The Spectacular Ms. Luna
November 7, 2014
Wasn’t she beautiful?!! The clouds parted in the Columbia River Gorge and presented the spectacular Ms. Luna.
OK You Can Have It….For Now
October 30, 2014
Guess who was back in my garden this morning?!! Yep, you guessed it. OK you cute little critter, you can have my garden for now. But come next spring I’ll chase you out again.
Coming Up ~ Fall Art Shows!
October 17, 2014
Flying by the seat of my pants to catch up, I stayed outside too long with my camera. Now I’m buried in my studio working as fast as I can producing new art glass home decor, jewelry and garden art for upcoming fall shows. The first is our first – the inaugural White Salmon Fall Art Tour takes place on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, October 24, 25, 26 from 11am until 5pm. Downtown White Salmon. One week from today! We have an event page on Facebook with our map and more information.
A White Salmon Art Council sponsored event.
Join 14 White Salmon artists as they open their studios and a Pop-Up Gallery all within walking distance of downtown White Salmon for a Fall Art Tour. The self-guided tour takes place on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Oct 24, 25 & 26 from 11:00 am until 5:00 pm all three days.
A preview and month-long viewing of the artists work is at the White Salmon Pop-Up Window.
Participating artists are:
In the Hatchery Studio Arts Building at 363 E. Jewett:
Sally Gilchrist, a painter/printmaker inspired by simple natural forms. www.sallygilchrist.com
Sarah Morton Erasmus of M.E.Jewelry Co. & Atelier, will be demonstrating the fabrication of her handwrought sterling and gold jewelry at studio #6. www.mejewelryco.com
Cyndi Strid, mixed media artist, is excited to share large-scale drawings and her admiration for our native Northwest bees in studio #4.
In the Elba Building, 290 E Jewett Blvd at the corner of Estes and Jewett:
Peggy Ohlson grew up surrounded by the beautiful landscapes she loves to paint. www.peggyohlson.com
Linda Steider offers nature photography prints and greeting cards in addition to her kiln-formed art glass jewelry and home decor. http://steiderstudios.wordpress.com/
Jo Dean Sarins will be using turquoise in a new collection of jewelry featured at the White Salmon Fall Art Tour. arrayofelegance.com
Barbara Murphy creates colorful, impressionistic gorge landscapes in acrylic on canvas. barbaramurphy.net
Chris Fischer, traditionally trained jeweler, wholesaler, retailer and artist, has created works in sterling silver and gold filled for the upcoming Fall Tour from Celtic- inspired themes, accented with gemstones. www.chrisfischerdesigns.com
Miki Caldwell is a functional potter who enjoys making tableware and outdoor decorative ceramics in her studio in Husum, WA.
Ellen Nippollt creates shelter, furniture, clothing, and increasingly, jewelry, designed to a new materialism that’s torn from place, re-paired, re-strung.
Showing in their own studios:
Klickitat Pottery at 264 E. Jewett, Ed and Diane Swick making handmade artistic and functional stoneware pottery for over 30 years. www.klickitatpottery.com
Ann Fleming at 200 SW Edgecliff Drive, will be showing limited edition bronze and one-of-a-kind clay narrative sculptures, jewelry and handmade brightly painted pottery. http://www.annfleming.com
Katey Ellen Price at 217 NE Wisconsin Street will show oil paintings that are the result of her love for the outdoors and her continual exploration of both the intriguing effects in nature and a variety of techniques to produce pleasing works on canvas. kateyellenprice.blogspot.com
In other news……(sorry my gardening friends, it’s all about work this time of year for me!)
Opening the First Friday in November, I’m producing work in my other kiln for…..
… a gallery show titled ‘Snow’ at Columbia Center for the Arts. It opens the First Friday in November with a reception from 6 until 8pm and runs through the end of the month. I’ve created a series of ‘Snow’ Bowls in my ‘Celestial Series’ tradition and will offer my iridescent art glass snowflakes.
Between those two events I’m delivering work to the NEW Holiday Pop-Up Shop in Hood River at 301 Oak, formerly Gallery 301! “Locally handmade gifts for everyone on your shopping list.” It is open Fridays and weekends November – December and open every day the week before Christmas from 10am until 6pm.
There’s more in November, but for now I am dashing madly toward my studio! Hope you’re all having a wonderful fall. You can see many photographs I’ve taken between my last post and this one on my Facebook Page, Steider Studios. Mostly of wildlife along the Columbia, at Conboy & Ridgefield Wildlife Refuges, Lyle area and more….
Back Yard Birds for Mother’s Day
May 11, 2014
Happy Mother’s Day! Happy me – I had a new bird show up at my feeders today!! A Black-throated Gray Warbler!! At least that’s what it seems to be from my Audubon Field Guide.
