The Power of the Flower . . . and the Pie
The holiday frenzy is almost upon us, but for exhibiting artists, it’s a double whammy of fun, mixed with frenzy, as we prepare our wares for the the festivals, bazaars and exhibits catering to art-minded shoppers. I’ve been making prints for my new collection, Flower Power, and having fun experimenting with various techniques and media, before deciding upon the smooth and sublime Red River Paper’s Arctic Polar Satin for the vivid, stylized look I’ve given my Glazed Flower Power photo paintings.
Red River describes its sheet as having a crisp white shade with “state-of-the-art microporous coating to enhance details and color saturation,” and I agree. Printing with it on my Epson Pro R1800 (in eight pigment inks) has been lots more fun than frenzy. Especially when you’re the kind of artist who’s excitedly watching each print emerge from the mysterious whirring rollers.
Work is underway in Santa’s (my) workshop, just ahead of the November 28 opening of Austin’s annual Blue Genie Art Bazaar, where I’ll be selling my Flower Power prints, along with my Mission Mexico and Vanishing Austin prints and poster. The prints are finally made for all 24 flowers in the collection; the mounting to the 5×5″ cradled birch wood panels is about to commence! Then they’ll be signed, marked with my Custom Made in Austin, Texas stickers, bagged in Krystal Seal, priced and finally, ready to hang next week. Yes, I could use a few elves.
Here’s a small selection of my 24 Flower Power prints. Click HERE to see the entire collection, and to order prints if you can’t get to the Blue Genie Art Bazaar—truly one of Austin’s finest art shopping traditions, featuring all local Texas artists, selling all custom handmade items. And with a full bar, occasional live music, art talks and holiday movies. What could be more fun?
A selection of prints from my new Flower Power collection © 2014
As for the frenzy, well, that will commence in earnest next week, once I’ve completed my Mission Mexico prints (on Red River’s Paper Canvas with a new, stylized look; more to come about that soon), updated my Vanishing Austin prints, and completed the one-day setup at the Blue Genie Art Bazaar. What frenzy could be left after all that, you’re wondering?
In three words: Apple Crumb Pies. It’s been my family’s traditional Thanksgiving pie for generations. At least that was the story I grew up believing, as I learned to bake apple crumb pie at the heels of its master, my mother. It wasn’t until she’d died and I inherited her first cookbook (labeled in her 20-year-old’s handwriting, “My First Cookbook”) that I discovered the famous family recipe right there on page 11 of the Pastry and Pie chapter in her well-used 1952 Better Homes and Gardens cookbook.
Whether the pie recipe was handed-down from her German and Italian ancestors or not, this pie’s power lies in its off-the-charts satisfaction quotient wherever it goes. So the post-printmaking frenzy this year will included baking enough of them for the 37 guests at this year’s Thanksgiving. Let the pie-baking frenzy begin!
And thereafter, let the shopping begin. ♣
What’s on your Thanksgiving buffet for dessert?
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The flower photos are amazing. Good luck with the Blue Genie sales.
As for the pie(s), my grandmother gave my wife that same cookbook after we got married and that Apple Crumb pie is off the hook, just as you say. Over the years the cookbook has fallen apart and these days the pages are inside clear sleeves and stored in a much larger binder. Thanks for the memory.
What an amazing coincidence, Allan! My inherited 1952 cookbook (first published in 1941, I see) is in the same shape. Of course I have two more recent versions in much better condition. You’ve inspired me to update this article with a photography of my mother’s original 1952 recipe. Which has been improved upon over the years, I might add . . . thank you for your flower compliment and good wishes.
Beautiful flowers…my favorite is the last one in your gallery. I guess one doesn’t say break a leg to an artist, as one does to an actor…so all I can tell you is shake a leg!
That’s perfect–shake a leg! Thanks Angeline. Your compliments mean much!
Cool. Maybe I’ll see you at the Blue Genie Bazaar.
That would be great, Barbara! Hope so. The artists aren’t there all the time though (that’s the beauty of it, for us) so let me know if you want to connect there. Would love to meet you in person!
Which days will you be there?