I finally succumb and put on long pants and a sweater this week.   Last night my son Sterling asked when we can start using the heat?  What a crazy man - it's only September.

Been very busy in the shop recently.  The weather switch has really brought out lots of people.  Today I had people in from Australia, Michigan and Wisconsin.  Pre-leaf peepers I guess.

Sterling and I had a nice housecall in Alton NH last night.  A nice older couple came into the shop yesterday with some bottles.  I was interested in seeing how a few would clean up so I asked permission to put them in the dishwasher.  The pepper in the shaker had turned one bottle a very interesting shade that looked more like curry. 

Anyways, the said they were downsizing which was my opening.  We started in the garage where Sterling climbed up into the lofts.  If he hadn't been with me I certainly wouldn't have gone up there but he was successful in picking an old, old wheelbarrow with a wooden wheel and an oak commode which had been painted at some point white.  We broke the ice with a $75 offer for those two items and then headed for the house.

The house was neat as a pin - just amazing!  This particular couple was preparing to sell their Alton house and head permanently to Florida.  Slowly, they took us room by room through the entire house.  In each room I'd tell them I was interested in something for later, once the house sold and the Mrs. would put it on her list, or if it was something they could let go right away I'd put it on my list with a price.

The thing that amazed them was the diversity of things I was interested in from 1960's Teak Moderne Chairs to a framed Civil War Family Deguaretype of their family.  They knew I'd like the Hoadley & Plymouth Tall Clock but were totally surpised I'd be interested in her pitcher collection.  What fun we had surprising one another.  From old stock certificates to a cast iron pelican bottle opener we all talked and laughed for several hours until dark was closing in on us.

I left with a list of things to research such as the stock certificates and tall clock but also some Albrecht Durer prints circa 1500 and many other interesting things to research.  Google has certainly changed the research world for the better.  Maine Antiques Digest also has a terrific price data base.  So stay tuned. 

I'm continuing to put the badge collection on eBay for the Tuftonboro estate and I will also be listing things tonite I bought in Alton last night.  Stay tuned.  Cathy Dragonfly

Summer coming to an end

Well the kids are back in school and I get to look out my office window and see the K-3 kids come pour back into Carpenter School. I love the smiles and gigles and even an occasional yell or cry.  This is my first year in the past 22 that I didn't even think "back to school".  My family is grown now and I'm left with the memories. Favorite among them was the time I sent Sterling to kindergarten and cried for 1/2 a day.  Well that same kid is 22 now and just returned from backpacking through Europe for 10 weeks this summer.  Shows how much I know.

So today was so hot I couldn't open.  We are experiencing our 24 day this summer being OVER 90 degrees.  It's been so, so hot people haven't been in the shopping mood.  But today I got a call from Tampa asking about a Moose Head I have in my inventory.  It is a 16 point bull moose from Canada - it's huge head measuring about 5' tall and about 4' wide.  Again Sterling had to manuevre the ladder to make this happen.  I sure do hope he sells or the photos are headed to Craigslist.  The consignor recently came in and marked this piece down to $1,750 which is a virtual deal since most moose heads sell in the $3,000 to $4,000. range. 

I'm contemplating eBay again especially this week since they aren't charging for listing fees until after September 7th.  Smart marketing plan for eBay to redirect all those parents who now have a minute to breathe since their kids are back in school.  It's Halloween and Christmas and I just pulled out a Peter Pan costume and an antique clowns costume as well as a huge vintage tablecloth with a red and green christmas design printed on it just in time for the holidays. 

I'm sure looking forward to some cooler days when I can get in my sweatshirt and jeans and enjoy being out in the barn again.  See you soon - Dragonfly

Exciting things happening at Dragonflies Antiques

It's been a huge, busy and successful week.  These are what we live for.

Within a 24 hour span I got a great shot in the arm which I can only guess is because the universe aligned and things fell in place.

1. A women contacted me about making a Horror Flick here in Wolfeboro.  Well I just happened to have the most beautiful Victorian wedding dress with lots of lace which will be just perfect for a horrific bride locked in a celler.  Better yet was a young girl happened along who looked beautiful in the dress so we had all sorts of fun dressing her up and playing with her hair and taking pictures.  A perfect size 5 doesn't come along too often.  Sold dress for $100 and then I found the veil which will be another $100 and that's just rent. I get the items back - yeeha!

2. LL Bean came in and they were doing a photo shoot here in Wolfeboro for their spring catalog.  They wanted to rent some boat cushions for color.  Yeha!  Another rental $60 per day.

3. Then the third call was the best potential.  A casting company for a major television network contacted me regarding a new pilot program they are working on that needs an appraiser.  It's called Estate Disputes and the premise is that they bring in an appriaser and mediators and help a family settle whatever disputes might exist.  Has an interesting base so I thought it might actually be something worth doing.  More later if it blossoms.

4. Someone came in who had looked at a postal sorter we have from Penn Terminal which was marked $2,500.  You can see it to the right of the photos. They had offered me $2,000 which I declined even though I paid $800 for the piece about 15 years ago.  The problem for me was that it holds all sorts of ephemera and I can't figure out how to replace it.  Anyways, they came back to me with another offer which was great because I thought I had lost the sale but their house is moving along and 4 weeks has passed and now they wanted it more.  We have a sale for $2,250 and we're both happy.  I get to pay the mortgage another month.  Yeha!

