♥ Mrs. Gaines ♥

Todays weather matches my mood. It's been raining on and off since I woke up. I learned yestrday of the death of a dear friend. She's been like a Mother to me for a long time. When my Mom was sick, this dear neighbor drove my Mom to cancer treatments hours away 3 times a week. She would check in on my Mom when my family was at work and school. She was my Moms friend and became like a second Mom to me. She taught me to sew and helped me make my Homecoming dress.
She gave me time.
She was fiesty and I loved that about her. She always looked after me, often to my fathers frustration. It was she that called my Grandmother to tell her I had moved out to my own apartment at 17. She didn't like my fathers new wife and knew my reasons for moving out.
She had my back and I never forgot it.
For the last several years she fought the likes of leukemia. On Monday it beat her. After a month long stay in the hospital, she was released and died peacfully in her own home.
My life was graced by her wit and wisdom and there will never be another Mrs.Gaines.
I'm flying to Florida for her service. My brother and his wife, my super sister-in-law Michele, are picking me up and we'll drive across the state to Fort Pierce. After the service, we'll drive back to St. Petersburg. I'll spend the night with them as they're in the process of moving this weekend and I'll fly home. I need this closure and her family needs our strength.
They were always there for us.
I can give her time.
♥♥
Patricia

♬ Cinco de Mayo ♬

Happy Cinco de Mayo everyone!
I love this holiday! I love the celebratory nature of the Mexican culture! Colors, music, and great food!
What more can one ask?
WIll do a little celebrating with the agave-Gods upon returning home tomorrow night. Will watch the election returns that will hopefully usher in change!
Rock the vote Obama!!!
♬♫♬♫♬
Tabula Rasa my friends!
Pat

Barack Obama

Change. Dignity. Hope.

In the past 7 1/2 years I have watched friends lose their jobs, their homes, their businesses and their dignity. It's these fundamental things that provide one with self-esteem and are basics to everday life. People my age and older are working harder and making less. When people lose hope they have no reason to look forward to becoming old. A health care system that is run by insurance companies for profit and out of reach to so many Americans is not something they can buy into. We have a government that has disenfranchised the people of this country and this world. Not a united states, but a divided, splintered country. I see this division among family members who dare not discuss the reality that has come to this country by way of poor leadership. Corporate interests cannot supercede the lives of individuals who have worked and fought so hard for this country. Wealth is about so much more than money! It's about passion and compassion.
This election has to bring about change!!!

We spoke with a wonderful couple today at the show who were retired and well in to their late 60's. It was refreshing to have a conversation with these older folks we could relate to! I respected their wisdom and open-mindedness. They lend their hope and votes, as do we, to Barack Obama! They work with their church in efforts to help the people of Darfur. They have traveled and worked with the people of Darfur to help bring in clean drinking water. Something we take for granted in this country.
Below is the group they work with:
http://waterfordarfur.com/index.htm
I have other artist friends who will begin collecting Social Security this coming year. If the art business doesn't sustain them, they have decided to work on re-building homes in New Orleans with Habitat for Humanity. They feel compelled to humanitarian work and making a difference.

This is the America I am proud of!
People who care and stand with the conviction of their beliefs and act upon them!
Jon and I are gifted with a wide array of friends who inspire us daily. I feel blessed!
♥♥
Patricia

The Big Indian

As promised, here's the Big Indian we see when we go to Texas. He lives in Big Cabin, Oklahoma. He stands 50-60 feet tall. Jon took this shot out the van window. To me his presence means we take a left turn when we see him and then go into Texas. Of course it's not nearly this simple, but I take a lot of naps in the van. The motion puts me to sleep. It always has. Even as a child. If I couldn't sleep, a short car ride would take care of that. Things haven't changed too much! So, in essence, when I see the Big Indian and take maybe 2 more naps, we're usually there!
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/4532
Pat

On The Road.........

Tonight finds us in Dallas Texas. Our booth is set up for the Cottonwood Arts Festival and we are ready to rock! New work is proudly hanging. I made 4 new pieces in the two weeks home, not to mention a few 'other' projects we had in the works!
After being as busy as we've been for the last week, doing a show will feel like a 'vacation'! We have slowly caught up on sleep but still find it hard to believe that we left our Bloomington studio last night at 5pm and here we are in Texas! Time flies!

Today we photographed the Big Indian in Oklahoma. When I see him, I always feel we just take a left and then go to Texas. I hate maps and like to keep things simple. Have you noticed?
Saw lots of friends this evening and will visit more over the next 2 days. The comraderie of kindred spirits and the joy of sharing our work keeps this lifestyle a way of life for us. We complain now and then, but do so love it. Lets face it, gone are the days of job security.......I might as well find joy in my life doing something I absolutly love since I spend so much time doing it!

