The Loft Gallery

---

Just a reminder: It’s okay to leave comments!

---

Just a shout-out for a local gallery...

There is a local art gallery I visit—and have purchased from—having its annual one-of-a-kind sale. The folks there are friendly and willing to talk to anyone about their art. There are lots of different artists (23!) who hang (or display) their art here and many different types and styles of art to view.

Their address is:

The Loft Gallery
313 Mill Street (Upstairs)
Occoquan, VA 22125

Website: https://www.loftgallery.org/

There are several rooms with art in every one. If you visit, take your time to look around. There is one room where you can pull up a chair and view the works—it does give you a unique perspective.

Note: This is in Occoquan, Virginia. Parking is at a premium, so a weekday visit (except for Monday when they are closed) is the best time. Also, the shop is at the top of a long, narrow flight of stairs. It's in an old building in an old town. So, unfortunately, it's not really good for access if you have trouble with a lot of steps.

Disclaimer: I have no association with The Loft Gallery other than being a customer.

 

---

© 2024 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

The Business of the Arts is Rebounding

---

Just a reminder: It’s okay to leave comments!

---

Perhaps you've wondered how the arts are recovering from the depths of the pandemic. Or, if you've noticed a rebound, were curious as to how much it has been able to spring back.

Fortunately, the U.S. government does gather some data on this. They are collected by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), a part of the U. S. Department of Commerce. The unfortunate part (if you're a writer or media artist) is that BEA groups arts, entertainment, spectator sports, and even gambling together. That makes it difficult to extract data for your particular area of interest.

From the BEA website:

Arts, entertainment, and recreation (71) includes performing arts, spectator sports, museums, and related activities (711AS); and amusements, gambling, and recreation industries (713). Establishments in this industry produce, organize, and promote live presentations; as well as operate facilities related to sports, recreation, amusement, gambling; and other amusement or recreation services. NAICS 711-712 are included in industry 711AS.

NAICS stands for the North American Industry Classification System which is used by U. S. Government statistical agencies to identify, track, and report activities by industry.

From the following graph, you can see that the gross output of arts, entertainment, and recreation has not yet matched pre-pandemic values, but have increased by about $100 billion since their low point and appear to be trending upwards. Nominal Gross Output* stood at $248.4 billion at the end of 1st quarter of 2021 (last date statistics are currently available). Chained dollars (orange line) are adjusted for inflation based on a base year, currently 2012.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, [“BEA Industry Facts,”] news release (Jun 24 2021 12:00AM), https://apps.bea.gov/industry/factsheet/factsheet.cfm?IndustryId=7.

You can use their interactive tables for GDP (Gross Domestic Product) to eliminate the gambling and recreational portion, but that is about as detailed as you can get. You can see, however, that the numbers are going up since the dark days of 2020. That's a hopeful sign. You can also see that this is smaller than the amount designated as gambling and recreational. Gambling is big business these days.

• Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, “Industry Economic Account Data: GDP by Industry,” https://apps.bea.gov/iTable/iTable.cfm (accessed [August 25, 2021]).

You can also see that the Value Added* by the arts, entertainment, and recreation industries is recovering, though not as much as one might hope.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, [“BEA Industry Facts,”] news release (Jun 24 2021 12:00AM), https://apps.bea.gov/industry/factsheet/factsheet.cfm?IndustryId=7.

What does all this say to the small writer, artist, or poet?

It does show that the arts industry is recovering, but still has a long way to go. It is trending upwards by all measures, so things look to be getting better for those working in the arts. The numbers won't include everything, however. If you have a tiny income from the arts, it may not be reflected in the data as there are cut-offs where small businesses are not required to report. Some of this may be brought in through other channels, but it doesn't pull in all of the numbers from the gig economy. And that can be substantial.

The fact that the entire industry seems to be recovering should be looked upon as an optimistic sign. In a few months, we can check the number again to see if the trend continues.

Notes:

* Nominal Gross Output is defined as the value of the goods and services produced by the nation’s economy. It is principally measured using industry sales or receipts, including sales to final users (GDP) and sales to other industries (intermediate inputs).

