Friday Smiles 277: a visit to the Coutts Museum

Today we are visiting the Coutts Museum of Art.  I don't know anyone who wouldn't smile at these horses that flank the columns leading to the interior of this museum.  Also in front of the museum is the sculpture "Tell Me About It" by local artist Frank Jensen.

In the alley way on the north side of the museum is Sculpture Alley, featuring a tile mosaic mural by Phil Epp and Terry Corbett, bronze statues "His Brand" by Gene V. Williams and "In Flight" by Jim Brothers.

All of these, including Jensen's sculpture in front of the museum, are part of the El Dorado Main Street Artscape Public Sculpture Program.  One of the things the Coutts Museum is famous for, is its support of work by local artists.  Coutts provides several impressive art scholarships each year for deserving local artists.

Does the name Phil Epp ring a bell?

If you have visited my blog for any length of time, you will remember this sculpture by Epp I found in another city a few years ago.  I've seen it twice, once by myself, and once when I took my friend Sally.

Back at the Coutts, we began with "local" art created by children who visited the museum.  What a fun way to turn a paper plate and a hand print into a work of art!  If only I were so gifted.

We were then treated to what I consider sums up this museum.  Truly some lovely art, but eclectic.  Vintage furniture (in this case, a lovely grandfather clock) sits next to a modern silver sculpture, which leads to a lovely painting, possibly by Eva Makk.

 

More eclectic art.  So many periods, so much to ponder.

No need to ponder this work.  This is a Remington, and Coutts Museum boasts one of the largest collection of Frederic Remington bronzes in the U.S. Midwest.

  

In addition to the various Remington bronzes, 

there are also a few by Charles M. Russell

(another Russell)

and Frank Tenny Hoffman sculptures.  That led to my favorite area. 

I fell in love with the planes, 

more planes, 

trains,

and automobiles.

Surely one of these paintings 

will put a smile on your face
 

as it finally did my foodie friend Sally's.

Thanks for joining me today at this museum, and thanks for your continued visits.  Now let's visit Annie's Friday Smiles, where it never hurts to begin the weekend with a big smile, just like Annie's.

Math humor

It's no secret I love math in any form.  I can be inspired by the simplest equations to the most complex.  Therefore, I'm once again joining Gill at Gibby Froggett Craftations, this month's host at Art Journal Journey with her theme Inspired by . . . .  

I thought a bit of math humor might be appropriate today.

I don't know why I haven't used these TH paper dolls more often, but I seem to just want to stroke them, rather than use them.  I have 214 (two different packages), minus a few I have used in the past.   It's time to start using them.

Dear Algebra,

Please stop asking me to find your X.

She's never coming back and don't ask Y.

For this page I created in my large art journal, I began with a page from a trigonometry book.  To it, I added the sentiment, two types of washi tape, and the two paper dolls, which took awhile to find, since they needed to be about the same size and the approximate same age.

While I was photographing the journal page in my dining room, Squiggles was rearranging the rocking horses that sit on the floor,  Note he is the one responsible for the tears in the green rug, too.  And to think he looks SO innocent!

I am so happy you joined me today, and I also hope to see you at Art Journal Journey.

What's On Your Workdesk this 472nd (I hope) Wednesday: Happy surprise mail

Either I'm confused (which is highly likely) or my dear friend and host of WOYWW, Julia at Stamping Ground was last week.  I'm hoping this is week 472, but I will observe whatever week our dear Julia says it is.

Bless my dear friend and Bleubeard's buddy, Neet.  She was so afraid her ATCs she made were lost.   I kept telling her to have faith because I apparently live in the Bermuda Triangle of USPS.  The ATC on the left is for me, since I was her PIF and the one on the right is for Bleubeard who has rather grudgingly agreed, at Neet's request, to share it with Squiggles.

Both are truly adorable and I was so thankful for Neet, since she recently lost a dear friend who lives here in the states and, as a result, has had trouble getting into any creative spirit.  Both Bleubeard and I are grateful for the extra care Neet took in getting these to us.

