Cabin Fever In Alaska by Artist Judy Vars

Next Step for the Raven Sisters and Charmaine

2010-01-07T22:15:00.000-08:00

The under painting is glaze of ultramarine blue thinned with turpentine. The values are decided one Raven is lighter perhaps a pink and lavender sunrise and the other is darker more introspective with the magical Northern Lights in the sky. I like the beginnings they both have good bones.

So I go on Facebook and look at my daughter Charmaines photo, It's gorgeous people are always getting us confused. I say "love your photo but it's waaay tooo provocative and she says : "Mom don't be a hater" OK now thats funny I don't care who you are. Is that a way to say don't hate me because I'm beautiful.

The truth is I couldn't be prouder of my girl she is an inspiration, a few years ago as a young woman she had a cancer scare. She went through a hard time but never, never lost her optimism she remained strong for everyone else. Now shes back better than ever, I still see her as my little girl shouting at the top of her lungs "LIFE, I LOVE IT!"

Raven Sisters

2010-01-06T18:23:00.000-08:00

Here is the vary beginning of two Raven paintings: Raven Sisters

This will be painted with an indirect method where layers of sheer color is glazed onto the canvas creating an even suface which is very rich and reflects light.

One Raven will be lighter with brighter colors and one will be darker colors and more muted tones.

One will live in Alaska and one will fly South to Florida.

Off and Running Monday 2010

2010-01-04T19:49:00.000-08:00

Wednesday's at the Red Beet I signed up for a month of nude figure drawing. Last week was great we drew for about 2 hours, the model posed for several 2 minute, ten minutes, and 30 minute sessions. This was my last picture on my first night, the eyes are too close, the hand too tiny but I expect steady improvement over the month. I will post the progress.

Today I got a good check from Firefly gallery, a client commissioned me for two raven paintings, I went to Kelli Mahoney's house a patron of the arts who has an impressive collection of art with hundreds of raven artworks ( she collects my ravens also), Alaska Bagel asked me to display my art for three months and I'm in good health.

Praise the Lord

Resolutions 2010! Where did the last 10 years go?

2009-12-31T10:52:00.000-08:00

It isn't New Years Eve without my resolutions. Organization is the key, because I feel so disorganized it's frustrating, so I have enlisted some help from the Fly lady http://www.flylady.net/index.asp it's basic and very helpful.. For Christmas I got my new Dell with Windows 7 so the task of cleaning up my computer files is imminent oh but the possibilities with my new lap top. Now we're cookin with gas.

I have torn my office apart and am organizing from the bottom up. Why do I keep divorce papers from 1973? OMG, really! The dis-ease of packratitzm runs in my family, through the years I have tried to control my tendancies in various ways; moving every year or so, wildly throwing everything into the trash, giving away good things, stashing things, over, under and behind, crying, moaning, breaking things, procrastinating, rationalizing (how important is it anyway that my home be impeccably clean and organized anyway) and praying (please God send me an assistant).

I have already begun to take action after the Christmas binge I've sworn off refined foods for good this time and have done my yoga three times in three days.

Some of my resolutions are:

1. Make more time for fun, friends and family
2. Stick to my regime.........................................
3. Do better at going green
4. Get organized
5. Go vegetarian
6. Lose weight get strong and healthy http://susanpowteronline.com/
7. Write in my blog at least 3 times a week
8. Believe that just being me is good enough
9. Create more ART!

and just for old Lang Zine enjoy this video with bagpipes. Peace and Love to you all wherever you live on this beautiful planet and whatever your circumstances rest in the knowledge that God Loves YOU and wants you to be happy, joyous and free.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wgo6aIKfMCU

Hark the Herald Angels Sing

2009-12-21T17:27:00.001-08:00

Hark the Herald Angel SingsOil/Cold Wax/Encaustic Wax/Embelishments12" X 24"Judy Vars 300.00

The way I like to celebrate Winter Solstice in Alaska....

2009-12-20T20:37:00.000-08:00

on December 21st the shortest day of the year and if cabin fever isn't bad enough I will stay in my pajamas all day. I have some new pretty flannel pj's black with a white flower pattern, they will be comfy, warm and fashionable if I have to go somewhere. Most of the Christmas gifts are bought and wrapped the grocery shopping can wait. I want to work on my angel icon painting I am doing for Christmas, perhaps I will do some cleansing and releasing rituals, light all my candles, later we are invited to my daughters house for our Mexican feast tradition fondly known as Pasada Night. It's a joke when I show up every year in my jammers but who cares we're family.

