SOFA Chicago 2015

January 13, 2016 by shelley

Chicago SOFA 2015

SOFA Chicago 2015

Ellen and I made our annual trip to Chicago to attend the VIP SOFA Show. Our VIP tickets come from artist (and good friend) Elis Gudmann from ten472 Gallery

I really like her latest works that combined charred wood with the etched metal…

Elis Gudmann artist

Elis’ bio:

Elisabett Gudmann is a Northern California based artist focused on creating works infused with color, texture, and form. While most widely recognized for her metal wall pieces, she is also an accomplished sculptor and often creates 3-dimensional works with her partner, Kirk H. Slaughter.

METAL WALL PIECES:

The complex and physically demanding process involves laboriously etching the metal to create detailed surface textures and imagery in relief. Unique and intricate patina colors are achieved by working with a variety of caustic chemicals, layering colors and often employing a reductive technique. Mostly conceptual in nature, her imagery evolves through layered complexity and evokes references to natural and man-made environments. Influences of abstract expressionism infuse her work, striking a balance between the abstract and the recognizable.

SOFA had a lot of interesting art:

SOFA Chicago 2015

This was completely done in those tiny seed beads!

SOFA Chicago 2015

These were glass objects!

SOFA Chicago 2015

and some “live art”

SOFA Chicago 2015

I alway enjoy the city of Chicago also and the Magnificent Mile was decked out in glorious fall decor

Chicago’s magnificent mile decked out in fall decor!

I find the architect and skyline of Chicago very picturesque.

And my all time favorite photo I took of Chicago skyline was a few years ago on a day the clouds hung so low the tops of buildings were obscured:

Royals win royally…World Series Champs 2015!

December 31, 2015 by shelley

Royals win royally…World Series Champs 2015!

It was hard not to get caught up in Royals fever this year.

I even got to attend a playoff game with friends. Royals playing the Blue Jay in Game 6 of the playoffs. The Royals won and took the series 4-2 and if was off to the World Series for the Royals!!

Playoff game with friends

Kristen, Tammy and myself at playoff game

Royals playoff game

Box seats

Winning the World Series had Kansas City going crazy…from royal blue milk

shatto crown Royal blue milk

to blue fountains

Royal Blue Fountain

And lots of neighborhood pride!

Neighborhood pride

Royals win 2015 World Series

All of Kansas City turned out for Royals’ World Series parade…and we do mean “all”

All of Kansas City turns out for the Royals celebration

Quick trip to California…Miriam gets married

August 16, 2015 by shelley

I took a quick trip to California…my sister Miriam got married. I went with my brother, his wife and two sons. The first day we went to the beach, Half Moon Bay. Dylan loves the beach.

Half Moon Bay

You don’t see this in Kansas

Half Moon Bay State Beach California

Pigeon Point Light House

Pigeon Point Lighthouse

Pigeon Point California

You just don’t see one of these anymore…and it worked

Pigeon Point Lighthouse

And this would be why they call it Pigeon Point

Pigeon Point Lighthouse

Loved the weathering giving the texture and color

And the Wedding

Miriam’s wedding

My old Viking sewing machine restored!

July 15, 2015 by shelley

I love this machine:

Viking Sewing Machine 1970’s

I got my Viking 6430 sewing machine about 1975 (the old one with the cams) and it was a “used” machine when I got it! It had been part of a group of machines placed in the public school systems’ home economics classes. (The hope of this program was it would acquaint the student seamstress with a sewing machine that would lead to a sale. It was assumed the student would want to buy a machine like the one upon which they had trained. ) I used this machine to make my clothes, clothes for my daughters, home decorative pillows and the like, curtains for my windows, projects like “quiet books”, dance costumes, nativity costumes, Halloween costumes and grand baby crib sheets and nursery decor. A few years ago it started to have trouble. I took it to an authorized dealer and they told me it was too old…they could not fix it. I loved this machine, we had history! They tried to talk me into a “trade-in” on a new one…I just couldn’t do it. I kept the old broken down machine. It has sat in my basement for the last few years gathering dust…but I still could not get rid of it.

