Christmas Ornament Story, Chapter Four

The crowd shuffled back down the hall when the party was over. The conversations were so much fun. I heard people going on about the bathrooms (“Fine facilities!” in a very Southern accent), talking about how many paper napkins with the White House emblem that they stuffed in their purses, and the cameras never stopped snapping. (This was in the olden days before phones became cameras.)

We were very reluctant to leave, as were most of the guests. It was all such a beautiful fantasy, and  it was hard to believe it was over so quickly.  While I changed from my vindictive and useless high heels to a pair of walking shoes, Michael made friends with Jeff, a Secret Service guy.

He showed him the photos of meeting the President in Sequoia in 2001 and referred to him as “Dubya”. I said, horrified,  “Michael! They probably don’t call him that here!!” Jeff said, “Actually, we call him Forty-three”.

There are many layers of security around the White House, several different fences and gates to pass through before emerging onto Pennsylvania Avenue.

I may have stood on a bench for this one. (It was safe – my high heels were in my oh-so-dorky-with-dress-up-clothes-backpack). There was a fence separating us from the White House and another one separating us from outside the White House.  Our next mission was to locate a Metro Station and figure out how to get back to Alexandria, where we had a 19 block walk back to Janey’s (the reason I brought normal shoes).

Here is the magical little item that gave me this unforgettable adventure.

It is interesting to note that no where are the artists mentioned when the ornaments are shown, only the National Parks that we represented. (That website is gone now.) We were instructed to not use our designs commercially – no reproductions, no advertising saying “as designed for the White House”. I have been asked many times why I haven’t made more ornaments, and that is the main reason. If that agreement wasn’t part of the deal, perhaps I might have done so, but to paint the same little fussy object over and over probably would have lost its appeal.

However, last year someone asked for one, so I painted 3 more, sold 2 and have one small one remaining. I took a chance that the statute of limitations would have expired after 10 years. So far no one has come to get me in the middle of the night, but this is the first time I’ve put this on the World Wide Web. (If my blog goes silent, will someone please contact the Secret Service?)

My official White House photos, along with the 3 new ornaments. (The one on the far right is available for $75.)

Christmas Ornament Story, Chapter Three

Fancy and happy and a little overwhelmed

About getting “gussied up”. . . I faxed the White House a second time to ask about the dress code. Here in Tulare County, “dressed up” means that I iron a polo shirt for Michael to wear with decent jeans. “Formal” means his best Wranglers, boots, and a “sport” jacket. (“Sport?” What, is he going to play basketball??) Really really formal means a tie with the formal ensemble. The White House returned my fax with a phone call, and I was told in no uncertain terms that “No denim is allowed on the compound”.  This meant a major shopping expedition for Michael. Me? I found a $3 blue velveteen jacket at the local thrift shop, and since I have enough clothing for a small island nation of semi-shortish women who wear their skirts too long, this was adequate.

We arrived in style at the White House, and joined the queue to be officially identified as invited guests. Everyone was excited, dressed up, and friendly. When we finally got inside the White House, we began the shuffle down a long hall. Everything was interesting, everyone was nice, every moment was memorable and thrilling. There were 2 men at the reception wearing blue jeans. Michael asked one of them how he got away with that, and the guy said ,”I don’t dress up for nobody”. Apparently he doesn’t bother with proper English either.

The reception was in the East Room.

Outstanding food, and incredible to be there in every way. Here is the podium where Laura Bush spoke. We were too short and too far back in the crowd to see her. (I was wearing my highest heels, to no avail other than possibly doing permanent damage to my feet.)

The tree in The Blue Room was 18′ tall, and my ornament was placed in The Most Perfect Spot Imaginable. It doesn’t show in this blurry photo but appeared in a video of Mrs. Bush with her dogs.

Here is the view from the Blue Room where we were all standing around in shock and awe:

We handed the camera to a stranger to pose in The Red Room (this was in the Pre-selfie Era), and suddenly, the carriages turned to pumpkins. Everywhere we looked, a uniformed guard was saying, “This way please”. That had to have been the quickest 2 hours of my life! 

To be concluded on December 26, AKA Boxing Day. . .

Christmas Ornament Story, Chapter Two

Once we knew the date of the White House reception, I began making plans. We have very good friends in Pennsylvania who invited us to stay with them AND, get this, loaned us a car! So we flew into Harrisburg, which has rocking chairs in its airport. (Now that is a bit more common than in 2007.)