** Value Added is defined as the gross output of an industry less its intermediate inputs. It is the contribution of an industry to gross domestic product (GDP). Value added by industry can also be measured as the sum of compensation of employees, taxes on production and imports less subsidies, and gross operating surplus.

---

© 2021 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

Shore Leave 41 Saturday Summary

---

Just a reminder: It’s okay to leave comments!

---

When we last left our hero (and heroine), they had just turned in for the night after a busy day at Shore Leave 41...

We woke up on Saturday morning still fairly tired from the preparation leading up to Shore Leave and the previous day's marathon. We knew it wouldn't get any better; we rarely get much rest during this convention. It's non-stop from early morning until late at night.

The first order of the day was breakfast. They seem to have scaled back a bit from the last two years, but the Cinnamon Tree Restaurant (inside the hotel) still did a good job. You have to work hard to get away from their breakfast buffet and still be hungry. And you have to take in a good meal to start the day because you may not get a chance to stop for lunch.

After breakfast we made a quick trip back to the room to pick up what we would need for the day. I grabbed more books for the giveaway. Most of these would be set out, but I stuffed a couple of Beth Rhodes' books in my bag to go with the sign I was carrying offering a free book of hers if anyone asked. As it turned out, I didn't get asked, but maybe Beth got some free publicity.

Remember that foreshadowing I'd mentioned? Alex Mallari was still trying to get to the convention. Nobody seemed to know when he would get there. As he was the first speaker of the day, his arrival (or late arrival) would affect the previously well-planned convention photo-op and speaking schedule. Which would snowball into the panels I planned to attend. And there was more to come.

Anyway, before the photo-ops and talks started, I headed off to a couple of writing panels. I'll have more details on these later.. The first was The Worth of Workshops and Writing Classes. I got a good lead for courses recommended by the panelists in this one. From the program:

Panelists who have attended writing workshops and/or classes discuss what they got out of the experience, what they wish they would have known going in, and the impact it had on their writing practice and/or career.
Panelists: Kelli Fitzpatrick, Jim Johnson, Derek Attico, Danielle Ackley-McPhail, Lorraine Anderson, Laura Ware

The second was Beta Readers—How to Choose Them and What to Expect. From the program:

Feedback is helpful to almost every writer. But are you getting the notes that actually help you improve your WIP? Your craft? This panel discusses how to vet beta readers and set up a process so you get the most out of the experience.
Panelists: Joshua Palmatier, Lorraine Anderson, Peter David

No matter the subject, one of the most important things to take from these panels is that even successful authors have problems and difficulties to overcome—you are not the only one.

I left the last panel slightly early to get to my photo-op with Nichelle Nichols. Unfortunately, there was a delay, so our group was left waiting. If I'd known, I would have stayed until the end of the discussion on beta readers. Marie and her friend decided to get whatever autographs they could until the talks started. Since the autograph area is in the same place (generally) as the photo-op line, that seemed to be the best option.

Anson Mount (Captain Pike - Star Trek Discovery)
interacting with a fan (Marie) in the autograph area

Now, I'm not a big one on getting autographs from or photos with actors and actresses because, quite frankly, I don't know most of them. I don't watch TV except when I'm at someone else's house (as I don't own one myself), I don't stream shows on the Internet (don't have time), and I seldom go to movies. I did, however, want to get a picture with Nichelle Nichols, Star Trek's Uhura. It seems a few other people did, too.

The line to get a photo with Nichelle Nichols (Uhura)

Because Nichelle's photo-op was now running late (and no one seemed to be sure when it would take place), we had to keep checking with staff as to when the line would form. Eventually the call came and, even though we had been monitoring the situation, we somehow ended up at the back of the line. Well, nearly. Author Mary Fan got in line right behind me. Even though Mary is a Shore Leave panelist she didn't get any special treatment from the photo-op staff. We made jokes about staying near the doors so we could catch a bit of cool air from inside the building as we waited (see photo above showing where we were waiting). Once things started moving, the line slowly snaked around until we were in the photo area. That all took a while. Time was not on my side...

I had wanted to attend one of the art workshops (Draw Your Own Shuttle (Sat, 2-3 pm) by Robbie DubBryan), but due to changes in the photo-op schedule, I couldn't. Missing the photo-op would mean throwing away a good bit of money, so the photo-op was what I did. I wasn't sure how much time we would need, and it turned out I would have had to miss a lot of the workshop, so I it was the right choice.

