Artist Estate Sale

A couple of weeks ago I was up in Woodstock at an artist's estate sale... actually two of them.  I couldn't believe the number of cars there so bright and early. Obviously a lot of eager artists looking for treasures.

I have such mixed feelings about estate sales. Somehow it feels like I'm intruding on something very private and sad. The other side of me says "I will love and use these things, knowing how much they meant to the previous owner." It was bittersweet to see all the lovely art supplies along with works of art throughout the house. Nonetheless I was happy to have some beautiful new treasures to add to my inspirations. Here are a few of the things I got that day.

Brass Stencils

Clock Parts

Copper Fittings

Drafting Tools

Drafting Tool Kit

1915 Eyelet Setter

Rub-on Type

Metal Letters

Printers Type

Salt Shaker Caps

Templates

Now to put all of these wonderful things to work!

An aside:
Those of us here in the Hudson Valley are preparing for the hurricane to hit on Sunday. This past week we experienced the earthquake from Virginia. My house was shaking terribly, pictures tilting, computer monitor shaking and dogs hiding under my legs.

Do you ever feel like you're living in a disaster film sometimes?

Have a happy and safe weekend.
Best... Canace

From The Corners of My Mind

From September 1st through October 31st my work will be featured in a solo exhibition at the Ellenville N.Y. Library Museum. The reception is the 10th of September from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m. I hope if you're local that you may be able to stop by.
Since I have so many different avenues in my pursuit of art... ie...  graphic arts, collage, assemblage, painting, jewelry etc.(Is there a name for A.D.D. artists?*) I had to come up with a name that would cover it all.. what better than 'From the Corners of My Mind'. (Sometimes a scary place)  ;o)

I will post the press release at a later date, but for now here is the postcard invitation.

Hope to see you on the 10th!

Best... Canace

* Maybe M.M.M. for Mixed Media Madness?

Good Old Fashioned Doodlebug

When I was little my Dad had what we called the 'Old Doodlebug' which was a rusty old truck that he used to do most anything and everything. We always got to ride in it and on it even though it was missing most of its floor and was most definitely not road worthy. It was a neat old truck that I haven't thought about it for a long time. When I was coming home from New Hampshire through Vermont I spotted this old doodlebug and just had to stop to take a picture. A sweet little bit of Americana now used for advertising.... clever!

All best,
Canace

Seth Apter's "Style File"

I'm pleased and honored to say that I am being featured as one of the artists in Seth Apter's 'Style File' tomorrow, August 7th. I hope you'll stop by and read about different artists and their style of work.

Best... Canace

Day 4.. The Legend of the Unimoose

High up on Ellsworth Hill

Bright and early Sunday morning Bri (my daughter) and I took off for Ellsworth Hill by way of Rumney, N.H., where there are some bogs that we have frequented in the past hoping to see moose. If you've read my past posts, Bri and I have 2 theories about moose. #1 They should be called Unimoose as they are really a fairy tale animal used to attract tourists to New England. #2 There is one moose and he is rented out between Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Nonetheless we never lose hope that one day it will be New Hampshire's turn to have the moose and we will spot him. So up Ellsworth Hill we go, past Stinson Lake to the first bog, (no moose) past the waterfall and down the hill to the other side where there is a spectacular bog.. I believe it's actually Ellsworth Bog.

Ellsworth Bog

 Notice, no moose....

Bog Grass - Moose supposedly love this grass

A brook coming from the bog

Beaver Hut at Ellsworth Bog 

 

 

 

 

 After leaving Ellsworth Bog and coming to the bottom of the mountain we headed into Thornton to one of our favorite places, Benton's Sugar Shack. It's quintessentially New England with a feel of the 50's or 60's, and they serve the best pancakes with pure maple syrup. The inside has all sorts of interesting things hanging on the walls and ceiling and lots of goodies for sale such as jellies and maple syrup.

If you should decide to go to the Sugar Shack for breakfast, plan on going early or waiting for a table as it's one of the most popular places in the area.

Once again the Pillsbury Dough Girls hit the road, off to Chesley's Glory Station, a favorite place to shop on Route 3 in West Campton. It's a good sized building full of every sort of country treasures.

Very rustic and quite beautiful

A sweet little basket terrarium

Jewelry displayed on and in a lovely birdcage

Carefully chosen clothing

Anyone for an upside down Christmas Tree?

The legend is perpetuated...

Lots and lots of goodies

 
Plan to spend some time, as it takes about an hour to see everything in the store... plus you have to struggle with whether you will have some of their homemade fudge.

