Charmaine

Charmaine in the Mist

Oil

17" x 21"

NFS

Today Is All Souls Day

Strange late last night I had a strong desire to light my jack-o-lantern even though Halloween is over!

Then I was motivated to gather pictures and momentos of my departed loved ones. Blanche and Geneva my grandmothers, Albert and Betty my mother and father, Marge and Ed my mother and father-in laws, Jim who was my neighbor, Douglas my younger brother, Bobbie his son, and last but not least Joy-E-Loy my loving dog who lived 15 years!

Today is All Souls Day on this day the Catholic Church prays for all the souls still is purgatory this is not to be confused with All Saints Day which commemorated the souls that are in Heaven.  Now who am I to assume that my dear departed loved ones are spending some of their eternity in purgatory? Still a little prayer couldn't hurt, right?

O Lord, who art ever merciful and bounteous with Thy gifts, look down upon the suffering souls in purgatory. Remember not their offenses and negligences, but be mindful of Thy loving mercy, which is from all eternity. Cleanse them of their sins and fulfill their ardent desires that they may be made worthy to behold Thee face to face in Thy glory. May they soon be united with Thee and hear those blessed words which will call them to their heavenly home: "Come, blessed of My Father, take possession of the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."

Amen

Cemetarys and Other Spooky Stuff

Shhhhhhhhh let me tell you a secret I love to visit graveyards.


The graves are like homes where we continue to visit our loved ones in death, just as we once visited their homes in life. Some cemeteries are so grand they truly deserve to be called a city of the dead - a necropolis. Wherever I go, I try to capture the voices suspended in marble, the dead remembered by stone, roses and tears. When I was a melancholy girl, I would make myself a picnic lunch and walk to the Weston, Idaho Cemetery almost everyday, there I would enjoy the peaceful atmosphere while munching my potted meat sandwitch..

My Grandmother Geneva taught me to be respectful and not to walk on the graves. She also taught me that graves always face East to greet the rising sun and the Resurrection.

Another time when I was a teenager my girlfriend Kim and I went to the Salt Lake City Cemetery to drink wine and horse around we were getting loud and disrespectful then something popped my big gulp cup from my hand and drenched me with wine and ice. Someones dissapproving Grandmother or Gramdfather I imagine. We both screamed and laughed hysterically while running as fast as we could go. Its rude and disrespectful to wake the dead with wild parties.

But I'm sure they will be expecting visitors on All Hallows Eve when the veil is the thinnest.

WooooOOOO00000 ARE YOU SCARED YET?!

Making a Self Portrait

Let me make this clear this painting is not finished! It is very definitely a work in progress. The painting you see took just a few hours but the completed portrait may take awhile. All great artists have painted themselves Van Gough, Rembrandt, Frida Kahlo, etc. In my case I wanted to paint a beautiful witch for Halloween. I did not have a georgeous, sexy, real live model to work with. So I decided to use myself, the idea was to light my face from underneath which is not a very flattering light, although it is dramatic and witchy,

I wanted my face to look like it was bathed in candle light. The original idea was to have her wearing a witches hat and costume and standing in a graveyard, haunted mansion, or with runes on the wall, something spooky and intriguing. Since I was using myself as the model I was less willing to depict me as to witchy, weird or wicked. This marks the first time I have ever painted myself. What stopped me was telling myself things like I’m not beautiful enough, too old, or it's self centered and narcissistic. Of course at my age I could use a mini facelift but painting me and accepting me  and the way I am today; wrinkles, eye bags, grey hair, lumps etc. is a great way to practice compassion, acceptance and love for the person I am most critical of (me). Painting a self portrait is also a great meditation for really looking at oneself  objectively. Noticing all my flaws and assets and acknowledging exactly where I am in time. It all fits together like a puzzle, gray hair, frown lines, happy lines, green eyes, bags and bumps, separate and alone under my scrutiny my flaws are obvious, but as part of the whole my portrait is complete and perfect and still a work in progress. Here is my favorite affirmation...

I am at peace with my age for me it is always now.
I came to this planet to experience every age.
I am at peace with where I am at in time.
My future is Glorious.

Call me a Diva, I Want A Staff

I need a personal assistant like Picasso, or a whole gaggle of groupies like Andy Warhol ready to do anything I tell them to do.

I've got the "do it myself syndrome" but honestly, I can't do-it-all!! Even though I try, I really try.  I've spent all day today organizing my art business and setting up a data base to track everything, getting togrther photos of my work, CRAZY. But I am so right brained that it's hard to focus on one thing at a time, besides I hate paperwork. I want all my ideas put into motion and
I WANT IT NOW..

