Jenny Mendes

Johannes Peters  incredible touch Amazing pots.  

 Tashlikh

Let's start with the good... I'm getting two new windows in my studio.  Hopefully it will be warmer, and after 20 years now I can open them!! But, I've lost my shelves as they were in front of the old windows, and now it seems so wonderful to be able to see out....I will have to find a place for all of this stuff before I can work again and that will be a creative undertaking in such a small space.  Seems a bit daunting.

Some new works from Betsy Youngquist! Nice to be home.  Things are still a mess from the flood, but at least this time there was no flood, though I think we came very close again yesterday with hours and hours of hard rain.  We opened the door to the house cautiously, and were so grateful only to see our mess, and not some additional muddy decor.  And they say there is no global warming...... A young woman with a lot of style seen on the street in Kansas City!!!

 Here are are some pots by my friend Nancy Gardner from Chicago.  We got to hang out all weekend at the Plaza Art Fair in Kansas City, and as usual had a lot of fun. The weather was perfect.  See more of Nancy's work here!!!

My friend gave me this book to read while I was at the retreat at Penland.   Just Kids  by Patti Smith.  I finished it on the plane today, on my way to Kansas City for the art fair that starts tonight. I really  Loved it.  And loved reading it while I was surrounded by artists for the week.  I think I'm going to read it again before I send it back to North Carolina, so I can take notes this time. A truly beautiful story that will inspire.  

One day left...... worked on this today, it's unfinished but was fun to play with the gouache...

 Some new work for the Plaza Art Festival in Kansas City this weekend....

Today I learned a little bit about marbling paper.  Mesmerizing and so much fun!!! the tools.....

After the flood clean up last week, I was able to maintain a good attitude because I knew I had something coming up to look forward to.  I am at now Penland School of Crafts in North Carolina for most of the week at a teaching instructors retreat.  All former teachers.  We can do whatever we want to do, work in different studios, anything.  I have a few ideas, but really no idea of what I'm going to do, but really excited to be here....   Yes!!!!!!

The reason we flood, is because the house is surrounded by water (two creeks that merge just a few feed behind the house), we have a large pond in front, and  we live at the bottom of a hill, so everything ends of on top of us.  Sort of a trifecta of water when it really comes down.  By the way, this has only happened twice in over 20 years.   Normally the water is less than a foot deep in level areas, but in a massive or prolonged downpour, it will come up and sometimes over the bridge, which happened the other day, and the force of the water damaged the bridge.  This is about ten feet? This time wasn't as bad as last year, bad, but not as bad. Because we weren't home, lots of rugs (and this is only a few of the many) became submerged in mud.    But.... We were rescued by my awesome cousin Peggy who  has the energy of at least 3 people , maybe more. The garden got submerged too, but we rescued a few things. ...

Well, this was quite the homecoming.  The last day in Saint Louis was beautiful, and driving home was warm and clear.  So discovering that it had been raining nonstop at home was a big surprise, not to mention horror show when drove up to the house (suspicious logs all over our property by the road that gave me a flashback to the last flood) but it was dark so we couldn't see much.  Then I stepped out of the car, and it seemed wet and slippery, but still we didn't know until we approached the house, and then opened the door.  I guess it flooded on Sunday, and while the water has gone down, there is mud and debris everywhere.  And things missing, like the scaffolding that was holding up the bridge.  Gone.  And my beautiful garden, flooded and forlorn.  At least it happened in September and not mid summer.     The water didn't come into the house quite as high as last time, or, maybe since no one was home, and the doors were closed, it k...

I only make a few things each year that I really truly fall in love with.  She by far is the one for me this year....

Mr. Hooper is behind me at the Saint Louis art fair.  I love his paintings there is so much to see, it's been nice to be able to take it in a little bit at a time!  I Especially like his historical subject matter.  It's great to have something close by to look at that is really appealing, as it often isn't the case.  I know my photos are not very good.  See more here!