Peculiar Sight

One recent afternoon my husband called me into the living room to see something. I could tell from the sound of his voice that I should hurry and bring a camera. (25 years of marriage teach all sorts of non-verbal communication.)

Outside our living room we have a ladder leading up to the roof. I don’t know why. Michael wants it there, so there it is. He is a great husband – bit of a neatnik, loves to putter around the property, and an awesome BBQer, so if he wants a ladder outside the living room window, he may have his ladder there. (Why am I digressing into his good qualities? It is at the suggestion of my friend Jennifer in her blog.)

The raccoons like the ladder. The cats do too. This is Kaweah and Perkins. If Zeke was there too, all three might not have fit into the frame (or the ladder might have collapsed).

Isn’t it odd what amuses a California artist? Not much going on in Three Rivers (outside of planning for the studio tour or working on The Cabins of Wilsonia)

“Get a life”, I hear some of you thinking. (Yes, occasionally I can hear your thoughts.) Guess what? I have a life and I love it!

Three Rivers Studio Tour Ten

Of all the 22 studios on the tour, mine is the smallest and the most rustic. That’s okay – it IS called “Cabinart”.  (And please excuse the First Saturday flag – this post is about the Studio Tour.)

Tickets are on sale for $15/person and available at The Art Co-op in Three Rivers and Arts Visalia Gallery in Visalia. They are also available online at Three Rivers Art Studio Tour

After March 4 the price increases to $20 per ticket.

March 23-24-25 will be a beautiful weekend to drive around Three Rivers and visit 22 artists studios. You can do it at your own pace and pick your own route. You can even spend the night, or two nights. Soak up some spring time green and wildflowers in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. Meet many California artists, remember why you live in Tulare County (or perhaps why you don’t), enjoy a rural weekend, slow things down a bit.

Three Rivers Studio Tour 10 is coming

While in this drawdrawdraw mode, it is still necessary to think about other parts of my business. Three Rivers Studio Tour 10 is at the end of March, and people like to buy stuff from the artists. I’m real glad about that. It is helpful if I have things to sell to those fine folks of good taste. Here is a little sample:

These are 2×2″ canvases, and they look so cute sitting on little easels. Awwww. . . love those California poppies!

Peculiar Sights

Last week I took a break in the middle of the day. Yes, I know I should have been drawing. It was a spectacularly difficult week with 5 Bad Things to face, so I went for a walk, okay? Alrighty then.

I was just boppity-bopping along, enjoying the January sunshine, contemplating matters of consequence, praying about the first 2 bad things (the other 3 were in my near future), hoping my foot didn’t hurt too much, looking for things that might make nice drawings or paintings (later, after The Cabins of Wilsonia is finished).

Look what I encountered:

That is a little pile of snow. Look at it closer. It really is snow!

Sometimes it is just weird in Three Rivers. Perhaps it is just weird in California. Maybe I was seeing things. Maybe I should have just stayed inside and kept drawing.

Exploring Lake Kaweah, Part two

On Chris LoCurto’s blog today is a post by me! Chris’s blog is about “leadership, finances and the occasional random thought”, which is where I fit in as a guest poster. Visit, leave a comment if you’re so inclined, and browse through his past year of really interesting posts!

Here is the second half of yesterday’s post about the excursion on foot in the bottom of Lake Kaweah. I worked pretty hard at finding things of interest down there – hope you enjoy them!

I was glad we had this road to walk on because those cockleburs are horrible.

That’s a bald eagle!

There is the dam and the spillway and the tower in the distance. This is a large lake, especially if you are in a canoe or on foot.

It is cloudy in Three Rivers and further up canyon . . . is it snowing? We sure do need some.

We walked back up along this split off section of the Kaweah River. I think it is remarkable that these willows survive when a good portion of their lives is spent fully submerged.

Look! A turtle!

I just knew we would have to go crashing through the cockleburs to get back to the road.

Cockleburs everywhere!

Horrid little things

The green is mustard. Normally the distant hills are green this time of year. We really need rain.

This California artist is praying for rain. Are you?

Exploring Lake Kaweah

Lake Kaweah is formed by Terminus Dam, about 10 miles below Three Rivers. When the lake is full, it reaches up into the lower end of town. When it is not full, there are lots of places to walk. The dam was built when I was a toddler, so I don’t remember anything prior to the lake. (My great uncle used to lament all the drowned flower seeds and I never understood what he was so worked up about.)

Instead of heading up higher into the hills today, we drove down to the lake. Everything was sort of dust colored, and yucky looking, so I messed with it a bit on the photos. This color junkie had to look hard for nice photos on this excursion.

Why am I showing you this stuff when I am a California artist? So that you can get to know me a bit, learn about where I live, and hopefully tell me what you think.

Not much to the Kaweah River right now. We sure do need rain.

This was once a swimming pool. Can you see a hint of blue tile around the edge?

Here is a closer view. I wonder where those people went when the Army Corps of Engineers forced them out of their home. That would be dreadful.

Michael saw this bridge from up on the highway and wanted to find it.

It crosses Horse Creek. I love older things that had style. Kind of weird to realize this sits completely underwater for months at a time, for almost 50 years!

Peculiar Sights

Back in the days when I walked a lot of miles, I photographed and showed you a series of what I called “Peculiar Sights” in Three Rivers. (A central California artist has to find her amusements wherever she can!)

Plantar fasciitis takes a very long time to heal, and now, with the help of an acupuncturist friend, I believe I am back on my feet. Slowly. This means my little camera is back in my pocket, and the peculiar sights might begin appearing on the blog again.

Colors, a post event list of thoughts

  1. What a confusing weather day. It was frosty out when I loaded the car, and I was just sure I’d shiver all day long.
  2. I set up in the direct sunshine on Wendy’s porch and was just sure I’d hot to death.
  3. Notice the spacious spacing on the display panels. What do you think?
  4. It was weird to weed through my paintings and figure out which to show and which to leave out.
  5. Many friends showed up!
  6. I met some new folks.
  7. Despite the counsel to drop pencil and focus on oil painting (from Those In The Know About Such Things), more pencil items sold than oil paintings.
  8. The pencil things cost less; is there a correlation between price and sales?
  9. Does Mickey Mouse have ears?
  10. Colors is a beautiful store/gallery/happening place, and this California artist is grateful to be in such a fine artsy place as Three Rivers!

Bonus Fall Photos!

But wait! There’s more! First, remember the Perfect Gift Boutique today at the Three Rivers Arts Center from 10-4. This little building is the first building on the left, just over the bridge on North Fork Drive.