I started a new job last week; organizing and general upkeep if the art section of our local library. I hesitated at first, because the job description implied that I wouldn’t have much work to do after a couple days, but I was wrong! It’s only a five-hour day, and I don’t sit down ONCE. The books are a mess, and I keep finding myself going over the same ones again and again.
What I do love is when the kids come by looking for material for a report or school paper. That is when I can really be of service. I’ve got a lot of background in the field, and since I work with kids at my studio I can often recognize their style right away. It’s great to help them find a direction for their work, and help them collect articles and books that are relevant. Makes my day! And in the language of the text-inclined: 
Nina and I went out for one of our hikes early this morning. We haven’t gone on one of those in a while thanks to the weather, but today, while freezing, was nice and clear and Conan would not let us skip it. Good thing, too. I miss the lake and the fresh air up in the hills. We actually got a wonderful view of some deer, definitely made my morning.Actually, when we got home, I went straight to the studio and started sculpting one. I think Nina tried to paint a couple, too… If she finishes anything, I’ll try to figure out how to show you here. She’s amazing with watercolors. And deer are always a great subject.
I recently started watching a show called Sports Night, and am very impressed. It was cancelled after only two seasons, but the best shows usually are, just like Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. Sports Night was actually created by the same guy- Aaron Sorkin, and has some of the same cast members as Studio 60 as well.
What I love so much about both shows is the fast-paced humor, and how it doesn’t wait for the viewer. The characters and storyline move forward naturally, in a completely authentic way, without all the insincere drama and exaggerated reactions we often see on TV today. Dana Whitaker is brilliant in both shows, and Robert Guillaume never fails to be hilarious. Truly, this show is a great watch. Another upside is the fact that the episodes are only 20 or so minutes long! Perfect for watching between errands or during exercise.
Here’s a little clip:
Nina has reminded me to post about my visit to the International Fine Art & Antique Dealers Show last month.
So, I went down to New York on Saturday to check it out, and I am so happy I did. What a collection! I especially loved the sculpture of the two greyhounds from Bernard Goldberg Fine Arts, but there was truly so much to see. I enjoyed the diverse collection immensely; the artifacts ranged from ancient Europe, to Asia to Africa. Some particularly fascinating pieces were the Fertility Goddess from Phoenix Ancient Art, a mosaic jewel-toned Roman table top and a Mughal dagger with a jade hilt.
Another exciting experience was meeting Steve Martin, though I had hoped to meet the King and Queen of Sweden who were rumored to be visiting the fair. Oh well. The next Anna and Brian Haughton event is the Art Antiques London- maybe I can convince Nina to come on a small vacation next June…..
As the days draw in and I have more time on my hands, I’ve taken up a new hobby – or rather, rediscovered an old one.
As a child I took guitar lessons from a wonderful teacher, an older man who came from Juarez, in Mexico. I haven’t played guitar in many years, but last month I treated myself to a new purchase and came home with a Spanish guitar. Gosh, I’m rusty!
As usual, I’ve been reading up about my new interest too. Before I made my purchase, I toyed with buying an antique instrument (although common sense finally won out). I was particularly attracted to an instrument made in the 1800s by Pedro Fuentes, of the Zaragoza school of guitar making. How lovely it would be to own an instrument made by the guitar maker to the Royal Chamber!
I’m not so interested in the genre, really, but my son got me hooked on this series nearly a decade ago. A Song of Ice and Fire isn’t just your typical fantasy.. George Martin is a genius. Have you read his books?
The voice is so fresh and brutally honest, and while the characters may be harsh, the plotline and setting are undeniably realistic. Every time I read I fall in love with his style all over again. And I absolutely love the unpredictability of the twists, and how Martin is not afraid to follow a more realistic chain of events, with no mercy for his characters.
His newest book, A Dance With Dragons, may have taken it all a drop too far, but I don’t have any real complaints. It went by so fast though… If you haven’t already, you should check out Martin’s website, he is very amusing and gives an interesting perspective on the life of a bestselling author.
Maybe it’s just me, but I love browsing through the National Geographic website. When I was younger, I had hoped to become a professional photographer, and so the photo galleries on their site are kind of bittersweet for me.
I’ve already shared these with Nina, but you should really have a look…. They’re incredible. Breathtaking.
Anyone who lives here in Vermont knows how we were slammed by Hurricane Irene. Vermont has been devastated by the hurricane that stormed through here two weeks ago. Now, Phish is coming to the rescue, like they always seem to.
If you haven’t been to a Phish concert, you’ve definitely got to go at some point to enjoy the experience. Phish started at the University of Vermont in 1983 and the band played together for 20 years until they split in August of 2004. Happily, they reunited in March of 2009 and have since started to play on a regular basis. They are most often compared to the Grateful Dead but I think they are even more innovative and impressive.
They just started a ticket sale on Saturday for their upcoming concert that aims to raise money for the flood victims here. The concert will be on Wednesday at the Champlain Valley Exposition at Essex Junction. They are actually limiting tickets to two to make sure that the tickets actually go out to locals. I love those Phish.
