Blog

Whew....it's certainly been awhile since I've sat here to post on my blog.  Getting ready for this one artist show has consumed my free time.  ALL the paintings  and drawings are done now, (framed, priced, and cataloged)... ready to pack into crates for the trip to the David Strawn Art Gallery in Jacksonville, Ill on Sunday.

They will be hanging everything (all 63 Original Drawings and Watercolors) this next next week. The show will hang through the month of November.  They are all photographed and uploaded to my Portfolio if you would like to take a peek.

I will be teaching a drawing workshop earlier in the day on November 6th and I still have some preparation to complete for that. Normally my workshops are at the very least a full day, sometimes two days. 

This little workshop is only 4 hours.  Getting my information cut down and still insuring they come away with the basics of what they need has been a challenge.  I don't expect them to complete a drawing but do want them to know and understand the techniques I use.

Getting the Original Paintings and Drawings done for this show and preparing for the workshop has proven to be a huge undertaking and some things just had to be laid aside.  I've missed writing and missed all of you who leave comments and send emails.  I've even been remiss in answering some of my emails.  I've felt as though in some ways I've abandoned my little community of followers and I apologize.

Thus..."Coming up for Air".  The art is ready and it is such a relief.  In order to keep my focus and my creativity channeled I had to submerge myself and allot all my free time to this project.  It's amazing that now as it comes to completion that I still have that adrenalin flow.  I guess I simply have not come down yet.  I just pray it lasts through the show.  November 6 is going to be a long day with the workshop and the opening night!

I then fly out on the following Monday to visit my Daughter in New York for a week.  (I think I will pack my pillow for the plane ride.)

I thank you always for your support and encouragement.


I would love to have you come to the Opening Reception at the David Strawn Art Gallery on Saturday November 6th, from 6-8pm.  You can access a map at the following link.  Feel free to contact me for additional information.

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Today is election day. Your right to vote has been earned through the death of many brave men and women over the years...don't let their death be in vain. 

I encourage you...Go to the polls today and VOTE to preserve the future they fought for.

___________________________________

I AM THE FLAG . . .

I am the flag of the United States of America.
My name is Old Glory.
I fly atop the world's tallest buildings.
I stand watch in America's halls of justice.
I fly majestically over institutions of learning.
I stand guard with power in the world.
Look up and see me.


I stand for peace, honor, truth and justice.
I stand for freedom.
I am confident.
I am arrogant.
I am proud.
When I am flown with my fellow banners,
my head is a little higher, my colors a little truer.

I bow to no one!
I am recognized all over the world.
I am worshiped I am saluted.
I am loved I am revered.
I am respected and I am feared.


I have fought in every battle of every war
for more than 200 years.
I was flown at Valley Forge, Gettysburg,
Shiloh and Appomattox.

I was there at San Juan Hill,
the trenches of France,
in the Argonne Forest, Anzio, Rome
and the beaches of Normandy, Guam.
Okinawa, Korea and KheSan, Saigon, Vietnam know me,
I was there.

I led my troops,
I was dirty, battle-tested and tired,
but my soldiers cheered me
And I was proud.

America has been attacked by cowardly fanatics
And many lives have been lost
But those who would destroy me cannot win
For I am the symbol of freedom,
Of one nation
Under God
Indivisible
With liberty and justice for all.

I have been burned, torn and trampled
on the streets of countries I have helped set free.
It does not hurt, for I am invincible.


I have been soiled upon, burned, torn
and trampled on the streets of my country.
And when it's by those whom I've served in battle it hurts.
But I shall overcome for I am strong.

I have slipped the bonds of Earth
and stood watch over the uncharted frontiers of space
from my vantage point on the moon.
I have borne silent witness
to all of America's finest hours.
But my finest hours are yet to come.


When I am torn into strips and used as bandages
for my wounded comrades on the battlefield,
When I am flown at half-mast to honor my soldier,
Or when I lie in the trembling arms
of a grieving parent
at the grave of their fallen son or daughter,
I am proud.

MY NAME IS OLD GLORY
LONG MAY I WAVE.

