LAURIE BETH ZUCKERMAN'S GARDEN SANCTUARY FOR MADONNAS AND ANGEL STATUARY

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's old headless Madonna rests against the old sandstone fireplace

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's cherished collection of old Madonna and Angel statuary add a sense of spirituality to her backyard sanctuary in Fort Collins, Colorado. Two are headless and defaced, but all of them are beautiful to me. I find them so soothing to live with! The time of year, the weather, and the blooming plants in our water-wise xeriscape garden change the mood of these statues daily. 

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's old crusty Madonna from Santa Fe

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's crusty Madonna with a giant Salsify seed head

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's Madonna and Angel stand watch over the pond

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's crusty Madonna guards her waterlily pond 2011

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's photo of Madonna and Angel with irises May 2012

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's view of the turtle pond from her office window

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's turtle pond and giant red penstemons

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's photo of headless ceramic Madonna
inside homemade alabaster shrine carved by her husband, Tom Mathies

LAURIE BETH ZUCKERMAN PAINTS THE FIRST 2012 "PIANOS ABOUT TOWN" FOR CITY OF FORT COLLINS ART IN PUBLIC PLACES PROGRAM

Old Town Square Fort Collins, Colorado

is the site for the "Pianos About Town" program

Day 1: Uncovering my old upright piano for the first time. 

This piano was built in 1929 by the Schiller Piano Company in Oregon, Illinois!!

Old Town Square Fort Collins, Colorado
already has several pianos on display for the public's enjoyment

Laurie Beth Zuckerman was awarded a contract to paint the first piano of the 2012 Pianos About Town competition sponsored by the City of Fort Collins Art in Public Places, the Bohemian Foundation, and the Downtown Development Authority. The piano is on the Old Town Square stage on Mountain Avenue. It is entitled, "Tickle the Ivories" as it appears the White Pelicans are flying low enough to tickle the keys with their primary feathers. Come on down and give it a "tickle."

The photos below show my progress since beginning on May 9. Despite heat, sun, cold, wind, and rain, I managed to stay on schedule. It has taken me 12 days to complete this old upright piano, as all surfaces, front, back, top and sides had to be painted, and each panel has at least four to five layers of acrylic and latex paint. I finished on May 23, 2012. My piano will remain on Old Town Square for the next month or so and after that, I am not sure where it will travel to in Fort Collins.

I painted on Mother's Day, Colorado State University's graduation weekend, and during several Streetmosphere concerts, so the Square has been hopping with families and curious children. Thanks to all the wonderful musicians who have serenaded me while I have painted. Twelve additional pianos will be painted by the other winning local artists during this year's summer and fall program. The pianos remain outdoors for the local community to play anytime of day or night. 

Day 11: Backside of the piano is now complete

Day 11: Closeup of pelican on the backside of the piano

Day 10: Closeup of pelican on the front of the piano

Day 12: Completed paint with faux keyboard painted on outside of cover.

Day 7: Not quite finished with the front

Day 5: First pass at painting the front of the piano

Day 10: A chain of pelicans flies across the top of the piano

Day 13: Signed the piano with its title, "Tickle the Ivories"

Day 10: Yellow-headed Blackbirds on the side of the piano

Day 10: Red-winged Blackbirds on the right side

Day 2: Underpainting the piano with recycled paint from the dump

Day 2: Priming and underpainting piano

Below are the two acrylic sketches of the piano I submitted 
with my design proposal to the Art in Public Places committee. 
These were my sole references for the piano painting,
 and I was able to stick almost exactly to my plan.

LAURIE BETH ZUCKERMAN'S PHOTOS OF TAMANA BAT CAVES IN TRINIDAD, BWI

The art of nature never ceases to astound me. Talk about assemblages, one of my favorite topics, the Tamana Bat Caves on the island of Trinidad is one of the largest assemblages of bats in the Caribbean. These remote caves are filled with millions of bats representing eleven species of the 67 species living in Trinidad, including Vampire bats and fruit bats. 

I didn't have the nerve to actually take these pictures myself, so all the credit goes to my intrepid biologist husband Thomas Mathies who climbed down, down, down into the cave to take these wildly abstract pictures of bats hanging around before dusk. 

The last photo, with the green leaves, was taken after dusk. I was standing at the edge of the cave hole while bats swirled out around my head, not a single one hitting me or Tom or the camera. It was thrilling. Better than art, and better than assemblage art, my other biggest passion. As good as life gets!

Postcards from Paradise. Please click on Rebecca Brooks site to see more photos from Paradise.

LAURIE BETH ZUCKERMAN'S "SHAPES OF ART" ASSEMBLAGE AT FORT COLLINS MUSEUM OF ART

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's "Over the Rainbow" shape
at the Fort Collins Museum of Art 2012

Laurie Beth Zuckerman contributed her painting and assemblage skills to the Fort Collins Museum of Art's "Shapes of Art" annual fundraiser and silent auction, which opened April 5 and continues through May 4, 2012. The museum's loyal supporters and the Northern Colorado community will bid on the artwork donated by more than 100 local artists who created unique versions of this "Shape" that honors the 100th anniversary of this historic downtown building.

