Farewell to Bob Ross

With sadness, we share the news that Butch's friend and fowl, Bob Ross, died in his sleep today.

Born in 1990, Bob Ross was by all accounts the oldest chicken in the world. And no doubt, the only mind reading chicken who traveled to art festivals from New York to California.

Bob was a show chicken, a White Crested Black Polish and he will be dearly missed.

The painting of Bob that Butch brought for the Straw into Gold show is a humorous portrait and will be a lasting tribute to a unique bird.

Came from Alabama with my Tin Fish on my Knee

Straw Into Gold

Jan. 22 - Feb. 14, 2010

Packing and unpacking, packing and unpacking....this is the UN-glamorous part of being an artist. But the hard work pays off when folks arrive for an opening and revel in all the handiwork.

Butch Anthony's trip to Florida was well worth it, as adoring fans clamored to take home a prize fish or a souvenir of his artwork at the opening reception of Straw Into Gold.

Check the website at http://jtfolkart.com/ under the Current Show tab for selected pieces from the show.

Special Delivery

Roy Minshew visited us just before Christmas and brought a very special addition to the gallery. This Jumping Dog is quite the attention getter! He stands over five feet tall, complete with his own stick for retrieving. Roy's detailed carving skills are shown off quite nicely on the dog's coat, don't you think?

Tablescape Fun

What a fun way to round out our year...with The Big Guy and four of his deer friends gathered for a festive meal. Thanks to artist Theresa Disney, our tablescape for the Holiday Tour of Homes was fabu!

Artistic Gifts

Forging good relationships with artists is one of the highlights of my work in the gallery. I was so tickled when Melissa Menzer shared a special gift with me at her recent trunk show. It's a "Monkey Artist" spoonbeam. Melissa has outfitted the monkey with a beret and an old tube of paint along with a paintbrush. Spoonbeams are one of Melissa's trademark creations, making good use of old silver spoons and pie servers, she sculpts and paints clay faces and adds ephemera and antique bits. You can see one of my favorite pieces on our website at http://www.jtfolkart.com/ (look under the tab marked Current Show.)

Table for Four, Party of Claus

What would the holidays be without a festive table?! We love to show off our artists and find fun ways to share their work. When Theresa Disney visited in November, she found time to paint a herd of reindeer along with "the big guy" in the red suit. They are the highlight of our 2009 tablescape in this weekend's Holiday Tour of Homes here in Sanford. Check back for a few more pics when Mary does the final set up on Friday morning.

Painting up a Storm

Artist Theresa Disney paid us a visit for her trunk show on Nov. 21 and painted up a storm while she was here.

She's putting the finishing touches on her pendants that feature angels, birds, flowers, and devilish faces.

The gallery is chock full of Theresa's winsome creations, from paper mache dogs to tabletop mermaids.

Visit the Current Show page on our website to see additional works by Theresa.

http://www.jtfolkart.com/currentshow.cfm

A New Home for Blackie

When a Jacksonville Beach couple visited the gallery and spied the little black doggie in our front window, they knew he would be going home with them! "Blackie" (above on the left) fits right in with their trio of Scotties.

Artist Theresa Disney sculpts in paper mache and imbues each one of her creations with a sense of humor and heart. "Blackie" tugged on the heartstrings of Nancy and Greg. When they saw this little fella, he reminded them of Jonah, their very special two year old.

Nancy says that Jonah was the seventh of eight pups and was born lame. When he was rejected by his mother, they adopted him. He doesn't let his injury slow him down. On their morning walks, Jonah keeps up just fine with a sideways hop.

Follow this link to see a few more of Theresa's pups:http://www.jtfolkart.com/profiles.cfm?category=2CABA50D-AA2A-9068-4A9B32CBCCE17CD7

Who's Nice?

For all the folks on your list who've been nice, you'll be sure to find something special for them in the gallery. Robin is showing off what we fondly refer to as "the puffy frame." It's made of cloth and stuffed with batting. It's designed to hang from a wide grosgrain ribbon and hold a bulletin board or lightweight artwork. It's an eye catcher!

50th Anniversary

This year, the peace sign is 50 years old. In honor of that milestone, we're celebrating a peace-filled holiday with ornaments and wreaths that fit the theme.

Mary is putting the finishing touches on the peace tree, all decked out with glitter and good tidings.

Our opening reception for Folk Art for the Holidays is Nov. 8, so we'll keep decorating until every corner is festive and bright.