Made in Mississippi

NEW PORTRAIT: ROBERT EARL MATHIS

2011-12-19T11:47:00.000-06:00

Robert Earl Mathis, acrylic on wood panel, 26 in. x 20 in., 2011

My friend Andy trusted me enough to paint this portrait of his step-father, Robert Earl Mathis, better known as "Doc", who passed away just a couple of years ago. Andy sent lots of emails with stories about tractors and overalls and eyeglasses. And lucky me, I got to paint a couple of pimento jars. But painting Doc's likeness was especially satisfying. I really feel like I got to know him, as I painted every stripe on those overalls, every hair in those bushy eyebrows.

Thanks, Andy, for asking me to make this painting.

COME HOME, JACKSON

2011-12-13T13:44:00.001-06:00

Sofia at 8 mos. with Jackson in 2010

Our dog Jackson has gone missing. Please think good thoughts to help bring him home.

HEN PARTY

2011-12-12T16:17:00.000-06:00

Sofia got 6 hens for her birthday this year. They're all fun (and lay a lot of eggs!), but Henrietta is her favorite. She follows Sofia everywhere and loves a good cuddle.

AMY ART ON EATOCRACY, CNN's FOOD BLOG!

2011-12-02T16:31:00.002-06:00

Fellow MICA alumna Kat Kinsman is responsible for this awesomeness. We've known each other through the SFA for a while but only just discovered that we went to art school together--ahem--20 years ago.

From Eatocracy:

We get food crushes sometimes…This time it's Amy Evans Streeter, who we'd always known as the oral historian for the Southern Foodways Alliance. In this capacity, she oversees the organization's efforts to record and archive interviews with Southerners who grow, create, serve, and consume food and drink, so their words and wisdom are preserved for future generations.

That would be reason enough to adore her, but as it happens, she's also an exceptionally gifted painter who, naturally, uses food as the nexus of many of her visual narratives. Her work documents small, intimate histories of characters who we'll never actually meet, but we certainly know the likes of. Read more...

Thanks, Kat!

CRICKETS

2011-12-02T14:38:00.019-06:00

Looks like I took an unplanned break from the blog--a year-long break, as it turns out. I've missed it. And I've missed you! I plan to get back on the blogging wagon in 2012, so check back soon for more things seen and eaten and done and, of course, made in Mississippi.

LET IT SNOW!

2011-01-11T14:09:00.000-06:00

Oxford usually gets a little bit of snow each winter, but it doesn't usually stick. On Sunday we got ten inches! The town has shut down, and we've been snowbound here at Damselfly Creek. Nothing like a good excuse to stay in your jammies and drink a lot of hot cocoa.

The pond.

The gate.

The studio!

And our old girl Pearl. She's never seen anything like this before!

FRAMES FROM DAMSELFLY CREEK DESIGNS, A.K.A. MY HUSBAND, KURT!

2010-12-13T16:27:00.000-06:00

Kurt has been busy in his workshop, creating some gorgeous frames made from reclaimed wood. Featured here are just to of his designs. The frame on the left is made with redwood, old barn siding, and a cattle tag. The frame on the right is made with cypress and has red cedar inlays. So gorgeous. And the backs of the frames are as beautiful as the fronts!

Check out his blog (!), Damselfly Creek Designs, to see more of his handiwork.

LET THERE BE PIE!

2010-12-02T10:17:00.006-06:00

Real pie, felt pie, pie of all kinds!

I made this little felt ornament for the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council's annual holiday party and ornament auction, which happens to be tonight. I'm making many more for the booth Kurt and I will have at YAC's holiday art market next weekend (Kurt's making some gorgeous frames from reclaimed wood). So, if you're near Oxford, MS, and looking for some handmade goodness, stop by our booth at the Powerhouse Dec. 10 through 12--even if you just want to say hello!

Hope to see you there!

Mmm, pie!

***

UPDATE: The ornament-making workshop is in full effect! If you're interested in purchasing one of these little gems, drop me a line at amy(@)amyevansstreeter.com. They're $15 each + $5 S&H. I'll accept PayPal payments or personal checks *NOTE: I also have ornaments with red backgrounds. And, one more thing, I ran out of the sweet "Made Especially for you by Amy C Evans" labels, but I've created another one, so there's now a handmade label on the reverse of each ornament.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

A HANDMADE STUDIO

2010-11-18T16:28:00.001-06:00

Compliments of my husband the carpenter. Thanks, Kurt!

PIE + BACON = YES, PLEASE!

2010-11-16T14:24:00.003-06:00

DOT WAS RUNNING LATE, SO SHE THREW HER BREAKFAST IN HER PURSE AND HEADED OUT THE DOOR

Acrylic on wood | 12 in. x 12 in. | 2010

* * *

What could be better than a fried sweet potato pie with a side of bacon? Not a single little thing.

I've been wanting to paint a Hubig's pie for ages, and I finally did it. I had so much fun, though, that I just might have to do it again.

PORTRAIT OF ONE MIGHTY SPECIAL PUP

2010-11-10T16:47:00.004-06:00

June Bug Johnson by Amy Evans Streeter, 2010

This is a short story about how art--and pie--can connect people.

A handful of years ago, a couple in Maine was given one of my paintings as a gift. That, alone, is pretty amazing, if you ask me. But the receivers of said gift became so enamored of my work that they contacted me about doing a commission. A handful of years later, Bob and Sonja are friends, and their house is full of Amy art. What's more, though, is that they happen to own a bakery. How could I not become fast friends with peole who make pie for a living?!

