Just Another Snowy Day In May

Hard to believe that one week ago we had to break out the winter hats and gloves again! YES, we had a late winter storm that came with snow warnings, a snowy opening day at the Spenard Farmers Market and an unusual Bike to Work Day! The crazy snowfall set several records, the worst being the 2012-13 snow season was the 232 days LONG as of Saturday, May 17 -the longest "winter" for the city of Anchorage with a high temp of only 37 degrees which set a cold record temp and if that wasn't bad enough the 0.3 inches of snowfall set a daily record! Below is a picture of my drive to my sister's house to pick her up to go to opening day of the Spenard Farmers Market!

However, in just seven days, Mother Nature transformed Anchorage to have temps in the near record 70's! What a difference the sunshine makes -I was even able to finally weld outside and finish a mountainscape wall sculpture commission that the commercial clients have patiently been waiting for. We were waiting for a break in the weather that was supposed to happen in March!

What Have Your Hands Made for the Holiday?

Southcentral Alaska has been under heavy snowfall and it’s been beautiful. Just in time for the Anchorage School District winter break which begins when the final bell rings today at 3:30pm. YIPPEE! Of course if it’s been dumping snow here in Anchorage we probably won’t even be able to make it up our deck stairs in Girdwood –Alyeska always gets a ton more snow than we do here in town. But we’re ready to scoop and shovel and give good directions to Bob, the front end loader driver who really does all of our plowing in Girdwood. With a relaxed production schedule I’ve been the one keeping up on the Anchorage driveway

and decks and I admit even with the big snow scoop my upper arms are sore. My studio table hasn’t seen much art production this week but the Studio has been looking more like Santa’s workshop. The table is the perfect height and size for wrapping and assembling gifts. Some get delivered to school today and others will travel with us down to Girdwood tomorrow.

For gift-giving I made some special Good Fortune Pea Pods that I have Blogged about before. I also plasma cut and welded my sister Chris a wildflower wall sculpture –though I didn’t know it at the time… The Gallery called me last week and said my sister was in and really, really, really liked the large wildflower wall sculpture they were getting ready to hang. It would fit perfectly on her entryway wall. I asked Chris at Half Moon Creek Gallery if she was sure my sister Chris didn’t say something to the effect of “I really like that sculpture because it looks like the one my sister made me” and Gallery Chris was positive that my sister Chris had

expressed interest (though probably in jest) in wanting that sculpture. Though I was a bit stumped, I told the Gallery thanks for the heads up, to set it aside and I’d be in to pick it up as it would be the perfect Holiday gift for my sister Chris. OK, so here’s the weird part. A couple of months ago I had welded three similar wildflower wall sculptures, two for the Gallery and one for my sister’s entryway after she asked me to make her one this summer. I thought I’d already given her the sculpture but instead I had taken all three to the Gallery and she never got the one I made especially for her –until Tuesday at lunch!! Chris (my sister) and I met for yummy Mexican food and we exchanged gifts for our kids and then walking to our cars, I “surprised” her with the sculpture I'd picked up from the Gallery!

The picture is cropped because it’s just a quick “inventory” shot. I try and shoot every piece before it heads out of the Studio just for my files. Chris’ piece is just over 5’ long, with a clear coat finish and she was absolutely thrilled to get it and thought the whole story was even funnier. Along with the Pea Pods, a couple of wall sculptures and smaller metal ornaments, I’ll probably be making some small, 3x5 water color mountain paintings this weekend as well as some Holiday cookies. So what are your hands making for Holiday gifts for friends and family?

Let It Snow!

So much for my shopping trip to town today! I had wanted to go to the Museum Craft Weekend and visit with my other artist friends, see all the wonderful art and peruse the Read Alaska Illustrators and Authors sale on this famous shopping weekend. However,  Mother Nature recommends that I stay off the highway and strap on the skis instead! The snow storm has broke for the time being and left over a foot of snow on our Girdwood doorstep, dumped 40+ inches on the mountain and left everyone giddy –except for the road maintenance crew and our front end loader driver who plows our drive! Will called and said the Anchorage roads were a bit of a mess but getting cleared up. Daddy-O is up on the Mountain carving it up and I think Gus and I will just stay put in paradise, make a turkey sandwich and have some more pie!

I don’t remember ever participating in “Black Friday” but I’m sure my sister and some of my friends were up at the wee hours yesterday helping our economy… I actually participated in the reverse and delivered artwork TO SELL to Holiday shoppers at Babes In The Woods, Shelbi Lynne's lovely new shop on the

Alyeska Boardwalk! She promised she'd send me some photos of the inside of her shop to post. 

*Oh Darn it! I have to run down to the Mercantile, I'M OUT OF COOL WHIP FOR MY PIE -arrrgh!