Flowers, Love and Social Convention

Hello My Dears,
 

The tropical weather has subsided, and we are in paradise, again.

Over the weekend, Spanish Village Art Center celebrated the yearly 'Art in Bloom".
 

Artists paint their interpretations of the fresh floral arrangements in the courtyard, where visitors watch, enjoy, and talk to the artists.....Humans seem to be the only creatures on earth who imitate and express themselves through art.

Gifts from Mother Nature are plentiful.

Flowers give us colors, shapes, and fragrances.  Our eyes dilate with the pleasure of their beauty, and we savor their aromatic bouquet.

 

And, with further consideration, we see the lessons of aging....first the seed, then the young bud, then to its petals blossoming beauty, then the petals fall, and only the seeds remain to start the process over again. ..just like humans and dogs, if you think about it.

 

 

Mother Nature's plan of Life, and, ironically Death. 

It applies to all her living creatures, even human and dogs....if we are lucky.

Artists, throughout time, have tried to capture its entirety.
 

Over here, Brandon, my poodle buddy, Matilda, the canyon coyote, and I, lazily share a freshly dug hole, listening to Franklin, the village rat, and, Emily, the village squirrel, (who are a 'thing'), making bizarre conversations.  Apparently, Franklin, the rat, claims to have a great-great-great grandfather who was a quarter squirrel. Even more, Emily the village squirrel, claims her great-great-great-great grandmother was pure rat.  Brandon, Matilda and I, listen to the two jabber, look at each other, roll our eyes, and bust out laughing (Matilda howls).

 

 

Love is one thing, whereas, being  'in-love' surpasses everything.....paving new roads for social convention.  For me, I love my buddies and Spanish Village.  

 

You can visit Spanish Village and all its beauty, 7 days a week, from 11-4 PM weekdays, 11-5 PM weekends, free for all, pet and family friendly. We offer summer classes for kids and adults, and have usually live music.  Our artists love to create, sell, and discuss their artwork.     

We are ready to welcome you!
 

This year is Balboa Park's Centennial Celebration, too!

There is even more to see  throughout the park, because of the celebrations!
 

I think of all of you often, and hope to see you at the Village!

Love to all of you, 

 

Bella the Blogging Dog 

Woof!  Woof!

I love pizza and meatballs!

CHATTER-CHILDREN AND CLASSES

Summer days last til around 7:30 PM, when the sun sets. 

Still, the children's art classes, mornings and afternoons,  give aspiring, young, artists, exposure to clay, painting, mixed media and so much more.

I lie underneath the jacaranda tree, in my cool, freshly dug hole, and listen to the chatter of the children and the birds.  Lunch time is always a special treat because the children are quite generous with sharing bits of lunch....although, I could do without anymore bologna or string cheese.

Come enjoy the Village and rub my tummy!

Love,

Bella

CLAY TO CLASSES

There's a rhythm to the special occassions to Spanish Village. One such event is the 'Potter's Guild Twice Yearly Patio Sale', on June 8th and 9th from 10 AM to 5 PM. Booths cover our spacious patio, displaying all things made from clay. Coffee cups to sculptures, raku to sagger, utilitarian to decorative objects of art can be found....all handmade, one of a kind...come meet the potters!   Father's Day is Sunday, June 16th! Come pick out a handmade coffee cup or browse the tables for something else. While you are enjoying the Village, pick up a roster/application to Spanish Village's Summer School for Art. Classes are held weekly, Mon-Fri, July through August, 9 AM to 12 PM or 1 PM to 4 PM. Cost: $140.00 per morning or afternoon class...or check our website : http://SpanishVillageArt.com   Summer School is always a joy for Franklin, the arachnophobic rat, Erika, the ragdoll cat, and the numerous other 4-legged creatures that hang out at the Village....why? ALL THE FOOD LEFTOVER, whether it's in the trash, tossed out to us, or left on the ground, we all appreciate the goodies! Kids are notorious for leaving food around....     Oh! Here comes Rebecca! She's got a brush and a new ribbon to put in my fur! Remember to come by and pat me on the head, bring some pizza, and perhaps a meatball sandwich for me, next time you see me! ....and a bit of advice to the fathers........be sure to treat the mothers well, and they will make you and your family happy. Good Shopping at the Village and Happy Father's Day! Love, Bella

GOOD THINGS COME IN SMALL PACKAGES

Oh, this warm sunshine feels so, so, appreciated! Last week's cold spell sent all my 4-legged friends scattering for warm shelter.

