I almost forgot...check this out...

If you love contests and give-aways please go the "Scrap with Stacy" blogpost to check out the Tim Holtz freebies ...everything you might want to play and explore with in your own works...I had never seen some of the new pieces and design elements. Our local craft stores are just beginning to bring in this new line of design elements for scrap booking and altered assemblages!!! Happy haunting! Good Luck! Imagine and Live in peace, Mary Helen

Happy Halloween and Gratitude to all those who have supported my Dream....

Three months ago I began living my dream...my own sacred art space to make my art journey visible every day. I am so grateful to everyone who has stopped by, offered some wise advice, shared the noon meal and a laugh with me and others, comforted me when fatigue reminds me to slow down a wee bit...and just for sending me positive energies to continue the journey. Yes, tomorrow the rent is due once again but I am learning every day. I have hosted two exhibits...Hayley Lavendar's first exhibit and Dalale Hall and Roy Oro King 's exhibit which will close on November sixth and then I am off to create Soul of the Season collection of gifts made here in Licking county by local artists and some new artist friends I am anxious to introduce to our community. I have always said no one succeeds alone and my affirmations are rippling in circles of gratitude for all the love I have received. I am amazed how quickly the time has flown by ...and look forward to "going home" to my space as often as I possibly can. Thank you all.

Today I went down to the studio...for a bit of peace and quiet to create my Thanksgiving collection of cards for the season. Ken went with me add a virus protection program on my new used computer. We hung a few paintings on the empty wall and I realize I have to finish emptying the rest of the garage so I will be able to park my car inside for the winter months that are quickly closing in on me. Ken did park his car inside tonight ...so I am motivated to be able to get my little Geo inside and safe and sound. I delivered Halloween candy bags to my grand daughters and then a quick run through at Kroger's for immediate needs for the week. When I came home I packed up the Halloween costume and spider lace for next year's festivities. Hopefully I will be able to pick up a couple specials from the clearance sales at the craft stores.

Now I am working to finish a special necklace for a birthday present for a dear friend's birthday tomorrow. I am hoping this design will make her as happy as it has been making the special gift. I am creating a card tomorrow to go with the necklace and will wrap it after I receive approval from her husband. I have chosen sterling silver necklace with a mother of pearl cross wrapped in silver with some possible design elements that may or may not work. I will photograph the finish product tomorrow...I even bought a velvet display element to showcase my latest pieces. I am relatively new to this process but honestly I do love the immediate "wow" factor I feel as the designs come to fruition. I hope you have had a blessed weekend with your special little ghosts and goblins...Happy Halloween! Imagine and Live in Peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart

Iconoclasts on Sundance and The Motorcycle Diaries

I think...well I know.... I did too much too fast this past week and ended up with the sniffles and a fever and the afternoon in my bed with my attentive Little Rosie and my lovely black cat Desdemona. Ken had an opportunity to make his grades and computer obligations and catch up on the college football scores. I was tired and slept most of the afternoon away but I woke up to one of my favorite movies The Motorcycle Diaries ...two passionate doctors explore the South Americas during the early 1950's...truly an inspirational movie. Then on Iconoclasts Ron Howard and Steven Nash shared an hour about focus. discipline, creativity and their diverse professional lives. The discussion about the narrow definition of creativity and the choices we make daily to live a fully authentic life with challenges that will progress through the decades of our lives. Ken made breakfast for dinner and it tasted soothing and hopefully tonight I will get a good night sleep.

I have included several of the photographs from last night's opening... I hope you will enjoy our celebration of making a an artist life here in Newark, Ohio. At the same time the Newark Catholic seniors had a special dinner with their mothers so we shared their excitement of the upcoming state finals this afternoon. They are a wonderful group of young men and just being with them reassures me that the future is bright! Today I was made aware that our gallery next door is hosting a Wine and Art Auction for our Aids Task Force here in Licking County next Friday so I am working on a contribution for the auction. May your weekend be relaxing and enjoy the ones you love. Imagine and Live in Peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart

Happy Halloween! and what a week of glorious activity

We had our power restored on Sunday and then on Tuesday we had over 60 mile an hour winds hit our county in the afternoon and guess what ? We lost several large trees and had live wires flying all around and no one was allowed in or out of our circle subdivision. By nine that night...we had our power restored but the crews worked the next day clearing up debris and the downed tree limbs. Tonight we headed over to Erin's house for dinner and trick or treating with my two favorite dinosaurs. Well Cole loved being a dinosaur but ... Miss Morgan had a totally different idea about wearing this particular outfit. She ended up wearing Dr. Cutie Patootie! On the way home a small young doe dashed out in front of my little Geo...luckily I had enough space around and in front of my car to avoid hitting her but just by the slightest of inches. I pulled over... I was shaken but oh so grateful not to have hit this creature of beauty.