5. I bought a sign which had stood near the border of Wolfeboro and Mirror Lake and the Libby Museum for years.  I bought it from the signmaker who was replacing the sign and I placed it as high up in the barn as my son could reach.  Well of course, a young man came in and bought it.  The young man turned out to be Blake Marriott who is taking the sign to his Tuftonboro estate.  Yeha!  Another good sale.

6. The Town of Wolfeboro is celebrating 250 years this year and they had an encampment from the French and Indian War of 1750 ish.  The encampment was disappointing but the press it garned attracted all sorts of people across the street from me who happened to be history lovers.  Unfortunately, the vendors were selling new necklaces from China or some other cheap labor force. I had a great day in sales from it and today is raining which is a golden opportunity to open in the Lakes Region because tourists can't be on the lake, the golf course or the tennis courts.  Better get open!

It's been one busy summer! So much going on here at Dragonflies Antiques

Wow - I can't believe the summer has slipped by me.  I got sidetracked when exhibiting at the Mid-Week in Manchester Antiques Show which is part of the great week known as Antiques Week in New Hampshire. 

I haven't exhibited at this show for about 15 years, taking a hiatus to start my own show and then got off doing other things like raising the kids and buying and selling some property, but this year was a sad not for many.  The economy is just beating the life out of the secondary market.  There were a few HIGH END dealers who did ok because they can sell one or two pieces and make a years living but not me.  I had about 10 sales - only one of which was over $1,000. 

I was going to do an in-depth study of the costs of doing a show and then show the profit or lack there-of and I may still but to get on with my summer posting I need to move beyond that week.

So here are a few pictures of Mid-Week and I'll fill in the details at some other point when I discuss exhibiting at shows - the good the bad and the ugly.  Why do them?

Huggins Hospital Street Fair

It has certainly been a busy week for me here at Dragonflies Antiques.  My daily blog is turning into a weekly blog but that's ok.  Daily my life can be boring or a whirlwind. You never know in my life.

The first full weekend of August each year the Huggins Hospital holds a Street Fair which is put on by hundreds of volunteers selling all sorts of donated goods, plants, bakery, toys, sports, white elephants, electrical, high style boutique clothes for each sex as well as regular casual clothes.  It attracts thousands of people right across the street from me pushing my numbers from 50-75 people per day to 300+ in a day.  Sales were good over the weekend.  I get the most fascinating people through my door, like the History Professor from PA who told me Wolfeboro is not 250 years old like we're celebrating but rather 251 or 240 depending on if you use the year 1759 or 1770.  A couple from France who just knocked on my door and asked for an apartment - we both got lucky on that score. It's amazing what $100 will do. Opens the door right up. :)

But the most fun was meeting Brian Miller and the Grand Prarie Band from Scotland. Their band of 5 players had been flown to the US for an all expense paid trip to play at a private party.  They had no idea who was having the party but Brian and I had a great time talking about the Beatles and an old postcard we had once which I sold for $800.  It was signed by 3 of the Beatles and someone standing in for Ringo while he had his tonsils out.  Brian knew right away it was from 1965 Australian tour and the guy standing in was Jimmy Nicols. 

Well Brian came back the next day with a few more band members and invited me to Garwoods Resturant to hear him play.  He told me the party was the annual bash at Bob Baher's Mansion.  The guest list include 400 people and no Dragonflies but the secret musician this year was Willie Nelson who played for about 1 1/2 hours. How nice!  Bob Baher is the ex-owner of Loudon Intnl. Speedway.  I did get the opportunity to listen to them and Rob Wilson who is a famous race car driver and instructor in England.  They played at our local pub and did a bang up job.  It was lots of fun and reminded me once again why I love living in Wolfeboro. 

It's been lots of fun this week having so many quirky people come in.  The costumes on some of these kids now-a-days amazes me.  I feel like my mother - you'd never think of me as an ex-hippy but these kids really can blow my mind. They give the word creative a new meaning with their body art and style.

Unfortunately the Beer Wolfe which I put out on the corner of my property got beat up and got his nose broke.  Guess I'll have to build a concrete wall to eliminate the pest who keeps breaking my things! 

H

Summer had finally arrived!

Some mean spirited person took their temper out on my
flower pot.  They were going to be gladiolas - oh well!

This has been a long, slow summer.  The heat has kept people and sales going very slow.  Tourists seemed to arrive late and the July heat kept people in the water and on the lake - NOT antiquing.  But one week ago, the weather changed, the tourists arrived, the sales arrived and life is looking good.

So I got mad and put my Coors Bear Wolf out on the corner of my courtyard instead! The funny thing is someone came along and put a gummy worm in his mouth.  Well that made me laugh!

I reconnected with a girlfriend from Framingham North High School on Facebook, like where-else now-a-days.  I meet Alice in high school art class.  We became fast friends but lost track over the past few years as we each moved.  More then any other person in my life Alice understands my crazy folk art world and I wad so glad to share with her.  We reminisced and caught up on our kids, our siblings, our parents, our husbands, our jobs, our girlfriends and thoroughly enjoyed each other's company as well as an ice-cream from Bailey's Bubble.   Alice arrived with her bright smile and genuine good nature and left me with more inspiration then I've experienced since my trip last winter.  A friend hears the song in your heart and sings it to you when you memory fails.  That's Alice.