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So...is it Global Warming or just an Act of Nature?  What's your opinion?

This photo was taken at the Fountain Square Art Festival on Saturday, June 28: showing the damage at the Evanston, IL as the result of a "micro burst". I seriously considered doing this particular art fair this year and would have been there except the entry fee was higher than I wanted to pay, considering the questionable economy. You can view a video of the aftermath here.

The weather this year has been erratic and many art fairs have been the brunt of it. I've been lucky so far, but what I'm about to share has certainly has made me give thought to just how vulnerable we are out there in our pretty white tents.

Some organizers are watching the weather for you, but rarely give you enough time to get your work out...let alone get your tent down. Unless you have an easy-up tent it just takes awhile. I understand that the storm system could by pass or dissipate...but I hope the events that follow will give organizers a wake up call as to their responsibility to their artists.

This is what happened at the Omaha Summer Arts Festival. The photo was taken by Don Ament..."The Summer Arts Festival is the latest victim of the severe and unpredictable weather which seems to come up out of nowhere. Most of the artists were okay, but according to the Omaha World-Herald, 10 to 20% of the artists suffered enough damage to have to leave the festival after the Friday storm. The festival continues on after the cleanup."

These are some links from The Art Fair Insider if you would like to read the entire articles I have referenced. The remarks of the artists attending these art fairs are phenomenal...a real wakeup call as to just how terribly vulnerable we are out there. Stone Arch Festival of Arts in Minneapolis, Omaha Summer Arts Festival, Chicago...Evanston, Ill, Evanston, Ill..#2

I sit out there many weekends during the summer months...exposed to the elements and at Mother Natures mercies. I've never experienced weather like there has been this summer and these storm reports have made me consider my display, packing, and my take down.

I never leave my art hanging at night and I always take my originals with me when I leave for the day...but there is allot left in the tent over night, (prints, framed and unframed in crates...and large framed prints in the "Stiffy" bags I've mentioned before). What I leave in the tent is as protected as possible for the "normal" storm. But these things seem to be getting worse and worse. It's impossible to hall all that I carry out each night, and just as impossible to get it down in a hurry...let alone out and into the van.

I try to always have someone keeping an eye on the weather for the area where I'm showing and I say a little prayer at the beginning and end of each day, for God's blessings and protection....don't think there is much else we can do. I did experience one bad storm system at Hinsdale Ill and chose to leave early before the next front got there...I escaped with all intact. Many did not. Many artists lost everything!

So I ask: Do you think "global warming" is the cause for the changing weather patterns? How do you prepare for bad weather when showing at outside events? Do you leave your work in the tent at night? Any advice for those of us out there on the art fair circuit? Would you be able to recover if a storm took your tent and made trash of your art?

Hope you had a nice July 4th...I'm home this weekend, enjoying the wonderful weather.

Links:
The Extraordinary Pencil...blogspot
My Squidoo ...Drawing Techniques
The Art Fair Insider

PS...make a "Point"...leave a comment
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The Extraordinary Pencil...blogspot has been released. I want to personally thank all of you who went to battle for me by posting on Blogger's Forum.  This was a great injustice and I hope they will change the way they go after Spam Blogs. 

Blogger's present methods of flagging and shutting down a blog before they even review it is just wrong and a total breach of trust. This method punishes the innocent.

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Headline News:
As artists we all struggle to let the world know of our work and our talent...the move forward is slow and difficult.  Yet every once in awhile someone does see and responds.  Bet at Mighty Art Demos was one of those people...Thank You

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Sue Smith of Ancient Artist has invited me to be part of her "Sunday Salon" series. Each week Sue sits down with an artist and does a casual interview segment...asking the hard questions we all want to know.

Exurb from the interview:
"Many people come into my tent at art fairs saying they drew as children,  I tell them that if God gave them the talent it is still there...He never takes it back.  I also tell them that I didn't want to and up on a nursing home someday rocking back and forth in my chair saying "I bet I could have done it if I had just tried!""


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The Winning Essays and Poems for the 2008 Literary Contest have been posted.

