365/2013 - Day 303

show is ready and so are the Tooklets

Today I went back to the NAH to do touch up painting of the spackled spots and other wall marks that were leftover from "Influence".  I ended up feathering over a bunch of places and went around the room three times because by the time I made the first circle the paint was dry enough to second coat, etc.  I double checked all of the labels to make sure they were sticking.  I'm done...ready for First Friday!!!

Last night before I went to bed I finished the rest of the Tooklets.  So I was able to deliver six to Patti today for the NAH Store -- and Patti took all six of them...yay!  And Mary Keys made up a really cool way to display the Tookies and Tooklets -- thanks, Mary! -- they look really great!

This is the first year Sue has not given out candy at her house for Halloween but she said 23 years is enough...and her husband is working afternoons and she didn't really want to do it totally alone.  So Sue (and Abby) came over to my house.  Sue and I had dinner at Mr. Thai (mmm-mmm) and after that we were really meaning to go to the sneak peek/Halloween party at The Village Workshop but I was just too crippled up.  We came back to my house and played Yahtzee and drank tea (Sue) and coffee (me) and talked and played and watched a couple of clips of things on tv I wanted to show Sue.  I'm sorry I missed the sneak peek, but we had a blast.

365/2013 - Day 302

hanging the show -- and finishing Tooklets

Today Peggy and Liz helped me hang the show in the upper gallery at the Northville Art House.  I am super happy with the way it turned out -- and I could not have done it without their help...and a few pointers from Joan...and a quick hand from Patti.  Thank You, everybody!

Mike Sivak arrived early on to disassemble his wonderful "Parcae" game...we all hate to see it go.

Peggy starts on the big wall.

Liz starts on the areas next to the windows...we needed to leave the area behind the bar for the wreaths.

Kate Paul came by to drop off her three pieces for the show (that needed some adjustments) and got a chance to meet Liz, who purchased one of Kate's paintings from the last show.

Almost done -- last adjustments before Peggy and Liz left.  I started putting up the labels and I needed to make a run back home for a little saw and to retype a few labels.

I took a peek in the lower gallery/classroom where the Camera Club's "Through the Lens" will be on display -- it looks great!

ALL DONE -- now the lights just need to be directed and the raffle baskets need to be set in place on the tables.

I'm really happy with the way this show turned out.

We have a lot of really great small format art in quite a variety of media and styles.

I'm anxious to see it the gallery full of people on Friday!

Tonight (so far) I have completed 2 of the 6 Tooklets.

Tomorrow I need to go into the NAH for a quick sanding of the spackled areas and to touch up the paint.  Tonight I will keep working on Tooklets until I go to bed. 

365/2013 - Day 301

planning the layout for hanging the show and finishing up the Tooklets

Today I went into the NAH to plan the way I want to hang the upcoming show.  Joan and Leann were a major help with the layout of "Under the (Inspired) Influence" -- I had a few ideas, but I am still new at hanging a show.  But this time -- for "[small] Works Exhibit" -- I am doing the basic layout.  I am taking a lot of what I learned from "Influence" and applying it to "[small] Works".  I asked Joan to take a quick look at how I had it laid out tonight and she said it looks pretty good.  

I have three artists bringing in a total of five more pieces tomorrow (that needed a little adjustment) and I left room for them in my plan.  Liz and Peggy will help me hang the show tomorrow and I will stay open to any suggestions they have -- I have a spot that I am not totally sure about -- but I am pretty happy with the overall layout right now.  I think that the 3-juror panel made great selections.  We had a total of 103 pieces of art submitted by 38 artists...that was juried down to 57 pieces of art from 26 artists.  I think this is a really good variety of small format work.  I am excited to see the gallery when it is all the way done -- with the wreaths and raffle gift baskets, too. 

Here is a link to the exhibit(s) from the new Northville Art House website.

And here is the postcard.

