Restless Squirrels Plate

Happy New Year!

When do we stop saying Happy New Year? in February? The holidays had left me totally burn out, to many things to do, people coming, people leaving, helping my husband with the business, cleaning the house... so many things that needed to be done, I was unable to do everything so I have to make some cuts, my garden is a jungle again, my little room is chaotic (well, is getting better now), and I have not done anything art related. I have so many projects in my mind, that right now feel I bit overwhelmed, I need to start categorizing in order to do something... but today is cloudy and rainy, I just want to lay down and read one of the books that I have all piled up in my bedroom.

But, I have to start somewhere, and I thought this will be the place to start :)

This is a plate I did last year, it has been recently fired cone 6, I call it the Restless Squirrels Plate, it has been all carved out and then painted, what do you think?

Rodolfo

Well, I am not sure his name is Rodolfo, my neighbor calls him Rudy, but Rudy doesn't seem to be a name for him, somehow I think he is Latin, and speaks Spanish, I think he sings Quiquiriqui, and not Cock- A - Doodle - Do. I mean, really? I can not even pronounce that, how will Rodolfo??

Yes, Rodolfo is a rooster, a free one, I have no idea how he ended up living on my street, he is here all the time, and he sings the whole day, and he is way fatter than he should be. He goes door to door and sings for food, and people, of course feed him... well, not everyone, not me. I don't want him to come all the time and ask for food, and even so, he is always here, same with cats, I don't like them, and regardless they are here all the time. For some reason, they like my garden, front and back. Luckly  Rodolfo has not found his way to my back garden like the cats. And my next door neighbor keeps him well fed, so I guess there is nothing to worry about.

It has been about 2 months, I think, since the very first time we heard Rodolfo, and nowadays I barely hear him, not because he has stopped singing but because I am so used to him. The other day my cousin came to visit and found him, she was surprised and said: "There is a rooster on your front door"! Rodolfo moved slowly and let her pass, he is not afraid of humans at all.

 Here are some photos of Rodolfo. I have learned that he is a Barred Plymouth Rock Chicken, and that they are quite popular here in the USA. My mom said they are called "moros" in Peru. However, if you google them, you will notice that the roosters are not as fat as Rodolfo; he has been definitely well fed by the Ballast Point neighbors.

Do you have chickens? It seems like everybody has chickens nowadays, and of course, fresh eggs too, but so far I am the only one who "has" a free rooster who sings Quiquiriqui every hour, because I am sure he sings in Spanish.

Handmade in America

Here are some photos of the July 4th Exhibit, the show was nice and came many people. I met wonderful upcoming artist that I will keep a eye on them, and some well know artist as well.

I appeared in many photos because my lovely husband was in charge of the camera and he just likes to take photos of me :s I didn't post all of the photos I thought you may get tired of seeing my face.

So, here is my with my bowl, the bunnies bowl it has a fancy name because my husband is the one who name almost every pot I made, he has the amazing gift of writing, he loves words, play with words and create beautiful stories with those words. Every pot that he name becomes a piece of poetry, if it were for me the bowl will just be white bunnies with him is "Blue Spring Fulgent", much nicer, don't you think? The bowl has so much meaning with him, he put in words feelings, and I found that amazing!!!

This is a wood sculpture made by Candance Knapp, its name is "Sisters of the Holly Flower", it is a set of 3 girls/flowers all made of wood, it is a beautiful piece, I will buy it inmediately if I had the money, just $1800, not so bad if we think that she is quite famous. I have seen her pieces in many places around Florida in solo and group exhibitions. Also the red bird mobile, is another of her creations. 

 

And this wall belong to Linda Pieroth from Apollo Beach, Florida, she works with mosaics. She makes this beautiful images cutting little pieces of glass, adding beads and many things like that. Just beautiful, I like them all, but if I have to choose, I will take the cardinal and the moth, ok, just the cardinal, no, the moth. Her pieces are some what affordable between $300 and $400. If I sold my bowl I will buy one of these. 

