Happy Centennial, Kaweah P.O.!

The party was well attended. Very well attended! Here is one area – isn’t that the cutest little building with the grandest oak tree?

I only brought art with Three Rivers as the subject. Almost everything Kaweah Post Office sold.

The stick is where the mailbag hangs so the horse-riding mail carrier can grab it quickly. There were a couple of demonstrations, but I was selling art and missed both.  (Don’t you just hate that??)

This might be the only photo I got without people wandering past!

This is the Postmistress, Miss Ida Purdy. Can’t remember the years she served but we obviously had a bit of time travel today!

Kaweah Post Office

This charming landmark up the North Fork of the Kaweah is probably the most photographed, drawn and painted building in the Three Rivers area! The Post Office began service in 1890, but the building itself is 100 years old this year. On October 23, there will be a 10K run and 5K walk at the bottom of Lake Kaweah, with net profits going to support the Kaweah Post Office. In addition, there will be a celebration at the post office itself, from 10-4. To quote the Kaweah Commonwealth, “It will be a day of food, fun, music, and history. And, best of all, the centennial event will help raise funds for the preservation of the historic post office. A wholesome experience awaits all who attend this Centennial Celebration where past and present meet.”

Studio Tour

Since the show at the Creative Center ended, First Saturday September is over, and the show at Lodgepole didn’t happen, my studio looks full and good! Thought you all might like a peek inside:

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I sure can cram a lot of items into an 11×14 square foot room! Incidentally, if you would like to visit, you can call or email for an appointment. I will even sweep up the dead scorpions in preparation for your visit. 😎

First Saturday, September 4, “Harvest”

Ever heard of The Cort Gallery? It is at 41881 Sierra Drive (river side of the highway) in Three Rivers. It is a little hard to see because the trees obscure the building, but it is worth the time to find. Gary Cort designed this building with rotating walls that swing open to the outside. He is a talented architect and artist with whimsical ink drawings. He invited me and one of my drawing students, Char Prazak, to show our pencil artwork with him on Saturday – a black, white, and shades of gray kind of event! You may remember Char’s work from a previous blog entry; here it is again:char.jpgTo preview some of the participants in First Saturday September, go here: 1st Saturday in Three Rivers

Peculiar sights #9

One day I was just speeding along my walk, minding my own beeswax, trying to keep up the pace, and WHAM! I threw on the brakes and went marching up to the kitchen window of some friends’ house because I recognized my own paintings! Just kind of surprised me – like unexpectedly seeing the face of a long lost friend.

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A year of co-op school

If you are in your 40s or 50s, you probably keep noticing that amazing phenomenon of how quickly time flies. An entire year has passed with almost every Thursday spent at The Art Co-op. I learned a few new things, and one is that an art co-operative isn’t the right place for me.  Another thing learned is that it is fun to watch the river, and I want to share that with you.

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We opened on an August evening.

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On October 13 it rained very hard. Here is Oct. 14 and 15.

 

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For some reason, I didn’t take any more photos until January.

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Water was noticeably up in February.

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The flowering plum dominated my photos in March.

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April was beautiful, of course!

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So was May.

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Here is my last day in June. Why no July? Even though we opened in August, we were setting up in July, so at the end of June, my year was completed. And, I feel compelled to tell you that Sierra Subs makes the best sandwiches I have ever eaten in my life. Truly! They are next door to The Art Co-op, which is still in business and has several new artists. Hmmm, did it take 3 more to fill my large shoes? 😎

 

Dancing Feet on eBay!

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Sierra Swinney is 15 years old and has lived in Three Rivers her entire life. Ballet seems like an odd obsession for someone who loves to backpack with her dad in the local mountains, but Sierra has been dancing since she was four and dreams of becoming a professional ballerina. She has been accepted to the American Ballet Theatre’s summer program in Alabama, and this little painting is for auction on eBay to help pay her way. You can go to eBay and bid on it now, and let’s make lots of money for Sierra!

 

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Last Saturday at the Art Co-op

The title doesn’t mean that the Co-op is closing – it means, well, never mind, it means last Saturday. Anyway, there were several of us who set ourselves up outside to show and sell our wares. My things were off to the left through that gate.

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 A nice man named Patrick brought some pruning shears and we took care of those errant acacia branches so I could paint without getting slapped in the back of the head. That would have been a serious distraction. The poppy painting got very detailed as you can see:

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 If you compare it to the entry on May 29 you can see the tremendous improvement. Looks a bit overly bright in this photo. After this dries I will add touches of lupine color in the background and put in lacy poppy leaves . It has to be dry before I try those, because they are very specific and if I mess them up, I want to be able to remove them without wiping out a flower!