Don't Fence Me In

  It happened again.  I've described in the past how I will stop and be focused on something that caught my eye.  I'll take several photos, get just the right angle or wait for the light, only to turn and find what I was supposed to be looking at in the first place looking back at me.  That's what happened with this lady.  I was looking at the birds on my right only to turn around and burst out laughing at the Black Baldy checking me out.  Lesson reinforced. Pay attention.  Look for what you may have missed.

Be Well friend,

Window Gifts

     I took a break from my Spring.  I took a break from what I thought was going to be my Spring.  I was forced to take a break from what I thought my Spring was going to be.  We pretty much all did.  I didn't want to focus on promoting my work and sharing pieces that were for sale.  I felt kinda bad about it.  Like, I "should" be doing that, this is how I support myself,  but couldn't make myself.  So I allowed myself to not do that and let that part go until I was ready to take that up again.  It took about three weeks.  Then I got the opportunity to participate in a virtual art show Art Gone Viral and I replied Yes without thinking.  Afterward was when all the doubt three weeks of inactivity allowed to materialized.  But you know what?  By my saying Yes I sent a signal out there.  I was contacted by lovely folks that had purchased pieces from me in the past and were ready for more, generous friends determined they would spend some of their stimulus money on supporting artists they know, people found my work on my Etsy sites and started buying again.  And one lovely woman who had bought a large #WindowFramed piece from me a couple years ago thought of me when she was replacing the windows in her historic home (see the image above).  She contacted me to see if I would have a use for them.  She wanted me to have them and she wanted to commission a piece from one of them for their home, as a remembrance.  This generous gift touched me very deeply.  It affirmed that opening myself and my business back up, literally and figurately was the right thing to do and at the right time.  I WAS going to need more windows.  Everything is going to be ok.  Thank you Francesca for sharing the window gifts.  I promise to find them good homes with good people like you.  I'm ready to get back to work.

Be Well my friends,

     

                                            

Crochet/Knitting

     I warned you I'd be back.  Also I'm reclaiming my obsolete training and spacing twice at the end of sentences.  We all need our spaces now.  Above is a photo of my current project I'm calling the "pandemic shawl".  I wanted to mark the time in a tangible way.  I've got a sort of theory.  Most folks are generally either detailed oriented or big picture focused.  You either revel in getting the tiny details perfect or you don't.  Here's the thing about me and stitching projects of just about any kind.  Most tend to be better viewed from a distance.  I always say its because of my early theatre training and how everything looks good from ten feet away.  So imagine my joy when I discovered fulling or felting if you prefer.  I can stitch away happily/sloppily, squeezing the therapy out of the handwork and tossing away the pattern following anxiety.  I throw it in hot water a couple of times and all the dropped stitches and oh craps blend into a harmonious pelt of wooly comfort. That's my intention with this shawl if my inconsistency in stitches and fumbled turnings are too painful to leave undisguised.  This is a terrific opportunity to finally use up some of my yarn stash as well.  I started with a lovely variegated periwinkle wool from Brooks Farm Yarn in Lancaster, TX and am now onto a warm carmelly alpaca yarn from Cibolo Creek Alpacas for which I don't have a link.  I picked these up several years ago and have finally stopped saving them for something special.  This is special! Comfort in a scary time.  I hope you are finding comfort where you can.

Be Well Friends,

Kim

Mending

Let's touch base-

     It's been a minute since I posted or shared anything on the blog so I'm taking this down time to try to be more connected with you here. Nothing real profound, just feeling the need to reach out since I'm not getting to see you all at the art shows this Spring and Summer. I'm also practicing not spacing twice at the end of sentences ;). ignore it if you see it happen please. I haven't felt inspired to work on any #WindowFramed pieces as of yet but I'm trying to keep my hands busy.  Above are my much loved and patched jeans that are needing an over haul thanks to my Keto lifestyle.  If you'd told me last year that I'd handle this world wide pandemic without a bowl of pasta as my wingman I'd have laughed out loud but that's just what I'm doing. Hence the need for jean alteration. So I'm using what I have and not buying more until it feels appropriate. I'm mending and making do. Visible mending feels like a signal to me and others that I care for what I have. To stop the disposable lifestyle. Reduce/Reuse/Recycle is a hashtag I often use online when referring to my art work. Even truer now in the whole of my life. Slowing down, paying attention, paying tribute to the people, places and things that support me in this life.

