The weather was beautiful last weekend in Rochester and the crowds turned out for the festival. There were lots of clouds on Sunday but the rain held off for the most part. Yay. Being an artist that works primarily with paper can be quite challenging on a rainy day.

It was great to see my marvelous customers. One lady said that she had followed my work for the past 13 years! Since my debut at Clothesline. What an honor! I had to chance to meet alot of new faces even a Facebook Fan! How cool is that?

Here are a couple of highlights from the show. There was the beautiful gallery, of course…

the lovely atrium interior with a Henry Moore sculpture

a very interesting 4th Rochester Biennial exhibit. Loved this kinetic piece by Anne Havens.

There was music, food, and lots of artwork.

Sales were brisk. Yay. If you know me then you know I am a ceramics junkie. If I have a good show I am strongly inclined to purchase a new piece to celebrate. I thought it would be fun to introduce you to some of my favorite Upstate New York ceramicists.

Shown above are the pieces that I purchased this year. Aren’t they lovely. I can’t keep my hands off that mug. I feel very special drinking my coffee and tea from this earthy and contemporary cup. I can’t wait to use the bowl at our next family gathering or dinner club. The artist Renata Wadsworth is from Ithaca and her work is available online www.natapots.com and at the MAG gallery store.

This raku tile piece is by my friend Peter Valenti from Syracuse. We have been neighbors at the show and have watched each others children grow up from year to year. Peter primarily does wall pieces but often has vessels in his booth. His work can be purchased at shows and Eureka Crafts in Syracuse.

One of my favorite ceramist is Hodaka Hasebe. I have many of his pieces and have given lots of them as gifts. The glazes, texture, shape and functionality of his vessels have always appealed to me. His work can be purchased directly at many Upstate New York art festivals or in his etsy shop.

If my life could spare the time I would love to do ceramics again. I have 2 kilns that are waiting to be used. An old gas studio kiln out in the barn and a small electric kiln. Unfortunately my weak wrist has a hard time manipulating clay these days but I sure gave it a whirl in college. The piece shown below I made in a class at RIT. It is based on Franz Marc’s  The Large Blue Horses painting. Farmboy and I carried it around for 10 years stowing it under beds and in the basement of whatever place we were renting before we were able to actually install it.

I love sitting at the wheel. The whole centering process. You know I’ve said before that I was the self-professed Mud-Pie Queen in Mississippi growing up. I’m certain that has something to do with my love of gardening and ceramics. The firing process is like magic. Everytime the kiln opens its like Christmas morning. Although I don’t create ceramics anymore, I certainly appreciate their beauty and craftsmanship. I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing some ceramics work from some very talented artists. Be sure to check out their websites!

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Ooo, la, la! Here’s tiny sneak peak into some other things that have been going on around here! The theme for the Philadelphia Flower Show 2011 is “Springtime in Paris” and I am having so much fun getting ideas, patterns and fabrics pulled together for some new pillows and products to share!

Here are a couple new pillow designs featuring the Country French Animals, Fleur de Lis and a vintage photo of the Eiffel Tower. Love those contrasting textures and patterns! They are even reverseable.

And wine bottle bags… which is your preference? Burlap or silk? Seriously… I’m dying to know!

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I love the Clothesline Festival. I remember walking the show years ago when I was in college at RIT and being so impressed with the work that I saw. This will be my 13th year of doing the show. The first year I was thrilled to be one of the Merit Award winners- it was just the encouragement that I needed at that time to continue with my painting.

The show is on the grounds of the Memorial Art Gallery in downtown Rochester. The gallery is open to the public during the show upon paying the entrance fee. One of the perks of winning the Merit Award is that you can choose to move to a different (more visible) location in the festival. For the past 12 years I have loved my location, my neighbors, my shade tree and knowing that my customers know where to find me. This year there is a proposed sculpture park that has caused all of the vendors in my section to be relocated to the back of the gallery. I’m kinda bummed to say the least.

#127-  is my new booth number. It’s in the nose bleed section. Please take the time to find me if you are attending the show.  I have lots of new work this year. Shown above is a painting that I just finished last night. I love the abstract quality of it. I took many photos this year at the Walnut Hill Carriage Competition in Pittsford- this is the first of many paintings in a series.

Of course there will also be new topiary designs! See you there!

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Bound by Steel & Water

Miraculous Miss

Composition of Blown Glass

River Basin  at Taughannock Falls, Ithaca, NY

The above matted paintings will soon be available on my website under the Fine Art heading. Each painting is double matted with 1/2 in. reveal in 100% rag archival matting with archival foamcore backing. The pricing will go up once the pieces are framed for the upcoming Clothesline Festival Sept 11th & 12th. For more information please call 888.313.0239.

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We fought rain, wind and sun this past weekend in Buffalo. It was also quite an adventure getting there. Farmboy decided at 2pm on Friday that it was time to make hay! Make hay! (He insists that it was the HAY that decided it was ready… not him.) It never ends… farming. I had reservations at a hotel in Buffalo for Friday night. Dropped off kiddos at Junebug’s in Rochester and we came rolling into Buffalo at 2am. That wake-up call at 6am was dreadful. Farmboy helped me set up and my sister came to spend the day with me while Farmboy drove back to the farm to check the hay and feed all the animals. Sister and I had a great time catching up while I got a terrific sunburn. Farmboy arrived back in town at 8pm and we decided to head out to dinner.