Tomorrow I am setting up for the opening for my painter Dalale Hall and sculptor Oro Ray King 's opening from 6 to 8 pm. The weather turned colder tonight and I think we will have a clear night for a stroll around our beautiful courthouse. The Licking County Arts is hosting a "Beyond Realism" abstract theme and Liz Argyle is hosting a painter ...but for the life of me I cannot think of her name. The Gallery of Dreams with Kim Miles will exhibit her paintings and portraits between the 6 to 8 hours. Little by little our community of diverse artists are collaborating and celebrating the Arts created here in Licking County.

I will share some of the opening photos tomorrow. I am feeling so grateful for my narrow escape of a collision tonight, the dedication my Priscilla expressed in the whole Paper Moon Studio collaboration with The Works Harvest Festival, and my admiration for young, dedicated parents who live and love their families with every breath of their being. Happy Trick or Treating!!! Imagine and Live in Peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart

Monday and the light mist of sprinkling raindrops kiss my face....

We now have power once again...I have done my laundry and had our soup for dinner. and worked on a skeleton apron for the beggars night on Thursday. I think we are going over to Erin's to help pass out the candies to the cute little ghouls and dinosaurs running up to the doorway to collect as many sweets as they can possibly carry. Last night I thought I would start a few sample items to test the market for the upcoming holiday season. I watched one of those home shopping stations for a few moments to see what gifts they were providing but I am sure they are all mostly made and shipped from China. I am working on my window collection and was asked today to make a pattern for a three foot snowman with a cute hate and arms for mittens. They will need 7 for the courthouse square and this will be something to bring people in to watch the start to finish process.

We...the downtown association ... are working with the students upstairs for their design processes and this gives them a perfect opportunity to work and create in the real world. I am hoping this will be a fun project to create with a couple of my friends and use their design skills and playful child like attitudes. I have donated the gesso, paints and fabric for the scarves for embellishing each character for the top of street signs. I will make the pattern tomorrow and deliver it to the Works Wood Shop so they can make the cut outs and we can get started.

Yesterday while we ate our soup by candlelight and listened to a four truck team from the electric company make double time on a Sunday night and use a chain saw in the dark of night Ken and I tried to read a little of the newspapers. Scary thought when you stop to consider all that could have happened. I kept hearing things fall and today I can see how they had to remove more trees than I realized and there is actually a a 10 inch tree trunk hanging in the limbs of the remaining tree surrounding the final trim. Well thank goodness no one was injured and we now have power once again. Thank you AEP..I never looked better than in the candlelight but electricity is a wonderful convenience.

I am getting ready to hand out the Paper Moon photos tomorrow and make the final preparations for Friday's Art Walk. Table cloths, napkins, cups, wines and other drinks plus small finger foods. Hopefully we will be blessed with good weather for strolling down and around the courthouse square. I have to help Priscilla remove the materials and clean the floors and prepare the room for another celebration of the Arts here in Licking County. Have a quiet and safe day tomorrow...we have a strong winds arriving tomorrow afternoon...predictions of 60 miles an hour winds and possible storms... hey it is Ohio so we are used to this. Imagine and Live in Peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart

Muchos Gracias to the whole Rink family and Alex, Gabe, Tyler and Jessica...

My collaboration with the Works and their annual Harvest Festival yesterday defies any of my words that I can come up with. I began my day at 10:30 am in the studio and left at 8:30 pm with a big smile on my face. Tired but thrilled to have had such a wonderful day. When all is said and done I think we made $200.00 for Priscilla and about $65.00 for my beloved YES club...Youth Engaged in Service. When you see the photos I do hope you will smile and remember the simple joys we had as children during the cool colorful days of October. The multitude of generations who came out to play was inspiring... I am thrilled to have made this a fun collaboration for the Works and my Whispers and Echoes Studio. I really truthfully do not know who had the most fun....the adults or the little children. I hope you enjoy the short video that Ken put together with his spooky music choice :O)!

Now I am on to the next process and project. I received my entry form to the Ohio Designers Best of 2011 exhibition...so what will it be??? I have several ideas but you just never know until the exact right moment. I need to work on my Holiday window plans...I discovered the 1962 collector's box of Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer with the three perfectly preserved ornaments...Burl Ives as the Snowman...the Misfit Toys... and our dear Rudolph with Santa at my favorite thrift store and wallah! I think I have got it. You will have to stay tuned to see what develops in my childhood's memory. That was the year I received my bicycle under the tree...and we have made it a family tradition to bake cookies or wrap family presents during the 30 minute program. Do you have any special thoughts on how the holidays were spent when you were a small child? We only had small gifts...well except for the bikes that year...but we made most of our exchange gifts back then and it seemed so much more fulfilling. I am working on a parent or teacher gift project for the day after Thanksgiving and it comes in a box that the child will decorate and make a handmade card and put a beautiful yarn or ribbon on it to complete the gift.

Well I need to catch up on household duties and finish my chicken noodle vegetable soup for tonight's dinner.... it is supposed to rain for a couple of day so this will be a great supper to come home to tomorrow. Have a great weekend! Imagine and Live in Peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart