What a day!

This warm sunny, breezy Spring day is close to perfection! It's the kind of day that calls me to get out the paints and camera, to try to capture the variety of greens in the landscape.

I'm very fortunate to live on a wooded spot, with Oaks, Walnuts,Maples, Pines, Cedars, and shrubs that are a fresh yellow green. I'm also keeping a close eye on my Red Bud tree. I don't want to miss any of its coloring.

It's been a good time to do a little transplanting of Lillies of the Valley. I wish I'd thought earlier, of starting some in a shady spot where the Hostas are. They spread so well that I probably could have good ground cover by now.

Summer plans progress as we await Jill and Tom's visit from their missions work in Romania. Jill enjoys kayaking, so we hope for some nice lake days to enjoy that together. One of the milestones of this summer is Lauren and Ben's wedding. It will be celebrated in PA. with family and friends. I finally have my outfit chosen, altered and ready to go. The final touch for it, is the "Barbara Bush pearl look", appropriate for the Grandmother of the bride !! There's a lot of creative scurrying around to insure that this be an elegantly simple day! It's hard to be so far away during the preparations, but we communicate on a pretty regular basis. I also will be getting the boat ready to put in the lake soon.

To return to the painting theme......... I've discovered a painter-teacher, David Dunlop on "Create TV". He has an interesting and motivating teaching method. This is a good day to take advantage of his motivation, and see if I can bring a Spring painting into being today.

So Please enjoy these wonderful Spring days with me!

Till later...........

AAHHHhhhh......... Spring!

The calendar says "Spring", and the weather is cooperating today to make it believable! I just came back from my daily walk, all energized to do something. I guess this is the first 'something' I will get to.

This being the day after Palm Sunday, will bring Lent to a close, after the journey through this week will come the "Alleluia!!!" day! Easter is such a wonderful day of daffodils, and lillies, and family and joyous celebration!

There are no Grandchildren who are young enough to dream about the Easter Bunny, but we've devised a clever 'hunt and shop' plan that works well and doesn't overload with sugar. (The oldest 2 of 11 grandchildren are married, and the youngest will be 10 soon.)

I've made a few driftwood rabbits, but my driftwood supply badly needs refreshing. I've taken the boating steps to help with collecting a new supply . The boat, "LIBERTY" is now registered, and the slip at Big Creek is locked in. I'm working on making a table top to replace the one lost in a storm last summer, and will aim to get it launched around the first of May. Hope this week is an omen of the kind of summer we have ahead. Sunny and in the 70º's all week.

Wednesday I'm looking forward to giving a talk on Folk Art in Urbandale. It's been fun to prepare what to say and what to take to display to encourage audience questions . Writing a 'script' went easily, and I've organized about a dozen areas of what I consider folk art, and will display pieces in each catagory........... including "decorative pieces" so I will take some driftwood Santas, and Sams, and rabbits, etc. Maybe it's even time to re-introduce the all-season-necklace!

I look forward to being among folks who will have come to listen because they're interested in the Arts. I already know several friends who will be there, and it will be fun to visit with them.

I wish everyone a Happy Easter !!
I've enjoyed our visit.

Till later..........

Marge

A touch of Spring!

This is one of the nicest days we've had here in ages, and it feels so good to see a hint of what Spring holds for us. (I'm avoiding thinking about tornado season!)

I've had a quiet winter, but glad not to have to get to the shop on some of those snowy days.

It's been really hard, after our 29 years of having the FOLKART SHOP not to be in touch with all the folks we came to call friends. I stop in the old shop occassionally (which is in the process of being sold, and the reason we felt it was time to move last year, before it became a 'rush- get-out" kind of move.)

Betsy and Eric will be opening their Perry shop in a few months and have asked me to have some of my work there. I will plan on helping out some...... maybe a day a week. I'm looking forward to that.

I'm taking a break from working on a couple of small paintings now. Looking out on the back yard isn't very colorful yet, but it's provided subject matter enough to get my brush moving!

Happy St. Patrick's Day and Happy Spring!

Till later..........

Marge

Winter White!

Iowa has had a very consistent landscape this season. We've enjoyed...mostly!!!... having the ground covered with a blanket of snow since early December. I recall trudging to school in Vermont, along a path made on top of the plowed snow piles. The snow this year, in Iowa, is taking me back to Eastern winters of sledding and skiing and happy snow times of childhood.

