Art in Action in Seattle and the Evergreen State

Continuing our Art with a Message USA Tour, after an all night drive, this majestic sunrise welcomed us into the Evergreen State of Washington.

Highway rest area with signs for “Free Coffee” intriqued us. We pulled into investigate. I spoke to the couple who were running a coffee and cookie stand. Well that was certainly a first! They are part of a group called the Shelton Moose Family Center. The government has a program where they allow selected charities to set up in the rest areas in exchange for donations from the public. Amazing! We helped the cause and grabbed some coffee and homemade cookies for the road.

As we entered the greater Seattle area, we saw these amazing cloud effects. And then the city was before us.

Seattle is a great city. While it has all the bustle and life of a big city one doesn’t loose sight of the beautiful surrounding countryside.

We visited our friends Berndt and Rena Mottl in the Sheepskin and Alpaca store they manage in the Alderwood Mall in Lynnwood, Washington, at the north end of Seattle. I fell in love with the soft warmth of Alpaca and a beautiful wrap they had in their store. So we did a barter deal -- original paintings for Alpaca garments. You can see Bruce and I modeling our new wares in the store, which is filled with great sheepskin and alpaca gifts. Feel free to e-mail Berndt Mottl.

Rena then suggested we go to an Alpaca farm to see the real thing! This became one of the highlights of our Seattle area experience -- a visit to the Casa de Arboles Fine Fiber Farm, an Alpaca and Goat farm to the northeast of Seattle in Monroe, Washington. The owner of the farm, Maggie Di Ulio, is a creative and energetic woman. She runs the farm with her husband, Jim, a skilled veterinarian and an avid fisherman. In addition to Alpaca sales, Casa de Arboles also offers boarding and breeding services, training and mentoring in the Alpaca business, and even Juniper post and timber products. Maggie gave us a top-to-bottom tour of the property. Their custom built log cabin is spectacular, both inside and out, and we learned first-hand that Alpacas have individual personalities. They are dignified and curious creatures and each one is unique, even their hairstyles! Maggie has a great repoire with them as you can see from the photo where one of the Alpaca is giving her a kiss!

There are also goats at Casa de Arboles, including Billy Goats -- “The Colonel” and “Satan”, aptly named studs, are kept well away from the females... most of the time.

The experience inspired me to create “The Personality of Alpaca” painting which is now on display in Berndt’s and Rena’s store.

Maggie commissioned me to do a pen and watercolor painting of her home, which was enormously fun. I also created a painting from one of Maggie's favorite sunrise photos which she routinely captures from the balcony of her log cabin.

The day before we left I presented Maggie with her house portrait!

New places, new friends. We continue to meet creative, energetic people everywhere on our USA Tour, and we treasure each and every one of our new friendships.  What makes life rich and rewarding, after all, is the people with whom we live and share it.

See you on the next leg of our trip...

Leisa
www.leisacollins.com
leisa@leisacollins.com

Art with a Message Makes Tracks in the Pacific Northwest

Continuing our USA Tour, we left Sacramento and made tracks for the fast lane, intent on carrying our Art with a Message and Art in Action mottos up the coast into the great Pacific Northwest and the scenic beauty, both coastal and inland, of Northern California, Oregon and Washington. Dry and relatively barren landscape gave way to lush evergreen wonders.

Our first mission was to find a nice spot to eat our packed lunch. Mission accomplished at Clear Lake. Wonderful spot which we had all to ourselves except for plenty wild life such as this majestic white Heron.

In the late afternoon we stopped for dinner in the delightful community of Arcata on the Northern California coast. The town is a pleasant blend of hippy, retro and alternative life styles. It’s the epitome of northern California living and one thing is for sure... it’s seriously laid back. We chose the Wildflower Café for its interesting menu of vegan home cooking. We ordered a healthy salad and a thirst quenching Amber Ale -- very amber and very tasty! After polishing off the salad and ale we walked directly across the street to the Muddy Waters Coffee Company and bought a large soy latte for the road... and some yummy-but-healthy bakery treats.

The following morning, after admiring the sunrise, it was time for a coffee. We stopped into a little town at the northern edge of California: Willits, the “Gateway to the Redwoods”. We thought Arcata was hippie. It didn’t even come close to Willits. Fascinating stores, psychedelic signs and clothes made for a interesting time. We talked to some of the locals and chatted to a wonderful mother and daughter team in the coffee shot. The elderly mother had a broach pinned above her breast pocket -- a peace symbol, of course!  You can see it in the photo below.

The next stop was the beautiful Redwood National Forest. Known as the “tallest cathedral in the world”, this is a wonderful stop if one wants to reflect on life and marvel at nature. In the damp green depths of the forest I felt the same spiritual ambiance as when I walked into the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.

We drove through Oregon in the black of nigh, but don't worry, we'll be back very soon for a jaunt along the Columbia River Gorge and a visit to Hood River, Oregon. As dawn broke, we entered Washington, the Evergreen State! It somehow felt like home! Just like New Zealand, it was green, lush and cloudy!!!! 

Not long after crossing the border we reached the delightful town of Chehalis. We found a wonderful store called Book n’ Brush where I stocked up on painting supplies. The manager and shop assistant run a wonderful art in action program where they have local artists teach their skills to other locals. They provide inexpensive classes in a wide variety of art media and from the samples I saw there is some real talent in the area.

As I said goodbye and left the store I found a free button which I pinned on immediately because it was an apt message for Americans everywhere: "I Refuse to Participate in the Recession". The pins were made up and distributed compliments of Bald Eagle Cleaning, another local business.

