The chalkboards have shipped and when they arrive these 6″ x 8″ beauties will be completed. I also made an extra heart painting. It isn’t finished yet either.
These are two sets of a dozen paintings. Two different stencil applications. All are encaustic and mixed-media. My goal is to exhibit them along with my 36″ x 36″ Target series from 1997 and the Talisman series from 2008, as well as the two dozen little hearts that I finished last week.
I will need a large venue with both wall and table top spaces.
Today was about working on the rest of the paintings in the fan series. Three dozen are completed and framed and these are the other three dozen.
The way I work – I layer the hardboards with wax then trace the fan stencils to them. I created the stencils. I was only going to make sixty paintings but I really loved all three of these designs equally.
I’d already added origami papers to some of them. Today I painted first passes of color on all of them. Tomorrow I will re-carve the designs, clean them up and start giving each painting individual attention.
They are encaustic – a combination of oil paint and beeswax. Eventually, I will add mixed-media items to some of them as needed. I love the process of creation. I was so focused today. Locked in. <3
The M & T Bank Syracuse Arts & Crafts Festival is in full swing again this year. Vendor’s tents are set up on the streets around Clinton Square in downtown Syracuse, New York. If you are looking for something to do today, July 28, 2024, they will all be here from 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM!
Some of the talented people I visited while shopping yesterday…
BARBARA CONTE-GAUGEL
Barbara has a new product in addition to her amazing hand-made shoulder bags and totes – it is a little pouch/clutch and they are selling like hotcakes!
WOAH-BOTZ
These are whimsical sculptures made with found object, antique canisters and steel. You can also purchase them at Cazenovia Artisans too. I love them!
CATHY JACKSON
Cathy really has her finger on the pulse of what young women want to wear – she has created retro ’70s inspired garments, jewelry and wall hangings using knit and crochet elements. All stuff you might find at Stoned Immaculate (but for a lot less money).
STEVE PEARLMAN
Steve Pearlman is selling his black & white and color photographs – landscapes/streetscapes peppered with figures that depict both local imagery and time spent in New York City.
APPLE AN
Apple An is a historian who has written and published memoirs. I really enjoyed speaking with her and aspire to be among the artists in a future memoir collection. She is selling books – the entire collection of Stone Canoes are for sale at her booth as well.
SAHI NEW YORK
I recognized these leather accessories from Cazenovia Artisans where he is a member. They are hand stitched wallets, purses, belts et al and they are of magnificent quality.
MICHELLE DARIN
Michelle’s aesthetic has a retro feel. It embodies youth, vitality and fun using colorful enamels and patterned leathers. You can never buy just one piece – they look best in multiples. We all want to be Michelle. She is the real deal.
FRANCO RAMIREZ
Franco is from Mexico the country, not Mexico, New York – I think he travelled the furthest to be at this show. He doesn’t speak English – I said I can understand you if you speak Spanish and I think I did. He said the sculptures are hand-carved of wood then hand-painted using acrylic paint. They are very special. I like the little rabbits the best.
I stumbled into this fish fry. I went to Bailiwick Market & Cafe because they’d advertised the grand opening of their sunflower walk in the field adjacent to the restaurant. It happened to be Friday and they happened to have fish fry specials that is a Friday only thingy.
Presentation: The fish dinner is served on a large white plate placed on a tray with plastic cups for the slaw and tartar sauce. It’s a huge piece of haddock, don’t you think? It’s like a foot long!
Taste: I ate everything on my plate. Fish was tender, the coleslaw incredibly fresh (cabbage and carrots in a mayo dressing) and as you can see from the picture, a small portion of fries.
I didn’t think it was salty until later. I feel thirsty right now just thinking about it. But that is not a dis. It tasted great!
Restaurant Experience: When we first arrived for the sunflower experience at Bailiwick Market & Cafe, we paid at the entrance to the cafe then decided to go in and look around. I noticed they had a fish fry special on Friday only so I said – oh, let’s get that after we take some pictures of the sunflowers.
When we returned, it seemed everyone had the same idea. The line to order was quite long and slow with only one register in operation. They hadn’t anticipated such a huge lunch crowd of sunflower patch visitors spilling over into the cafe. I guess I hadn’t either. But I patiently waited in line while my friend got a table for us.
I finally ordered, paid and received one of those buzzer thingys then headed to the table. The fish dinner was $14.99.
The food prep took a lot less time than the initial wait. I picked up my order at the kitchen window, collected utensils and ketchup, napkins, etc. at the little condiment station and finally sat down to eat.
Everyone was incredibly friendly. All customers very patient. I think we were all so happy to be there!
