Music From Angel Fire

2 of Ida's dogs

(Ida Kavafian, artist director and "fiddle" player, leading one of the doggy hikes--she also raises champion vizslas!)


I know. I've not been posting. And, I promise I will get better. But the reality is that it is pretty unlikely for the next week. Currently, the Music From Angel Fire chamber music festival is taking place in Angel (and some surrounding towns). And, it makes for a very busy time. Between going to many of the concerts and getting in some studio time, we've had out of town visitors, catching up to do with some of the musicians, an almost daily hike with musicians and friends, a golf tourney, friends over for dinner, etc. I'm sure I couldn't keep this pace for any length of time. 2 1/2 weeks of the festival is plenty!

What amazes me most about this festival is that it takes place here. We are a pretty little place but really not on the map, so to speak. Then we get the MOST amazing musicians who come and participate in the festival. They are an inspiration to pursue excellence in whatever field you work in! I thank them for being here.

Lost Church

This church was one of the first ones I ever painted. It was the basis for my first Collector's Guide ad. And this is the only photo I have of it. And I can't find it. Twice this summer, Rees & I have driven out of our way to look for it so I could get more images to work from. Nope. Not there. Nada. It used to be located near the Los Pinos river. To get there, you go into Colorado near Antonito and turn left onto a dirt road that tracks back into New Mexico. But the church is gone. I never got the name of it and I don't know the name of the farming village that it was located in. And I don't know how to go about finding it. Maybe I'll take my lame-o photo--heavily laden with oil pastel smudges on the back and fixative on the front--and show it to someone at a nearby church. Maybe they'll be able to tell me what happened to it. Or, maybe someone who reads my occasional posts might have a better idea. Sure wish I could find it!

Crested Butte!

Crested Butte has the most amazing flowers of any mountain town I've ever been in!
This planter was behind my booth.
The crowds were enthusiastic and plentiful.
And how beautiful a venue for a show!
A corner of my wonky booth. It doesn't always pay to set up in the rain. The experience brought new meaning to the title "A River Runs Through It".

Breckenridge Art Show

I thought my outfit matched my neighbor's fish pretty well. Don't you?
My booth from one side.
This is it from the other side!
Last weekend, Rees & I headed to Breckenridge, CO, where we did another art show. Weather was good--if not threatening at times, neighbors nice, sales decent, and only a few hours from home. It is a show I'll do again. The promoters even used one of my images for their print advertising (but I'd sold the piece 2 weeks before in Angel Fire!) Tomorrow, off to Crested Butte. This time I hope to remember my camera cord, etc!!!

Fantastic Mr Fox

I live around a lot of wildlife. We have bears and elk and mule deer and bobcats and coyotes go through our yard all the time. But we've seen very few fox in our neighborhood. Apparently they are more common up in Colorado (along with the reintroduced moose (I'm jealous!)). And they are not too bothered by humanity...as was evidenced by their display at the Breckenridge art festival this past weekend!

These kits live below the abandoned barn/shed right next to the show(classified as a museum in Breckenridge to keep the taxes low!) They were quite a treat to see during the art show!

We never did see Mrs. Fox. At least I don't think we did. She must have been housekeeping under the barn! But her two kits were adorable. Totally unfazed by the commotion around them. Enjoying the sunshine and the fresh cool air. My booth was only a few yards from the barn and back "pasture" where they sunned themselves and I did take a few (too many) breaks to go see if they were out again! How fun!

Breckenridge!

We've not done a show in Breckenridge for a few years and I'm looking forward to it! After all, it is another mountain town--with thin and cool air! Hope the crowds come out. Forecast highs of high 60s will make quite a contrast from the 100s of Boulder last week. Off in the next hour or so!!!

Kindness

Just the other day, Rees went over to do a quick favor for some friends who hadn't been up here for a long while--a bad car accident precluded their being here. While he didn't find the golf clubs he was supposed to put inside, he found another friend and neighbor mowing and weed whacking the yard--so, the long overdue part timers wouldn't have to worry about it when they got here.
That in and of itself is quite selfless but, for Angel Fire, the 85 degrees made it maybe the hottest day of the year--a big task for someone who has been feeling a bit under the weather herself.

Then, earlier this week I went into Taos to deliver a painting (see above!!!) and get my teeth cleaned. Only when I tried to start my car in his driveway, it didn't--start-- that is. So, rather than miss my appointment, my new customer loaned me his truck so I could get to the dentist's office. When I returned an hour later (with my other white knight, Rees) I found my customer had worked on the problem and it was almost solved.

Simple acts of kindness. They make the world better. Thanks.

Angel Fire ArtsFest

The blue ribbon is mine--best of 2-d Painting! And the couple in my booth--Bill & Carol Hudson are some of the best dog sitters ever!!!!! (I forgot to have a picture taken of me in my own booth!)
Steve "I'll spell his name wrong for sure" the jeweler from Austin, John & Katherine McDermott.
Jessica Duke--I have some fab pieces of hers!
Jacqui Binford-Bell----has a thing for color as I do!
Sandy Lipka and her pots!

Good show--wish we'd had a few more visitors as the crowd seemed very light....but quality was nice! Lots to accomplish this week before going on to Boulder for the show this weekend!

Who makes sign art for NM roadways!

For years I've wondered who designed the "elk" sign for New Mexico. The hump in the back, the hind legs too short...I mean this is a state known fort its population of artists and this is all they could come up with? Then, on our last trip home, I noticed a different sign, this one near the Raton pass--also of an "elk". I'm not sure it is really any improvement. I'm sorry my camera wasn't out on the way up the pass in Colorado because the "bear crossing" sign actually looked like a bear! What do you think?

Influenced by travels

When I started painting-with oil pastels--I painted places around me. We had moved here from Chicago and I loved the land of enchantment. Still do. And I still paint many buildings, churches barns and scenery from a 100 mile radius around my house. But I just did 2 round trips to the midwest and realize that the midwestern barns, and the simple landscape of the larger farms has crept into my work. This is a good thing....noticing your surroundings and all that....but with the weather in the midwest and east hovering at 100 degrees and I sit at the computer with a fleece on (although admittedly I refuse to close the windows!!!) just know that New Mexico will always be part of my repetoire!