Interior shot of Dragonflies Antiques

That was Thursday into Friday and then the weekend arrived with a bang and a ton of tourists. Thank Heavens for little favors as my Mom used to say.  I jumped from 50-75 people a day up to 150-200 a day.  I had a very frank conversation with my friend Don Pingree from Butler's Antiques on Route 4 in Northwood.  He confirmed the kinds of numbers that I do although he did say he no longer does these kinds of numbers in Northwood.  We talked about the dwindling business, aging dealers, the ebb and flow we've both seen over the past 25 years.  Don and his wife Colleen have a thriving eBay business with both Don's records and Colleen's general line of neat and sweet antiques and collectibles.

I stayed open late Saturday night and got a walk in who asked me to come for a house call, so I packed up Auntie Sue and we headed off in my 1980 Dodge Pick Up and left for Bedford, NH.  It's about 1 and 1/2 hours south of here.  Sunday is my day off but it's a great opportunity for me to spend time with my Aunt and she just loves going on house-calls with me. It was a pleasurable time all around, we even stopped at T-Bones for salad and a clam basket.

Look at all these plates! Fresh from a local barn - years and years of NH 9593.  Now that's a collection!

I was successful in buying a painting which the women thought was a print for $25.  I bought a cast iron sculpture of a whimsical dog for $10 and I've sold it already for $30. and the one treasure I was chasing was a wonderful cast iron table which I'll be bringing to the Mid-Week in Manchester Show next week when I exhibit on Wed & Thurs, August 11 and 12.  More on this later or visit the promoters link at http://www.barnstar.com/mnchstr.htm.  These shows offer a huge learning curve.

 

On the way home from the house call I stopped at a yard sale and it was the end of the day so they had free things.  I was lucky enough to score a box of 45 rpm records.  I was happy with that - they make great decorations.

But more interesting to me was the man who was having the yard sale was an iron worker and he reveled in my new cast iron table teaching me about the particular square bolt pattern as being from the Carnegie Foundry and dating to 1890-1910. 

 

I was thrilled to make score and happy to pass that information on to several dealers who have come by the shop this week.  It's all those little things, we as antiques dealers learn, which make us professionals.  We spend our entire lives constantly learning little tid-bits of history, art and about different cultures.  It's one of the more wonderful things about being in this business.

 

Sales have been very erratic this summer.  Some days I do $5.00 and some days like today I had nine sales totaling approx. $700.00.  Now $200 of that was a consignment item from someone who was eligible for my friends and family consignment rate of 25%.  So I only make 25% on that item, but there were others like old keys which I buy by the bucketful and sell for $5.00 to $10.00 each.  I guess Tiffany & Company put out a line of key jewelry so all of a sudden we're having a rush on them.  Two of the ones I sold today I got $25.00 a piece for while others were the $5.00 version.  Oh well - it's all in fun and the girl and mother who bought them today had a great bonding moment in my store.  There's little doubt they won't be back!

 

I got to hold a baby today too.  Her name was Gabby and she was about 1 and chubby as all get out.  Her Dad came in to buy a lantern from me for his porch at Brewster Academy.  Another highlight was to talk with a couple from the Netherlands about the differences in antiques shops here vs. there, the basic difference being they have antique furniture and little else in their shops. It's been a great long weekend. 

 

I'll try to post more often during the busy time so the blogs aren't so long.  Hope you liked to read it if you got this far.  Don't forget to leave some comments please, especially if they are nice ones.

 

 

Interesting day in the shop

Dragonflies Antiques reporting from the nest. Fly on over and join us for the latest antiques buzz . . .

Today was odd in the sense the people came in fits and spurts.  We probably had in around 50-60 people and I grossed a grand total of $78. . . plenty to feel blessed about because I went grocery shopping after work and even had enough money to stop and get my car washed.  The Suncook Valley girls softball team was giving car washes just outside town hall.  They were trying to raise money to make it to the Regionals in Pittsfield, MA.  What a cute bunch of teenage girls. They had raised just shy of $1,000.00 in just 3 1/2 hours.  You go girls!

Fiddlehead Farms has recently expanded from Dover to Alton and I love their market!!!!  Strawberries were $1.00 and fresh local peaches were just 50cents per lb.  Lots of both organic and gourmet foods, nice deli, bakery, etc. and a very nice selection of local produce.

Brian Stockman, local carver and woodsman dropped by for an hour or so.  Our family loves Brian and so we had a nice hour long visitor.  One of the families who came to visit bought 2 milk McClure's pint size bottles - each with it's original cap or pog on the top.  I charged her $5.00 each but then she wanted to buy a super ball.  Remember those from when you were a kid?  I keep them in a bowl just because they're pretty and colorful and a young local man needed some money so I bought them from him.  Good to support the locals.

Well this very attractive brought forward the largest and most colorful super ball and when I said it would be $5.00 she went back and told her son he had to pick out a smaller, less colorful super ball.  He came forward with a slightly less expensive one and made an offer of $2.00.  The damn kid was so cute I couldn't so no.

