Wednesday Morning's Adventure

Per my weekly routine, I went to the Nashua Artist's Breakfast Club on Wednesday, when what to my wondering eyes should appear, but members of the Chelmsford Art Society preparing still life set-ups using vegetables instead of bowls, pots, crystal or whatever. Peggy J is a stalwart and energetic member of CAS and has already been to Trader Joes and purchased an ample supply of vegetables (well, two cabbages) and flowers and greenery.

Turns out she's a pro at delegating, too.  

Mark F (at right above) tackled the Green Cabbage with a pair of scissors.  The hole was a wee bit shallow, but foliage would soon cover that.

Paula M (who confessed to years as a flower arranger for a garden club) bravely attacked the red cabbage with a lettuce knife, made a hole big enough for a free water cup from the B&N cafe, and went to town.

 Turns out Joe had taken flower arranging (in Japan, even!!) and knew that the foliage "should" be about 1 1/2 times as tall as the "vase."  This helped minimizing the random, conflicting and very vocal advise given to Paula.
 She had her own ideas about color and composition and was selective about who she listened to!

 Peter K, above at left, who spends what time  he can in Hawaii (a floral paradise if there ever was one), was fairly quiet, and perhaps had his doubts-- if I read his facial expression correctly.  Since he's always kind, though, he didn't get in anybody's way.
After the "vases" were made and one arrangement done, Peggy cleaned up the fringey fronds.  I had been enjoying the aroma of a feathery dill and modernistic eucalyptus.  I don't think the cafe staff even had to get out their mops!

A job well done!  Head over to   CAS' Facebook page  to see some of the results.

Liking Me Some Ribbons

I've made friends at the Nashua Artist's Breakfast Club and a high percentage of them are paid members of the Chelmsford Art Society.  The CAS seems to be a fairly small but pretty enthusiastic group of artists and art lovers.  I haven't met all of them, but I've been to a couple of their monthly artist demos... (Paul Pedulla and Stapleton Kearns), both of which were worth the 35 mile trip and gas mileages.

Well, one of the whing dings I heard about from last summer was their July 4th Show.  First of all, you have to understand that Chelmsford does 4th of July like they invented it.  Granted the town is pretty near Lexington and Concord, but just the same...!  Residents start claiming parade seating with lawn chairs on the 1st of July AND NOBODY MOVES THE CHAIRS.  What a nice community tradition, don't you think?

Their parade is on the 4th and there's a carnival... and in the past the art show.  This year the brilliant Co-Presidents decided to have the show hung and judged  by July 2 so there could be an adult reception  on July 2... and you could actually get to it!  (Having lived in Pasadena, California for almost 30 Rose Parades, I can tell you that trying to cross a BIG parade's route on the day of the parade is pretty near impossible.)  Chelmsford's roads clearly developed from crazy cow paths, so the traffic is even more challenging.

Anyway, I picked some paintings, got them framed and ALMOST didn't enter them.

Art shows have a pick-up dates and it is bad form not to pick up your paintings on time.  Well, as it turns out, I have some medical issues and an appointment which was going to interfere with picking up the submitted works.  But I listened to my enthusiasm and approached a Breakfast Club Friend and asked if she'd be willing to pick up my paintings.  She said yes!  And so I submitted the limit:  3 paintings.

And yesterday I got a call to encourage me to go to the reception because I'd won something.

When I arrived, I found out I'd won two somethings. Surprised and totally delighted.

Second Place in the non-professional pastel category for "Wild and Woolly"...

 Third Place for The Good Rooster (Crows Everywhere) in the Oils/Acrylic category.

 

The irony is that the one I liked most (titled "Attitude) and the one that elicited purchase inquiries, didn't win anything.  Must remember that prizes and what I like aren't necessarily related... although I clearly DO like prizes!