Round the Fountain Art Show 2011 Lafayette, Indiana

The 38th Annual Round the Fountain Art Show at the Tippecanoe County Court house in Lafayette Indiana

was able to start and finish as the eminent storm clouds held off just long enough to let everyone feast their eyes on some amazing talent.

Don't forget you can click on pictures to enlarge for a better view.

Every year I have my favorite and this years Fab Find is photographer & artist Chris Maher - Fine Art Nude Photography from Lambertville, MI

This is the display that drew me in

And this would be the one that Chris would describe as my "A-ha" moment

He was also the most joyful, enthusiastic & informative artist I met that day.  He really wanted you to know about his work - how & why he creates.  He says it best “ I Create photographs that reveal a woman’s beauty and celebrate her intimate connection to the eternal.”

This is not playboy fluff.  These are some of the the most tasteful and creative nudes I have ever seen.

Hubby spotted the one that resembled a flame and insisted that I photograph it.  Chris asked him if he noticed the bodies.  Hubby looked at him and said "Duh".  Chris said it is amazing how few people do.  I can understand that because the "Flame" is so perfectly formed.

 

Just amazing

To view more of Chris Maher's work visit DreamsOfTheGoddess.com

I wish the lighting had been better so that I could show off this artist who wants to share the love of his craft. He is Berry Davis co-owner of Neptune Hot Glass from Celina, OH.

Berry Davis & Collette Fortin use heavy precious metal to create solid glass sculptures, to portray ocean themes.  Berry and Collette spend the entire winter making these beautiful glass statues and then spend the summer traveling around to art shows selling them.

Ecology is alive and well in the artist community. With the purchase of any of his sculptures that have "Save Our Seas" etched on it, he will donate 5% to aquatic preservation.

Neptune Hot Glass doesn't currently have a website, but you can contact them by email at colletteinneptune@bright.net  Each piece is it's own unique creation.

When I spotted Lindsey Elizabeth Tull - a painter from Shelbyville, IN. - I was thinking how awesome this would look in my living room!

 

"Paintings filled with Light & Imagination"

I'd say she's having a Whale of good time.  Ok, so it's not a good pun, but it's the best I could do after a day like this.

Visit LindseyTullStudios.com 

Bronze Indian Sculptures by James A. Ford 

from Richmond, IL

Jumping in & out of tents my flash didn't go off.

My pictures don't do his pieces justice, so please stop by his website JamesAFord.com to see how exquisite these sculpture really are

You can also Like his FaceBook Page

Love the colors in this Randall Scott Harden painting

from Noblesville, IN.

And it says "Vintage"!  Another piece that works really well for me.  Randall's website was not up and working at the time this was written, hopefully he'll have that corrected soon.

Interesting Ceramic Wall Art by Steve & Miky Cunningham - Cunningham Pottery - W. Des Moines, IA

Love all the different textures and colors

Kyle Spears Photography out of Nashville, IN.

is an Awesome Photographer

 His booth is always bustling with activity

 The crowds really try and absorb every detail

he captures with his camera.

 He practically had to kick us out of his booth

Definitely worth making a trip to his website KyleSpears.com to see all the wonderful photographs

He also has a FaceBook Fan Page

Apologies to Deborah Keese and Alan Freund from Ann Arbor, MI for drooling all over their counter, but these burl wood boxes are the bomb!

The woodworking craftsmen ship is outstanding.

All natural - No stains are used.  Pieces are cut from solid blocks of wood so there are no joints.

Visit BurlWoodBox.com to see more of their

jewelry & trinket boxes

Contemporary Abstract Textured Paintings by John Blower from Fennville, MI

To see more of John's paintings visit BlowersStudios.com

Wagar Glass by Mark Wagar from Riga, MI

Yummy

 Mark does not have a website but you can reach him via email at wagarglass@hotmail.com

Thoroughly enjoyed Mixed media artist Darron Chadwick from Carmel, IN

Darron uses actual old comic book pages, vintage postcards & stamps (not reproductions).

Learn more about Darron's art at ChadwicksStudios.com

Really like Sculptor Thomas Yano from Vermilion, OH.  Unfortunately he does not have a website or email address to obtain scheduled upcoming shows where he is participating.  Phone number is 440-967-4623

He works mostly in bronze, brass and copper.

JT Dunphy - Woodturner from Mount Vernon, OH.

"He uses rescued hardwoods from storms & landscaping casualties thus the business name Turned Treasure"

My friend inspecting Turned Treasure's fine craftsman ship

No website but you can email him at JDunphy1@columbus.RR.com

Ceramic Artist - Paul M. Jeselskis from Michigan City, IN.

Designs functional & decorative porcelain pottery

You can view more of his pieces at Pauljeselskis.com

Some musicians popped in this year

to add a little flavor to the festivities.

