Earthquakes....Coffee....Water...Wine and Art for T-day

 
Hello, Hello again..........Welcome to an other T-day post, a time for linking up with Altered Book Lover to be ever so nosey as to what other fellow bloggers are drinking.  As is every morning my cup has coffee in it.....black if you please.  You might want to get a "full" drink before continuing this post......it's a LONG one......so I will apologize in advance....but you have been warned!!
 
I must say, you just missed it last Tuesday!  What????  Here in the San Joaquin Valley we felt the earth mover under our feet........Thank you Carole King!! 
"A 4.8-magnitude earthquake shook the Wasco area of Kern County Tuesday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The temblor hit 22 miles outside of Bakersfield at 4:10 p.m." 
Well, Wasco may have gotten the headlines because it happened in their city limits, but it was located about 6 miles west from MY house! Hadn't felt one in quite a while, so the first jerk and boom got my attention, the next second jerk and boom and I knew what it was!  We don't always get the "boom"....just depends on how the earth is moving..........rolling style.....no sound.  The only way I can describe the sound is like a sonic boom that hits the ground HARD!
 
It was a hard couple of jolts to the house, yet nothing fell off the walls, but I did go outside and walk around the house to see if there was any damage......they say it takes a 5 or better on the seismograph to do damage......but that's what THEY say.  No damage, but earthquakes always make me nauseous....yet I don't get sea sick or air sick.......weird huh?
 
Onto happier things............It is time again to Shafter's


A CELEBRATION OF THE ARTS
FEBRUARY 25TH - FEBRUARY 28TH, 2016
COLOURS is a Celebration of the Arts in Shafter, California. This is a four-day event at several venues from Thursday, February 25th through Sunday, February 28th, 2016. The COLOURS event will showcase "Transformed Art" in many forms ranging from Canvas, Sculpture, Film and Stage to Wine, Food and Music.
 
Transformed Art is using one’s talents and abilities with the intent to create a product that reflects what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely and of good repute, excellence and worthy of praise. It is our desire to strike a spark or fan a flame so that people will integrate their artistic passions and talents.

That being said, I was asked again this year to help set up the art exhibit.  It is a LOT of work, but fun at the same time.  All I took with me was my phone, and only had chances to take pictures off and on.
The first thing to do was boss around a couple of young men as to how we wanted the display boards set up........took about an hour.  I'm not going to describe every moment, decision and every piece of art that was hung......your welcome!



Janeen and I became kindred spirits and quick friends as I helped her hang her art.
There were so many artists that were in and out, these are the ones that I could catch for photos.  There were also ceramic, children's book writer and a mosaic to be seen....but after 4 + hours I came home.......poooped!

Saturday...........................
This is where we were headed...........I've taken you here before..........


Sunday found be back at the Colours event.  This time it was to paint......something like the "paint" nights" I've shared before.................only this was a bit more tricky..................

Van Gogh....there on the left was the intended inspiration......but we did not know that when we started.  The instructor did not have a finished painting or even a copy of this picture (which took me all of one minute to find of the internet) for us to look at.  She did have an outline already drawn on each canvas.......looked like a paint by number.....LOL!
She gave us ONE color at a time (?....yes really)  I felt like I was back in grade school! She lead us through where the yellow background.......applied with a sponge, the orange went on the table AND the vase.  Then the green to the areas that were supposed to be leaves.  Now, not every outline was the same, she said she grew tired around 15 canvases so some were a little different..........really???? 
LOL! Mine was different than the ones to the left of me......so Barb and Margret had to figure out their own leaves and couldn't copy mine......LOL!!!  Margret has painted before, but I don't think Barb has ever held a paint brush.......so there was a LOT of laughing going on!
 
Once we laid the blue in she said......and I quote: "The rest of the flowers are open for your interruption."  Okkkkkaaaaayyy......just what is it that it should at least resemble???  Remember, we did not know what we was supposed to be our inspiration.  I do know Van Gogh's work from all those art history classes .......way back in high school, and from visiting MOMA in New York........but come on lady there were people who had never painted before, sitting there with BIG question marks over their heads!!! I even had one....were those orange island, as we were calling them, the centers? "Oh no, those are just bits of color peeking through"......more question marks.........

 
Once she agave us white and purple....at the same time....gasp! I went my own way......this two hour painting had already taken three hours....and it you scroll back up to the instructor holding her painting up........she put parentheses around her background....NOT going to happen, I knew Van Gogh had NEVER done that in one single painting !! So I just had fun doing what ever I wanted with the purple and white.....I knew these were supposed to be Irises, but she had led us so far astray it was too late to recoup the Irises and just to be defiant I added splatters..........ROTHLOL (rolling on the floor laughing out loud).
 
I felt sorry for the people who had never painted before, this was NOT a beginner painting and the instructor was full of herself.  She stated that she had been professionally painting for over 10 years, she did NOT mix colors and she had her friends over quite regularly to paint and sip wine. 
 
I know two people that left what they had painted there, not even bothering to at least take their work home.......Cheryl was one of them.  We PAID $40.00 to paint......yes it was a fundraiser of sorts and that doesn't bother me......but really??  She uses cheap brushes and very cheap paint for her "classes"!
 
Okay, I'm now officially off my "bash the instructor" soap box.....LOL!  Can I do better? Probably.....would the paintings turn out better...........that would have to wait to be seen.....*grin*
 
So, if you have made it through the whole post you need to be patting yourself on the back. about now!!  I told you it was a long one...*grin*
Inky Hugs
Krisha
PS: By the way our colorful yellow t-shirts were provided by the Shafter Kiwanis, since the instructor didn't have aprons for us......and there were quite a few in their church clothes!