If I had a staff of helpers my mansion would be impeccable no one would ever have just one sock, dinner would be delicious and healthy every night no frozen pizzas ever again, my personal trainer would keep me in perfect shape, my assistant would organize everything including my social life and remind me of important engagements, bring me some herbal tea, shelter me from the slings and arrows of my critics. I would retire to my studio every day requesting that I not be disturbed until lunch and paint priceless masterpieces while watching the ocean.

Really this is my favorite fantasy next to being a sexy torch singer or winning the biggest lottery ever.

So Just for today know that I can do only one thing at a time and bite by bite I can eat the whole elephant. I can't believe I ate the whole elephant. BCWYAF (be careful what you ask for)..........

               A Walk In The Woods

by

Judy Vars

@

Firefly Gallery

419 L. Street

Anchorage, Alaska

(907) 334-9979

First Friday, October 7th 2011 - Opening Reception 5:30 to 7:30

Its autumn the  golden leaves are falling like rain. The end of Summer is bittersweet, it's so fresh and beautiful outside Mother Nature is putting on her Autumn attire, the perfect days are numbered and soon, all to soon it will be Winter again. Peter and I took a boat ride yesterday right our own back yard, we saw the baby loon, he is not so young anymore and his feathers a dark slate blue  it was sooo pretty. 
The winters here last from October till April or May so each nice sunshiney day is precious.
I have been busy gathering inspiration from Mother Nature all Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn. Working on a series of woodland paintings for my October art show. My paintings are getting their finishing touches there are: lilly pads, magic mushrooms, birch trees, winter trees and more birch trees. I hope to see you there! 

"American artists, performers and thinkers, representing our ideals, can inspire both at home and all over the world." Barack Obama

Witches In Willow Wytchwood on Mile Marker 85.5 Parks Hwy. Alaska

     Here is the classy new Wytch Wood sign. I painted the sexy witch to resemble Rhonda.
It was sooo much fun to do I even had some interesting dreams about it.

     Where is Wytch Wood? As the Raven flies North along the Parks Highway looking for tasty road kill, Wytchwood is at mile-marker 85.5. Just off the highway is a quaint historical cabin which houses Wytch Wood a unique Herbal Shoppe and Art Emporium. This is the real deal! This little Shoppe reminds me of Salem but it is here in Alaska. So if you are a fradiy cat or have strong black and white views, are closed minded, or have an irrational fear of witches then just drive on past. On the other hand if you are open minded, adventurous, curious and in need of some love potion then definitely stop in for a visit.

   See art by local artisans, herbal remedies, incense, stock up on your altar items and much much more......... Get to know Rhonda the original Witch of Willow she is straight foreward and makes no excuses for her beliefs or her purple hair! Rhonda Gruber is an educated herbalist she carries the best quality herbs, tinctures, and remedies in the whole area and of course she now carries the art of Judy Vars. Here is the link to her web site for your adult needs opps I mean altar needs. http://www.wytchwoodak.com/

          I ignored the urge to go to Wytchwood for quite awhile but finally quit procrastinating and got a job out of the deal. I took her some of my darker art pieces which goes in her Art Emporium/Herbal Shoppe perfectly. I brought her Ghosty Girl, Babba Yagga, Witchy Woman, Pandora's Box, Silver Moon and a jewel box I made from cut glass in Costa Rica.
I am feeling a little witchey myself and Halloween is still 2 months away! It's a good excuse to dress slutty. LOL

Judy Vars and Rhonda Gruber

20 Things You Don't Know About Bees by Liza Lentini

Beehive Drawer

26" x 18"

Encaustic Painting/Mixed Media

395.00

See it at the Firefly Gallery

419 L. Street

Anchorage, Alaska

1.There are 16,000 species. Most are solitary insects; only about 5 percent are social bees, the most common being the honeybee. As many as 80,000 of them colonize a single hive.

2.Drones – the male honeybees – live only for mating with the queen. If there is a shortage of food in the hive, the workers kick their lazy, gigolo asses out.
3.To die for: When drones mate, they die afterwards from a ruptured abdomen. Sex detaches their endophallus, which gets stuck inside the queen.

4.She continues to mate – the drones aren’t terribly smart, apparently – until she collects more than 70 million sperm from multiple males.