Not the best photos but he was quick!
After tending my garden all morning I kicked back to photograph some of the birds at my feeders. The Black-headed Grosbeaks politely wait in line for the Evening Grosbeaks to finish.
I’ve had pair of Red Crossbills at my feeders all week. Yesterday I saw a second male!
The female Crossbill landed on this birdbath as I was photographing flowers & stayed for a drink even though she knew I was so close.
Hummingbirds have been here awhile and I’m wondering if the one on the right is a baby.
One of my favorites, the American Goldfinch numbers have steadily increased over the years.
I’ve had a couple of exciting birding adventures but haven’t edited all the photos yet. Monday I went to Conboy Wildlife Refuge in Glenwood and was treated to a pair of Sandhill Cranes mating. You can see a few photos on my Facebook page album.
Then on Thursday I went to the Ridgefield Wildlife Refuge north of Vancouver and saw many Cinnamon Teals and Canadian Geese with a multitude of goslings! A few of those photos are also in a Facebook album on my page.
Not to mention 4 nesting pair of Osprey along the Columbia River that I’ve been watching with a 5th nest being built!
And a team of vultures that watched me photographing the Ospreys! I managed to catch this one before he took off.
I have one more spring show coming up, the Hood River Rotary Wine and Pear Festival at the Western Antique Aeroplane and Automobile Museum (WAAAM) on May 17 and 18.
Then I hope to spend more time in my garden among the flowers and flying critters. And catch up with all my blogging friends!!
Daffodils ~ Happy Earth Day!
April 22, 2014
My studio sale is over for another year, and my attention turns to my garden.
My daffodils are blooming like crazy, just in time for Earth Day – Spring is my favorite time of year!
I feel revitalized, energized and I fly out of bed each morning to see what’s new.
Right now a new daffodil opens each morning! Beautiful colorful sunny daffodils.
I love variety – color, size, plain and fancy; and a variety of bloom times.
Daffodils emerge from a bulb, and are also called narcissus and jonquils.
As you can see I have a lovely collection. These are just my early varieties.
Other spring bulbs are also blooming – fritillarias, hyacinths, and more. A few of my early tulips are showing color but not open yet.
Today I’ll just show you daffodils. When my daffodil clumps are large enough I divide them and plant them in empty spaces throughout my garden.
I don’t always wait until they die off. I’ve moved them while blooming so I know what variety I’m planting and can see where they belong!
Large and small, tall and short. Multi-stemmed and regal tall singles.
I love them all and when I see them smiling like this, I smile back!
Happy Earth Day everyone!!
Please Vote for This Sunset
April 17, 2014
I entered my ‘Sun Setting Over the Columbia River Gorge’ photo in the Daily Depictions of Nature weekly challenge. I would be ever so grateful if you’ll take a moment and vote for it. Here’s the link: http://dailydepiction.com/nature/?page_id=396
You only have until Sunday. It’s a quick, easy vote & you can only vote once. Thank you!
Thanks to YOU for a Successful Studio Sale!
April 15, 2014
Wait. Its Autumn?
October 29, 2013
I know autumn has arrived, but It still feels like summer in the Pacific Northwest. We’re enjoying sunny days close to 70º, calm with no wind or rain. I will not like saying good-bye to my daily hikes in the Columbia River Gorge where I live and work as these lovely days finally come to an end.
The photos in this post are from my daily bird sightings in the forest behind my garden and along the Columbia River. Many birds have migrated south but many remain here through the winter. Above, a Pileated woodpecker flies overhead.
On the wings of change…eagles have returned to the Columbia River while osprey have left.
Herons are more easily found along many of our rivers right now. I don’t know if this heron was dancing for joy because he caught a fish…or looking for a mate.
I’ve enjoyed the challenge of photographing a pair of Red-breasted sap suckers all summer in addition to several woodpeckers….
…like this Lewis’s Woodpecker – an exciting first sighting for me.
Another first sighting this summer for me was a Townsend’s Solitaire that I saw in September.
I managed to catch up to this flicker before he flew off – the top photo shows him flying away.
I think the western bluebirds may be gone now, but for awhile they were plentiful.
I’ve fallen behind in my garden blog but I’ll catch up – when dreary weather forces me back indoors.
Thanks for stopping by!
Keeping a Friend’s Garden
July 26, 2013
Earlier this month I was photographing my garden and planning blog posts. Then one of my favorite friends was in a horrific accident and all my attention went to her: http://www.hoodrivernews.com/news/2013/jul/13/local-artist-hospitalized-after-motorcycle-acciden/ We had just finished a meeting for an August art show and as we stood on the corner chatting afterwards, I remember thinking how cute Kathy looked in her motorcycle leathers & helmet. Everything changed less than an hour later.
