Sunday Afternoon in the Neighborhood

Kia & Jac were hyper kind enough to help me pull down vines in the backyard. Then Jac wore 4 hats & Kia played the fine art.


Oh... talking about getting down on a hubcap banjo .... Here is a very nice tune by Seasick Stis hubcap banjo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4E7J6q6Pg8&feature=related  Thanks, David!

Please, Dear Readers, I NEED HUBCAPS!




With a hubcap this....

 


...became this!

  I don't know how people make banjos without hubcaps. If you see one on the side of the road please pick it up for me. Thank you! xoxo

Oh!





Liliana

  I woke up to the very sweetest FB post from Liliana's mom, my neice Mariah: "I love, love, love it! Oh man, you are so talented! Thanks so much. Liliana is going to love this too!  I can't wait to hang it in her nursery!  Love you!"

Oh ... thank you, Mariah!
Love, love, love, Aunt Sandee

I am trying to sleep



Shanna, Jon and Christine still going at 2am



Its 2am and the accordion people are still up. I am in my room with my giant fan on high near my head to block out the noise. Christine complains that she is tired all the time and then she straps an accordion on and stays up all night. I am not going to feel sorry for her anymore. This is not a sleep issue this is an accordion issue. And it is ridiculous.

Prelude to Mardi Gras: My New Orleans Baby Visits Home

Step 2: Take a break from accordion making once in a while. Life is to be lived! (Tip: If you keep your house at about 59 degrees your pretzels will stay fresh for hours.) So, when my daughter (finally) got up I took the opportunity to guilt her into invite her to put on a Mardi Gras mask, hold my new art item and pose for a picture. Unfortunately, she went right back to bed after the photo shoot. But, the trim was there waiting to be painted to look like an accordion keyboard and the pretzels were there to help soften the rough edges of a day of accordion making. The excitement continues!

Accordion Making: A Step-by-Step Guide

Today I am going to present a step-by-step photo documentary of Accordion Making.

STEP 1: First I cut the trim. Notice the pretzels. One of the challenges of Accordion Making is that it can be a bit boring. To add a little excitement to my day I eat pretzels very very slowly: This makes me appreciate life even more. I nibble off the tiniest little bit of a pretzel with just one of those box shaped grains of salt per nibble. I don't let myself have another nibble until the one in my mouth totally dissolves and I am not allowed to chew. Yes. I am an adrenaline junkie. I admit it. The pretzel thing kind of takes the edge off the day. That little plate of pretzels you see in the photo can last me 7 hours. An exciting day has begun for me and for you too, dear reader.  

Have You Ever Had This Problem?

Yeah ... Martha's happy. But she pretty much ignored me. All she did was play my accordion and tell me to take pictures of her. "Wow, look at me!" ... blah blah blah.

BEER AS PRELUDE TO TUNA

These two rowdy hipsters play a round of Beer Barrel Polka before the Hot Tuna Concert.

Having Reached The Age of Majority These Young Adults Strut Their Stuff




Having reached 21 this year my son, Sage, and his friend Hannah proudly sport the real machine!
(As opposed to my son Spencer, 18,  pictured below.)



Look How Happy the Little Guy Is and His Accordion's Not Even Real

Please, friends, DO NOT tell Spencer that his accordion is not real.

Spencer has been playing fake accordions exclusively since he was a toddler. At 21 Spencer will be allowed to play the real thing. I have raised my children with a healthy respect for the powerful machine that the accordion is. Some parents shake their heads in disapproval, and for good reason, but I feel that when played in moderation and with adult supervision the accordion can be a wholesome family past time.

Through her blessed hands New Orleans Ushers In the Golden Age of Accordion Making!

 

I couldn't go to sleep last night and I have been up since 5 a.m. because I am so excited! Today, Shawna is driving up from New Orleans where she makes and sells The Celebrated Washington Accordions and skulls in the New Orleans French Market. It is almost a religion down there: the total worship of all the accordion is to the people. Yes. My daughter is a priestess reverently ushering in The Golden Age of Accordion Making. Through her blessed hands, and the hands of her friend Jon, she is christening The New Orleans French Market as the virtual shrine of the instrument of the Gods.

NO REST FOR THE WEARY

 I can't stop thinking about this banjo and I have other important things to do. Like today I had to take my regular walk on the Eno river. I have to start working on my wardrobe for when I vye for the Beaver Queen crown. I have to start work on the Sloth Float for the Mardi Gras parade. I  know Christine just wants to ride in the grocery cart with her pajamas on but I am a frickin artist! Does she not get that. Talk about sloth! Its just one stressful thing after another. Every day... you know sorting shit and waiting on kooks at the Scrap, making banjos out of hubcaps, and this blog. Sweating this blog every damn day. Plus there is the constant accordion playing with the Beauty Operators and the Skinks. I think I just need to grab a beer and watch Skates of Glory. It's Sunday afternoon right. Why not! ... Oh wait, I have to go to Martha's high tea. And I want to wear a wig and pearls and ... shit... you see what I mean!