I will light all my candles and thank my creator for all the love and people to love in my life.

This is my new infinity candle, it seems appropriate as a symbol for the infinite blessings in my life.

Thank you for this wonderful life.

I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas....

2009-12-17T21:00:00.000-08:00

It has snowed every day for almost a week we got almost 9 inches today alone. My road looks like a sleligh trail and makes you want to sing Jingle Bells or To Grandmothers House We Go.

The world is completly white the temperature has dropped to a frosty-10 degrees. Outside is a still white frozen wasteland, just walking in the cold moonlight you might get frostbitten still it's worth the walk but I think tonight it's best to stay close to home and stoke the fire, close up my house, make the coffee and nessle down all snug in my bed. The quiet falling snow blankets me in its fluffy down and gives me the deepest, dreamiest, loooongest sleep ummmmmmmmm.

Good Night Dear Ones only 7 days until Christmas.

It's Just Another Sunday in Paradise, not really!

2009-12-13T12:13:00.000-08:00

Sunrise 10:10am and sunset 5:34 but the nice thing is the sunrises and the sunsets last for hours and on the coldest winter days they seem to be the prettiest.
Today I awoke at 10:45 a.m. it's strange because I went to bed relatively early 10:00 p.m. and slept like a hibernating bear wrapped in my warm down comforter and my pleasant dreams. It was a shock to realize that I slept soooo0 long. Then I get a rude awakening; I get up brush my teeth and find no water pressure, it's the well again is my guess.
Its 4 degrees out there no wind just cold everywhere. The well business Gelarowski’s is not answering their phones it's Sunday after all we may just have to haul some drinking water and do our bathroom business at the local gas station. That’s better than triple rates anyway. Ah living on a dirt road in Alaska comes with its problems. I guess this is going to cost me my Christmas present this year, damn. I should just go back to bed today.

A Christmas coupon from Judy!

2009-12-03T17:13:00.000-08:00

Christmas time is nigh so don't let this offer go by

offer good until January 1, 2010

20% off all Judy Vars artwork

Firefly

Anchorages Artisian Co-op

419 L. Street * Anchorage, Alaska 99501 * 907 334-9979
Tue-Sat 10a-6p Sun 12-4p

Sweet Tico Woman

2009-11-25T14:17:00.000-08:00

Title: Anita Polanca
Medium: Oil
Size: 16" X 20"
Artist: Judy Vars
Price: unframed 320.00
On our holiday to Costa Rica we went to the copy store in Puerto Imenez and this old woman was out sunning herself in the afternoon. I asked Peter to take a picture of this beautiful old woman. He started a conversation with her and found out that she is 97 her parents came from Spain, after charming her and kissing her little hand she graciously posed for a photograph with a little twinkle in her eyes and a girlish smile. Costa Rica is a “Blue Zone” meaning people are healthier and live longer. This is a painting I wanted to do since our last trip to Costa Rica.
Tico is what the Costa Ricans call themselves translated it means little. I put my friend:
Cappy Will Kitsos on the job to find her name out
Will-Do Services Unltd.
What they won't do Will-do will do...
Will came through her name is Anita Polanca.

1,000 Days

2009-11-21T13:50:00.000-08:00

I'm 20,912 days old today pushing 21,000 days old. Give or take a few days in another 1,000 days from now I'm a sextarian. What can one accomplish in 1,000 days? Be fit walk everyday become the very essence of health, in the art world become a master of my craft and have an art show in a museum or NYC, make $1,000,000or more, become a great Meditatior, learn to speak Spanish fluently, grow my hair to my butt.....

The average life expectancy is 78 years, mine according to a life expectancy calculator is 87.4 while my virtual age is 47.6 (my good habits gave me an extra 10 years). What good is this information anyway? Why the obsession with days and years? Maybe to plan and look ahead is bargaining with fate; no don’t take me now I’ve got other plans? Life is a habit and even when it gets tough most of us keep toughing it out.

