BlueFrogArts

Beth Knotts & Deb Skinner Visit Shiprock, NM

Blue Frog artist, Beth Knotts, is shown at left sketching Shiprock Monument in Shiprock, New Mexico.  Beth's daughter and Blue Frog Founder, Debbi Skinner took Beth to visit Shiprock on a day trip from her home in the Farmington, NM area.

"I really liked the interesting shapes and forms of the plant life around the monument.  I loved the way the road wound its way up to the monument.  There was great contrast between the dark shadows and sunlit areas leading up to the monument, and between the jagged rocks and the curved globular forms of the plant life.

I was pleased with the results of the outing.  From the on-site pencil sketch, I was able to do several watercolor studies later, when I returned to Debbi's house."

About Shiprock
The Shiprock land form, located in Northwestern New Mexico, is the remnant of an explosive volcanic eruption that occurred around 30 million years ago. The main part of the landform is 600 meters high, and 500 meters in diameter. Shiprock, known as Tse Bitai, or "the winged rock" in Navajo, is a volcanic neck, or the central feeder pipe of larger volcanic landform which has since eroded away. The neck is composed of fractured volcanic rock, or breccia, crosscut by many thin veins of lava. Ship Rock is composed of an unusual, highly potassic magma composition called a "minette", thought to form by very small degrees of melting of the earth's mantle. Shiprock was probably 750 to 1,000 meters below the land surface at the time it was formed, and has since gained its prominent form due to erosion of surrounding rocks. (taken from United States Geological Society (USGS) website)."

More Adventures Coming Soon...
Check in again soon, as Debbi and Beth are planning to visit Choke Cherry Canyon in Farmington, and the Painted Desert and Sedona in Arizona next week!

Organic Funeral Gourds for Pets by Jan Meng

Friends and animal lovers:

Many of us have struggled for ways to acknowledge and recognize the significance of our beloved pets at the time of their passing.  I received the following e-mail from Hungry Holler, the Oklahoma studio of Blue Frog artists, Jan and Marc Meng, last week and thought this was a fascinating and moving art form.    What a beautiful answer. 

"Check out the Fall 2007 issue of Modern Dog Magazine, page 68 for a blurb 
ab"out Jan's funeral gourds for pets. Modern Dog is on sale at Petco and 
other pet stores.

Peace to you. Hug that pet! Jan"

Pictured at right is Gussy's Funeral Gourd.  The smaller image of
Gussy on the right is of her playing with a sock. She often tried 
to wear the socks over her head!  A personal note from Gussy's 
veterinarian is written on one side of the gourd. For a beautiful 
photo gallery and more detailed description of Jan's "Organic 
Personalized Eternal Gourd Urns" for the ashes of beloved pets, 
click on the blue words at the top of this paragraph.

Jan is best known at the Blue Frog for her bird house gourds and 
her luminary gourds that add a celestial glow to a room. If you would like to hear Jan 
talk about gourds and her perspective on working with them go to the gorgeous 
 Hungry Holler website Then, in the bottom right hand corner click on the "Jan's Video" 
button.  Jan is articulate and AWESOME!  She is truly a fascinating woman.

Jan in her garden, and her faithful friend, Molly, hanging out in her gourd studio.

http://hungryholler.com/ 
Hungry Holler Art Center
1589 State Highway 20
Eucha, OK 74342
918 253-4554

What the heck is a Gourd Head?

I knew you'd ask eventually.  A gourd head is someone who creates beautiful or useful objects using gourds as a medium.  We have two gourd heads at the Blue Frog who have taken their gourd efforts to an artful level.  The first is Jan Meng, of Oucha (prounced oo-chee), Oklahoma, and Sandy Maxa from Lennex, IA.

Jan makes stunning gourd light fixures for artful ambient light, as well as beautifully painted nature inspired gourd bird houses.  My favorite in the Blue Frog now, depicts a juicy sliced canteloupe and on top of the rind is a tiny little green tree frog - you just can't miss.  For an excellent photographic sampling of Jan's work visit the Jan Meng Photo Gallery by Crystal Rolfe.

Sandy Maxa's gourd vessels have been influenced by traditional art from around the world.  Some harken back to Africa, while others look more Native American.  Several in the Blue Frog now have intricate weaving around the mouth of the gourd of waxed linen cord.  The patterns and the detail in the weavings are a perfect compliment to the organic shape of gourds.

I had the opportunity to visit Jan Meng's studio called "The Hungry Holler" this past summer and was  soooo inspired when I left.  Her green thumb goes beyond gourds and fills the gardens that surround her home.  You have to be ready for the unconventional, though.

Jan's husband and fellow artist, Marc Meng, has built beautiful recycled art sculptures from the chain of bicycles that go high up into a tree and back down, to the iron work by the gate, and even a towering wind sculpture made of industrial fans.  It's definitely worth the trip. 

Marc Meng is the artisan who makes the beautiful hand carved wooden spoons now at the Blue Frog.  Look for his signature HH on the handle. Always witty, Marc considers himself a Zen Spoonmaster.  Visit the Hungry Holler website to see some of his artwork.

Stop by the Blue Frog and check out our Gourd Heads' art work at our upcoming One Year Anniversary Party, Saturday, December 23, and enjoy special pricing on select works of art, free gift wrap, fun people, and refreshments.