This summer, Bob contacted me about ding an extra-special something for Sonja's birthday. After a few emails back and forth, we decided on a perfect subject for the painting: their dog, June Bug Johnson.

I've never done a commissioned portrait before, much less a dog portrait, but since I'd gotten to know Bob and Sonja over the years and knew of their love for June Bug, I decided to give it a whirl. I'm glad I did. June Bug was such a wonderful subject, and I loved fitting in little notes and things to help illustrate her personality, her family, and her world. There's her favorite octopus toy; a nod to the wilds of Maine, where June Bug loves to run; a copper cookie cutter next to the bunny cookie she gets as a treat every morning; and, most of all, a little love note to her parents, Sonja and Bob.

Bob emailed me this picture of June Bug sitting next to her portrait on the day it was hung. Even though she doesn't look too terribly impressed, Bob and Sonja assure me she likes it.

I hope that we can all wind up in the same place one of these days to meet in person and share some pie.

***

I had so much fun with this portrait that I look forward to the next. If you're interested in a portrait of any kind, please get in touch! Drop me a line at amy(a)amyevansstreeter.com

GOOD MORNING, SUNSHINE!

2010-09-15T16:27:00.001-05:00

Good Morning, Sunshine!

Acrylic on wood | 9 in. x 6 in. | 2010

NEW WORK @ AMELIA THIS WEEKEND!

2010-09-09T10:09:00.002-05:00

Margie Arrived Home from the Party and Decided to Fry Up Some Bacon

Acrylic on wood | 10 in. x 8 in. | 2010

I'll have nine new paintings on view at Amelia here in Oxford, MS, September 11 through the end of October. There's an opening reception this Saturday, September 11, from 5 to 9 p.m. It's the store's one-year anniversary, too, so come on by, if you can.

I hope to have all of the new pieces on my website soon, so check back for updates. I'll post a Flickr link, if nothing else.

PAINTING PREVIEW: PIE (AND A BISCUIT)

2010-09-08T12:26:00.000-05:00

INSPIRATION FROM THE GAS STATION

2010-08-28T22:54:00.000-05:00

I hit a creative wall yesterday afternoon and needed to take a little breather from the studio, so I got in the car and drove down the road to the gas station to get a cold drink. While I was there, I surveyed the aisles for bits of inspiration and came home with this little collection of treasures.

I've painted the Prairie Belt sausage can before, but it's worth having on a shelf in my studio because I love it so. I've painted a cracker before, too, but this mini-pack is just too cute. And how awesome is it that the gas station down the road has pimentos? I guess you never know when a craving for pimento cheese will hit.

I guess you never know when inspiration will hit, either.

PAINTING PREVIEW: COUNTRY HAM

2010-08-27T10:16:00.000-05:00

PAINTING PREVIEW: DONUT

2010-08-27T10:13:00.001-05:00

BEEN SPENDING A LOT OF TIME IN HERE LATELY

2010-08-27T10:11:00.000-05:00

I took a few days off of work to spend some quality time in the studio, getting ready for my upcoming show at Amelia here in Oxford. This is the first good little stretch of time that I've had to spend in this gorgeous space, and I am already spoiled. It's such a bright, airy, happy place to be, never mind the awesome commute from my back door. I've also discovered the joys of getting to leave my workspace as is, not having to worry about cleaning up and putting this away, which, I have to say, is incredibly satisfying. Just to know that pieces are sitting there, just waiting for me to come work on them, makes me anxious to get back out there.

I'm also anxious to get back out there just to spend time in this nest. I'm all moved in and surrounded by things of beauty and inspiration.

I've made a deal with myself: spend time in the studio every day. It doesn't matter if it's just to look at a book or prime a panel, just be in this space.

I think I can do that.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS

2010-08-23T21:21:00.000-05:00

It took five years to change my name and one more to have that name reflected on my website: AmyCEvans.com is now AmyEvansStreeter.com. I look forward to feeling just a bit less schizophrenic.

ELIZABETH YARBOROUGH'S FINGER FOOD RINGS

2010-08-23T11:14:00.000-05:00

Image via Yarborough Jewelry

Elizabeth Yarborough's rag rug bracelets are featured in the current issue of Garden & Gun, but a visit to her website led me to her fabulous line called "Finger Food," a collection of miniature foods set atop sterling bands.

Pie bling, anyone? Yes, please!

NEW WORK TO SHOW AT AMELIA IN OXFORD, MS - OPENS ON 9/11/10

2010-08-19T10:42:00.000-05:00

Ethel Loved Breakfast In Bed. Too Bad She Had to Make It For Herself.

Acrylic on wood, 14 in. x 18 in., 2010

* * *

Yep, it's true: I'm back in the studio, making new work! This painting is part of a show I'm having at Amelia in Oxford, MS, that will open on September 11 and run through October 25 or thereabouts. If you're in the Oxford area, stop on by and say hello. It's going to be a heck of an opening because it's also Amelia's one-year anniversary.

For more on Amelia, a gem of a store that's packed to the gills with all things design-y, craft-y and awesome, go here.

To see more of my new paintings, hold tight. I've got to put in some more time in the studio before I upload everything to my website. I'll be sure to let y'all know when you can take a peek.

Until then, send me good studio mojo, so I can get these paintings finished!

SOMEONE MADE ME AN EASEL!