5.The queen was known as the king until the late 1660s, when Dutch scientist Jan Swammerdam dissected the hive’s big bee and discovered ovaries.

6.Someone call Homeland Security! Australian researchers discovered that honeybees can distinguish human faces. The insects were shown black-and-white pictures and given treats for right answers.

7.Oh, someone did call Homeland Security. In the Stealthy Insect Sensor Project, Los Alamos scientists have trained bees to recognize explosives.

8.The term “honeymoon” is derived from an old northern European custom in which newlyweds would consume a daily cup of mead, made with fermented honey, for a month.

9.The term “bee’s knees” was coined by American cartoonist Tad Dorgan, who was also responsible for “the cat’s pajamas,” “the fleas eyebrows,” “the canary’s tusks,” and (apropos of nothing) “Yes, we have no bananas.”

10.During World War I, honey was used to treat the wounds of soldiers because it attracts and absorbs moisture, making it a valuable healing agent.

11.Honey never spoils. Ever.

12.Bumblebees can estimate time intervals. Researchers have found that the insects extend their tongues in tandem with the rhythm of a sweet reward. This aids in the hunt for nectar, whose availability waxes and wanes.

13.Melittosphex burmensis, recently found preserved in amber in a mine in northern Myanmar, is the oldest bee known. It lived 100 million years ago.

14.After he had pioneered the laws of genetics with pea plants, Austrian monk Gregor Mendel bred a strain of hybrid bees. Unfortunately, they were so vicious he had to kill them.

15.The buzz that you hear when a bee approaches is the sound of its four wings moving at 11,400 strokes per minute. Bees fly and average of 15 miles per hour.

16.A newly hatched queen immediately kills all other hatched and unhatched queens in the hive.

17.The Honeybee Boogie: In 1943 Austrian zoologist Karl von Frisch published his study on the dances bees perform to alert fellow workers. A round dance indicates that food is close by; a waggle dance means it is distant.

18.Worker bees have strictly regimented roles, including that of undertakers who drag their dead siblings from the hive.

19.On the April 1984 ChallengetI flight, 3,300 bees, housed in a special but confining box, adapted perfectly to zero gravity and built a nearly normal comb. But they didn’t go to the toilet. Since bees excrete only outside the hive, they held it in for seven days. A NASA spokesperson said the space hive was “just as clean as a pin”.

20.According to an old wives’ tale, a bee entering your house means a visitor is on his way, and if you kill the bee, the visitor won’t be a pleasant one. Suffice to say, invite that unexpected honeybee guest to sit down to tea.

"Be excellent to each other" - Bill & Ted



Feng Shui Approved or Welcome to the Holies of Holies

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sf11lS7cZb0

Lately I have been getting my writing fix by doing "morning pages" that's three pages of longhand writing every morning. Consequently my blog is being neglected, Facebook distracts me also. Along with that I have also been reading and doing the tasks Julia Cameron suggests in the book, The Vein of Gold. One of the tasks is to create for myself a sacred space. I began to notice how much I hated my office and how I hated doing any of the menial office tasks that I needed to do like; reading my e-mails, paying my bills, making my phone calls, filing, (i hate filing) writing a shopping list, etc. I had a very bad attitude whenever I went into my horrible disorganized disaster of an office, I felt distracted, discouraged and bitchy. After speaking with my wise and honest friend Yoby who said, "why don't you fire that lazy clerk with the bad attitude and hire a new CEO?" Why not indeed! So that is the game I played with myself, the new CEO needed to have this sub-par office remodeled!

The base coat is buttercup yellow mixed 3to1 with wallpaper paste. I dry brushed this mixture on in different directions it dried rather quickly. Then mixed Aztec gold the same way  and used the same brush technique the effect is very dramatic.  Peter took off the old door and floor molding and painted the new flutted molding with Aztek gold.

I wanted my new space to be optimistic yellow because; yellow is mentally stimulating and guaranteed to spark creative thoughts it also encourages communication.
BTW this new office only cost me just $112.50! The paint and paste cost me $60.00 the sheers $12.20 and the new molding $40.00.   My icons of Jesus and Mary, St Jude and Blue Madonna look beautiful on this wall and my artifacts have found a good spot.
Now I have a beautiful sacred office space Fen Shui approved. My piles of files are getting smaller and more manageable, I'm giving tons of stuff away. I gave my huge old dinosaur of computer and the ugly computer desk to my grandsons, they were super excited.
 
 Oh isn't it marvelous what better attitude, organization, and COLOR can do for a persons mood!

