Yesterday's gig with Back Stage Pass, a fan base and travel group hosted by former Queensryche leader, Geoff Tate and our 5th "appearance" with these rock stars. It was yesterday south of here, and Nigel, Sonora and Little Billie were on their best behaviors, mostly. The leader of the band Disturbed was also in attendance, just heard him on Sirius XM Turbo a minute ago! (My secret old-heavy-metal side.) Geoff is the greatest and touring now XXOO -"Operation:Mindcrime."
Our friends the Graham family finally got that tour and visit yesterday, and a nice rainbow showed up as well...That's Sarah's Dad and pal from the Clinton days, George Stitt plus buddy Barb Smith in the center. Young Cormac got a nice bear skull as a prize for being so cool.
Yesterday afternoon I went down to the beach with the dogs, the female eagle perched at the top of the nest tree. I settled down to wait for her departure and just after she split, a HUGE splash of whitewash (poop) in the river right in front of me. I looked up and the male had been spying on us the whole time, about 40 minutes! Still there when I left. In April he landed right over our heads. Curious (fearless) bird.
Nigel and Sonny on the right, house/studio/garage on the left, and Tree Swallow flying by front and center.
Raptors And Art Camp concludes with the students making portfolios of all of their drawings and paintings, and group shot with the paper mache creations. Great Horned and Snowy Owls, an Aplomado Falcon, two Turkey Vultures and a bunch of Saw-whet Owl Little Billy's. Oh, and one Little Lilly. The best kids ever this year!
This week we celebrate year 21 for Raptors And Art Camp at the Missoula Art Museum, with Bev Glueckert. Two days of drawing our models, then paper mache raptors then printmaking Friday. Plus this was program number 1900 for me since Raptors of the Rockies was invented in 1988!
A Friend on Facebook suggested that I go outside, a plein air landscape river painting. Probably not what she had in mind but a monotype of Rock Creek from the 1980's. Deborah Mitchell and I loaded up the printing press in the Subaru and spent a weekend en plein air, up Rock Creek and back on Flint Creek. It is like fingerprinting for adults, sepia ink on white plexiglass and run through the printing press which is pulled out from a shelf in the back, legs screwed in and one person holding the press down so we get a firm run. We might have made this up...HA!
Just the first one painted today and running 4 more prints tomorrow. 8" x 12" Drypoint etching with gouache paint - "Barred Portrait." Fun!
My brother just sent this photo of me as a scuba diver when I was two years old in California. HA!
This letter was mailed 10 miles from here, over two weeks ago, and enjoyed a cross country trip to Mid Island, New York. I love that: (State of MT (Montana))
Man, we have some new residents now like Cedar Waxwings (here) and Brown-headed Cowbirds. And tons of Bullock's Orioles even feeding at the hummingbird feeders, one Western Tanager, and American Goldfinches galore. Finally, and my absolute favorites - House Wrens! Can't go down to the river now for eagle shots with the bridge out but maybe there is a way...?
Tom and I got the bridge across the slough out - the water way up and floating, tethered to a pole. We used a come-along, pry bar, and two wheel drive pickup truck! Took an hour+ but WE DID IT! Sometimes the water completely covers that island across the slough, river roaring. It is always a trick figuring out how to re-install the bridge in July. One time we tricked a bunch of people that came to see the birds. Actually, they volunteered...
We had 5 babies pop out of this domed, stick nest in the front yard and how do they all fit in there? Must be fun to be free! Youngsters have the short tails and blue eyes, red around the "gape" or mouth.
I just finished this painting today- "Red Squirrel" on Claybord with printing inks, gouache paint, pen & ink, pencils, brush pens...Always an experiment and a piece of Claybord that previously had an eagle that didn't work, so I gave up and made that one an etching, that DID work. Squirrel 8" x 11" and framed on the wall, starting an etching now, a Barred Owl! I must harness this Art Inertia while it lasts. My term, but it fits.
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