Yarn Splurge

Yesterday afternoon & evening was the Rhapsody in the Vineyard event for Downtown Corvallis. Thirty vineyards paired with local downtown businesses to spread the joy of local grapes and retail goodies. We joined up with a new WET LABS employee and her fiancee for the event. Fun!

I ditched the group briefly to sneak into Stash, our newest yarn shop, for a fiber fix. Managed to get away with only a lovely plum Leicester Blue wool and  cotton yarn created from recycled denim jeans. No ideas yet on what to create, but it should be fun.

As a newbie to knitting I feel proud to finish off simple projects like scarves. Below are the images of three basic scarves created using Noro yarn purchased from Soft Horizons in Eugene.

So lovely to work on size 11 needles.  The yarn is used up & I’m missing not working with it.

Next project to finish is a mobius scarf using a silk blend. It’s like using thread and I’ve discovered I can’t unravel it. Challenging! There are a few hat projects starting to form. Gotta keep my fingers moving while waiting for things to happen.

Almost Festival Time!!!

Oh yes, starting September 22 & 23 it will be Corvallis Fall Festival time! Come help celebrate our 40th anniversary!

If you’re in the area, please stop by and say “HI” to me at the Gazebo, my home away from home during the festival. Festival hours are from 10-6 Saturday with a 6-9pm street dance & 10-5 on Sunday. Artist Carrie Tasman won our poster contest this year with her image “Bountiful”.

This year we will feature 160 booths of artist, numerous food vendors, live music all day (both days) and into the night on Saturday, great FREE kid activities and a new hands-on adult art area (cause why should the kiddos have all the fun?!).

I rarely discuss what I do for work in this blog. Yes, I do hold a seasonal job as an administrative assistant for Corvallis Fall Festival. The job allows me to be super anal about organizing & sticking to a time line but also loose & creative with pulling together ideas for projects/signs & what ever. I’ve actually been working there practically since graduating with my art degree from Western Oregon University. I think Cynthia contacted me while I was still in France on a drawing trip in July 2004. It’s been a privilege to help put on this giant community party every year since 2004 and the 2012 festival will most likely be my last. The Executive Director, Cynthia Spencer (my great pal & art mentor) will be pulling out of the festival on October 1. I had the opportunity to take the reigns but opted not to. It’s nice to just be part of the background murmurs.  This summer, after a long interview process, we hired Chris Neely. She and I used to work at The Arts Center for a brief few months before I pulled out of managing the art shop. She is an incredible woman who will pull new energy and ideas into the festival. I’m torn between staying on with Chris for the 2013 festival or just letting go. There is so much she will need help with getting through her first festival. Hmm, guess time will tell which route I choose.

You might wonder what our crowd levels are over the weekend. I think they say we bring close to 30,ooo to our event.

To see what’s up with the festival for art/ music/ food, please click the highlighted text: Corvallis Fall Festival

Call to Artists

My favorite non-profit art center has placed a call to artists for their 2013 show schedule: Interested artists should contact Hester Coucke (info below), not me. I guess she has limited it to Linn & Benton counties of Oregon. I wonder if I could convince the group to take on a traveling print exchange like Leftovers? We shall see…

🙂

Annual Call for Corrine Woodman Gallery, 2013

We are inviting artists living in Linn and Benton Counties to submit work for the Corrine Woodman Galleries I and II at The Arts Center for the year 2013.

We are looking for work of high quality and imagination; work that can engage our visitors. We are interested in all visual art media, with the exception of performance and film. The selection criteria for the Corrine Woodman Gallery focuses on artistic excellence, imagination, exhibition schedule, appropriate for available spaces.

The selection will be made by The Arts Center Exhibition Committee, which also chooses the exhibitions for the Main Gallery. The Committee has representatives of The Arts Center affiliated Guilds and as well as artist members at large.

Both individual and small groups can apply; work by individual applicants may be grouped by The Arts Center.  Artists who have exhibited (or will exhibit) in the Corrine Woodman Gallery in 2012 are not eligible.

The Corrine Woodman Gallery has two exhibition locations; the Corrine Woodman Gallery I in the front part of the building, just off the ArtShop. This intimate gallery space is 7.5 x 9 feet, with 23’ of useable linear wall space. The Corrine Woodman Gallery II consists of a 17’ long wall close to our back entrance, in a high traffic area, specifically equipped for large work or murals.

The CWG I can accommodate 3-dimensional works* just as well as 2-dimensional hanging work; the CWG II is specifically appropriate for larger pieces, and can accommodate small** 3-dimensional works.

We will exhibiting the work of one to two artists at the same time, with both their work placed in the CWG I and II.
* Footprint size up to approx.  24×24” per piece

**Small works should be no larger than 5” deep

Terms/ conditions

·         Work will be selected from actual work, not from digital images.

·         Artists can bring in 3 pieces maximum; when the pieces are large scale, bring in one piece, and complement submission hardcopy images of other work.

·         Work exhibited should be completed in the last two years, unless it concerns a retrospective proposal.

·         Due to the intimate nature of the gallery we accept a limited number of artists, maximum of two artists per month. If a group applies, only one group at the time will be selected.

·         Work previously shown in The Arts Center is not eligible.

·         Artwork needs to be for sale.

·         The Arts Center receives a 50% commission on sold artwork.

·         Submissions must represent the work which will actually be exhibited.

Method of submissions

·         Fill out entry form in clear, readable print, send in/ deliver with a SASE by September 21.

·         Entry form is available on line or pick up at The Arts Center.

·         Submit actual work, maximum 3 pieces on Thursday September 27, 2 – 5PM.