So I walk outside with them as they were leaving so that I could pick up my open sign at the end of the driveway.  There were a 1/2 dozen or so people just milling around looking at things.  Anyways, I notice a beautiful, bright, red convertible this young family was getting into had a MA license plate that said US19.  I asked the father of the group, what the plate was all about.  Low license plate numbers are VERY desirable especially in MA and DEL.  So he says it's my mother's.  Always wanting to meet all the townsfolk I asked who his mother was.  He answered a modest "Ann" and I of course said "Ann who?" and he replied Ann Romney.  In case you didn't know Mitt and Ann Romney have a substantial waterfront home here on Lake Winnipesaukee.  I'm so glad Mitt's grandson bought a super-ball from me.  It made my day today.

As I later relayed this story to my former husband Frank he said "Well it's good to know they are true fiscal conservatives!!!!"  Too funny!  :)

Dragonflies Antiques reporting from the nest. Fly on over and join us for the latest antiques buzz . . .

The sun caught my Dragonflies sign just perfectly tonite.

It was an exceptionally busy Monday for some reason. There were probably 80 or more visitors today vs. the 30 I normally have. I noticed a change from the parents with young kids to parents with teens and grandparents today.

Not many sales though - only one $35.00 souviner gun which I sold to a youngster who was thrilled to have it and was plotting ways to ship it home to California because he knew it would never make it on the plane. The mother seemed chagrined, but the kids enthusiasm won the day.

Thank God for rental units on a day like this. No leaks, rent coming in. It was a good day.

Inspiration At Last

Dragonflies Antiques reporting from the nest. Fly on over and join us for the latest antiques buzz . . .

It was a very busy day in the shop today which inspired me to get my act together and my butt back in gear.  I've been in a fog since Frank left May 1st and I've been trying to re-establish my independence, and reconfigure the business - I'm short - he is tall. I'm small - he's big.  We're still best friends and activce in the business together.  Look for us at Mid-Week in Manchester in NH and Brimfield MA show.

The Craft Fair was on the green across the street from me at Brewster Academy yesterday and today.  It brings in with it hundreds of tourists but unfortunately a slow day on the sales front.  At the 200 mark I had only sold one book for $35 to my neighbor across the street, however I pulled out the day at 5 minutes before closing and sold 2 carriage lanterns for $75 each. 

Hardly worth sitting here for the day but I'm grateful for every sale I have every day in this economic climate and I had lots of interesting visitors.  Friends, family, neighbors, fellow dealers, auctioneers, musicians, artists, tourists, repeat customers, family's - it was a beautiful day all in all in the shop - although it got hot again this afternoon.  Shoppers were dragging their hind ends today.

Yesterday wasn't quite so grim, I had 9 sales and got a house-call from it.  Hit a modest yard sale and picked up some old paint supplies. Oils in tubes don't go bad. They're always good to have around for touch-ups.  Crayons work well too.  A warm finger over a wax crayons melts away minor blemishes.  Do it in small doses for best results.

This evening was spent in an inspired state and got me back to thinking about marketing, my blog, selling on ebay, my website etc.  I've made recent changes to all of these networking opportunities and hope someone out there in cyber-world appreciates it.  If so please say so. 

Antiques Week in New Hampshire is fast approaching - August 10 is Nan Gurley's show and then August 11 & 12 is Mid Week in Manchester followed up by the New Hampshire Antique Dealers Association Show which opens on Thursday morning.  These are all wonderful shows to find the best Americana in the United States of America. 

Summer Kick Off Invitation

The Olympics

Well for those of you who follow the blog - and I know there are many more then it appears because I hear personally from you - please forgive me for not chatting recently. 

After the Watts Towers, we started east again.  Somewhere along the line I lost the cord which connects my phone and computer so with it I also lost my interest.  I tried several times, unsuccessfully to find a cord at several Best Buys to no avail. 

So now that we've been to The Watts Towers, Salvation Mountain, Slab City which is the last free place, Santa Fe, and criss-crossed the country, we're one day from home and I can't wait to get back to Best Buy in New Hampshire to straighten out things with my phone.  I've taken fabulous notes and pictures and will return here in a couple of days once I'm home in Wolfeboro again.

We went to Don Scotts Antique Market in Columbus Ohio today and bought a few paintings, a tray with a hockey player and Frank bought a few pulp paper pamphlets about Blacks and the Pope from the 1940's which he's excited to put on eBay.   I wouldn't necessarily buy a tray with a Hocky  Player but we have three hocky players who love hockey collectibles so I know I have a sale even before I get home.

Go Bodie - you deserve that Gold !  New Hampshire is proud of you!

Frank and his food - Purple Neon Mary & Crooked Jesus

Frank and his food desires took us on many adventures. He especially likes the Mom & Pop small resturants eeking out a modest living on the side of the road. He decided since we were in the South we’d have to try BBQ so we saw GIANT signs professing the best BBQ in TX so we had to stop. Our entire trip has been based on seeking out obsessive people and sometimes things just fall into your lap with a heaping dose of devine intervention. Such was the BBQ spot. We went in and were awestruck by the taxidermy. Now this guy was obsessive and couldn’t wait to tell us about his 198 mounted heads. It was truly over the top but I loved this guy. He was well into his 80's and boasted about working every day for the past 60+ years. He kept trying to have me take his picture on his wall of fame which included George W. Bush among others but I was more interested in his collection. I listened to his story quite intently until he started to repeat himself.