2010-08-19T10:39:00.000-05:00

As if building me a studio in the woods wasn't enough, Kurt built me an easel, too! Gorgeous, right? And oh, so practical. I'd been wanting one for a while. For years, I've worked on small paintings at this table. But I've been wanting to create some larger pieces, so Kurt gave me the ultimate easel hook-up. And it fits this space beautifully. I think Jackson likes it, too.

INSPIRATION (CULINARY AND CREATIVE)

2010-08-06T08:41:00.001-05:00

BREAKING IN THE NEW STUDIO. FINALLY.

2010-07-30T16:51:00.000-05:00

I just finished a commission for some friends, and, man, was it great to work in this space.

I'm going to be spending a lot more time in there soon because I'm having a little show of paintings here in Oxford at Amelia, which will open on September 11. I am so excited to be creating a new body of work. Check back here for peeks and previews.

Also, apologies for the crickets around here lately. It's been a busy summer filled with work and travel and a baby and not much time to paint.

More to come!

DEATH AT THE PHILADELPHIA ART MUSEUM

2010-05-09T20:50:00.000-05:00

%$#@&*^!

2010-05-03T21:18:00.000-05:00

STUDIO NESTING UPDATE: THE LAMP

2010-04-30T16:41:00.001-05:00

The last time my mom was in town, we went for some retail therapy at a local antique mall, and I found this cute little vintage lamp. But I didn't get this lamp. While I loved it, it didn't have a shade, and I didn't feel like doing the shade errand, if you know what I mean, so I walked away. But when my mom and I met for lunch the day she was leaving town, she surprised me with it. I'm so very glad she did. It was one of those things that you talk yourself out of getting, but then you can't stop thinking about it once you get home. And so, of course, I had to do the shade errand. But, thankfully, there is a place called Target that had the perfect shade in the perfect color for the perfect price, making this the perfect little studio lamp.

Once again, perfect.

STUDIO NESTING UPDATE: THE COUCH

2010-04-25T16:02:00.002-05:00

No studio is complete without the requisite comfy sitting area to be used for lounging, reading, thinking and napping. I went shopping for the perfect couch a couple of weeks ago, and, wouldn't you know it, the thing was nowhere to be found--at least not in Oxford, Mississippi. When I returned home from my unsuccessful search, Kurt shared a brilliant idea: have the icky vinyl-covered couch on the porch of his man cave reupholstered. Genius! And what a perfect couch it became with the simple addition of some bright red cotton twill.

You know what makes this couch even more perfect? It's a hide-a-bed! So now we have a place for visiting friends and family to sleep when the studio turns into a guesthouse.

Perfect.

FIRST LOOK: MOVING IN

2010-03-20T20:58:00.001-05:00

I spent most of the day cleaning out my old studio, getting rid of lots of junk and organizing all of my art supplies and studio treasures. It felt good to purge. It also felt good to touch paint and brushes again, if only to pack them into a box. I still have lots of purging and packing to do, but, with Kurt's help, I managed to get a few small loads of things down to the new space.

I still managed to do a wee bit of nesting in the new space, though, setting up a work area and eyeing where other things should go.

This windowsill was made to hold cans of brushes.

And the shelves with the sweet scalloped trim were made to hold lots of books and tchotchkes. Not many books made it down there today, though. I have to dig out a bunch more that I squirreled away in our attic, oh, about four years ago when we bought our house. I also get to open the box of tchotchkes that I packed away before Sofia arrived and cherry-pick some perfect little objects to scatter around this new space and make it feel just a little bit more like home.

So there's lots more to do, but I couldn't be more thrilled with the little bit that's been done. This is one heck of an inspirational space. Once I'm all moved in, I may never want to leave.

GUESS WHAT TIME IT IS!

2010-03-19T14:53:00.000-05:00

Yep, it's time to MOVE INTO THE STUDIO! I can hardly believe that this day has finally arrived. Between broken wrists, cold winters and a new baby, getting this thing finished has been a long time coming. It's all been worth the wait, though, of course. And this weekend, this beautiful building will be filled with books and paints and wood and things. I'm looking oh-so forward to some studio nesting.

Although it's going to be hard to clutter this pristine white space. It's not quite this white anymore, though. Since these pictures were taken back in November, the floor has been painted a beautiful mossy shade of green.

The scalloped shelf details were a special request to duplicate the shelves in Kurt's grandmother's kitchen in Michigan. I cannot wait to fill them with books and tchotchkes.

Many, many move-in details to come.

Thanks, Kurt, for building your wife the studio of her dreams!

Go here to see photos of its construction.

MORE ART THAT I LOVE

2010-03-18T17:25:00.001-05:00

I made a post about Matt LaFleur's work three years ago, after purchasing one of his drawings in Carborro, NC. Soon after buying this piece, I set about trying to find more info on Matt and his work online, but the Internet well was dry. Since that time, though, one of Matt's friends and even Matt himself have sent me emails, letting me know what this chimney sweep/artist is up to and, fairly recently, that he finally has a website called Wood and Paint. There's not a lot there, but you can definitely get more of a feel for his work and even contact him with questions, compliments or commissions (that last part is just an assumption).

I might have to contact him to add to my collection.

CHROMATIC VALUE SCALE IN GREEN

2010-03-17T13:45:00.000-05:00

(Image via Serious Eats)

Josef Albers would be proud. So would my 2-D design teacher from my days at MICA. Oh, ChromaRama paper, I do not miss you. No one else does, either, evidently. This is the only evidence of ChromaRama I could find online. Color Aid has stood the test of time, though, and I assume it's still loathed by art students everywhere. This cake would've been a fabulous class project. Hindsight, it is 20/20. And sweet. And green.

