Art at the Airport

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Every now and then I get an art show invitation. This week I received one from my friend Renee. The show was at the Eugene Airport. Sharyn and our friend Sharon all went.

When we arrived at the reception being held in the Wings Restaurant my friends were there. Vern, Ron, Renee and a nice lady, artist Margaret Plumb. They had great snacks at the reception including hummus and shrimp along with fresh fruit.

I saw several of my friends from the Plein air group who had pieces in the show. This painting of Island Park...

... and this beautiful work of the Black Tartarian Cherry Tree at Owen Rose Garden are by Paul Bourgault.

This wonderful vista is a "View from Skinner's Butte" is by Shirley Froyd.

Brooks Hickerson and his wife Peggie were there, his work was this great painting of "Hayward Field" at University of Oregon.

Renee Manford had a beautiful painting that is rapidly becoming one of my favorites "View of Cape Perpetua" she painted from the shore of Yachats north beach.*Update I got a call from Renee Manford that this piece was sold at the Airport Show Today - Congratulations Renee

There were beautiful streams with waterfalls ...


... and faces like this piece titled "Sisko" by Carol Plaia.

"Pengra Bridge" a covered bridge in the Fall Creek area was masterfully painted by Bonnie Sandland in acrylic.

Lynn Frost brought "Down to Earth" a watercolor with great charm.

Shirley Reade's panoramic "McKenzie River" was a wide look at a bend in the river I cropped so you can see some of the detail at this small size.

The "Eugene Library" by Mel Vincent was excellent and reminded me of a couple of photo shoots I did there during a First Friday Art Walk.


"Summer in Eugene" was painted by Kobkaew Carson and illustrates how good technique with oils do not have to be exact like a photograph to beautifully real.


Linda Kaye with a bright watercolor titled "Paddle Wheel" shows that a piece of art need not always show all of a subject but perhaps an interesting portion.


"Glory of Autumn" a work by Clinton Conley in watercolor captured the essence of one of our great Autumn river scenes...


... and his painting "Heceta Head Lighthouse" is as good as any I've seen of this most photographed and painted scenes in Oregon.



Bernie Herr makes a statement in his watercolor "Going Green in the Neighborhood" and reminded me of the fresh smell of line dried clothes.


I thought Linda Kaye's "Guitar Player" was a dynamic example of art that you can almost hear.


Brandi York gives the viewer a feel for some of the Oregon Country Fair in Venita with her "Dance at the Country Fair" and I could almost hear the tambourines.


Sorry for the reflections on this piece ...


I so liked this painting of a "Market Fiddler" by Lavonne Tarbox - Crone. It reminds me of some of the works of Norman Rockwell so full of color and colorful people.


It was a great place to view paintings despite the security checks getting in and well worth the time to enjoy the art.


Sharyn (left) and Sharon (right) also enjoyed the night out.


There was this one is a clay piece by Susan Siwinski and the title is "Wilfred"


Cindy Bailey Asay dug into her photo albums to find the inspiration for this wonderful painting of her husband and boys at the beach and we were lucky enough to have the artist and her subjects on our tour. Here they all are a little older than when the picture was taken that inspired her painting. From left to right in the painting and in person are Henry Asay, Samuel Asay and Kelly Asay. Thanks to all of you for a playing along and thank you Cindy for the great piece of art that reminded me I have four sons and how special little boys are.


I promised Renee I'd get a picture of our little group when we all got together again so here we are for a quick pose in the Wings reception area. I think we all look OK for a bunch of 30 something folks (just kidding I'm sure we are in our 40's)


There were a couple of Fund Drive Ducks there, Gold Medal Dick and ...


... a really strange themed duck. One other nice thing about this outing is that we went to Jung's Mongolian BBQ afterward and Sharon's hubby Charlie met us there for a truly great dinner.

Scrabble Score - Scrabble Queen 312 ~ and the Contender 326

Quote of the Day

"Ideas are like wandering sons, they show up when you least expect them." Bern Williams - American programmer and consultant

Frist First Friday of 2010

It's the first First Friday Art Walk and I'm lucky to make it. Sometimes lately I feel like I'm falling apart with aches and pains in my left knee and both shoulders. Oh, I'll survive and getting to the walk was a good distraction from my woes *lol*


On the bright side I found a parking place right outside the door to the Karin Clarke annex gallery. I am happy to see so many new Adam Grosowsky paintings. They always pick me up.


I arrived late because of a dinner out with friends and the number of Art Walkers was small but an interesting group. It seems like more young folks than usual and that was nice to see.


I believe this is a Margaret Coe work in progress in the studio in the annex. Beautiful work.


I then walked over to the main gallery and it's little alcove room in the back of the gallery that I always enjoy for the variety of work.


The main gallery was featuring David McCosh.

"Known as a teacher who inspired a northwestern generation of painters, McCosh continued to paint murals and took an extended sabbatical from 1949-50. While living in Mexico and New Mexico, he experienced a second rebirth of his work from uninterrupted painting. In 1954, he was made a full professor at the University of Oregon and retired as a professor emeritus in 1970."

My friends from the Art walk were all there Vern, Renee and Ron. Renee was working at the gallery but managed to get in one picture.


The McCosh exhibit is titled "The Night Drawings and Other Late Work" and it was curated by Roger Saydack. The works above I believe are three of the Night Drawings.


They are all wonderful paintings like the painting in the center here titled "Overgrown Stump"


I really liked the pastel painting titled Sunflower and Corn in Mist on the left here.

As I said I was late arriving and I only made it to the Clarke Gallery this time but I had a cool surprise at the gallery just before it closed, My doctor and his wife came in and we had a nice conversation. Great folks as always a treat. Then it was time to close. Renee was minding the gallery for Karin who is a new mom again to a wonderful baby boy - congratulations Karin. Then Renee set the alarm and it was time for a snack and conversation.


I drove over to Zenon's and found a space again right next to the door (my lucky night).


The lights were great and the store fronts have a real charm.


As usual Ambrosia was colorful and festive. It was a good night and the record of no rain on a First Friday is still intact. Vern, Ron, Renee and I all had a good conversation to end the evening.

Quote of the Day ~

"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up." Pablo Picasso" Found on the San Diego Art Walk Blog

Pistachio-Land

ou Going south from Oregon you know you are in California when you see Mt. Shasta...


... and it's only in California can you have a town called Weed.


A little roadside entertainment courtesy of Caltrans and The California Department of Forestry (CDF)


The real excitement of the day was Valley Pistachio's Country Store.


Set up in an old house...


... and colorfully decorated with snowmen and ...


Geese the store is located at 20865 Avenue 20 in Madera, California.


They have a great and welcoming staff...


... and they do ship wonderful gift packages.


They are definitely ready for Christmas.


They specialize in quality gourmet foods and gift baskets.


Offerering a wide array of nuts including pistachios, almonds, walnuts, pecans, pine nuts, flavored almonds, candied almonds and pistachios, dried fruits including, apricots, strawberries, pango, plums, raisins, flavored raisins, along with many other yummy treats.


Its not just bulk packaging...


...they also create custom gift baskets...


...and ship our products all over the continental USA.


They have a nice web presence at valleypistachio.com



It is worth a call at least and help support some nice people who hang nice flowers in the winter.

No Scrabble today.

Quote of the Day ~

"Pistachio nuts, the red ones, cure any problem." ~ Paula Danziger, American author