Kearsarge Happenings: "A New Face on Main Street"

by Kay Steen

There's a new face (facade) on 21 East Main Street. After 204 years of enduring slippery front steps and rain dripping down from the roof unto guests arriving at the front door, this beautiful old building finally has a "canopy" over the front entrance.

Abby Waldron, architect from Bradford, drew up the plans after researching plans of other homes from the early 1800s.

Jack Sheehan, with assistant Cameron O'Neil, made it all happen.

Jack Sheehan is well known for his meticulous work - the new granite bases for the canopy's pillars are set to within an inch of the height of the granite blocks at the base of the building! After a few months of careful yogurt "feedings", the granite will have a gentle coating of moss to resemble the 200 years old foundation stones. If anyone looks up, under the copper roof of the canopy, he will notice the dental moldings placed just like the ones under the main roof. These were hand cut by Jack and Cameron, and they were sized perfectly to match the originals which are much higher (and larger). These two guys are a genius team!! (I shouldn't praise them in public because then they'll be too busy with new jobs to work on my projects.)

I must also praise Abby's work - her plans are absolutely perfect from all angles, and she even made cross-sectional diagrams to help the builders. What a team! 

Now the front of the building is a proper match for the east lawn, where Tattoo Gnu and her two friends have decided to reside. They seem very happy here, and they look lovely against the pure white snow. When Spring comes, they will gambol among the daffodils and violets. The faeries who live in the fairy houses that were created at last year's Spring Into Warner festival find the gnus lots of fun on moonlit nights.

Kearsarge Happenings: "Dance, Dance!"

by Sandy Bartholomew

A dance recital with no makeup or costumes? Just three little girls whirling around the dance studio at Kearsarge Conservatory for Performing Arts with their parents and siblings sitting on the floor - laughing and cheering.

This winter, I asked Angela Tarleton, owner of KCPA, if she could arrange a dance/tumbling class for toddlers that focused on their joy of movement, rather than a recital. She promised a half hour each of dance and tumbling. So when we all collected at her studio to see what the kids had been working on, I was prepared to smile a lot, but I was blown away by what Miss Angela had taught these little whirlwinds. Yes, they had learned summersaults and walking on a low balance beam and "Itsy Bitsy Spider".  But she had also taught them musical notation with flash cards and instruments, piano notes, ballet moves, and improvisational dance. Wow! Best of all, she had reinforced their natural love of dancing. Each child enthusiastically showed off her skills while peeking over her shoulder to smile at her parents.

So, if you have a toddler who loves to move (don't they all?), contact Miss Angela and tell her you want "in" for the next session. Your child gets a wonderful experience and you get an hour to go grocery shopping in peace (the studio is on North Road, behind Market Basket).

Contact Info:
Angela Tarleton
456-3294
[email protected]

Kearsarge Happenings: "Fifteen Minutes of Fame"

As a recovering freelance illustrator, I have to admit that seeing two
magazines next to each other on the newstand - each with an article
and art by me... Ohmigosh - I don't have the words to describe the
feeling!!! I hope this isn't all of my 15-minutes of fame, because I'd
really like to do some more articles.
Anyone who hasn't seen it yet, should run out and get a copy of the
Nov/Dec issue of Cloth Paper Scissors magazine! (Available at
Wingdoodle)

My article, called "Add Pattern to Journals with Zentangles and
Transfers," is on page 80! It really is exciting to see your art in
print. This is why I originally became an illustrator. Also, I have an
article on pages 54-57 of the Winter 2009 "STUDIOS" Magazine! My
two studios are "featured studios" which means I get more pages. The
article has pictures of my Zentangle cabinet - in progress, and my
tangled bathroom floor. Still, there were a lot of photos left out.
Probably doesn't matter except that I described areas and spaces that
have no accompanying pictures. So I have uploaded a ton of other
photos and views and added my comments. Visit my website:
www.beezinkstudio.com. Click to enter the studio, then click on
"Gallery" and "Studio Pics". If you can read quickly, and would rather
see it as a slideshow, go to the same link, but click the "Play
Slideshow" link.
I really love showing my studios. The rooms themselves are like
artworks to me. And my whole reason for creating is to share or show
what I make. It must be another one of those ironic curses. I'm an
extreme introvert and I crave long blocks of time alone to make stuff
and I'm awful at multi-tasking (and baby-sitting!). And yet, without
the human interactions and deadlines... I have no reason to make
anything. A magazine deadline is a GREAT reason to make stuff!!

And my other news: My "AlphaTangle" book - It is finally done! I
actually completed all the alphabet letters by the end of the summer.
But it took me longer to do all the scanning, clean-up, layout and
printing stuff. But, the important thing is, I DID do it. Yeah! I get
a very weird feeling of satisfaction at holding a little stack of
these books and thinking "Mine!" But now, the really hard part... I
need to get them out of my hands and into Zentangle, and
potential-Zentangle, enthusiasts' hands.  If you would like a copy (or
two - they're small!), the books cost $9.99 plus $1.60 for s/h. You
can buy one from my etsy store (Bumblebat) or you can buy one at
Wingdoodle.

Here is the official description:
"AlphaTangle - A Truly Tangled Alphabet" is an adorably teeny (4"
square) book of alphabet letters created from Zentangle patterns. All
the official Zentangle tangle/patterns have names and I have created
each letter from the patterns starting with those same letters. The
original art was drawn with a Micron pen and shaded with pencil. I
designed and laid out the book and it was printed by Brayshaws, a
local printing company. I hope it provides inspiration for fellow
Zentanglers.  I am happy to sign your copy!

--
Sandy Steen Bartholomew
BEEZ ink Studio
PO Box 359
Warner, NH 03278

WEB     www.beezinkstudio.com
BLOG   http://glyphsglitches.blogspot.com
STUDIO   http://beezinthebelfry.blogspot.com

SHOP   http://bumblebat.etsy.com