Happy St. Paddy's Day.

PIE VS. CAKE

2010-03-16T13:49:00.002-05:00

(Images via Hyperbole and A Half)

The great pie vs. cake debate is over! Pie wins, hands down, of course.

Thanks to Hyperbole and A Half for such thorough reporting on this subject.

AMY ART IN THE OXFORD AMERICAN

2010-03-09T13:22:00.001-06:00

Check out the current issue of the Oxford American, where you'll find my paining, They're Red Hot, illustrating an article on hot tamales by Wright Thompson. It's their annual food issue, so it's some good reading, y'all. You might want to have a napkin handy.

THE 32ND FLAVOR?

2010-02-28T15:38:00.001-06:00

A Baskin-Robbins taster spoon in the chili sauce at Saigon Le in Memphis.

WILL WORK 4 ART

2010-02-25T14:41:00.000-06:00

Seen in Decatur, AL, February 2010

THE EVOLUTION OF COLOR

2010-01-26T14:29:00.000-06:00

Crayola Color Chart 1903-2010 via Damn, Gina.

¡FELIZ QUINCEAÑERA!

2010-01-07T10:36:00.003-06:00

Elise Did Want Something Different; She Wanted A Piece of Cake

2008 acrylic on wood 8.75 in. x 8.75 in.

Koelsch Gallery is turning fifteen and will be having a quinceañera fiesta to celebrate, as well as an exhibition of work by gallery artists. I've been with Koelsch for about eleven of those fifteen years and sure do wish I could join the party. But even though I won't be there, my paintings will, so if you're in Houston, make sure to stop by the gallery on Thursday, January 21, from 6 to 9 p.m.

Have a margarita for me, Franny. ¡Salud!

LET IT SNOW!

2010-01-07T10:17:00.000-06:00

The view from our front porch this morning.

PIE!

2009-11-28T11:56:00.000-06:00

I know Sofia has her own blog and all, but since I talk about pie so much here (and since I haven't made a post in a while), I thought I'd share this photo of Sofia's first slice. This girl is going to grow up with a passion for pie, if her Mama has anything to do with it.

SLEEP DEPRIVATION INSPIRES PROJECT

2009-10-27T00:34:00.000-05:00

Yep, I created a blog for Sofia: Born in Mississippi. Thought it best that she have her own Internet presence, since I know she's going to have a lot to share with the world. In fact, Sofia may just turn out to be a more prolific blogger than her mama.

SOFIA GRACE STREETER

2009-10-24T14:33:00.008-05:00

We welcomed Sofia Grace Streeter into the world at 5:11 p.m. on Wednesday, October 21, 2009. She weighed six pounds, six ounces, was 19 inches long and showed off quite a set of lungs.

Mama and Sofia just seconds after birth.

Mama and Sofia, both tired but clean.

Already wearing a smile.

Believe it or not, we have yet to document a single moment since we came home from the hospital yesterday but plan to soon. Meantime, we're giving Mama some time to recover and Jackson (the dog) and Bingo (the cat) some time to get used to the idea of having a baby in the house. So far, so good.

A FLOOR TO REMEMBER

2009-10-20T19:16:00.008-05:00

We've lived in this house for three years. On Saturday, Kurt started installing a new wood floor. And just yesterday (Monday), we found out that our baby will be arriving ten days early, as in...tomorrow! Yep, Kurt not only pulled this one out at the eleventh hour, he did a fabulous job and put the house back together in record time. And it turns out that living in a house that's topsy-turvy for a handful of days, with every other room filled to the gills with the furniture and knickknacks from the living room, was really worth it. Because this was one of those jobs that, if it didn't get done now, it might never get done.

And now this beautifully stained wood floor will forever be a reminder of the few days before the arrival of our beautiful little girl, Sofia. We can't wait to welcome her home.

RIDE 'EM, BINGO!

2009-09-29T16:33:00.000-05:00

FOR THE LOVE OF ART, PANEL TRUCKS, AND DON DRAPER

2009-09-24T13:34:00.004-05:00

Check out the wonderful paintings of food delivery trucks by Brooklyn artist Kevin Cyr (you might want to check out his Camper Kart while you're at it). I first saw Kevin's work on the Serious Eats blog sometime last week and have been revisiting his truck series pretty regularly ever since. The ice cream truck is a fave, but I chose to feature his painting of the Utz truck because (a) I love that teal background (b) Utz reminds me of living in Baltimore and (c) there was an Utz story line in the second season of Mad Men, which I devoured, sans a bag of Utz, via Netflix in record time.

I thought I'd have to sit on pins and needles, waiting for this season's episodes of Mad Men to make it to DVD, but the Internet gods are working in my favor. Did you know that you can watch current episodes on casttv.com? Which, for a Don Draper fan such as myself, is pretty darned satisfying. Time to celebrate with a bag of Utz. Hmm, can you get Utz potato chips in Mississippi? Probably easier to celebrate with a John Deere instead.

FOR THE LOVE OF PETITS FOURS

2009-09-15T19:04:00.003-05:00

Seriously yummy petits fours from Moeller's Bakery in Houston, Texas, that were served at a little baby shower that was held in my honor last month. I can't even begin to tell you how addictive these things are. Oh, how I love petits fours.

In fact, petits fours inspired this painting that I did last year.

Still, I have to say, I do prefer pie.