Comments

Lisca said…
Sounds like the instructor did not have her act together. But as long as you had fun...

What? earth quake? Oh my! When I lived in Italy we used to get a lot of earthquakes. Yes, I have heard the boom too. Sometimes the earth moves up & down and sometimes sideways. It is a strange feeling.
I'm glad you are OK and that there was no damage to your house.
Have a great T-day,
Lisca
Wow, it sounds like that instructor was not very organized! And also maybe just a tad controlling. I guess she was not stressing individuality by giving you one color at a time. At least it sounds like you had a fun time at the art show and winery. Happy T Day hugs!
Love your earth mug. And luckily you didn't get much damage from that earthquake. You've been so busy too. Looks like fun! Happy T Day.
This was a really fun and enjoyable post filled with fun art, fun wine, and fun times. At least until I got toward the end of the post and saw the Van Gogh painting. I have that same painting on canvas in my basement, so I was shocked that the instructor started your painting for you, then only gave one color at a time. What a control freak. OK, you may not bash her, but I think she should NEVER be invited back, regardless of whether it was a fundraiser or not. One of the first things I learned was you MUST mix colors, or you get no depth or color choices.

I LOVED the abstracts. They were awesome and I can see why you and Janeen became instant friends. I was certainly drawn to her work.

Laughed that your hubby is the DD. I've always been, too, since I only drink coffee.

Thanks for sharing your week with us for T this Tuesday. And thanks for sharing that awful instructor so we know not to ever let her near another painting again (grin).
I forgot to mention. Due to all the fracking on the border between KS and OK, we are also experiencing earthquakes on a routine basis lately. Most are in the same range as yours, but one hit 5.3, which I felt. It's odd that I was in CA for months, saw on the news various quake reports, but never felt them. Then at home I experience tremors, not from a natural fault line, but a man-made one.
Valerie-Jael said…
Looks like you had a fun and art filled week. Happy T Day, hugs, Valerie
johanna said…
first: i love the look of this coffee Cup!
what a wonderful artful time you must have had (Forget about the instructor, she will be a joke in your memories soon...).
i felt earthquakes in california on a travel Long ago, and it was not a comfortable Feeling...
have a great t-day and rest of the week!
What a busy post - seems you had fun and you shouldn't mind the instructor ... you came up with a lovely painting!

Happy T-Day
oxo
Susi
Linda Kunsman said…
I think you need another glass of wine! Earthquakes are so very rare in our parts but there was one a few years ago and it scared the crap out of me! Thankfully nothing was broken but several pictures fell off walls and we didn't know what happened until the news reported it. Loved seeing some of the artists and their art at the exhibit. Looks like a pretty good weekend outside of the awful painting class. You did a great job with your painting despite the lack of guidance-and I love that you added the splatters!! Have a wonderful day and happy T day!
I am laughing so much Krisha - that instructor - the colours being given out one by one - your spatters…no! no more…it hurts!! Your other days out look fun though! As for the earthquake - the only time I have had any experience of one was one I missed…when we lived in our old house we came back from a weekend away to find plaster all the way down the stairs and over the window in the bedroom. A house a couple of roads down had lost it's gable end! We did experience after shocks though and they were scary enough! All this in the NW of England!! Have good week! Hugs, Chrisx
Halle said…
I've been interesting doing one of those painting pub type classes. Hopefully when I finally get around to it, I'll have better luck with the teacher.
You had quite an exciting post...so much going on!!
Rita said…
I have had some terrible instructors like that before--awk! They give you no guidance, no instruction, you fumble in the dark, and they call themselves teachers!? I had a watercolor teacher like her once and it took me about 17 years to try again. Bashing allowed when earned. ;)

What a lot of fun otherwise--with the art show and the wine--goodness! Have a great week. Happy T-Day! :)
Dianne said…
wow, what a post full of dramatic events!! so glad you came through the earthquake ok, and the art show too ;) looks like there was a lot of fabulous art. Hmm, I've always wondered about those kind of painting classes...but really, to not even have and example?! the franchise paint classes at least have that. and one color at a time...I probably would have walked out. man, you did great with what you were given to work with! Happy T day!
Darla said…
This was a great post. So much going on. I really laughed about your painting class. A great description of "how not to teach". You did come up with a colorful piece but those poor inexperienced students have probably been put off painting for their lifetime.
Clare said…
That looks like a wonderful event! . . . and I love that coffee mug! I did not feel the earthquake up this way . . . but a few of my coworkers did.
That painting experience probably should have been a better experience for sure . . . but sounds like you make the most of it.
Have a wonderful day . . . I hope there is no more earth shaking going on your way.
trisha too said…
Now THAT was a post!

Krisha, I think I'd be nauseous after an earthquake, too, good grief!

What a brilliant premise for an exhibit, it sounds wonderful, you make me wish I could have gone, and to the tasting, too--but I'm not sorry I missed that class with you . . . that sounds like a strange experience.

Lovely roadside photos, too, thank you for sharing!

:)
Hi Krisha, sounds like you have been having an eventful time recently one way or another. Hope you have a peaceful week, Angela x
jinxxxygirl said…
I think i felt an earthquake while i lived in Lathrop, CA but it felt more like a rumble in my chest.....I wasn't sure what it was... could have even been somebody's boom box...lol But i did happen to look at the clock when i felt it and later i saw it on the news and said well darn i'll be that was the earthquake i felt... hubby didn't feel anything...

My only question is .... is your art in the exhibit??? and if not why not woman! ? Happy happy Tday! Hugs! deb


Oh... and P.S. I think its high time you held your own painting class....??