Another of Frank's favorite places was a place with a huge sign that said MENUDO.  He slammed on the brakes and did a 360.  Menudo is a Mexican soup which is tomato base wi trpe and hominy.  GROSS.  However, Frank loved the diner because of the very loud Latin music, the purple neon Mary, the crooke Jesus over the coffee statin and a pictre of Selena. 

We’ve tried very hard not to eat in any fast food places and have been lucky to find all sorts of interesting meals. We also have bought lots of fruit and yogurt to keep us going.
As we left Las Cruces with new hope and new health we decided to again take a more scenic route so we dropped down to Route 8 which takes you into San Diego. The San Diego coast road which runs along the Pacific looks very much like Route 1 which runs along the Maine coast. The architecture looks quite similar and except for the Mexican places with Spanish signs you’d never know you were in SanDiego or Maine.
We headed north to Los Angeles which was our destination.


The Watts Towers = aka Mecca for folk art lovers - more tomorrow.

Texas and New Mexico - It's not all fun!

When we were visitng the Orange Show in Houston the folks who were in charge told us abouct a more scenic route across the bottom of the country - across Route 90.  So wanting an adventure we headed south to Marfa which was not much of a town BUT there was a magnificent building called the Presido which was the town hall.  We stayed at a local motel which was just next door to the Cowboy Church which was an interesting thought in itself. 

Frank is into the local food ever where we go and he found a great taco stand called Encilada Norte in Marfa where he ate 2 Gorditas with homemade corn shells made right in front of him.  He loved it but by this time I wasn't feeling too well and was blaming it on the previous taco stand. 

One of the most bizare things about Marfa was really about 20+ miles outside of Marfa when you're driving along and there is absolutely nothing but desert everywhere you look and then all of a sudden there is a Prada Store.  That's right - Prada as in shoes - you know The Devil wears Prada.  It's really an art installation.  I've posted photos of it but it was just a glass front shop with doors that do not ever open and inside on display boxes were 1/2 dozen pairs of shoes and purses.  How strange!


On when went driving thru the desert with beautiful mountains off in the distance everywhere we looked.  At one point we went over an incredible bridge which we actually stopped to look at from a rest area - it was some impressive.  While in the rest area we met a Rancher who was quite interesting to talk with.  He managed 30,000 acres!!!!!  I was feeling worse and worse as we drove on.  He encouraged us to go down through the Big Bend National Park area but Frank decided I needed to get to my house sooner then later.

We went on to Las Cruces where my mother, my son Sterling and my sister's family all live.  I was getting worse with each passing day and finally checked myself into the local emergency room.  Severly dehydrated after a little cocktail of antibiotics I was back on the mend - kind of.  It was actually 3 days of down time.  I was at my mothers to help her with an eye operation so it was imperative I take care of myself in short order.  It was nice to have my husband and sister reconnect after 20+ years absence and it was nice to see my son's first apartment and that he could actually support himself without me.   (Kinda)

Before I left the lovely Senior Housing complex where my Mom lives I conducted a Free Appraisal Day for the other seniors.  I had been thinking about the 5 carat heart shaped diamond my grandmother had left to my couin and how I never even see diamonds that huge when lo and behold 2 of the women I met each had a ring that was more then 5 carats.  One of the 2 women had a 4 carat and a 5 carat.  She asked me to appraise her safe - not her diamonds thank heavens!  I met another fascinating women whose husband had been a Commander in the Navy and she had traveled and lived all over the world.  She owned fascinating objects and I so enjhoyed spending an afternoon with her.  Her husband had written or revised all of the manuals for the Navy - Her copies had been bound in luxurious, blue, moroccan leather!  We also met a Navy WAV who had been an emergency nurse in Vietnam from 1963-1966.  She was fascinating too!  I love the wisdom of people who have lived life so fully.

After a week of mending myself and my mother we were back on the road again.  Now that we've filled all of our family obligations it was time to start the vacation.

Watching the Olympics tonite in Gallup New Mexico - will write more tomorrow.

Our trip continues through Louisiana - Interesting countryside!

Well it's been a couple of weeks since my last post which was unintended but a necessary break.

The lack of posts started in the very southern part of the Louisianna Bayou where Verizon just doesn't have any broadband coverage.  I kept writing but couldn't post.  We found Louisiana was a fascinating state with lots of things for us to do and see. 

The Lousiana Bayou was fascinating to us.  Following our favorite website http://www.narrowlarry.com/ we went south looking for the Kenny Hill Sculpture Garden in Chauvin.  This was high on our list of visionary folk art environments. 

From the website I learned: this fellow was a bricklayer by trade, born around 1950. In 1988, he settled on some property on the bayou in Chauvin (pronounced show-van), Louisiana — population 3,400. Hill pitched a tent as his home and, over time, built a small rustic home that demonstrated an interesting use of space and attention to detail. Then, in 1990, without explanation, he began transforming his lush bayou environment into a fantastic chronicle of the world as seen through his eyes.