Squeezing the Best Out of Life: The New Orleans Line

 


From the Fabulous New Orleans Line:
Golden "Saints" Accordion
Who knows how much this may be
worth to your grandchildren after you are dead.



The Historic New Orleans French Market To Sell the Celebrated Washington Accordions



The Golden Age of Accordion Making Has Begun In Earnest

For over 200 years, the historic French Market has been an enduring symbol of pride and progress for the people of New Orleans. While the Market has existed on the same site since 1791, each new decade and governing flag has brought dramatic changes to the Market and helped to secure its special place in the hearts of the people of New Orleans. This year, 2011, marks the begining of the French Market as accordion provisioner to the yearning masses.

What began as a Native American trading post on the banks of the mighty, muddy Mississippi River on the site chosen for the City by the French, has become an accordion making mecca.  The French Market is the cultural, commercial, and entertainment treasure which the Crescent City proudly shares with the world.

Today, America’s oldest public market will  attain its lofty purpose by becoming the temple within which accordion makers Sandee and Shawna Washington  and Jon shall offer their sacred handmade accordions to the world at large and at last.



Yesterday, Shawna and her friend Jon went before the historic and pompful French Market board of directors and received official permission, and blessing (they loved the accordions and want to buy some themselves) to sell, the holy grail of handmade items, the Washington Accordions at the French Market.  The dawn of the golden age of  accordion making era has begun in earnest.





Operators Standing By to Recieve Your Call

 

Almost done.

Electric

8 am .... just wait ....

  

Plywood 1.5 hrs later

The begining of a banjo

Banjo Making Day: An End to Painters Block

I am ready to tackle the snotty knotty piece o plywood nailed to my door. Thanks to:

Hubcap



1. Liliana the Luna Moth the holding of whom was more effective than meditation or beer.
2. Doug the Surfer who tackles piece after piece of plywood with no thought to his personal safety
3. Joan the Dancer Doug's mom who explained Doug's art, dance and life to me in a way that I couldn't understand but that made me feel really creative and confident. Doug's lucky to have grown up with this.
4. Today's youth (Holly's children) who demanded I make another banjo. Until this point I was scared that I couldn't make another good one but they made it sound so frickin easy.
5. Bill the Beautiful Savage who made my worries of the future disappear into acceptance of the beautiful & luscious confusion of the present.
6. Shanna who has had the unparalleled fortitude to not dress but rather costume up every dang day of her life.

Work Bench in  my dining room Professional Artist Studio & my dog Animal Companion.



Today I shall painteth the plywood which taunteth me.

 

Yeah. Just another day in the wardrobe of Shanna (& my son Spencer). (Martha Dyer created Da $ Shoes)








Da Other Brudda: Sage



Something to Crow About at Happymess & My Daughter and I as Men!

I would LOVE to make pictures with you! Tonight we hawk our classes at Outsiders Gallery's http://www.outsiders-art.com/events  new Happymess http://www.outsiders-art.com/happymess .


I get to teach two classes in March. One on Making Faces, which would be a great class to take as part of a pair: adult/child or date class and the other is Drawing Birds from Nature.

A little bird told me that you are harboring some great reserved creativity. This spring is the time for you to be free as a bird and let your inhibitions fly! Don't put all your eggs in one basket: we are going to begin by offering little sample classes. S0 kill two birds with one stone and sign up for a couple classes! You will be happy as a lark!

Oh and I believe that Happymess is going to start a drawing from life class where there will be models who are naked as a jay bird! Oh... I bet that would make you smug as the cat who ate the canary.

Your goose is NOT cooked: there is still time to register!

Oh... here is a special bonus for following my post:


Shanna (my daughter), Liz and I as men. And it was not Halloween. It was just a normal social gathering of  friends from  the Church of Latter Day Saints.



Talk about regional wildlife  … PINHOOK hosts the

blue tailed skinks

Wednesday February 9 @ 8pm.

117 West Main…the only place to be if you want to make Wednesday night …

PARTY NIGHT!

Come on out and dance to Old Time that aint old.

Nuff Said

Morning O Shame (by tomorrow, I promise)



Plywood 1

 


Sandee 0

 





 

HappyMess's plot to denude you down to your blathering creative underbelly

Yesterday was a secret strategy meeting of undercover artists planning a way to make you one of us, without you specifically knowing it. I have been sworn to secrecy but ... well you see how far that gets you. The truth is, in this meeting we made a pact to lure you in here (Ousiders Gallery http://www.outsiders-art.com/ Thurs. 2/10 5:30-8) and  strip you of your outer crust of pomp, civility and seriousness. We want to denude you down to your blathering creative underbelly.

