AU catch up: Mirrors & Metal

   Check one of the coolest pieces of artwork I've donated for sure: a wooden mirror frame with my logo in it; the annual Machine Head art work day; and the main event itself!

Art Unleashed 2012

Tonight was Art Unleashed, and another good one at that! (I found out a couple weeks later that we raised over $77,000 in a single evening, with over 400 pieces of artwork, and hordes of volunteers making it all happen). It was held at the historic American Royal again:

This sweet dog greeted everyone at the door. I WANT HIM.

The crowd grows

Posing with some of my metal artwork

LOVE this pug painting! Didn't win it. BOO.

LOVE Mary Ann's mixed-media collage!

LOVE Charlotte's drawing!

LOVE Donna's new mosaic!

And Joni & Jack's pieces in the live auction... WOW.

Kelley's "downward-facing dog" yoga bag

Dawn & Ginny with their wins (Ginny won my dog frame!)

Britten won the surly monkey photograph!

Sawako, me, Britten, Nicole, & Amy (with Rich hiding in back)

Art Unleashed: Mirror, Mirror

   Amber happens to work at 3Axis Inc., and they happen to be experts in woodworking and happen to have a CNC router, and I just happened to create a design that we thought would make the perfect frame for a mirror! So here is her friend & coworker, Bryce, showing off the cut piece that we will be donating to the Art Unleashed auction.

WOW.

Amber with the CNC router (not to be confused with the C+C Music Factory)

The router at work! It took over an hour to cut all the intricate details...

...almost there...

Bryce shows off his work

Amber finished the mirror & frame beautifully...

They're supposed to be making one for me to keep. I think I might have them leave the circle out, and make it a coffee table with a piece of glass on top!

HSGKC Mug Shot

   Check out the Art Unleashed mug that I just created. Shutterfly generously sent me a code for a free mug (I only had to pay shipping), so I decided to create one that commemorates this year's event, which I plan to donate to the art auction. Here's hoping it will bring in some good money for the animals!
   Click & drag the image below to see all sides of the mug... this preview is almost as cool as the real thing! And did you know that if you post about your Shutterfly project and email a link to shareproject@shutterfly.com, they will give you a $10 credit for a future order? Talk about paying it forward. Thanks, Shutterfly!

Mug

View the entire collection of cards.

Annual Machine Head Day

   Today Dick once again opened his fantastic metal shop up to the motley crew of volunteers to make cat & dog artwork for the annual Art Unleashed auction. As you can see, Dick, Robert, Jana, Connie, Randy, Jason, Amber, Ricky, Matt, Jared—even Aki, Taylor & their new pal Lambert!—and I, had a blast.
   We made about 40-50 pieces of metal art for donation, and this year we got extra creative. Our best collection yet! Sincere thanks to Dick Jobe for his generosity!

"You're not thinking of putting US to WORK, are you?!"

Lutes family photo

Connie & her adorable grandson

Whoa. Ricky is TALL. And I am SHORT.

Dick & Matt get down to business

Cutting begins

A tribute to my dear Gypsy

Ricky prepares the rods for garden stakes

Sandblasting

Amber's in the grind

Artwork, and the dog who inspired it

The all-important lunch order: Jimmy John's this year

Artwork piling up

Tons of yard art

Artwork almost taller than me!

Frame me up

Sitting down on the job

Look at us—we're ART!

Shout out to Red Bridge Animal Clinic

   I lost Atom just 4 days ago, and today I received a letter in the mail from K State University that Red Bridge had made a significant contribution to their veterinary program in Atom's name. I'm not sure how common a gesture this is (I have not heard of this before), but I thought that was pretty amazing, and a great tribute to a pet I loved very much—helping to educate the next generation of veterinarians!

   P.S. Kristin just sent a photo of her new, sweet, adorable, contraband cat, Mr. Drizzle. Don't tell her landlord!