My son and daughter-in-law moved to the Portland, Oregon area. This turned out to be very fortuitous for me and my old Viking machine. My daughter-in-law needed a heavy duty machine that could sew through heavy fabric. She had a newer machine but needed something heavy duty to make her Treasure Buddies. (I just blogged about these adorable children’s pillows with a hidden pouch for treasures.) She came across an old Viking machine (newer than mine-but still old with the cams) and it fit the bill perfectly. She found it at a place in Hillsboro, Oregon that repaired and restored old Viking sewing machines, Hillsboro Vac -N- Sew. My old machine needed a lot of work…but I felt there was nothing to lose so it was packed up and sent off to Oregon. Hillsboro Vac -N- Sew was able to do what the authorized dealer and repairman was unable to do! My machine has been fully restored! It works like brand new! It is like reconnecting with an old friend…it made me so happy!! Funny how such a small thing can mean so much!

Fun Things to do in Salt Lake City

July 5, 2015 by shelley

And then we enjoyed a week of fun activities in Salt Lake City after the wedding:

Hogle Zoo

Everyone at Hogle Zoo

Henry, Becca and Jack

Jack and Caroline

B.J. and Jack

Becca and Henry

Hogle Zoo, Salt Lake City

Collins and Becca

Becca, Caroline, Jack and Henry

Collins

And the Museum of Natural Curiosity

Museum of Natural Curiosity

Becca

Henry

Collins and Becca

Collins and Henry

Collins and Becca

Henry and Caroline

Caroline

Caroline and Becca

Emily and Jennifer

Jack

Emily at Museum of Natural Curiosity in Salt Lake City

Fishing at Cold Springs Trout Farm

Our catch of the day

Collins

Collins and Becca

Caroline, Becca and Henry

Grandpa, BJ, Jack and Jenn

Henry, Jenn and Jack

Becca, Jen, Emily and Caroline

Caroline, Emily, Jen, Jack, Henry, B.J. and grandpa

Becca, Jen, Caroline, Grandpa, Henry, Jack and BJ

Becca

Jennifer

Caroline and Henry

Jack

Cold Springs Trout Farm

This is the Place Heritage Park

Caroline and Jack

Caroline, Becca, Grandpa and Henry

Emily

Becca

Henry

Grandpa and BJ

Caroline, BJ, Jack, Becca and Henry

Becca

Caroline

Jack, Becca and Caroline

Becca and Caroline

Prospector Pit

Caroline and Jack

Becca

Jack and Caroline

Henry

Jack, Becca and Henry

Caroline and Becca

BJ and Jenn

Jack and Henry eating Brigham doughnuts

This is the Place Heritage Park

UTAH MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS

The Utah Museum Fine Arts has a special program for children every third Saturday which is a phenomenal program! It is free and this month had Mayan art for its inspiration. Every child got to decorative clay pot after being inspired with the Mayan pottery collection searching for specific objects like the rectangular polychrome vase

Rectangular Polychrome Mayan Vase Utah Museum of Fine Arts

or the polychrome vase.

Polychrome Mayan Vase Utah Museum of Fine Arts

Example of the clay plate Mayan inspired project for children at Utah Museum of Fine Art’s third Saturday for children (free admission!);

Example art clay plate art project Mayan inspired third Saturday activity for children Utah Museum of Fine Arts

Becca and Caroline working on their clay plate Mayan art project

Henry working on his Mayan clay plate art project Utah Museum of Fine arts third Saturday activity for children

Henry with clay plate art project

Caroline with clay plate art project

Becca with her Mayan inspired clay plate art project at the Utah Museum of Fine Art

Becca (helped Grandma) with her Mayan inspired clay plate art project at the Utah Museum of Fine Art

Emily

Grandma and Grandpa working on their projects

Working on clay art project at Utah Museum of Fine Arts

Caroline cleaning up after project

The Leonardo Museum Salt Lake City

We had to visit the Leonardo Museum to see Becca’s award winning Reflections project on display. It was park of the SPARK exhibit.

Spark ignite your imagination

SPARK!

What is “spark?” Is it that feeling you get when you know you’re on to something big? Is it that irresistible flow of an idea that’s just about to burst into reality? What happens when your creativity is ignited? What becomes possible?

They get it– the Leonardo created this brand new (and really big) exhibition.

Imagine, explore and interact with over 700 pieces of original 2D and 3D art, live performances, original writings, and more. And many of the featured works were created by artists who are just like YOU! (Becca was one of the artists with her award winning project!)