Dan Balk Studio, he is the owner and the artist of the Singing Stone Gallery, he made amazing jewelry, beyond pretty and so unique, I am not a person who wear jewelry, just a pair of simple earrings are enough for me, but I can admire the process the art in each of his creations, if I had the money I will buy some for my mom, she loves jewelry and is not shy about wearing big pieces.

Me again :)

 

Again the bowl and I posing with my adorado Briancito !!!

 

The wonderful painting of a rooster by Lynn Rattray tittle "The Senator". I was wondering if she painted it because the show was in Ybor City and there are many chickens and rooster around here, the city of Ybor protect them and therefore they walk freely on the streets. We were looking at the painting and then we heard them, just outside the gallery a couple of them walking around,

 We went outside to try to take a better photo of them. They walked pretty fast, could get any close up.

It was a lovely evening, I meet some new artist and had a good time, after that we went back home and had a nice dinner with my lovely husband. Yesterday I found out that the Tampa Tribune newspaper wrote an  article about the exhibit, here is the link if you want to read it:

Theme of Singing Stone exhibit is all-american

July Exhibits

I am very happy to let you know that I have been accepted to a couple of exhibits yayy!!!. The first one is title "Handmade in America" and it has been hosted by the The Singing Stone Gallery in Ybor City, Tampa. The opening reception will be on July 4th. I submitted 3 photos and they chose the white rabbits jumping around. I think I showed you the photo before, but just in case, here it is.

The second exhibit is the "5th Annual Nature & Wildlife Exhibit" hosted by the St. Augustine Art Association. The Exhibit will go from July 26 to August 31st. Again, so happy, specially because is a theme that I love and works perfectly with what I do. I sent 3 photos and they chose the "Running Hares"  yay!!!
Here is the photo of my plate with the running hares. 

I will let you know about the opening receptions and post some photos :)










 

Turtupilines/ Vermilion Flycatcher

I was super busy yesterday, I had to baby sit Sophie, my dear friend Katalin's baby girl. Well, toddler to be more precise. At the end of the day, I was pretty tired, I can only imagine the life of a full time mom, and if she happens to work regular office hours, ay, ay, ay! I don't know where they can recharge energy for the next day; because today I sleep a little bit more, and did my stuff and as you can see have time to take some photos, but for the mothers everyday starts again the same way: Moooommmmy!

But overall, it was a nice day! I miss my friend Katalin here, easy to reach, so having her and Sophie over was really, really nice. Thank you for coming liebe Kati!

Anyway, here are the photos, the bowl tentative name is "Alighting Upon a Full Limbed Summer" we will see if we keep it or change it.

I picked up the Bowl#2, it looks good. Tomorrow I take more photos and keep you all posted.

Florida Heat 2014

I know, I know, I have been away for a while, but life gets complicated sometimes. I still have a pile of things to do that I can not when I will be able to finish. Perhaps it will be faster if I just focus on the things I need to do instead of the things I like to do. For example, in that pile there is a paper I need to finish since for ever, photos I need to take of my recent pottery, etc, etc. But what do I do instead rush into full day workshop.

The workshop is called Florida Heat and is hosted by St. Pete Clay Company, a great place in St. Petersburg. I just to live in St. Pete (that's how we call our little town) before I got married, now I live in Tampa; these 2 towns are what is call the Tampa Bay Area. But, I digress, Florida Heat is a 5 day workshop, and this year many of my all time favorite potters where here, in my town, I couldn't be more excited when I found out about it. However it is very expensive workshop, or at least it is for me. So, I could only afford to go to one day, one fantastic day with Julia Galloway, Michael Kline, Chandra DeBuse and Adam Field, but thing was that many of the projects that they were showing needed more than one day, so I HAD to go next day also. Luckily for me, I had a great and supportive husband that spoils me so much (I love you so much Briancito!)

Next day I was great too, and I meet Forrest Middelton. I have to confess I wasn't so into his pottery, I know is bad of me, but I am not to thrill about stencils and transfers, but he is so awesome, that I might tried it. The things he does with clay... you have to see it. The only sad thing was that I couldn't see one of my favorites potters, Kristen Kieffer, but I am planning to buy her DVD to compensate my loss. Also I miss the presentation of Lisa Orr and Benjamin Carter, I didn't know much about them but now I am so intrigued, specially by the pottery of Lisa Orr, her pottery is so wild and organic, check it out if you have some time.

