de Menging of Learning New Tricks and Treats..............

Above Michael's spinning head doll............

Well, my two days of classes with Michael deMeng got off to a rocky start...having made it to the parking lot near the class location on time.....even though I did not know where I was going........(same problem as on most days).......I chased a FedEx driver down and got a street direction. Anywhooooooo...........I was in the area on time..........only to jump out of the car and in my excitement lock everything inside. Forgetting that I have OnStar service........I called AAA. Then after a long wait, and me chewing my nails, as I watched in horror, when the " quote technician" jammed a coat hanger in, out and around my fairly new car did I remember I had OnStar. Which after a two minute phone call.......a signal came from Heaven.......and unlocked my car.........I know I made one of those dumb commercials for OnStar.......because I spent a long time thanking them and saying I will never regret paying my OnStar bill again.

New friends ......Lana and Julee.............

You might say I was stressed........as I came late into class.......but, no matter what shape I was in when I arrived no one could have prepared me for the euphoria I would feel after spending two days with Michael. I have a new found respect for the wonders of color washes and found objects. What an instructor and an all around nice guy he is.........and what a concept a non-Diva, or in his case, a non Divo artist. I encourage anyone who has not taken a class with him to do so. He is inspiring, approachable, knowledgeable, and has great artistic sense. Everyone in class was in love with him.

Following are a few pictures from class........

Learning how to make a creepy baby with rotting flesh...........not for the faint hearted.........

Forever mixing washes to perfection.......we all tried to grab paint from Michael's paint dabbles.......the master had touched there......

The critique..........positive words,encouraging remarks, and helpful suggestions from Michael

Michael holding my work below............My First Crush...........base a crush soda can.......
My deMenged demented toy..........



Work from the master...........


If Michael brings his workshop to town........just like the circus........Don't Miss It!

Dead of the Day

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Soooooooooo.........It's the Dead of the Day........or Day of the Dead........whatever way you say it......it's music to my ears. I love all the imagery and the symbolism behind this celebration of the spirits passed.....and since I was not born on Halloween.....then being born on Day of the Dead is the next best thing!
I have a couple of friends Sharon and Carole that really love the Day of the Dead, and...I am sure there are more too that also love the Day of the Dead festivities.

In fact Sharon Christovich loves the celebration so much that she has a large section of her Folk Art Gallery in San Rafael CA, at 1321 4th St, dedicated to Day of the Dead.....on a recent field trip there I took some pictures so you can peek.....but you really must visit to get the full effect.

This is an exciting and eclectic Gallery. Besides treasures of Day of the Dead ethnic, tribal, and contemporary folk arts, crafts and jewelry from many other countries are represented there. If you cannot visit in person then visit the Gallery website and blog. http://www.thefolkartgallery.com/ http://www.yelp.com/biz_redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thefolkartgallery.com%2Fblog&src_bizid=dF5rt9T5TV7mNEtg5KHdJQ&cachebuster=1255502297

Follow this link, there is a wonderful article written on the meaning of the Day of the Dead celebration. http://www.thefolkartgallery.com/newsletters/mataortiznewsletter/lifeafterlife.htm

Putting in my two centavos worth.... for the Dead of the Day.................celebration.......... DAY

AND NIGHT..............

There is always a Skelly......... a mere shell of himself.......




or an evil Ricardo waiting for their celebration!

The Plot Thickens.........

as more dirt blows across the cemetary in Virginia City Nevada...........truly that was the beginning of my recent visit to scout out some former locals. Being Halloween, and also the none too soon Day of the Dead...........it is only fitting that I would spend some time there....paying homage to those souls..,perhaps to one of the souls below,..but I did not count on a windstorm of hurricane proportions. Besides the obvious........you might say the former residents of the City and thereabouts.........were hale and hardy to withstand the winds that whip through the area. Here are some scenes that capture the Halloween/Day of the Dead.......spirits......

Who Spirits!

One of the first early wooden markers.........the name has faded......

It's the beauty of the gate...........time worn

Infant stone..........came in and went out of the world on the same day.........the tragedy of many in those times.......

Growing inside the iron walls with iron will a garden........of sorts.......

Rolling about in the wind.......a forgotten urn?

Entombed with a view...........

Draped pillar in loving memory...............
To the memory of the spirits passed......memorial hangings to be worn around the neck or hung in the home, or elsewhere.....my versions of these....



Halloween spirits and otherwise spirits in memoriam.............

Magic Carpet Ride

These last few weeks have been intense and the reasons why are posted below.............Fixing the new digs in Lake Tahoe, and ....................shows, shows, shows........................

The new digs.........
A blank canvas.........of walls and wallboard.............

Can see the forest......for the deck..........

AHHHHHH camping inside........now you see what all the furniture fuss is about....

First show Tinsel and Treasures in Alamo............presented by Iva Wilcox, assisted by Colleen Moody, and Donna O'Brien, and also participating the most kind spirited, fun loving group of women ever. A few pictures from the show..........not to be missed by anyone next year!