YOU KNOW YOU WANT SOME, PART 3

2009-09-04T14:32:00.004-05:00

More evidence of our on-the-road eating habits. Behold Strawn's Eat Shop in Shreveport, Louisiana. Of course we went there for the pie, but we started with lunch.
Chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes, cream gravy, fresh-from-the-garden black-eyed peas, side salad, and cornbread muffins.
We almost didn't have room for pie, but where there's a will, there's a way. Plus, while Strawn's is known region-wide for their strawberry pie, peaches were in season, so we got a slice of each. The peach pie won, hands down. I'd also like to mention that, while I usually look down my nose at a pie that's missing meringue, I have to say, this was some mighty fine--and mighty fresh--whipped cream.

YOU KNOW YOU WANT SOME, PART 2

2009-09-03T16:24:00.004-05:00

Old news, I know, since we made this road trip all of a month ago, but I need to share with you the awesomeness that is Ray's PeGe in Monroe, Louisiana. We stopped there to experience their much lauded po-boys, which did not disappoint.
Neither did the fries. Or the gravy. Or the milkshake.

YOU KNOW YOU WANT SOME

2009-09-01T15:30:00.002-05:00

Seen somewhere near Carthage, Texas, when we made a pit stop. Unfortunately, the place was closed.

FOR THOSE WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED

2009-08-25T16:17:00.003-05:00

A belly update: 30 weeks and all is well. Sofia Grace Streeter is scheduled to arrive on Halloween. Only two long months to go....

2009-08-24T15:43:00.007-05:00

Black & White Store - Yazoo City, MS

I've been remiss in not mentioning a show that the above photograph of mine is part of. Contrast, a group show at The Warehouse in Cleveland, MS, opened last week and will be on view through September 30. So if you happen to be in or around the Mississippi Delta anytime soon, stop on in and check it out.

BINGO IS ALREADY ADDICTED TO FACEBOOK

2009-08-24T15:26:00.000-05:00

THE BRIDGE, IT IS DONE!

2009-08-23T10:30:00.004-05:00

So not only does the bridge hold Kurt's lawn tractor, but it's beautiful to boot. Kurt covered it with sod and finished the sides in cypress. It's quite the gem of the property. I look forward to spending many an afternoon dangling my feet off of its side with a fishing line in the pond. And then there's the River of No Return* element to look forward to when we take the canoe under it. Eh, make that the Bridge of Sighs (the part about lovers, not convicts, of course).
Visit our Flickr page to see the bridge-building process documented from beginning to end.

*The River of No Return was a classic ride at the now defunct Astroworld in Houston, TX. Check out this great site that features vintage images of the amusement park in its heyday.

OVERPASS--ER, BRIDGE UPDATE

2009-08-16T09:50:00.005-05:00

The grass-covered footbridge has morphed into an eight-foot-wide overpass across the pond. Kurt channeled his inner engineer and made this thing as solid as can be. I'm still trying to talk him out of driving Pearl, our '78 F100, over the thing, though.

Sorry it's been quiet around here. We've been building bridges and on the road to attend a baby shower and my--gasp-- 20th high school reunion. Evidence to come.

FOR THE LOVE OF PICNICS

2009-07-29T10:34:00.004-05:00

We joined a group of friends at Rowan Oak, William Faulkner's home, last weekend for some cold salads and conversation. Spending the afternoon eating with friends under the shade of trees reminded me how wonderful picnics are. I think we just might have to do that more often.

NEW PROJECT @ THE HOMESTEAD

2009-07-24T12:40:00.003-05:00

Kurt's building a bridge! We have two ponds that are connected by a little channel, and Kurt has decided to make a grass-covered footbridge to go over the narrowest part. Our friend Kenji lent a hand on the first day of construction. Hopefully, there will be a finished bridge to show off in about a week's time--or so the work crew predicts ;)

THE NESTING IMPULSE STRIKES

2009-07-17T16:29:00.003-05:00

My house is filled with treasures, some made, some received, some purchased. All of them significant. But, as I prepare for a stork to visit the homestead in a few months, I am suddenly overtaken by an overwheling impulse to declutter--to shove many of my treasured little tchotckes into the attic: my collection of yard sticks, the countless vases that hold beaded flowers and paintbrushes and feathers, the mounds of mismatched dice, and the random objects, all. So today I bought bunch of storage bins and plan to spend the weekend filling them. We'll see how far I get, as it might be hard to spearate myself from my stuff. But it will be a comfort knowing that it all still waits for me nestled in a nook high inside the house, with the possibility of being reintoduced to the domestic landscape at a later date and time. I just hope the temporary absence of all of this clutter doesn't trick me into acquiring more treasures to fill the empty spaces.

THE LIFE OF OBJETCS

2009-07-16T16:18:00.007-05:00

From Song Dong's exhibition "Waste Not" at the MoMA. Photo: Todd Heisler/The New York Times

From the New York Times: "The artist Song Dong, one of the most inventive figures in contemporary Chinese art, has turned the contents of his mother's former home in Beijing, which was also his childhood home, into the installation titled "Waste Not"...Mr. Song's mother, Zhao Xiangyua, was born in China in 1938 and died in Beijing in January. For nearly 60 years she lived in the city with her husband and two children in a tiny house crammed with domestic odds and ends — clothes, books, kitchen utensils, toiletries, school supplies, shopping bags, rice bowls, dolls — which were used, then recycled, then indiscriminately hoarded....Now the entire cache, every odd button and ballpoint pen, is in the Museum of Modern Art's multi-story atrium, along with Ms. Zhao's fridge and bed....It is at once a record of a life, a history of a half-century of Chinese vernacular culture and a symbolic archive of impermanence."