Less than a decade later, more than 100 primarily religious concrete sculptures densely pack the narrow, bayou-side property. The sculptures are a profound mixture of Biblical reference, Cajun colors, and the evident pain and struggle of the artist’s life. Most are guided, supported, or lifted by seemingly weightless angels — black, white, male, female, baby, or soldier. The angels, each unique, some inviting passage, others prohibiting, vary from blue skinned, bare-footed, and sightless to regal angels clad in medieval garb with the black boots of the local shrimp fishermen.
The most prominent piece is a 45-foot-tall lighthouse, composed of 7,000 bricks, with figures clinging to the outside: cowboys, soldiers, angels, God and Hill himself. A walk through this sculpture environment is an emotional experience, evoking a sense of deep spirituality but also personal pain.

Hill placed himself in many of the scenes: he rides a horse; carries Christ’s cross; stands with long hair and a beard, his heart bleeding; and shows his face painted half black and white, suggesting the artist’s struggle between good and evil.
During the ten-plus years he lived on the property and created his art, he was adamant that the work was just for him — he felt no need to share it. Hill repeatedly denied requests for access to photograph or publicize his work but reportedly declared it a “story of salvation” for the local residents.
Neighbors have created a picture of Hill as a man who, by the time he abandoned his art in early January 2000, was deeply troubled and left not only his art and his home, but also abandoned the religion that had come to dominate his life. The saddest part of this man's life was that he was evicted by the parish (county)  for not keeping the grass and weeds under control, Hill disappeared on foot.
 
Fore more information and pictures you can check out the website of the foundation which now supports this gallery to make sure it is kept perpetually for the people of Chauvin and those others like us, who fill our hearts with the work of angels like Kenny Hill - http://www.kohlerfoundation.org/chauvin.html

After the Kenny Hill Sculpture Garden, we headed deep into the Bayou which is an interesting stretch of road with close to 100 miles of shacks and trailers all facing the Bayou from which they make their living.  We enjoyed seeing the variations of trailers, many of which were on permenant flood supports, high off the ground.  We also got a kick out of seeing the local Church and Post Office both in trailers.  The landscape consisted of Shrimp boats on the rivers and a rich golden yellow created by the
 sea-oats and grass.  It was very beautiful country. 

We also visited the UCM Museum and Abita Springs Louisiana this day.  Once a Choctaw Indian village, this community near New Orleans is now widely recognized for its attractive historic district.  We had lunch here in an interesting pub which was highly decorated with collections such as a collection of beer pulls from different kegs.  The town also featured a restored Rail depot which has been converted to a musuem, a beautiful Pavillion, circa 1884, with a handsome bronze statue of an Indian in the center. 

We sought out the UCM which claims to be Louisiana's Most Eccentric Museum - This roadside attraction near New Orleans is a folk art environment with 1000s of found objects, and home made inventions.  I especially liked the use of painted bottle caps everywhere to decorate doors, windows etc. and also computer key-boards attached to the ceiling (like what else would you do with them).  It was interesting, but a bit on the commercial side with a gift shop of made up whacky stuff.  We like Folk artists who do this as a visionary passion and not necessarily from financial viewpoint.  Still, it was most entertaining.  For photos other then mine you can visit their website at http://ucmmuseum.com/exhibits.htm

The area was interesting as well.  We found a small town that still had a beautiful Rexall Drug with an original porcelain sign.  We also saw 2 polka dot cement trucks and a wicked googy limo on big wheels.  I just can't imagine going mud driving in a limo.

A few things we noted about the South:

A. There is a tremendous amount of Billboards - they totally overwhelm the scenery.
B. There are a tremendous number of Dollar Generals (and not too many Walmarts)
C. There are a tremendous number of murals everywhere.  In restuarants, on dumpsters, on overpasses, water towers, etc.  They are everywhere and really add an interesting dimension to these public places.

D. They have these bridges everywhere which at first glance look like you're going over the top into an abyss of nothingness.  They are BREATHTAKING - SCARY!
E. The oil rigs, and support businesses have TOTALLY raped the south and left the environment trashed.  It was disgustig! Four cops were poised to stop traffic on this no-nothing road so the parade of pick-up trucks could exit the factories at night.  It was AWFUL!  Certainl among the worst the USA offers.

Back on the Road, following Narrow Larry again, we visited Hammond LA in a very quiet neighborhood without any signs we found Dr. Charles Smith.  Narrow Larry has information on this site http://www.narrowlarry.com/nlsmith.html.  This site was messy and hard to take in as a piece of "art" but I did draw considerable inspiration from the faces of the sculptures he created.  I like heads, faces and figures and there were a lot here.

In 1986, in the yard of his small home on the east side of Aurora, Dr. Charles Smith began building his vision: a sculptural monument dedicated to the contributions and experiences of African-Americans. Before his vision, Dr. Smith, a Vietnam Veteran, had felt lost in pain and anger. Then he received his inspiration: "God told me, 'Use Art - I give you a weapon', just like He gave Dr. King the Gandhi strategy." From that moment on and despite the fact that he had never received training in art, his house lot started to fill with sculpted tributes to the leaders and martyrs of Black America: Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, Emmett Till, and Martin Luther King among them. In addition, there are memorials to the 4,000 Black Americans who died in Vietnam, to victims of the Rwanda tragedy, as well as to whites that helped with the Underground Railroad.

By this point in the trip we jumped on Route 10 and made some tracks across the south.  I was starrting to feel icky and wanted to move on to get to my Mom's in LasCruces and also to see our son Sterling who located about there while he attended University of Mexico.  However, we couldn't help but stop at the Beer Can House - http://www.beercanhouse.org/ .  Although I found this site to fall into the "obsessive category" and recognize it took a long, long time to create it didn't WOW me like some of these environments. I liked the walkways and entranceways with assorted pieces of found junk like marbles rather then the beer can art.  Each to his own I guess.