Turned out to be a very pleasant day.  However, in the midst of all the cavorting, I got home, only to realize we had not bought one single thing to brag about!  What were we thinking?  Of course, I do have their addresses!  Now to decide which one - hummm?  My living room is Blue, Yellow, Orange - I have the "Hair" album on display.  Can you guess which picture I decided on?  I'll give you a hint -

It will work really well with my strobe light.

Hope you get a chance to go out and visit

with your local artist this summer.

Ciao!

KJ the JunkYard Gypsy

How to eat a Cupcake

 This is how you're suppose to eat a cupcake

 Not like this

Note: No frosting on the face - Not even a sprinkle

Cupcake eating is an art

that requires all the yummy goop on top to be removed by squishing it through your fingers & mushing it up on your lips so that you not only taste the sweet sugar but also feel

the whole frosting  experience.

And you don't actually have to eat the cake, before requesting another cupcake.  The cake is merely a means of transporting the sugary fluff.

So next time you have a cupcake -

Dive in and find your inner child

Cupcake Cheers to you!

KJ

Antiques & Vintage Treasures JunkYard Gypsy Style

Up bright & early this weekend to do a little

treasure hunting.

This is just a small sampling of what I scored.

I consider this early 1900's child's artist easel

a touchdown!  The upper portion use to hold a roll of paper to doodle on, of which the writing section is about 3 inches in height (not much doodling room).  The desk section folds up and becomes a blackboard.  Very sturdy, very cute.

That's my new lamp I scored at auction, that hubby had to go home and collect the truck for since I had already filled up the car.  Hubby says - Note to self - "Do not leave wife at auction all by herself to retrieve truck, because she will have filled up the truck by the time you get back"!

 Note to hubby - don't be raining on my

happy dance auction winnings.

Had to have this metal lamp for the cool beanie helmet - but when I got it home I found out it's way cooler than I thought because it's an adjustable tilt!

I painted the last one red.  Any suggestions on what color to paint this one?  Oh, and my free standing birdcage which needs a redo as well.  Perplexed on what color to paint that as well.

Springed rocking horse has paint wear, but it's in excellent condition for it's age. Fisher Price musical Farris Wheel with the little people guy still churning out tunes!  Some retro bowed-tined mirror in need of a paint job.  Blinky eye doll (can't resist them) in the Box!  With her full wedding garb.

I'm going to use the old antique clock case to create some shadow box art.  Obviously something about time - think I'll save that for a winter project.

Found Bert & Ernie's Sesame Street house set at an unadvertised yard sale.  I love unadvertised sales, I swear they have the best stuff.  Just an ole (I use that lovingly - cause I resemble that remark) hippie couple down the street (he looked like a Prof from Purdue - braided beard - loved it) unloading their shed cause it seem like a good day to let go of some stuff.   I spent over $30.00 just at their sale.

I probably could have spent the day with them & kept buying because she kept dragging out more stuff.  I think I thought I was in heaven.  So anyway I picked up the Fisher Price Choo Choo, tin toy top, and the 1950's puzzle and MADE myself leave the premises.  I'm so tempted to go back, knock on their door and do the Picker TV thing.

I'll let you know if get that brave.

So take that pile and quadruple it and those my finds from the last 3 weekends.  I have a lot of listing to do!  Now if I could only teach hubby new tricks- 

sit, stay, list.

:)

Ciao!  My gypsy caravan friends ~

May your Junking endeavors lead you to Fab finds!

Foxes & Phloxes & Bees Oh My

Foxes

 and Phloxes

 And Bees,

Oh My!

Just some nature shot's out at the cabin last weekend.  Rhonda & Steve had 6 baby foxes right outside their back door, but I only got to capture one on film.  They have a tunnel from one side of the hill to the other, so we're hoping that perhaps the others were over there, and no coyotes had them for dinner.

 

Just a little fuzz ball of fur

 Fox hole is right in front of the log

Baby Fox Pups - they're just so Cute!

 Wild Canary

Turkey Vultures.  Felt like I was trying to shoot skeet photographing them.

  Busy Bumble Bee

 Finally caught him in flight

 Just because I liked the texture of his wings

Bee Butt

 Lilac's - one of my favorites

Hope you're enjoying Spring!

Ciao

KJ - the JunkYard Gypsy

Morel Mushroom Madness - a May Day Treat

They call basketball March Madness  - well just let the warm weather hit at the beginning of spring and round here in Indiana, it’s Morel Mushroom Madness.  Walk into a store, a bar, or get a few locals gathered at a garage sale and they start talking Morel Mushrooms – how much so & so got, where they found them (they lie about that part), how big they are etc…I never knew folks could talk so much about a mere mushroom.  But a morchella mushroom, is not an average mushroom, oh no, a morel mushroom can only be obtained during a certain time of year.  And to date, they can Not be cultivated successfully; (plus they cannot be mistaken for something that will cause an agonizing death) so they are highly prized and fervently sought after.  Those in the know (and with the Eye) guard their secret mushroom haunts and hunting abilities.

