, I went to Sue's, when I arrived home my new camera was here!!!

I was so thrilled to have a piece in If You Build It, They Will Come at Detroit Artists Market.  Each and every artist made such incredible works with their five pieces of wood.  Here are just a few of my favorites from the show.

Peggy Kerwan - Conditioned Response

Rick Cronn - In Writing

Chad Davis - Searching For Direction

Senghor Reid - Crisis

Molly Diana Murphy - Wood Mask Box

Joe Culver - Incontrol

Terri Light - Nightswimming

Mary Fortuna - Long Legged Tiger Puppet

another view

Took Gallagher - Woodlee

Nancy Rodwan - Noble Steed

Lisa Grix - My (Not So) Secret Garden

Julie Woodard - Origami Bird

Andrew Schmidt - Geomancy

Sandra Cardew - Figure With Young Hare

another view

detail

detail

Brian Pitman - Whorl

Bruce Giffin - Blind Faith

Andrea Rosenfeld - Build From Within

another view

Krysti Spence - Wound

Teresa Peterson - Midnight Garden

detail

Jessica Woodard - Sunset Over Mountains

Jeff Cancelosi - A Conversation with the Past

Barry Roth - Untitled

Sanda Cook - Then and Now...

okay...some more Woodlee views...

 If You Build It, They Will Come
Detroit Artists Market   August 1 - August 29
4719 Woodward Avenue
Detroit, MI  48201
313-832-8540

After DAM Juana and I went to Cass Cafe for a lovely and delicious lunch of calamari amidst the incredible paintings on display.  This show is called The Detroit Portrait Series: Writing Our Own History (Through Art) and is by Nicole Macdonald.  The show runs July 19 - September 13.  Here are just a few shots from our table.

There was just something about this painting...the colors, the overall look, the church, the brush strokes...plus, he looked like he was saying stuff to Juana.

The Detroit Portrait Series: Writing Our Own History (Through Art)
Cass Cafe    July 19 - September 13
4620 Cass Avenue
Detroit, MI  48201
313-831-1400

Day 140 - 365/2014

Day One Hundred Forty

First things first -- I packaged up my four postcards for Wish You Were Here (postcard sale/show) at Paint Creek Center for the Arts and sent it off in the mail...it should arrive by Thursday.  I really want to attend the show...I hope it works out that I can go.

And -- here is a shot of my crazy boys...just to show how much they enjoy being in my bedroom (I sometimes have to put them in there when company is over) -- they put themselves back to bed after breakfast...no coaxing could get them to leave.  They usually see me off when I am leaving the house but this morning they just stayed on my bed.

 But the biggest part of today was about an accompanying Juana on an adventure out to Shelby Township to a supplier of materials for molding and casting.  Juana has been interested for some time in making her own molds and casting small toys and things.  She recently attended a demo at Penguicon and learned a bit more and cast a little toy penguin from the artist's mold.  She did some research, made a shopping list of basics materials, and off we went to TFB Plastics Incorporated.

I already knew ahead of time that I will not be pursuing this fascinating process myself, so I knew it was "safe" for me to go along with her...no shopping for me...good thing, too -- man, what a cool place and SO many things to choose from!  Juana already pretty much knew what she was looking for but needed a little guidance and had questions and the folks there were really helpful and easy to talk to.  Me...I was just wowed by all of the textures and surfaces that were TOTALLY different to the touch than to the eye.  NOTHING was what I thought it was or what I was expecting to feel when I touched stuff.

TCB Plastics Incorporated in Shelby Township, MI.

And this was just the very first thing that began my exploration of things not being what they looked like.  Seemingly this is a very full glass of cool, clear water...it really made me thirsty.

But nope...solid whatever it is!

When we first walked into this room I was closer to the wall and didn't even SEE the gigantic face/stones.  Kinda hard to miss it...LOL

This is made of some sort of foam stuff...it looks so solid and heavy.

A very angry man in the moon, creepy tree and (not creepy) dog.

Man -- this is SO life like...the more you stand there and look at it the more you see and I was really expecting the eyes to pop open!

And there is a small section for taxidermy stuff...but no glass eyes (thank goodness) or I would have been in serious trouble.

The fish are so colorful and life like...except that they are in a bag hanging on the wall.

A fox guy holding a couple of bracelets.

Lookout behind you, pheasant!

Just oblivious.

Catfish.

Juana shopping and being helped.

I am not a fan of clown masks, but this was really cool -- that candy looked so real.

Then there is a section for body casting...and this fisherman guy.

This is on the desk in the front...just your average goop spilling into a cup with no visible means of support.

After we were done, Juana and I went to lunch at Athens Coney Island...good, simple food.  FUN day!