John Milkovisch, a retired upholsterer for the Southern Pacific Railroad, started his project now known as the Beer Can House in 1968 when he began inlaying thousands of marbles, rocks, and metal pieces into concrete and redwood to form unique landscaping features. When the entire front and back yard were completely covered because he "got sick of mowing the grass", he turned to the house itself and began adding aluminum siding – aluminum beer can siding, that is. Over the next 18 years the house disappeared under a cover of flattened beer cans for both practical and decorative reasons. Garlands made of cut beer cans hanging from the roof edges not only made the house sing in the wind, but also lowered the family's energy bills. Ripley's Believe It or Not estimated that over 50,000 cans adorn this monument to recycling. John considered his work an enjoyable pastime rather than a work of art, but he did enjoy people's reaction to his creations. He once said, "It tickles me to watch people screech to a halt.

Our afternoon in Houston was another story!  Talk about inspired - The Orange Show was fascinating!

Not only because of the Folk Art Environment but also because of the nice people who work across the street preserving the Orange Show, The Beer Can Houe and managing the Art Car Association which has the biggest group and parade of Art Cars - one of my other favorite long term fantasy goals.

http://www.narrowlarry.com/nlos.html tells the story of this fascinating site.  Built in a working class neighborhood of east Houston, Jefferson Davis McKissack's Orange Show is commonly described as a fun, colorful mini-amusement park dedicated to the power of the orange. It is, in fact, one of the most architecturally sophisticated of U.S. folk art sites, a multi-layered, multi-spatial, maze-like environment composed of the program elements of a classic Greek city (theater, museum, agora, & temple).

This folk art environment was being worked on the day we were there which is apparently a constant and on-going issue because of the cracks and movement in the concrete.  At first we thought we weren't supposed to be there but alas, no problem, we throroughly toured and enjoyed this stop.  Our only wish would have been to see this site in operation as a theatre.

Later this day as we headed out of Houston we turned down a wrong street and came upon a beautiful park.  I decided it was grace that intervened here because this park was one of my favorite sites.  The entire wall had been decorated with plaster casts of the children's faces of the class of 1988.  I LOVED IT!  This was both great folk art and a time capsule for future generations.  How great!

This park also had a wonderful mural covering the entire side of a large, brick building and it also had a giant, cactus which hid the water fountains. 

On we traveled . . . boy oh boy - Is Texas big!

 

Louisiana into Texas - January 25 & 26, 2010

It's been 2 very long but exciting days.  We've covered a lot of new territory for both of us.  We've seen lots of great places and are really enjoying ourselves.  I took so many pictures today they are taking a while to upload but I'm tired tonite, from driving (now over 3,500), and from a bad nights sleep last night, time changes, and too much BBQ. So,  I'm off to sleep tonite after the pictures load but will fill in the details tomorrow while Frank is driving.

New Orleans and the Louisiana Bayou

What a fascinating day.  We stayed about 1/2 hour out of New Orleans and greeted this morning by heading into the city about 10:00 am.  My Droid, Agnus, guided me right to a great shop called Greg's Antiques and Other Assorted Junk at 1209 Decatur Street.  It was so much fun.  The funk sculptures and the stylish mid 1950's maple chairs sucked me inside and things just got better from there.  Frank and I were both very impressed with the scope, quality and quanity of this joint.  It was a cavern and the proprietor kept apologizing for having it so empty.  Apparently the first of every moth he brings in a tractor trailor full of antiques, chandeliers, art work and smalls.  Very interesting guy, dog and inventory!

We walked just 2 blocks to the Flea Market which is a long time New Orleans tradition although the Pavillion is all new construction.  We sauntered through and enjoyed the street vendors.  Frank made friends with some vendor and got a free henna tattoo that said GAUX SAINT.  We came upon this fabulous Brass Band who got everyone right in the spirit by singing "When The Saint's Come Marching In!"  It was only then we realized we were totally surrounded by New Orleans Saint's fans who were there to get primed for the game.  We looked foolish in our pastel colors from NH.  EVERYONE was in gold and black or purple.  

We spent about 3 hours gawking at the scenery, tourists, colors, galleries, musicians, transexual freaks, clowns, police, Saint's fans, magicians and then after absorbing as much creativity as possible, then we left.  When I went into St. Louis Cathedral last winter there was a beautiful wedding in progress.  Today the Cathedral was celebrating Mass.  So, ever wanting to experience everythig presented I ducked into the standing room only afternoon mass.  I joined in saying the Lord's Prayer and by the end the incense had totally overtaken me, my eyes were running, I started to wheeze and had to leave.  It must have been a sign, this wasn't my kind of religion.

We went next door and went to the Mardi Gras Historical Exhibit at the Louisiana State Museum. It was a nice exhibit, albeit a confusing blend of cultures and beliefs - quite large, expansive.

The pulse of the city was building.  The Saint's fans were quickly taking over the streets and starting to party.  Lines were building at the better restuarants and we decided we had had enough of NOLA.  We headed south into the Bayou.