Perhaps with all the knowledge this wonderful potters where so generous to share I can improve my pottery skills, and I can have more sales, with that money I think I will go to a hands-on workshop in the future. I discover that is better to practice a little and have some knowledge so one can ask the right questions, otherwise one thinks understand but when practice the knowledge one found some gaps. If you know what I mean. Also, I want to have their pottery with me, I want to touch them and look at them I have to work on my sales skills, because I need those pots!

Here are some photos, I am planning to make collages and put in practice what I learn, but it will take me some time. I hope you can understand.

My favorite potters: Kristen Kieffer, Chandra DeBuse and the wonderful Julia Galloway

I like their work so much and now that I have the pleasure to meet them I am head over heels. Their pottery really match their persona. I can understand now why they do what they do, is because their pottery is just a projection of themselves. And now I like them even more, after the workshop there is a thought  that don't leave my mind, going to Montana, yes super cold and nothing but cows Montana, just because Julia Galloway works at the Archie Bray Foundation and it gets worse, I want to be part of the show they have once a year, just because I want Julia Galloway to like me isn't that silly. Well, being accepted there is very prestigious too, so that is my next goal. . . I wonder how many years will that take me?

In the mean time I am working on some huge bowls I had successfully made on the wheel, if they survive I will show you some pictures in the next days. Wish me luck!

Massimo's Jewelry Box

The little Scarlet Tanager Bird (Piranga olivacea) lives in the Northeast forest of  the US during the summer. When winter comes it flees to south American countries like Peru, Ecuador, Colombia and Bolivia. It makes a short stop before crossing the Gulf of Mexico, which give us, Floridians, the opportunity to see it.

It is a medium size bird that sings wonderful  tunes. I have chosen to decorate one of my boxes with this bird because, this little bird can be seen in Lima, Tampa and Dallas among other cities. These cities became special when I found out about Massimo.

Massimo is a two year old boy who has Eosinophilic Esophagitis, he lives in Dallas, Texas. His mother and I were high school classmates back in Lima, some years ago. I got back in touch with her during the days of the American Made contest. (Remember the contest? who could ever forget, right? Voting everyday for weeks. Well, during those days I got in touch with many of my former classmates. They were wonderful voting for me everyday, and you know how FB is, you get in touch with friends and friends of friends. When the contest ended, my friend Marissa invited me to "Like" her page Support for Massimo. On this page she talks about Massimo and his disease:

"Massimo is 2 years old and has been recently diagnosed with Eosinophic Esophagitis, he also has dysphagia, food aversion, asthma, chronic ear infections, GERD, developmental delays, celiac disease and failure to thrive. He also has a feeding tube. It has been hard to even reach the correct diagnosis, he has suffered since birth and we had to push, fight and plead to get where we are. If you want to know more about these diseases and our journey, you are welcome to follow this page"

The recent news about Massimo is that he no longer needs to have or to use the feeding tube and that his disease is in remission. Hurray for Massimo!! However, he still needs to be super careful about what he eats which I can only imagine must be really hard for his mother. Children usually don't ask permission to eat, if they see something they like, they just grab it and eat it. 

On November 16th will be an Craft Fair in Arlington, a city close to  Dallas, TX.  Massimo's  10 year old sister will be there selling  hand-made bracelets and the money she raises will be donate to CURED. Her mother wanted to buy one of my pieces so she can do a silent auction or something: she is very determined to make this disease well-known and to find a cure for her little boy. 

With all these things on my mind, I thought how I might contribute. What can I do that will be small and not too expensive to mail to TX; what can I do that would  make people want to contribute? Perhaps I could make something someone might buy as a present, perhaps something for their personal use . . . Who are the ones usually buying my pieces, that I know? My pieces are often purchased by women. What do women like, jewelry, so what about a jewelry box? It is small and can make a great gift, something that you use and is also decorative. I decided to carve the piece with birds, and I chose the Scarlet Tanager bird because this little bird flies around where we live. Perhaps the same little bird can be resting in Massimo's garden and then he can show up in my garden, before going to visit Massimo's family in Peru. Then, he flies back, and so we all can send our love to Massimo with this little bird.