Be Well,

Kim  

2020 Art Show Schedule

Hello-

     It's been a few months since I made a blog post and a bit of a wait in the car service waiting room seemed like the perfect opportunity to catch up with you all.  So let's get started.

     I've passed out a few cards about commission work but no one has jumped at the offer yet.  I'm not discouraged.  It felt good to claim that as an option and I know the right people will find me when its a perfect option.  The Spring shows have been filled with weather challenges.  I never curse the rain around here because I realize that it is hard to come by most of the time and it is keeping the temperature down.  I will however grumble about the mud in the booth and the untidy results in Vincent, the new van.

     My narrow avoidance of an art scam did have a positive result.  I have all my current #WindowFramed pieces in one place for viewing.  I've created a Flickr page (click on the underlined word and a new window will open with the page for you)  that will take you right to where I've posted everything that is ready to go now.  I'll keep it current by either removing or posting SOLD on pieces no longer available.  Those of you who follow me on Instagram have been getting these updates regularly and getting a first look at new pieces and the process of their creation and even the finding of the windows.  You are following along on Instagram right? Prints are still available through my Etsy shops as well, links on the right.  You'll find my international work there as well.

I posted my upcoming dates there recently I'll post a short recap here.  Contact me if you need further location details.

May 26 and 27 Kerrville Arts Festival
June 7,8, and 9 at the Lavender Festival in Blanco
July 6 and 7 Rockport Art Festival
July 26.27 and 28 Ruidoso Art Festival NM

In between studio work in town and art shows on the road the cats and I are giving Mom a hand at the home place in the country.  As a result my life if full of all the things I love and that is a good thing.  So I think you know everything that is interesting.  You don't want to know about my creaky knee or continuously patched jeans, right?  So I will close with a photo of a cow with cartoonishly windblown horns.  I'm always willing to find the whimsy in something.  I hope you are too.  It makes the world a better place.

Thanks to you all for your continued support and for following along on this adventure.

Til next time,

Kim

The 2019 Adventure begins

What an absolutely wonderful year last year has been for me professionally.  I expect new and exciting adventures to follow this year.  Along with continuing the #WindowFramed series that you'll be able to find at the art shows I attend and upcoming retail venues, I am expanding to offer private commissions for folks looking to have me create a one of a kind fine art photograph just for them.  So many of you have asked if this was possible that I decided that YES, yes it is possible.  Here's what I'll be sharing when someone asks me if .....

If this sounds like something you've been dreaming of doing, maybe the cell phone photos you take just don't do your home place, deer lease, lake house or river side justice, then allow me to create that piece of art that will.  Until my show season goes into full swing starting in March I'll be offering an introductory price with the session fee of only $200. 

 

I hope you are as excited about the upcoming year as I am!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's where I'll be

 

 

It has been a busy year so far and is only going to get busier.  I hope you get to see my work at one of these upcoming venues.  The "WindowFramed" project really is a labor of love and the love I'm getting back from it is making the hard work worth while.  Even if you don't make it into some of these upcoming events please go check out the artwork of the other wonderful artists that will be there.  

 

 

As summer wanes

 

Summer is on the way out.  You hear that summer? Let's have some cooler weather please.  Rumor has it we will see some 60's this week.  It's hard to work up the excitement to get out and shoot when its silly hot out.  Hence the above night shoot and the lovely, quirky dairy cows from New Mexico.

 



 I did find some gems while traveling to a show in Temple a couple of weeks ago.  Has anyone visited the historic town of Bartlett?  It deserves more time and its on my list to visit when I can walk around and find all the hidden gems like this doorway.

 

But before that happens I've got two weeks to spend in Tuscany.  This will be my second visit to Italy and I'm getting pretty excited.  I'll be braced this time for the cinema like shockwave that hits when I step off the plane.  I'll be posting mostly on Instagram while traveling and will update everywhere else once I'm back home.

 

 

Here's what is on the books for upcoming shows for the rest of the year.

 

Sept 16  Blanco Saturday Market on the square

Oct  21  Blanco Saturday Market on the square

Nov 4    Utopia Art show

Nov 25  Comfort Christmas Market

Dec 1,2  Castroville Old Time Christmas Show

 

As always, if you see an image you'd like to make part of your home,office or business place and can't find it in my Etsy shops, let me know.  We can make it happen.