Here is how it looks around our friends’ neighborhood: 

After recovering from a red-eye flight (Note to self:  NEVER do that again), we drove to Old Town Alexandria, Virginia to the home of our friend/cabin neighbor/partner in The Cabins of Mineral King, Janey. The drive was so interesting to us. Just seeing signs along the freeway that mentioned Civil War battlegrounds was fascinating to these West-coasters. And the colors – this photo was taken at a rest stop.

I knew I would love Janey’s town from years of hearing about it. (Please excuse the car in the way – parking is at such a premium in her neighborhood that we had to have a permit for our borrowed car and she had to negotiate with a construction crew for a place to put the car.) These homes were built in the late 1700s, and I was instantly in love with the whole place.

We got all gussied up, and Janey drove us to the White House.  Tune in next week. . .

Christmas Ornament Story, Chapter One

I’ve told this story before, but hope I have new readers since that original telling. Here goes. . .

In August of 2007, I was asked to paint an ornament for the White House Christmas tree, representing Sequoia National Park. My first thought was to moan, “Not another freebie”. An invitation to a White House reception would come with the ornament, and I thought, “So? That’ll be expensive”. A friend said I would be nuts to turn this opportunity down, and then Michael said he’d be happy to come to the White House with me. So, I began painting. (You can see that my painting skills have developed since then, but just be polite, okay?)

At the time the call came, I was working on a painting of Sequoia trees in the snow.  I got a few little ornaments and tried the same design on one in acrylic paint, but it dried way too fast. I tried oil paint on another, and that was better.

Eventually, a large shiny gold ornament arrived. It looked like glass, and I was afraid of dropping it. I put layer after layer of white paint on it, carefully handling it as if would break, because if that happened, what would I do?? During one of these layers, my thumb dented the thing a little bit and I realized it was plastic! That eased a bit of worry. When it was finished, my neighbor took photos of me holding it so that the size would be evident.

(This was pre-bangs and pre-gray hair too. Remember to be polite.)

You can see this is no ordinary ornament – it was very big, which made it much easier to paint than my little practice ones.

There was a little difficulty about the reception because no date was given, and various reservations needed to be made. We painters were given a fax number to send any questions, so I faxed a note asking the reception date and how tight the deadline for mailing the ornament was. As I was frantically trying to program in the fax number so a response could be received by my fax machine, the phone rang. “Cabinart, this is Jana”, I answered. “This is Bob at The White House”, came the response. “Hi Bob,” said I, ever so casually. To be continued. . .

I CANNOT Attend

This time of year is all about events. All the events are about raising money. That seems to be the normal reason for a party/dinner/anything in Tulare County. Everybody needs money. The causes are endless, and they are all good.

The latest event that I am involved in is an auction at the Courthouse Gallery in Exeter. “Involved” means I support the gallery and donate to their auction each year. This year I have given them this drawing.

I don’t normally give away original art, but the Courthouse Gallery is special. They provide a fabulous place for me to teach drawing lessons and have done so since January of 2002.

HOWEVER, I CANNOT attend auctions where my work is for sale. The stress is too much for my little sensitive self. What is no one bids? What if no one likes it? What if a board member of the gallery has to buy it and donate it back because no one wanted it? What if it only sells for $10? (The price on this original pencil drawing of Sequoias, professionally framed and matted, approximately 11×14″, is $350.)

You can go to the auction. It is a fun afternoon/evening, whatever it is called at this time of day. They always have good hors d’oeuvres and wine (so I’m told).

P.S. I don’t know why my name isn’t on the flyer. Maybe they know I am too chicken to attend. Maybe they weren’t sure I would donate something. Maybe they don’t know how much I appreciate them. But don’t let this little oversight stop you from attending!

Today’s Anne Lang’s Emporium featured painting 

Sequoia Gigantea II, 6×18″, oil on wrapped canvas, $150

The Perfect Gift Boutique

For the past 20 years or so, I’ve been part of a group called the Kaweah Artisans. We put on a little boutique-sale-show-event each year on the Friday and Saturday following Thanksgiving. We’ve been at the Three Rivers Arts Center for many years, but this year we will be somewhere else in Three Rivers.

We will transform this empty building into a Christmas boutique.