The jewelry box will be my small contribution in the search of finding a cure for the  Eosinophilic Esophagitis. I don't have money but I do have clay ; ) Hopefully someone will like my piece and buy or bid for it. 

Here are the photos of the process, tomorrow it will fired again and hopefully it will look good, Then it will be mailed to TX and arrive just in time for the event.

Painting again!

Hi,
It has been a while since my last post, I have been very busy, trying to finish the dinner-table sets and working in the garden. Well, I have not finish either, garden takes so much time and the results are going to be visible in 10 years from now... OMG!! how can I get involved in something that requires so much time? I guess because I have this dream of a garden full of flowers and butterflies and just keep thinking on the goal. It does look better than last year, but not yet the way I wanted.
Anyway, in the field of pottery, I am still working, I had some troubles with my plates, one cracked, and others had problems on their foot so I have to make more, and more, and there are still more to be made. But I had to stop of making plates and did some bowls and boxes for a change.
I am working in the "Blue Birds of Happiness" Collection and the "Starry Night" Collection, a little sgraffito and a little of just free hand painting.

This are the photos of the greenware with the Blue Birds theme, I forgot to take a photo with the Starry Night, it has been a while since the last time I photograph the process, I will start to do that again. 

In the photos you can see the 2 bowls and the little box I did, all with the same theme. Behind, covered with blue plastic are the bowls that later I decorated with the sgraffito technique. I still have to make plates, yes more plates and mugs with that theme, so photos will come.  

10,295 votes and 4 more days to go!!!

With 10,265 votes we are ready for the 4 days left of the competition. We are number 14 from 1,000 competitors in the craft category from all the USA. The competition was open to everybody from the beginning, which means that small artist like me will be competing with big business. One, for example had 35K Likes in her FB page, before the competition started. Its kind of crazy even dreaming to compete with that, and however here we are #14. She is currently #3. Another good example is #7, she is a jeweler and her work had been selected to be display on one of the characters of Vampire Diaries Show, also her jewelry has been part of the gifts for celebrities in the Golden Globes Awards, Emmy Awards, etc. Number 9 is a well renowned basketry artist, she teaches as numerous workshops all over the US. Of of her baskets is right now property of the Smithsonian Museum. Numbers 10 to 15 are small artist like me. You can find here, soap makers, bags makers, painters,illustrators and a potter and glass artist: Me. I know it has been hard and tedious voting everyday,and the the website has been itself sometimes impossible to work with. But we have come so far, I really think that among all the top 20 I am the smallest, the one nobody will have bet on it...and here we are #14, so please, please vote again for 4 more days, share it with your friends, we can finish it in 10 place, Martha Steward and her team will have proof of what can truly and loyal friendship can achieve, making the impossible possible. I am just a girl from Lima with no connections no budget to give presents in exchange of votes (except for my mom's alfajores), no studio, no wheel... I may be just a huge dreamer who look for opportunities and hope for the best every time. Thank you for being there with me, supporting me. I don't have many things, but I do have friends, exceptionally good and amazing friends!!! Let's keep voting. To be in the top 10 is possible. Si se puede, si se puede!!! Gracias!!

http://www.marthastewart.com/americanmade/nominee/80557

7,503 votes and Only 9 more days left!!!

I don't know how many more votes I will be able to reach, and everything ends on September 22nd. Right now I am in the number 16 out of 1000 people. Amazing, isn't it?? I really, really want to get into the finals, finalist will be interview in Martha Stewart Living Magazine, and that will give so much exposure, it will really help me to start the foundation of a real business. But the competition is soooo hard!!! Right now the number 3 has 28,745 votes, how can she got all those votes??? oh, yes perhaps because she has 35K fans in her FB page! My God, this is an insane competition, why would someone like me would dare to compete with such big nominees, oh yes, I remember, because I am a dreamer! I always do that, I must be a very, very crazy girl. I don't know how many will pass to the finals, I don't quite understand if it is 6 per category, or 6 total, one per each category!