Dexter's Roadhouse Golovin, Alaska

Dexters Roadhouse Golovin, Alaska

acrylic painting

16 x 20 wrapped canvas

When destitute miners on the beach at Nome realized that the ruby colored sand at their feet was laced with gold, they must have thought that they had died and gone to heaven. Alaska gold in Nome was literally discovered on the beach. Poet Sam Dunham wrote in 1900, "For many miles along the beach, double ranks of men were rocking, almost shoulder to shoulder, while their partners stripped the pay streak and supplied the rockers with water and pay dirt”. If they would let you a person could still earn a days wages digging gold on the beach. I know I saw the gold flashing on the beach in the bright Northern sun.

Golovin, Alaska is about 60 miles South of Nome and Dexter”s Roadhouse was built in that time to accommodate the miners and villagers. Dexters according to locals operated until 1954 as a dance hall, general store, post office, hotel and saloon. Oxy a resident of Golovin and Jack Brown told me they remember their moms working there for twenty-five cents a week. Oxy told me when her mother saved up one dollar she would buy herself four yards of fabric and make herself a dress. They told me when it was closed and boarded up, the contents remained inside: furniture, store supplies, clothes, beds, dishes, stoves, shoes, everything. It was only opened once to let people have a look inside and then boarded up once again just like a coffin, protecting a rich and colorful history of the gold rush in Nome. A building this old is a rarity in AK.  The early pioneers did not even come to settle Alaska until the 1940s or so.  Most of the early structures are gone altogether, Dexter’s Roadhouse is a true relic of Alaskan history, it sits in a small village of only 150 Chinik Eskimo’s in such a remote place that almost no one will ever see it. It’s not clear to me if it is on the Historical Register (it should be).

I painted this in my free time while visiting Golovin.

Become as Little Children - Jesus

Look at my fetish doll - it's mine all mine - not everything is for sale . Driftwood gathered from the beach at Golovin, Alaska, Raven feathers, Seagull feathers, bird beak, cracked seagull egg, old spoon of Grandmother's with Emilie one of the Dionne quintuplets born in the 30s before fertility drugs.

I remember all 5 quint spoons now only one is left and it has been purloined for my doll. The inspiration for "Emilie" was of course being in the real Alaska, with time to be with myself, on a peninsula, collecting beach things and reading Julia Cameron's book “The Vein of Gold a Journey to Your Creative Heart.” Along with faithfully doing my three pages of longhand writing everyday. I get a chance to clear my head first thing and plan my day and perhaps go a little deeper into my psyche and uncover some pure gold. To quote directly from her book...

“According to doll making legend, the original work for doll was “idol” We have just lopped off the “I.” When we make dolls we are invoking God like powers. Doll making is a very powerful form of magic. Because we are working directly with the human figure in a form that appeals to our child self, we are talking directly to our creative consciousness, which in turn speaks directly to our Higher Self.

“Doll making is a very potent form of turning it over to God. Therefore, dolls are extremely potent tools for manifestation. (It is no accident that dolls are used in Voodoo.)” But if dolls can be—and have been—used negatively, they can also be used positively, and that is what we are doing here.”

My job is to live with my creation and just see what my doll this reveals to me. I have some good ideas what this doll is saying, which I will save for my morning pages. 

Why is it that dexterity, knowledge of art, and taste do not necessarily add up to what we seek in art?
Peter London

 Misty Morning

 Jack Brown

 A scene in Golovin

I had to show you just one of the kids

I wonder what this little boy wants to be when he grows up?

Just where in Golovin, Alaska

Northern Exposure

Dear Diary

I have been in Golovin for 10 days now. My sleepover went pretty well considering 7 girls from 6 to 11. What are little girls make of of sugar and spice and piss and vinegar. To make art at the sleepover I purloined the classroom across the hall and set up art stations, I made a rule that each girl spend at least an hour in the art room making art, some of them stayed longer making some great childhood artwork. WOW
I made it through the whole long Memorial weekend mostly entertaining myself it's weird  being locked up in the school sleeping with the books, vaccuming up glitter instead of grilling steaks on the barbecue  and it's maddening the intense Northern Light coming through my window all night who can sleep?
I'm wondering how I would do in the winter  here when there is no sun? Can you say "The Shining"?  Not many people could do it.  The town was very quiet yesterday I took some walks. This is one memorial day that I will remember for the rest of my days.

