22nd Year of Grand Illusions honoring Don Gunnerson...

Last night we attended a wonderful celebration of life and surviving with cancer research with the Ohio Cancer Research Associates honoring our dear friend Don Gunnerson. This light roast /saute was highly entertaining and a joy to witness for all in the room. I was feeling a little out of place because I have so little to offer...well to continue paying my hospital bills for my numerous life prolonging procedures.... I should be caught up by 2050 if I am lucky :O}}}! I am including several photos so you can vicariously see the JOY in this collection of giving citizens here in Licking County. Don and Betty are still in the honeymoon state of their matrimonial journey and at 85 they are still enjoying LIFE to the fullest. Ken made a wonderful video tribute but it is too long to post on my blog.... mainly he made it for the family members who could not make it in from Texas.

I went downtown to the studio to meet with another artist so we could work together in the studio but great plans are often side tracked by Mother Nature. It seems we lost power in the whole downtown area and I had a difficult time working in the semi-darkness and I definitely could not paint. So when all else fails ...I went to shop for art supplies and sales for my collage and my Spring line of cards. The rains continued for the rest of the afternoon so I cooked up a storm with a pot roast and a home made chicken vegetable soups ...yum yum...the whole house smelled inviting.

Tonight Ken and I viewed an intriguing movie...a true story about the significance in the color of our skin tones in South Africa during the 1960's until present time. "Skin" is thoughtful presented and a wonderful place to jump into a dialogue about how far have we really progressed in race relations here on planet Earth. I strongly encourage you to check it out when you have an opportunity to sit down and work on the methods you employ in your processes...sewing..knitting...quilting... beading. Have a wonderful weekend and hopefully the snows tomorrow will be brief and not too deep. Imagine and Live in Peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart


p.s. The young woman with short hair is one of my nurses who came to my home years ago to insure that my IV's were administered correctly and timely so that I could stay home with my girls instead of being in the hospital...Cindy is one of God's earth bound angels. She is now in charge of palliative care for patients before they go into the Hospice program. She is one in a million!!! My gratitude in endless.

The fatigue hit me hard today...

When one is very exhausted I have found it difficult to really complete my work. Except for my four year old Kylie
...she has a way of energizing my soul. We work on a redesign of our US Postal Hat by adding hearts and flowers and sparkle stars. I apologize for the difficulty of posting photos last night ...the computer world was mystical last night and would only allow me to perform a few tasks, I did post my fishy....cosmic... frolic Inchies last night and then again this morning so I am now caught up. I replenished my cards today and ordered another book of my quilts for a special client. My Vista order arrived and I need to get my postcards and tri folds out to other places and the visitors center. Late in the afternoon I took an actual rest on my futon of dreams in my small office...and found enough energy to get the major grocery shopping done. The economic situation is getting tighter and with the increase of gas prices...money is getting very tight. I replenished the cat and dog foods and treats plus cleaning...who says I clean???... supplies and the incidentals ones need to keep the household going. I was home by seven but totally ready for bedtime. Please forgive me for being brief tonight.

Tomorrow I will be more refreshed and ready to roast my dear friend Don Gunnerson for the Cancer fund raiser in the evening. Our newspaper had a wonderful front page article today and this honor is long over due. For my new followers...Don has supported and donated to every nonprofit agency in Licking county and a major life force for making the Arts a success here. Imagine and Live in peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart

Family night in the central gallery

I had another full day in the studio ...young artists...Kya and Gabbie and I worked on the third layer of the large canvas. Several of my blog friends have shared some great ideas for adding the depth I am working for. (Thank you Anne and Bea) This afternoon I prepared for the first family night in collaboration with The Grill Deli. Pat the manager has planned a wonderful economic menu with all the children favorites plus an art activity ...decorating a tee shirt with squirt paints ...to wear back next week on Wednesday. There were movies ...popcorn...snacks...treats and just plain clean fun with delicious foods for the parents to enjoy while the kids had a ball. I can see where this event could grow into a real and fast family event for the middle of the week. I hope you enjoy my photos of the madness and just clean fun! Thank You Pat and your wonderful staff for a memorable evening. See you next week...my grand daughters had a good time!

I am posting my Inchies for the collaboration ...well let us be truthful...I am tardy for the party! I did have a good time getting ready and making these tiny works and I am almost ready with next Monday's post. Thank you for the patience you have shown a weary little grandma. Imagine and Live in Peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart

fishy....cosmic... frolic... my inchies are completed....

Tea for Tuesday and I drank wonderful iced tea while I worked with my little Kylie to make a special "butterfly" garden card. I had several visitors come in to watch me work on my second layer of my large commission..."Come Back Successful". Last night I had a dream of the rich colors of India and saw the saris flowing in the breeze as if they were large ethereal butterflies. The transformation of this metaphor seems so appropriate for the affirmation I am beginning to put together. When the canvas is completely dry I think I am going to sand through the transparencies and add another layer of interference paints in sheer layers before I commit my goddess transfers on silk to the canvas. I am not sure how I will add the hands on top of hands images I see in my heart's mind. This process is time consuming between the drying layers but seems to work for me right now so I am practicing the art of patience. I went to my art store in quest of special papers to incorporate...but I was unsuccessful. The papers I see in my image are difficult to find ...silky images and transparencies are details I am searching for. I am even toying with using real silks but I am not settled on this just yet.

I met Ken for dinner and we had an opportunity to just sit together and not worry about what we will be preparing for dinner. Once again I had iced tea...the sunshine has me in the mood for the coming changes and this morning when I was pulling the car out of the garage I saw on March 1,2011 ...my daffodils are peeking up out of the coverage of winter's leaves. I was immediately motivated to feel a lightness of spirit but Ken reminded me that we still have a lot of winter left in the year. I think of my beloved daffodil lady...Eva Montgomery who passed at the age of 96 and is responsible for the multitude of varieties of daffodils we have growing in our community. I miss you warmth and smile Miss Eva but when I see the seasonal rebirth in the daffodils returning I know she is still with me. I immediately went upstairs to my home studio to finish my inchies ....fishy... cosmic.... and frolic! I decided to remove some stitches ...make some changes and well poor Ken was sound asleep. I will ask him to put my photos up early in the morning. I am already working on my "dance " inchie...happy feet comes to my mind and heart and I has a silver high heel charm I want to incorporate for Fun. I pray you have had a day filled with sunshine and made time to put your sacred marks down on paper or canvas. Imagine and Live in Peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart

p.s. I sorted through the wonderful buttons and ribbons I received yesterday from my art crew in Dayton...plus she even provided the stainless steel magnetic containers for easy access. Thank you ...thank you...thank you! After studying my photos of the canvas I realize I have a long road to travel to get where I want to see and be :O)!