Oh, but there is hope, just the hope that someone from Martha's team would look at my artwork and decided to fallow my projects, and then maybe one day, they will need some pots for an article in the magazine and they will think: I know someone whose pieces will work perfect here....ahhh, dreams!!! What do we do for our dreams? Everything !!!

So in case you don't know much about this, just go to the link below, register and vote for me, you can vote up to 6 continuous times every 24 hours. Thank you!!

http://www.marthastewart.com/americanmade/nominee/80557

5,063 votes!!!

Yes, we have made 5,063 votes yahooo!!! I am so happy and so excited! When the competition started I though that 5,000 will be all that I will need to get into the finals, I read an article about another nominee who had that and pass into the finals, but lately I also discover that last year there were a total of 1,000 nominees, this year there are 1,000 only in my category!! This is a very stressful competition, and it is only online, I can not imagine how it would be to be a politician, fighting and begging for votes. I guess that is why they have a big campaign team, a marketing team and so on. I am doing it by myself, at home in my computer.

However, I have a huge support system, I have family and I have amazing friends, I don't have a big fan base in my FB page, because I don't have a big business, I haven't being doing for many years, I don't even have a studio. All I do has been made in the city community studio and in the little room of my house, I call it the "room of requirements" I only wish it work the same way that in the Harry Potter's books.

I am in this competition because I want a studio, I want a wheel and some tools, I am so small that I can not think of getting my business bigger I am in the getting a business stage. However, even when I am that small I am leading (at this moment, things change so fast with online voting) the Florida nominees, yupi!!! I am still processing that,that will put me in the number 20, I am 20 among 1000!!!!

Few days after the competition started, I took the time to look to all the nominees in the craft category, there were close to 1000, perhaps 998 or something like that, and I was the number 54, a week later I look again to all those 55 again and I was the number 24. I didn't look to all of them, because there was a big gap between them and the rest, so my thinking is that they will keep running behind, I can be wrong, of course. But it is so tedious to look to all the pages, that I am just concentrating on those 55.

I have noticed that even when there are some who keep increasing the votes (the leaders) most of the people with big number are now decreasing, and I think is because even when you have a big group of fans at the beginning what you need is a loyal and constant group who vote everyday, and that is what i have, very, very loyal and caring friends, there are not hundreds, but they made their voice heard, and it is show on the constant number of votes I have every day. They are truly amazing friends!!!

I have to say that if I want to win the competition I need more people, and that its very difficult, I need people who can sit in front of the computer every day and vote, and that's a lot. I think that in order to do that I have to increase my number of fans, so my page can be show in more Facebook's news feed. But how to do that??? I really need some marketing lessons.

Anyway, if you, whoever you are, wherever you be wants to contribute with the edification of my studio please go to the link below, register and vote. You can vote up to 6 times every 24 hours until September 22nd. Thank you!!

http://www.marthastewart.com/americanmade/nominee/80557

You can also go to my FB page and click on LIKE, that way it will help me to get to more people

https://www.facebook.com/BarroyArena

Thank you for all the help!!

Monica

Almost 1500 votes

As it right now 11:13 pm I have 1392 votes!!! I feel excited for the enormous support from my family and friends. I feel like a politician promising things to my followers, I have promised alfajores for my classmates if I win. Way back when I was in high-school I had a clandestine businesses. I used to sell sweet treat during school hours. My mother used to have a catering business and I sold some of her treats. My classmates looove alfajores, they were their favorite. So if I win I think I can deliver some alfajores to them :)

 Anyway, it seems that if only 18 people vote right now, I will have 1500 votes!!! If you, wherever you are, like my pottery and/ or my glass, please vote for me, you will be contributing in the construction of my studio, a place where I finally will be able to work anytime I want, I will be able to produce more and be more relaxed without the constant worry of staying longer than I should, which is my "normal" at the Hyde Park Studio in Tampa.