I’ve always wanted to eat at Mother’s and sitting out on the covered patio was perfect. Had a delicious Swordfish steak with wasabi and ginger on a rice pilaf. Farmboy enjoyed his seared scallops with black linguine and sundried tomatoes. Sister had a grilled pesto shrimp salad with fresh mozzarella, kalamata olives, tomatoes and arugula. Delish. It poured for a while but the air was warm and we were dry so I was a happy camper… a tired, but happy camper.

I have the best customers! It was wonderful to see familiar faces and make some new friends. I love catching up from year to year and I get such a charge hearing when a gift purchased was a big hit when given. That is THE best. My new Baby Announcements received plenty of attention. I was very pleased. Until next year Buffalo… see you then.

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If you are in the Buffalo, New York area over the coming weekend you will not want to miss the Allentown Art Festival. So many talented artist- I feel honored to be in such great company! The festival is located in the Historic Allentown area of downtown Buffalo. Don’t forget to stop in at my booth and say Hi! I have a NEW location on Viriginia Street- booth #23. Hope to see you there. Farmboy and I will be spending the weekend away from the farm, the animals and the kids… Lookout!

The Topiary Buffalo (shown on the right) was originally designed for the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society and is now available on numerous products including: notecards, limited edition prints, pillows, lavender sachets and linen guest towels. Click here for ordering information. The Snowy Buffalo Topiary- a nice holiday themed design is also available on all of Michelle’s products including holiday greeting cards. Click here for more information.

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Oh, it’s great to be home! Totally enjoyed my trip to Philadelphia for the Flower Show this year… lots of fun, friends, food and flowers! Did I say flowers? Oh, and there were flowers. Lots of them. Little ones, big ones, crazy ones, pink ones, fragrant ones and even one named “Snoopy”… who knew!? Next year’s theme for the show is “Springtime in Paris”. I’m already inspired. Put it on your calendar! I hope the following images provide motivation to attend next years’ show or just garden eye candy for those of us who have endured a hard winter! Please excuse the quality of some of the photos. I was reduced to using my iphone as a camera having left CNY in a flurry to avoid a snowstorm and managed to forget my good camera!

The theme for this years’ show was “Passport to the World”. Garden displays from India, Singapore, South Africa, Holland, Ireland and the US were featured. I think the India exhibit was my favorite. I loved all of the color and the openness of the design.

A giant hot air balloon depicting the globe greeted everyone as they entered the show. This photo was taken the night before the preview as the landscapers were in a shallow pond wearing waders while installing the most gorgeous and gigantic lily pads that I have ever seen.

The enormous giraffe in the South Africa exhibit was magical. The structure was made out of rebar and little glass vases with orchid blossoms were hanging throughout the sculpture. The photo was taken the night before the PHS preview.

The Ireland exhibit. Love the topiary Irish Harp and use of stone.

This “orchid tree” and the moss carpet at its base made up of various mosses and succulents was one of my favorite elements at the show. Gorgeous! Photo doesn’t do it justice.

These “icy” designs were for the the New Zealand exhibit if I rememeber correctly. It was very theatrical. This exhibit was Farmboy’s favorite due to his extreme love of all things cold and snowy. Crazy… I know!

Shown above are photos of the India display. The colors were so vibrant. The rose medallions surrounding the bubbling water features were very impressive. There were performances of a traditional Indian wedding under the canopy during the show.

There were a number of displays that featured “living walls”. Walls made completely of plants. The textures and colors were lush and I especially enjoyed this example. Sorry for the fuzziness of the photo!

The images above are of the Holland exhibit. Who doesn’t LOVE tulips, bicycles, daffodils and scented geranium topiary standards?! I want tulips growing in the tiles of my laundry room. How cool is that?

The two images above show the charming Beatles inspired garden created by volunteers to honor the retiring PHS president Jane G. Pepper.

I went gaga over this display… the colors, texture and lighting. It was featured inside a large shipping crate. A very interesting and “out of the box” exhibit. Anne and Mike from our dinner club came to the show and Anne suggested that I do something like this for our next dinner club! Ha! That’s a good one!

I always enjoy the fashion part of the flower show. The image above is an example of one of the combinations entered in the fashion and arrangement competition. The designers have to relate the garment and the flower arrangement to each other following a given theme. Fascinating.

Isn’t that the cutest?! Love the pussywillow umbrella and those lime green wellies with the purple anemones!

Flower lampshade anyone?

I sat in on a fascinating bee keeping lecture by Jim Bob the Beekeeper in the Gardener’s Studio.

I especially like the competition section of the show. It totally appeals to the plant geek in me. Shown below are some highlights from that part of the show.

A pretty succulent.

The Front Porch competition.

The orchids at the show are spectacular…

as well as the Bonsai.

Medium sized niche arrangement.

Ikebana Arrangement

Tiara made from plant materials! Can you believe that?

Another beautiful, sculptural tiara made from plants.

I always find the miniature rock gardens interesting. I’ve got to make one of those hypertufa containers and do one of these!

And last but not least… my latest little obsession. Terrariums. I purchased a few plants and a cloche and base at the show. Stay tuned for my first terrarium in many years!

Hope you enjoyed the photos! I’ll have a few more to post at a later time. If you were are the show… what was your favorite garden display? Do tell!

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There are many topiaries of note at the Philadelphia Flower Show. A number of them I have seen year after year here in competition. After seeing the myrtle entries it has inspired me to try myrtle as an indoor topiary specimen. I love the fine leaves and the tightness of form that it creates. Hope you enjoy seeing some of this years’ entries! Stop back by for highlights of the display gardens… coming soon.

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