The Music of Mesquite

The music of our life plays softly in the background with its high notes and low notes, sometimes speeding along at a pace that is hard to keep up with and sometimes drifting lazily through the air hanging softly on each current. Sometimes it plays so loudly you can't hear anything else and at other times so faint that it can't be distinguished from the beat of your heart. One thing is for sure though it is ALWAYS there beating along to the rhythm of our lives.....

"The music of our life plays softly in the background with its high notes and low notes, sometimes speeding along at a pace that is hard to keep up with and sometimes drifting lazily through the air hanging softly on each current....."

CW Quallenberg

When John Caballero asked Lou Quallenberg to create an award for "Texas Shorty" AKA Jim Chancellor to be presented at this years Llano Fiddle Fest, I was sure he could do it, just not sure how or what would come out of his head and hands. He was super busy with a schedule that was over  and past full.  I dutifully gathered images of fiddles in all kinds of styles from realistic to abstractly, abstract knowing full well that Lou Quallenberg would infuse it with his signature look and unique design style. 

Lou had searched through his inventory for a smaller piece of mesquite. One that was about the right size with some character, but mostly solid and another small piece that would work well as a base.

MESQUITE AWARD  Rough Sketch

MESQUITE AWARD Adding some Depth

MESQUITE AWARD Ready for the Finish

MESQUITE AWARD Ready for some Wax

The pictures above show the progression of form. As it took shape it really started to have Lou's look, feel and style and yet it started to sing its own sweet little song. Lou had not done much in the way of sculpture even thought that is the direction his work seems to be taking him more and more.  So we THANK John Caballero and the Llano Fiddle Fest for the opportunity to stretch. The incredible response to this little piece of art has the wheels turning for a few more small pieces. Now if we could just add a few more hours to the day....

 MESQUITE AWARD created for Llano Fiddle Fest and presented to Jim "Texas Shorty" Chancellor

 

 

So just who was this award being created for? WHO IS Jim "Texas Shorty" Chancellor ? and why was he getting an award?  Let me tell you it was a good thing we did not do this research before Lou did the work or he might have felt too intimidated to do the piece. WOW! This man is a Living Legend! We found him on the Kennedy Center website,  The National Endowment for the Arts,  Masters of Traditional Arts.  He was everywhere!!! and man can he play the fiddle!

For a little taste of this Fiddling National Treasure check these videos out:  

http://www.kennedy-center.org/explorer/videos/?id=M4401

We hope that the MUSIC of your life plays as sweetly as it does here in our life and that you take the time to STOP & LISTEN while it plays on.

@LAST was a blast: Llano Art Studio Tour

Lou Quallenberg & Ralph Moresco  Llano Art Studio Tour

 The 3rd Annual @LAST Llano Art Studio Tour went well this year. We had over 100 visitors to the shop. The tour is always a great reason for some spring cleaning and organizing the shop. For the last two years we have been saying maybe next year will be in our new location. But REALLY maybe next year we will finally be in a new larger location. It was obvious this year that we are running out of space.  The new MiniMax machine and all of the mesquite wood  leave no room for the pieces and projects that are on the work schedule.  It has become a balancing act to find space to work in.

We were happy once again to have Annette and Ralph Moresco of West Shore Wind Spirals with their beautiful  Copper Wind Spirals at the shop with us. They were holding a drawing for one of their hanging wind spirals and of course everyone wanted to sign up to win!  They are such a sweet and wonderful couple and we really enjoy hanging out with them and of course watching those incredible copper creations,  spin,  spin,  spin in the wind. 

Take a few moments and watch the video to see what I mean - mesmerizing.

 

Lou did a scheduled  demonstration on mesquite wood care,  oiling and waxing. He also talked a bit about the insect predators of mesquite and how even a finished piece can have the bugs in them if the wood was not properly handled and treated. You know you have the bugs if you find little piles of sawdust under your piece. It is not a pleasant suprise and not always an easy issue to deal with. That whole topic deserves it's own future blog post.

John Caballero of  Apple Valley Orchard and Llano Fiddle Fest fame stopped by and serenaded us with a few tunes on the mandolin. He is one hard working guy and we really appreciated his taking the time out to hang with us. I know we were not the only ones on the art studio tour that he visited and played for.  Thank you John!

Next weekend is the Fiddle Fest in Llano so if you are in the area come for some great family fun and incredible fiddeling.  We happen to know and love the two time reigning Champion "AIR" Fiddler Robin Chiesa and plan to be there as she goes for the crown the third time.  Check out her past winning performances here on YouTube :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6o86ELfDSx4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RNWOmtPVU8

and then come join us as we cheer her on hopefully to a third championship title on Friday April 5th at the Badu House in Llano, Texas.

The worst thing about the @LAST Llano Art Studio Tour is we don't get a chance to visit the other locations on the tour because we REALLY would enjoy doing that. It is so much fun to visit artists in their work spaces and I think that is what makes our studio tour succeessful each year.

This year the @LAST Llano Art Studio Tour,  held annually the last saturday in March, fell on the Saturday before Easter.  In order to celebrate the Easter tradition we filled over 100 Easter eggs with candy but the green ones held a special mesquite wood charm that can be hung on a chain, ribbon or keychain.  I know they were a hit because people started looking inside the eggs to see if they could find them.  The kids of course prefered the candy.   

Happy Easter! 

Happy Spring!