Three Star Sunset

This is the sunset from Saturday night, July 25th. Christmas-in-July, in Sister Bay: indeed. Not a sailboat in sight, but certainly the most majestic use of clouds, so far this season. As I was falling asleep after downloading the images, I was nearly overcome with all of the many, many highlights of the day. Allen had turned in before me, so I literally pinched my lips, so as not to start weeping with joy and awaken him. The creative process -- in such diverse approaches topped off by the sunset of the season. Magnificent. Simply magnificent. [The other really great news is that these clouds did indeed provide some critically needed rain.]

Vanity Plates of Valor

We pulled into the parking lot @ the Peninsula School of Art for the grand gala opening to the public...... got our hail blown, pick-em up truck parked, when up pulled the most appropriate vehicle with the first plate pictured above: PLN AIR. It gave me quite a giggle. I thought that it was appropriate to get that blocked in the proper time and space for the blog. I'd been saving the next several tags, that I've spotted over the last several weeks, waiting for an appropriate entry. The second tag is actually owned by our very own elderly neighbors, Pete & Dottie. To think that they have THE Wisconsin license with: "DOOR CTY". I have a feeling there would be a bidding war over their tags, should they ever turn in their car keys. The last two are prominent villages up here. Now I must be on the search for the one that reads Sister Bay, or some such derivation: SIS BAY, SIS R BAY? We'll see what I can find.

Linden Gallery: He Qi

An entire morning of watching 40 painters plying their trade was certainly not sufficient for this peninsula. There were at least another half-a-dozen galleries hosting a variety of events to choose from. Over the past several summers I have admired the work of a contemporary Chinese Christian artist. Imagine how thrilled I was to see that he was making a pilgrimage to the Linden Gallery, where I had discovered his work a few summers ago.

We spoke for quite a little while. He has been in this country for the last four years. Technically he is Dr. Qi (pronounced 'chee') and had been a professor at a Chinese seminary for years prior to his arrival here. His work is glorious in person. This photo barely begins to capture the brilliance of the colors in his compositions. He works in gauche paints that he discovered in his travels thru Japan. This piece is entitled, "The Good Shephard." The gallery owner could see my enthusiasm and showed me his limited edition prints, glicees and poster collection. I was thrilled to find out that his posters were within my budget. I am now the owner of two of his bright poster-sized editions. "Looking Toward Heaven" & "Discipleship" were my final choices. It was an agonizing decision. He was kind enough to sign his work for me. His english was amazingly clear..... which was a good thing, since my chinese is non-existant. Our conversation went thru the influences on his work: cubism being one favorite of his, as well as the Chinese Opera and the folk art from those costumes. His paintings cover his favorite Bible stories -- from both the New and Old Testaments.

What a fantastic opportunity to meet a genius. Brilliant. Bravo. He has had exhibits around the globe & has a featured, ENORMOUS piece @ the Lutheran World Federation Building.

Historic Fire Department

We were on our way back to our starting point when Allen happened to notice that the doors to the antique firehouse were up. He's really quick on the spot to locate a unique photo-op for me. Now I wonder if I've been spelling Ephraim correctly?? (A quick check back & I've been spot on spelling for the village.)

Going once, going twice......

Talk about a small world. While here we are a mere 12 hours from home. As I was looking at the hanging of the initial pictures by the artists, I just about fell over my chin when I saw that there is an artist named Debra J from Pataskala! Pataskala, Ohio, named Debra J?? Seriously? Seriously! (Well of course I'm Deborah J, but still.) She lives about three blocks from my daughter, Sarah. Get out. We plan to meet for lunch this fall in our fair buckeye state. Meanwhile we'll be friends on Facebook!! This is about 23% of the auction crowd..... all that I could capture in one frame. It was absolutely fantastic to see such a crowd of support. Well done.

