A Lost Weekend

Saturday morning I had a nice day planned with my sweetee we were getting up early and leaving by 5:00am to stand in line and audition for Howie Mandells "Deal or no Deal" but I woke up with one of my migrane headaches, he went by himself.:( They set up 6 cameras and asked him to say his name, what he does for a living and what he would do with the million dollars! he said I would give it all away to chairty WHAT!. He must have been under pressure - he meant to say give half of it to charity. After we planned to go to the annual Dog Jog in Anchorage and show off our chocolate lab Benson. But saddly Benson broke his tail the day before (I don't know how) so his tail was hanging limply down. We both stayed home licking our wounds.

The next day Sunday hubbie went off early to play golf and did not get home until 5:00 pm! I was really a golf widow. Finally I heated up my waxes and started my encaustic "Raven and Salmon" and spent hours lost in creating. So it turned out, I just didn't plan to be a reculse this weekend.

I've got lots of good things planned for August. I will show my art at the Bagel Deli, take the advanced Encaustic Wax course in Girdwood, demonstrate encaustic wax at the Alaska State Fair, and my best friend Michelle is coming for a visit.

The Fine Art of Buying Art

I just read an article in the Sunday Anchorage Daily News The Fine Art of Buying Art. The article contained some good informations and some quoteable quotes from some local artists, art connisoures and critics alike.

The poor buy clothes that wear out or art that lasts forever. -critic Neal Patterson"

"I think we all want to collect and possess beauty. Human beings long to create a nest that says, "This is who I am." -Cammie Walker

"One should consider buying a piece of art only, When you cannn't get it out of your head." - Wyne

Only original works can give us the things we come to art for in the first place a glimpse "into the work itself,into the mind and perspective of the artist, into the soul of the viewer, into the world or a combination of all."_Wyne

A piece has to have the power to move, to disturb, to make you get up and do something -Bruce Farnsworth

"As one collects art, one embraces charisma of the unique." "The art you should collect has an energy, a search for meaning that transfers from the image, like a code or sheet music, through form and mark, to the viewer or collector-Asia Freeman, artist and director of Homers Bunnell Street Galley.

Now for my own quote: "I love exploring the great mystery,landscapes, dream imagery, icons, poetry, angels, whatever captures my curiosity.
I create for the joy it brings others and myself."

"My art is my dreams, my imagination, my skew on the world.
It's my attempt to communicate with you. I hope my art brings you joy." Judy Vars

What Kind of Mind are You?

Help I can't get off my arse get busy and paint. Yesterday I went to the Bear Paw Festival in Eagle River and forgot my camera.

I do a lot of forgetting. I bought myself a new pen and a new sketch pad to take notes, it usually starts out Things I Gotta Do, Things I Must Remember, shopping lists, journals, good ideas etc. My lists, notes, and journals are all over the house so where are the lists? Where did I write it? Where are all the phone numbers?,! business cards?,! and e-mails?,! and articles on how to get organized??! Yes I've read all about how to simplify your life cleaned out my closet and thrown away tons of stuff. Still sadly I battle with the family malady packratism. Where most people see junk I see JUNQUE all things could be potentially useful. The heart shaped rock, rusted piece of barbed wire, lens from grandpas bifocals, interesting broken parts from I can't tell where, well you get the idea.

But,I get to feel good about myself because I am a recycler and I can make my statement about saving the planet. You other wasters (you know who you are) should learn a lesson from me. Hey I just found my moral high ground. This blog can be very therapeutic.

Are there any creative geniuses out there that are just way too right brained to be able to organize anything?

Oh by the way while we're on the subject of recycling, it's time to start watching the progress of the Burning Man Festival. in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada.

The Art Theme for Burning Man 2006 will be "Hope and Fear: The Future", wherein we explore how we create futurity, manifested as an expression of the promise of our hopes, and the contractions of our fears.

Your Brain's Pattern

You have a dreamy mind, full of fancy and fantasy. You have the ability to stay forever entertained with your thoughts. People may say you're hard to read, but that's because you're so internally focused. But when you do share what you're thinking, people are impressed with your imagination.

What Pattern Is Your Brain?

The Girdwood Forest Fair

I've just spent all weekend at the Forest Fair hanging out with the artist croud enjoying the sights, sounds and smells of the 31st annual Girdwood Forest Fair. The weather was perfect the cottonwood trees were dropping their cottonwood so it looked like snow in July a fairy land effect.
Here are just a few pictures I took.
This is Jewels Wolfe the acting president of Girdwood Center for the Visual Arts and Eric Teeland bantering.
The belly dancers are always a big hit
Laura and Jeannie the two best glass artists I know
Here are a few of my favorite artists there those people who are not afraid to be different of corurse not every good artist has a website. Lance Lekander This guys got a real sense of humor. This guy is a real "raw artist" he just goes for it and paints on anything and everything good stuff! Allan R. Gough. Of course we all love Eric David Behnke a wonderful young man now who has down syndrom and has been creating his inspired works of art since he was a little boy Brown Bear Products do yourself a favor get inspired, vist his site and find out about him. Oh I love this girl shes just so cool
DANDY GELATINE ART

My Family Pedigree or My Blood is Blue

Last night my son and me went on a journey through our family history, it started with the question what am I? (meaning what blood runs through my veins) http://http://www.familysearch.org/it was a fascinating trip back through time. For example on my mothers side of the family there is great,great,great,great,grandpa William Griffith Born: abt 1445 of Pehryhn Castle, Caernavonshire, Wales Died: 1505-1506 This is Penryhn Castle

or John Phylips (Sir Knight) Born: 1502 of Picton Castle, Pembroke, Whales.

we have two family castles in Wales. I searched back as far as 0314 A.D. a person named TEGID in North Wales. Perhaps the most beautiful natural lake in Wales was named after him. http://www.fishing.visitwales.com/fe/default.asp?n1=135&n2=140&n3=155
I found out my name Judith Abagail is the name of my great, great grandmother and the name Judith was passed through the generations all the way to 1402 Middlesex, England. We learned that our ancestors have been in America since 1600s WOW. I learned that they were a part of early Mormon history. Living in Nauvoo, Illinois and they were stranded in Winter Quarters on their trip west to SLC. Imaging who your dead relations are and how they lived is so satisfying. I think my relatives were celts and druids and later Christians. We determined that at least on my mother’s side of the family we are English, Scottish, Welch, Prussian and German. As my grandmother told me when I was a little girl "Judy, you are the dukes blend" took on a whole new meaning. Help I'm lost in family history and can't get out.

Happy 4th of July !!!

We're goin to a 4th of July picnic how traditional.
GOD BLESS AMERICA and the whole wide world today and always.
Update I went golfing with the guys for the first time. I shot pretty good game. What they didn't know is I practiced hitting golf balls years ago and still remember how. They play golf all summer every summer and I came along and held my own, hee,hee,hee I love it.

Brian, Frank and Marcy

Les and Henry

Peter and Sheryl