My mother she was robbed of old age because of Lew Gerrics disease ALS, my dad smoked and his earlier days drank hard, courting the inevitable day, friends are taken from this life in the prime of their days.
Please don’t think I’m morbid. I’m only telling the truth, if today is all that we have and tomorrow is still a mystery; in the face of reality it seems silly to make plans. Still I busy myself with the mess that is my office trying to organize little details and setting goals therefore giving myself the illusion of control.

Life keeps on lifeing. quote: judy vars

Babes In Toyland

2009-11-18T17:27:00.000-08:00

This is what I've been doing this week helping to paint the set to Babes in Toyland. A first for me, I've always wanted to try. It was fun especially when we got into a rythum. The people in the slideshow in no order is Carmen Summerfield, Nann Potts, Vera and me. The pictures are out of focus sorry.

2009-11-16T19:27:00.000-08:00

VALLEY ART ALLIANCE
ART FOR CHRISTMAS SALE
Unique One of A Kind
Christmas Gifts - Artwork, Crafts, Cards and More
Made by Local Artists

The Alaska Gallery
(next to Madd Matters)
101 E. Arctic Ave
Palmer, Alaska
745-6045

Through November and December

Art Makes a Wonderful Gift for Christmas
All the items are reasonably priced and most under $100.00

Productive Thursday in the Beehive

2009-11-12T18:10:00.000-08:00

The other day we painted the backdrop for the Valley Performing Arts upcoming play Babes in Toyland, a very interesting adventure (big headed artist types painting together. Said goodbye to a friend flying to Texas today. Today is the day I go to my artist meeting of VAA this takes place from 11:00 to 1:00 Thursdays at Sopias Kafe Neo on the Palmer Wasilla Hwy, they have good coffee and a Mediterranean menu, we artists gather to discuss art and all things art related. Occasionally politics are discussed and we still manage to get along. Afterward I went to The Alaska Gallery and Madd Matters frame shop to drop off art work for the Christmas show sponsored by Valley Art Alliance. There ran into a friend, we discussed my foot painting and how we were going to paint our dear friend's feet when she died, she took a picture with her cell phone that she still keeps. We Made tentative arrangements for dinner Sunday at my house. Discussed invitation to a baby shower our angel friend's daughter is having for her niece, because her sister and the baby's mother is being deployed to Afghanistan. Good God! the world keeps spinning people come and people go each one of us spinning our own stories and being as productive as possible bouncing of each other like little tops. This beehive painting illustrates my point. I should call it buzzzzzy beez. Is this fascination to the beehive due to my Mormon upbringing?

Beehive Painting
Encaustic Beeswax on 24 4 x 4" Wood Blocks
16" x 24"
525.00
Judy Vars
With all this going on around me I managed to create this cold peaceful painting called Winter Abstraction.
Winter Abstraction
Encaustic
8" x 12"
132.00
Judy Vars

Saturday Night!

2009-11-10T22:32:00.000-08:00

My face looms in the darkness, (not scary at all) the night was clear the milky way visible and the moon was at half mast rising over Denali.
This is a whole lot of female energy! Peter almost bailed them some men showed up. One man told us of an expedition he took with the Discovery channel to Antarctica. He said the mountain tops look like the Grand Tetons and rise from a frozen wilderness where the snow is as hard as diamonds. They were checking the gravitational fields trying to predict when the poles will change.

This is Deb Wessler hosting her house warming party we were all happy to stand around the bond fire and tell stories.

First Friday in Anchorage

2009-11-05T20:06:00.000-08:00

'Yapita' a Fayum Mummy Portrait
encaustic
395.
Judy Vars
Date: Friday November 6, 2009
Time: 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Location: Doriola's, 510 West Tudor, #7, Anchorage

ENCAUSTIC ART EXHIBITION at Doriola's. This is a group showing of work by members of the Alaska Chapter of International Encaustic Artists (AK IEA). The show will run for the month of November and opens with a First Friday reception on November 6th, 2009, from 5p until 8p or until they kick us all out. Doriola's is located at 510 West Tudor # 7 between Arctic and C Street (just west of Cattle Company and Applebee's, on the south side of Tudor in the strip mall next to the double Asian restaurants) 907 375 0494. Mon - Fri 5a - 4p, Sat. 6a - 3p, Closed Sundays.

