Archive for Craft

My Town Monday: Music in Our Town

By fromskilledhands ( September 14, 2008 at 5:56 pm) · Filed under Artists, Community, Craft, Cuyahoga Valley, Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, My Town Monday, Peninsula

The Village of Peninsula, population 602, is the venue for some pretty amazing things. The Peninsula Art Academy, a not-for-profit organization promoting the Arts in the Village of Peninsula and throughout Northeast Ohio, has artists’ studios, a gallery, and classes and workshops. The 4th Saturday of every month, the PAA holds Blues Nights, an informal open mike jam for all levels of musicians interested in playing and learning the blues.

On Saturday, September 13, the PAA hosted the incredible guitarist Ernie Hawkins. Ernie conducted a workshop for 22 guitar enthusiasts in the afternoon, and played a concert at Peninsula’s beautiful GAR Hal in the evening. We had the opportunity to join the other lucky folks who experienced Ernie’s performance.

Here is a taste of Ernie’s artistry:

For train enthusiasts, and there are lots of those who come to my town, the sounds of train whistles and the wheels of the train on the tracks are another kind of music. The Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad will be celebrating steam engines from September 24-25, and 27-28th. There will be lots of opportunities to climb aboard!!!

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Travis Erwin is the conductor of the MTM train. You never know where My Town Monday will take you. Wander on over to Travis’ place and see what you find. You’ll have a good time and learn a lot. I promise. And in this election year, my promise is for real :-) .

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Be Brave

By fromskilledhands ( September 12, 2008 at 10:37 pm) · Filed under Artists, Community, Craft, creativity, Discoveries, Musings

Over at Diary of a Self-Portrait, Jessie writes about her Be Brave Project. She quotes Eleanor Roosevelt:

“Do one thing every day that scares you.”

Interesting words.
To me, it includes:
being willing to stretch,
to expand our horizons and
to reach beyond our comfort zones;
to take chances;
to have faith in ourselves and in our processes.
It is
standing up for what, in our heart of hearts, we know as truth.
As artists, we grow as we explore our world, both inner and outer, through our work

What would you do each day?

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My Town Monday: Home Travels. Part One

By fromskilledhands ( August 10, 2008 at 6:42 pm) · Filed under Adirondack Mountains, Blue Mountain Lake, Community, Craft, Cuyahoga Valley, Home, My Town Monday, New York City, One World, Peninsula, Traveling

I have come to realize that home really is where the heart is; and that the cool thing about this is that it travels.

I have, in the past year, left my heart with my daughter in NYC, and in the mountains of Black Mountain, North Carolina and Blue Mountain Lake, NY.

I have discovered so much about my town, the Village of Peninsula, Ohio, population 602; its rich history and colorful stories.

So this week’s MTM post is a scrapbook of sorts, photos in which, if you look closely, you will find a wee piece of my heart, nestled in the sweet softness of lovely memories.

Avenue

In April, I traveled by train to visit my daughter in New York City. I learned so much about my wise and wonderful daughter, and left a piece of my heart in the Avenue B Garden.

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Number 2 daughter and I traveled to the Adirondacks in July.
exit
As my daughter and I traveled along the highway, we passed exit signs for towns and cities large and small. And then there was one sign for an entire country. Go figure…

The
A rock along the roadside. Shortly thereafter a sign hoped we had had a nice visit in a town (we both forgot which town), and wished us Toodle-oo.


The road to Blue Mountain Lake. Where you begin to feel your muscles relax…

sunset
After a 9 hour drive, we were greeted with this. Sunset at Blue Mountain Lake repeated it’s glorious self each night.

view
My daughter and friends kayaked across crystal clear Blue Mountain Lake; then they kicked off their sandals and climbed Castle Rock.


We were staying next to Prospect Point Cottages. Prospect Point Cottages are on the grounds of the grand old Prospect House Hotel, one of the original Adirondack camps. Carol, the innkeeper, is gracious and hospitable. We attended a talent show and donated items to their “kitchen library,” where guests can borrow items they may have forgotten. Carol and her staff were also hosts to Lucy, a homing pigeon who showed up one day. She was offered food and water, and she stayed until she was ready to move on.


We also hiked up the beautiful Goodnow Mountain. Bare-footed kids beat adults with shoes without a problem!


It doesn’t get much better than this.

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Next week: Part 2: Black Mountain, NC and the Village of Peninsula.

As always, the amazing Travis Erwin, who celebrates his 25th (count ‘em) MTM post this week, is the founder and main MTM guy. Take a trip on over to his site. You’ll have fun and learn something, too. Then visit my other My Town Monday Marauders. I promise you won’t regret it.