Please vote for me, you can vote 6 times everyday until September 13th.

Here is the link:

http://www.marthastewart.com/americanmade/nominee/80557

476 votes and counting

Hello,

Well, the competition started on Monday and let me tell you it has been very exciting, counting votes and asking people to help, I am not at the bottom  but I am not at the top either. There is one excellent craftswoman in Massachusetts who already has more than 2,000 votes, there is another in Palm Harbor, Florida who has 800. So I guess for being my first time I am not so bad. I hope more friends find out and start voting. If you like my work, wherever you are, you can help me to. You can 5 times a day until September 13th. With your help I will be able to buy a wheel and start building my studio. I know it is very hard to get more than 5,000 votes but I am willing to fight for it, would you help me?

American Made

Hello,

As some of you may have notice I am applying to Martha Stewart American Made 2013. This is a online contest and the "only" thing I will need is 5,000 votes. Yeah, right! Where on Earth am I going to find 5,000 people who will vote for me!

Anyway, the contest is free and I will give it a shot, I can not imagine any bad scenarios coming from this, so why not, right and maybe, just maybe I can gin the money and I now exactly how to use that money :) A potter's wheel, a wedging table, some glazes. The beginning of my studio, maybe only the floor and some screen in the garden, but its a start, don't you think?

So, please vote for me, there is no money involve, just a click, perhaps there will be the option to vote everyday during the 19 days of the competition, I don't know, the clicking features on the "American Made" website will be open on Monday. Competition starts Monday, August 26th  through Thursday September 19th.

Here is the link, ah, by the way if you click on the like button as well, that will be awesome too :)

Thanks a lot,

Monica

Here is the link, you can also just click on the badge of American Made in the column on your right.

http://www.marthastewart.com/americanmade/nominee/80557

Mugs!

A selection of 4 mugs, the photo with the 8 will come soon!

Bowls for food

I am trying to keep my first big order. Its from a dear friend, it will also work as an experiment and learning process of shipping. She wants a set of 8 pieces, but all of them different. Currently I have 7 designs and I am still thinking and working on my 8th. I tried leaves in yellow, but I am still not happy with it, although I like that new  technique very much.

I work very slow, I don't have a wheel at home and I have to throw, trim and glaze at the studio, it takes time. Also I am making a set for myself as well, so I will have a model for photos, shows, etc. I have to make 16 bowls, 16 mugs, 16 big plates, and 16 medium plates. This will mean nothing for a professional potter that make wholesales orders, but for me is a lot. I feel bad specially when I am at home after a day or relaxing, there is nothing I can do to accelerate the process, I have to wait until Monday to start again. Perhaps I can work on recycling my clay in order to feel more productive.

Here is a collage I made with my designs. The yellow is there just to complete the 8.

Pottery and Photos

I am trying new photos, since I had found an important fact. Photos of my pottery have more traffic on FB when the pottery is set as it will be used in a everyday house. Pottery portrayed in a white background appeal more to people who frequently buy pottery and/or art pieces or at least wanted to buy it.

I was also looking on big companies websites and FB pages, Pottery Barn for example, show their furniture and table ware in a very nice environment, nice houses, retreats with great food and sometimes good looking people, it is all super well produced. I wish my friends who work in advertisement were here to help me, but they are in Lima. However, since I myself had also studies advertisement and had work briefly for them I should have some clues. It is not really a fun thing to do, at least for me. I have to find a great location, get some props and take the photos.... to do that take some time, time that I rather use in making more pots, drawing or writing.

Anyway here is my first attempt. My mom made this delicious lemon tarts and I thought I better used them before I eat them. I don't have to much light in my dinning room, perhaps I should get some extra lamps or something. Any extra ideas?

The pieces were hand thrown as always and decorated with the slip trailing tool and later glazed with Magic Glow, fired c. 6

Henna Pots

I have been very busy lately, I haven't write in a while. Here is an update. I have been playing with the slip trailing a lot, I have made some tumblers, some vases and bowls.

