Lyric, ceramics & goldfish crackers

My little dog - a heartbeat at my feet..............Edith Wharton

It was mid morning and I had found another safe spot to slumber...under a jacaranda tree. A rhythmic clacking sound approached me...it was my friend Lyric wearing a big smile, pushing her popcorn pusher towards me. ''Lyric, why don't you go say hi to Bella'' said Beverly, who is Lyric's grandmother. While Lyric was petting the top of my head, I was licking her lips...what's that taste? Yes, it's cheese goldfish crackers. As I walked towards Beverly's studio, alongside Lyric and the clacking popcorn pusher, I found my favorite spot to plunk down, in Lyric's play area... Bev's studio is well equipped as a clay artist...there is the slab roller, kiln, potter's wheel, canvassed tables, ecstruder, and bakers shelves. Most of her work revolves around fish sculptor. Her fish pole was juried and exhibited in the Urban Trees project along the embarcadero. They are colorful, whimsical fish made to adorn gardens, shelves and walls...sometimes, she throws pots on the potter's wheel, then she rakus or saggers them. Around the lips of the pots are inflorescence or torrey pine needles woven in a coiled style, creating a mixed media container.

My ears perk up...I hear the rattling of a cracker box...and the area where I am lying down is showered with goldfish crackers, tossed about me, with a big smile and generous hands from Lyric!

bit by bit makes ed a fantastic mosaic

The morning was sunny and warm. Winchester was stalking the squirrels, who were clacking away with irritation....Winchester must be hungry as I am.

''Hello Girl''....it was Ed carrying in his artwork to studio 26. I followed along in his steps, wagging my tail, tongue hanging out, and every fur on my body in its perfect place...appearances in an artist village mean a lot. As I entered the doorway of his studio, I realized Ed was going to set up outside to do his artwork.


Out went the table, out went his unfinished mosaic, and out went his glue and box of tiny bits of colored paper. Ed is not only a fine watercolorist, he is a mosaic artist. Beautiful pictures of koi, flowers, landscapes, and even an incredible portrait of a young woman make up part of his mosaic collection of work.
Ed sits pensively and glues (with Elmer's glue!) bits of squared off paper (color samples from Home Depot) positioned by a needle onto his board. As each square is meticulously placed, one by one, hundreds upon hundreds, the squares take on a form...today Ed is finishing up his Koi's inspired by the fish in the Japanese Tea Garden. I felt as if I was being ignored, since Ed was enthralled in placing his bits of paper onto the mosaic....I went up to him, smiling, and began to wag my tail (maybe a bit too diligently, are those tiny squares of paper flying by?)....I could smell the ham & cheese....

'Oh, I forgot about you, girl'' I nudged his hand and gave him my best GIVE ME FOOD look and stared at his lunch bag. 'Are you hungry Bella?' .... I put my paw on his arm....Out came the sandwich, and Ed gave me half! 'That's my good girl'.....and he's right, I am a good girl. Woof!