Golden Female Pirate!!!!

This lady stood still like a statue. I tipped her a few dollars. I am not sure I could stand still for so long. A few other people tipped her and she would wink her eye. I liked her costume. There were other people dressed in clothes reflecting older periods in history, posing.
This was near the shops. There were all kinds of stores and resturants in this area...there were also several hundreds of people. I am sure she probably did pretty well.

New Institue of Contemporary Art

This is a brand new museum that is right on the water. I started on the fourth floor and saw several very interesting pieces of art. Something I had not seen before on display was flat screen TV's that showed several short length movies and/or images of art. Digital technology enters into the art world and museums for display.
As I walked out of the museum, many sail boats were anchored in the water. The water was a clear blue and smelt of salt. The wind was blowing, it was a little chilly, but the sun was shining bright.
This chain was tied up around a pole. The links were so big, I just had to take a picture.

Gabe, he brought me over on the boat, (water taxi)

Really nice guy. He has been guiding this shop back and forth across the harbor for four months. I asked him how he got started, and he said a long time ago when he watched the movie called, "Romancing the Stone" with Kathleen Turner and Mike Douglas, he decided that he would learn how to steer a boat, and get one for himself. The scene at the very end of the movie where it shows Mike Douglas heading off in his big boat to continue to explore and have adventures is what left an impression on his mind. He has always loved being on the water.
He said that in a few weeks, the harbor was going to get really crowded. The tourists come with their own boats, and more people will be wanting to be taxied to the city side that stay in the hotels. It will be his first season. I am sure he will do well. Nice to have met you Gabe!!!

From Oakland, Ca. to Boston, Mass.

This scene was right out the windows of the hotel. It is the Boston Skyline, and the water is the Boston Harbor. I took a boat (water taxi) across this harbor, which is about a mile and a half wide to walk around and see the sights and the people.

I wish the picture had been better, but this is me standing next to the edge and the skyline behind me.

Jack London Square, Oakland, Ca.

Jack London, a famous author honored in this part of the area. Cool huh?
Cool old pub made from a boat and preserved this way. Supposedly Jack London used to hang out here as a young kid.
Cool mural...PEACE was the theme..right outside a Barns and Noble store near the water.
I think he knew his picture was being taken, and posed on purpose!
Actual pieces of wood from Jack London's cabin, re-built as part of preserving his past.

My Folks!

This is a picture we took right after church on Sunday, "Mother's Day".
My parents are so cool. My dad is still crazy, and my mom is the sweetest person you could ever know. I had such a great time hanging out with them, while I was in California.

Artwork Delivered!!!!

"English Garden" was officially given to my beautiful Mother on Mother's Day. It was a gift from all of us kids, (Mike, Kim, Kaye and myself).
She seemed to really like it. My dad and I found some special hooks that hung this piece securely in her big bay window near the dining area.

Artist Promenade, sponsored by the Tecumseh Chamber of Commerce.

This is Gloria Trotter, the Editor for the Tecumseh and Shawnee, Ok. newspapers. They hosted an event in downtown Tecumseh, Ok. She invited me to share this piece. It sells for $800.00.

It is a beautiful piece, especially when light is behind it hanging in a window. There was not a way to install it this way in the newspaper office. She has been a big part of the movement to get more art in downtown Tecumseh. She said she doesn't take great pictures, but I thought she looked beautiful in red with the piece of art.

Follow the pictures and see what I created for my MOTHER!!!

This is a close up of the lattice work, and the leaves and petals. I used my grinder on the petals.
As you know, my style is edgy and does not always fit the normal way things look. If I cut flowers, they are not perfect petals, they are not the same, because in real life, not all flowers are the same, they are not cookie cutter shapes, so my glass art is not either.

Antique metal sculptures added to frame.

These small pieces of metal came from an old stained glass lamp my sister-in-law gave to me a few years back. I grabbed these with all of my other materials...because they just seemed to fit with what I was hoping to make. I was not sure how I would use them...until the end. I was putting them on the corners and thought...YES...this is where they will end up in the piece.

Lattice and final picture to work from.

This shows the one picture I decided to work from. The final piece is an inspiration from this picture. I am not a realist, and must work from a more abstract design that appears as an image in my mind. Also, with glass, I have to work with this medium. It is not as fluid as paint.

I then sketch something to start with and then go from there.

Every picture seemed to have the white lattice in the background for the plants to grow from. I put the white lattice in the back of the piece and cut flowers and leaves to grow within and through the spaces.

Materials to work with, to look at for inspiration...

This shows all of the materials I laid out in my studio to begin my work and start thinking.
My mother really loves this place in Northern Calfornia that resembles an English Garden.
Some special friends named the Gover's own this place. They hold weddings and all kinds of ceremonies there. When I was in California last time, we took a stroll through the garden while my sister Kim took pictures. I printed up all of the pictures and used them for inspiration. There were twenty plus pictures, but I narrowed it down to a few that I thought I could incorporate into a glass design. I bought sheets of glass that matched the leaves and pink/red flowers. I start with alot of materials, and then narrow it down to only items which I feel led to incorporate into the piece.

Before the petals were added.

This gives you an idea of what the piece looked like before the petals were layered in.

English Garden

This is the completed piece of glass art. It is approx. two feet tall, and a foot and a half wide. All the petals and leaves are multi-dimensional, do not lay flat, but angle out like plants grow. The colors are three different shades of green and pink and red. For the first time I hand carried this piece with me to California. I thanked the stewards and stewardesses for helping me store it while in flight. I flew from Oklahoma to Fresno, Ca.
"Mum" is the word...so when I told people along the way that it was something I wanted to give my mom for Mother's Day, they were all willing to help.
After my job here in California I board a train in Fresno and ride for three hours to Stockton, where I will catch a Rapid-transit bus...hope Train Conductor and Bus Driver are as nice as the others have been. My life is such an adventure and I don't think I could have it any other way.