Hallowe'en is coming!

Although it feels more like November, this has been a great Hallowe'en season!  Our Monster March on October 20th was blessed with one of the few nice days and the turnout was awesome! 

And our Elora Center for the Arts has been very generous with its treats:  a whole selection of Hallowe'en inspired workshops and talks!  I was able to take part in two workshops:  

and they were both great experiences!  I have to admit that this year I've scaled back on the decorating because we adopted a pup (more on Zorro in a later blog post) and instead of shopping I made these two awesome decorations!  

I'm also aiming to finish the paper maché pumpkin I started ten years ago (gulp).  

Judy Anderson gave a lively, fun workshop on a dark and dreary evening and everyone was able to complete a unique centerpiece.  

It was rather thrilling to accomplish so much in so little time!  Bravo to Judy for presenting such an organized and well-planned event!

And on the weekend, it was Tim Murton's turn to guide us on the creation of a Twilight Zoo skeleton!  We had to work hard and fast to finish a full skeleton in two days, what a ride.  It took a week for my hands to recover after twisting wires all day, then paper maché-ing for a whole day!  

In the end I decided to spend more time on the head and forget about the legs, which worked out fine (although Tim gave us whatever we needed to finish our projects at home).  "TZ" is my pride and joy, but I'm so nervous about his weathering that I haven't put him outside!  He's enjoying his "life" in our sunroom, peeking out the windows at everyone passing by.  If it's not raining, he will go outside Hallowe'en night!  

Open doors

I think art is about storytelling.  When you fall in love with a piece of art, it's because it's part of your story.  Not necessarily part of your life-story, but perhaps what you want to be, dream about or how you see the world.  It resonates with your inner story. 

  I was smart enough to read the local free paper on Friday and spot an article about an art show hosted in a Bed and Breakfast and made a point to go.  Because it was in a B&B, I knew Mom would be willing since she loves to see older, century homes so I didn't have to worry about the contents of the show:  Mom would be pleased either way.  So on Sunday we went and WOW!!!  The Bed and Breakfast owner, Kim Hedge, turned her Grandville Manor into an art gallery and the arts could not be blessed with a more welcoming patron!!   Some people have a natural ease and although Kim professes that she is not an artist, she certainly makes an art of hosting such an event and making everyone feel welcome (and, as you know I'm an introvert, this is keenly felt and appreciated).
  And the art?  Diverse, unique, affordable, expensive, fun, strange, inspiring!  And for one piece, it was instant for me:  I wanted it the moment I saw it  (although I had to be sure I could give it a really good spot before saying an absolute yes).  "Patience" by Amy Roger is a beautiful painting, the photo here doesn't do it justice, and it's now on my wall! 

 And, if my sister likes the "Cookie Spa" by artist Tara Dickson as much as I think she will, I may have done some very early "Christmas" shopping!

And the icing on the cake?  Kim took the time to flip through my photo book of soft sculpture critters and a few may just be spending the summer at her B&B!!   I would be so honored!!!

Into the dark woods

Yesterday we went to see "Snow White and the Huntsman", which was a treat, we rarely go to the cinema.  The movie was predictable, after all it is Snow White, but full of incredible treats, in particular the castle and Queen Ravenna's costumes.  Oh my gosh!  My chin nearly hit the floor when I realized her neckline was encircled by bird skulls on one incredible coutured creation!  Very fitting of her character, and so wow! 

Definitely the star of the show!  Bones, beetles, feathers, metal work, etc...  What imagination!

As for the rest of the film, if you want magic rent "Legend", with Tim Curry.  In "Snow White...", all the critters are computer generated and are not terribly convincing... I wish they'd reworked the White Stag, who certainly deserved better.  And why computer generate bunnies when they're so easy to be had?  Ah well, go see it for the costumes and the castle, and the bridge creature who was quite lovely, all stone and roots and moss.  And Queen Ravenna's back story added dimension to her character. 




These images are from this site.