Read the review of the exhibition here. View the slideshow here.

FOR THE LOVE OF ICE CREAM

2009-07-15T14:05:00.007-05:00

Last weekend I was in Lubbock, Texas, where I enjoyed an outing to a little neighborhood soda fountain and had some good ol' Texas-brand Blue Bell ice cream. I had the Southern Blackberry Cobbler flavor and was immediately transported right to Ice Cream Heaven. So, upon returning to Mississippi, I thought I'd look for said flavor in the freezer section of my local Kroger. Lo and behold, there it was! But I was soon distracted. Right next to the Southern Blackberry Cobbler was Delta Blues. I am in Mississippi, after all. And how could I resist "creamy ice cream with blueberries, pie crust pieces and blueberry sauce"? I mean, really.

Ice cream seems to be on a lot of people's minds lately. Lisa over at Homesick Texan just made a Blue Bell post of her own, extolling the virtues of their Banana Pudding flavor. Unable to get a fix in the big city, though, this make-do Texas gal made her own. Atta girl.

FOR THE LOVE OF SOUL FOOD

2009-07-14T15:39:00.004-05:00

I've spent the day processing some oral history interviews and came upon these photographs that I took at Wilson's Soul Food in Athens, GA. Goodness, what a lunch that was. If only this picture were the real thing--or at least scratch-and-sniff.
And the pie! Oh, the pie. That's a slice of sweet potato up front, with a peek at a slice of cherry in the back. Deliciousness.

STUDIO UPDATE: DOORS & WINDOWS!

2009-07-09T18:35:00.004-05:00

After using the unfinished studio as a woodshop to build some friends some shelves (that are awesome, by the way), Kurt's back on the job. He has installed and painted the windows, and just the other day he put in these amazing French doors. Doors! This place is really starting to come together.
Just a few more little jobs inside, and then it's move-in time! I feel like I keep saying that but, really, things are happening around here again! There will be an easel in that corner, paint on my palette and a brush in my hand very, very soon.

SIGNIFICANT OBJECTS

2009-07-09T14:34:00.003-05:00

My friend Rob Walker, along with Joshua Glenn, has launched a project that invites writers to create stories about thrift-store objects. It's called Significant Objects. From their website:

A talented, creative writer invents a story about an object. Invested with new significance by this fiction, the object should — according to our hypothesis — acquire not merely subjective but objective value. How to test our theory? Via eBay!

I love this idea. A lot. I'm curious to know, though, if purchases will be made based on the objects or the stories that accompany them. Or both.

I do like this toy toaster....

A PASSEL OF FIREWORKS, $200

2009-07-05T19:33:00.001-05:00

The look on a grown man's face when the sun goes down, priceless.

THE FAMOUS KURT BURGER

2009-07-05T19:21:00.008-05:00

Kurt takes his burgers as seriously as his carpentry projects. This giant burger, made complete with yummy sides provided by our friend Laurie, was the perfect way to ring in the 4th. Until the sun went down, that is.

But before the sun went down, there was dessert: a peach-blackberry pie, as well as a mixed-berry cobbler, both with Blue Bell homemade vanilla. I over-delivered a bit, but who doesn't like leftover pie for breakfast?

THE HOLIDAY THAT INSPIRED A PIECE OF FURNITURE

2009-07-05T15:57:00.006-05:00

Sometime last week, knowing we'd be hosting six people at our house for the 4th of July, I made some rumblings about putting a table in the yard--a simple lean-to affair made from a couple of saw horses and an old door. But Kurt, never one to do something halfway, decided to build an actual table.
Kurt spent an entire afternoon molding recycled six-by-six posts and a bunch of cypress siding leftover from the studio project into the gorgeous bit of carpentry you see above. And thank goodness he did. He's made my wildest outdoor-dining dreams come true.

FOR THE LOVE OF BACON FAT! (AND CORNBREAD)

2009-07-02T16:14:00.006-05:00

Getting back to my big weekend in Bristol, Tennessee, I have to show off this glorious bit of iron-skillet cooking that was conducted by my friend and colleague Sheri Castle of Chapel Hill, NC. The girl knows how to use some bacon fat! Those shiny white globs in the photo above are giant dollops of bacon fat--Allan Benton bacon fat, otherwise known as the nectar of the bacon gods--spooned into her grandmother's cast iron skillets and later melted in the oven before being christened with cornbread batter.

Sheri did a cooking class on pickle beans for our group, and she rounded out her presentation with what amounted to lunch: pickle beans served with mashed potato casserole, skillet cornbread, sorghum-laced butter, and bread & milk (cornbread crumbled in a glass and covered with buttermilk)--all of this just before a giant lunch of vegetables and three kinds of cobbler at an organic farm!

I love you, Sheri Castle.

TURKEYS, TURKEYS EVERYWHERE!

2009-07-01T20:02:00.004-05:00

Last night, as we were leaving for a friend's birthday potluck, we opened the front door to find twenty--TWENTY--wild turkeys scurrying across our lawn. They were moving pretty fast, but we think we counted eighteen baby turkeys with two mama turkeys. It was an awesome and hilarious sight to behold, as was Kurt's reaction to the scene.