THE PERFECT GIFT BOUTIQUE

41849 Sierra Drive, Three Rivers, California

Thursday, November 23-Friday, November 24

10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

If you are heading uphill/upstream and get to the Chevron station, you’ve gone too far, so turn around, head down, and this time it will be on your right. If you get to the candy store, you’ve gone another mile too far, so buy some chocolate, then turn around, head downstream, and it will be on your right, a few buildings after the Chevron.

PARTICIPANTS: Nikki Crain (weaver), Anne Brown (potter), Carole Clum (metal sculptor), Sam McKinney (gourdista), Elizabeth Mitchell (jeweler) and maybe even a few surprise guests. Oh, and me! Me too!

Another Harvest Festival Round-up

“Harvest Festival” is a popular name for an arts and craft show in the fall. I have been in 2 this year, and will soon be in a 3rd Harvest Festival which is more of a carnival (not as an artist this time – I’ll probably be making popcorn.)

New show, new location, new faces, and 5 new paintings along with a now-known faulty calendar.

The most recent was at a church in Visalia on Saturday. This was a First Annual Harvest Festival, and the organizers did a good job for their first time out. It isn’t easy to put such an event together.

A benefit of participating in a new show like this is that the organizers are extraordinarily hospitable and helpful. Another benefit, which might be also viewed as a not-so-good, is that with lower attendance, there is plenty of time to talk to each visitor. People are so nice, so interesting and so encouraging at a show like this.

My sales were surprisingly good, but selling oil paintings always boosts the bottom line. 😎 I even presold a non-faulty calendar, along with coloring books, a pencil reproduction print or two, and lots of cards.

I had the privilege of meeting 2 young artists. One showed me some fun assignments on her phone, and we talked about the possibility of an art career. Another was making something during the show and seemed to have an interest in faces. I had the iPad with me and photographed his face so I could teach him about facial proportions. If the show had been busy, I wouldn’t have been able to meet Hailey and Jacob, 2 delightful people who keep me from falling into deep despair over the future of our youths. (Such a middle-aged thing to admit, but I am middle-aged, so there.)

Honeymoon Cabin #32, sold.
Sawtooth #31, sold.

I spent some time coloring in my ag coloring book in between visitors. Coloring is only part of my life during shows; normally I knit, garden or read in my time off. What a life, when coloring feels like work!

Extra Post Today

Today I am here! Will you join me?

If you read this flyer, you will see there is a $3 entry fee. If you buy something from me at the craft fair, I will reimburse your $3.

Show Day

Last Saturday I participated in the first ever Lemon Cove Women’s Club Harvest Fest (or Festival, depending on which sign I read). I got up at 0-dark-thirty and drove the 14 miles to the beautiful women’s club.

Newly painted and glowing in the morning light.

My space was in the dining room, and my assignment was to cover up and protect the china cabinet in the corner.

The giant dining table was offered to me, so I accepted their kind offer and off-loaded my own table and free-standing pedestals so I could get to my display screens. If I had known in advance, it would have made the loading day easier. But, that’s the thing with shows – you just never know.

Alrighty then, china hutch hidden, merchandise in place, time to go exploring around this grand building that I have admired for so many years.

Smelled heavenly, because the ladies of the club baked all morning long.
The front door is open, and the dining room with my things is immediately to the right.
The front looks much better in the glowing afternoon sunshine, but by the afternoon, my feet hurt and I wanted to go home instead of take photos.
When I lived in Lemon Cove, I had P.O. Box 194. The old PO boxes are upstairs in the clubhouse, and I OPENED MY BOX!! (It was empty.)
This is the view from the front steps.

The show was fun because I loved the location, it smelled heavenly, the ladies of the club were so welcoming and helpful. The visitors were steady but no giant rush, so there was plenty of time to talk with them. I saw lots of old friends, met some new folks, sold lots of coloring books and calendars, and stood almost the entire day.

The ladies asked if we’d be willing to stay later than the closing time of 4; I said yes, but by 4:30, most all the vendors had packed and left, so I did the same. Meanwhile, I was able to get one more photo of this grand place with afternoon light.

This is the room across the hall from the dining room. It has a stage at one end, so seems to serve as their primary gathering room.

Then it was time to box up everything and schlep it out to the pick-em-up truck. Loading went smoothly, I drove home where Trail Guy was waiting to help me unload, and then I counted my money and called my walking buddy to say, “Wah wah my feet hurt I can’t go tomorrow wah wah”.

Good show. Not a great show, but a good show. I really really like Lemon Cove.