Fall Retreat '08

Well, it's been a busy past few days here at the Carrillo Camp. Thursday we did T-day at the Carrillo house, Friday T-day at the Peterson's. By the way, kudos to my vegetarian mother on a pretty awesome turkey meal ;)
I stayed up painting this piece after the boys went to sleep that night until 2 am on Saturday. My girlfriend Hazel was having her baby shower on Saturday afternoon and I made this for the baby's room. Looked nice matted and framed.
I didn't get to see her open it though, because we were on our way to Camp Wrightwood for Fall Retreat '08. It's always such a good time. Mike & I were especially looking forward to this year because year '06 I was pregnant, and year '07 we had Bodie Bear with us... So this year was kid free and carefree! Here are some pics...
This cool bat skeleton they have on display.

Our neighbors and good friends the Poopies joined us this year for Fall Retreat.

A nice little table-scape before the meal. I wish I'd taken pictures of the food. Sloan made two Prime Rib Roasts, A rack of Lamb, garlic mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, & spinach with a balsamic sauce. Killer.
Here's Joseph and the pups.

I busted on some tree cookies like the old camp counselor days. I decided that it would be my yearly contribution. Everyone who goes up for Fall Retreat gets one.

So everyone got a little owl painting. I was quite impressed with myself that I managed to do all of this after drinking a hundred glasses of wine.

After dinner, hanging out, slapping bones, lazing by the fire...
L to R are Sloan, Matt, Christa, Julie and Tom

Sloan and Joseph had a coyote get hit by a car and die out in front of their camp last year. It was in really good shape so they found a taxidermist and had him stuffed. He hangs proudly on the wall of the lodge. Pretty cool.

Yeah, Sloan, I don't think we drank enough that night....
and what was this about anyway?

Super cute picture of Mike & Jami with their pups Lenny & Gigi.

Man that's always a good time. Thanks Sloan & Joseph for the good food and the hospitality. We seriously can't wait for '09!

So here are the other two pieces for the Hank of Oz show. I sent off the artwork today. "Flyin' Monkey Airlines"


And "Glenda's Beauty Salve"


This past week has been so busy. Last weekend we were double booked on Saturday night. Here's Hazel and I at her baby shower/ last hoorah. She looks so adorable pregnant. I can remember how weird it was for her to see me pregnant with Dylan.. and that's how I'm feeling now. It's just so surreal to see her this way.


And then it was onto MModern Gallery in Palm Springs for Brandon Steen's solo show "Gunky Gave me Cash". Here are Mike & I with Brandon and his lovely Miss Jane...

His work looks SOOOO super amazing!

I really like this picture of the two of them!

Saturday night they came out our way for some grub and some good company. The Soto's came by as well, which was totally cool! Here are Dylan and Shannon doubling up in Thomas.

Mom and Bodie Bear...

I really love this shot of all of us together. It was such a memorable night. I enjoyed it to the hilt!

Whew! Then if all of that excitement weren't enough... we took the boys to Disneyland on Wednesday. It was Bodie's first time to the Happiest Place on Earth. The carousel became his true love. We had major issues every time it stopped and we had to get off...

Dylan's a big carousel fan as well...

Watching the Pixar Play Parade. Dylan loves it... Bodie was left a little mistified.

That was a great time. And it was the most empty I had ever seen Disneyland in my life. We walked right onto every ride imaginable. awesome.
Welp, we're gearing up now for the Holiday weekend. Thursday meal at Mike's parents' house, Friday meal at my folks... and then Fall Retreat '08 on Saturday!!! Whoopee!

Heartless

I'm going to have a few pieces in the upcoming Alcove Gallery show "Hank of OZ"
It's funny, I never really saw the movie growing up...I actually saw it once and that was while I was in Art School because I was doing a painting involving flying monkeys. In a weird twist of fate, it was actually on television last night. I thought I'd try and sit the boys down and watch it... but that didn't really work out. At any rate, here's the finish on the first piece "Heartless".
I thought I'd include a pic of the sketch. I enjoy seeing the sketches behind the work.

And in paint...

Some close up bits....


The boys are staying the night with their Nana & Pops tonight. Our good friends Mark & Hazel Delgado are having a baby and tonight is their Baby Shower/ Last Hoorah....we'll have to leave the Hoorah a little early and scoot over to M Modern Gallery to meet up with Brandon Steen for his solo show later tonight! Then he and Miss Jane are coming over tomorrow for some good eats and hang time. It's going to be a fun, full weekend for us... and of course, I ended up with a zit right between my eyes. I thought that was supposed to go away with puberty.
Pictures of the weekend and other Oz paintings coming soon!!

Happy Halloween!!!!

Hope you all had a fantastic one! I had so much fun this year, I can't wait to do it all again in 364! On Thursday, Dylan and I carved our pumpkins while Bodie napped. Here's Dyl striking a rather jack-o-lanternesque pose...


And here are the finished products. I love carving pumpkins... it's a shame there aren't more holidays that require it.


This year we roasted the pumpkin seeds!

Friday morning Dylan's preschool was having a Halloween party and trick-or-treating throughout the school offices. Here's a little girl from Dylan's class. This could very well be the best costume EVER!

Nana, Bodie, and Dylan. Yes... he's Thomas the Train. We found a train conductor outfit at Toys R Us, and then I threw down on a cardboard box with some poster paint. I thought it came out pretty cool.

Yummy, scary cupcake cakes!

And here's Dylan all ready to go trick-or-treating later that night.

I was all set to dress Bodie up as a lion. But when I tried to get him into the costume that day, I belatedly discovered he was too tall and too big for it. Looked more like a little stuffed sausage than a lion. So a quick plan two was to make Bodie a train conductor also. Oh well, I really wasn't expecting him to do the door-to-door thing, and he didn't. That's not his speed yet. He was much happier rolling in the stroller just watching everything.

Our friend Leslie brought her niece and nephew over to do some Halloweenin' in our neighborhood.
After the kids were wiped out, and we were back home, I painted up Leslie's face for a Halloween bash that she was going to later that night. I've never done any face painting before... it was pretty fun. Plus it was cool for Dylan to see the transformation process. It gave him a better understanding that some of the scary costumes he saw last night were just plain ol' people with make-up on.
I'll sign off with the BOO-ti-ful jack-o-lanterns!!! Happy Halloween everybody!!