This morning I've shoveled enough snow to get in and out of my driveway, I've worked on two paintings, and vacuumed... a little! I've put final touches on writing a talk I'm giving next month on the subject of folk art. Usually, I don't enjoy "speaking" to groups, but this is fun to prepare for, and to plan what pieces of folk art I will take to share with the group, the folk art I've been creating for the shop and web sites.

I'm so looking forward to attending the Thursday (2,25) evening debut of a magazine Dave and Dee have been building, called "Iowa Momentum Endurance Sports". All has seemed to fall into place for their interests and talents to combine in this venue. They are active bikers, runners, and swimmers, and have many athletic friends whose stories will be able to be told in the magazine. For local's it will be free on racks all over Iowa. And can be subscribed to from their site. So keep your eyes pealed for it's public debut . March 1, 2010!

Today I sent in my boat registration, committing to another year on the lake in my 25 year old pontoon boat, "Liberty". I look forward to having Jill home for the summer, so we can do some kayaking together.

But before that, starts, we have a wedding in PA. to celebrate! My first Grandaughter is being married to a special young man. It will be a fun family time! Some of us are flying, and some driving.... but all of us looking forward to being together for such a special event.

I'm getting way ahead of myself, and better get back to painting! It's been fun to share with you. I hope you're each finding pleasure in the snows of this winter.

till later........

Marge

January ice!

The white ground still inspires, and I'm closer to getting started with my paintings . I've been waiting to 'turn on' the "easel-painting" button!........ and I think it's starting today. I'm all set up to start as soon as I post this memo!

From collecting driftwood in summer, 'till Christmas, I have the fun of creating pieces from the collection of interesting driftwood gathered ..... mostly that is when I create Santas to make sure the Christmas Santa collection is filled with interesting uniques pieces.

Now, after finishing Santa-time, I have time for non-structured creative painting.

After enjoying that for awhile, I'll be ready to move onto making Valentine hearts, fun driftwood rabbits, Uncle Sams, Liberties, and whatever else a particular piece of wood calls for!

Sometimes it's a duck or turkey or turtle or guinie hen....... I never know! But stay in touch to see what's new!

So, on this icey afternoon in mid January, I will be creating and enjoying this beatiful winter day!

Be sure to take a look at each of my sites, listed at the right, and discover what's there and waiting for you to enjoy!

Till later........

Marge

Winter daze

Apologies for my absence through the Christmas Holidays! I've been busy And after all the busy-ness, I've been kind of down. It's been an emotional struggle not to see my friends at our Folkart Shop! In the normal getting-ready-for-Christmas, I was kept busy preparing in every way one does. PREPARATION is the big word for Advent, and that applies to body and Spirit!

It was several days after Christmas before I realized how much I missed the shop, and all the people I was missing seeing. I have developed so many friendships through the shop! I have missed visiting with friends. Through phone, Facebook , e mails and Skype, I've been able to visit with

folks, but it's good to relate in person.

Through their good-heartedness, I was invited to have my santas at 2 open houses. It was fun to be a small part of those, but I realized that my Driftwood Santas need a shop, called Folkart in Valley Junction, and meeting one-on-one with customers that is what my Santas are about!

My "Driftwood Folkart"website wasn't as successful as I had hoped, tho' there was a little activity. Thanks to Kellie, founder of trAloola, for coming to my house to help me set up a new website for my paintings. Please click here on the address below and take a look. (Neither site is available by clicking on this blog!?....... YET!)

https://www.traloola.com/artist/m.wedgem.paintings

We're still in the process of building two sites on the under the trAlooa umbrella, and hopefully, it will be worked out soon.

I've been starting to do some post-Christmas painting, and I so enjoy the snowy landscape we're covered with now. We still have about 2' of snow here--and now that we're plowed out, it's so peaceful and inspirational to look outside. Built-in scenes, waiting to be put on canvas and paper!

Thanks for keeping up with my blog. I'll try to be much more attentive to additions here!

(The painting shown is called "Dancing Trees". It is a 16"x20" acrylic.)

Till later..........

Marge

Snow days

How busy we get and leave out important things, like keeping up on our blog!! Sorry!
The neighborhood is covered with a beautiful Christmas snow that puts us in the spirit of Christmas........... after we've plowed out!!!

This is a time of anticipation and hope as we prepare for Christmas! And sometimes the preparation
gets out of control in the effort to shop and bake and paint and wrap and clean and .......... all that part of Christmas!

So........ it's good to slow down and reflect on the 'why' of Christmas and be able to share our
love with family and friends.

I wish all of you the blessings of Christmas.

Till later.......
Marge