Location: Bailiwick Market & Cafe is located at 441 Route 5, Elbridge, NY 13060. I have passed it on my way to Auburn or Skaneateles many times – I’d always say to myself, I should investigate that place. It looks so cute!
The building has been in operation since 2016 or maybe it was renovated then. It is a spectacular place – a restaurant and cafe, a music venue, there is an ice cream station, and it operates as a store selling artisan goods.
I bought Pablo a fish-shaped cat nip toy for $8.00. He loves it!
Parking: There is an ample parking lot, although we arrived at around 11:30 AM when there were several available spaces and when we left the parking lot was full.
Bailiwick Market & Cafe, 441 Route 5, Elbridge, NY 13060 is the place to be this summer. It is a restaurant (ISO fish fry report coming soon), ice cream shoppe, store that sells artisan crafts, music venue, farm and today was opening day for their fabulous sunflower garden walk. So fun!
As a creature of habit, I am frequently on the same path. The day before yesterday and the day before that times infinity, this nickel was not there. I found it yesterday face down so I turned it around for the photo because I wanted to see the date on it – 1968! How cool! Thanks, universe.
This brings me up to $4.05 in found money for 2024.
Cooperstown, New York is the most beautiful town in the summer. There is so much to do and see. Lots of museums and shopping. There’s family fun, romance and culture. It’s just the best, especially on a beautiful summer’s day.
I was there on Friday at the art reception for the Cooperstown Art Association’s juried exhibition. I’d never been there before. Their gallery is located at 22 Main Street, Cooperstown, New York 13326, known as the Village Hall, which also houses the library, and a gallery shoppe.
*(from the web-site)
This Year’s Juror
Thomas Sarrantonio About… Thomas Sarrantonio studied Painting at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia where his teachers included Wil Barnet and Sidney Goodman. He also holds degrees in both Biology and English. His paintings have been exhibited widely and he is the recipient of numerous honors including a Pollock-Krasner Award, a Visiting Artist Residency in Normandy, France and an Artist Residency Fellowship at the Ballinglen Arts Foundation in Ballycastle Ireland. He taught Art and Art History at SUNY New Paltz for over thirty years and he maintains a studio in Rosendale, New York where he lives with his family.
Every year there are different judges with different tastes – is that the right word? Maybe the word is aesthetics. Another artist choosing what they hope will be a cohesive show from the hundreds of entries from artists of the region (it may have been advertised as a national juried show but I only met artists from New York State).
It was a lovely affair with monetary awards announced and a full house of grateful artists and friends, board members, possible patrons, food and music. The only thing missing was an air-conditioned building.
I noted a lot of paintings of birds, and a lean towards vibrant color (yellows!) and innovative uses of texture.
Also dispersed throughout were figurative pieces, many with pretty ladies surrounded by abstraction.
And landscapes.
Learn more about the Cooperstown Art Association here.
The exhibition runs through August 16, 2024. The artwork is for sale. Contact the gallery at gallery@cooperstownart.com for more information.
There are two aspects to Marc Hom’s photography exhibition at the Fenimore Art Museum in Cooperstown, New York: inside the museum you’ll see framed portraits and fashion photographs in color and in black and white, and outside, megolithic structures, black and white photographic Stonehenge-type installations overlooking the lake.
Breathtaking, magnificent and so worthy of a beautiful summer day, although, if you visit during a rainstorm, you know, windy type stuff, the structures will spin and that is simply magical!
You’ll be familiar with these beautiful faces – celebrities with intense gazes, perfectly symmetrical eyes. The beautiful people albeit flawed in their own ways, made to be superior, larger than life. Mythical creatures that can leave you breathless in a whirlwind and move you to tears.
The work is on view until September 2, 2024.
Originally from Copenhagen, Hom now resides in New York City and has a residence in Cooperstown. If you sign up at least twenty-four hours in advance, you can “meet” him via a Zoom interface on Thursday, July 18, 2024 at 7:00 PM. Although attendance is free, a donation is preferred.
I wonder if he’ll unleash trade secrets – like how many shots does it take to get “the one” that makes it to the cover of Vogue or whatever. I know that when I have friends help me out with my #ootd pics, there are numerous shots where I think I have some sort of wonky eye situation. If I don’t feel thoroughly relaxed and happy, as well as specifically mindful, I look like crappy-dappy-doo. I can’t say enough about the clarity of these images and the eyes, OMG, so good.
I hope this blog post persuades you to take a day trip to Cooperstown, New York. It is a beautiful place.
Fenimore Art Museum is open from 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM every day. There is a fee unless you are a member of the museum (or have a reciprocal membership as I do to the Everson – make sure you bring that membership card).