It was here we were most inspired, the most at home, among the rotting relics that used to be shrimp boats, shacks on the bayou and make-do houses.  

We were so far south that even the church was in a trailer.  We could easily spot which trailers were new and probably the result of FEMA help vs. those that got patched probably because they lacked insurance.  Frank dubbed them a singlewide on a stick.

Traveling through Alabama, Missisippi and Louisiana - January 2010

Finally - we've had a fun couple of days doing what we have so needed in our lives. A break doing something fun and life fullfilling.  Yesterday we started our day at the great mecca of all things weird and wonderful.  The Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum in Panama City Beach, Florda.  WOW!  This is the fourth time I've visited one of these museums.  It was expensive ($35) but so worth it. We took 3 hours reading every single thing we could

This is what the Panama City Beach looks like before Spring Break.  It's beautiful!  We ate in a diner in Panama City Beach and enjoyed dipping our toes in the sand and ocean.

We woke in Alabama today.  In my last post I wrote I could get from Florida to Louisiana but Alabama and Mississippi were in the way.  We jumped on Route 10 because of the fog and just boogied through those states.  A few interesting things we noticed was seeing a dead armidillo and then a bit later seeing a live armidillo - that was fun!  Probably like seeing a Moose in New Hampshire.

We did see 4 dead dogs in a just span - maybe 5 miles or less.

Another thing we saw was one of those giant, giant flags you can see for miles but it was a Rebel flag.  We noticed the bill-boards have taken over the South.  We did see some great red-neck humor written on the back window of a car, in white shoe polish.  It said "Baby on Board - Stay off my Ass!"

We liked the spin put on the general area by the State of Louisiana = "American's Wetlands".  No Kidding!  Another thing we noticed were several of the billboards referred to insisting on local shrimp vs. imported shrimp.  Wasn't a problem I had ever thought about but must be an issue here.

We had hoped to see far more road-side flea markets but I haven't had too much finding any.  We did stop at one today where I bought a pair of sunglasses.  This was the first day I even realized I had forgotten mine in NH.  The weather has been rotten.

Our first official folk art stop of the day was at the UCM Museum.  (Say it quick - U-see-em)  It was inspirational.  This guy was definately obsessed.  More tomorrow.

We were searching for Dr. Charles Smith of Abita Springs, Florida.  I had heard about this attraction on the http://www.narrowlarry.com/ website.  Anyways, we feed the address to our Droid which we've now named Agnus.  We landed in Abita Springs which was a sweet little village.  We stopped to ask if anyone knew this fellow and couldn't find anyone who had even heard of him.  This town had a wonderful brew pub with a quirky, friendly waitress, a well maintained museum in the RR depot, a bandstand with a striking bronze statue of an Indian and a nice large park with all sorts of families hanging around. 

Noone knew this fellow tho so I dragged out the laptop and did my research finding my target - Dr. Charles Smith's house on East Louisiana Road.  We found him!  Here he is.

Crawfordville  to Panama City Florida

 

We stayed in a Best Western last night which had a beautiful HUGE whirlpool bath so I took my time this morning, enjoying living in the present drinking my morning tea in the tub.  It was pouring down, hard, driving rain so there was no rush for us to get going.  When we finally did we covered aout 100 miles today, ending the day in Panama City, Florida.

We had fun stopping in shops along Route 98.  Frank and I were both very impressed with this area of Florida.  Lots of forests, beaches, shoreline, state parks, and small fishing or tourists towns.  It was fun but I wish it wasn't raining I would have liked to enjoy the beaches more. 
 We enjoyed this small Maratime Museum in Aalachicola, FL  They were working on a 85 ft Hereshof 3 masted Schooner.

Water  Ski's $75 ea
Fish Chairs $299 ea
Surfboards $165 ea

On the road again . . . the Florida Panhandle

University of Florida in Gainesville Florida

It was a low key travel day today.  We left our friends Cheryl & Tom May in Interlachen and then moved slowly west crossing through lots of small towns.  I was surprised to see Gainsville, Florida.  For some reason I had always pictured it different in my mind.  Funny how that happens.  Gainsville reminded me of Concord or Keene New Hampshire with nice wide, clean streets, nice old county buildings, a small, civil city with a beautiful, well manicured college campus.

My friends recommened a small, fishing village on the southern coast of the Panhandle called Steinhatchee, Florida.  It was indeed quite quanit with working fishing boats and marinas. It also had interesting houses up on stilts.  Some were great architectural feats and some were no more then a shack.  I traveled through lots of forest land today.  Florida does a very good job managing their forests, burning the underbrush.  They are really beautiful to drive along miles of pine standing tall with nothing below but their dark burn marks which rise about 10 feet high.  Our friends son and daughter-in-law do this kind of RX burn work for the State so it was interesting talking with them about it.

Not much to look a today.  I seemed to get stuck on an animal thing.  I sopped at the pigs and the aligators but then I went on later in the day to see huge cows, horses, on and on - I got tired of pulling around and goind back so I share with you a few of the best animals I could find along Route 98.

We pulled off the road early tonite staying in a beautiful new Best Western in Crawfordville Florida.  We're really looking forward to the next few states.  Looks like Louisiana comes next.  We topped 3,150 miles today since we've left New Hampshire.  It was a reall pleasant day, high 70's, bright sunshine - lots to be thankful for.  PEACE!