Friday, September 11, 2009

EXHIBIT AT WINDERMERE REALTY & WEST SEATTLE ART WALK

I want to thank Windermere agents Kim Tingley and Barb Ogden for inviting me (and for being such gracious hostesses) to exhibit my paintings in their offices for the September WEST SEATTLE ART WALK. Thanks to my husband Darrell for helping hang my canvases and to my various friends and family members for supporting me with their attendance. It was really a pleasure visiting with you.

I had a really good time. The evening started out a little slow but it soon got really lively! I couldn't believe all the people that showed up (and thanks to the weather gods for such a pleasant evening). I had planned to take pictures when there were a lot of people there - but I got so busy, I forgot!

The most enjoyable moments were hearing all the generous and meaningful comments about my work, it meant a lot to me.


But the really interesting stuff is listening (or should I say eavesdropping) without people knowing I'm the artist. I heard some great (and very helpful) comments:

"I like the style, but not the content"

"I recognize that building" and "I recognize that freeway"

"But the buildings are all run-down and depressing"

"I want to see more of what's in the shadows"
(my art instructor Julia Hensley has been saying this too!)

"I like the close in shots of the freeways best, they are more abstract"
(I heard this comment quite a few times - and Julia also said the same thing to me several times, hmmm. I noticed people were drawn to the small grouping of paintings representing the structural details probably because they are more just shapes and colors, not the freeways they drive to work everyday!)

“These are the only paintings my husband (the architect) enjoyed in the Art Walk”

But my favorite was:

"I vote this one 'Best of Show'"
(I want to know - is that for the best of just mine or all of the West Seattle Art Walk?!)



If you are interested in seeing my paintings in real life, they are display through October 7th at:

Windermere Real Estate
4526 California Ave SW
Seattle, WA 98116

Sunday, September 06, 2009

STUDIO COUNTER TOPS

Darrell is giving me a few more half-days to work on my cabinets. Here he is making lots of sawdust, cutting the MDF and putting Lamellos slots in the ends to join the pieces together.

We brought the thee big pieces upstairs where he joined them together in place. That was the end of Saturday afternoon.

Sunday morning I found him up in the studio putting the mahogany edging on. He was pretty much done with that before we went out for our regular Sunday breakfast and grocery shopping. When we got back he put on the backsplash and finished up.

Then it was my turn to putty the holes, sand it down and put on a coat of clear urethane varnish. I love the golden brown color, with little uneven patches, that the MDF becomes. Over the next several days I will lightly sand and put several more coats on it. This will be a very servicable surface for many years.
You might notice that I put the new chrome handles on the big flat files, they match the handles that were on the other flat files. And, when I get drawers and doors, they will have matching handles also. The doors might be a while in the making, Darrell has to get ready for a few shows he's got coming up soon.