Arizona Consortium for the Arts Indigo Hotel Fundraiser

Yesterday I attended a fundraiser for the Arizona Consortium for the Arts (Artizona.org) at the lovely Indigo Hotel in downtown Scottsdale. I remember when Elena Thornton first started the organization and was struggling to get it off the ground. She hung in there and brought it in to being. Many have come on board to volunteer and take on critical positions to move the organization forward. Now the goal is the consortium's own facility pictured below.

The rendering of the consortium's dream multicultural arts center by Effie Bouras, Building Designer, Mechanik Design Office, LLC

Great prizes were donated for the silent auction.

The  entertainment was provided by Rhythm & The Rose a jazz trio lead by singer Brit Rose. They performed easy listening jazz that was perfect for the event.

                                                  http://facebook.com/rthymandtherose

If you're looking for an organization to support the arts,with your money.time or service, this is a good one. 


You can click on the video to enjoy the music. The consortium is on facebook, so like them to be notified of their next fundraiser.


As always, you can click on shop to find find a "pretty" to add to your collection or to give as a gift.




Michelle

Don't You Love Holiday Gatherings?

Holiday gatherings give me the warm fuzzies. For my family this was always a time of good food, company and sharing. My Mother was of the generation of women whose mind body and soul was centered around their cooking. The acquisition and preparation of the food would make a military stratagist proud. The holidays were their time for the spotlight and they well earned it. They put their heart soul and foot into making a making the holidays awesome. (Just kidding about the foot. My parents are Southerners and its considered the highest compliment to tell someone they "put their foot into it", the meal).  Interestingly when my parents married my Daddy was the better cook. Daddy made the best cakes. He used a heavy silver serving spoon to beat his cakes. They would float out of the oven they were so light. Daddy's an Ancestor now, and foodie that I am, I'm still looking for a cake as light as his.

http://www.dreamstime.com/?gclid=CKziytuZpa8CFWcZQgod_wohWQ

Back to the holidays they were always a time for large gatherings , many times folks came to our house for dinner. We had to eat in shifts. Kids and the elders were always fed first. The eldest person present, usually my granddaddy said grace. (Granddaddy passed just shy of his 96 birthday). I liked when my Daddy said grace. His prayer was, "Good food, Great God , Lets eat." and we did. Smile.

As I was thinking about this post I remembered a particular holiday my Mom pulled  out a guitar she had bought at auction. (My Mom is from old money Atlanta, Georgia. Mommie loved auctions, I guess that's why all of our furniture was Duncan Phyfe. Good solid furniture that would withstand seven very active kids and their friends.) Mommie brought the guitar out showing it off, she couldn't play it. Mr Gus, from Mississippi, asked her for the guitar and started to play it. Mr Gus sang the blues and picked that guitar like he was Muddy Waters. For an hour you didn't hear a pin drop, even the babies were silent. After about an hour someone pulled out a harmonica and then folk started joining in or singing a song to his playing. It was an amazing day. Mr Gus's wife didn't know he could play guitar or sing like that!

My Mommie had sang jazz in nightclubs in Chicago. When I was little I would get up and lay just outside the kitchen door to hear her sing. She would be singing as she made biscuits or some other baked goodies for breakfast. I knew if she saw me she would stop sing and start talking. I wanted to hear her sing. Many a mornings she came out the kitchen to wake us for breakfast and I would be fast asleep in the floor.

Holidays were always a memorable time in our household. Good food, good friends and to quote Daddy, "Good Eatin". Smile

What are your memories of the holidays? Please share in a comment,.


Michelle

Womens History Month: Billie Holiday My Tribute Piece

My Billy Holiday Pendant/ brooch is a free form Bloody Basin Agate. The stone looks like a storm of blood droplets captured in mid flight. I heard the song "Strange Fruit" when I was in my twenties and living in Houston, Texas. I could never get the song out of my head. The song started playing in my head as soon as I saw this stone. The brooch/pendant is my tribute to Lady Day as Billie Holliday was affectionately known. Perfect for the current 40's vintage look worn at the shoulder.  Wear when you want to set yourself apart. One of a kind is such an overworked term but this is an original, the stone cannot be duplicated.

Handcrafted by one of my favorite gem cutters from Mid-Michigan. He began cutting stone in his twenties. I met he and his wife at a show.  He would save certain stones for me and I would bring him pictures of what I had made with the stone. We were like co-conspirators (or little kids in a candy store sharing a new candy). We would be in a corner pouring over the stones and the details. His wife would laugh at us and other customers would  try to see what we were looking at. (Who knew Africa had turquoise?). Unfortunately, he was self-taught and didn't know the dangers of breathing some of the stones when he started out. He joined the Ancestors in his sixties.


May he rest in peace.

As always you can click on the title to purchase

Oh Yeah. Today is my birthday so take 20% off. Use Coupon Code Bday Celebration good till March 14, 2011.

Enjoy the day.

Wall Art by Syeda Umar

This painting of a saxophone by Syeda Umar was then made into a collage.

The original is 16 inches long by 8 inches wide.

A signed limited edition (10) giclee (signed BySyeda) is available for purchase for $150.00.

The giclee is 30 by 20 inches.

Let folks know how much you love your Jazz.

Great artwork for the jazz lover, coffeehouse or jazz themed restraurant.

If you want a different size email me with your requirements.