This green glaze is called Ayumi and everything was fired at c.10. I also tried a red color, but it looked more pinkish. The design was inspired in Henna motives I found on the internet, I like the flowers and butterflies, that can be created with the slip. 

I took all this photos in my back garden and since we live in Florida there are all kinds of wild life everywhere . Here are some animals that were dying to have their Kodak moment, hahaha. In the first photo you can see Sssssinforosa, the snake. She is everywhere, luckily she is shy, when she is aware of my presence she hides very quickly, which is good because I don't like reptiles. My garden has many insects, I am not very fond of them, but I know they are good for my plants so I let them be, as long as they are not so close to me. However I love butterflies, everyday I see a new kind, we are having more and more everyday, I guess my flower selection is working. Now I hope someday to have hummingbirds to keep me company at the garden, just like the Blue jays and cardinals. I will post photos will all my garden visitors soon.

Black Racer Snake

Gulf Fritillar Butterfly

Octopus's Garden Bowl

This is a B I G bowl for me,  as you may know I always have a hard time centering the clay. Anything beyond 3 pounds is such a challenge, sometimes I can, sometimes I can not, nowadays I am practicing with close to 4 pounds. This bowl will have had required at least 6 pounds, so I did something different, I made it with a slab of clay that later I slumped it on a mold. The process is slow, very different from the fast spinning wheel.

I did it because I have an idea on my mind, I wanted to make a big bowl with the "Under the Sea"  or "Octopus's Garden" theme, something big than can make people look at my table in future shows. Before I started the decoration process I realized than I have never had so much space for drawing, empty spaces scare me. I start thinking on my regular characters, jelly fish, octopus, fish, somehow it didn't seem enough for so much space,  I started to think on marine images and one image came to my mind, a turtle!!

Why a turtle, well, I should have started by telling that I have a friend, her name is Rhonda, she is a marine biologist and most of her work consist on  rescue turtles, of course there are more, something about the marine currents, the waves, the weather, the tide, the wind... it is quite embarrassing but sometimes I can not fallow her, I blame it to my lack of English words concerning marine biology, but perhaps I would not even understand it in Spanish either. Marine Biologist, get so passionate about their jobs, that I feel bad to interrupt them to ask silly questions, I get the big idea and I am happy with that. When I talk to her I feel a renew optimism, not everyone is evil, maybe not everyone has sold their souls to devil in exchange of money, prestige or fame. I am a pessimistic, I have no faith in humans.

However, I do remember a time when I was younger and really wanted to make this world a better place, I worked and volunteer in a couple of organizations back in Lima, but then, I found out the corruption, the personal interest and get into the conclusion that we are doom. But when I see Rhonda, and read her daily post on FB I feel better knowing that there are still some people working for us, protecting living creatures and their environment, Rhonda is one of them, isn't she the best!!

She works very early fallowing turtles paths, saving their nest, and much more, if a turtle needs help she will never  say: "Too bad, its 5 pm, I am out of here". Bad thing is that this wonderful people are badly paid, even worse than teachers, they don't receive paid vacations, or sick days, or retirement money, nothing, just good bye was nice to have you here, isn't it horrible!!

Thank you Rhonda for being there for the turtles, and for be my friend!

Mata and friends

I think I lack of discipline, I get distracted so easily and with the most absurd things, I mean what kind of person would prefer cleaning to take photos??? I have so many things unfinished, my paper, a canister, my closet, etc, etc. Today is cold, very cold for Florida, so I think I will stay inside and perhaps try to finish something, wait, no, I can't... today is Thursday, I will go to St. Pete in couple of hours to spend the day with my mother, oh well, tomorrow I will finish all the projects :) Sometimes I feel like Scarlet, from Gone with the Wind, that was her answer for almost everything: tomorrow!

Anyway, I did took some photos the other day, before it started to rain. However it does not have a name yet, Betsy said "Mata" but even though that will fit the name of the ardilla (squirrel) it doesn't holf the name of the whole bowl...Brian has been very lazy lately, he is not fulfilling his job as a cerrajero (locksmith) hahahaha! In Lima a cerrajero is a person that put locks and also nicknames - chapa can mean either lock or nickname.