After the photos, we went to pick up our pictures for autographs plus a quick trip back to the room for a short break and to get more books for the giveaways. I could hardly set them down before folks were taking them away. I think we stopped in the Café for a quick bite to eat. It's all a blur now... Then it was back to the autograph line.

As you may know, Nichelle is in rather frail health. Yet when she saw the line of people waiting for her autograph, she refused to be taken away to rest (she physically stopped anyone from moving her wheelchair). She was supposed to break for lunch and to rest. Nichelle was having none of it. Her fans were there and she refused to disappoint them. She stayed, signing picture after picture, until everyone who was waiting had their picture autographed. Only then did she take a break. Later on, she came back and signed more! Tough lady!

Nichelle Nichols (Uhura - Star Trek TOS)
signing autographs at Shore Leave 41

Because the schedule for some events had changed, we had to rethink the talks we could attend. And which we would miss. And what panels would be missed. And we had to re-evaluate as to when we could go back for autographs since some the people who would have been available were now speaking. Remember that foreshadowing? So many events overlap that you have to make choices, and when the schedule changes, it can really mess things up...

And so it did. Because of the talks starting up, attending any more panels for the rest of the day (of the ones I wanted to go to) was out of the question. And I would have to wait until later to check back with the art show. I had also planned to go back to the room to get more books to give away, but that would have to wait until the evening, or Sunday if any were left. But we made the best of it.

---

Starting at 3:00 pm, Lexa Doig and Michael Shanks gave their talk. Although they were briefly in Smallville, but they are better known as Dr. Carolyn Lam and Dr. Daniel Jackson from Stargate SG-1. Lexa is the more animated of the two, while Michael often keeps a deadpan expression while answering questions or listening to Lexa's responses. But there was a good bit of playful husband-wife banter which had the audience laughing. They were asked who was the smartest of the two. Lexa said Michael is the smart one and the one to go to for homework problems. I'll have to take her word for it, but Lexa has a quick wit and is a good speaker.

Here are few pictures from their talk. Sorry about the poor quality, but it is always difficult to get good pictures in the hall due to the lighting and distance.

Lexa Doig (Dr. Carolyn Lam) and Michael Shanks (Dr. Daniel Jackson)

---

Lexa Doig (Dr. Carolyn Lam)

---

Michael Shanks (Dr. Daniel Jackson)

---

Between 4 & 5 pm, the other Smallville cast members attending gathered in the Hunt Valley ballroom to give their talk and Q&A session. They answered questions from the audience and told stories about the making of Smallville. By the way, John Glover really is a bit crazy, but in a good way!

Here are pictures from the talk with John Glover (Lionel Luther, Lex Luthor's father), Erica Durance (Lois Lane), Laura Vandervoort (Kara), and Aaron Ashmore (Jimmy Olsen). Again, sorry about them being a bit grainy. The lighting isn't the best in the hall and I was quite far away.

---

John Glover (Lionel Luther) and Erica Durance (Lois Lane)

---

Laura Vandervoort (Kara) and Aaron Ashmore (Jimmy Olsen)

---

Laura Vandervoort (Kara)

---

Aaron Ashmore (Jimmy Olsen)

---

Erica Durance (Lois Lane)

---

John Glover (Lionel Luther)

---

With the talks over, we dropped by the art show room to see if any more bids had come in. To our surprise, Marie had sold a few more pieces of jewelry and I had a second bid on my little On Edge painting. And my dragon illustration for the charity auction had sold at the 'quick sale price' which was $10 over the minimum bid. The quick sale price is like the 'Buy it now' price on eBay. I honestly didn't think it was anything special. I put it together a short time before Shore Leave just so I would have something to offer up for the Loretta Shaneybrook charity auction. And yet it was the piece that got the most attention. I'll have to do more dragons for next year... And maybe cats. They tell me cats are big at the Shore Leave art show. Don't know why. Not that I'm going all commercial, mind you. I'll still have my spacescapes.

Okay, maybe I'll do a space-cat.

That's all for now, but I hope to have some videos available with the Smallville cast for the next post!

