Well, it’s
been and continues to be another fun and interesting week for Martha and I and
our various art projects.
Our ongoing exploits
in preparation for the Paradise of Birds and Flowers float which is for the
Embracing Cultures group has been really exciting and fun. We got a jump on getting the actual float
ready with the help of some really good guys who work for the City of Wenatchee
in getting the float’s engine started and getting the monster of a vehicle out
of its lair (a 35ft long trailer). While there we couldn’t help but notice the
baby eagle in a nest high atop a pole near the city yard where the float and
trailer are stored. How apropos was that, as the crowning glory of the float
will be the Steel Eagle I have been working on for the last several months.
With that in
mind, I couldn’t help but get aboard the float right where the eagle will stand
and pose as best I could as the eagle will once installed. Martha did the
honors of taking a photo of said pose with, I might add, the baby eagle atop
pole in the background.
The
following day, Saturday, we were back at the float so I could make necessary
repairs so that the same starting problems we had the day before would not
recur. Then early Sunday morning, and I mean early, we were up and atom to
drive the beast from the city yard across town to the driveway of a volunteer family
that lives right across the street from the staging area of the parade. 
So, at first
daylight, as the thing has no headlights, with Martha following in my truck with
hazard lights flashing, we drove ever so slowly over bumpy roads that caused the
thing to bottom out at even the slightest dips or bumps till we finally arrived
at our destination before the first cock crowed. OK, I don’t know if any cocks
had crowed yet, as I couldn’t have heard them if they did in that noisy
contraption, but it sounded good and we did have it delivered before 6am.
Later that
day, I had two commitments. One was to photograph a fundraiser at a local
historical landmark. That being the Beecher Mansion which sits high atop a hill
overlooking orchards and the Wenatchee River, where several members of the
co-op gallery we belong to – the Two Rivers Gallery – were to paint live in the
fresh air while members of the Woods Conservatory of Music played at various
positions around the grounds. And, I got to the Mansion took a bunch of pictures
as they were just getting started and headed back to town for the second
commitment of the day.
That other
commitment being to to get back to the float with Martha and several volunteers
to install armatures for the birds to stand on and attach the multitude of
handmade flowers that Martha and other members of the group had created for the
sides of the float. More work on the float has been done as the week went on,
but Sunday was a watershed day for group cohesion, participation and
accomplishment… yeah to the volunteers.
But, that
was not the end of things for us… or as that classic T.V. add says, “but wait,
there’s more.” Other ventures included Martha’s show at the NuArt Gallery in
East Wenatchee which we made a point of getting back to so I could take some
pictures of Martha and the gallery owner Gary Doane. That show will continue
through the month of May. Other projects, interests, accomplishments and
milestones continued as well.
We were so pleased
for instance; that a buyer with connections to the art world in both N.Y. and
L.A. asked for samples of Martha’s work and is now buying two of her paintings…
yeah! Also, someone more local whom we met at the recent after hours mixer at
the museum has ordered a giclee’ print of one of Martha’s popular pieces. This, all on the same week, as we got a
submission in for Martha to be in a Latino artist exhibit at the Columbia City
Gallery coming up in August and she was asked to participate in another local
show in Leavenworth.
That show being the Bird Fest’s Professional Art Show at The
Nature Artists of Icicle Studio. So, just last night we were sending images to
them online and they choose a few of her bird themed painting for the show. Busy, busy busy... but, that’s how we like
it.
Also, during
the week Martha continued to guest teach her ‘I am the Earth’ art class at the Lewis and Clark Elementary School in Wenatchee which she is doing through the Wenatchee Art Consortium. She really loves working with the kids
and seeing the joy of creativity sprouting in their young minds. And, we both
continued painting here at home.
At my end, I
have been painstakingly working on a portrait of one of my granddaughters from
a photo I took of her last year. This project is one that is near and dear to
my heart to be sure. So, I am really doing my level best to capture that joyful
impish quality that drew me to this particular photo to paint a portrait from
in the first place. It’s a challenge and real point of artistic growth for me
in taking this particular project on.
And, at
Martha’s end she is reworking an old painting that had previously featured an
Asian looking scene with Bamboo and some butterflies. I used to have it in one
of my offices years ago and it has just taken up space in our storage room for
the last few years… and so a new life it will have as… well, that will be
revealed later.
As I write,
I am planning the day which will entail the installation of the tropical birds
on the float and hopefully the giant Steel Eagle as well. This all has to be
accomplished around my work schedule that has me working into the evening. Oh, and lest I not forget, tonight is the First Friday Art Walk in Wenatchee. I hope we make it to thatThen
tomorrow at 6am we drive the float to the staging area of the Apple Blossom
Grand parade.
Wish us
luck.
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