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Posted at 08:51 PM in Current Affairs | Permalink | Comments (1)
Tags: Halloween, Karen Rexrode, light painting, pumpkin carving
The garden shed chatter is usually about the weather. Temperatures, rain, the forecast, these are things of great importance. Keeping that in mind, it seems that we've been cheated this fall. No reds, oranges, very little yellow and worse yet, dry and drier.
I just finished a lecture on color in the garden. There was a fine examination of the color wheel, primary colors, secondary colors, tints and shades. A 101 on color theory. A point I made was the lack of naturally occurring red colors in our climate. Tropical places have many red flowers, we have only a few. On one hand I can count all of the native perennials that flower red, most are summer blooming, brightly colored to draw hummingbirds.
If we truly desire red, it's best to wait for fall. Maples, tupelos, some oaks, and vines; namely Virginia creeper, make a great show. Our lack of color this year can be blamed on the lack of rain. Its arrival, and we need buckets, will probably be too little, too late.
Now as a happy gardener, and as a lot we usually are very happy, I have enjoyed the splendidly warm days. The gardens are dressing down and going to bed. There still lies some hope for a red show from the fall and winter berries. Deciduous hollies are full, some of the viburnums have a red glow to them, the sumacs berries look glorious. Colored red to attract birds, some berries will hang in there until spring.
A potentially bigger concern for the gardener is the continuing lack of rain. Spring flowering shrubs may be greatly affected as the buds have or are developing now. It's a time frame that will end with frozen ground and cool temperatures. The most critically affected will be broad leafed evergreens like rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias, and pieris. I strongly suggest you soak the ground around these shrubs so they can build buds.
Deciduous trees and shrubs are holding onto their foliage because they are relying on the leaves to continue photosynthesizing. They are not willing to lose these if there is no rain. Another survival mechanism. Do not put the hose away yet, do not cut off the irrigation just yet.
Posted at 07:58 PM in Gardening | Permalink | Comments (2)
Tags: deciduous holly, dry, fall, Ilex verticillata, Karen Rexrode, maple, native plants, red berries, spring shrubs, sumac, Virginia, Virginia creeper, water
Just in time for next week's reception, I completed another interactive magnet piece. This one holds an elephant, a circus elephant, but he can be moved around because he is held in place with magnets. Not only is the elephant movable, but also the circus balls which can be lined up in various positions.
This is just a gentle reminder that my reception is next Saturday at Art A La Carte in Occoquan, Virginia, from 1 to 5. I will be wearing my New Orleans costume! Come see the elephant and many more assemblage creations.
Posted at 08:03 AM in Art, Assemblage | Permalink | Comments (0)
Tags: Art A La Carte, assemblage, interactive art, Karen Rexrode, magnets, The last circus elephant
Metal, imagination, fabrication, and cars all come together at the Rockabilly Rumble! A one day event that fills a large field where rat rods, hot rods, and finely tuned race cars meet to show off. The fine details of each car sends my head a wizzin! What you may not know is that I wanted to be a car painter in my early 20's. I owned an air brush and took classes, unfortunately car shops didn't want a female painter, too much of a distraction they said. But that little love of this stuff never left. So here are 20 or so photographs. The 409 Chevy big block engine that gave the Beach Boys something to sing about, or the incredible pinstriping and hood ornaments, and humor!
yes, that is a barbed wire grill
Posted at 06:02 PM in Art, car shows, Travel | Permalink | Comments (2)
Tags: 2017, cars, flames, hood ornaments, hot rods, Karen Rexrode, painting, pinstriping, rat rods, Rockabilly Rumble
October, the month that comes before November, the month of frost and potential freezes, woe is the gardener that dreads the garden season's finish. My primary garden is a jumble. The raised beds can barely be seen, the wood sides covered in growth. The red cypress vine, Jamaican toothache plant, and talinum are weeds. Exuberance is a small word when it comes to capturing the lust for life these little plants have in October.
The hummingbirds love the red cypress vine and I'm sure it's loaded with nectar, the high sugar content needed to travel so far. I haven't seen a hummingbird in a week or two, it seems that even the northern populations have caught a southern wind and left.
One last flower arrangement with my zinnias. This is Zinnia 'Benary' and a few of its purple shades with the berries of callicarpa. A sprig of Alternanthera 'Little Ruby' is perfect as filler, the tender perennial that cuts so well.
The little tree frogs are still leaving the watering troughs, I stopped feeding them boiled lettuce two weeks ago. There are very few left and with cooler nights, I know that their digestive systems are slowing down. But in the lawn, on the windows, in the flowers, they are everywhere, I need a flashlight to walk at night so I don't step on them.
I've seen a few of the native Carolina mantis, half the size of the Chinese, more common mantid. Their camouflage is also very different, spotted and speckled.
The moon vine is glorious and I'm pondering an allee of moon vine, a place to walk in October that would be heady with night fragrance. I suspect that you may even float as you walk, or at least it would seem so.
Of the various colors of zinnia I grow, the one that ages to perfection (in my eye) is 'Benary Giant Salmon'. None of the others age as well. The whites turn to brown, the purples aren't bad, but the salmons take on shades of purple, like an antique flower.
I feel like I could study them all day. And so it goes in my October garden, no time to be melancholy about another garden season coming to an end.
Posted at 11:02 AM in Gardening | Permalink | Comments (0)
Tags: Benary zinnia, callicarpa, garden, gray tree frog, Karen Rexrode, moon vine, native Carolina mantis, October, praying mantis, purple, red cypress vine
Bound for the gallery is another addition to the Alice in Wonderland Pez series, this time it's the "Hookah Smoking Caterpillar". He was once Dory the fish from "Finding Nemo". Of course arms were added and these luscious caterpillar lumps, which were great fun to paint.
Consider a visit to Occoquan and "Art A La Carte", or come by for my featured artist show on October 28th, from 1 to 5. There will be lots going on as it's "Haunt the Town" day, including haunted walking tours . The gallery will be serving up finger food and wine tastings, several artists will be there, including me!
Posted at 08:24 PM in Art, Assemblage | Permalink | Comments (0)
Tags: altered Pez dispenser, Art A La Carte, art show, Hookah Smoking Caterpillar, Karen Rexrode, Occoquan, Virginia
After a month that felt like a life time of busy, I have checked off my obligations. A deep breath and satisfaction with many things that challenged me on entirely new levels of achievement in September. Today was the official hanging of the new show titled "The Traveler's". I completed all but 3 pieces of art that will be done by the time the official reception happens on October 28th. As I was setting things up, there was genuine interest in my art work and that is so satisfying. Many, many hours have been spent in the studio, angsting over the assemblage work, the paint, the characters, and the deadline. If you are interested in seeing these in person, visit "Art A La Carte Gallery" in Occoquan, Virginia. Hours of operation are 11 to 5, every day. The official reception for this show is October 28th, from 1 to 5.
Here are photographs of members of "The Traveler's Show". A few are altered Pez dispensers.
This rider is anchored by magnets, you can take him off of his platform and play with him. It's sort of like an adult toy.
I think of this altered Pez dispenser as Frankenstein going to a Tango class. He's practicing.
Posted at 06:20 PM in Art, Assemblage | Permalink | Comments (2)
Tags: altered Pez dispensers, Art A La Carte Gallery, assemblage, horse, Karen Rexrode, Mexican art, Occoquan, October 2017, Pegasus, The Traveler' Show, Virginia