They’ve created a “Friend of WaterWheel” package as well that includes parking, a reserved box seat, a poster and access to a Vermont craft beer tent. And even better, WaterWheel is a foundation that Phish created to make contributions to charities that they support. Let’s hope that Phish can come through in helping those of us hit by the latest natural disaster!
Were any of you at the I Love Lucy tribute in Jamestown, New York?
Perhaps you ran into Nina, who was there in blue and white polka-dots just like the rest of them. I tried to find a decent picture of her online but with no success. Still, I’m sure she was one of the most convincing; her hair is naturally that color!
I read on the news that this year’s gathering broke the record for Lucy lookalikes, in honor of what would’ve been Lucy’s 100th birthday on August 6th. There were more than 915 people in the crowd! Not bad.
Here’s a picture I found on Reuters.com:
I have taken a true interest in the fate of that sad young penguin in New Zealand- I think they call him Happy Feet after some cartoon?
Anyway, I have been keeping tabs on him ever since Nina showed me that last article. Apparently, emperor penguins get their water by eating snow and then having it melt within their bodies. So Happy Feet, being both less than a year old and unfamiliar with sand, ate a whole lot of it in hopes of quenching his thirst. It was then removed surgically from his system.
As of now, Happy Feet still lives, and is being kept in an air conditioned room full of crushed ice. There is talk of bringing him back to Antarctica later this year, while SeaWorld San Diego has offered to take him in if that is not an option.
I sure hope he ends up ok!
http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailymail.co.uk%2Fnews%2Farticle-2008576%2FTop-surgeon-mercy-mission-save-loneliest-penguin-world.html&h=570ce
As you know, Nina is a marine biologist. She just sent me this article, and I felt I had to share it.
Poor thing!
Nina and I took Ben (our grandson) over to the Ben and Jerry’s factory today. Let me tell you, the unlimited ice cream, the smells, the visual impact… I was reduced to Ben’s young age of 6 within three minutes! I must’ve tried nearly 15 flavors. The tour was actually fascinating; who knew there was so much involved in one creamy delicious dish!
My favorite was the ‘Dublin Mudslide’, Nina’s the ‘Yellow Cake Batter’ (sounds gross to me, but who knows) and Ben, and I found this more than a little disturbing, liked the ‘Coffee Heath Bar Crunch’. I’m going to have to have a little chat with his mother….
There are few things that please me more than sculpting, ancient art and Nina. But there are certainly some that toe the line. Running and swimming are definitely in that category. Since Nina is away again, and I have a couple classes only later this evening, I spent the morning reminding my body who is boss. First I went for a run out by the lake, with Conan loping along behind me (and, yes, sometimes ahead of me). There is truly nothing more refreshing then the feeling of your heart pumping crazily in the crisp morning air. Of course, it takes time to realize that; the first ten minutes or so of my run found me gasping for air and wondering what the heck I was thinking. But still, it was worth it in the end.
After about forty-five minutes I took a break, then challenged myself to a swim. No, there’s no way I could’ve done the eight mile swim, (I don’t know how those youngsters do it) but I managed to do a mile or two, and I’m satisfied. After all, it’s not easy keeping up with your health once you hit your sixties. Maybe i should try that Pilates thing that Nina is so enamored with.
Today I write in tribute to Nina’s cooking. While I am relatively new to the blogging world, I’ve found that many people dedicate full posts to what they ate that day. Surely this seems a bit ridiculous, but since I’m lacking creative ideas today, I figure I might as well give it a shot.
My birthday is coming up (it’s tomorrow, actually) and Nina likes to go over the top when it comes to such things. She invited Dell and Sara and Bob and Jan over for dinner on Saturday night, and cooked a feast that should’ve won some sort of award. She really outdid herself.
Since my favorite holiday is Thanksgiving, she cooked the traditional meal in my honor in the middle of May. The first course was a delicious Chinese chicken soup, despite the fact that that didn’t truly fit the theme. She followed with two different salads, one traditional and one with those baby greens or baby leaves or whatever they’re called. The turkey was served steaming straight out of the oven, dripping gravy, its smell from the kitchen making my mouth water before I even laid eyes on it. With that there were creamy buttery mashed potatoes, stir-fried string beans, and of course, the cranberry crisp. I opened a bottle of one of my better wines, and we stayed up late until it was all we could do not to fall asleep in our chairs, fat and happy.
Nina insists I write an entry introducing you to Conan. Well, let’s see….
We found him nearly a year ago now, during one of our hikes at the Ethan Allen Homestead trail in the spring. We’d stopped to admire the view, and I sketched the wild flowers while Nina chatted at me. She was sitting on the ground when suddenly a little red ball threw itself out of the bushes and straight into her lap, wriggling and licking as if she’d known it all along. Of course, it was love at first site for her- who can resist such an enthusiastic puppy- but I was much more hesitant. The pup had a collar on, and appeared to be a purebred setter. I felt it was surely lost and well missed. Much to Nina’s relief I was wrong, and when we found no trace of its owners, he moved in for good.
