Monday, December 12, 2011

Sold for the Holidays

Always love it when a painting sells - this one however, was a real favourite of mine and will be missed:

French Hill Town (Rocamadour 2)
© 2010 Kathryn Gordon
6"x6" encaustic on claybord panel $175
Can we say Joyeux Noel?

Sunday, August 7, 2011

The Next French Mystery....

Many thanks to TheCaptain at The Megalithic Portal and to the Megalithes du Monde for assisting me in finding the last great french mystery dolmen - now properly identified as Dolmen de la Pierre-Folle:


As I continue to sort through my snaps of France I came across this one:

Lovely little thing which I named "bois de st laurent dolmen - perche".  This of course is locational information as there were no signs..

We were staying at a lovely gite in Haute-Normandie - Eure.  The owners were most eager to help us in our search for 'stones' and came up with a map and marked where at the bend in the road we would find this treasure.  Truly over the hills and through the woods....

My searching has lead me to a near match by the name of Pierre Courcoulée (posted by TheCaptain, again) but I am not so sure it is the same site....

Confirmation anyone?



Monday, July 25, 2011

Mystery Dolmen in France

Going through the many stones pics of the last trip to France, I came across this one - While I noted in my diary 'dolmen les creuse les cotets', I can find no such site through a Google search, map searches (both old fashioned paper and online), or any other rummaging through my notes.  Oh, how frustrating!
 

I was travelling non-stop from Vitrac through Limoges northeast towards Senlis (no small distance).  The force behind the forced marched was that pesky Air-France flight home that just would not wait...

Anyway, through the morning we stopped at several roadside megalithic notations on the map.  Started off with Menhir St Paul du Metayer.  The morning mist was fabulous....


The sheep thought so as well.. They also thought I was crazy taking pics of a stone - which was not even EDIBLE!!


The horses at Dolmen du Pouyol absolutely refused to stay out of any shots - and would let us get no closer.  I thought they were a perfect other-worldly pair so I heeded their message and we moved on...























to Dolmen du Bagnol...THIS I could find on a map once we returned! 

Oh, and this little treasure in someone's back garden...practically across the road from the 'real' thing.  Actually, I don't know if this is a folly or another 'real' thing....






















And so back to my mystery dolmen. 

Any hints? ...Anyone?


Sunday, June 19, 2011

Megalith hunting - Ireland

Finally back to planning the next stone hunting expedition.  IRELAND!!!  This one should be much easier than the previous trips.  Of course, since I've never been to Ireland, how would I know? 

One thing I do know - there are TONS (tons and tonnes!) of megalithic sites.  Check this out if you've any doubt... and that's only one...Evidently size did matter!

I've been scouring maps (and even more maps) and archaeology books, historical monuments books, celtic myth and faery spirit books...Well, I can't be all dry archaeology all the time - or Katie'd be a dull lass indeed! 

I'm especially  liking both the Red Haired Girl from the Bog and Faery Paths and Spirit Roads by Paul Devereux. 

I've found the Aubrey Burl books and the oxford archaeologic guides indispensible in the past and have no doubt they will serve me well on this trip as well..I've read Michael Dames' Mythic Ireland and the wonderful and beautiful Carleton Jones' book Temples of Stone.

Julian Cope's The Megalithic European book AND his Modern Antiquarian website), oh my!  so much info to sift through...... I just cannot do justice or give credit to all the sites that have stoked the stone fires for me whilst I waited for this opportunity. 

Finally here's a sampling of websites if you've not found them yet. 

Three weeks....THREE weeks!  So many sites, so little time.....

Friday, April 22, 2011

Voila! Violins on Auction

Update on the Painted Violin Project for the Youth Orchestras of Fresno:  The violins are now being shown at various venues in Fresno:

ARTE AMERICAS, 1630 Van Ness, Fresno, from April 12 till May 2
STUDIO 74, 1274 North Van Ness, Fresno, from May 2 till May 21
 FRESNO ARTS COUNCIL, 1245 Van Ness, Fresno, from May 21 till May 27

AND the bidding has begun!    
Strings Abloom  Encaustic on Violin
Kathryn Gordon
(photos courtesy of Youth Orchestras of Fresno)

All the painted violins will be auctioned off at their Sixtieth Anniversary Celebration Concert on Sunday May 29, 7pm, at the William Saroyan Theatre where the three current orchestras will perform the Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique.  If you'd like to attend, ticket sales begin three weeks prior.

 
Here's Ellen Lennon  and Nancy Marquez with the violins.
(photos courtesy of Youth Orchestras of Fresno)
Online bids will be accepted until the day before the auction (until midnight on Saturday May 28) and will be used as starting bids in the silent auction on concert day, Sunday May 29.

....see you there! 

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Revive+

In this instance the" +" is followed by 11 piece solo exhibit and new gallery.  Wanna guess whose?  Well, the gallery isn't mine, but it feels like it this month - eleven pieces!  Intersections - and runs until April 31st. 


Where you ask? Urban Cottage and Revive+Eco-Institute a socially responsible group embracing diversity as an essential component in the way they do business. Janett and Criss offer a creative and environmentally friendly selection of furniture and socially conscious gifts.  Oh, and a space for creating your own recycled art....all over a splendid cup of eco-joe coffee.





See some what's hanging out:
Callanish, encaustic on panel, 20"x18"

Rocamadour 2, encaustic mixed media on panel, 6"x6"

Rocamadour Close, encaustic mixed media, 6"x6"

I'll be setting up a special Revive+ Gallery on my website for those who cannot make it over - that way you can see them all.

Come over to the island and stop in at 17123 Vashon Hwy, Vashon, WA. 

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Almost there...

Well, just a couple weeks left before I must send my violin on it's way.  And yes, it is finished.  Here's some photos before I reassemble it with the tailpiece and strings:

FRONT:


BACK:


And a closeup of my favourite flower - a parrot tulip:


Well, now off to buffing and assembly.....