The Dusty Road... I Mean Boardwalk

 Benjie finished hanging the drywall, then taping mudding and sanding. Still some finishing touches to do, such as adding moldings and baseboards in a few areas.

Drywall dust is everywhere! We swept and mopped the floors. Still a tremendous mess to be cleaned.

The gallery area is pretty much ready to be painted. We wiped down the walls and plan to prime them this weekend.

On the studio side (shown here), there is still some more work to do before we can spread out and start making artwork. Hopefully, by the end of Thanksgiving break, we will be cleaned up and have the walls all primed.

We plan to invite our friends and neighbors over for a big painting party! Should be fun.

Holiday Card Making Workshop

The Boardwalk is offering a hand-printed 

holiday card-making workshop. 

Tuesday, December 3, 6-8pm. 

$10 per person. 

Card stock and ink provided. 

Email for more info: theboardwalkart@gmail.com

Dan Burkholder: iPhone Photo Workshop

This weekend, we hosted a great two-day workshop on iPhone/iPad photography by Dan Burkholder. The event was co-sponsored by the Accidental Gallery, and organized by Mitch Brown. Mitch also provided the coffee and pastries both mornings.

Despite being a little drafty, The Boardwalk space worked out perfectly. Friday I mopped the floors to wipe up the first few layers of drywall dust and globs of mud. I also installed a new toilet seat in the bathroom!

The class was two full days from 9-4. We had about 15 participants from as far away as Austin, Texas. It was exhausting! But, we learned so much. Dan walked us through a bunch of different apps and showed us how to layer visual effects to maximize their impact. He was incredibly knowledgable, and an all-round nice guy.

I certainly improved my understanding of the technology.

Bright Spots

Our friend, Dario Nigro, who made the work tables for our classes, fashioned these beautiful vertical storage shelves. They are slotted to hold canvases and panels, and are outfitted with casters so they can be rolled into storage. One amusing detail is that the top and bottom edges are rounded and tapered as if they were pieces of fine furniture. With all the plaster dust from drywalling, mudding and sanding, they have already come in handy.

Later on we plan to hire him to create drawing "horses". These are benches that have a raised arm for leaning a drawing board against. They are quite comfortable.

We received our sidewalk plaque from Vital Signs! It looks great. It is made from a PVC material so it's virtually indestructible!

You may remember the handmade sign I created from a piece of plywood. That one is still hanging by the front door. But it is under the covered sidewalk to keep it from getting overexposed to the elements.

Hit the Ground Running! Tables, Fans and Classes...

Last weekend we had a great turn out for the Boston Mini-Marathon. Lots of people stopped by the tour the space. Several people expressed interest in classes for their kids and themselves. It was nice to open up the building and have people see what we've been up to.

All this activity has come at a bit of a cost. Due to all the tearing down, hammering and hauling stuff away, I have developed a painful case of tennis elbow in my left arm. This is particularly bad since I am left handed. It really inhibits my grip strength and carrying ability. I have been stretching it and keeping a compression sleeve on it. It will get better for a few days, then I do something to re-agrivate it. Hopefully, I can rest it soon so it can completely heal.

At the first of the week we commissioned our friend, Dario, to make work tables using the old display platforms that were left over from the hardware store. He made two tall ones and three shorter ones. The two taller ones are pictured here in our back covered area. They will be perfect for classes. In fact, they came in handy this weekend!

Dario is a native of Italy. He moved here with his wife and two daughters a couple of years ago. He is a master carpenter, and used to restore old Tuscan villas back in his home country. He is an all-round nice guy too!

Friday, we also received our shipment of hand fans! They have our logo and contact info on them. Can't wait to hand them out to friends and customers. Christine and Amanda, at Marketing Communications (who also designed our logo), are to thank for the job well done! The idea to get fans made came from Lori. They make a great marketing tool!

We held our first official event in The Boardwalk. It was a German Folk Painting class, taught by Liesa Battka, from Thomasville. She is a native of Germany, and is certified in the technique. We had a great group of adults, and a few kids, learning the traditional techniques that can be applied to cabinets, walls, chairs or other items. Liesa will be back for two more Saturdays later in the month. 

Liesa showed some of her own examples of work. The class practiced the simple techniques, such as the "comma stroke", the dot, and loading painting with two colors at once, that can be used to great effect. 

Next week The Boardwalk will host an iPhone/iPad photography workshop with Dan Burkholder. This class is offered in cooperation with the Accidental Gallery. Mitch Brown is responsible for bringing this well-known artist to our small community. 

So much is happening in little Boston, GA! We feel so privileged to be a part of it.