WHAT IS A WEEK END? 2

I've been wanting to play around with sculpture and have been making these recently. They are made of fake flowers and egg cartons.

Another new work.

I had Friday morning off. (Federal Holiday, y'all) and we drove down to our friend's farm to pick up a pork shoulder to smoke for the 4th of July and to meet the new pigs. I also met some interestingly shaped tomatoes. It's amazing what's out there once you stop getting the perfect, round, grocery store ones.

I ran into this unfortunate fellow later at the UGO. I would love to cook a pig head someday.

Later that evening was First Friday, and my studio had an exhibition at the Emporium on Gay Street.

My work sandwiched between work by Ashley Addair.

I'm not entirely sure this is finished. I may keep working on it after July.

So much food on the 4th.

A recent shot of Miss Mamie

CAT CONTEMPLATES CAT

Blackie, the cat of photographer Gjon Mili. I was reading some of my favorite blogs and found this collection of Blackie pictures on Miss Moss. I really like them. Blackie is the spitting image of my cat, Mamie. 

A HOUSE AND A CAT FOR B

Wedding presents for my friends. A custom portrait of their brand new house and a painting of my cat, not because I'm a crazy Catlady, but because a reading I did at their wedding uses a cat as a metaphor for love. Because they are love, when they're not ignoring you.

RETINETTE

Last weekend I treated myself to a new camera. It is similar to a camera I have that is not currently in working order (my dad's old rangefinder), however, this camera is a little different in that it is completely manual. It needs no batteries, and gives me no clues as to how I should set the camera to expose the film. I picked up the Kodak Retinette at the second branch of Nostalgia, on McCalla. My version, with a Schneider Reomar lens was made in Germany in the late 50s or early 60s. I removed it from its brown, leather case and opened the back. Standing among racks of polyester dresses and fur coats, I held it up to the light to watch the shutter open and close. The shutter opened large, and it opened small. It opened quickly and it opened slowly. The film advance turned round and round. It seemed like a safe bet. The next day I loaded in a roll of film before heading out to enjoy the spring time and the Dogwood Arts Rhythm and Blooms festival. I am impatient about some things, and was eager to discover how well my camera worked (and how well I worked with a completely manual camera.) The first roll wasn't a total flop, but I need some better judgement about f-stops and the distance between my lens and my subject. Here are some pictures from that Saturday.

The Cruze Farm Milk Bar and Food Truck. Maker of excellent ice cream and Indian Foods. A favorite at the weekly Farmers' Market.

Carolina Story performing "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" in the Daylight Building.

Mamie Bear the Great.

Pianos were out for folks to play in Market Square. This image is probably my best successfully focused shot. I'm a creep taking pictures of random children, but I see now I'm not the only one.