ART ON THE MALL - KALAMAZOO

ART ON THE MALL

Friday JUNE 1 from noon to 9 pm 

Saturday JUNE 2  from 9-5 pm

 

I've been assigned booth #61 located on South Street -hope to see you there!

Two days full of music, performances and art!  Featuring 93 artists from throughout the Midwest and local region, Art on the Mall has made a name for itself over the past 30 years. A juried show, original art product includes pottery, unique garden art, jewelry, drawings, paintings, and mixed media to name a few. Booths are located on South Street, and the Kalamazoo Mall to Water Street.
ART ON THE MALL  is located down the street from the KIA Art Show held in Bronson Park that I have done the last three years. So, if you're looking for me head on down South street and you'll find me there in booth #61!

While your there, don't miss out on the DODAH PARADE  Saturday at 11:00 !  It’s zany. It’s whacky. And it’s not your traditional parade. It’s the Do-Dah Parade. Known around these parts as the kick-off to summer fun in Kalamazoo, the Do-Dah Parade celebrates parodies and spoofs through great community organizational teamwork. For over 26 years, this parade has reigned the downtown streets with its unique absurdities.
Plenty of front row seating is available to watch parade units go by on these streets: Lovell, Park, Michigan Avenue, Portage Street. Cheer your favorites.

Last Day of May

The lake looks steamy and a has a serene look even though it is raining. It's 45 degrees out this morning, what happened to the 90+ degrees we had last week?   I'm sitting out here on the porch, with my cup of steaming hot coffee and even though it's softly raining that doesn't seem to stop the barn swallow that is playing with a feather that has lofted to the sky from one of the swan's that is up on the shore preening.  What a sight to see! 
A pair of Canada geese are on guard and carefully watch from under the pier as they are protecting their tiny little baby as the swans swim by. Then there is Henry, our Canada goose who can't fly.  Henry swims with whoever will let him and constantly alters his plans to deal with his disability.  Awe, life!  I want to stay and take in this peaceful sight as long as I can before I head back to the studio to start creating. 

The Lemon Creek Art and Wine show last weekend couldn't of been hotter at 97 degrees!!! They say we broke the temperature record and I will attest it was sweltering!  It was hard to breath and thank goodness we have installed a battery operated fan in our booth as I'm not sure how I would of made it through without it.  Sunday morning the weather was even worse!  I got up took a hot shower and started the dryer, figured I might as well get prepared for the day ahead!  Ken & Chris were a big hit and the highlight of the day when they showed up Sunday evening with two boxes of ice cream bars. The artist's around me were all so thankful and as we enjoyed our treats it reminded me of the day's when the ice cream man would come down the street and all the kids would flock to his cart, waiting impatiently for our turn to pick our favorite treat, I loved the blueberry Popsicles the most, but then again those orange cream push ups were yummy too!

This coming weekend is the Kalamazoo Art on the Mall show that run's Friday and Saturday and the rain and cool weather appear to have moved in for the next few days.  Won't need ice cream bars, maybe a hot bowl of chicken soup!  What a contrast from last weekend, guess I better go dig out my thermals.  Like Henry who can't fly, I may not like what's life is dishing out but I need to adjust my sails and be prepared for the cooler weather and rain this weekend!  There are so many things to do in Kalamazoo this weekend, with two art shows the Greek fest and more.  Come on out, bring your  umbrella and your sweat shirt too and enjoy the day that the Lord has made!

Time to go to work, my studio is calling and so are the 20 pairs of earring I designed yesterday.  Guess I better go get them polished, wired up and ready to go so I can add these new pretties to my display at the Art on the Mall show tomorrow.

Lemon Creek Art Show

It's Memorial Weekend and that means it's time for the annual Lemon Creek Winery Art Show in Berrien Springs Michigan.  I love this small event and we have such a good time each year.  I will have a booth again this year with lots of new designs for you.  It's suppose to be a hot weekend so come out, enjoy the wines, the music and the artist displays!  Hope you can make it!

The Ada Art Show is this coming weekend!  I look forward to this show each year in this small quaint town outside of Grand Rapids.

This year I've been assigned to booth space # 66 down by the old covered bridge on Bronson Street.  I can't wait and I do hope the weather continues to shine on us this week !

Here is a sneak peak of a couple of new silver milkweed pods I will have at the show.  The one on the left has a beautiful  piece of titanium that I set in the center of the pod!  The pod below was calling for one of my faces and love the way she compliments the Drusy quartz I selected for this pod.


See you there!

April Showers brought the May flowers.  Can it really be the middle of May already!  No more snow! I am so ready for summer and all the wonders it affords.  I just wanted to share some of my flower in my little garden, they were gorgeous this year. I walked through my tiny garden and took pictures the other day, everything is so vibrant and beautiful this year.  Our pink dogwood tree that had 3 flowers last year was loaded with blooms and I dare say that threatening to cut it down if it didn't bloom this year worked!  It didn't seem to work on our sole peach tree that hasn't bore fruit since our grand daughter Keirsten was born 8 years ago, I do think it will get cut down later this summer when I find the time. 

The climatis is in full bloom and I am excited to see how big the flowers are this year especially since I cut the vine way back last year.  I just love this soft lavender variety with it's spikey center and it inspires my designs on those days when I lack creativity - yes - I do have barren days when nothing seems to flow!  

I planted 5 flats of flowers last week in my flower beds down by the lake and of coarse they are purple.  I got two flower pots filled with herbs and spent countless hours dragging stuff down from the attic for a huge garage sale with my best friend Karen.  WOW, what a week.

Now that that is done I am turning my attentions back to creating new jewelry for the summer season full of art shows.  I have 4 shows in a row coming up starting with ADA Art Show this coming Saturday. Next week will be the "Ladies Night Out" in Benton Harbor at Water Street Glass Works and then Lemon Creek Winery at the end of the Month.  Busy month ahead, so with that said I better get back in the studio and work, work, work!