Being that it was early morning and we had more driving ahead of us, we had to visit the bakery and café on the main drag... and I couldn not believe what I found. New Zealand licorice and sweets! We snapped a photo of Sarah in the café displaying the goods. Yum!

Well, we have to get back on the road now, but we love the Pacific Northwest and we're not done with it yet! We're headed to Seattle and the Puget Sound region, then back down to Vancouver, over to White Salmon, and across the Columbia River back into Oregon where we'll spend some time around Hood River.

Care to come along?

Leisa
www.leisacollins.com
leisa@leisacollins.com

My Children and Art Event at the State Capital in Sacramento, a City of Art in Action

After Yosemite National Park, my husband and I continued our USA Tour by traveling to Sacramento, the capital city of the Golden State. We enjoyed our weekend there and found the city to have a quiet charm and beautiful architecture, both old and new. Especially engaging were dozens of colorfully painted “Victorian Houses” built mostly around the beginning of the 20th century.

We had wonderful hosts in Sacramento, Noelle and Paul and their daughter Sarah, who made us very welcome and introduced us to Sacramento’s monthly Second Saturday Art Walk, where the whole city comes alive to celebrate fine wine, fine food and fine art. During these monthly art walk days, stores and businesses throughout the downtown area open their doors to the public and show the works of artists. The showings and festivities spill into the streets and alleys with live music and dance and artisans displaying their handiwork. It’s one of the most happening city art programs I have seen anywhere. It was a live and vibrant scene. The entire city, young and old, participated in a celebratory and festive fashion!
  

We also went to one of Sacramento's farmers markets on Saturday morning and enjoyed the art of local musicians, winemakers (yes, wine making is an art!), and an array of tasty fruits and vegetables, nuts and honey, and herbs and flowers.

  

I wanted to do some kids art projects while I was in Sacramento and on Sunday morning I held an open air painting session for young artists on the front lawn of the State Capitol Building. With state funding for art education being slashed and 40 percent of elementary school children going without art teachers, we communicated the message that children and art are vital for the growth and future of this nation. It was truly an art in action event and I also announced the launch of the Leisa Collins Art with a Message Online Gallery for Young Artists. The children and art created during the Sunday morning session will be the first to appear in the online gallery.

  
As we continue our USA Tour it is evident that where we find beauty and art and creativity we also find a higher quality of life being lived with pride and joy.  Join us at our next stop -- the California Redwoods. 

  

Leisa

www.leisacollins.com

leisa@leisacollins.com

Art in action on Tenaya Lake, Yosemite National Park

Following our fabulous Mammoth experience we cruised past Mono Lake and the other natural wonders in that vicinity before entering the Yosemite National Park. The park itself, it roads, trails and grounds are extremely well kept and signposted and there are dozens of trails and campsites for those who unlike us, had time to stay. Add to this breathtaking views every few minutes, crystal clear lakes and colossal white mountain forms and you have a real winner.
 

As the setting sun was beginning to turn the mountain tops on the shores of Teneya Lake a golden yellow, I couldn’t resist getting out my easel and “setting up shop”.  As we lost the light I packed up my gear and we were on our way, catching a dusk view of Half Dome, a notable Yosemite landmark.

Then it was on the road again heading for Sacramento, Capital City of the Golden State!

Leisa
www.leisacollins.com
leisa@leisacollins.com

Mammoth Lakes -- Fine Food and Wine, Cool People and Dogs, and a House Portrait of The Far Side

Continuing our journey northward through California, it was mid-afternoon when we left Bishop heading for Yosemite National Park via Mammoth Lakes. We intended to stop briefly in Mammoth Lakes for a “quick drink” with a lady I met that day while doing my best to paint landscapes of Bishop in a park near the center of town. As we drove into Mammoth, it’s alpine village setting reminded me of my time in Switzerland. I huddled over a map, navigating as Bruce drove, and we wound our way up a steep incline, marveling at the magnificent views all around us. We finally came to a Swiss-style chateau perched at the top of the road, the home of Chris and Tom House, which they call The Far Side. What we didn’t know is that it is also the home of four huge, lovable and extremely well-mannered Burmese Mountain Dogs!

We were soon chatting with Chris and Tom as if we had known them for years. They are a delightful couple who have been married for 50 years and have traveled and lived in all corners of the world. They told fascinating stories and with a keen sense of humor - dry and wry. We drank a beer and ate cheese and crackers as we watched the sun set over a stunning view from their living room balcony. About that time Tom correctly observed that it would be dark by the time we reached Yosemite. He further noted that it would indeed be a tragedy to waste an opportunity to see that glorious landscape in full daylight. Chris urged us to stay the night. No arm twisting was needed. We ate a delicious meal, drank red wine (as Tom put it - "now that you are not driving...") and shared hours fabulous conversation before retiring to our guest bedroom with a private balcony and panoramic mountain view. 

We woke up to a beautiful sunrise and I immediately set to work creating a pen and watercolor wash painting of The Far Side as a gift to Chris and Tom for their remakable hospitality. Being that their dogs are part and parcel to the family, in the finished house portrait one Burmese Mountain Dog is poking his head up over an upper balcony. We made an official presentation to Chris and Tom - and the dogs, of course - and after heartfelt farewells we were winding our way down the mountain, on the road again, headed for Yosemite National Park. 

Care to join us?
 

Leisa
www.leisacollins.com
leisa@leisacollins.com