What’s That Smell?

For eleven years I have been walking around Three Rivers. The spring is the best time, and this is the best spring I remember, ever! No hot spells, regular rain, tons of flowers in both quantity and variety. . . who could ask for more? Each year, there is a wonderful fragrance that arrives in May, something akin to orange blossoms. Diana and I couldn’t figure it out; Robin and I finally decided it was an orange tree that we just couldn’t always spot. I was not satisfied with either solution, and this year while eating dinner al fresco, I noticed it again. The next day Michael and I both noticed it on a walk, and this time we both discovered the answer.

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 It is BUCKEYE! Who’da thunk it??

Designing a mural

The most important information I needed before beginning the design was the wall dimensions. Those numbers showed me the proportions of the design, and allowed me to see how big the picture needed to be in order to have a human look the right size while standing in front of the mural. I decided 5′-6″ was the average height and found that spot on the scaled down version of the wall. Then I spread out all my photos. After I saw how many there were, I might have had to go into the house for a knitting break and a bit of chocolate. (But I can quit any time I want.)img_1572.jpgimg_1570.jpgimg_1560.jpgimg_1554.jpgimg_1553.jpgimg_0834.jpgimg_0838.jpgimg_0840.jpgimg_0851.jpgimg_1336.jpgimg_1337.jpg img_1570.jpgimg_1346.jpgThere were many more than this, but you probably get the idea without having to see them all.

Planning a mural

The new mural has been in the planning phase for over a year. It was requested that a mural be painted to the correct scale so that a person can stand in front of it and appear to be at the actual scene. To do that, I had to have people with me each time I visited a lake with a dam. There are 4 lakes with dams out of Mineral King. I knew that Eagle Lake most likely would not make a good candidate, so I only visited the other 3. My friends and family know that I am always working – thinking, planning and designing – so they have become accustomed to participating in rather unorthodox ways upon request. Here is Phoebe at Crystal Lake:

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It is a fabulously beautiful place, and it might have worked for a mural. The dam is on the lower of the 2 lakes, and we all (Michael, Phoebe and I) prefer upper Crystal.

Here is Michael on upper Monarch Lake:

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This lake is sort of hard to get to since there isn’t an exact trail. It would be good to know how the mules carrying all those sacks of cement got there!

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This is the other JB at Franklin Lake. We were there in late August, and by then, I knew this would probably be the best candidate for a mural that could meet the specifications. It has a trail leading directly to the dam and there was a great photo available of the building process in 1904.

NEW MURAL!

Finally, I can tell you about my upcoming big project! It is Exeter’s next mural and will be located directly across from my other mural. This one is about 1/3 of the length of the other. The subject is Franklin Lake and the Mount Whitney Power Company, which was the precursor to Southern California Edison and had an office in Exeter. (It is now the Exeter History Museum.) Our projected projection date (tee hee hee) is Thursday, June 3. Stay tuned for further details. . .

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Mount Whitney Power Company dam under construction at Franklin Lake, Mineral King, California, 1904. Thousands of pounds of cement, sand, rock, wood forms and construction supplies were hauled by mules to early 1900s power company dam projects. (from The Mule Men by Louise Jackson)

 

Learning to draw, Chapter Twenty

Could you draw like this when you were in 7th grade? I couldn’t!

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Maleah can, and she did! The center of the flower was a bit worrisome, so we handled it the way I do the more difficult parts. When working on a difficult texture, practice different techniques on another piece of paper until it looks right.

