My dear, beautiful and exotic long-time friend Ann Lyneah Curtis was in San Antonio this weekend for a show of her exquisite body sculptures and I got to see her after far too long between visits. Tall and regal, Ann personifies the free spirit that comes through in her work. See what I mean at her website, Masquerade Life Casting.
At her opening, her friend was wearing a paper cast body corset that laced down the back and was a replica of her own torso – it was adorned with funny, bawdy ceramic ornaments. She looked fabuous and was the subject of questions and photos.
Ann is passionate about her work – she’s been doing this for over a quarter century. She’s cast faces, big beautiful bellies of pregnant women, groups – and anything else you might imagine. We made plans to get together in the spring when I visit her studio in the Hill Country. Here are some pictures from the opening.

Just finished the second collage of what appears to be a new series – I like the size, techniques and the materials (and the rather flexible self-imposed guidelines, such as they are). This one is called Lady of Anjou. These first two are 13″x15″ unmatted and will be 20″x22″ matted and framed.

The Esperanza Center’s annual Mercado de Paz/Peace Market was the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving, as it is each year. It’s my favorite holiday sales event – here’s how it’s described (see some photos of the sellers’ wares at the end of the post):

“As an alternative to crowded malls filled with crazed consumers and mass-produced goods, the Esperanza’s Peace Market features unique, handmade gifts and artesania centered around themes of peace, social justice, cultural diversity, and ecological concerns.

Shoppers can wield their economic power by spending their time and money supporting individuals and groups that are fighting for a better world. A diverse array of gifts are offered each year from artists like: Oscar Alvarado, mosaic-tile artist and found-object furniture designer; Veronica Castillo, internationally-renowned ceramic artist from Izucar de Matamoros, Mexico; Martha Prentiss, silversmith and owner of Prentiss Jewelry; Barrio Beat/Alma de la Raza, a company that seeks to carry on Chicana/o culture through community-based business enterprise, and to reflect and include voices of the pueblo in its operations; and Colores del Pueblo (formerly Pueblo to People), a Houston-based nonprofit organization that buys merchandise from over 200 grassroots craft and agricultural co-ops throughout Latin America—paying much better prices than for-profit corporations—and then resells directly to consumers in the U.S., thereby eliminating unfair profit and providing artists in developing countries a larger market for their work.”

Just in time for semester’s end, the studio is becoming a workable space again after all if the construction. It was the “highway” between the driveway and equipment outside and the remodeling on the inside. But with the completion of the new pantry, the freezer has been moved and the freed-up space adds a lot of flat workspace to the room. I even have room to set up my light box. Now if I could magically create some extra time to work, I’d be set! But it’s a comfortable space, deceptively organized and full of possibilities!

What a nice email I just received from a group of artists on Etsy – check it out and see the other artful pieces.

SUBJECT: Handcrafted E-Reader/Journal Cover – TAPESTRY, listing #57301003 Your beautiful work is here with the Fine Art Friday group – an ongoing treasury effort to promote fine art on Etsy. xVictoria http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4cdc9aeae75e6d918c016d46/holiday-gifts-of-fine-art Message sent on November 11, 2010

This is somewhat studio-related, even. As part of the ongoing (and . . . ongoing) half-bath addition next to the studio, the new adjacent pantry/laundry room is taking shape and my washer and dryer were delivered Friday.
I am in love. They are sculptural lipstick red icons, energy efficient, mindful of the environment, strong and beautiful, of epic design. They even sing a little song when their work is done. Who knew such major appliance wonders existed? Not me. Who could ask for anything more?? Not me. Swoon.

Have you ever been interviewed? I rarely have, but have had the mixed blessing of coming up with some answers about myself and my work over the last few months. If there is such a thing as painful fun (oxymoron?) being interviewed may be just that. But it is worth it to see the results, posted yesterday by Jessie Voigts, honcho at Wandering Educators. Here’s the Artist of the Month link, along with my gratitude for a wonderful introduction and a nifty layout that makes me look good!

Yesterday I did something that I haven’t done in 25 years- participate in a “live” outdoor art show. There’s always been a gallery or a web site or something else between me and the person looking at my art. It was a fun, instructive and humbling experience. Mostly fun!

The show was the annual Trinity Alumni invitational exhibit held in conjunction with alumni weekend. I am an alum, but not a very active one (probably because I teach there and feel more like faculty).

My fellow alumni artists exhibited all kinds of wonderful things, photography, fabulous jewelry, paintings, and screen prints. No other Kindle cover artists, thought – hmmmmm….. The show and sale (and alumni barbecue picnic) were held on the grounds of Trinity’s Holt Conference Center and it was a blessedly beautiful day except for a few annoying wind gusts. I got to experience set-up and take-down and talked to lots of people in between. A lot of people had no idea what a Kindle was!

I learned a lot from fellow artists, some of whom have little credit card machines that they carry to all of their sales events. One of the best tips was from visiting artist/alum Liz Walker from Portland, OR whose business cards were fabulous – she got them at moo.com. Check them out!

Post-game score: I sold four Kindle covers, traded one for a friend Tina Barajas’ recycled paper earrings, and bought exactly enough jewelry to equal what I made. What a perfect show!
Here’s a look:

I don’t know what I expected at the Texas Gourd Festival when we drove up to Fredricksburg yesterday, but when I paid the $5 entry fee, the volunteer said,”You won’t see any birdhouses!” No kidding – there was an astonishing array of Things to Do with a Gourd. Some were quite beautiful, some were . . .not, but weirdly intriguing. There was also a huge display of tools with which to do these things – you can make quite an investment in gourd tools. Some of my favorite gourds involved the use of a simple tool – a sharpie pen (see the video) I purchased this gourd, above, from Jimmy Sublett from Wimberley and I think it’s one of the beautiful ones.