My impressions and stories about this tiny little village on the Bering Straights Golovin, Alaska is still happening and I'm too overwhelmed to try and tell then here. However I have been keeping an Artists Journal three pages every morning and three pages every night and writing about everything  http://www.theartistsway.com/books. I pledged to continue it for the whole 12 weeks.

 One of my sleepover girls  was my tour guide today; Cameryon she took me from Baldy Mountain where the graveyard is all the way out to the point giving me the rundown on absolutely everything. Suffice to say this is a quirky little town in a forbidden land where Eskimo families have lived and died for generations in this vast unspoiled wilderness. It's flipping awesome.

I moved to Alaska to experience my own Northern Exposure http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Northern_Exposure_episodes  I found it! and at times I had to say to myself  "you asked for this."

In art class we have been working on self portraits the children are doing a great job! Tomorrow we are going to make a funky self portrait one.


Love You
Judy

p.s. I have found time to paint and have started another painting "Gods Painting" How I wish I had my oils acrylics suck. :(

Oxyies Grandmothers House

Yellow  Arctic Flowers

A Raven

Cemetary

Almost the whole town of Golivin

Haunted House

The SOLID GOLD

God's Painting

My Walkabout in Golivin, AK and Girlz Just Wanna Have Fun!

 Sunrise 4:57 am

 My Raven cousin

 Sunset about 1:30 am

 There is a humengeous bumblebee in this photo.

My favorite the trash burning monster

Suddenly It came to me in a shock awareness I have 4 days in Golivin to myself when I will not be teaching. So last night I started a painting of Dexters Roadhouse built in the late 1800's in the time of the gold rush. It should have historical landmark status.  Since I love to paint old and decaying ruins this is a haven for me I am taking tons of pictures of everything. Espically the children, I cannot or should not publish them without their parents permission.

I have no television and am so glad I don't know who won the Apprentice or many personalities Tara has split into. My collection of music on my computer is flipping awesome so I've got tunes.

My days have been bliss, every morning and every night I walk, I write three pages in  my journal and I found some time to paint. The most bestest part of this whole adventure is I have the priviledge to teach youngers art. The kick is they teach me so much, just when I thought it could not get any better I get to experience the joys of childhood again. They laugh and play kick the can till 12:00 am. We all play while the sun still shines in the land of the midnight sun. They call out "Hi Ms Judy" and visit with me for a while then off to play some more games. They leave their little bikes everywhere. The little dears, but because we are not having quite enough fun I am planning a ...
Girls Girls only Art Sleepover at the school library Sunday night.
Before you call me completly nuts it is for girls 6 to 11 only and 10 girls allowed (thats all in that age group) we ate going to have a BLAST!#$%
Wish me luck.

One Picture is Worth 10,000 Words or What Did I See On My Walk Today

A Beautiful Baby Raven Died Maliciously Yesterday

but the story is still unfolding and it is best not tell it until I get back. This song I will use in the ulogy.

This sad and beautiful Russian song seems to speak to my heartache. I choose this because where I am at you really can almost see Russia from where I am standing.



You bring the blooded cloth

to my beloved lady-love.

Tell her she is free

I have married another.

Hard arrow married us

in the fateful battle.

I see my dead is coming.

black raven, I am all yours.

I arrived in Golivin today around 4:00 on a very small aircraft Maude the teacher and her two children met me at the runway. For the rest of my stay I am making my Raven nest in the library of the school. I'm wondering how I will sleep with all the book energy around me. Being the only person in a big school all alone it feels strange the building makes unfamiliar noises.
I made myself some sweet potato soup with carmelized onions in the school kitchen it was yummy. Then I took a tiny walk to the end of town which sits on a small peninsula and talked to Dave about his beautiful dogs. After a bit I regretted not wearing my sunglasses out, even though it was around 6:30 pm the Northern Light was so intense it gave me a headache. Golivin is  peaceful and quiet and the people that I've met so far are warm and friendly. Tomorrow is my first day of teaching art to the children and I am very excited to get to know them and expore art with them. If possible I will take pictures of the kids but first must get a release from the parents to publish their images on the internet. Yes even though the sun will not set until 12:30 am I must try to sleep.

Dexter's Roadhouse

Golovin, Alaska

built in the late 1800s 

Into the Wild of ALASKA or Look Where My Art is Taking Me!

