New Life For Strange Voices

There is new life for the art show, Strange Voices From the Abyss, that Destree and I put together and was featured in downtown Salem at Venti's Cafe during the months of May and June. The show has been taken on the road and is now hanging in downtown Portland at the Bean and Tree.



Howard helped hang the show (well, actually, he hung it all by himself) while we were in Portland last week. All of the pieces that we hung are available for purchase (cash and carry). The Bean and Tree is located on the Portland Waterfront with an amazing view of the Willamette River.






Here is the great Bean and Tree staff: Brian, Traci, and Gina. If you're in Portland, stop by for a look see and grab yourself a latte or sweet treat. And tell them Dayna said hi!

Verklempt Over Exciting News

I'm feeling a bit verklempt, overwhelmed, grateful, blessed, psyched out, and exuberant over two publications I'll be featured in. The first I've known about for awhile, but didn't want to share until I knew for absolute, positive sure that it would happen (what if they changed their mind!?!). The second opportunity happened very quickly and is still in process. Enough cryptic talk. Let's get to the specifics.

My studio will be featured in the Fall, 2010 issue of Cloth Paper Scissors STUDIOS magazine. A couple of months ago, I submitted a few low resolution exploratory photographs -- I heard back from the editor within hours: she wanted more photos, this time high resolution. Knowing I needed a professional, I called my brother-in-law, John Svendsen, of Image Quest Photography to do the photo shoot. We set a date and he took way too many photos, whittled it down, and together we selected 15 to submit. I then set about writing the article. About a month ago I got to see the article for review and editing. I'm finally feeling confident that it will really appear as I went to the website for STUDIOS and saw my name in print! In print, I tell ya. Too see the cover of the fall issue and a listing of artists who will be featured, just click here. As I looked over the list of featured artists, I recognized a name: New York Artist Seth Apter of The Altered Page. We've been blog friends for the past couple of years.

I can't share the photos that John took or what will be included in the publication, but here are a couple of photos of John at my studio photo shoot.



My second piece of news is still in process. I received a call just a couple of days ago from an editor at the Statesman Journal, our local daily newspaper. Marian said they were putting together the Fall issue of Willamette Woman, which will focus on women artists, and they wanted to feature me. Yikes Almighty! So today was the photo shoot. Tim Gonzalez, a Statesman Journal photographer for over 20 years, came to my studio and shot some casual photos. Then I went down to the Statesman Journal offices for some photos of me with a plain background (no plain backgrounds to be found at MY studio!) - I changed my clothes three times for the photo shoot. Here are some photos of Tim getting set up at my studio . . .







. . . and then Tim let me snap a photo of him!


As I was leaving the offices of the Statesman Journal, I took a photo of the magazine I'll be featured in.


Stay tuned for updates as the two publications appear. I've heard that the fall issue of STUDIOS will be out in August, and Willamette Woman will be out in September.

NW String Summit: Welcome to Wacky!

I'm just back from three nights at Northwest String Summit. Whewee, what a fun weekend. Our daughter, Amy, and her family have attended this northwest bluegrass festival for years and every year they have encouraged us to attend. Last year we finally did, but only for one night. We enjoyed the festival so much, that we decided to go for the entire time this year. It is held at Hornings Hideout in North Plains, just a short drive west of Portland. The atmosphere of the festival is laid back and relaxed - music goes until 1:30 in the morning (no neighbors to complain). Camping is rustic -- outhouses, no fires, tote in your water. There is a family camping area for those with kids, an adult area, even a big field for RVs. I've taken a lot of photos, so let's get started.

Here we are waiting in line to get in (gates opened at 4:00 pm on Thursday). My son-in-law, Mike, arrived by 10:30 am and waited in line all day. Amy rode her bike out (over 50 miles!) from Portland, arriving about the time we did in the afternoon.







First morning.




Summit time around the grounds.












Morning time (yes, those are fresh peach pancakes). Mike and Amy camp every year with Rob and Lisa, so those are the other adults in the photos (and their daughter Miranda and son Zeb).











Rob takes the kids (and himself) for some wagon rides through the fields (and around the parked cars!).




Emmett hooping with Miranda (she's a pro).



A day in the life of String Summit. Really.











We ran into some friends, Ian and Linnea Balmer, who make wearable art and beautiful glass jewelry. Howard bought a pair of their fabulous patchwork corduroy shorts. Check out their website, Hummblebee.



We had reserved three paddle boats for a 3:30 water fight. Success! And boy were we all soaked - every inch of us was wet.







One of several albino peacocks on the property, plus one of the colorful ones. There are a couple dozen peacocks roaming the grounds. Have you ever heard the noise they make? It sounds sorta like a yowling cat in heat and they like to do their yowling in the early morning hours (click here if you want to hear the sound).



Afternoon concert fun - Howard still wearing his wet shorts!




So many great meals. Mike and Amy fixed a great veggie bowl -- and Howard and I had clean up duty. Gladly.



Rob and Mike.


Fans fill the bowl listening to the Rhythm Devils (who have a link with the Grateful Dead) and waiting for the Yonder Mountain String Band to begin. I was only able to capture a few photos of the fabulous costumes and outfits people were wearing -- it was getting dark!






We really did eat well. Our final meal was a tofu scramble breakfast burrito prepared by Lisa and Rob.


And while they were cookin' up a storm? I was hoopin' in my jams.


Until next year.