 

Until next time my friend.  Stay open and see what you can see around you.

 

 



THEY'RE TOUCHING MY STUFF!!!!!

  Today starts some home renovations after an unexpected ceiling collapse.  As a result, I'm getting a new ceiling in the living room, walls painted and my wooden floors refinished through out the house.  This means everything must be removed from the house except the kitchen and bath.  If you've followed along with me  you know I've KonMari'd quite a bit of stuff but I still am a "décor" fan.  That means I surround myself with things I love.  Vintage finds, books, pieces of treasures from travels and art work on all my walls that includes quilts. 

I've been living the last few weeks with all that nesting material in disarray and today they are coming to pack it up and store it while the repairs take place. That's where the title of the post comes from.  Thank goodness "they" are thoughtful, careful women who are working conscientiously to make sure nothing is damaged in the process.  But still, as someone who lives alone and enjoys that, its a bit daunting to have my space invaded, packed and messed with.  This is fine. Its probably fine.  It'll be fine.

I think I mentioned once to often "Wouldn't it be nice to start fresh.  Just have everything out of the house and be more thoughtful about what I filled it with."   Here's my chance.  If it wasn't in the middle of show season it would be a perfect opportunity. Things don't have to be perfect for wonderful to happen and that's how I'm choosing to see this.  I've put my shops on vacation mode, kept out enough clothes to get by and am keeping my show gear in the car so I've got all I need.  The furry kids are staying at the "spa" that is Grandma's house.  So all is well.

Let's do this!

See you soon,

Happenings

Still seeing

Old Tony Lama


     2017 is here and I've noticed that my perspective on things hasn't changed.  I'm still drawn to that one thing in the landscape that is out of place and catches my eye.  That one herd of animals with something to say.



 

 

    The quirky, the fun, the off center, the truly lovely and the spark of a dream all still speak to me. 

 

 

 

    This makes me hopeful.  These are things that make me happy and these things make a scary world a better place. I hope that you find those things that will make 2017 that for you as well. 

 

 

Coming soon, an updated schedule of venues where I'll be sharing my work in person in the coming year. Stay tuned!

 

Talk to you soon,

 

 

 

Scotland 2016 is in the works

 

 

Hi-

 

I'm in the middle of edits from my Scotland adventure.  Here's a look at an image from Skye to set you dreaming until I have more to share in a post.  Take a look at my images on my Flickr page (link in the right hand column) if you just can't wait.

 

I'll be back soon with impressions and stories from the trip.

 

See me here this weekend and why I haven't had time to post much here yet.

http://www.artsroundup.org/

 

Talk to you again soon,

 

Kim

 

 

 

 

New Mexico adventure

New Mexico certainly did live up to the title Land of Enchantment.  We followed rainstorms and back roads all about the state.

Wandered through old neighborhoods and envied colorful doors, windows and gardens.

The best part of all was having these adventures with my Mom and sister Cheryl.  The "go see" gene is strong in the family and roaming the roads with like minded folk can't be beat.

Continuing the Western theme of the summer will be my next venue.  I'll be on the courthouse square during Celebrate Bandera this Labor Day weekend.

Celebrate Bandera Labor Day Weekend

Come out and enjoy all that makes Bandera the cowboy capitol of the world. Longhorns, cowboys, music, food and fun.

Hope to see you there!

Kim

ps Next up Scotland!

Headed West Again

 

     As so many other Texans do when the summer starts to set in I'm headed to New Mexico.  I'll only be there for a couple of weeks but I'm so looking forward to running some of those back roads.  I will be there to work as well.  If you are in Ruidoso come see me at

The show is on July 22,23 and 24th of July at the convention center. 

Cowboy Rick will be there along with many others.  Hope to see you there.


We'll talk again soon,

Kim

What's next?

 

 

Come see me at the Blanco Lavender Festival.  This summer is starting off surprisingly mild and green.  This is the perfect weekend to get some shopping done in the lovely outdoors before the a/c begins to rule our days.

 

Details on the Southwest adventure to come in my next post.

