Jumping into Fall!

It's been a busy, wet summer, and I've left this spot without writing for quite a while.
I sense Fall in the air today, as the leaves begin to cover the patio and trees turn a little color.
I've been keeping up with Santa-creating, but have added some new Fall pieces:
some driftwood scarecrows, as well as pumpkins, witches, loons and jack 0'lanterns.

Gathering driftwood has been difficult this year. The lake has been too high to get to
the wood, and I'm almost ashamed to admit, that I had enough collected from other years to get
by. Except for the wonderful opportunity I had early in the summer. A wedding reception
on the shore of the lake, provided a beautiful batch of wood, and I was blessed to have a
group of faithful friends help me fill the bags FULL!

Last week the Marina called to say my boat was listing to the starboard, and
investigating, proved there was a leak in the pontoon. It took 2 days to get it to the trailer,
drained, and back on dry land. And the generosity of a good friend who helped at every stage.
Boating is over for this year, and maybe for a long time. I may decide it's time to pass the
boat, LIBERTY, to a new owner. It's been part of my routine and pleasure and work for 25 years.

Facebook has provided a spot for setting up a sort of website. I"m using it these days
to let folks see what I will have at the Fall Valley Junction Art Market on September 19th, 10-5.
Maybe someone who hadn't known, would like to come and see all that will be there. I'm looking
forward to being on 5th Street again!

Please check out the spots set up to share the 2010 folkart pieces I've created to brighten
the busy days ahead.

Till later........
Marge

Red-White and Blue all over the place!

The Flag days of Spring and Summer reach a peak on July 4! I've posted photos reflecting that season.

Now, guess what! I'm going to show you the first of this year's Santa collection. Many of these santas
will be headed for B&E's Perry Shop in the next few days.

Their shop is on the South side of Rt.141 just east of Perry.
They've designed and built a quaint and delightful shop on their land, among the several white barns.
It's easy to spot as you drive along, about a mile east of town.

It's never been too early to have the santas featured, as they are collected all year long.
This year I have a new figure of St. Nicolas to bring to your notice.

I'm encouraged that I'll make it as I keep looking for new venues and find exciting new opportunities
showing up.

The boat is finally back in the lake, after a high-water scare, so I'll be doing some of my painting and weaving
out there for the next few months.

I'll be looking forward to hearing from you by phone and email mwmfolkart@raccoon.com or facebook!

So, till later.......
Marge

A New Beginning.......

It is with regret that the web site trAloola is 'signing off.' This site-and the developer- have afforded a great platform for me to display and sell my artwork. It was a dream that I hope will find a new way to be expressed by its creator!

So when that goes away after this month, I will try to use this site to share pieces of art you might like to see and/or have.

You may contact me by e mail at < mwmfolkart@raccoon.com >
I will attach here, some Fourth of July pieces. You can e mail me to learn more about any one piece, and others you would like to special order.

Thanks to all of you who have been regular visitors. Please check back often!

I will keep you alerted to any other changes

till later......
Marge Wedge Mable

Another wonderful day!

It's a great day to be outside doing some of the yard work that's calling to me. First, though I want to address this blog to fellow artists who may be trying to figure out how to find a market for our creations.

It's discouraging to keep creating and have no outlet, nor finding the right way to get it to our 'public'. For me, the labor of doing shows isn't possible, (The exception will be to do the September ART FEST in my old stomping grounds of Valley Junction, when I expect to have new Santas and angels, and fish and a booth full of what our FOLKART SHOP had.)

Many friends have made good suggestions on ways for me to market, but it isn't shows on a regular basis, and it doesn't seem to be working for me to be online. I think I've figured out that people want to see and touch the art, while talking to the creator.
I'm not convinced that it's just the "economy" now, either!

If anyone is is interested in getting together some sort of "art marketing guild", please let me know. I would hope for a group of creative minds to share our thoughts and come up with a workable way to keep in business. I've talked with several of you about this, but hope we can be more deliberate and successful at finding our way.

I hope you will get in touch with me, and that we can work out a strategy for getting to the public.

Hoping to hear from you........

Marge

I've posted my nephew's ICE AGE Scrat. because he has perseverved through three movies to find his acorn....... and I'm sure our acorn waits!

Another wonderful day!

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