Baby Starbuck

IMG_2176a, originally uploaded by hector.acuna.

Baby mania around here! Casey Starbuck Weeks-Acuna, born on July 6, 2009. We’ve been blessed with the arrival of baby Casey this summer.

Tucson, Starbuck, and Stencil Art

Following the Arizona dog show circuit to the Cañada del Oro Kennel Club Dog Show with another delightful visit to the Old Pueblo. Pretty sure you’ve figured by now, regardless of where we live. Tucson will always be in our hearts. The not-so-small city with the sleepy character, artsy downtown, and adobe barrios is always a welcome change of pace from the petrol-powered hysteria of Metro Phoenix.

We never see more people moving about on their bicycles than when we’re in Tucson. There’s traffic congestion, but the pace of activity has a mellow feel. The streets in the central part of the city are narrower and seem to congeal the traffic and deter the suburbanites from penetrating the town’s core.

“Every time I see an adult on a bicycle, I no longer despair for the future of the human race.” – H. G. Wells

Dog showing was a relative success. Brady dog did well at both of his runs and earned a major win. He’s only a couple of points away from his championship. We traveled with only two dogs this time. Sadie and Kirby stayed home.

This here is a photo of Gigit. She came along for moral support. Also showing up to support Team DesertSHore Border Collies was Tucson friend, Michele. She braved the 8 AM ring time to see Brady take a Best-of-Opposite. We did a little bit of catching  up at the show, but with such an early ring-time and the whole day ahead of us, we blew off the remainder fo the dog show to enjoy the day in Tucson.

It’s dog show season in Southern Arizona

IMG_2719, originally uploaded by hector.acuna.

Yes, it’s dog show season in Southern Arizona. And we just finished the five straight days of Fiesta Cluster dog shows in Scottsdale. Lisa was showing both her own dog, the champion Border Collie Sadie, and Brady. Brady is still earning his championship points. It was a good weekend for both with Sadie picking up a Best of Breed (BOB) and Best of Opposite Sex (BOS) and Brady picking up his first major win worth four points.

This was our second show this season. Kicking it off with the Lost Dutchman Kennel Club show and the Sahuaro State Kennel Club shows, back-to-back in the week end of Feb 5 through 8. Both Sadie and Brady were shown during the weekend. Not a stellar set of shows for the dogs, with the most noteworthy event being my very first time in the show ring! That’s right, for as long as I’ve been attending show with Lisa and her dogs I’ve never had to actually show a dog. My job is taking pictures, loading and unloading, and eating hot dogs. When Lisa found herself short of friends to help her show I had to step up. Oh boy, I’d seen it done a thousand times, all I had to do is do as I’d seen done by all those pro handlers. It’s all about attitude I tell myself. Think like a pro and I’ll look like pro.

Herding Fun Day-Arizona

EVENT PHOTOS on my flickr pages

IMG_7557, originally uploaded by hector.acuna.

In conjunction with Molly Wisecarver and Double- M Stockdogs,
the Border Collie Club of Arizona sponsors a
Herding Fun Day

Saturday, December 13, 2008
8:00 AM through 4:00 PM
At Fire & Ice Kennels, Mayer AZ

Events include:
Large Field Ranch Courses, Agility style
If you have been to Molly’s “Ranch Days,” you know that this is unlike anything you’ll get to do—and WAY more fun! Real ranch work elements—trailer loading, footbaths & the works!—with a grab bag of courses drawn up agility-style.

Herding Instinct Evaluations
Not a formal instinct test, but a fun evaluation of your Border Collie or other herding breed’s innate stock savvy!

Pay to Play Arena work
Practice on your own in actual ASCA and AKC trial arenas

All work is on sheep or goats—no duck work. ALL LEVELS WELCOME.
Premiums available soon!
Email Lisa Weeks for more information
weeksie@cox.net

Anyone else tired of this look?

I wonder if 38 year-old Shepard Fairey was aware of the visual phenom he would start when he designed Obama’s iconic posters. The art is a nice mix of Communist propaganda and graffiti stencil styles in muted blues and the Commie red, all in the “big face” trademark of OBEY GIANT. I truly enjoyed its debut.

Faireys

Unfortunately the longest election season EVER has soured me on this look. I love the original, but I’ve grown weary of the knock-offs. Sure, sure, I get it, Obama changed your life. You have a new middle name and it’s Hussein. Well, super!

Enough! Please!

What’s next? Ronald McDonald in the Fairey style? This baby is cooked, please move on!

"Street" artist Fairey

Tapestry Of Wool And Art

In early October I received an invitation to an art Opening at the Heard Museum’s Berlin Gallery, the museum’s two-year-old commercial venture. Aside the from the museum shop that is. The invite came in the form of e-mail from artist Marla Allison and a subsequent post-card from the gallery. I met Marla during this year’s Indian Fair and Market. Marla is considered an emerging artist in the Native American arts scene, winning awards during The Market, and now featured at the Berlin Gallery. The Laguna, New Mexico, artist’s work is modern, expressionist-abstract, with ventures in experimental multimedia.

While we missed the opportunity to see Marla at the opening for the current Berlin show, we found ourselves lured to the Heard Museum by an exhibit-market of Navajo Master Weavers held November 1, 2008. The weavers’ market featured such master weavers as Ellamae Peterson, Florence Manygoats, Brenda Spenser, and many other great artists. The marketplace included demonstrations of the various aspects of weaving and related materials and tools.

