The snowflakes started falling heavily during our winter afternoon Rumphius Art Studio at the PCA on February 16. We kept warm and inspired with cups of warm cider, classical music and a room filled with art supplies from stretched canvases to broken vintage rhinestone jewelry. The glue guns were fired up and paint palettes were filled with a variety of colors. It was truly a wonderful way to spend a winter afternoon. I knew that the students would create some beautiful work, but we had a room full of masterpieces! And, every artist created something very individual to themselves. In the photo, Allison is creating a beautiful mixed media piece with old paper, a canvas, paint and old jewelry. Wonderful job, everyone! You keep me inspired!

We were featured in the Lowell Sun with our chickens in January. Here is the link to the story and a video taken by their reporter and photographer. It is pretty fun! I must say that our chickie girls are very photogenic! The above photo was taken in a warmer time when our girls were still pretty small. Now they are big, fluffy and giving us delicious eggs! Check out my flickr page for more chicken photos.

http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_14262654

Have Yourself a Recycled Barnwood Christmas! This Christmas, I tried something new. I painted holiday greetings on salvaged Pennsylvania barnwood. It was so much fun, and they were such a hit here in Westford, I have decided to market them to a wider audience. Since each one is handpainted without the use of stencils and templates, I am going to try to be in the Christmas spirit all year long in order to have dozens prepared for the 2010 holiday season.

If you are interested in a holiday barnwood sign, I charge no more for custom designs and will ship to any US address for the postal fee. Signs range in price from $40-$150. Also, the signs are painted with indoor/outdoor paint and are sealed with an acrylic sealant for outdoor use. If you are interested in “going green” with your holiday décor, or want to give one as a gift, contact me, the artist, at rumphius@creativityunhinged.com.   For more images of holiday barnwood, check out my flickr page by clicking on the flickr icon on the left sidebar.

Hmmmm . . .flowerpots, chairs, doors, windows, salvaged barnwood – perhaps someday I will learn how to paint on canvas!

On the evenings of December 18^th and 19^th, we created a new tradition in Westford at the Parish Center for the Arts with An Old-fashioned Noel.  We celebrated our historical roots through seasonal music all dating pre-1900.  We enlisted the help of a fine young cellist, pianist, two guitarists, four musical families, young children and even a harmonica player for our evening of song.  And, thank you to the Westford Farmers’ Market for setting up a special, old-fashioned general store with local gift items from bakers, honey farms and more.  These were two very special evenings showcasing a wonderful selection of talent from our area.  Thank you to all who participated, our audience and Westford’s Local Cultural Council for supporting our event.

Tickets are now available for a new Westford tradition, a community Christmas concert stemming from eras past.  This year, we celebrate the 19th century with music, poems and readings performed by a talented group of musicians and orators.  This year’s show will remind us of the old-fashioned Christmas concerts put on at local schoolhouses to celebrate Christmas.  These were often the main holiday event for a town.  Children would decorate the schoolhouse with greens and ribbons, put on their Sunday best, and perform songs and poems for their loved ones.  Father Christmas would often be an honored guest handing out horehound candy and oranges.  This is the same spirit we hope to create at the Parish Center for the Arts on December 18th and 19th at 8pm.  And, as an added treat, the hall will open at 7pm for a go-local Christmas market co-sponsored by the Westford Farmers’ Market.  Local art, holiday greens arrangements and food will be available for purchase to complete your holiday preparations.

Tickets are affordably priced at $10 for adults, $5 for students and $25 for a special family ticket (parents and children).  To order yours, please e-mail Emily at tickets@creativityunhinged.com or call 978.995.7002.  Tickets will also be available at the door at 7pm on the nights of the show.  We look forward to having you join in our celebration!  Please click on EVENTS to your left for more information.

It was a chilly, damp Fall day at the Westford Farmers’ Market, but we still had lots of fun making recycled birdfeeders.  And, it proved an appropriate craft as we were situated next to the Education Station and their feathered friends, two happy hens!  This is the season to start refilling those outdoor feeders as the berries and seeds of the summer are coming to an end, and the birds are looking harder for their next meal!  Chirp.  Chirp.  Tweet.  Tweet.  The birds will thank you!

Emily and her mask

When the mask comes off . . .

We had another exciting World Art class yesterday.  We had many different activities going on at once in our classroom.  Weaving.  Painting,  Hairmaking.  Casting masks.  Mess cleanup!  It was a busy one, and we accomplished a great deal.

Our two student Emilies were our last brave students to have their faces cast to make their Iroquois False Face masks.  Sophie and I were a great team.  We made their noses appropriately crooked as the Iroquois did with their masks.  The photos show the Emilies with a mask drying and with the mask freshly removed.  Not exactly my idea of a facial.

My family from Pennsylvania visited Westford this past weekend.  One of our favorite events of a whirlwind visit was going to the Saturday night reception for artist Laurie Miller’s Relections on Fifty.  The paintings were inspirational (I especially love the one featured above, Tic Tac Toe).  The food was sublime.  And, the conversation was energetic and friendly.  The atmosphere was perfect.  If you get a chance, check out Laurie’s art show and her blog.   I have included the information below.

Sundays in October, noon – 2 p.m.  Laurie G. Miller
Join us on a visual journey at the PCA Gallery. Mark your calendar for the Reflections on Fifty — 50 New Oil Paintings by Laurie G. Miller exhibit from October 1 – 31, 2009, with an opening reception on Saturday, October 10.

Painted on 1 foot square canvases, Ms. Miller’s work has been described as “quirky” and “whimsical” and will often bring a smile to your face. Painting a wide variety of subjects, her works include a bathroom sink, a dentist peering directly at the viewer, and a couple of glazed donuts lounging on a plate. Each painting represents a snippet of Ms. Miller’s life; of everyone’s life. Precious moments that are captured before they elude us…and we miss the magic they hold. We invite you to preview Ms. Miller’s artwork along with her thoughts on the creative process for each piece at LaurieGMiller.blogspot.com.

I Bought Me a Cat named Silkie

I have always loved the American composer Aaron Copland.  And, I love him even more for publishing one of my favorite folksongs, “I Bought Me a Cat.”  This is one of his Ten American Songs, and it is a wonderful tune beloved of young and old.  I am so excited to announce that it will be a tune in my new musical, An American Story, which celebrates our nation’s folk music heritage.  This is the show our Rumphius Musical Theater Class for Kids will rehearse and perform in the Winter session.

And, the Winter and Spring 2009 Rumphius classes are now posted online on my website.  I have added two new classes for younger children including Rumphius Arts Academy for children ages 3.5-5 years and Rumphius ToddlArts Academy for children ages 2-3.5 with their caregivers.  I am currently taking registrations for the Winter and Spring sessions.  Here is the direct link for class information:  http://www.creativityunhinged.com/blog/classes#2010.