This would be considered the Morel Motherload –

I could only dream about stumbling across something like this!

Many of the people who stopped by for the garage sale (after spying the beautiful wooded setting) asked if we had been out hunting for morels.  “Not yet, but as soon as this sale is over it’s the 1^st thing on our agenda.”  Steve headed out 1^st while we were still manning the sale and came back with two.  They were Huge!  I was so excited, I couldn’t wait to get out there and start hunting.  After the sale we decided to check in the opposite direction, and cover the front part of the woods first.  We searched & searched to no avail.  So we headed back to the area where he found the first two and Bingo I found my 1^st morel.

And not too far away another one!

After that my luck ran dry and I resorted to photographing other types of fungus.

Do you see him sitting in that log?  This is it up-close.  Like some deformed figure.

While watching this cute little snail truck across this log, 

 This little guy was much easier to shoot than that bubblebee

 Steve scored three more!

I would have been happy with my two shrooms, but my friends graciously sent me home with the whole lot.

The biggest was 6” including the stem, about 4” for just the head.  7 mushrooms total -  more than enough to get my morel mushroom fix.

So are you a Morel Mushroom Hunter?

Leave me a comment & tell us how you fared.

I heard it was a bumper crop this year!

  

 Ciao!

Indiana Garage Sales Amish Style

Spent some time with my friend’s at their log cabin in Delphi, IN.  They’re putting their home on the market this summer.  So if you enjoy the ride and your looking for a place to hide this be it, baby!  It’s about a 30-minute drive from Lafayette.

Thursday morning on my way up, I decide to stop in the town of Delphi to take a quick peek in side one of their antique stores, which sits directly across from the courthouse.  I could have stayed for hours but, I knew my friends were waiting for me, so I did a 10 min peruse through the store.  Upon leaving I get to see a guy, in an orange jumpsuit, being hauled back to jail.

Pull out and go around the block.  While I’m waiting in line, I get to sit behind a semi hauling Pigs to... (I’m almost positive)

Indiana Packers Corporation – (pigs slaughtered on site/distributor).  Canned, Frozen, Kosher (really? please explain), Salted or Unsalted Pork.  Unintentional plug for my buddies working the packer’s plant in Delphi.

But wait it get better!  So I’m out there to help them with a Garage Sale.  They have like 13 acres in BFE, and it take like 5 minutes just to get up their driveway – Ok, I’m exaggerating just a bit.  Sale is at 8am – Nothing unusual there, except our 1^st customers of the day are some Leedyites.  And I'm sure most of you are wondering what a Leedyite is; a Leedyite is similar in dress to Amish or German Baptist.  But there are many different sects that have emerged from that culture from which the Leedyite derives.  It's complicated, and can not be distinguished by appearance, you normally have to have an understanding of the history of the religious culture and family name recognition is a big bonus.

(Jockeying their horse and buggy into position)

I had to grab my camera and start snapping away.  I’m laughing hysterically (on the inside mind you – not out loud) thinking – Yep we’re off to fast start this morning!  When my friend reprimands me and says “Hey they don’t appreciate having their photograph taken”.   I immediately stop and rush inside to dispose of the camera.  I wasn’t aware that they forbid cameras & mirrors, as it is a reflection of vanity ~ (So True). Except…and I’ll reveal as I go on.

So they walk up to the house from the middle part of the drive.  They didn’t pull the horse & carriage up to the pavement, but parked them in the woods.  We exchange pleasantries and after a bit of shopping I approach the gentleman and asked if it would be all right if I took a picture of his horse and carriage, and he said I may.

And that is where photography is not so much acceptable to them (because It’s modern technology) but tolerated or allowed because it has to do with nature (for lack of a better word) and not the soul.     I tend to think of it along the line of some Native Americans not wanting to be photographed for fear of stealing their soul.

Her sale went very well, and I helped save a two items, a 1971 Barbie house & Marx train set.  She said that is why she sent for me, but we both know it was for my parking attendant extraordinaire abilities.  Just try maneuvering 7 cars with only 4 parking spots on a single lane.  I even had to jump into peoples cars, back them up and turn around for them!

So, Any who...I didn’t want to make this one post excruciatingly long so this will be a 3 part post – Next up are the baby Foxes & Phloxes, and Morel Mushrooms Madness. 

 

Wishing you long Open Roads and

Wheels to carry you there.

Ciao!

KJ the JunkYard Gypsy