·         Artist name, email, phone number and artwork title should be attached to each work.

·         Notifications will be sent electronically. If you do not have email, please supply 5×9 SASE.

Calendar

·         Sept 17 – 21                         Submit paperwork for application

·         Sept 27, 9 AM–5 PM       Bring artwork, clearly marked corresponding information paperwork.

·         Oct 1, noon – 5 PM, and Oct 2,  9 – 5 PM

Pick up artwork, work not picked up by Oct. 6, 5 PM, will be accepted as a donation to The Arts Center, unless other arrangements were made in advance.

Send and Bring to:

The Arts Center

Attn: Corrine Woodman Gallery

700 SW Madison Ave

Corvallis OR 97333

hester@theartscenter.net

541-754-1551

Check list

Whew, this has been a full day. Here were some of the things checked off my list:

New project completed and delivered! Positive comments flowed from some of the exhibition committee members packing up the plankton show. No completed photos yet. I’ll take some once the show opens. A little time away from the piece might make me like it a bit better.

Delivered another piece  now on display in the Birkenstock window, downtown Corvallis, with the amazing Corvallis Critique group. The group has been going for over 20 years. It was just a year ago that I was asked to become a part of it. What an honor!

Cynthia Spencer (aka my boss)

Philomath artist Judith Sander setting up some of her works.

part of the window that has my piece on the back wall.

The third big thing was finding out that my proposal for an installation piece was accepted for the Rural Storefront Art project. The city that accepted was Sweethome, only 31 miles from home (50 minute drive). I’m looking forward to seeing the site.

Moby had a good outing at Jim & Kate’s house this afternoon. Hobie was raring to play but Mobs thought it was too hot or he was overly hungry. It’s nice to have a house he LOVES to go to! Kate & Jim are so great with him. I even got to pet Hobie a little! Maybe some day soon he’ll actually like to see other people come to his house.

Looking forward to a good nights sleep!

Project #201

It’s actual name is the Brain Conversation #201. I find myself having lots of inner dialogs as I flesh out new concepts or work thru challenging projects.

This particular piece has been in the works for several years. The invitation to participate in Corvallis Fall Festival’s Fine Arts Showcase during the month of September finally helped push the work forward. It’s been stalled for the entire summer as my dad went through all his problems and death. Somewhere in a previous posting are images of the projects start, but I can’t for the life of me recall what year or month.

Jump rings for joining paper (dark annealed steel wire, 22 guage)

Creating the frame and stand took me several days plus extra time getting equipment back in running order. I did learn how to change blades on my table saw and tighten the blade on the chop saw. Today I started filling the frame with paper & wire. It’s taking forever due to all the adjustments.

I’m enjoying the shadows falling behind the work.

It’s 11pm and I think I’ll call it quits for today. Maybe tomorrow I’ll have finished images to post.

May the hanging committee be merciful and accept my work Thursday morning because it won’t be complete by Wednesday!

Sunday Balloon Launch

We almost always make it to the  Northwest Art & Air Festival, especially to see the hot air balloons. Some years I participate in the World Wide Sketchcrawl on Saturday to sketch balloons. Other years, we just chase after them to watch them land and pack up. This year, the festival launch on Friday was canceled due to high winds. Saturday, Dave & I had to be in Eugene. Sunday morning was our only opportunity for traipsing thru the countryside after the big colorful bags of air.

Apparently, Sunday the 26th wasn’t a good day for ballooning. We did arrive a bit late but there were only about 8-10 balloons that took flight that morning. Bummer!!! The winds pushed them north this year. Personally, I enjoy chasing after them when they head south. Here are some photos…

Oh, the Panda was back and giving rides!

How does a balloon get inflated? I didn’t get shots of the really big fans that do the initial inflating, but here is the less full to full.

We had too much on our plate to attend the art portion of the fair. Hopefully next year we’ll attend the entire festival!

Upcoming art interests

Finally, a little art news! There are two upcoming shows, back to back that I’ll be participating in at the Arts Center in Corvallis.

First up is for the month of September. The piece is still in the works but stands a pretty good chance of getting completed before the drop-off date next week. Photos to come of the process.

Next show will be in October. I was accepted for the Around Oregon Annual! This was my first attempt to enter the show and I feel very privileged to have made it through the jury process.

I submitted only one piece: Journal Entry: February 1, 2011

Still waiting to hear about the Rural Arts Project…. maybe I’ll know by the end of September. 🙂

Obit and Wake

I heard my dad’s obit (the very generalized one) came out in yesterday’s Register Guard. Mike found a great photo taken out in Yachats long before the cancer diagnosis. He is currently working on a more through obituary to actually talk about Lee’s life.

We are planning a celebration of my fathers life on September 8th from 2 to 6pm in Eugene.

For further information, please email me at gale.everett.studio@gmail.com

He left us

He left us yesterday afternoon on a beautiful summer day. He was feeling no pain as his body’s breathing slowed. He didn’t die alone. Michael was there. So was the incredible nurse Melody. They held his hand and encouraged him to let go. She knew it would happen on her shift. She stayed on extra to make sure he went comfortably. We were in transit, actually at the funeral home  making his arrangements. Kim had gone home to sleep after being there for over 24 hours.

He was a builder, an artist, an architect, a lover of beautiful rivers for fly fishing, he was a good son to his mother, a solid brother, a husband,  a father of 4, grandfather of 6. He always left a strong impression on people he met with humor and banter. He cared for his mother at the end of her life, he cared for his wife at the end of her life. He was always there for us kids even when we drove him nuts. He was well loved to the end.

He is free of the pain & cancer that kept him from enjoying life.

He is free