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Working With Porcelain Clay

By fromskilledhands ( July 31, 2008 at 10:35 am) · Filed under Clay, Craft, creativity, pottery

Back in May of 2007, I wrote about working with porcelain clay,

I love porcelain clay. I love everything about it. I love the delicate smooth quality of it and how it requires that I pay attention. I love that it doesn’t let me hide; every finger and nail mark is right there. These are the marks of the craftsman; they show you the item was made by a person rather than a machine.

Working with porcelain is kind of like working with Philadelphia cream cheese as a canvas. You have to wait for just the right balance between wet and dry; an exercise in attentiveness.It’s a useful thing thing to work on.

I have been working on a new series of tiles, and some carved vases. My husband throws the vases, and I carve them. Here are a couple of pieces in process:

Hands

carved

carved

.

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The Python Has Landed… and Needs a Name

By fromskilledhands ( July 18, 2008 at 10:18 pm) · Filed under Art, Community, Craft, Cuyahoga Valley, Giveaway, Peninsula, Peninsula Python, Python Festival

I’m back from a wonderful week at Blue Mountain Lake, NY. What an astoundingly beautiful place! I will write more about our amazing adventure, where I climbed a mountain—and more!— later.

Our Python is at home in front of our studio/gallery. Designed and painted by artist Stephanie Margush, he—or she?— is resting comfortably, waiting for visitors.

Python

The Python Festival will be tomorrow! The day should be a fine one, and there will be things to do and to see all day long.

The Python, however, needs a name. Post a suggestion, and I will enter your name in another high tech drawing (in which I will pick numbers from a hat) for the latest member of the Peninsula Python Posse.

You can join the latest member of the Posse, Terrie Farley Moran,and her cohorts: Sam, Travis, Barrie, and Eryl, (and you could win cool stuff, too!)

So wander over to our neck of the woods, to the Village of Peninsula, population 602, built by the hands and hearts of generations; gently resisting change since 1837.

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Of Animals, Gardens and Art

By fromskilledhands ( July 8, 2008 at 12:39 pm) · Filed under Animals, Art, Artists, Clay, Craft, creativity, Cuyahoga Valley, Gardens

Besides her family, Cuyahoga Valley artist Pat Raeder’s main interests are animals and gardening. She considers herself lucky because she gets to play with dirt all year long. Each has its season: from the middle of August through Thanksgiving, and into the new year, Pat works with clay. In April, she begins the design process for her incredibly beautiful gardens.

The Jungle Series has developed over time; Pat worked on sketches for the series for many months. This group of pieces gave Raeder the opportunity to “stretch” as an artist: the pieces are more complex than those she has done in the past, and she has used more color. When I look at the work, I see a range of forms, each with it’s own character. Some are whimsical, some more serious; all have personalities and a story to tell.

junglefruit
Jungle Fruit
Stoneware clay, decorated with underglazes; on wood base
12″ x 12″ x 22″

Synchronicity is an interesting thing. Although Pat had taken a sculpture class in art school, she didn’t focus on clay. About 35 years ago, Pat Raeder’s husband was given a potter’s wheel and a kiln. He gave it to Pat for Christmas, and they put it in their basement. Teaching herself to throw on the potter’s wheel, Pat’s work slowly improved. But throwing wasn’t her main interest. She began to notice other potters’ work, and the variety of styles and techniques. Finding her niche in hand building, Pat has made jewelry, garden art, animals and this series. The repetition involved in producing the work over many years is a process of study and refinement, so that the artist’s hands and heart know what to do. Pat said that once she started thinking about the Jungle Series, new ideas “kept popping.” I am glad they did.

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My Town Monday: Home is Where the Art Is

By fromskilledhands ( May 18, 2008 at 10:05 pm) · Filed under Art, Community, Craft, Cuyahoga Valley, Giveaway, Home, My Town Monday, Peninsula

The Village of Peninsula, Ohio, population 602, has a long history of creativity and of independent thinking. From the early settlers to the builders of the railroad and the Ohio and Erie Canal, people in the area took risks, expanded their horizons and shared their visions.

In the late 1930′s-early 1940′s, a number of artistically inclined families relocated to Peninsula; they were dubbed Peninsula’s Artist Colony. In the 1940′s one member of the group, Honore Guilbeau Cooke, turned her barn into an art and dance school for children. There were printmakers, painters, potters, weavers and others. The Peninsula Players’ Barn was a showcase for local talent, and is still standing.

The Village’s artistic legacy continues, as it is the home of many artists’ studios and galleries including the Peninsula Art Academy, the Log Cabin Gallery, Curious Masks, and our Bures Pottery and Elements Gallery. The community hosts art walks and shows, and the Boston Mills Art Festival brings artists and fine craftspeople from all over the country.

I continue to learn more and more about the rich history of my town. The more stories I tell, the more I find out. Next week: the story of the Peninsula Python. We’ll be giving away some great Peninsula stuff over the next few weeks.