Here's a link back to the first Shore Leave 41 post in case you'd like to read what lead into this post.

---

© 2019 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

Shore Leave 41 Friday Summary

---

Just a reminder: It’s okay to leave comments!

---

I know it's unusual to start a series of posts on a subject with a summary, but in this case I felt it is justified. Or maybe it's a prequel. Perhaps you'll understand once I'm done...

You always hope the events like this will proceed in an orderly manner, and despite the best efforts of the Shore Leave staff, I should have noticed the foreshadowing the convention muses were tossing my way when they started posting the guest list. We had been hopeful as Shore Leave posted event schedule before the opening. That's a big help and I'd never seen that for previous conventions. But, back to the guest list...

First, they listed John Glover as a guest. Then they said he couldn't make the convention due to scheduling conflicts. Then he was back on as a guest. I figured I'd just wait to see who showed up.

And it was time for the trip to begin!

As Marie and I both had items for the art show (and also being accompanied by a friend attending the show), the vehicles (yes, multiple vehicles) were packed with more stuff than usual. That also meant unpacking more stuff than usual. I arrived first, checked into the hotel, picked up my badge, then started dragging our junk to the art show room.

The Fates were already toying with me as not a single luggage dolly was in sight. From previous conventions, I know they have a number of them, but I only saw one the entire time I was there. And somebody else had nabbed it. This meant multiple trips from a distant parking location in the heat. So I grabbed as much as I could and headed for the art show.

Having arrived right after opening (9:00 am), I was surprised that much of the art show space had already been claimed. The manager wanted me to hang my art first, then get to Marie's jewelry. Check-in took longer than expected as other participants had a large number of items to register. I only had four pieces to hang, so I ended up waiting for a while before they checked in my items. Then another trip back to the car for the first part of Marie's jewelry.

While the jewelry doesn't take up much space, the setup, with shelves, trays, and manikin heads, requires time. Then more waiting for them to check bid sheets, arrange the bid sheets, and other such things.

Finally the registration was finished. Or so I thought.

We had brought items to donate to the auction for Loretta Shaneybrook. Her surviving husband was having a difficult time due to medical and other bills which came as he was starting a new job. This is from the STAT website

We are saddened by the passing of our friend and long-time STAT club member, Loretta Shaneybrook. Loretta was a constant presence at Shore Leave, working behind the scenes for decades, and also at STAT club meetings as chair of the social committee, organizing holiday parties and the club’s annual picnic. If you ever volunteered at the convention, you likely remember Loretta as the lady on the scooter, bringing snacks and water to the people working at the event. She will be missed. She is survived by her husband, Randy Bruner. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers as he goes through this difficult time.

Loretta Shaneybrook passed away on Wednesday, June 12.

The items we donated were my dragon illustration, three mineral specimens, a pearl necklace, and a bracelet. Here are two of the mineral specimens donated, an amethyst from Uruguay and a Kundalini quartz (citrine, from the Congo). The other specimen was a large chunk of rose quartz.

These also required bid sheets with pricing and descriptions. By the time all was done, it was about noon. Marie and her friend were still on the way to the hotel, so went up to the room to change out of my sweaty shirt. I'm glad I brought extras.

It seemed like I was carrying a lot of heavy items in the heat this year,: the jewelry shelves, luggage, and the box of books to give away. I had nearly thirty books to pass out, and after carrying them a good ways from the car, I almost passed out myself. Here's a partial list of what I had (in order of last name of author):

Terri Deno - If It Was New York, Summer 2009, Seeing What Develops
Miranda Kate - Slipping Through
Lizzie Koch - Dreaming of a Happy Ever After
Angela Lynn - Of Lies and Zombies
Beth Rhodes - All of her Hawk Elite Security series (Beth donated them for me to give out - and sent a signed copy of her latest for me to read!)
Lisa Shambrook - A Symphony of Dragons, Beneath the Rainbow: Freya's Story (with the new cover!)
K. R. Smith - Tales From The Bully Box, Dead Men's Tales, Tales By The Tree*, Human 76*, Grimm & Grimmer Vol 3

I'm sure I missed a few. There were also 6-8 hardback mystery books that were my mother's. In most of the books I added a flyer with QR codes linking back to the author's Amazon page and a short description. Maybe a few folks will check them out.

