Category Archives: Green Lakes
Camp Spooky
If you are looking for something to do tonight, look no further than a drive out to Green Lakes State Park. The campgrounds will host a spooky drive-thru.
Campers are out in full force and have decorated their sites with all sorts of Halloween fun! Starting at around 6:30 pm, cars can drive through the venue, just bring canned goods to donate to the food pantry.
I stumbled upon this today during an afternoon hike. It looks like a lot of fun! It’s tonight only – Saturday, October 23, 2021.
Green Lakes State Park – take the rt. 290 entrance to get in – is located at 7900 Green Lakes Road, Fayetteville, NY 13066. Call (315) 637-6111 for more information.
Guidance
Finding hearts on the trails at Green Lakes State Park gives me a feeling of clarity, guiding me to everything my heart desires. That is when I know I am in alignment with my source energy. Call it god or the universe, or whatever you like. Love is always the answer, no matter the question. #gratitude #blessed #lifeisgood
Storybook Trail
An illustrated children’s book, displayed as a storyboard, exists on a trail overlooking Round Lake at Green Lakes State Park – it’s between the upper and lower campgrounds and runs parallel to the street.
It is incredibly special. A magnificent way to engage children with art and writing in the fresh air while maintaining social distancing policies.
It is, like, finding a treasure without leaving the path. How cool is that?
Art is alive and well in Central New York. Art will always find a home here – find its way to you.
If you feel motivated to investigate this, there is something similar at Clark Reservation, as well. Those storyboards are placed closer together. They are in the open space between the playground and the museum. <3
Passionate Union
I feel so much satisfaction in the completion of these heart paintings. I made them during Memorial Day weekend but only put finishing touches on them, including titles, a little while ago. They are sprawled on the dining room table currently, waiting for me to find a place to store them/sell them.
Hearts are my thing. They are everywhere in my life – heart paintings in all media abound on the walls of my house; I even find heart stones, (literally, everyday) when I walk the trails of Green Lakes. I love love. I find beauty everywhere, particularly in the heart motif, and coupled with the vibrant hues of oil paint infused beeswax and its subsequent texture in my artwork, it fills me with gratitude, a sort of passionate energy and joyous warmth. I desire to share that feeling with everyone in the world.
One person’s positive energy is stronger than a roomful of debbie downers, lol. It would be lovely to think that my good vibes saturate these paintings and in that way I can spread seeds of love into this universe. Corny, I know, but genius. There is power in the unity of spirit. Believing in goodness is the stuff of legend. <3
White Out
Last week it snowed. I know! Too soon. It is pretty much gone now. It was basically a non-stop blizzard that shut Syracuse down for, like, a day, lol.
I walked around Green Lakes for the first time under these circumstances. Still beautiful, but so different wrapped in this white blanket.
Santa, please bring me hiking boots for Christmas….
Ilene’s Eye
Before the weather took a nose-dive into Snowmegeddon, I visited Ilene Layow’s Eye Studio open house. It is currently located at 126 Doll Parkway, Syracuse, New York (13214), but it will soon find a three times bigger home in East Syracuse (at 712 W. Manlius Street). The open house took place this weekend.
There is a kiln room and studio space, a three-bedroom home having been transformed by art and art-making. Even the bathroom has a magnificent hand-made glass sink and tiles.
Ilene is a teaching artist. I blogged about her last year when she had a Green Lakes-themed art show at the Manlius Historical Association. It was there that I fell in love with her glass pieces. I was finally able to purchase one today!
I bought the above piece – it is glass made with frit, tiny-colored glass bits that allow for dimension. The glass is fused in the kiln. This piece has a little shelf in back for a candle. I love it!
She was selling her wares along with Jackee Johnson and Marcus Acevedo. Jackee sells artsy fashion including tops and scarves and Marcus, who works out of studio space at Onondaga Community College, displayed ceramic goods.
Eye Studio teaches classes in acrylic painting, drawing, wheel throwing, watercolor, hand building clay, glass fusing and stained glass. These classes are available to all skill levels and all ages. Classes take place week day afternoons and evenings, and on Saturdays. This is such an incredible resource in our community. Ilene is teaching home-schoolers as well!
Then there is the option of a fun party – like a birthday party or a ladies night/family night where you gather with your favorite people and produce art – glass pieces, clay, paintings…you name it! Call (315) 345-4576 to schedule yours!
The gallery is open by appointment as well. For more information, check out the website – www.iteacharts.com.