Sunday is the day I am flying to the Alaskan bush, not like Christopher Johnson McCandless (February 12, 1968 – August 1992) was an American itinerant who adopted the name Alexander Supertramp and hiked into the Alaskan wilderness with little food and equipment, hoping to live a period of solitude. Almost four months later, McCandless' remains were found, weighing only 67 pounds (30 kg; 4 st 11 lb); he died of starvation near Lake Wentitika Denali National Park and Preserve. wikipeda. He ate the wrong plant and died, it was very sad but any Alaskan knows you do not go into the wilderness being naive and unprepared.

I am taking lots of provisions a huge box of art supplies, groceries, books, computer, camera, sleeping bag, pillow, sketch book, and my journal. "I will boldly go where no man has gone before" (Star Trek reference) Well, yes a few intrepid souls have ventured into the Alaskan bush and now I can join the ranks of the few that have actually been to the remote parts and seen the real Alaska and meet the real Alaskan's.
Golivin is 90 miles east of Nome, Alaska.  There are three ways to get there fly in a tiny plane, grab a sled dog team or take a barge. To step outside the city limits is to step into the wild of Alaska, the bears are waking up from their long winters nap hungry and grumpy.


It is probably obvious but I am nervously excited to be going to a place that has up to now only lived in my imagination. I will meet the 10 children that I will teach art to, the teacher Maude, live at the school and be a part of an the community for two weeks. I want to take lots of pictures (note to self: get release forms for posting pictures of people on the Internet) otherwise I will photograph and paint the unimaginable beauty of virgin Alaska.

Here is a link to a blog written by the students at Martin L. Olsen school in Golivin http://golovin.bssd.org/blog/ this is all very helpful in reliving some of my anxiety.

How Much Mess and Art Can Three Women Make?

Yesterday was the first half of my encaustic wax workshop and it was sooo much fun!
Ruth, Suzie and Me had a wonderful time making encaustic art and I did my part to spread the-cult-of-the- wax. Later on I went over to Turkey Reds for the last 30 minutes of my art show with Sharen AK Harris ok so only a few folks showed up it was sunny outside and in Alaska on the sunshiney days practically nobody comes inside, so for those other people who stopped by we are so grateful, Thank You for supporting the arts in the Valley.

 At 6:00 in the evening it was the For the Love of Dogs show at Madd Matters AKA the Alaska Gallery in Palmer. It was so much fun we ate good poppin hot brat hot dogs, looked at the dog art, and petted the honored guests the doggies.  The proceeds and donations went to the Humane Society.
Drat I have no pictures of this event cus I left my camera in the car.

So yesterday was an artful day and today Sunday I'm feeling a little tired and lazy.
I was taught it's not good to work on Sunday so it is a good excuse to laze about on the Lords day.
Next Saturday I am going to give the second part of my encaustic workshop. Next Sunday the 22nd I am flying to Golovin, Alaska to teach art to youngsters. Please send me your good wishe and please stay tuned, I will keep you updated with pictures and stories of life in the real Alaska.

Ships and Icons

a joint show by

Judy Vars and Sharen AK Harris

presented by The Alaska Gallery @

TURKEY RED

550 S. Alaska Street, Palmer

 

**Ships and Icons** A joint art show by Judy Vars and Sharon AK Harris. 4-6pm.
See by appointment call: Gregg 745-6045

 
Sharen is my BFF and my best painting buddy we have so much in common it's like she is my doppleganger are artwork style could not be more different. That is what makes it interesting, don't you think? There was some (alot) of misscommunication about the times it is officially 4 to 6 pm.
 
Plan to come and then go to MADD MATTERS**For the Love of Dogs**. Original art by local artists, on display from May 14 through June 9. Artists’ reception from 6-8pm. Part of the proceeds of any sale will go to support a dog at a local shelter. Hot dogs will be served!

**Encaustic Beeswax Painting Workshop by Judy Vars**. 10:00am until 5:30pm. Course fee is $235, which includes substrates, materials and lunch. (This workshop will be repeated the next week, on June 21)

Saturday is a big day! We hope you can make it out to see us and the Art Scene all over the valley this Second Saturday.

Shes Baaaaack THE MISTRESS OF TIME or Who Let the Girls Out

Downtown Palmer's  http://www.cityofpalmer.org/%20Who Who Let the Girls Out was my excuse to let out THE MISTRESS OF TIME and get out of the studio.
There was much fun and commerce in Palmer today. Sorry I didn't get pictures, it was hard enough just keeping my hat on. BTW how do you like my hat? I should have worn it to the Royal Wedding the hats were fantastic! Yes, I stayed up and watched the Royal Wedding and I loved it! especially the hats!