 

See you soon,

 

Kim

Celebrate Mothers

 

 

Let's Celebrate Mothers

 

 

   I happen to have a wonderful one and I'm sure many of you do as well.  I've also been lucky to be exposed to many other examples in my life as well.  You may not have children of your own to mother but mother friends or perhaps your babies are covered by fur, feather or fin.  I believe those count as well.  Care and nurturing keep the world spinning and civilization balanced.  So raise a glass in toast to mothers everywhere.  It doesn't matter if its your original mother or one you found along the way.  To those souls that care for and nurture us, worry and sometimes weep but always hope and dream for us. Where would we be without you?



 

 



What's On?

Hi Friend!

This is what I've been up to lately.  Spring is a busy time in this part of the world for festivals and arts shows.  We like to get them started before the big heat and humidity set in for the summer.  This last Saturday I spent the day at The King William Fair in the historic King William neighborhood just south of downtown San Antonio.  What a joy it was.  So many happy people.  Beautiful weather and setting.  I was lucky to have my sister along to help out with everything.  I couldn't have done it without her.

I always enjoy finding out what images are most popular at any given show. This weekend it was an all time favorite  I'm Your Biggest Fan

Followed closely by a variety of Longhorns

 

 

This coming Friday and Saturday I'll be at the Wings Over the Hills Nature Festival In Fredericksburg Texas.  The vendor hall is free and open to the public all day.  So come get your nature on and spend some time in the beautiful Texas hill country where not all the wildlife wears boots.

 

Some upcoming venues to find me will be:

 

May Kerrville Festival of the Arts-Memorial Day weekend

June Blanco Lavender Festival 10th 11th and 12th

July Ruidoso New Mexico Ruidoso Art Fair 22nd 23rd and 24th

 

More details on those events as we get closer.

 

It is such a joy to get to meet with folks and see them fall in love with an image and talk about where I found that and the stories behind them. I hope I get to see you at an upcoming event soon.

We'll talk again soon-

Kim



Finally a Barn to explore

The Night Loft

 

 

Hello Friend-

 

 

If we've been in a car together within the last year or so then you probably remember me scanning the road sides for the perfect barn to photograph. If we haven't been out on the roads together then I hope we get to go someday.  Anywho......so the other day Mom and I were out for a drive and I spotted a barn at the Hill Country State Natural Area that clearly needed to be investigated further.  So I put a call out to my photo buds and they agreed to explore it with me.

 

We braved low water crossings, frigid northern winds, pollen for days and an early morning start to see what we could see.

 

 

We found some wonderful light and a barn full of character.  Warm old wood, cool tin walls, dirt floors and a loft where apparently the night sky is kept during the day.  What's not to love?

 

 

 

This does not mean I have finished exploring barns.  In fact, this has whetted my appetite and I will continue to explore each one I come across. 

 

 

I love spotting the little quirks in the structure.  The reuse of found architecture, recycled doors windows and wood bits and pieces.

 

 

 

Good times and a wonderful lunch with like minded photo fiends makes for wonderful memories and photographs.  Give me a heads up if you've spotted a barn you think I need to check out.

 

 

 

 

So until next time dear friend, keep your eyes open and see what you can see.  Oh and you can see me and my work in person on March 12 from 10-4 at the SoFlo Market

 

All the best,

 

Kim





 



 



 

 







 

 





 



 



Some Button Loves You

Hello Friend-

  I hope this new year finds you where you want to be or maybe on the way there.  That's true for me.  I'm at the point where I feel like I can focus my energies full time on my photography.  That means I've been assembling my art show booth set up, booking shows, building inventory, keeping myself open to new opportunities and adventures.  The show aspect of that starts this Saturday with a booth at the SoFlo Market here in town. San Antonio in Springtime is something to see and yes Spring starts in February here. Put away those sweaters.  So if you are in the area stop in and say Hi.  I will be at lots of other venues in and around the area and will keep you posted.  Follow along on my Facebook page and all the other social media links you can find on the right side of the page.  If you follow me on Twitter you'll be subject to some of my binge passions, Outlander, Agents of Shield, etc.  There's always something interesting happening there.

So...that's it.  The family and pets are doing well.  I'm spending the Spring and Summer working the art show/craft fair circuit in the area (fingers crossed for a Ruidoso show), Scotland in September because...Scotland, and any other adventures I can find my way into.  Happy Valentine's Day and like the photo says I hope some button loves you.

I'll write again soon,

Kim