Her friend Dana set up a calendar of tasks for friends to help with, like feeding her cats and watering her garden. Once a week I water her garden and pet her cats, filling up the food bowl if it’s empty. I gathered some photos of our mutual friends to paste on her hospital wall so no matter where she looks, she’ll see someone who loves her. It doesn’t feel like enough. Kathy has many friends that are thinking of ways to help, to show our love and support. Along with many other artists, I’m donating my work for upcoming fundraisers and I don’t know if that’ll be enough.
I decided to give 20% of my sales towards Kathy’s fund. If you’ve been thinking about buying a gift of glass, garden art, or something for your home; notecards or photograph prints on metal or canvas, you’ll also be contributing to Kathy’s fund and I thank you in advance! http://www.zibbet.com/SteiderStudios No, this is not a plug to get you to buy something….I’m simply looking at any possible way to help my friend & her family.
Kathy is one of those people who everyone loves. She’s full of life, energy and effervescence. She sits on many committees with me and keeps a beautiful garden as you can see in these photos. I’ve been her student & she’s been mine. She is a sports enthusiast, skiing and snowboarding during winter months & windsurfing in summer. I could go on and on about her but I think you get the idea. She smiles at everyone and they can’t help but smile back. She radiates positive energy.
It was my honor to spend a day with her in the hospital, tending to things staff has little or no time for. Misting her face, helping her eat, holding her hand, turning her fan, getting more ice…anything she asked of me I did. It was one of the hardest days I’ve ever spent because of the circumstance, yet I witnessed her joyful spirit courageously fighting.
I already adored her husband, but I have renewed admiration for him in watching how he lovingly tends her.
If you can send a prayer or positive energy with healthy vibes, they’d be appreciated.
If you’re in the Columbia River Gorge, watch for announcements of opportunities to help.
I don’t know when Kathy will be back in her lovely garden, but perhaps the best way to show support later will be to purchase her enamel jewelry, wall art and switch plates. I’ll post a link to her on-line shop when she’s ready to return to work. In the meantime, if you’re in the Columbia River Gorge, you can purchase her jewelry now at Columbia Arts in Hood River. She’s also one of the featured artists for First Friday in August with her enamel wall hangings. The show, ‘A Glass Act’ runs through the end of August, so you’ll have all of August to look for Kathy’s work!
Oh How My June Garden Blooms!
June 9, 2013
I gasped when I noticed these flowers blooming! I’ve tried growing Jack in the Pulpit (also called Cobra Lily) for close to ten years and now I have three blooming!
I’ve had Arisaema candidissimum and Arisaema sikokianum bloom then disappear. These Jacks have leafed out each year but never bloomed. I’m not sure which variety they are because I’ve tried so many, but I think they’re Arisaema heterophyllum.
Each is blooming in a different part of my garden – my test to see which is the best spot for them before I buy more.
I have yellow Pouch Flowers blooming! Love these sweet pockets of color. I still need to find the red variety.
My geum is at the tail end of its blooming cycle. Another plant with a red variety I want!
My yellow tree peonie has two blooms this year, but the lavender variety hasn’t developed blooms yet. I think I have it in the wrong place with not enough sun. I’ve heard they don’t like being moved, so maybe I can limb up surrounding trees for it.
I love this red peony – blooms are covering the foliage this year. My pink peonies are about to burst open.
As I wander my way through the garden I am serenaded by this sweet Sparrow and a plethera of other song birds. By planting natural habitat for birds I’ve created a safe zone for them and a sanctuary for me.
I try to not disturb the chickadee bringing treats for her babes.
And I try to capture her in flight to no avail. So far.
Our hummingbirds must be nesting because they’re no longer fighting over the feeders.
Ravens are back in full force, attacking my compost pile with gusto.
Alas, the cowbirds are also back!
Other critters I love to capture are butterflies. I stopped using toxic poisons (weed and bug killers) in my garden more than a decade ago and love how these flying flowers have increased over the years.
I especially love when I can capture them in flight! I grow a lot of plants that encourage them to stay in my Columbia River Gorge garden.
Swallowtails are probably the largest butterfly I welcome back each year.
I am noticing many different types of bees pollinating my flowers, fruits and veggie plants.
As I pulled weeds and excess plants I gently moved ladybugs to new homes.
My Gas Plant is one I look forward to each year.
As is this Columbine. I haven’t posted in so long, I fear I’ll bore you with too many photos, so will end here.
If you’d like an alternative to commercial weed killers, try this recipe, it works: 1 gallon apple cider vinegar, 1 cup salt, 1 teaspoon detergent. Mix and spray on weeds.
Thanks for stopping by!
An Artist's Garden 