News June 2008 Issue 8

Hello Everybody

I'm still waiting on the new book, A SURVIVAL GUIDE FOR SCULPTORS, to get completed. I have sent back what I hope is the final corrected galley, and yes, I am getting impatient. It looks like it is going to be just fine, and the feeling of even holding the galley in my hands was incredible. For those of you just joining us, there is a good description of my Guide in the April newsletter. All I can tell you now is that the number of other artists who looked at the sample material I had to show and requested an order is fantastic. I did delay the whole process myself when it came in for proofing, but when you are doing three shows in a row, things get hectic.

We had fun. The Pasco show did suffer I think for being held on Mother's Day weekend, traffic was a little light. But the show hadn't been held for at least five years, startup again does take time. If you missed it, that is too bad, the art was wonderful.

The Ellensburg National Western Art Show was its usual great time. I know lots of you were there and enjoyed yourself tremendously, and so did the artists, from the smiles as we were packing up.

If you happen to live in range of eastern Washington State, put the Ritzville Western Art show on next year's Memorial Day calender. It is a "sleeper", a real surprise for everyone who attended. It will never be a big show, just very select. The sales were great. (And the wonderful people there spoil the artists to the max!) Ritzville is a very old and rather small ranching town out in the middle of the prairie. They can give lessons on hospitality to anyone. The whole town wants to create something special with their art show, and it is well on its way. This is a show that artists are going to want to get into, and they can choose the best. You will be impressed. And watch out for the Cowboy Cartoonists group...a lot of them are showing up and things get wild around those characters. Oh, yes, I have to brag...I did win Best of Show - Sculpture.

Here at the home place, we are still repairing fences. One thing about the cold wet weather, it is easy to burn the piles of branches from cutting the trees for replacement rails. But then, when we first saw this place with its stands of lodgepole pine, all I could see were the fence rails and lodge poles for tipis, and it just keeps giving me more of them.

On the other hand, the gardens are just barely getting along. Rather, the vegetable garden is sorta on a holding pattern. The plants came up, took a look at the weather, and decided just to wait it out before getting any taller. Emmette is still cutting tires for our raised "beds", he had to make it larger, so even in the rain, I am still shoveling compost. Well, with all our livestock, we do have lots. It is my exercise program each year. For those of you who haven't ever seen the system, it is the lazy way to garden, weeding is not ever a problem, (no, the tires do not bleed into the soil,) and it usually gives us several weeks more growing time. It may look like piles of tires when summer starts, but I can guarantee by the end of July, it is a beautiful lush jungle, and the black tires are hard to see. If you are curious, drop me an e-mail and I will be glad to explain how easily it can be done.

The sculpture garden in its sheltered courtyard is doing much better. I have never had tulips and lilacs and columbine and honeysuckle all blooming at the same time...the cold weather set so many things back they all came on at once. If you get up in this area, please give us a call and stop by to see everything. The gallery is now open, and we'd love to see you. I have some great ideas for new work I am anxious to start, so there is no telling what you may find in process. Definately, there will be a new fountain.

I'd best get going. It is time to turn the mules out to grass, they are letting me know it. An emphatic mule is hard to ignore.

Walk in beauty
       Gabe