Life is good and we're here to make it better!
Goodnight from Dallas Texas!
♥
Pat

Orphan Works Bill

Orphan Works Bill - Don’t Lose the Rights to Your Work

Here is a call to action from artist Jon Hecker.

Time to write! Please take action now! These proposed changes to the copyright law affect artists! I just sent three letters to my two Senators and district Congressional Representative. I laid out the moving story of how this bill would affect our livelihood. As independent artists, we receive no pension and we view ownership of our copyrights as our primary job security. It is critical that we as artists battle this proposed legislation.

In case you’re not too familiar with the issues at stake here, this webcast interview with Brad Holland about the Orphan Works act bill, offers insight to the ramifications of this bill if it should pass. The mp3 webcast interview about the Orphan Works act bill can be heard at:
http://www.sellyourtvconceptnow.com/orphan.html

The changes in the copyright laws proposed under the new “Orphan Works” bill have been released and it will affect your creative career!

Write your Reps and Senators.
Refer to Bill H.R. 5889 when writing a House Rep.
Refer to Bill S. 2913 when writing a Senator.
Same Orphan Works bill, different #’s for Senate and House.

Go to: http://capwiz.com/gag/dbq/officials to get the contact info for your state’s officials.

This affects all of us, painters, photographers and designers alike and is getting fast tracked to get through now.

Please take time to write! Fax or snail mail in addition to any emails you’d send too please. A sample letter is below at the end of this email.

For more info on this matter go to:
http://www.illustratorspartnership.org

This was posted by Stella on “The Art of Licensing” Yahoo group and sums up the consequences if this bill passes:

“If we do not stop BOTH Orphan Works Bills NOW-
It does not matter that you created it.
It does not matter that you have a copyright mark on it.
It does not matter that it is registered in the Library of Congress.
It does not matter that you signed it.
It does not matter that you put a big fat watermark across it.
It does not matter that you put digital signatures on it.
It does not matter if you get a lawyer- you will get a pittance determined by the offending company and no reimbursement for legal fees.
It does not matter even if you do as they demand and pay to register it in the new registries that they will form - there is no real punishment for using your work for profit.
It does not matter that you do not want your image used on a product or to promote an agenda.
They can even sell your prints and make money!”

From Illustrators Partnership and posted on the Art of Licensing Yahoo Group by Stella too:

Here is a sample letter you can edit and send to your local and/or state representatives and Senators. These letters work best when you make your point clear, do not curse, and make them aware that you live in their district or state and can vote for or against them.

Feel free to make this personal with your story on how the Orphan Works legislation will harm your income. Stories are incredibly powerful.

Faxes work better than e-mails, as e-mails are too easy to delete.

Congressman/Congresswoman/Senator (their name)
(their contact info)
Fax: (their fax number)

Re: The Orphan Works legislation Bill # (either H.R. 5889 or S. 2913 depending who you’re writing)

Dear (their name),

My name is (your name) and I live in (your city, state). After reading about the Orphan Works bill, I am shocked and outraged that this could happen in our country.

This Orphan Works legislation, if passed, will severely impact my income and life as an artist. Not only will it give license for others to legally steal and use my work for free, it will be virtually impossible for me to afford the time and money to register my creations in all the potential new registries.

(your personal story if you wish. It should show hardship under the new bill)

I strongly urge you to vote AGAINST the Orphan Works bill and protect my rights, my copyrights, to all that I have and will create.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

(your name)
(your address)
——

PLEASE PASS THIS ON TO EVERY ARTIST YOU KNOW! THANKS!!!

Thank you for joining with other creative image makers to get your voice heard!

Jon Hecker

••• The ZOO is open!!! •••

Here are the six cute little critters we have spent so much time with in our studio. This is a quick shot of them taken on the table saw, without studio lighting. 'Glamor shots' of them were done yesterday at our photographers studio. We get those files back today!!! Here you'll see one set with braces and one without.
Currently working on the sea creatures and feeling like that managerie will be the most popular. When we began ArtfulSmiles in Jan 2005, our first trade show was for pediatric dentists in Orlando. It was there we learned that the offices of these toothy professionals were very much designed to themes and fish were a major request! When we realized we could add braces to our designs and take them further, we attended an orthdontic convention in Las Vegas two years ago. Again, aquatic requests!
So this year when we attend the orthodontists convention in Denver
(May 16-20) we will have two new lines, the zoo creatures and the aquatic series!!
Are we ever psyched!!!
Thanks to all of our dear friends for your support and enthusiasm during this project!!! We love you!
We hope you'll like these!
♥♥
Pat & Jon