Events

We are high-tech here at www.greyhoundsculptor.com. Just a sharpie, a plain white piece of paper, scissors and a jar…. and, ta-da, we have a winner!

So I wrote all the entries’ names on paper….

…cut them apart….

…folded the paper and put them all in this cool Greyhound vessel.

(If you want a vessel like this totally stellar cool vessel check out Robin W.’s pottery on her etsy store! I own several pieces and they never fail to make me smile)

The winner is Hope! Email me for your new sterling silver Pendant!

Thank you to everyone! Hope your Thanksgiving holiday went well!

Time is up! Wow I’m so in awe reading all your Thanks! I’ll announce the winner tomorrow morning. See you then….

The tradition on this day is to list the things that one is thankful. I love this game, and play often.

Here are mine for today (in no particular order).

• I’m thankful that I called the Greyhound Pets of America 1-800 number in 1995. What a wild ride it’s been.
• I’m thankful for family. For health. That we all have enough.
• I’m thankful for plumbing. I love my washing machine, my hot shower, and running water in general.
• I’m thankful for the kids who visit the library and make me laugh.

And all sorts of other things….

So here’s the challenge. To celebrate all of you who give your thanks and praise for my work, I’m giving away one of my new sterling silver pendants with a bright finish.

To enter the contest, answer the following question in the comments section of this blog post.

“What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving day?”

Please, one entry per person. No entries after 9:00 pm Pacific Time Saturday, November 29. I’ll announce the winner on Sunday morning.

If you’re thinking that the pendant would make a great gift to show someone in your life how special they are, the pedants can be found here and here. Email if you have question or for non-US delivered purchases.

Is it possible to escape the news lately? Bad news all around. When I moved back to North Dakota several years ago, I decided that I was no longer going to listen to or watch the news. I’d seen too many prescription drug ads claiming to help manage anxiety and sleeplessness broadcast during news programs that stressed how bad everything was — tail wagging the dog? And the relentless moving ticker and graphic backgrounds… all that demand for attention exhausted me.

Anyway. The news still creeps in. Here’s the “problem” — I am in a position where I’ve spend months preparing for a retail event that requires me to drive half way across the US and lay out a substantial amount of cash to do so. It’s a gamble. Hurricane? It could happen. No buyers? That could happen too.

Here’s my solution : don’t think about it. Business as usual. Stay positive.

So as I’m working on readying artwork, I stumble across the January 2008 issue of Southwestern Art magazine. “Art Trends : Gallery Owners across the nation share their insights on the coming year’s art scene,” it says. Across the board the gallery owners interviewed (Gallery Shoal Creek, Karin Newby Gallery, Howard/Mandville Gallery, Morris & Whiteside Galleries, Brazos Fine Art, Michael Hollis Fine Art, Ventana Fine Art and Mountain Trails Gallery) are positive. My favorite is the quote from Mark Tarrant of Mountain Trails Gallery, in Jackson, Wyoming:

We just keep putting up good art and it seems to take care of itself.

Doesn’t that say it all…

Couple of items to keep on your radar screen if you’re going to be Dewey Beach going.

I donated this framed tile panel to the Greyhounds Reach The Beach silent auction. I’m fairly sure that the silent auction items will be located at the Grotto Pizza along with the Greyhounds in Art show. This year’s proceeds benefit the Greyhound Health and Wellness program run by Dr. Guillermo Couto at the Ohio State University.

While you are at the Grotto Pizza checking out this auction, be sure and peruse the silent auction table of the Greyhounds in Art show. I haven’t photographed that piece yet — will post the photo when I do. The proceeds from this auction benefits Dr. Couto’s research as well.

This is the piece I’ll be donating to Sunday’s Brunch raffle. Raffle tickets will be available outside prior to the brunch and at the Celebrating Greyhounds table at the Grotto Pizza.

I’m not sure if NON-Dewey-Beach goers can bid or participate in the raffle. Perhaps someone will leave an answer to this question in the comments of this blog.

One of the coolest things about Greyhounds Reach the Beach (GRTB) - besides all the awesome Greyhounds! - is the Greyhounds in Art show.

Greyhounds in Art was the brainchild of Karen McDonnell, a jeweler and overall wonderful person, in 2002 (?). When she stepped down in 2007, artist Lynn Roick took over. I’m honor to be a part of a project run by great people!

The show is an invitational exhibition that runs for the GRTB weekend. It is also a fundraiser for Greyhound Cancer Research - each artist is expected to donate a portion of his or her sales. It is a fun way to raise money for important research while celebrating art and Greyhounds.

I’ve been asked to participate three times. Last year I missed the show and thankfully Lynn asked me to participate this year. Yesterday’s kiln firing contained four of the pieces for the show. I don’t want to anger the kiln gods by talking too much about them before they are finished, but I’m excited to see how they’ll turn out.

The artist’s participating in this year’s show are:

• Beth Wade
• Penny Hauffe
• Karen McDonnell
• Terry Flannery
• Sue Bird
• Barbara Karant
• Kent Roberts
• Jennifer Zalewski
• Steve Wirtz
• Cara Brockhoff

And one of Lynn Roick/Carmon Deyo’s pendants will be raffled off too. It is a pleasure to be in such fine company!

This smile-inducing image is from photographer, Sue Bird’s blog.  Makes me wish I was bringing hounds to Dewey Beach. (Watch her blog for session details).

Can’t wait to see Sue’s work (and all the other artist’s work) in the exhibition!

On another note, firing the kiln today. Photos coming soon.

“Are you going to to Dewey?” they ask.

Yeppers. I hope to be there this year.

What: Greyhounds Reach the Beach

When: October 8-12, 2008

Where: Ground floor, Best Western Gold Leaf, Dewey Beach, Delaware

Other things you might want to know:

• I’ll be sharing space with Sue Ross of Silk Road Collars.
• I’m going to clean out the studio - I’ll be bringing everything - older pieces, “last ones”, even a few Greyhound prints, notecards, etc.
• I’ll have new stuff too, of course. Even a few new tile designs.

And, yes, that feeling of “I-have-to-leave-my-dogs-and-I-don’t-want-to” has begun already. Whaaa!

A kind gentleman sent this photo to me. It’s me and Winchester sitting in the shade after he ran in the “Blur of Fur” at the Greyhound Gathering 2008 in Kanab Utah.

It was so nice to sit in the park with a good friend.

Painter and photographer, Marsha Njos Lehmann had an artist reception at the Library today. Here’s Marsha and artist, Cris Fulton.

Marsha does wonderful work. My very, very favorite are her paintings of cows and ranch life. She knows the scenes she paints.

The show will run through July and is open to the public during library hours.

I’m deleting the old blog at blogger today.