Yellow and Flexible

By now you know how much I like daisies. We certainly see that I'm now besotted with photographing them from below. I just want to prove that I can show my flexible side. I don't want to show too much favoritism. Did I tell you how much I like yellow? These look pretty awesome against the sky, too. I'll take them alllllll. No sense limiting one's palet.

Someone Say Daisies??

As I waited for Lori to run to her car for the frame for her completed Summertime painting, I noticed a few white flowers, with sunny yellow centers. Imagine that. YES!! More daisies. These ones are still in their peak-of-the-peak prime. Happy day! Oh, happy, happy day indeed! Paintings AND daisies from below, against the blue sky. What could be better than that? I'm a happy camper for sure.

Lori Beringer: Summer Time

My hollyhock friend, Lori, from Fine Lines earlier in the week, was perched this time just outside The Summertime Restaurant. Allen was actually under her third umbrella from the left. If you'll look closely at her painting you'll see he's having eggs-over-easy. LOL. Lori is an excellant teacher and very kind in her willingness to share her stream-of-consciousness process with the public. I spent the final 30 minutes listening in at her elbow. Awesome. In honor of her willingness to teach me I helped her get everything packed up and her piece framed. I know how exhausted I am at the conclusion of a big week of fun. Seemed only fitting to extend a hand. That final picture we're doing our best combined Vanna White impression. Too funny. Now we can be friends on Facebook, too!

What a week!

Kathie Wheeler captured a sure crowd-pleaser with her painting of the children of the festival who were also involved in painting. Flowers, cottages, sailboats. All certain to be home-runs with the crowd. The clouds stayed kind thru the paint-out and allowed the auction to get just over half way accomplished, before the first rain in ages started falling. We needed the rain desperately, so I guess everyone was a winner. The other paintings were auctioned off within the evening's opening festivities.

Plein Air Conclusion

I worked hard on my least favorite 'work' and got my SDE handout all finished, copied, and into the mail. So my reward was to get to see our aritists in action, one last time. Yesterday was the week's concluding paint-out at Clark Park, Fish Creek. All forty artists were gathered and ready to go at 9:00 a.m. and their brushes were fast and furious till the horn sounded two hours later. There were artists on the docks, in the gardens, down the alleyways -- where ever their muse led. Then all of the paintings were auctioned off to the public starting at high noon. (The artists had just a few minutes to get their work cleaned up & framed & on display.) The first painting in this series fetched the highest bid at $2100.... it was one of my top faves, too, painted by James Richards of Georgia. The second artist pictured here is Mary Ann Davis from Indy and the final fellow in this series is Chuck Marshall, fellow buckeye from Mason, OH, right down the road.

Clouds. LOVE the Clouds.

Anyone who's ever been to Door County, knows exactly where that first picture was taken...... coming 'round the bend into Ephraim, headed north. Those two white steeples are the subject of camera and paint brush alike, and probably poet's pens as well. Remember I told you that the word 'ephraim' translates to 'faith' in Moravian. Water as still as glass. Clouds of cotton candy dimensions. Headed toward a gorgous sunset -- but you'll just have to wait till tomorrow, for me to get all of that organized. Trust me, it will be worth the wait.

Sunset Splendor

It always seems a tad out-of-kilter, to post sunset pictures in the morning..... but by the time I get the pictures taken & downloaded it's usually time for sleeping. So I often start my day reflecting on the conclusion of the 'yesterday' just put to bed. No sailboats, no ducks, but a masterful use of the clouds at hand, don't ya think?? Now what's on today's agenda?? That vest needs a back and lining. My SDE keynote needs it's 40 pages of handouts organized and mailed. I have that task about 90% complete. My KC power-point needs serious organization. I've already got the kitchen & laundry wrangled, early this morning. My bike's odometer is still poised at 495 miles (longest break from cycling while up here, ever, what's up with that??) AND today's the final day for painting for our Plein Air friends. What's a girl to do? One fun step at a time. One and then another.