Tonight while I watch tv I will work on these six Tooklets, adding on arms and other embellishments.  I think one of them is going to lose a his tail.  Patti asked me to make a few more for the NAH Store and I hope to get these guys completed soon enough for her to look them over and see if she still wants any of them for the holidays.  Fingers crossed!

365/2013 - Day 300

more art intake and art pick up and 2 more Tooklets

Wow -- Day 300...there seemed to be an issue with the Blogger editor for a while...I was worried I wouldn't be able to post before my midnight deadline...whew!

So today was Day Two of artists picking up their work from the "Under the (Inspired) Influence" show at the Northville Art House.  It was also Day Two of artists bringing in their work for "[small] Works Exhibit".  Only a couple of loose ends to pull together -- we are hanging the show on Wednesday.

Tonight I also brought home the two Kate Paul paintings I loaned to "Influence" from my collection -- the walls have been very empty without them.  Sue is coming over on Thursday and she can probably help me get them back on the wall.  I brought home the Anita Andersons collage I purchased from the show tonight, too...AND the artwork of Anita and Juana.  It is all safely stashed in Studio B.

SO glad I found this bin in my basement this morning -- it is the perfect size for Anita's assemblage!

The delightfully colorful Leann picked up her art tonight...that is one of Renee's Vulture Women just behind Leann.

Incoming art -- the artist is showing me the order it should be displayed.

More artwork waiting to be hung on Wednesday.

Safely packed artwork by Anita and Juana...stashed in Studio B.

The two Kate Paul paintings I loaned to the show (and the Anita Andersons collage) also stashed in Studio B.

No kittehs allowed!

And two more Tooklets in process -- one I started last night and one from tonight.

They both need arms and then embellishments...the stripey guy is from last night, the variegated one is from tonight.

They both have long, long tails.

365/2013 - Day 299

one show comes down, new art comes in

Today was Day One of taking down "Under the (Inspired) Influence" at the Northville Art House.  It was also Day One of art intake for "[small] Works Exhibit".

Two of the "Influence" artists couldn't be there today or tomorrow so I am packing up their art and bringing it to my house (because we are also friends in real life).  The flat work is easily wrapped up, but the 3D work is what has me worried.  I am taking my time wrapping and packing it and I know it will be fine...it's just that "please-don't-let-anything-happen-to-this-awesome-artwork" thing...you know?

I was incredibly fortunate to be able to purchase two of Anita Andersons' pieces from the show.  A collage, and a heartbreakingly adorable 3D assemblage named "Binky".  I suppose in wrapping Binky up today I was practicing for tomorrow when I bite the bullet and finish wrapping up the other two assemblages.  They seem even more delicate...but I am sure they will be fine.

My wrapping station...before people started arriving.

The gallery is starting to look so empty...

...but there is a lot of artwork coming in for the next show.

And my friend Peggy was able to come by after her run to Detroit and help me out at the last minute for the last part of today's art intake -- THANKS, Peggy -- I enjoyed the company and conversation! 

I had a couple of errands of my own to do on the way home...boy, I am bushed...but not too bushed to unwrap Binky!

The wad of bubble wrap containing Binky by Anita Andersons.

He's in there somewhere...

ta-daaaaaaaaaaa!

I can't even describe how sweet and adorable Binky is.  There is just something about him -- he is so innocent and small and young and I just want to cuddle him and take care of him -- he just really speaks to something deep inside of me.

I am not positive where Binky will reside just yet -- but for now he can sit near my other guy.

Oh -- and I started working on this Tooklet last night before I went to bed (and after I had already blogged).   I think I will probably start on one or two more Tooklets tonight while watching tv, but I wanted to be sure I got this posted (just in case I nod off later on).

365/2013 - Day 298

not feeling it today

I've been listening, but nothing is coming today.   I know I need to give my hand a rest from sewing.  There will be a lot going on tomorrow...maybe I just need an evening of not doing anything.  This is probably just the getting-ready-to-tense-up-a-bit thing. 

365/2013 - Day 297

more Tooklets progress

I worked on two more Tooklets today. 

And here they are with the guys from yesterday -- they all still need to be finished.