* which includes stories by some of the authors previously listed

I had hoped to have copies of the Lonesome Train anthology with my latest story, Momma Knows Best, to give away. Unfortunately, they arrived while I was away at the convention.

But I'm early for next year!

At this point, the art show items had been set up and everybody's luggage had been moved to the rooms. It was mid-afternoon, so after a quick break for lunch, we stopped back at the room to make a rest stop and sort out what we needed to bring with us for the rest of the afternoon. I also took the first batch of books to set up a giveaway near the elevators.

As I was placing them out for display, a man came up and began looking through the books. After a brief sales pitch, he reluctantly replied, "If I bring home one more book my wife will kill me." He walked away, though very slowly. That was okay as others began to check out the offerings. It doesn't take long for them to disappear.

On the way downstairs, I stopped by the front desk to ask if they had any of the small portable refrigerators available for our room. They weren't sure they had any left, but they took down the room number and said if one was available they would send it up.

Soon thereafter, we went to check out the autograph row to see who was available to sign. We nosed around there until I left for the Effective Cover Design panel. More on that later.

I met back up with Marie and company after the panel and we headed down to the art show to see if any bids had some in. I had a bid listed on my tiny painting "On Edge" and Marie had sold a couple of bracelets. Not bad.

On Edge - 5x7 acrylic on canvas, framed

Marie and I went up to the room. When I walked in I noticed something different. Remember the refrigerator we had requested? Well, here's what we got:

Refrigerator?

Not exactly what I was expecting. Couldn't keep anything cold...

After resting up for a little bit, we went to listen to the guest speakers. Unfortunately, Alex Mallari's flight had been cancelled (not his fault), so he wasn't there. The staff announced he would be there the next day. That was part of the foreshadowing, by the way. This event would have implications later on...

Marie decided to wait for John Glover to speak while I went to check out the filk concert.

I was curious about the filk concerts. In all the years I had attended Shore Leave I had not attended a concert, sometimes because of schedule overlaps and sometimes because the sessions are scheduled in the evenings I was just too tired. Think of it as open mic night with the songs having a sci-fi or fantasy based theme. This theme can be tenuous at times. So can the idea of having the songs be based on a folk-music style. Or music in general. I'll leave it at that. Singing along is encouraged. Knowing the words appears to be optional. Author Roberta Rogow did perform a couple of good songs.

I have thought about participating in filk. I don't think I could do any worse (and probably not any better), although that would be a matter of opinion. It's best to have sense of humor if you're either a singer or in the audience.

Anyway, I sneaked out between acts and caught the final minutes of John Glover's talk. The last part of his session was taken over by a young audience member. I may have a video of that for later posting. I will certainly have more pictures!

John Glover at Shore Leave 41

After that came Luna-C's quickie version of all the Harry Potter books done in a 45 minute period. There were some good moments, but you have to be up on all the Harry Potter details to get some of the jokes. I'm not.

Luna-C's Harry Potter play
with Dumbledore and Harry in the background

It was after 11:00 pm when Luna-C finished. We took a walk through the Meet The Pros area, then called it a night.

I'll have more details (and pictures) later! And keep that foreshadowing in mind...

---

© 2019 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

It's Almost Here

---

Just a reminder: It’s okay to leave comments!

---

Yes, in a few days I'll be attending the Shore Leave sci-fi convention in Hunt Valley, Maryland.

Every year I say I'll be ready ahead of time, and every year I fail to be prepared. I'm still working on the finishing touches on a painting and trying to get other stuff together.

There was a minor miracle, however. The Shore Leave folks have posted the convention schedules before the convention starts this year! There have been times when the event is underway before anyone knows what's going on. This is a big plus to have the info ahead of time so you can plan what you are going to do.