On a more personal note, being with artists yesterday embarrassed me into inspired me to finally dealing with the mocking piece of snotty knotty plywood I nailed to a door in my dining room professional studio about 3 months ago. It laughs at me continually. Today is the day that I earn the respect of that snotty knotty piece of plywood.

Okay. Tomorrow I bring the finished product to you here on the web. Promise.

The Sacredness of Idahos

I put a bird on my window to sing to me when I get up.

It is all about how your personal path to Idaho is your own freakin bidness.

I am teaching the mini-session at Outsiders Gallery's Happymess today. http://www.outsiders-art.com/And I am nervous. Weird because I have taught A LOT. I founded a freakin school...   (Achievement Academy of Durham  www.achievedurham.org ) .

But, teaching art is different. I never wanted or let anyone teach me. And I know that sounds arrogant but as a kid art is all I really felt I had that was really mine. And I did not want anyone in 'there' with me. I protected this thing I did. I did not want anyone messing with it. It is the place I could escape. It is the place I could be happy.

So, I hope there are no kooks like me in the 'audience' of learners. And if there is I am prepared for them. In fact, that is why I worked so hard to figure out what I want to teach because I don't want to mess with anybody's treasure .... anybody's escape hatch.... anybody's personal path to their own frickin Idaho.

Sorting Shit & The Beauty Operators 1st Practice Tonight

The Scrap Exchange is a nonprofit creative reuse center located in Durham, North Carolina. Our mission is to promote creativity, environmental awareness, and community through reuse.

All my life I believed that shopkeepers acted cheerful, because they had to, but that in truth they were bitter and jaded like most of us. But yesterday when I got to be a shopkeeper I was happy! I liked the kooks who brought in shit and the kooks who bought shit. I liked the bosses. Everyone who works there and everyone who shops there makes stuff out of this shit. I was cheerful and it was genuine.

I Like Sorting Shit

 You see the banjo in the picture at the top of this blog. I made that out of shit when I was one of the kooks who shopped at the Scrap. It is made out of a hubcap.

Tonight the Beauty Operators get together for their first practice. We are going to Frickin rock Durham. More tomorrow!   

Creative Reuse.... I got the job o jobs!

I got the Green Job of my dreams! I wanted green but if you know me you know I wouldn't be that good at installing solar panels. In this green job I will get to sort shit junk, meet kooks creative people, show my shit my art pieces, and totally enjoy life and art at its best in beautiful Central Park located in Durham North Carolina famously known as the Paris of France.

I will be employed by the creative re-use industry at our very own, very loveable Scrap Exchange http://www.scrapexchange.org/news.html I love, all of us Parisians Durhamites love, the Scrap. 

I have to go because me and the dogs need to take a long walk before I begin my 7.5 hr training! Today I go from kook to kook server. Wish me luck.


Puck & Sophie Sit & Stay




Waiting for a Walk
1 hr. later still sitting but bored



Art Class Musing; Beaver Queen Aspirations

All art requires courage. (Anne Tucker)
And going for the Beaver Queen crown requires a hot beaver & knowing your way around a squeeze box can't hurt.
(Sandee Washington)
In the midst of clamping my brain down on the challenge of planning the art mini-session I received a call from Beaver Lodge Local 1504 asking if I would be interested in going for the crown this year. 
http://beaverlodgelocal1504.org/  
Humble as I am I would ordinarily pass on vying for any kind of crown. But, when I received an invitation from Beaver Lodge Local 1504 I thought twice. The truth is, this has been a long lonely winter and my squeeze box is burning up from all the solitary play I’ve been subjecting it to.  There is nothing like the push of a too hot squeeze box to get you yearning to mix it up with other hot beavers. I’m in! (I will keep you informed on my progress in this endeavor.)

And the class! My goal is for students to see a face for real. And I don't have much time: 20 min. What has come to me is that the best way to begin really seeing a face may be to shut your eyes. The face is too familiar and to begin to be able to draw one we have to get past the 'knee-jerk' familiar. So as I woke up this morning I got it!!! The students will work with partners and they will close their eyes. Their partner will make there face into some expression and the drawing  



 

My Neighbor's Granbaby (I used acrylics and got to know the baby!)

partner will feel their face with their hands feeling the expression (and this has a double meaning because really you have to be empathetic to draw a human face well because you have to feel what the person in the drawing feels and if you are doing this right if you don't feel what they feel you will by the end of the drawing. You and the face you drew will be wearing the same expression! Really.) So, the person, with their eyes closed feels their partner's face and then opens their eyes and draws what they felt. 'Good' drawing has nothing to do with this. This is about feeling. TADA... the mini session and I can't wait!!!