Did you know that female turkeys lay ten to twelve eggs? I sure didn't. Want to know more about the breeding habits of wild turkeys? Well, according to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, "the male Wild Turkey provides no parental care. When the eggs hatch, the chicks follow the female. She feeds them for a few days, but they quickly learn to feed themselves. Several hens and their broods may join up into bands of more than 30 birds. Winter groups have been seen to exceed 200."

That's a lot of turkeys.

HAVE SWEET TOOTH, WILL TRAVEL

2009-06-30T17:33:00.003-05:00

So the SFA weekend in and around Bristol included one breakfast of dried apple stack cake, another breakfast of coconut and butterscotch meringue pie, a trio of fresh berry cobblers with lunch, and Sean Brock's wild and wacky version of banana pudding for dessert one night. And that's really just the tip of the sugar iceberg.

As my friend and colleague Melissa Hall and I ran an errand to pick up some supplies for the weekend, we happened upon Babycakes Cupcakery in Abingdon, VA. And, wouldn't you know it, we were forced to purchase half a dozen: two wedding cake cupcakes, a mint chocolate chip, a chocolate peanut butter and--the cupcake that really put us over the edge--the Elvis, a banana cupcake with peanut butter frosting. Needless to say, they did not last long. We did share them, though. Really.

BRISTOL WAS A GAS!

2009-06-29T16:52:00.005-05:00

I just returned from Bristol, TN, where I spent the last handful of days celebrating the Mountain South with my SFA friends and colleagues. Our big weekend started at the Bristol Motor Speedway, where we were all given the opportunity to take a spin around the track as a passenger in a regulation race car or the driver of our own. Given my current condition, I declined to participate, knowing that I was passing up the opportunity of a lifetime. Still, it was quite a thrill to watch from the pits. Seeing folks speed past at 100+ MPH made my heart jump--and the baby's, too.

BINGO IS HIS NAME-O

2009-06-21T16:17:00.005-05:00

Long story, but a kitten is now part of our menagerie here at the homestead.
And, as you can see, Jackson welcomed him into the family with open arms--er, paws.

PEARLS OF WISDOM FROM APALACHICOLA

2009-06-19T17:43:00.006-05:00

A wonderful package arrived in the mail today: a custom-made necklace I commissioned from Brooklyn-based jewelry designer Margaux Lange. Margaux is known for her Re-Membering Barbie series. I have some earrings from that body of work, which I've blogged about here before.
A while ago, I sent Margaux a little jar of pearls that were a gift from my friend A. L. Quick in Apalachicola, Florida. (I've blogged about him before, too.) These pearls were such a generous and wonderful gift that I had to do something special with them. So after tossing some ideas back and forth with Margaux, we came up with the tooth design pictured above. I couldn't be more pleased, and I am thrilled to be able to wear a constant reminder of this magical place and this wonderful friend around my neck.

Thanks, A. L. and Margaux.

INTO THE FOLD

2009-06-18T17:41:00.007-05:00

The blog has been quiet because I'm working furiously to

complete a project for the SFA that documents the

Carter Family Fold in Hiltons, Virginia--the music and the

food. I'll be at the Fold next week for our annual field trip

and will have plenty of pictures and stories to share upon

my return. Meantime, take a moment to view this wonderful

video of one of Johnny Cash's last performances, which was

at the Carter Family Fold in 2003. That's the late Janette

Carter, daughter of A. P. and Sara Carter and founder of the

Carter Family Fold, sitting behind Johnny in the first half of

the video. In the second half, Johnny offers a heartwarming

tribute to his late wife, June Carter Cash.

(Sorry aboutt he wonky text. Having issues with Blogger.)

HOLD YOUR HORSES

2009-06-10T17:09:00.000-05:00

FOR THE LOVE OF RECYCLING

2009-06-09T14:44:00.006-05:00

"Polly wanted A Cracker, But First She Wanted to Play Zilch"

acrylic on hubcap, approx. 18 in. x 18 in., 2009

A few months ago, Ken Marquis of the Landfill Art Project invited me to support his cause: use one of the hubcaps he's helped rescue from landfills and use it to create a piece of art (that's my contribution pictured above). Ken's mission is to recruit 1,041 artists to do the same. Ultimately, there will be a traveling exhibit, and a selection of works will be featured in a book about the project. Visit the Landfill Art website to learn more.

RANDOM BEAUTY

2009-06-08T20:43:00.005-05:00

An X-Ray of Polly, an African pancake tortoise, who was treated for a bladder stone.

FOR THE LOVE OF BUTTER AND AWESOME EDUCATIONAL FILMS

2009-06-05T16:36:00.000-05:00

Butter & Marge: A Tale of Two Spreads from Outside Line on Vimeo.

Serious Eats featured this awesome little film about butter vs. margarine that was made by the Friends of Butter, and I had to share it here.

Butter Knife, carved wood with paint by Chris Hedrick

In other butter news, a new exhibit at Koelsch Gallery in Houston, "PTA Bake Sale and Spaghetti Dinner," features this great butter knife sculpture by Chris Hedrick. (A couple of my paintings are also included in the exhibit.)

!Viva mantequilla!