There are a number of new panels this year, too. I'm hoping to attend a few of them. For example:

The Worth of Workshops and Writing Classes

Panelists who have attended writing workshops and/or classes discuss what
they got out of the experience, what they wish they would have known going in, and the impact it had on their writing practice and/or career.
Kelli Fitzpatrick, Jim Johnson, Derek Attico, Danielle Ackley-McPhail,
Lorraine Anderson, Laura Ware

Effective Cover Design

Whether you are creating your own cover or working with the publisher’s art department, how to come up with an effective concept everyone can be happy with. What works, what doesn’t, and how much does it matter?
Mike McPhail, Aaron Rosenberg, Greg Cox, Joshua Palmatier

Beta Readers—How to Choose Them and What to Expect

Feedback is helpful to almost every writer. But are you getting the notes
that actually help you improve your WIP? Your craft? This panel discusses
how to vet beta readers and set up a process so you get the most out of the
experience.
Joshua Palmatier, Lorraine Anderson, Peter David

There are plenty of other new ones to choose from if my schedule allows.

And I'll be putting up some items for sale in the art show again. Well, it all depends on whether I can get that last painting sorted out if it's three or four pieces. That one in the middle is giving me fits...

I'll also be putting up Gear Girl again since it didn't sell last year (it was the one I thought would sell!). And there will be a dragon illustration (and a few other items) for charity.

I hope to post some pictures and such from the convention, although Saturday night may be too busy to post then. I'm playing everything by ear this year.

Since I'm running out of time here, that's all I'm saying for now. But I'll be back!

---

© 2019 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

Fireworks Without The Hassle

---

Just a reminder: It’s okay to leave comments!

---

Should you lack enough pyrotechnics in your life (and who doesn't?), I've put a short video of a local fireworks display online. It's available through my Patreon site (free access!).

Fireworks at the Workhouse Arts Center, Lorton, VA, June 29, 2019

The show took place at the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton, Virginia on June 2, 2019. There was supposed to be a performance by the The United States Navy Band Sea Chanters, too, but it was rained out. We did get to see them warm up—then the rains (and lightning and thunder) hit throwing the event's schedule into chaos.

Things did clear up in time for the fireworks, however, and it was a great show. Check them out HERE!

---

© 2019 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

Squirrels And More!

---

Just a reminder: It’s okay to leave comments!

---

On the publishing front, the editor for Lonesome Train, the anthology containing my latest short story titled Momma Knows Best, says it is in the final stages of editing and should be available soon. Not soon enough, but soon. It's all relative, I suppose.

For those who are more likely to visit my blog here than find me elsewhere, I wanted to let you know about my Patreon Haiku post for April. This particular post is free for everybody to view and it has cute pictures of squirrels. And a haiku. What more could one possibly want?

Anyway, click on this Patreon link and you'll soon be enjoying this post. Okay, I don't really know if you'll enjoy it, but I'm an optimist.

While you're at it, please consider helping these writers!

Troy Blackford and his family is having a difficult time due to the potentially fatal illness of one of his sons. Help him out if you can. You can also find him on Twitter.

And last, but not least, Terri Deno has a new book of poetry available:  If It Was New York, Summer 2009. Please consider purchasing a copy. Writing is her only means of support, so let's support her writing!

Thanks!

---

© 2018 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

Haiku For March 2019

---

Just a reminder: It’s okay to leave comments!

---

I've put a new haiku out on my Patreon site (sorry - patrons only). This one celebrates the Full Crow Moon which will appear tonight along with the spring equinox. It's also called the Full Worm Moon, but that wasn't as appealing to me! This is another of my monthly haiku that is on a formatted photo I've taken. Here's a teaser of the full image:

Here's a link to the Patreon page: Haiku For March 2019

Please note that Patreon isn't Internet Explorer friendly, so it's viewed best using Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge.

---

© 2018 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

A Little Local Art News

---

Just a quick announcement before my blog begins...

Please consider donating to the Zombies Need Brains Sci-fi/fantasy anthologies Kickstarter! There will be three books! Lots of perks and, if funded, there will be an open submission! If you're a writer, that's a good thing! You can reach the Kickstarter by clicking HERE.

---

I've been an admirer of Deanna Boling's artwork for some time. She's an accomplished artist (award-winning member of the Pastel Society of America) who really has knack for bringing images of birds and other creatures to life. She can often be found at the Loft Art Gallery in Occoquan, Virginia where she shares studio space with other artists including Teresa T. Brunson, another great master of pastels. You can find samples of their work on the Loft Art Gallery website.

