The Arts

 Hayward is (incontestably) "Home" to a number of artists and from a truly wide variety of mediums...the next 40' of the Wall then, is dedicated to both the visual as well as the performing "Arts"-

 Above, you'll note the allusion to dance, voice and music....as panel #21 moves into #22, we represent film, painting, sculpting and theater...

The only problem being, however, that the rains which began Saturday night and continued throughout Sunday, cut us 3 hours short of completion...so you'll have to tune in again next week for panel #22.  At that point, however, my "personal goal" is to also present panel numbers 23 & 24 well!


 (Gotta LOVE those telephone poles...)

  

There is absolutely NO way we would be this far without the incredible "energy" of some pretty special friends...a MOST sincere "Thank You" to Liz Bathgate for her commitment to "the grey scale"...she covered a LOT of Wall space...you'll understand more when you see the completed panel 22...talk about patience!  (AND a healthy snack for a change!  Thanks for the Tangerines, Liz!)

The Cork heard 'round the World (well, at least the County!) Panels 18, 19 AND 20 are FINISHED! We have hit the 1/3 Completion Mark...WhoooooooooHooooooooo!

  


...and so, as the "Graduates" struggle beneath yet ANOTHER patch of ivy...



...they rise to their feet(?)

  

...only to bid adieu to those who brought them here to reveal the wonders of Hayward



(and note how quickly the panels are being "sealed"! - kidding!  kidding! kidding!)
Sun or no - the Wall is "cold"...too cold to seal....and so, we continue to be ever so grateful to those who have shown the work such respect, and we wait...

 


And how 'bout those Volunteers?  A day at the Track(s) isn't exactly a Day at the Park...
John and Kathy Ries showed up this past Saturday and "cleared" at least 1,200 sq. ft. of "Wall"...



  

in the course of about 6 hours...If I've said it once, I've said it about 100 times (to anyone who'll listen..).the process of creating art is NOT a "glamorous" endeavor!  Just ask Kathy and John!  We could NEVER Thank you two enough for all of the Spirit and "green waste"  you left behind-

You are the best- Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.



...and as for panel #21 and beyond...

Once I've finished this bottle of Champagne (Thank You Jackie),

"We'll Be Back!"



I know what you're thinking and the answer is..."no"

So, it rained Thursday...I mean it really came down.  I am pleased to report however that not unlike the U.S. Postal Service, we stayed out  there for 5 hours, three of which, we were "soaked to the skin".  We could still shovel rocks and draw (graphite doesn't run!)....so...we did, setting up 4 more panels which should enable us to hit the 1/3 mark next week (weather of course, permitting)...and that, will be a day of Great Joy.  In the meantime, #17 has been completed as all of the birds and paintbrushes prepare to return to The Great Unknown from whence they came....(only to return again in #21).

Apologies for the muted "color", but I'm usually not far enough along to photograph until 4:30 - 5:00pm.

As for the "Fantasia" element here, all I can say is:

"There are those who find inspiration in the Genius of Walt Disney, and those who lie".

Be patient, just needed a bit of "whimsy"...the Realist shall return in panel #20. Meanwhile, your kindness and obvious good humor are greatly appreciated!

Jean

(the Accidental Muralist)

It's a Family Affair





3.5 Panels in 4 days?  We need BACK-UP!  Matt Bidwell came down for 4 days and

 Wendy Lundberg drove 5 hours north to lend a creative hand for 3....Thanks to their

patience and incredible fortitude (45 degrees on average) I am still stunned to share

that...WE DID IT!

(and my personal thanks to Deanna Abreu who hiked up here to take this "crazy frozen foto"!)



 

Okay now, try to stay with me here....remember the Wise ol' Barn Owl?  Well, in panel #13, he loses a few feathers which, as the story goes-(hey, "my owl, my story") turn, quite magically, into quill pens out from which flow forth letters, words and verse...from agriculture to academics...sweet.

(This week was brought to you by the letter "A")



...coming to rest at yet another

"beginning"



  

You'll note that the owl flies off the frame to the right, while the letters from the quill pens then become books which "fly" throughout  "remembrances" of Elementary and High School ...

Once again...and I cannot say this often enough-

Thank You, EVERYone, for your kind thoughts, encouragement and support...Wouldn't want to be on this trip without you-

Jean

Making Hay while the Sun Shines!

The "Transition" idea here, is for the hay from the loft of the barn (at left), along with the brown grasses of the field, to begin to take flight, become feathers and create the barn owl, which will naturally transition into...well...

(these puns just simply have to stop...don't they?....ahhhhh, don't hold your breath)  So, the sun finally shown and so did I, well, I "showed up" in any case....so panel no. 12 is finished, with the slight exception of the lower right corner which will provide the transition into "lucky" panel no.13 which will begin to appear tomorrow 12/24.  Mother Nature is setting the schedule, Tony (from the City of Hayward) has everything "sealed" and Matt has been keeping me "focused"...poor guy never bargained for THAT job - Merry Christmas! ...and God Bless Us EVERY one!  Catch you all in 2011!

"...but tomorrow may rain so - I'll follow the sun



"Cattle Call"...can't forget those chickens though...two very prominent "Industries" in Hayward's History

 

"Wet Days" equal lengthy delays...we were out there every day - rain or shine - (but paint "just don't stick to a wet wall!") It took us a while, but we've finished panels 10 and 11  in tribute to Hayward's Agricultural Past...now, from a Barn...must come an Owl....yes? Panel #12 will arrive before Christmas.
(just an interesting side-note: we left the ivy "growing in place" here...as a little experiment.  3/4 of "the ivy" is a painting...we're hoping that as the seasons change, we'll always have foliage floating across this scene...)





Our Thanks as always for your interest, encouragement, and truly admirable sense of humor-

(An incredibly sincere and equally "damp" little muralist"),

Jean



"...but tomorrow may rain so - I'll follow the sun"