Cure-All
I allowed myself to fall into the trap of disappointment once again, an energy that I would gladly trade for anything else in the world, lol. The problem always lies when I forget to stay present, when I imagine a particular future then become attached to it to the point that when it doesn’t manifest I have this wonky misery. Like, I bring it on myself, and can even make myself sick over it until finally I arrive at the place I belong, in the present moment (yes!) where nothing has really changed at all.
This funk doesn’t happen often. I am usually so la-la-la positive, so when I fall out of that, I fall kind of hard. Like migraine headache hard. But I take solace in aesthetics. In the beauty of the world – the love I have for friends, family and pets; the incredible feeling I have when I hike around Green Lakes; the delight I take in listening to live local bands (I am a first-class groupie!); the exquisite artwork my students are creating; the smell of beeswax when I am working on encaustic paintings; the satisfaction of seeing my own art on the walls of a restaurant; and, of course, fashion.
I just love fashion. It’s fun to put myself together for work, to put my best stilettoed foot forward. I wore a lot of skirts and dresses in the past two weeks. The weather in Syracuse, New York has been magnificent!
Life is a fun dream, isn’t it? Even the perceived bad is really good in disguise and it allows me to have faith in the knowledge that whatever happens is for the best. The universe is my best friend and ultimately, my life is a romantic comedy. Thank you, Almighty, for putting me in situations that bring me closer to my wishes/prayers/dreams every day. I trust you. <3
Art & Music!
Yesterday was one of those perfect days where I accomplished everything I said I would do. I did pilates, as well as some light housekeeping then went to my hair appointment (love you, Amanda!), hiked at Green Lakes State Park, and ended up downtown for some great art and music!
For real, lol. I took these pictures and everything (for those of you who maybe thought I was still off my rocker chasing Pokemon).
The AmeriCU Syracuse Arts & Crafts Festival is in full swing. I caught the tail end of it last night – the vendors will be there all day today and tomorrow until 6:00pm in Columbus Circle in downtown Syracuse, New York. A lot of my friends/Facebook friends are there: Michelle DaRin, Barbara Conte-Gaugel, Peter Valenti, Tim See, and Michael Heagerty, as well as dozens of artisans from around here and out of the area.
There is so much to see. There’s clothing, jewelry and accessories, paintings, ceramics, furniture, soaps…. It is really an incredible experience. And since working the Lavender Fest for Michelle that time, I can appreciate the dedication it takes to spend all day in a small tent in ninety-degree heat with few bathroom breaks in order to interact with customers face-to-face.
I think that is the best part of making a purchase from one of the vendors – that you get to know them and you walk away with an experience rather than just some trinket. You experience the artist’s passion for what they do and you take with you a part of them, the part that contains a vast amount of love.
That is truly special. I love that.
Last night’s music event in Clinton and Hanover Squares was the Northeast Jazz & Wine Festival. More music tonight with the band Atlas taking the stage around 8:00 pm! Hope to see you there!
Summer rocks!
Sums Me Up
For those of you who may actually think highly of me, this is going to make me look very bad.
I did not go to the art reception for this new exhibition at The Point of Contact Gallery, 350 W. Fayette Street in Syracuse, NY. I pilfered the photos off Facebook.
In my defense, if there can be one, I have been spending my days chasing pokemon at Green Lakes State Park and my nights enjoying live music at various venues in the area. I blame the pokemon craze on my twenty-three-year-old friend Helen, who exposed me to this phenomenon. I kept wondering why people had their cell phones at the ready while hiking the trails instead of experiencing the wonder and beauty of nature.
No apologies. I was obsessed with the game for three days. It is all I talked about to CFOs of major corporations and other super-duper successfuls at my high school reunion.
Of course, once I ran out of weapons to capture the pokemons, the thought of purchasing more ended it for me and I snapped out of it, lol.
Now I am back to normal, albeit obsessed with getting a good photo op of the owl family that lives in the space between the two lakes. (This one was taken by my friend, Animal Behaviorist Janet Ridgeway).
I am not apologetic about my social life either. This has been an amazing summer so far. Many memories with very special people. A lot of singing and dancing. (In fact, I was doing exactly that on the night of the opening – to Brass, Inc. at Borio’s.)
Good times and great fun!!!!! <3
I will try to get out to see the Sum Art show in person. A lot of fabulous work by some of the best talent in Syracuse. It is up for another week or so. Check their Facebook page for more information here.