We also took the opportunity to see the show at Berlin Gallery, our first visit. The gallery’s focus is the sale of national caliber, contemporary, Native American art. The current show, “Indigenous + Innovative”, running through December 28, 2008, features the works of Steven Yazzie, Tony Abeyta, Allan Houser, Marla Allison, Joe Feddersen and other great artist. Every piece worth the visit to this art space. But we would have to give the show prize to Joe Feddersen and his masterful glass work. Feddersen, an accomplished print-maker with work in collections at Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian and the Whitney Museum of American Art, is also a sculptor and is displaying a series of gorgeous glass pieces. These blown glass pieces are from a series of work begun during his residency at the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, Washington. Inspired and based on traditional fishing traps the art captures traditional lines of a basket trap, encased in smooth and precise glass shapes embedded with color they render a rather modern outline.

Comida Chingona

IMG_1280, originally uploaded by hector.acuna.

With the smell of politics in the air we are compelled to support the Calexico/Giffords ticket for congress with a 48-hour campaign road-trip. First a stop at Martin’s on Fourth Avenue for a fuel-up before the event just up the street at the Rialto theatre.

Dinner for me was a chicken mole torta with side of rice & beans and a Tamarindo drink. Lisa had the daily special Fish Tacos.  Martin’s Comida Chingona is BYOB, closest and regularly priced wine & beer is at Time Market Deli down the street on University. Brooklyn Pizza has a pricey beer to go across the street. Word is, if you time it right, you can catch the trolley car and be back with a sixer in no-time. We were joined by Doug, the executive director of the Congress Street Historic Theatres Foundation, a Tucson Weekly columnist and his wife Jennifer, a mad fiber artist.

We would have walked over to the Rialto venue, but the 4th Avenue underpass connecting the Avenue to the Congress area is not quite open. I believe the plan is converting the historic underpass to a pedestrian-only thoroughfare.

Another great performance from Calexico and a full compliment of Mariachis, and as usual Doug was a terrific host.  But really Congresswoman Giffords was the throwing this shindig. Had a chance to greet, congratulate and wish her luck later in the evening. Surprised she remembered me, having met her a few years ago, but that’s a quality you need to have as a successful politician. She’s a nice lady, we were glad to contribute to her campaign. Go Cactus Roots!

Jim Adkins projected on Rialto wall

Dogshow Weekend Near Prescott, Arizona

IMG_9251, originally uploaded by hector.acuna.

Another dog show weekend for us. Saturday and Sunday were spent in higher country of Chino Valley. A nice way of trading in the 100+ degree weekend for the cool 80s. A friend, Molly, let us spend the night at her ranch to save us the 2-hour trip down to The Valley of the Sun.

Staying at the ranch gave Lisa an opportunity to get a little herding practice with Gigit and Sadie after the show. There’s a bunch of images from the dog show and herding practice at my Flickr page. We had four dogs with us, Gigit Sadie, Kirby and Brady.

Welcoming lawn jockey

What, no more politics? Nope, that’s it. I do all my politics blogging on other sites. Besides, I love dirty-blogging. You know, spreading lies, rumors, and misdirection. This blog is for my friends and family and I certainly would not want my mommy to see more images of Palin in her underpants.

Anyway, Molly and family were fine hosts. As mentioned, the dogs had an opportunity to run around and do their dog stuff. Later in the evening the group gathered around a fire pit to shoot the bull, followed by some grilling of the cow. Delicious burgers made from a local cow. Really local. Like from “over there” kind of local. Sorry cow, but you were delicious!

The dog show went well. I entertained myself by taking pictures while Lisa and the Border Collies did the show thing. Brady ended up doing well,

Making Smores over the new fire pit

picking up a point on the second day. First day Lisa decided to pull him. Seems there was an incident in the ring. A young dog decided to take bite out of the judge’s hand, which made the whole scene very tense and that included Brady. The disruption was significant with paramedics tending to the judge for some time. See some photos from the show here: Prescott Dog Show

Dog Show Time!

IMG_8991, originally uploaded by hector.acuna.

Dog show weekend in Santa Barbara, California. Lisa and I, accompanied by our three dogs and a guest dog trekked out to SB for a three-day dog show weekend. We all crammed into the ‘88 Isuzu Trooper for the 7-hour drive to the west coast city. We stayed with friend Sonja Donaldson at her Goletta home just north of Santa Barbara. Thanks Sonja!

Weather for the shows was awesome. The usual coastal overcast mornings, then sunny afternoons. Not the hellish heat we’re getting this time of year in Arizona. It was a good break. The light was great for photos too. I’m not a fan of the indoor dog shows. Not just because of the lights, but the dogs running on carpet or concrete is just not cool. Grass is where it’s at!

Friday was the Simi Valley Kennel club dog show, then Saturday and Sunday was the Santa Barbara dog show.

Ryan Singer Pays a Visit

niece_IMG_1199, originally uploaded by hector.acuna.

My friend Ryan Singer stopped by to have a couple of his paintings photographed. I do that for him whenever I can to keep a record of his work and to distribute to publications. One of those paintings was this beautiful portrait. This image just doesn’t do it justice. As in much of Ryan’s work, the colors were brilliant, impossible to reproduce photos. This is a special piece. I really hope I get to see it again in person.