Middleburg Folk Art Studio

Well again another long time in between postings…but alas, no more beating ones self up. I have been so busy with work and orders, I have been truly blessed! Thank you to all!

Hope everyone had a fabulous Turkey Day, ours was just great. A little side bar, if you have never had a “Hoka” Turkey, do yourself a favor and order one for your next feast, it was just the best as usual.

Wanted to share a photo with you of our recent trip to mine and my husbands alamata. I think of the whole Art Institute of Chicago as my college, even though the School of the Art institute is on the back side, many of a snowy, windy or rainy day we’d cut through this magnificent place to get from Michigan Ave to the Columbus Drive side, cut through the Exchange Room hall, the student gallery and vola in the hall of the school, (oh, the places a student pass will get you). So when we returned last weekend, I was walking through the main hall and telling my daughter this–she looked at me as if your crazy, right? You see, my son was in from college, so a lot of reminiscing about college life was going on. Gone is the day of the free pass, cutting thorough the main hall, going on Sunday morning to do research before the public would come in. You learned when the museum was busy and when it was slow, you would know the guards not by name but at least by face and give them a little nod, you could sit on a beach in front of a Picasso and just soak it up. Some how when I’m there I feel 18 again, I remember how the gallery’s have changed over the years, that my favorite O’Keeffe was down for a while but now she’s back. I can look down into the inner garden and remember how it looks in all seasons. We only make it home about once a year now, my son goes willingly and will go to every gallery I visit. He looks thoughtfully at the paintings and sculptures with me, I’ll share a tidbit or two that I remember from art history classes, but he has been going there for some 19 years. My daughter on the other hand goes reluctantly, looks a lot at her watch and wants to leave at the drop of a hat. She however this year did find interest in the Thorne Room Miniatures which I took her to for the first time. And also made me very proud when her father asked her over cocktails what her favorite piece was and she pulled out David Hockney, “American Collectors” and told him a little about it (which I had just told her an hour before). But hey, I’ll take what ever I can squeeze into her in regards to culture. My son teases her that all she has to do is touch the lions tail and culture will just pour into her…so hence our photo this year with one of the lions!

A lion side bar: The two bronze lion statues were created by Edward L. Kemeys. The sculptor gave them unofficial names: the south lion is “stands in an attitude of defiance,” and the north lion is “on the prowl.” We are standing with the south lion…how appropiate.

And to all the wonderful people who have been asking what’s new. Here is the first new piece in a while “Partridge on Pear”, an ode to the 12 days of Christmas…it might just become a series. Check it out on Etsy at: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=18045772