Redbud Festival Review

The Arts Alliance of Three Rivers did an outstanding job of organizing, publicizing and managing the Redbud this year! The music was just right, the booth size was generous, the signs leading the public in were visible and consistent in color and design, the vendors had high quality products, the food choices were plentiful, the parking was convenient, and the volunteers were always available and helpful! This was a great show! The hardest part was having too many people visit my booth at the same time so that conversations were abbreviated or I missed opportunities to greet folks who took the time to stop by. Look at all the paintings that sold:img_1277.jpgimg_2552.jpgimg_2618.jpgimg_3006.jpgpict0004.jpgimg_3292.jpgimg_3293.jpgimg_3295.jpgpict0006.jpgimg_3296.jpgimg_3307.jpgimg_3430.jpgimg_3445.jpgimg_3431.jpgimg_3433.jpgimg_3440.jpg There might have been more, or I might have shown you the wrong poppies. . . hard to say because I slept last night. You can see that poppies were the favorite subject. What you might not be able to discern from this posting is that the most popular size was 6×6″. My theory is that people’s walls are full and while their wallets aren’t completely empty, cautious spending is the pattern. This is normal behavior in Tulare County rather than an indication of the entire country’s economic woes. 

Redbud Festival

  • It is today, Saturday, May 8 and tomorrow, Sunday, May 9.
  • Saturday’s hours are 10-5, Sunday’s hours are 10-4.
  • Lion’s Roping Arena – up 198 to Three Rivers, cross the North Fork Bridge, go about 2 miles and turn right. Turn at the first left and follow to the arena. Park in the lower parking lot, not above the buildings.
  • My booth is under the awning.
  • There will be music.
  • There will be plants for sale by the Redbud Garden Club.
  • There will be food.
  • And, finally, there will be ART!

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All at one time!

Yep, a paintbrush in each hand, in my teeth and one per foot. . . of course I am joking! But all of these paintings are wet and in progress and won’t be ready in time for Redbud Festival.  Orders can be taken for commissions. . . 😎

The bridge is slowly advancing – the changes are probably too small to notice yet. The one on the right is in its very first stages – a single layer of paint just indicating where things will be and the general color.

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This was one of the first scenes I tackled 4 years ago – wow, it is ever so much easier this time!

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On top is the beginning of a commissioned painting of Mineral King in winter. The lower painting has been “mulling” for a long time but now the part above the bridge is finished as are about half the stones in the bridge.

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The top painting should look familiar – I have painted it numerous times, but this time it will be a wedding gift. (Giving my art as a gift is a careful decision – does the recipient like my art? Have I chosen the right subject? ) The other 2 paintings are also Mineral King, also repeats. If a subject is great (and if it sells) I repaint it as often as I want. Why not? Can’t think of an good answer, so I’ll keep repeating myself!

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Redbud Festival

Redbud Festival is an annual event in Three Rivers that I seem to participate in on a biennial basis. (Thanks Cousin Maggie for teaching me the right word!)  (sometimes I am having a Bad Ankle Year, sometimes I am painting a mural, one never knows!) This is a year I will be in, and it is a great time and place to see old friends, meet new ones, buy local artwork, eat, listen to music and enjoy Three Rivers in the spring. And, no, it isn’t a good time to view redbud in bloom – that happened in March, but the weather was too unpredictable that month for an outdoor festival! The photos are of my booth 2 years ago – the work will be similar, but better because now I have been painting for 4 years instead of 2!

 

For info, go here: http://www.artsthreerivers.org/

 

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Long Walk, finale!

 

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This marker let us know we had 1 mile to go (mile 20 for us 21-milers). Our feet were ready to stop walking in spite of all the fun.

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2/10ths of a mile remaining as we crossed the Carmel Creek Bridge! We were really pouring it on in terms of speed, knowing we were going to reach our goal of 5-1/2 hours for the 21 miles!

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This was our first view of the finish line.

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The only time I ran (besides passing folks) was when I saw Michael on the sidelines! Nancy and I finished in 5 hours, 34 minutes, which translated to a 15.5 minute mile. This was our best time in any of our training walks together! It is quite amazing what momentum and adrenaline (plus training at a higher elevation) can do for one’s time!

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After the walk, Michael and I retired to the beach at Asilomar. The sand and the cold water were exactly what my feet required. That’s my medal on my shoulder. (Yes, of course I knit at the beach! Doesn’t everyone??)

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Poor Michael – the walk really wore him out!