Giving thanks for Friends & Art

Well I already have winter vacation on the brain even though we've barely arrived at Thanksgiving. I'm just thinking ahead because this year I'm especially excited to spend some time in Santa Barbara (more on that later). Every year over the winter holidays Mr. Monkey and I take a vacation with some of our college friends. The groups shifts a bit depending on the year, who can make it, and where the meet-up is. Years past we've found ourselves hiking, soaking, eating, drinking, and generally enjoying each other's company in Sedona (AZ), Yachats(OR), Palm Springs (CA), and Baja (MX). In our little group we have many smart, creative, and overall deliciously delightful people.

One person who we find to be incredibly artistically talented has often  commemorated said vacations with a sampling of her artwork. About three years ago the crew rented a house on Orcas Island in Washington State. It was a very mellow year. I was recovering from thyroid cancer surgery and having my amazing friends around me while we all jointly recovered from the general stresses of life was a priceless gift. To top off the gift of her friendship Tucson-based Monkey Bobcat sent along the painting above. Sadly it took me awhile to find a frame for it. I desperately wanted to get it professionally framed but that wasn't happening and the wonderfully funny painting was sitting in a closet. I had to ultimately admit that professional framing was not in the plans and it was better to simply get it up on the wall. For the time being I found an inexpensive alternative for $20 at a big chain home store. Hip hip hooray! Monkey Bobcat's art is now up and I have a daily reminder of how dear friendship is and essential to our every day and overall quality of life. Just as the painting shows the waterways of the sound to be the "cardiovascular system" of the network of San Juan Islands I like to think of my friends and family as my life support system. I'm glad that this little painting made it's way out of the closet and onto the living room walls. Yay for art and yay for friends who make art!

Bring Recycling Home Tour: Part 2

Here is the 3rd home from the home tour that I visited and it also happens to be the most interesting architecturally-speaking.  The back story is that it was built in part by students from the University of Oregon's School of Architecture. For the initial builders, the students, it was an experiment in passive solar. I guess since then the current owners have continued to developed the homes natural inclination. The water from the roof enters into a dry stream-bed that helps to keep plants watered in the ground and on the roof (see round mirror by second story window lets you see status of living roof). Much of the garden art is recycled. These pictures simply don't do the place justice. All in all the Bring Recycling House Tour seemed to be a big success. Is was a scorching, sweat-running-down-your-back kind-of-day and all the houses had a steady stream of visitors. It's great to see a homes tour that's not all about ladies in big hats and gloves, and lunch in the garden.  Yay for Bring Recycling! Read more about my visits there here and here. 

Options for Print Art. . .

My eyes are opening to the world of print artists. There are so many talented people out there and the internet is allowing people like me  in smaller cities like Eugene to discover all the talented artists in cities of all sizes. One of my recent discoveries involves two great websites.

First up: Tiny Showcase. If you are a competitive art and bargain hunter than this is the place for you. Once a week - every Tuesday they release a limited signed edition from one artist. What has happened recently is that I would show up to the tiny showcase Wednesday morning to check out and possibly purchase the latest masterpiece and it would be gone gone gone - that's right - totally sold out! So this is getting frustrating. Until this last time I figured out when the release would occur on Tuesday and I was there and waiting ready to pounce if the print caught my fancy. Well it did and I bought it (a total deal as far as I'm concerned). What I discovered is that within the first 5 minutes of the print being released at least 40/200 were gone! So if you like, you must buy right away because it will not be there tomorrow as I so sadly discovered. Here's my latest artistic purchase for our slowly growing collection. . . This piece titled "Corral Canyon" is from Cole Gerst otherwise known as Option-G. He has designed many things including Vans tennis shoes and skateboards and CD jacketwork and concert posters - basically he's talented in a multimedia sort of way. It's going to go in our bathroom - where the color scheme involves black/white and shades of blue. Plus it gives a shout-out to my SoCal roots as Corral Canyon is a natural space in the Cleveland National Forrest just outside of L.A.

Second up: Thumbtack Press. This site is better for the slightly less competitive art shopper. Here you can browse at you leisure and there is a wider selection of styles and artists. Most prints are an open edition which is why you can get a larger piece of art for about the same price as a smaller piece on tiny showcase. I haven't purchased anything from here yet but I'm going to keep my eye on for when we start decorating our bedroom - you know it's always the last room to get any attention. Anyway that sums up my recent discoveries in the word of print art. Enjoy and have a fabulous 3 day weekend!