As Promised last month the winning essays of these three young authors have been posted to my blog.  This is the second year that I have sponsored this Literary Contest at Lincoln High School and it continues to grow.  There were many more entries this year, and the quality of the writings submitted by the students just keeps getting better and better.  The students entries are individually judged by a select group of teachers and the winners are announced in assembly.  Now they get to see them published.  The drawings shown below are the ones the winners chose to write about.

I posted just a short exurb from the winning entries last month.  I just posted the winning essays and poems on my fine art blog, The Extraordinary Pencil...now you can read the winning entries in their entirety.
The winners are posted separately, so be sure to comment on what they have written.  Remember, each student was to express "what the drawing meant to them".  I know they have all worked very hard on this and your comments will be important to them.

Again...a Huge Congratulations...you are a very deserving group of young writers.

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The Winning Essays and Poems for the 2007 Literary Contest have been posted.

As promised last month the winning essays of these young authors have been posted to my blog.  This is the first year that I have sponsored the Literary Contest and was pleased with the number of applicants that were received.  The entries are individually judged by a select group of teachers, then the results are sent to me.

I posted just a short exurb from the winning entries last month.  I just posted the winning essays and poems on my blogspot...now you can read the winning entries in their entirety.

The winners are posted separately, so be sure to comment on what they have written...I know they worked hard on their entries.

Again...a Huge Congratulations...You are indeed a very deserving group of young people!
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 The Extraordinary Pencil
   "Sponsors High School Literary Contest"

I am pleased to announce the winners of "The First Annual High School Literary Contest".  It was interesting to see which of my drawings the students chose and how it stimulated their imaginations.  In all cases the student was affected by the art in a way that I had never thought of.  As I have said in the past, there are two stories to be told...the one that inspires the artist and the one that inspires the viewer.  Every piece of art has many stories to tell if we simply stop long enough to observe.  

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First Place:  Amanda Podbelsek   $50.00
Amanda likes to read and is active in tennis, basketball, and softball.  She is also a member of Math Club and the National Honor society. Amanda plans to attend college after graduation and major in civil engineering with a minor in math. 

Amanda chose "The Fork and Spoon Club" as her subject...which is one of my personal favorites.  To quote Amanda, "My attention was first drawn to the two stubborn forks; they are the only pieces of silverware lying the opposite direction.  As a high school student, the forks speak to me as a symbol of individuality....From "The Fork and Spoon Club", one can be reminded that, "What is right is not always popular, and what is popular is not always right."

Second Place:  Michelle Koester  $30.00
Michelle is a 16 year old sophomore. She is involved in the Creative Writing Club and enjoys expressing herself through her poetry.

Michelle's poem uses the drawing "Cracked on Black" as it's subject.  For me, the artist, this drawing was all about shadows and reflections...for Michelle it was about "life" and just how fragile it can be. 

I want to thank all who took the time in those last rushed days of the school year to enter the contest, and my congratulations to the winners...we will definitely do this again next year.

Amanda's descriptive essay and Michelle's poem will be published in their entirety next month.   Be sure to check back, I think you will enjoy reading them.

Congratulations,
Marsha Robinett

PS...make a "Point"...leave a comment

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The Extraordinary Pencil 
    "Sponsors High School Literary Contest"

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High School students are ask to submit a Poem or Descriptive Essay...using one of my Pencil Drawings as their subject and inspiration.  There are over forty drawings on my website now and as I finish my spring collection more will be added.  The deadline for their entry is May 15, 2007.  The contest will be presented to the students after Easter break.  I would expect to be announcing winners on or before June 1. 2007.

There is $100 in prize money to be divided between the first, second, and third place winners.  Their writings will be posted here on my blog with a short biography about the author.

My hopes are that through the writing process the student will develop a greater appreciation for fine art of all types, and learn to view an original drawing, a painting, or even a piece of sculpture with a questioning mind.  Art always tells us a story.  In fact I believe there are two stories to be told...the one that inspires the artist and the one that inspires the viewer.

I hope you will return to the "Young Authors" section of my blog often, and read  "the story behind" the image that inspired their poems and essays.

PS...make a "Point"...leave a comment. Read More