Please visit the other My Town Monday crew at chief Marauder, Travis Erwin’s blog, One Word, One Rung, One Day.

***On another note: I have been summoned for jury duty for the next week. I’ll be checking in but may not have time to post.

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My Town Monday: Better Late Than Never

By fromskilledhands ( May 13, 2008 at 11:53 am) · Filed under Art, Craft, creativity, Discoveries, Home, My Town Monday

I have learned an important thing these past few days. My Town is a state of mind. I have traveled more this past month than I have in a very long time; first to New York City at the end of April, and to the Lake Eden Arts Festival, in Black Mountain, NC, this past weekend.

#2 daughter and I traveled to LEAF with some good friends. We drove through our home state of Ohio, through West Virginia and Virginia to North Carolina. This land is so beautiful, and the varying terrain intense. We drove through the mountains in driving rain which made the view seem like Impressionist paintings. The telltale signs of highway construction: orange barrels and slowed traffic were plentiful.

We stopped in Beckley, West Virginia for the night. An energetic group of people on one street corner held signs asking us to “Honk for Obama.”

The next morning we were off to Black Mountain. After finding the Festival site, we parked the car, and began the process of unloading camping gear and supplies for 3 adults and 3 teen agers. We arrived on Thursday afternoon, so that we could choose a campsite closer to the festival, and get our bearings. First a campsite needed to be selected, which, after some deliberation, we were able to do.

Lake Eden was the site of Black Mountain College, an innovative college that included Josef Albers, Ami Albers, John Cage, Merce Cunningham, Willem de Kooning, Buckminster Fuller, Arthur Penn, Robert Rauschenberg among its associates.

The Festival included fabulous music, healing arts, dance, drumming, craft artists, and wonderful food. We met people from many states and several countries. People welcomed us into their lives and shared their vision of the world. My family bought me a Mother’s Day Wish Ticket, which entitled me to choose 3 wishes. I chose a massage, a CD and a brunch. Wonderful!

After the last dance, we drove to Asheville, NC.
 We explored some of the shops and courtyards, had a delicious lunch at a little bistro, and resumed our trip home just as the rains came pouring down. Mountain driving is treacherous in the rain, and we were glad to stop for the night. After camping for 3 nights, we were glad to take advantage of hot showers.

Taking a different route home, we traveled through more beautiful country. Dogwood and other flowering trees dotted the mountainsides, and houses and cabins were nestled in hollows. It was a beautiful drive.

My Town just keeps expanding, both through my travels, and through the words of my fellow My Town Marauders who, through the efforts of Travis Erwin, over at One Word One Rung, One Day, share their thoughts about their necks of the woods. This week some are even reviewing books set in their towns. Check it out.

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Happy Trails to Me

By fromskilledhands ( May 7, 2008 at 10:00 am) · Filed under Change, Community, Craft, creativity, Discoveries, Spring, Traveling

#2 daughter and I are off to North Carolina for the Lake Eden Arts Festival this afternoon.

We’ll be traveling with some good friends in a rented SUV; it’s probably the best vehicle for 3 adults, 3 teen aged kids, all our stuff and our camping gear, but I feel like I want to attach a big sign: “IT’S NOT OURS” or “WE DON’T OWN BIG HONKING SUV’s” or some such thing. With gas approaching $4.00 a gallon, and the carbon footprint we’ll create, I feel a bit hypocritical. Less wear and tear on our Toyota, driving 1 vehicle instead of 2, enough space for us and our stuff… I know, I know…

That being said, it will be wonderful to get away, to see more of this beautiful land, hear music, meet some new artists, enjoy the company of friends old and new. See you next week.

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One World, One Heart

By fromskilledhands ( February 8, 2008 at 11:17 pm) · Filed under Art, Change, Collecting, Craft, creativity, Discoveries, Giveaway, One World One Heart, Passing it on

I came across the One World, One Heart site kind of by accident. Lisa Oceandreamer, the creator of this event, describes it:

The original idea behind this giveaway event was to bring bloggers together from around the world who may never ordinarily meet. It closes the gap of the blog community and enables us to interact, discover new and wonderful people, and in the process possibly win a prize or many prizes along the way.

For me, it is another manifestation of the power of this medium. It is a way that we can embrace our humanity, and share it freely. It is interesting to me that it is the high tech that is providing the high touch in this high tech world.

On February 14, Valentine’s Day, I will be joining bloggers from all over this amazing planet as we choose a name from those who comment on this post by midnight February 13. The person whose name is drawn will win a Little Blue Santa. Please make sure we have a way to contact you–either by your blog site or email address. From these hearts and hands to yours. THE DRAWING HAS BEEN COMPLETED AND THE WINNER NOTIFIED.
Little

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