 

EVERYONE! YOU ARE INVITED TO:

38th Annual Small Image Reception

Spanish Village Art Center -  Balboa Park
1770 Village Place - Gallery 21
San Diego, CA 92101
Saturday January 26, 2013
4:00 PM to 8:00 PM

Free to the public!

It's a unique challenge for artist's to create artwork no greater than 10''x10'' with a wide range of visual expression.

The show opens on January 23 thru February 25.

11:00AM to 4:00PM

All artwork is for sale, and catalogues are available.

My favorite part is the reception where all those yummy taste treats are offered.....especially the meatballs! And, the leftovers dropped on the floor, are graciously eated by Franklin, the arachnophobic rat.

If you would like to enjoy the vibrations of other art lovers, stroll around Gallery 21, and enjoy small works of juried artwork, COME TO THE RECEPTION!

I will be the beautiful, longhaired, bearded collie, with the pink bow....meatballs are alway appreciated.....

Til the Reception!

Good Bye, Woof! Woof!

SQUIRREL GARDEN (Studio 26)

BEAUTIFUL SUNFLOWERS ARE IN BLOOM

Summer is here with its long warm days and mother earth celebrating. Erika, my rag doll cat companion, and I were lying underneath the sunflowers. Emily, the squirrel, and her friends must have planted this beautiful sunflower garden.....we enjoy the beauty now, and as it grows older, the blossoms will produce sunflower seeds for Emily and her friends to eat......the garden is in the alcove where studios 24, 25, 26 & 27 are located....drop by and enjoy the glass art, photographs, jewelry, baskets, and paintings in the alcove! In studio 26, there are doggy milkbones for my friends, and near the sunflower garden, fresh water for thirsty wagging tails. The village is open 7 days a week from 11am to 4 pm! Hope to see you! Love, Bella

If your in Balboa Park today, stop by our village and see "Squirrel Garden" yep that's right "Squirrel Garden" SUNFLOWERS planted and well kept by our 4 entertaining Golden Red Tails squirrels. They are very vocal by chatters, growls and screeches. They love to chase each other up and down their handmade ladder built by artist. Find them at Studios 24-27.

Enjoy the sunflowers while they last!

LOVE BELLA! 

Have a safe 4th of July.

SAN DIEGO POTTERS GUILD SPRING PATIO SALE

Hello Everyone! It's another sunny day in Spanish Village. This past weekend was the Potter's Guild Sale held throughout the courtyard of the village. Lots of people enjoying the original pieces of claywork such as vases, sculptures, coffee cups, dishes, sushi plates, and so much more....and, very interesting assortments of glazes. Brandon, my poodle buddy, and I dug a nice, cool, hole under the blooming Jacaranda tree, enjoying the cool breezes, and the occassional tummy rubs. The Potter's Guild, open daily, has a large workshop/studio in Spanish Village, where dozens of artist display and sell interesting objects de arte, or utilitarian clayworks. A nice coffee cup would make a great FATHER'S DAY gift!

A Song In Her Heart

''If there are no dogs in Heaven then, when I die, I want to go where they went.'' Will Rogers.

Dogs are generous creatures. They shower you with affection without anything in return. But, when your affection is returned, to me, it is heaven.

The afternoon sun was hot, and moving over to the westerly sky. Few people were meandering in the Village because of the heat. Looking down the main patio, I could see the patio artist fanning themselves, sucking on iced coffees, working on their crafts, glancing up for a potential customer.

I was lying down under the Jacaranda tree, panting. I was thirsty and my tummy was beginning to growl. It was time to get up and find some grub. Overall, the Village was quiet, except for a sound of a lilt not too far away. Who is that? Who is that singing? I lifted up my ears, perking them to distinguish from where the song was coming. It was Randi singing the 'Rubber Doggy (Duckie) Song' in the air I could hear 'rubber doggy, joy of joy, I'd like a pond of you'......so, I figure it was one of those whimsical days for Randi....sounds like fun. I got up and trotted over to her studio.

''Come on in Bella!' ''I've got some hot dog for you.''
(yummy, I love The Grill's super dogs!)
''Did you like my singing?''
(I wagged my tail, and gave her a big lick on the cheek)

RANDI HAWKINS, artist
2D Mixed Media

Contented, and lying in Studio 31, on the coolness of her concrete flooring, I watched Randi paint with her pallet knife, concentrating as she delegated the oils onto the canvas, stroke by stroke, creating colors breathing from her canvas, depicting a lotus floating in the Reflection Pond. She is using oil with oil pastels. The textures pull your eyes into consideration and appreciation of her artwork...followed by a comment of awe. A Painting of the architecture of Balboa Park is hung on the wall...the colors shout out with vibrant purples and lime greens. It is a wonderful way to conceive a quiet, staunch, historical building...but, that's Randi, always perceiving outside the box.