It's November alright and I'm just rambling...

2009-11-04T22:30:00.000-08:00

we stacked 1 cord of wood, put all the lawn furniture away, pulled in the boat and dock and picked up the yard. The forecast is snow but it's a balmy 40 degrees. However the lake has a thin sheet of ice covering it and it's so pretty, it was comical to see a duck come in for a landing and slide in an ungainly way.
I'm curious why the swan couple have not flown South yet they are just sitting on the ice.
With daylight savings time it is suddenly dark earlier it confused Buddy my doggie who took himself to bed at 7:00 p.m. Daylight savings time is a completely stupid idea in Alaska, why can't someone change that!
I got Peter Direct TV for his birthday and am enjoying HBO a little too much but I will get tired of it soon.
The free Peking Opera last night was good except we had to sit through a lesson and a translation that took too long. Somewhere in the parking lot, or on the way in or in the autitorium I lost my cell phone. What a pain in the butt I had to replace it.
Tomorrow is Charmaines birthday she is my sexy Scorpio daughter. I told her I was giving her present to a homeless girl at the annual candelight vigil at the Covenant House for lost and run away children. She loved the idea. Happy Birthday Baby Girl, I Love You!
MoM

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-29T16:18:00.000-07:00

Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn, and caldron bubble.
Oil Painting
16X20
320.00
Song of the Witches
by William Shakespeare

Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn and caldron bubble.
Fillet of a fenny snake,
In the caldron boil and bake;
Eye of newt and toe of frog,
Wool of bat and tongue of dog,
Adder's fork and blind-worm's sting,
Lizard's leg and howlet's wing,
For a charm of powerful trouble,
Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.

Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn and caldron bubble.
Cool it with a baboon's blood,
Then the charm is firm and good.

Saturday's Inspiration - Children

2009-10-25T17:49:00.000-07:00

The Palmer Arts Council www.palmerartscouncil.org "Make I And Take It" event was so much fun this is what the kids made in my assemblage class. Basically I threw my junque on the table with paint, glue, cigar boxes, Altoid tins, hot glue gun, a whole plethora of objects and just said go for it. It was the mess that attracted them I think, plus there was the added bonus of me getting rid of a bunch of junk. They were proud of thier crazy creations and even wanted to put them of e-bay. The parents just said; ok???

Tuesdays Inspiration - FEET

2009-10-20T17:46:00.000-07:00

Your Feet

by Pablo_Neruda

When I cannot look at your face

I look at your feet.

Your feet of arched bone,

of your hard little feet.

I know that they support you,

and that your sweet weight

rises upon them.

Your waist and your breasts,

the doubled purple of your nipples,

the sockets of your eyes

that have just flown away,

your wide fruit mouth,

your red tresses,

my little tower.

But I love your feet

only because they walked

upon the earth and upon

the wind and upon the waters,

until they found me.

Raven, Raven Monday or Wax on Wax On

2009-10-19T18:22:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy week for me painting on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, I worked at the Firefly Gallery last Tuesday and I'll be there again Wednesday the 21st. I've created some spooky Halloween art and other curious artifacts and for the Shamhain also known as Halloween, I am painting a beautiful witch brewing up a love potion. Will post her when she is ready and not until.

Thursday I attended my Valley Art Alliance Meeting and got ready for the workshop the next day.

Last Friday night I gave my Encaustic Demonstration and Mini Workshop it went fairly well there were 11 attendies, everyone had a good time inspire of quite a few technical difficulties: the venue at last minute cancelled, so we held it in a garage, there were space issues, electrical issues, cold issues. Well I learned what to do better next time I hold a workshop. My goal is to have a three day workshop next time with lots of studio space set up for encaustics and really let people get into the medium. I do my part to spread the cult-of-the wax.

Peter's birthday was on Saturday he has a lovely tradition of getting other people something for his birthday I was the benefactor and recieved a big Persian rug the real deal from an estate sale also a little Queen Anne desk that needs restoring I SCORED! From Me and Porter he got Dish TV (I personally hate the idea of paying for the boob toob) but he wanted it. Later Nick, Nicole and G Kids Max and Jackson came over and we had a barbeque, played golf on the WII Fit and ate birthday cake, it was a pretty mellow day.

