Hectic 2 Weeks & Why I love New Bern

My sister Betsey just reminded me that I hadn't posted anything in 10 days, "Is there something wrong?" she asked.

No everything is right! We've had one event after another and company to boot.

Without going into too much detail, a week ago Friday we had our May ArtWalk opening, we were packed all day long. clay sculptor Justine and her friend Cindy were here for the reception. Their work depicts the work of Klimt and the show is called "The Viennese Waltz". The pieces are fabulous. Here is just one piece from the show.

About 5 pm that evening my brother and sister in laws from Indianapolis arrived for the car show. On Saturday there were over 500 award winning cars on our downtown streets. To get into the show the car had to have won at the national level, cars came from as far away as Washington State and Alaska. I didn't get to go to the show but got one of my own.

As the show broke up I stepped outside my studio and saw about half of the cars driving by!

At the same time we had day 2 of our clay workshop with Justine in our studio. The pieces all turned out great.

That evening at 5 pm there was a block party at the Farmers Market with 3000 Harley Davidson motorcycles!

Sunday while Donna and Lori held down the fort we took our company on the circle tour, Fort Macon, Beach, Beaufort, Ferry ride, Oriental and home.

Monday morning was the first day of a 3 day Plein Air painting workshop, led by Mike Rooney, at our studio.

It was a great workshop and I learned a lot. I am a watercolorist but want to paint in oils too. While I've done some oil paintings that were successful I really struggle with it. With my background in architectural illustration I really get caught up in the details so it takes me forever to do a painting.

In this workshop I learned how to paint faster, put more color in my painting giving it a fresher look. At workshops the goal is not to do a finished painting but to learn. That being said I did finish (almost, I just need to clean up a few lines) this little painting. I really like it. Its fresh with lots of color and contrast.

The fast part is really going to be good because I've got a show coming up in July with my friend Carol Tokarski. Yikes!!

On top of all that there were a couple conventions in town and after we closed tonight I came home and laid in the hammock on our porch and listened to the steel drum music from the "Music in the Park' Series at Union Point Park 1/2 a block from my house.

Hectic but a great time to live in New Bern.