Below are several of my favorite shapes in the exhibit by several of my artist colleagues, along with two installation photos of the museum. My talented husband, Tom Mathies assisted me with my shape by carving eight little birds for my flock representing the color palette of art. The top bird is metallic gold, and represents the zenith of art.

Louise Cutler's shape
at the Fort Collins Museum of Art 2012

Maggie Kunze's shape
at the Fort Collins Museum of Art 2012

Bonnie Lebesch's shape
at the Fort Collins Museum of Art 2012

Jennie Keissling's shape
at the Fort Collins Museum of Art 2012

Fort Collins Museum of Art

Shapes of Art Exhibition at Fort Collins Museum of Art 2012

Shapes of Art Exhibition at Fort Collins Museum of Art 2012

LAURIE BETH ZUCKERMAN CREATES BIRDHOUSE FOR THE "TASTE" Benefit for LARIMER COUNTY FOOD BANK and NEIGHBOR TO NEIGHBOR

"Barn Owl Barn" birdhouse—Laurie Beth Zuckerman and Tom Mathies

"Barn Owl Barn" birdhouse backside—Laurie Beth Zuckerman and Tom Mathies

"Barn Owl Barn" birdhouse closeup—Laurie Beth Zuckerman and Tom Mathies

Laurie Beth Zuckerman and her husband, Tom Mathies have created a folk art birdhouse for the annual TASTE silent art auction benefitting the Food Bank of Larimer County and Neighbor to Neighbor. This swanky event will take place at the Fort Collins Hilton Hotel on April 19, 2012 from 5-9 pm. It is the classiest benefit in town and extremely popular, due to its vast spread of food, drinks, and desserts from all the best of Fort Collins' eateries, breweries, and wineries. For tickets and info, just click on this TASTE link.

This is the second year running that Tom and I have combined our artistic abilities to create a birdhouse for the arts collectors who come to bid on these and an array of hand-decorated artist plates at The Taste. Our birdhouse is constructed of all found-object materials from two ghost towns in Colorado and Wyoming. The roof is protected with vintage tins and the sides are covered weathered boards, painted up to look like an old barn. Tom carved a barn owl out of cottonwood root, and I painted all of her feathers. On the back of the barn I have painted a tin Hex Sign, typical of barns in the Pennsylvania region. Tom included a battery-operated tea candle to serve as a night light. Or the birdhouse can be used outdoors. A screw off bottom allows easy cleaning at the end of the nesting period.

Tyler Morris Woodworking of Fort Collins has once again donated ten exquisitely constructed birdhouses to be painted and decorated by ten Fort Collins artists. This is the second year that Tyler has contributed his birdhouses to The Taste's auction. Thank you, Tyler!!!

"Aspen" Birdhouse for the 2011 Taste Art Auction—Laurie Beth Zuckerman and Tom Mathies

"Aspen" Birdhouse (back) for the 2011 Taste Art Auction—Laurie Beth Zuckerman and Tom Mathies

To view more photos of our birdhouse from last year's 2011 auction, please click on this earlier post at ICONARTE.

LAURIE BETH ZUCKERMAN'S TROPICAL PAINTINGS FROM PARADISE INSPIRED BY PUERTO VALLARTA, MEXICO

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's "Banana Moon" Painting

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's "Orange Crush" Painting

Laurie Beth Zuckerman painted large-scale bird paintings back in the 1980s and early 1990s. Here are two of my seven-foot tall folding screens inspired by a couple of birdwatching trips to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, although many of the birds are not from that local. The Scarlet Ibis are from Trinidad, but I had to take a separate trip to see those last year. They are both done in oil, lacquer, and mixed-media on hollow-core doors. "Banana Moon" is still in my personal possession, but it could be yours!

Log on to Rebecca Brooks Postcards from Paradise for more Posts from Paradise.

LAURIE BETH ZUCKERMAN'S TROPICAL PAINTINGS FROM PARADISE (SAN BLAS, MEXICO)

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's "Red Snapper" Painting

In honor of my dear friend, Rebecca Brook's "Postcards from Paradise" I am posting one of my old paintings from the days when I traveled to Mexico, Central America, and South America specifically to birdwatch and soak up the joyous colors and warmth. This painting is from the late 80s, back in the day when I lived in Seattle and needed all of the color and fantasy I could get to survive the Northwest winters!! Hope you enjoy what for me is a blast from my own past.

This painting, "Red Snapper" is a full-size "window" with movable hinged shutters. It is owned by McDonald's Corporate Headquarters in Seattle, Washington. 

Here is another smaller window from my tropical series below.