Carmen Summerfield, Sandra Cook, Rachelle Medica and myself paraded around town promoting The Wearable Arts Show http://www.valleyartsalliance.com/archives_wa2011.html. and I promoted myself and my upcoming encaustic wax class (see previous post). I love being an artist it's a license to act weird and bizarre.

Hot Off the Griddle and Just In Time for Spring!

Spring Serenity 12" x 28" @ Firefly Gallery 419 L. Street, Anchorage, AK

Encaustic Painting Workshop

Judy Vars: Is offering a two day Encaustic Beeswax Painting Workshop
Encaustic: Ancient technique of painting with layers of melted beeswax and pigment.
Participants will be given a thorough introduction of the encaustic medium and method –
from traditional to experimental. Artists with backgrounds in almost any medium will
find this workshop an exciting opportunity to expand their visual vocabulary with wax.
The dynamic created by a diverse mix of artists contributes to the learning experience.
The classes will teach a variety of methods of working with wax and heat, slideshow and lunch.
Class size is limited to between 5-8 participants.

Date: Consecutive Saturdays May 14th and May 21st

Times: 10:00am– 5:30pm

Place: Madd Matters and the Alaska Gallery
105 E. Arctic Avenue, Palmer, AK 907.745.6045

Price: $235.00 includes materials fee, substrates and lunch

Pre-registration: by April 30th $100.00 and $120.00 due on the day of the class.

Contact: Judy @ 907.355.2219 cabinak@mtaonline.net

Blog: http://www.cabinfeverinalaska.blogspot.com/

Coincidences Coinci-Gods or Karma Costa Rica Style

Adventure: An exciting and very unusual experience. I have always told myself, be careful what you ask for because the universe always provides. Now my definition might be a zip line or extreme bungee jumping, not the kind we got. However it all turned out.

Here is my story: We were going to the Hotel Aranjuez http://www.hotelaranjuez.com/ to shower and relax before we were to fly out at 6:00 a.m the next morning. I was planning to go visit Emilia Fung's Gallery: Galeria 11-12 Arte http://www.galeria11-12.com/ (she specializes in purely Costa Rican art past to present). That was not to be. After my shower I realized that I had left my backpack on the taxi, computer, cellphones, cameras, passports and money etc.! Fortunately, because my friend Martha Sanchez had called the cab for us, we had the name of the taxi company and the cab number. Panic and disbelief set in, the cab company began to give us the run-around so we went to the Organismo di Investigation Judicial (cop shop) that night and they said no crime had been committed. No Satisfaction.

Judy Vars and Martha E Sanchez

The next morning our friend Martha http://marthaesanchez.blogspot.com/ showed up to help us out, because we were scared and frustrated there was some loud arguments and bruised feelings. Thank you my dear friend  and Sebastian for everything! your warm home for three nights, your good cooking, yogi, showing us San Jose, introducing us to your friends and having a party, showing us a Hopi ceremony and most important, keeping with us even when things got difficult and crazy! Friendship is stronger than fighting. I love you!

We all went to the police, it was like an old episode of Hill Street Blues, the cops made some calls and put some pressure on the taxi company, next we all got into the squad car and drove to the taxi company. The driver checked the taxi, no backpack. Then the police detectives took us to the American Embassy to get our new passports. They gave us VIP treatment according to Martha.

That night, the night of the second day something unbelievable happened: The woman who had gotten into the taxi next noticed my backpack and decided to keep it instead of telling the cab driver, she looked inside and found my name and got onto Facebook. From there she contacted my friends in Alaska, Kimberly Bustillos http://artdebustillos.com/ she contacted my other friend Sharen AK Harris http://sharenakharris.com/about.html who called my son Porter and he called my daughter Nicole who reached me that night at the hotel. She said; Someone found your backpack and gave me Edith's name and phone number.

Edith Campos also contacted Martha and Sebastian Sanchez http://marthaesanchez.blogspot.com/ in Costa Rica. Martha and I jumped in the taxi and went to an older barrio and got the pack back. Everything was still there, computer, cameras, cell phones, money, passports!!! Edith Campos is my Facebook Angel. Facebook should give her an award.

Edith Campos, Judy and her MoM

Later that night Martha and I went to an Internet Cafe to try and change our airline reservations but I got nowhere with the airlines or Price Line (Alaska Airlines are shits) they told me that we needed to pay an additional $4,366 just to get home. The next day after we walked all over downtown San Jose, CR trying to make international phone calls, in defeat we returned to the American Embassy. HELP we cried! The phones at the embassy worked no problemo, they spoke English, and renegotiated the airline ticket. In a couple of hours we had our tickets home thanks to another angel Charmaine my daughter.

