The NEOS Ballet performs their own Dracula and the weekend with Miss Maya....

On Friday night I volunteered for a very creative interpretation of Bram Stoker's Dracula. The multimedia production included some fantastic photographic effects along with contemporary music to enhance the intriguing theatrical production! The dancers were totally mesmerizing in their intimate development of each characters. My YES friends arrived for many of their first experiences with contemporary dance productions. To quote my friend Jackson..."This totally rocks!!!" About 35 students and their chaperones were given special passes to see this production in the "green velvet seats" live in The Midland Theater. After the performance the local Girl Scouts met with the dance director and one of the dancers...a real treat for them to be up close with the actual performers. The special effects... a horseless carriage...a simply mystical floating coffin across the stage... several lighting effects that made the audience jump in anticipation of what was going to be happening next!

On Saturday I delivered a small bookcase to the studio so I can place updated resources and materials for the next couple of weeks getting ready for the Holidays. Hopefully tomorrow I will begin to paint my rather large wooden Santa ...to be used for Holiday photo opportunities as we enter the next couple of weeks of community and family preparations. To be honest...I am looking forward to getting this man that we all love to love on the road to his little children and their special requests. I have completed some research so I have my work cut out for me...I will keep you posted.

I went to pick up Miss Maya for her overnight stay with Grandpa and myself...she received a special fudge preparation lesson...she created her first batch of homemade fudge! By golly, Miss Molly Maya hit the ball out of the ballpark...this was a creamy chocolate delight. I think she enjoyed making this special recipe with her grandfather...one on one! We had a shower and put on our pajamas to settle in for a quiet night ...well we were going to wrap up a few Christmas presents for the younger grandchildren but instead we settled down into my big chairs and watched a little bit of TV and I shared some older photos of my girls when they were tiny and we had just moved into the cabin. Maya snuggled down in her mother's old bedroom and watched "Hildago" as she slipped off to sleep. Breakfast was her dream breakfast ...with homemade banana pancakes, orange juice, bacon and milk. Yum Yum! She then used hr last hour with us...she wanted to work on a large work inspired by squiggles and color color color! When she finished I took out my Art Book and shared the works by Basquait....we did not have any time to really go into detail but just playing with colors and rubbing textures and just plain fun. I will treasure my special time with my grand daughter in my heart forever! Have a spectacular week in your studios. Imagine and Live in Peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart

Cinnamon Studio: After The Storm

Cinnamon Studio: After The Storm
Snow in October...the ultimate trick or treat! The ice crystals are miraculous! Love, Mary Helen

Fluffy Turkey Gratitude.......

I am not sure what happened with blogger.com tonight...I am already having trouble with reading other posts so I hope I will be able to continue on. I worked into the late hours last night on the antique quilt with the insect destruction and layers of insect eggs held in the layers of the quilt.....eeeeewwww! I sanded the new wooden flat rod and finished the sleeve for installing the piece tomorrow. I did what I could in the time allowed and it will look appropriate in this Civil War exhibit so I can now move onto the big life-size Santa for the upcoming Civil War Holiday Expressions the day after Thanksgiving. Can you spell ...pressure? Tomorrow it is hello dear Santa and return to the several small commissions I have on my desk.

Tonight we worked on the theme of showing gratitude for our simple gifts like family, home, friends, food, holidays and of course making Art! My young artists chose the small naked turkey to add colors and special paper feathers with an individual lists of their personal ideas of their gratitude for their gifts in their homes. I love the way I put out a simple design template ...a couple pairs of scissors...a large collection of papers for the feathers and glue sticks. Life does not get any better!! I have been selecting small gifts for these special children who have stolen my heart..a journal for private drawings...wooden animal frames to decorate...tubes of traveling colored art pencils to name a few tokens of my appreciation for their intense trust they have bestowed on me. I hope you can appreciate the joy in their exploration processes and delightful fluffy turkeys. Imagine and Live in Peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart

Tea for Tuesdays....whoops...

Today I have been a wee bit off...more than usual for a Tuesday but I did manage to spill my glass of tea on the wet work table...yes... now it is really a wet working space. No use crying over split tea...a very small and I do mean small joke. It is one way to arrange to get he space cleared off a wee bit. I did have some incredible friends drop by the studio and they are the group from my favorite Bluegrass group "Frosty Morning" They perform every Monday in a small place in Hebron and hopefully I will get down to hear them perform with a chance before the weather turns too icy. They are both loving couples dedicated to each other and spread the state of Grace everywhere they are and especially in their sweet down home music. Then Gail brought in another piece of her wonderful assemblages and I immediately put it up on an easel. She then spent time roaming my studio space for inspiration...she loves to just walk around and peruse the multitude of materials on my worktable. (Beside the wet spot from the spilt ice tea...) Vicki came in to drop off some materials for her special "Man "party to purchase possible Christmas gifts for their favorite ladies for the upcoming holidays or December birthdays. Then my dear friend and artist George hobbled into the studio on crutches. He had broken his ankle in three places and under gone major surgery for reconstruction. As a young father of two small boys he missed a week of work in a great deal of pain. He assured me that the boys have been very supportive but this situation has to be very trying for them all. His medications have altered his body's temperature and he has discovered hot flashes...it was something we could all share and laugh about. On my next hospital visit I am planning a visit to his law offices to see his private collection of art from several artists in our mid-Ohio area. I worry about him being able to take care of day to day activities like laundry and groceries and cooking. And we all know I am a dynamo when it comes to doing laundry...so George please think about it...I am very reasonable ...practically Free :0)!

I visited the visitors bureau to make our dinner reservations for the annual dinner in two weeks and submit my marketing materials for consideration for an award...humble as they may be I am really proud to say that I am still here after a little over a year. No I am not making a lot of money :0) but I have a very rich life. Tomorrow will be a better day and for now I am off to continue my restoration work on the civil war quilt...send more affirmations please. (check yesterday's photos on the post)

I also received a life size Santa to complete for the Holiday extravaganza the day after Thanksgiving. Whew I do have my work cut out for me... as you can see. This is a working studio so work I will do!!! Imagine and Live in Peace, Mary Helen


The Indian Mounds were so beautiful today in the afternoon sunlight through the flutter of falling leaves.