Please excuse the interruption. “This just in” as the news folks say.
This is the link to view the article in the Visalia Times-Delta online “paper” today. I clicked on it, and it said “one free article left”, so I don’t know how it might behave for you.
When my customers told me that they liked Western type, I started digging through the internet to see what was available. In general, Western typefaces are very easy to recognize, but after studying them, I realized there are many variations. (Remember when I told you a list of the goofy names of some of the typefaces?)
Those websites selling typefaces allow you to put your info into them and see what it might look like. Here are a few:
This last one is the prettiest, and it has the surprising name of “Eastwood”. I don’t associate old Clint with the description of pretty.
To be continued. . .
Exeter Courthouse Gallery, 125 South B Street
Being on one’s own in a completely flexible profession is not always easy. There is no specific roadmap, operator’s manual, or industry standard and even if there were, it would probably not apply here in Central California’s flyover country. The only galleries in Tulare County are non-profit, run entirely by volunteers, most of whom are good-hearted individuals without training in such matters. Artists may have some training, but generally it was decades earlier, completely outdated, or just various bits gleaned from the highly diverse internet, where one can find anything, everything, and nothing.
This brings me to a boatload of questions about my upcoming show, Images of Home. Some answers have appeared since I initially wrote this post.
And you thought all I did was sit around and draw or paint all day! This self-employment as an artist is harder than it looks. Let’s just contemplate something peaceful to calm ourselves as we wait for more to be revealed in the fullness of time.
Exeter Courthouse Gallery (Is this the right name?)
I know the title of the show is correct, as is the address and the date of the opening reception. Now, what am I going to wear? Should I get my hair cut? Why do we say “hair” when it is all of our hairs that get cut?
I need a cigarette.
WAIT! I don’t smoke! Never have, never will.
If you see me out in front of the gallery pulling weeds, just be polite, okay?
Here is the new calendar again for your convenience. I don’t want to post the backside because Reader and Commenter Sharon doesn’t want to see any months in advance. If you want to see it, email me and I’ll send you the picture of the back. It is $15 including mailing and tax until November 1. Then it is $20 including mailing and tax. This is the link that works.
This is the new coloring book. It will be $20 and isn’t here yet. You may order it now if you don’t mind waiting until sometime after November 8 for me to ship it to you. Here is the link to the page where the book will be available.
Images of Home will be a solo show at Exeter’s Courthouse Gallery, full of my oil paintings and pencil drawings. I will also bring calendars, coloring books, note cards, wildflower books, and Wilsonia books. The gallery hours are 12-4 on Saturday and Sunday. I will be there on Fridays to keep the place open, but don’t know what hours. The opening reception will be Sunday, November 14 from 2-4. I will continue to tell you about this until you want to unsubscribe or email with concerned notes about my repetitious blogging. The particulars about the show are here.
Finally, this is what I saw when I walked back to the house from the studio one evening last week.
Sure beats smoke, eh?
Each day I have a list of what I hope to do. It usually only includes projects to finish, and I forget about all the Other Stuff. On Friday, the Other Stuff was piled high and deep.
Finally, it was time to paint, but the neighbor’s dog was barking so incessantly that I couldn’t think. She doesn’t answer emails or return phone calls, so I can only conclude that she doesn’t care. It is a perpetual nuisance.
So, how about a look at the tree outside my studio? It is my very own leaning tree, a flowering pear. It makes flowers in February, shade throughout the summer, and good color in October. My old cat Perkins who was with me for 17 years used to scratch against the tree, and my theory is that he caused it to lean.
Tomorrow I will share some specifics about all the items mentioned above (and hope the links work).
Here a listicle for you because I spent all day staring at the computer and feel a little dull.
In spite of the store at the Silver City Resort and the consignment store Kaweah Arts both being closed due to the infernal inferno, I have had some good sales. Some of these were before the fire (I was waiting for the month to end); others are through the Mural Gallery in Exeter.
This giant sequoia is actually acrylic mural paint on scrap boards, about 2×4′, to be hung outdoors.