Laurie Beth Zuckerman "Fish Fry" Painting

LAURIE BETH ZUCKERMAN'S DIA DE LOS MUERTOS ALTAR IN 2011 BEST CURATED EXHIBIT IN DENVER'S SANTA FE ARTS DISTRICT

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's "Madre Dolorosa" DOD altar installation detail 2011

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's Day of the Dead altar installation, "Madre Dolorosa" was featured in Denver's Studio 12 Gallery's 2011 Diá de los Muertos exhibition. The exhibit, hosted by owner/artist, Sean Brown, won the Best of 2011's Santa Fe Arts District Award for Best Curated Exhibition by Denver artist, Carlos Frésquez.

I was in great company in this show. My fellow guest artists were: Jerry Vigil, Rob Yancey, George Rivera, Amber Lovelace, Fonda McDonough. My altar, "Devil May Care" was shown in Studio 12's second annual Diá de los Muertos exhibition in 2010. I am looking forward to exhibiting a new altar for this year's fourth annual Diá de los Muertos exhibition at Studio 12. I've been working on it since the beginning of the year.

Studio 12 Gallery was runner-up for the Best Gallery Award for 2011, along with the winner CORE New Art Space, Vertigo Art Space, and CHAC Gallery. You can view all the 2011 nominees at the Art District on Santa Fe website.

You can find more images of my DOD altar in my Flickr portfolio.

LAURIE BETH ZUCKERMAN PHOTOGRAPHS THE WALSENBURG SANTUARIO GROTTO IN SOUTHERN COLORADO ON CHRISTMAS EVE

Laurie Beth Zuckerman wishes all of you a Happy New Year! 2011 ended with a glorious journey to revisit several of my favorite shrines and sanctuaries in Southern Colorado and Northern New Mexico, as well as discover new ones. Follow along with me in January as I share some of the highlights of my holiday travels. Today's post showcases the Santuario on Highway 160, west of Walsenburg. A fresh snowfall dusts the sandstone grotto with sugar icing. Only one other person had walked to the shrine before me. I hated to disturb the snow to get these photos, but this Virgin Mary is my favorite statue of all. I have been photographing her at this grotto for more than a dozen years. This may be the best she has ever looked.

LAURIE BETH ZUCKERMAN RECEIVES NEW MEXICAN STRAW APPLIQUE PENITENTE CROSS

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's husband, Thomas Mathies
designed and built this New Mexican style penitente cross

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's husband, Thomas Mathies
designed and built this New Mexican style penitente cross (detail)

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's husband, Thomas Mathies has just completed his first New Mexican-style cross, in honor of Laurie's milestone birthday, December 12. I had some old photos that I had taken in 1993 at the International Museum of Folk Art in Santa Fe, where we first saw examples of colonial-era wood crosses. I had always wanted my husband to try making me one of these penitente crosses decorated with straw appliqué. Finally my wish came true and Tom was able to spend the last couple of weeks designing and constructing this sensational cross. It is a whooping 50" tall. Truly, it is bigger and better than any cross I have seen in my books or in other museums we have visited, such as the new Spanish Colonial Museum in Santa Fe. Boy do I feel lucky!! My new treasure looks fabulous in our old house.

Here are a few web resources you can follow to learn more about straw applique crosses:

http://www.santafenewmexican.com/localnews/International-Spanish-market-Passion-for-innovation

This website states: Straw appliqué developed from the desires of 16th-century Spanish priests to decorate their churches in the New World with gold items similar to the ones they brought with them from Spain. Since gold was not found in New Mexico, the inhabitants improvised and used other materials. They discovered that local grasses, when dried, almost looked something like gold. "It was called the poor man's gold," Donna Pedace, executive director of the Spanish Colonial Arts Society, said. "It was the closest approximation to gold that they could come up with." The process involves splitting and flattening the straw and removing the inside to get very thin, golden-colored pieces. The tiny pieces are affixed to pieces of wood or metal in geometric or figurative designs. The most common items are crosses, frames and boxes.

More about the history of straw applique at this site: http://strawapplique.com/history-of-straw-applique/

"Straw appliqué–an art form practiced around the world–is believed to have originated as an art form practiced by peasants who desired marquetry, a form of decorating wooden items, typically with other wood, ivory or gold. Because of it’s visual similarity to marquetry, or inlay, straw appliqué soon was coined with the term “poor man’s gold.” Passed from  the Moors to the Spanish as early as 700AD, and then practiced as a religious art form, it was brought to the New World and into what is present day New Mexico, where it flourished as an art form in the 1700’s and 1800’s, practiced by Spanish and Natives alike. At the end of the 1800’s, however, it was considered a lost art form."

To see examples of contemporary straw applique artists from New Mexico, log onto: http://newmexicocreates.org/category-26/New-Mexico-Artisan-Work/Spanish-Colonial-Crafts?filter%5Bcategory%5D=145