Ted's Bulletin Family Restaurant

Now, THIS is one of my favorite restaurants on Barrack's Row.  It's got a solid menu with good variety, special meals for kids, and a great atmosphere.  It takes its cue from 1930's newsrooms, or at least that's my take.

I could go on and on about the food---home-made Pop Tarts, "adult" milkshakes, grilled cheese sandwiches on home-made bread, and so on.

This  is another one of my little paintings.....getting ready for the Barracks Row Fall Festival Saturday.

The Commandant of the US Marines

One of my neighbors is the Commandant of the US Marines.  This is his home.  I made an ink and watercolor drawing of it for the Barrack's Row Fall Festival.  It is quite an impressive building, and dates back to 1806.

If I go by last year, the Marines are very supportive of the Fall Festival.  They did a full color guard and a short band program last year, and I remember it.  My booth will be pretty close to their bandstand, so I hope to hear it again.   As part of the color guard, they have an American flag with banner ribbons from every campaign the US Marines have been involved in.  That is something to see.

Cafe 8

Another little painting in preparation for the Barrack's Row Fall Festival.

This is kind of a new place.  I've never been in it and am not sure why I chose it, other than I kind of like the umbrellas.  Actually, the umbrellas are not green, but I like them green...I used my "artistic license."   It is not only a cafe, but also a hookah bar....I'm guessing it attracts a young crowd.

Barrack's Row Clock

This kind of speaks for itself.  A clock on Barrack's Row..  Still working on more paintings.  They are small and matted, not framed, so they will be inexpensive.

Barrack's Row Fall Festival

I'm excited to be a vendor in my neighborhood Fall Festival.  I'll have a booth with small paintings and prints and lots of cards...and it is just a block from my house.

Barrack's Row gets its name from the Marine Barracks that are right on 8th St.  I looked up a little history and learned that in 1999 it was establish as a National Trust for Historic Preservation Main Street.  Of course, the neighborhood is much older than that.  The Marine Barracks site was selected in 1801.  According to Wikipedia, it was selected because it was within marching distance of the Capitol and also the Navy Yard.  Marines are still marching today, and they do a "Parade" Friday nights.  From my backyard, I hear them practicing on Friday mornings.  I have never gone, though!

To get ready for the Fall Festival, I am making some small paintings around the neighborhood.  The one above is Senart's Oyster and Chop House, which is one of my favorite places.  It is very long and narrow inside, with 3 fireplaces along the wall.  It has been remodeled but has a real historical feel. This painting was late afternoon.....just before opening for business at 4 p.m.

Labyrinth V

Here is another Native American design--this time from the Hopi tribe.  At their Oraibi pueblo, which may have been settled as early as 1100 or 1200, there are five small square labyrinths carved into stone.  There is also a sixth one that is more rounded.  They are only five to seven inches in diameter.  The native name for this labyrinth is tapu'at, or "mother and child."  It is actually two labyrinths, with the child in the womb surrounded by the mother. No one knows for sure, but it is possible a newborn baby would immediately be placed on this symbol.  Some southwestern tribes used to make a sandpainting while a woman was in labor and placed the new baby on it.   This may have been a more permanent version.  To emphasize the design, I simplified the steps along the "paths", using round positive shapes for the child and square negative shapes for the mother.   I got the information about this labyrinth from a book called The Unending Mystery by David Willis McCollough.  With the Plum Gallery, sometimes you get a little history as well as an interesting image.

The Plum Gallery is planning a labyrinth show!  More details later.

From Nancy----A Dragonfly Card Holder and A Heart Rock

My friend Nancy gave me these treasures a couple of months ago, and I am only now getting the painting done.  It is a card and I will see her tomorrow night and give it to her then.  I call it a Dragonfly card holder, but it kind of defies description.  I put a postcard of Mount Fuji in it, but could put in a recipe or a business card of someone I want to call or a quote I like.  Many possibilities!  The heart rock is natural....found by Nancy and shaped like a heart.  She looks for them and makes them into magnets.  So much fun.  I plan to look for heart rocks in my future walks on beaches and trails, and whereever I am.  My kitchen chair is in the background as this was on the kitchen table when I painted it.  Thanks, Nancy!   You're all heart!!!!

Louisa is a great hostess!

I visited Louisa, Peter, Griffin and Sophia for Christmas in Washington DC.  She gave me a book (The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver which I highly recommend), but I didn't want to paint that.  I decided to paint a pineapple--the symbol of hospitality.  She had two parties, organized an outing to see my cousin and his family in St. Michael's, organized art outings and visits to the National Arboretum and to the Botanical Gardens.  All that, and Christmas too!   It was a great visit.  This painting is on a watercolor card from Strathmore.

Thanks, Jen

After Christmas, I went to California and spent a little more than a week at Jen's apartment and drove her Mercury Mountaineer.  So, as thanks, this is a little painting of the Mountaineer.  It was fun to drive.  Jen also gave me a lovely little handmade ornament.  Making a painting of the car was fun!   I'll be sending  the card to her. 

Sketchbook from Carrie--Gifts from Jeff

My friend Carrie gave me a handmade sketchbook for Christmas.  On the first page of it, I made a little painting of some gifts from my brother Jeff--a red silk box with an ornament in it, a little silver dish, and a little glass fish who loves to sit on the dish.  Then, I thought it would be fun to paint a little picture of the sketchbook with the painting.  So this is it!  It is now a card which I will be giving to Carrie.