A little lighter in the purse we left to head home for a swim in the river that is on my daughter's property. We could have easily zipped down Route 93 but I opted to take the back roads instead. We came down through Plymouth headed towards Rumney where there is a traffic circle. As I was rounding the circle I noticed quite a few cars parked on the side of the road and people milling about. We both thought... 'OMG.. it must be a (the one and only) moose!' I stopped and asked a couple walking back to their car and sure enough we had just missed the moose. Devastated is a good word to describe how we felt having just missed him. They said he had just walked back into the woods.

Everyone left the area but we decided to hang around for awhile to see if maybe ... just maybe... he might come back out where we could see him. Sure enough, within minutes my daughter gasped "There he is!" and just as quickly he was gone. All I saw was a tree bending over where he had been rubbing his rack. Now I'm really devastated! So close... all I wanted was a glimpse... but no... no moose for me... I'm ready to go home now. We stayed a little bit longer (thanks to Bri) and the next thing you know people were stopping their cars all around. Not 20 feet ahead of where we were sitting, behind a group of trees.....  it was HIM!

What an immense and gorgeous creature!

Getting a cool drink on a hot day.

Posing for the camera

He's REAL!

He stayed around for probably 10 minutes or so, not at all disturbed by all the excitement and picture taking. Moose can be dangerous creatures under normal circumstances and can charge at any given moment if they are disturbed, but this guy just nibbled at the grass and sipped water from the bog. It almost seemed like he was posing for the cameras. A highly unusual sight to see and we saw it! I guess by now he's been taken to either Maine or Vermont for their turn, but if you should be near Rumney Circle look down in the bog on 3A..... he may be back. ;o)


The excitement over, but not the thrill, we headed back home for that swim in the river. It was about 90 degrees and I was so looking forward to it. It's a lovely little river with no one around so we have it all to ourselves. A perfect end to a perfect day, just my daughter and me...  life is good.

The perfect way to cool off on a hot summer's day.

I love the gorgeous colors of the rocks in the river bed shallows.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tomorrow I head home....  *sigh*

Day Three - It's a dirty job.....

 Now it's day three of my trip to New Hampshire ... 

Idyllic weather, early morning dew... off we go to Aunt Kathy's house. We'd already called Aunt Kathy to ask if she would mind if we snooped around her old shed for treasures. Not gold coins, real treasures like rusty tools, wooden boxes, metal bits and the remains of a shoe shop. The shed is leaning now and probably won't survive too many more New Hampshire winters so now is the time to rescue anything possible and I of course am happy to volunteer for the 'New England Pickers' job.

Our first stop is Aunt Kathy's kitchen, the quintessential New England country kitchen full of the aroma of rising dough and cinnamon. This morning she is making homemade fritters and cinnamon buns. Now you have to understand that when you are away from home none of the rules apply and calories do not exist. So with that in mind and a dish of pure maple syrup in hand, we dive into these fluffy still warm delights with vigor. Of course it starts out with 'Oh, I'll just try one, have to be good you know.", to "Well, maybe just one more.. a small one." and "Oh gee, I still have some syrup left, I need something to clean it up with."

It's a good thing the cinnamon buns were still rising or we never would have made it to the shed. As it was we were walking Pillsbury Dough Boys Girls trodding off through the field. Once there, peeking through the window, the adrenalin kicked in and we were ready to dive in. I should clarify, 'we' is me and my daughter, who in the past would 'ew' at anything relating to getting dirty and who now sees 'junk' in a whole new light. She's already an accomplished jewelry designer (Mystikal1981) but I see her one day creating her own assemblages from found objects.

Unfortunately I got so caught up with the search that I neglected to photograph the inside of the shed. There are still amazing old free standing tools with beautiful ornate cast iron  wheels and gears, tiny cupboards and drawers and still more things in the loft. The only picture I have from inside is of a spider web that was glistening in the sun.

You can barely see it in the picture, but it was quite pretty. I don't like to think about who occupies that perfectly geometric home, I just admire the workmanship from afar.
After a whole lot of precarious climbing, digging, sneezing and lugging we came away with some very inspirational pieces, my favorites being the little wooden boxes. Here's just a few of the things that we brought out of the shed:

Gorgeous patinas, old labels, lots of rusty bits.... a little piece of heaven.. studio heaven that is.

Now I want to know what's in the other shed!

I can't think of anything more fun than rummaging through an old barn or shed with my daughter... unless it's the next day when we head out to.....

Happy treasure hunting!


Best... Canace
p.s. Stopped by Kathy's that evening to say hello, left with a whole pan of homemade cinnamon buns!