That is not the end of my story: We had only been eating the complimentary breakfast at the Hotel Aranjuez to save money. After things were sorted out and we knew we were going to be leaving the next morning we went to a soda (restaurant) called Isabel’s to enjoy our last meal in Costa Rica.

The next day in the Houston Airport aka George Bush International, after the first leg of our journey home. I was sitting by the internet port charging my computer when an older woman asked me for help, she asked me to send an e-mail informing her party in Boston she had missed her flight. I e-mailed her party the time and flight number of her arrival. I noticed her name was Isabel, so I said funny, we ate at a place called Isabel’s last night in San Jose, Costa Rica. She said; so did I, in San Jose by the hospital? I said: Yes, we must have missed each other by just 30 minutes .We both said; What are the odds of that? I ask; Are you Costa Rican? She said; Yes. I ask; Where do you live? She said: Golfito. I ask; Do you know Reymundo, our friend who owns DolphinQuest http://www.dolphinquestcostarica.com/Dolphin_Quest_Costa_Rica/About.html She said; Yes! and has known him since Raymar his oldest son was born in the ocean about 19 years ago. Everyone we met in Golfito think the world of Reymundo who is originally from Detroit. We begin to have a conversation,she says she has started the process to open a bilingual school in Golfito to teach English to children and adults. Coincidentally, Peter's and I have this dream for retirement to do just that.

We are asking ourselves what kind of crazy coincidences in the universe made this happen? We were all feeling goosebumps and praising DIOS!

The story gets even stranger if you think about it. Had we not missed our flight like Isabel, we would not have met in Houston at all. Suddenly I said; You are going to Boston, Isabel! and we are flying to Seattle! We looked at the ticket and we should have been at gate C-18 not C-14 where we were sitting with Isabel. We hugged took a picture and ran to our gate to get on our flight in the nick of time.

Judy Vars and Isabel Arias

I do not know the significance of this meeting but something tells me that there are forces larger than we know at work for our good and our protection if we can just get out of the way and let it happen. Thank you to the people of Costa Rica you have strengthened my faith in Humanity! Thank you Great Spirit!

I LOVE COSTA RICA and I love the people of Costa Rica! Thank You Dios!

Dolphin Quest

Today it's back to Dolphin Quest, when we find a good thing we go back for more. I am planning an artists residencies at dolphin quest http://www.dolphinquestcostarica.com/

Welcome to 700 acres of tropical mountains on a mile-long beach. Waterfalls meet lawns and gardens blossoming with hundreds of fruit trees in the southwestern corner of Costa Rica. This haven is accessible only by boat. The warm aqua waters (always between 80 and 85 degrees) are home to many dolphins who share this paradise with us.

These dolphins are in their own habitat, coming and going as they please and so our encounters with them are always a gift. Dolphins are sighted regularly playing along our shores. Many quests have shared deep intimacy with them, though we can never gurantee that dolphins will be here on a particular day nor predict how close of an encounter you may have during your visit. Our easy to use kayaks are always available to you for exploring your relations with dolphins.

The beach lies a hundred meters from your cabin. You can snorkel, scuba dive, boat, sail, or just beachcomb for shells and stones. Whether you are new at something or have done it for years, we are3 available to assist you in enjoying your adventure to the fullest.

Join us on horseback. gallop along the beach or follow hours of hiking trails deep into the jungle, into the wild cacophony of howler monkeys and toucans, to waterfalls, meadows, and lagons.

In the evenings you can relax in your hammock, engulfed in the sounds and scents of the jungle. Enjoy tropical fruit from trees which surround your cadin and fresh caught fush from your ocean front yard. In our outdoor kitchen we serve three delicious home-cooded meals a day with ;manyorganic locally grown foods.

We lead many different jungle and ocean journeys. You may sail between pristine beaches, waterfalls and diving sposts in the guld, to los Mogos, our mystical Myan islands, to the remote islands of northern Panama. We lead jungle spirit quests involving the arts or ritual experience. You can explore rainforest animals and medicinal plants. Journeys can last for an afternoon or several days according to participants interests. In our newly developing healing center we already offer professional acupuncture and massage.

Next February 2012 plan for the artists time of your life in the blue zone, contact me
Judy Vars cabinak@mtaonline.net