An even bigger surprise arrived the day before from my good bud(d) Julia.  I was NOT expecting an ATC from her, so when I opened the package with the ATC and all the added ephemera, I was simply stunned.   When I wrote to tell her I had received her ATC, she wrote back "it was about time."  Again, just goes to show how long it takes to receive mail in Wichita, KS.

Two ceramic rocking horses were purchased on two separate occasions at Renaissance Fairs in the Kansas City area.  Rocking horses have never really caught on here in the states, so that's why I love them.  Seems most people never think to collect them, because they are so difficult to find.  However, I believe, after doing a bit of rocking horse research, were I to move to the UK, I would find many in various sizes and shapes.

Thanks for visiting today.  Whether here for WOYWW, or to see what I'm up to today, I appreciate your visit.   If coming from Julia's please leave your number.  Please remember, if you are a G+ only blogger, on Instagram, Facebook, Tumblr, or any other social media site, I can't leave you a comment because I'm strictly a blogger!!   Now let's join Julia so we can play voyeur to even more desks this Wednesday.

T Stands for Margarita's

Today we are returning to Margarita's.

Sally and I have been here before, but due to her selective memories, she doesn't remember the bad experience we had the last time we were here.

I was just hoping for a better experience than the last time we were here.

We came on a Saturday after braving the craft show and book fair.  I was hot and thirsty, which accounts for the inordinate number of photos I took of the water we both drank.  We were unable to eat from the lunch menu, since it was only weekdays from 11-3.   Sally ordered the taco salad,

and I had the tres amigos, which were cheese and onion enchiladas, topped with cheese and baked.  The three were served with beans and rice.

We both ordered ice water, 

and it appears

I became so engrossed in photographing it, I failed to get any photos of our food.

Now it's your turn to share a drink related post.  Your post may include photos, a place you visited, movies, postcards, books, sketches, mixed media, drawings, paintings, tags, scrapbooking, or other art that is digital, hybrid, or traditional, as long as it in some way relates back to a drink, any drink.  Please share your direct link below and Bleubeard and I, along with the rest of the T gang will be by to visit.

From what the majority of players last week seemed to want, this year, IF you want to make an ATC to share, please add the country from which you will be mailing your ATC.  For example: Sherry Smith (UK) would indicate the player lived somewhere in the UK AND wanted to exchange an ATC with others in her/his country.  Should you choose to NOT want to exchange an ATC, please share only your name.  Instead of Mr. Linky, for that week only, we will use Inlinkz, so if you make a mistake, you will be able to remove your own wrong entry and add the correct one, instead. The 5th year anniversary party will be week 260.  This is week 256, if I've counted correctly.  That means you have FOUR weeks until the big party and ATC exchange.

Please don't forget to check the Accept box before pressing Enter.

365 day art challenge: Week 24 and ICAD week 3

Here are my collages for Week 24.  This 365 something project was created in part and hosted by Hanna at i Hanna.

Additionally, for the next two months, I will be sharing my Index Cards or ICADs that are hosted by Tammy at Daisy Yellow.  The collage cards will always come first and the ICADs will be second. 

In case you missed them, here are Week 23's cards.  As I'm sure you know by now, I post every Monday morning for the previous week.  All my collages are 4" X 4" (10,16 cm X 10,16 cm).  My index cards are 3 x 5 inches (76.2 x 127 mm).

First flight

Great times ahead

Colorful times

High end bounty

Information is priceless

Spoken in haste

Overlapping theories

Now it's time for the ICADs.  One thing I love about ICADs is, I can sew on these, which I've chosen not to do on my 365 somethings.

Day 11

Day 12

Day 13

Day 14

Day 15

Day 16

Day 17

Thank you so much for spending time with me today.  If you are playing in Hanna's 365 Something project, or Tammy's ICAD project, please let me know and I will be by to see what you are making.  Please let me know if you like any of these.  As always, I am extremely grateful for your continued support of both projects.