Two Dogs and an Art Fair

--> It has been a busy, full week culminating in big celebrations.  First and foremost, I finished my latest commission and delivered it to its happy home.  I put a sneak peak of a section on Facebook earlier this week.  Now here’s the full view.  I really did almost nothing else over the past few weeks to get this piece done on time.  It traveled with me to Michigan where I stretched it out.  Grandma’s cats, Yahzee and Callie, looked on skeptically as an unwelcome object invaded their space.   The leaf clumps for the canopy were made as I traveled to and from Tuscon, including during the layovers in the Dallas airport.  Thankfully, crochet hooks are allowed on airplanes these days.  

 I had a lot of the components completed before spring break but not the dogs.  I had taken multiple pictures of them and created a collage so I felt ready to build them from scratch by needle felting.  I felt an added pressure because the dogs were not purebred.  I wanted them to be as true to their appearance as possible to make them familiar to their owners, both by their looks and their gestures.  I spent a lot of time crafting the faces to be happy and enthusiastic.  I was pleased with how they turned out.  On Friday morning I delivered the piece to the new owner, just in time for the spouse’s birthday.  They both loved it, which made me happy. 

Other bright news came my way at the end of the week.  I was accepted into the Madison Art Fair!  It is one of my favorite summer shows to do.  I love the people of Madison that come out to support art.  Their general enthusiasm and financial support make it extremely rewarding for artists to participate.  Another big bonus is visiting with Wendy and Duane and staying out on their farm far from the city.  It is located in beautiful rolling farmland outside Hollandale, making for a beautiful drive back and forth to the show each day.  It’s going to be a lot of fun! 

Friday also marked my return to costume creation at Sounds of South.  We have eighteen freshmen joining the group, which means thirty-six new costumes to complete.  As if my life isn’t busy enough!  The project is moving forward nicely - the new kids all came to an orientation meeting Monday.  With the help of Nancy Riggert and my son Jacob, we fitted them for their costume bases for villagers, and measured them all for the kitchen utensil costumes.  On Friday we had all of the hands of the Sounds of South current members busily working on cutting and seam-ripping and gluing the normal clothing into what will be eighteenth-century eastern European/French peasant costumes.  I feel great about the progress.  At the welcoming meeting Gwen introduced the incoming parents to the concept of the craft nights that we are having every Monday.  They seem enthusiastic about participating, and I’m looking forward to big group of worker bees on Monday nights. 

I also managed fit in sketching the Beast’s three different looks as we drove home from Michigan.  In my vision, the beast first appears to Belle wearing a menacing cloak with a raised collar.  In the library scene, he starts to relax a bit, and he will wear a in Bohemian style shirt.  Finally, in the formal dinner scene he will sport a regal dinner jacket featuring lots of glitter and gold.  I just hope that the ultimate reality is as good as the vision in my head. 

On the home front there were a few highlights as well.  Jacob, in between Taekwondo, Jiu-jitsu and hip hop practice, sparred for the first time as a black belt challenger as his friend Seth tested for black belt.  While in Michigan, Grandma made me a delightful apple pie with some secret ingredients.  

 It had white Pinconning cheese in the filling and whole cream somehow drizzled onto the crust.  Just as I was experiencing pie withdrawal upon returning to Bloomington, Jim made me a delightful tart cherry pie shortly after we came home.  I have been enjoying pie and espresso all week, but now I have none.  Great sadness.  The next pie watch begins now. 

Until next week,

Martina Celerin