As for his name, Nina has an unusual interest in Ireland and Gaelic. When looking up names online, we came across Conan, meaning hound, or wolf, in Gaelic. Me being a fan of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and his works, it seemed a suitable name, and so it was settled. Of course, if we’d have known about his almost unnatural love of water, we might’ve gone with something more maritime…
So, Nina got back from her week-long research cruise last night, and she organized a picnic for today. We set sail at around 9:30 am, and once we reached deeper waters we stopped for some homemade muffins and coffee. It was already warm out, and Conan threw himself into the water almost immediately, probably paddling after some fish that he noticed beneath the surface. An Irish setter he may be, but his love of water implies an even more aquatic origin.
Nina, ever the passionate biologist, pointed out various creatures as we drifted. She noticed an otter from very far off, and when I couldn’t see it she whipped out a pair of binoculars. Nine is very familiar with the wildlife here- she sometimes runs the bird watching tours when they need a fill-in. The Lake Champlain region is home to more than 300 species of birds! My favorites are the ospreys, which are not at all uncommon- I often see them from our porch. Nina likes the golden eagles, which are, of course, listed as endangered.
I spent the remainder of the time sketching the shoreline, and did some watercolors as well, and Nina joined Conan for a swim.
Yesterday, I spent my entire day visiting the Fleming Museum. Of course, I have been there before, but things close to home are often forgotten, and I must confess that I have never truly paid the museum the respects it so deserves. I had completely forgotten how impressive their collection is! When one is as familiar with ancient art as I, (considering how much time and money I spend on my collection) impressing me is no easy task. Speaking of which- I recently visited two antique galleries I’d never browsed before: Phoenix Ancient Art (owned by the Aboutaam brothers, Hicham Aboutaam and Ali Aboutaam) and The Merrin Gallery.
Anyway, I was especially enthralled with the museum’s Oceanic collection. Since many antique shops, exhibits and news articles focus on art from ancient Egypt, Asia, and Europe, I was so fascinated to learn about a whole new area of antiques. The Oceanic exhibit presented art and artifacts from areas like New Guinea, The Solomon Islands, the, Aboriginal Islands and so many more. Too bad Nina was away, she would’ve talked my ear off about what an Atlantis exhibit would’ve looked like.
I also spent a lot of time admiring the Native American collection. Our country has such a rich and diverse background, and the Native American artifacts do a wonderful job of coloring in the black-and white picture drawn by history books. I think I recall hearing of a new Native American exhibit opening in the Smithsonian’s late last year; I’m inclined to go check it out.
My sculpting classes vary in focus and length and age. I often encounter talent, and every student is unique in his or her own way… And yet, I must take note of a particular student who has remarkable potential. The kid is in his freshman year of college, which I guess means he’s around nineteen years old, and his name is Josh. (Whose name isn’t Josh, these days?)
His last piece was a portrait of a woman which he titled ‘Freedom.’ His work resembles that of some of the most classic sculptors, such as Michelangelo, but it also reveals a more modern, angular edge to it. While I tend to lean towards the more abstract, symbolic style of ancient art, there is certainly no denying this boy’s unique talent. His finished sculpture Freedom is slightly larger than life-size, in the form of a young, or possibly middle-aged woman. She seems to be gazing into the distance while her hair is swept back by an invisible wind. From behind, the hair seems to take on the shape of wings. The sculpture is very detailed, I was especially impressed with the ears, as many of my students tend to neglect those while working on portraits. I would put a photo up here if I could only figure out how… But anyways, I must find out about upcoming art shows, this boy absolutely must be found!
In my last post I said these winter days are beautiful, but today I woke up with very little patience for the snow. Looking out the window I could barely make out the car parked outside for all the snow piled everywhere, and the chill seeping through the glass reminded me how cold the floor would be when I got out of bed. Of course, Nina was already awake, I could hear her singing from the kitchen, and the smell of the coffee she was making did manage to warm my mood a drop.
I spent the day in the studio; I had a bunch of classes in the afternoon, and I must say I was very impressed with my students for showing up. I’m not sure if the seventeen-year-old me would’ve braved the snow just for a sculpting class. In fact, I’m not even sure how the sixty-three-year-old me managed to do so! Of course, I love my trade, and the teaching as well, but the clay gets so unbelievably cold. And of course, it renders those winter hand-creams that Nina buys me practically pointless. But still, there’s nothing more satisfying then the feeling of clay as you shape it into a masterpiece.
Is there anything more beautiful than winter in Vermont? I think not. The crisp, clear air, the snow… It’s refreshing. Today, I went skiing with a bunch of the guys. We left our wives at my place; Nina is very fond of playing hostess. She spent all morning baking gingerbread men, all with intricate patterns made from glaze. She seemed to truly enjoy the work, but I’ll never understand women. Why not just buy the cookies, and sleep late instead?
We drove over to Mad River Glen, it being only an hour or so away. We chose the Paradise Trail, as it is one of the more difficult, and it comes without the critical audiences that many of the advanced trails tend to have. Dell actually likes the attention, but he’s the only one. The day was relatively eventless, though Bob had a nasty-looking spill at sharp turn. I got home feeling invigorated, and with a face so sunburnt it would’ve put tomatoes to shame. The gingerbread cookies were delicious.
Conan - Our Dog
Follow me on Facebook