This is all pretty encouraging. It also means that I have to revise my list of what will be in the show at the Exeter Courthouse Gallery in November and December. I might have to see if I can produce a bit more than previously planned. This is not a problem; it is good news. Why? Because. . .
An interviewer once asked me, “What does a good day look like in your life as an artist?”
(This post is just a bit of reminiscing about life before the fire took over our lives and thoughts.)
Rachelle brought her new lungs and her husband to see us, first time in person since the end of April. I fed them cookies. (They love my cookies so much that I spent $10 mailing some to them in LA. Yes, me, Frugal Queen of the San Joaquin!) Rachelle and I were so happy to see each other that our eyes may have leaked a little bit. Our hubbies were pretty happy to see one another too. 
Then, I finished this painting. (You have seen it on the blog by now).
I was on a roll so I pulled out this canvas.
I thought it was finished, and then I remembered that it needs a wind machine. You have also seen this one after it got scanned.
But wait! There’s more! A former drawing student (from 20+ years ago) emailed with the usual “You probably don’t remember me but. . .” My response was something like, “OF COURSE I DO!!” She came to my studio with her parents, husband, and baby who is too cute for words (yes, this from me, All Babies Look Alike). Out of respect for their privacy, I will just show you this one photo of me with L at my studio. We were both beside ourselves with delight.
To top it off, I sent invoices to 2 customers for recently completed commissions. Sometimes it feels as if I work for fun or for free, then a customer will remind me to send a bill.
That was an extraordinarily good day.
P.S. I started designing a calendar for 2022, appropriately titled “Places and Things We Love” because. . .
One week ago we climbed on the hill behind our house and saw this above our roof.
The smoke from fires makes it look like a foggy day. The differences are an orange tint, warm temperatures, and falling giant dandruff instead of a gray tint, cold temperatures and falling water.
This week Tucker and I had a little fun in the grass. He likes to stay just outside of arm’s reach, and jumps ahead whenever I crawl toward him. This is the second year of no mowing in hopes that the lawn would thicken up either by roots or by seeds. The cats love it long, and it seems thicker. Of course, transplanting chunks from another area may have contributed.
I just checked this book out from the library (Woodlake, because Three Rivers is closed due to the fires). It is fluffy, and fluffy is most welcome right now. The weird orangish tint is because of the fire.
This week I learned that the company who printed my coloring books has not saved the files. This means that reprinting any of the coloring books will involve a massive amount of computer work, again. The fad has passed along with demand, so I am unsure about proceeding. I am considering compiling a new one, combining pictures from the previous five. The Heart of Rural Tulare County is a long title, but it describes it well. This is an old post about designing #5. All the coloring books are sold out, but perhaps one of my retail outlets still has a copy or two. Here is the cover of the second one:
This week several places asked about reordering notecards. The prices have gone up considerably, and I am in sticker shock. When I started making notecard sets in 1987, they sold in stores for $5 for 10 cards. (You can read about that here, here, here, and here; there may be more old posts about them, but I am tired of looking for them and you are probably tired of reading all those links). Now they will have to sell at $10 for 4 cards. I made a new design, and will restock only a few of the most popular cards. People just don’t write that much any more to justify my keeping a large inventory. This is the upcoming Thank You card (no, it won’t say “Note Cards – 5.5″ x 4″ Folded – Premium matt: Front Side)
Because of the fires, drawing lessons did not restart the day after Labor Day. I have postponed them until the first week of October. I miss my students (a dear one died yesterday morning – if you are in drawing lessons and want to know more, email me). But, with the fire restriction of voluntary evacuation, I am reluctant to leave home; if it suddenly became mandatory to evacuate, then I wouldn’t be able to return home and get all my sweaters stuff.
This is Labor Day, so this is about some completed labors. Today I will share some oil paintings of Mineral King that sold as of mid-August at the Silver City Resort/Store.
I can’t decide if the sales are unusually high, or if I am simply thrilled because much of life seems less than thrilling these days. So, in the spirit of celebrating things for which to be thankful, rejoice with me.
Maybe it is showing off. Nah. I am just trying to be businesslike, reminding you all that: