I’ll miss this year’s annual family carving because I’ll be in San Francisco for the Guild of Bookworkers convention. I was a little bitter that they picked Halloween weekend, but on the other hand, San Francisco at Halloween could be interesting.
Anyway, I was happy that I got to carve a pumpkin tonight at a church activity. Last year’s pumpkin took me a couple hours to design and a few more to carve, so I’m proud of myself that I whipped this year’s puppy (or owl) up in about half an hour! (But only because Stephanie was ridiculously kind in that she scooped it out and then let me design and carve it–now that I’ve got pictures, I think I’ll deliver it to her so that she can enjoy it).
(Yep, I just so happen to have a box full of carving tools, which I brought for the cause). I shared–but I only let people use my tools if they would leave me with a shoe as collateral. Ha.) Oh–and you can see that I used the new craft punch that my mom gave me for my birthday as inspiration for the design.
If it occurs to you that you haven’t seen a favorite pair of shoes in a couple months, and as time goes by they still don’t show up,
You might try cleaning your room. One of them just might show up under your bed, and the other one might be under the swivel chair.
(To my credit, I had checked those places…but the other junk must’ve obscured my view)
(I also feel a need to let you all know that the rest of my apartment is typically clean. It’s just this room… too small + too much stuff + high hopes of using it as an art studio = bad idea)
You learn something new every day, such as:
Yesterday but moreso today, whenever I would eat something, there’s been a weird bitter aftertaste in the back of my throat. No matter what I eat. Gum, chips, candy, or my leftover pesto. So tonight I finally googled it “chemical aftertaste in the back of my throat.” And I had found my answer within seconds:
Pine nuts! Purchased in bulk from Smiths. And they’re not cheap, I might add. I made pesto a couple days ago–it was delicious, and I was so proud of myself (I grew the basil myself). I’ve been eating it 3 days in a row. But! Come to find out, rancid pine nuts cause an ongoing bitter aftertaste in the mouth. I also fed it to a couple friends yesterday. Hopefully it hasn’t affected them!
Nice to know I don’t have a brain tumor. I think I’m going to throw out the little bit of pesto that I have left. (Pine nuts aren’t cheap, either!)
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And now, in honor of the waning International Speak like a pirate day, I will translate the above into Pirate. This online Pirate translator has totally made my day. Arrgh!
You learn somethin’ new ever’ tide, such as:
Last high tide’ but moreso today, whenere I would eat somethin’, thar`s been a weird bitter aftertaste in th’ aft o’ me throat. Nay matter what I eat. Gum, chips, candy, or me porto’er pesto. So tonight I finally googled ‘t “chemical aftertaste in th’ aft o’ me throat.” An’ I be findin’ me answer within seconds:
Pine nuts! Purchased in bulk from Smiths. An’ they’s nay cheap, I might add. I made pesto a couple days ago–’t be delicious, an’ I be so proud o’ myself (I grew th’ basil myself). I`ve been eatin’ ‘t 3 days in a row. But! Come t’ find ou’, rancid pine nuts cause an ongoin’ bitter aftertaste in th’ bung hole. I also fed ‘t t’ a couple shipmates last high tide’. Hopefully ‘t hasn`t affected them!
Nice t’ know I dasn’t be havin’ a brain tumor. I think I be goin’ t’ throw ou’ th’ wee bit o’ pesto that I be havin’ port. (Pine nuts aren`t cheap, either!)
Last night I made it to the SLC gallery stroll with a couple friends (It’s been a few months since I’d been). We didn’t set out until close to 8 pm and it ends at 9, so we didn’t have long, but we picked some good ones to go to, and it was a fun evening.
First we went to the 35 Utah artists under the age of 35 exhibit at Finch lane Gallery. It was fun to run into fellow artists, and I knew or was familiar with a few of the featured artists, which is fun. I do love looking at art. When I see great art, I want to make it. I haven’t been so good on the making end lately. Sigh.
Next we ran over to Art Access, where James Christensen and two of his daughters Cassandra Barney and Emily McPhie had an exhibiton (“Hortus Conclusus or The Enclosed Garden.”) I was quite familiar with James and Cassandra, but somehow Emily had escaped me (even though once I googled her, I had actually seen several of her paintings). I really liked her pieces in the show. Especially her marionette series. I couldn’t find a picture of my favorite one online, but I did find an unfinished version on Emily’s blog. (the finished version has a great crackle finish and a glaze that got darker at the edges of the piece).
We chatted briefly with Emily about the series (who was wearing a fantastic handmade dress made from fabrics by Amy Butler–or maybe Heather Bailey?). She said it has to do with her musings on motherhood and wondering if/when it is appropriate to metaphorically cut her daughters’ strings.
In the next room over, there were some lovely monotone watercolors by Scott Forster.
By the time we left, it was nearly half past 9, but we still thought we’d head over to the David Ericson Gallery to see if we could still see the Brian Kershisnik show. Turned out be be a good time to go, because it was still open but most people were gone, so we got to talk to Brian for a while. He had some really lovely paintings and drawings, too. I want one. Sigh. Here are some of my favorite paintings from last night (I couldn’t find images of any of the drawings, tough I really liked a couple of them).
Artist Devoured By A Beast 30 x 24
Young Astronomer 66 x 84
Choosing Everything 32 x 42
Shannon and I had classes from Kershisnik 3 years ago when he taught for a semester at BYU. He recognized us, and is still as nice as ever. I got to ask him a question I’d been wondering for a long time. See, Kershisnik painted “Nativity” while he was teaching at BYU, and it went up in the BYU Museum of Art right after that.
I adore this painting. I remember when I was quite young, my parents telling me the story of Christ’s birth, and how true it felt when they speculated whether we were among the angels of the heavenly choir. I’ve always believed that I was there. To see a painting depicting this idea was stunning. Anyway, as I was admiring the painting for the first time, a funny elderly museum usher kept coming up to me and divulging as many fun facts as he could come up with about the artist and the painting. He pointed to one angel and said, ‘what do you think? is it a self-portrait of Kershisnik?” Hmm. Maybe. Tthanks a lot, buddy. Now I’ve been wondering ever since. So last night I asked Brian. He said no–and yes. “They’re all me. And they’re all you.” He said that many of his figures are subconsciously himself. And his wife. And his family and friends. But he didn’t deliberately paint himself into a cameo appearance. Whew. Glad to have that question answered.
One more thing about Kershisnik’s paintings. And paintings period. They are SO MUCH BETTER (yes, I’m yelling) in person! The way the light illuminates Kershisnik’s paintings is just so pretty. And his patterns and textures. Not to mention the scale. The show is up until October 23rd. I highly recommend going to see it!
A few months ago at work I was given a project of reattaching several boards to some 19th century leather books. As I opened up one book, I discovered the following in the gutter of the book (stuck down in the spine at the hinge where the board was detaching from the book):
The original sewing needle! My guess is that the person who sewed the book up was on such a roll / working so fast, that she (I’m assuming it was a she–women were usually the ones to sew the text blocks) tied her knot and moved on to the next book, forgetting to remove the needle–then whoever glued up the spine and forwarded the book missed the needle, too… and it’s been there all these years.
Anyway, I thought it was fun/cool, so I’m sharing it.