I joined the International Encaustics Association last week and Sunday went to the 3rd meeting of IEA, we discussed the upcoming encaustic show at Delorias, and I took the hanging job. Sheary talked about the IEA Convention that she just attended in Carmel, CA.
We had show and tell where I showed off my Yapita and Digonees the Flautist (they were amazed) another woman painted a fishing trawler on iron wood from the wreck (very, very cool).
I learned how to make a good transfer without zerox and water that was worth the gas money to get to Anchorage. Kelli sent me more cool raven images but it's bedtime and I must make myself go to sleep.

Today Monday again and I got happy and excited to paint more Ravens and try out my new transfer technique. Here is Raven, Raven Monday

with.......

A Murder of Ravens

Encaustic Transfer

6x6"

Judy Vars

200 Years Later Poe Gets a Proper Funeral

2009-10-10T00:16:00.001-07:00

Quoth the Raven "Nevermore"

Encaustic Painting/Collage

Judy Vars

This one is not yet finished I was given a wonderful large black Gothic baroque style frame it's extravagantly ornate and fits this piece nicely. It needs to be cut down, luckily I am married to a carpenter who as of late has been so good to frame up my artwork. When it's finished I will probably post the painting again.

Tomorrow is Poe's re-funeral, he died in Baltimore, MD at the ripe old age of 40, he was found outside a tavern and taken to a hospital where he died 2 days later. The actual cause of his death is a mystery although the evidence of the influence of alcohol is strongly disputed. His cousin neglected to tell anyone so only 7 people attended his first funeral. Now 200 years later this great fiction writer will get a proper funeral.

A likeness of his body is laying in state in his Amity Street home and will be transported via an antique horse drawn hearse to Westminster Hall. Where the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra will be playing speakers will be such notables as Sir Alfred Hitchcock, H.P. Lovecraft, Sir Author Conan Doyle, Monte Maxwell, organist for the United States Naval Academy who will play the 1889 Johnson organ. Since I cannot attend tomorrow yet I also will be there in spirit. I hope this re-funeral gives Edgar a chuckle. RIP (we hope not).

It's October! so it's Ravens, Witches and Poe all month long

2009-10-05T20:47:00.000-07:00

Amorous Raven

Encaustic

6" X 6"

60.00

Encaustic Demo

2009-10-01T20:13:00.000-07:00

Encaustic Wax Demonstration and

Mini Workshop

Given byJudy Vars

@Make A Scene1201 Melanie Avenue

Wasilla, AK
October 16th from 4:00 until 7:00
15.00 for class and 20.00 for suppliesTo register contact Kimberly 841-3635 or Make a Scene 373-2698 space is limited so call early
Encaustic wax art is pure organic beeswax and dammar resin. The pigments are high quality cakes of wax made with natural ingredients like oil paints. Encaustic which simply means to burn in. the wax is melted on a hot pallet and applied to the substrate hot, it cools instantly, then each layer is then reheated and the next layer is applied.
Encaustic painting is like nothing else it has a depth and luminosity that other mediums cannot achieve. Because the wax is malleable there are infinite possibilities. Each painting is unique. You will be provided with all the materials to makeyour own one-of-a-kind work of art.

The myth of Pandora sounds alot like Eve.

2009-09-23T19:36:00.000-07:00

Poor little Pandora the first mortal woman on earth was bestowed with beauty from Aphrodite, Hermes gave her cleverness, Athena taught her how to spin, Apollo taught her how to sing. But Zues also made her mischievous and idle. The Gods gave Pandora a exquisite box as a gift before she came to Earth and she was told never to open this box. By and by Pandora wanted to be good but was so curious she couldn't even sleep at night, finally she took the gold key from her neck and opened the box just to peek inside. Bad move, Old Age, Sickness, Insanity, Pestilence, Vice, Passion, Greed, Crime, Death, Theft, Lies, Jealousy, Famine and all the rest were unleashed upon the world, Hope was at the bottom of the box (so it's not so bad I guess.)

My box gives Pandora a fair chance, it is transparent so you can see the bad spirits inside and it is sealed shut there is no easy way to open it.

Summer is over old man winter is knocking it's going to be a long cold night, burrrrrrrrr.