From now until the end of November they are both displaying artwork at the Norma Hoffman Visitor Center at Huntley Meadows Park in Alexandria, Virginia. The artwork is for sale, too. While large pieces can be expensive (and rightfully so), there are others priced under $100. Marie and I bought a pastel by Teresa of a cluster of green acorns. As a side note - I couldn't help but think of Lisa Shambrook when we bought it. Another one of Teresa's works was already marked as sold, so you might want to check them out soon!. We already have one of Deanna's owls on our wall.

We were lucky enough to have a little extra time this last weekend to visit them at a reception they set up at the center. Even though the turnout was quite good, we were still able to spend a lot of time conversing with Deanna and Teresa. While the artists aren't usually there, the park staff will be happy to assist you should you wish to purchase one (or more) of the works.

If you're a fan of hawks, owls, and deer, it's well worth the trip to visit this show. And if you're lucky, you can take a walk along the trails right outside and see the artist's models! Here's the info for the location:

Norma Hoffman Visitor Center at Huntley Meadows Park
3701 Lockheed Blvd.
Alexandria, Virginia 22306

The visitor center is open 9:00 am to 5:00 pm weekdays, closed on Tuesdays. Weekend hours through October 31 are also 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. In November, weekend hours will be noon through 5:00 pm.

LINK TO GOOGLE MAPS FOR PARK

While I don't take pictures of artwork, here are a few photos from the surrounding park!

Snapping Turtle - Huntley Meadows September 2018

Green Heron - Huntley Meadows September 2018

Landscape - Huntley Meadows September 2018

Egret - Huntley Meadows September 2018

---

© 2018 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

Do You Remember That Old Joke

---

...about hockey?

"I went to a fight the other night and a hockey game broke out."

                                       -- Rodney Dangerfield

I had a similar experience Saturday. No, I wasn't at a hockey game. Or a fight. I went to a slumber party the other night and an opera broke out. Okay, my opening here is a stretch, but that's what happened.

It was on the Saturday in question when I attended a performance of the HMS Pinafore by the Chicago-based theatre company The Hypocrites in the Mulitz-Gudelsky Theatre Lab at the Olney Theatre. This is not quite your standard version of the Pinafore. If you didn't pick up on that by noticing the stage is mainly made of beds (like a slumber party) and has a big pillow pit in the center (with a sliding board leading down into it), then it will surely become apparent when the song I'm Called Little Buttercup is sung by the biggest, burliest fellow there. Having the cast all wear pajamas was another clue, just in case you still weren't sure.

Pre-show staging for the HMS Pinafore
in the Mulitz-Gudelsky Theatre Lab at Olney

Even before the play begins, the cast gets everyone in the mood by doing several pop/rock numbers while explaining the rules of the stage. Depending upon the type of ticket you purchased, you can have a seat (as I did) or mingle with the players on the stage. If you do the latter, you must be prepared to move around as the play progresses.

The actors and actresses provide their own music for this play. There are guitars, ukuleles, mandolins, a flute, an accordion, and a toy piano. Oh, yes, and a banjo. It is possible I missed something.

This presentation is very kid-friendly (the pillow pit and general stage set-up), but that doesn't mean adults will be bored. The story is still there, the songs (mostly), too, and though the gender rolls are reversed it doesn't make a difference. It's still the Pinafore. You can even buy a beer any time during the play - assuming you are of legal age. And I do mean anytime. You don't have to wait until intermission. There actors specifically mention this while going over how the show works. That's especially good since the intermission is only one minute long. Yes, one minute.

And the play does work for both kids and adults. Not many children would want to set through a British opera from the 1800s, but here they were having pillow fights with the cast while the action was going on. And it went swimmingly. Thankfully, the adults never got too rowdy. I'm surprised.

Best of all, the cast is very good. They played the instruments well and the singing was great. They didn't play anything too fancy (mostly strumming), but the fact that they were doing so while jumping on platforms, stomping through the pillow pit, and going both up and down the sliding board would have made that nearly impossible anyway! The sound in the Lab was reasonably good, and the timing (jokes, music, singing) was spot-on.