It was time to go look for water....Randi's studio doesn't have running water.
Without breaking Randi's concentration on her painting, I got up and went to Lai's studio for a refreshing drink of water underneath the carob tree.

As I trotted to the drinking bowl, I considered what I would be for this Halloween's festivities....I've heard there's going to be a Halloween costume contest for dogs! What fun! I wonder if Winchester would take afront if I dressed up as a cat.

Bella and her Buddy Lai

The morning was sunny, and the heat was already creeping into the day. Winchester, the cat was licking himself with interest, the squirrels were chirping at eachother jockeying for a special tree limb, and I was wondering where I would find my next treat. Lying down underneath the shade of the carob tree, I heard keys jangling, someone was coming into the charming little patio...it was Lai my buddy.
''Hi Bella! How you doing girl?' '' Do you want a treat?'' .....say no more to me. I immediately got up, did my Bella shake, yes, all my fur is perfectly in place. I really am beautiful, you know, and trotted off to follow Lai into her cool studio.
''Just a second while I put this stuff away, okay, girl?''

I lied down on the cool concrete floor as I watched Lai put away her day's needs. Everytime, I come into her studio, I enjoy the paintings of her dogs, or 'doggies' as she would say. Colorful, whimsical, full of expression dogs of all ilks, all from her imagination, hung from the grids attached to the wall. Painted on canvas with oil pastels, each one of her colorful paintings jump out and say 'look at me' and invariably bring a smile or chuckle on the viewer's face.

And along the display shelves, I can see Lai's organic baskets made from materials she mostly gleans from the park's grounds. They are made from dracaena draco, inflorescence (king palm), flax, philodendron, and more. Some are coiled with the inflorescence, and some are weaved with the dracaena draco...they, too, are whimsical and organic.
''Okay girl, let me put the doggy bones in this cracked bowl for my doggy guests, and okay! Ready for a cookie???''
And I looked her in the eyes and gave her a big Bella smile...''don't have to ask me twice!''
Note: in Studio 26, where Lai's doggy paintings and baskets are, is also a drop off point for doggys to have a milk bone, fresh water, a hose to spray your heated dog down, a cool place to lie down, and tummy rubs (for the dogs). In Lai's studio dogs rock!

Remembrance SCOTT KUHNLY, UFO's and PB&J

MEMORIES and MINUTIAE

SCOTT KUHNLY, a member of Spanish Village for over 40 years, passed away on July 27, 2012.   For as long as I've been with the Village, Scott would give me bites of his peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, long tummy rubs, and pats on my head followed by the familiar sounds of his voice. Scott displayed his watercolor and oil paintings near the entrance of the Village on the patio. The scent of Scott has disappeared, and the habit of seeing him almost every weekend makes me sad, now that he is gone. An overwhelming minutiae of feelings and memories leave me uncertain, but I focus on special memories with Scott....the minutiae dissipates to warm thoughts and memories I hold in my heart....recapturing my friend, Scott....and that feels good. Until Later, all my Love, Bella

SCOTT KUHNLY & BELLA (aka Roxie)

Sometimes, when the weather is sunny, I like to find an agreeable studio (with lots of goodies) to lie down, feel safe, and maybe snooze a little, but today I feel like feeling the warm breeze blow through my beautiful fur and schmooz with my buddy Scott.

He's a patio artist who sits on his beach chair on weekends, situated in the front of the village, near the entrance, with dozens of watercolors and oil paintings hung from A-frames. Representational paintings of landscapes from meadows to seascapes, and more. Scott shows up on the weekends, sets up his paintings, and paints the day away. He has been a member of Spanish Village Art Center for approximately forty years. I enjoy sitting next to him, watching the guest stroll by, and enjoying how each stroke of his brush is one step closer to a fantastic painting.


Occassionally, a conversation will strike up. ''Is that what I think it is?'' says an observant guest. And Scott will say 'yes'.....'yes it is an extraterrestial object in the sky of my painting'.....Scott sneaks in an occassional UFO, however minute, in his paintings....I am amazed at how many guests admit to having seen an UFO, as Scott has remarkably witnessed one. If you hang around Scott, you'll undoubtedly listen to some interesting conversations.
''Hey girl, ready for lunch?'
' ''Do you have to ask me?'' I wag my tail and gaze into his kind eyes.
''Ready for some peanut butter and jelly, and some string cheese, girl?''
''AM I?!'' Just one more thing to make this lunch perfect! I rolled over on my back and said ''rub my tummy!'' AHHHH!