FOR WHOM THE BELL(S) TOLL . . .

“I had an inheritance from my father,
It was the moon and the sun.
And though I roam all over the world,
The spending of it’s never done.” 

Ernest Hemingway, For Whom the Bell Tolls

NJUGA ZA LOVE  (Bells of Love)

A Fun Piece for work or play.

For more information on this Piece Please Click HERE

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CLOUDS OF THE DAY ...

A Friend saw this and cut it out of the paper for me.  I thought it would be fun to include it this time instead of a 'real cloud' conversation.  Sorry the clarity is not better ... :(

Charleen

SUMMERTIME, PICNICS, AND BACKYARD BARBECUES ...

WHAT ARE THEY WITHOUT A LITTLE BIT OF WATERMELON?!!

'WATERMELON SWEETIE'

For more information on this Piece Please Click HERE

'WHEN ONE HAS TASTED WATERMELON,
HE KNOWS WHAT THE ANGELS EAT.'  ~  Mark Twain

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CLOUDS OF THE DAY ...

Beautiful Evening Sky over the small town of Wallace, Idaho.  We were suppose to attend the annual Wallace Blues Festival this past weekend but it rained.  Last year we did sit through it in the cold and rain (and got drenched despite umbrellas and wearing big black garbage bags!)  :/  The music was great and we did have a good time, but this year we opted not to do that to ourselves.  It cleared in the evening so we went down for a while, had dinner (for the locals ... we went to a tiny, new little restaurant called 'The Blackboard Café' ~ I recommend it :), walked around, listened to the Music from outside the gate, had an ice cream from the 'Red Light Garage' and then headed home.  Nice evening.

This old sign (Motel still in operation) sits out in front of the Red Light Garage.  The evening light on it just caught me.

CHARLEEN

BUSY. BUSY. BUSY.

And, I'm sure, we are just like everyone else is at this time of year!  We have out of town company for a week and a half, Two Grandsons graduating High School and both Graduation Celebrations are being held at our home (on consecutive weekends!) Having access to Mountain Trails just a block away, along with two ATV's, evidentially makes our home a fun place to celebrate an occasion.  :)  (Personally, I Love it!  :)

It's easier to work on Jewelry when we have company because I can just walk away if there is an interruption.  So here are the first of several new Pieces I've done ...

ORANGE LACE

ORANGE LACE with HALOMA (Happy Fortune)

I added HALOMA in the photo above for a little extra Drama but they are two separate pieces  !  :)

For more information Please go to my Website at  WWW.CHARLEENMARTIN.COM

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CLOUDS OF THE DAY ...

Today was the Memorial for Mohammad Ali.  It was televised on CNN and I watched parts of it while working. What I knew about the man was primarily what the News had provided over the years.  What I learned today painted a much more Human picture.  He was a man of very deep faith,  loved and admired by many.  He believed in himself and he believed in the goodness of others.  Evidently, he often talked about the fact that he was  'just tying to get to get Heaven.'  :)  I will let you decide what you see in the cloud photo above, but for me personally, I think it is a completely apropos moment for remembering a man that was a Hero to many.

I know where I'm going and I know the truth,

and I don't have to be what you want me to be. I'm free to be what I want.

~ Muhammad Ali

Charleen

O.K. BUT IT WAS JUST A LITTLE FIB ...

Good intentions never seem to go exactly as you plan them.  My intention of not designing and making jewelry anymore didn't last very long.  I really had thought I was done.  Certain body parts weren't cooperating the way I wanted them to so I thought 'why push it?' My Artwork will be enough. Enough ... until I managed to over-extend myself with a committment to participate in the Coeur d'Alene Artists Studio Tour the weekend of Sept. 12th/13th ... the very same weekend as our Sons Wedding! :/  And, I had just finished doing a Gallery Show the weekend before which is where most all of my newest work went.

I really hadn't planned on participating but when they called and specifically asked me to be a part of the Tour (at a Coeur d'Alene location ~ my Studio is too far away) the ego stepped in and before I knew what was happening it said 'YES!".  I did have a few newer small, paintings but hardly enough to make any kind of statement.  So...  hubby went to our Storage unit and dug out all of my Jewelry supplies.  I worked 5 days straight on getting new work done and managed to come up with some nice new pieces.  It took me a little longer than I liked but I was very pleased with the results. My work was (is) at the Jacklin Art Center in Post Fall, Idaho. The Studio Tour itself was only 2 days but because this venue is an Arts and Cultural Center they asked the 4 Artists showing there if we would leave the work an extra 2 weeks.  (A reason, I'm sure, why my ego was so eager to jump in before thinking the whole thing through!)  Anyway, if you are in the area the work can still be seen at The Jacklin Art Center, 405 N. William Street, Post Falls, ID  208.457.8950 until October 2nd.

Here are a few of the Jewelry Pieces from the Show:

TIBETAN PRINCESS

MBARARA

PINK LADY

And, one of the small paintings that is in the Show.  This Piece is sold.

BREAKTHROUGH

Here are a couple of examples of how I set up my work for the Studio tour ....

HELL ISN'T MERELY PAVED WITH GOOD INTENTIONS; IT'S WALLED AND ROOFED WITH THEM.  YES, AND FURNISHED TOO.

~ Aldous Huxley

Charleen

RED STEPS OUT. THE BLONDE STAYED HOME.

'RED STEPS OUT'

Above is 'Red Steps Out'.  This is a new Piece I just finished and packaged to go up to Entree Gallery for their Seasonal Opening on Mothers Day.  I'm the Blonde.  :)  And, yes, I've been home, diligently working in my Studio trying to finish what needs to be done.  I've actually had a good past few weeks.  Everyone here knows I'm a little under the gun trying to meet my goals for work to take up there so they've pretty much left me to myself.  

This is another new piece ...

It's called 'THE ISLAND LIFE' 

For more information on either of these Pieces Please Click  HERE

And ... a large Collage that I just finished ...

THE BLUES SISTERS: MONDAY MORNING CHAT

This is a 24 x 30 Collage on a Wood Panel.  More information can be found HERE

And then there is this funny little Guy.  He's just 6 x 6" and one of a few smaller Pieces that I managed to get done.  I've had that background for ages.  I guess it was just waiting for the right smile to come along.  :)

"STOP AND SMELL THE  ... UH ... DAISIES"

More information on him can be found HERE

Tomorrow I head up to Nordman to bring my work to Entree Gallery.  It's about a 3.5 hour drive from here so I usually make a two day trip out of it and stay with friends that have a beautiful home on the Pend Oreille (pronounced Ponderay)  River.  Yesterday and today were absolutely gorgeous out and, of course, the next two days are suppose to be rainy.  Guess I'll just have to put my Rain Smile on.

Charleen

"THE WAY I SEE IT, IF YOU WANT THE RAINBOW

 YOU GOTTA PUT UP WITH THE RAIN."  

                               

                                                  ~  Dolly Parton