Of the cast, my favorite was Dana Saleh Omar who plays Ralphina (formerly known as Ralph Rackshaw). It's easy to believe the Captain's son, Joseph (Mario Aivazian), would fall in love with her. Any young man who heard her sing would surely do so. The two make their scenes quite believable.

Don't feel you have to make a comparison between this version of the HMS Pinafore and a more traditional presentation. They can both be funny, interesting, and entertaining. They are just different. If you have a chance to see this troupe perform, however, give it a try. And bring along a kid, no matter how old they are.

---

© 2018 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

Shore Leave 40 - Saturday

---

Just a reminder: It’s okay to leave comments!

---

Saturday is always the busy day at a Shore Leave convention. There are too many panels and talks to attend every one you'd like, especially when they are scheduled at the same time. There are difficult decisions to make! Plus, I was helping some friends with taking pictures and getting autographs, so that came into play, too.

The first stop is always the restaurant where the Cinnamon Tree cooks up a nice buffet with made-to-order omelets, eggs, and waffles. Notice that was an "and" and not an "or." I did try to keep the calories under control, however. That being said, everyone eats a good-sized breakfast because there is never time for lunch—too much is going on. And dinner is usually late. After fueling up, we dove right into the action.

During the middle of the day the actor/actress guests were either talking, posing in the photo area for pictures with the fans, or signing autographs. Some in my party were getting multiple pictures taken with the actors/actresses, so I was left holding the bag ( or bags ) while they were busy. I also helped hold the autographed pictures while the signatures dried. They move the lines quickly there, so there are usually multiple photos in everyone's hands who are waving them in the air until the ink has set. Even though it doesn't take long, you still have to let them dry before putting them into their protective sleeves. The whole process can be quite awkward. I did get a picture with William Shatner, and his autograph, plus an additional one ( with an image from one of his Twilight Zone shows ) for a relative.

I didn't get to any of the writing panels on Saturday. The ones I could have attended were panels I'd been to 2 or 3 times over the years, often with the same panel members. A couple of others conflicted with scheduled talks, autograph lines, or photograph sessions. That's the way it is at these conventions; there are too many activities to get to all the ones you want to attend. Still, you do get to talk with writers all day long and at just about any time. With some authors, if you ask them about their book you have a hard time getting them to stop! They will discuss what is popular and what isn't doing as well, and most important, what might be coming up next. And there is always the opportunity to make or refresh connections with authors, some of whom are small press publishers. There isn't much free or wasted time at Shore Leave!

After getting the pictures and autographs, we caught part of the talks by Shawn Ashmore and Ming-Na Wen. I know the photographs from Shore Leave are not the best, but when the guests are on stage they always shine these yellow lights on them and this really messes with the images, especially from my little camera.

Ming-Na Wen at Shore Leave 40

Shawn Ashmore at Shore Leave 40

Around 4:00 pm, the second William Shatner talk / Q & A session started. Mr. Shatner does have some interesting responses to the questions people ask, but he seldom gets directly to the answer. "It will all be clear in a minute," he says, much to the amusement of the audience. Eventually he does get to the point, but it always took more than a minute. I had heard he was often a bit gruff, but he was very warm and engaging whenever I saw him.

William Shatner at Shore Leave 40

About 7:00 pm I stopped by the room where the art auction was supposed to take place and found it was already over. Not many pieces went to auction ( none of mine where in the auction ), so it hadn't lasted long. It was at this time I discovered my painting ( Alien Dawn #1 ) had a bid but had not been picked up by the purchaser. That was when I became concerned they might not come back! I did spend time talking to the art show staff and got a lot of pointers on what to do for next year. They also discussed some of the changes coming to the art show rules to prevent items being offered for sale that might violate copyrights.

After this, we stopped by the pub ( The Paddock Bar, which is within the hotel ) for a light meal and refreshments, talked about what we'd seen during the day, and planned Sunday's activities.

As the others in our group decided to turn in for the night, Marie and I headed outside to where the stargazing activities were set up. There were several telescopes, and for once, clear skies. This is the first time in the last three (four?) years the weather has cooperated. We got to see Venus and Saturn, and yes, Saturn's rings were clearly visible! No UFOs or aliens, though. Not even a shuttlecraft.

That was all we could do for Saturday—it was time for bed!

---

© 2018 K. R. Smith All rights reserved