GOODBYE, MS. WANG DANG DOODLE

2009-06-04T15:22:00.004-05:00

Blues queen Koko Taylor died yesterday. From her official Website:

Grammy Award-winning blues legend Koko Taylor, 80, died on June 3, 2009 in her hometown of Chicago, IL, as a result of complications following her May 19 surgery to correct a gastrointestinal bleed. On May 7, 2009, the critically acclaimed Taylor, known worldwide as the “Queen of the Blues,” won her 29th Blues Music Award (for Traditional Female Blues Artist Of The Year), making her the recipient of more Blues Music Awards than any other artist...Born Cora Walton on a sharecropper’s farm just outside Memphis, TN, on September 28, 1928, Koko, nicknamed for her love of chocolate, fell in love with music at an early age. Inspired by gospel music and WDIA blues disc jockeys B.B. King and Rufus Thomas, Taylor began belting the blues with her five brothers and sisters, accompanying themselves on their homemade instruments. In 1952, Taylor and her soon-to-be-husband, the late Robert “Pops” Taylor, traveled to Chicago with nothing but, in Koko’s words, “thirty-five cents and a box of Ritz Crackers.”

I've had the thrill of seeing Koko Taylor perform twice. Once at Houston's Arena Theater in the mid-1990s, where I had the incredible experience of meeting Koko and getting her autograph, and then again in about 2000 at the Houston International Festival. Koko's voice was a force of nature. The video above shows a young Koko performing her signature song, "Wang Dang Doodle." Later in her career, though, that deep, gravel-y voice got even deeper and more gravel-y. So much so that sometimes she'd try to belt out a note and her vocal cords would fall silent, picking up with the next note she traveled to. Quite a talent. She will be missed.

FOR THE LOVE OF BACON

2009-06-03T17:20:00.001-05:00

I was digging through my photo archives recently in an effort to get my hands on some pictures of bacon and was immediately reminded of how much I love this photo--and bacon, of course. 'Tis almost the season for my favorite sandwich: BLT&As (that's avocado) with 'maters straight from the garden. Just one of the reasons I love summer in Mississippi.

By the way, this photo of fresh, thick-cut bacon that would take my beloved BLT to an entirely new level was taken at Broadbent Country Hams in Cadiz, KY.

FISHING FOR S'MORES

2009-06-02T16:52:00.007-05:00

Kurt baits a hook while Liam and Aiden think about jumping in the pond by Brian Martel.

I mentioned a week or so ago that our dear friends the Martels swooped through Oxford for Memorial Day Weekend. I also mentioned that I didn't manage to take a single photo to share as proof of the very good time that was had by all. Instead, I passed the documentarian hat on to Brian, who took all of the pictures you see here. Visit his family's blog, Martelorama, for more great pics of fishing, campfires and shooting dice.

Liam drops his line in off the dock by Brian Martel.

S'mores by the campfire by the pond by Brian Martel.

Sure loved your visit, Brian, Meghan, Liam, Aiden and Nolan! Come back again soon!

PIE + GREENSBORO, AL = GENIUS

2009-06-01T16:48:00.004-05:00

PIE + GREENSBORO, AL, ALSO = PIE LAB!

From the press release:

Pie Lab brings conversation, inspiration and pie to the rural south

May 29, 2009 – Greensboro, AL – This week, a visionary idea became a reality in Greensboro, Alabama when the doors of Pie Lab opened for business. Pie Lab, concocted by Project M with support from HERO, is a pop-up pie shop meant to gather community together to share stories and ideas that will inspire and improve the town collectively. Pie Lab creates the opportunity for participants of Project M to meet and collaborate with the community, while enjoying a slice of pie—because who doesn’t love pie?

Find out more at PieLab .org.

{Thanks to RW for sharing this particular bit of awesomeness.}

SIMPLY THE CUTEST COASTERS EVER MADE

2009-05-29T17:03:00.000-05:00

A while back, my friend Andria posted a little challenge on Facebook: be among the first five people to comment, and she'd send a little something handmade your way. Lucky me, I managed to be among that very fortunate group. And, lucky me, I was in Memphis yesterday and not only got to visit with Miss Andria, but I got my handmade gift, as well! She makes these coasters out of fabric scraps, and, I have to say, they are pure, recycled, crafty goodness. Mine will be put to work very soon.

SUGAR AND SPICE AND EVERYTHING NICE

2009-05-27T18:12:00.003-05:00

So, yeah, we cheated Mother Nature and got to peek in the oven and, lo and behold, our little bun is a girl! She won't be fully cooked until Halloween, but Kurt and I are most excited to be able to talk to our little bambina and call her by name. Yep, we know that, too, but I think we'll share it a little later. One giant piece of news at a time, people.

COMMISSIONED PORTRAIT BY FAMOUS ARTIST

2009-05-26T18:09:00.001-05:00

I commissioned this portrait of myself by a famous artist, who happened to be visiting Mississippi this weekend. The artist: Liam Martel. His payment: s'mores. Quite a likeness, wouldn't you say? By the way, Liam is all of six-and-a-half years old.

Liam happens to have his own blog, roboblogomatic, which I hope you'll visit. He also shares a blog with his two brothers, Aiden and Nolan, where they feature their artwork. It's called Artorama. And their parents, my dear friends Brian and Meghan, keep a family blog over at Martelorama. Together they are one super-well-documented family.

Speaking of, I didn't use my camera all weekend. I relied on Brian and Meghan to document their Mississippi visit, so photographic highlights are to come.

THE MARTELS ARE COMING! THE MARTELS ARE COMING!

2009-05-22T15:31:00.003-05:00

Double the pleasure: Brian and me in Houston, circa 2000, and Meghan and me, taken on the same day.

So my dear friends Brian and Meghan Martel, whom we haven't seen since our wedding in 2005, got in touch with me this morning with a little idea: pack their bags--and their three kids--and drive 500 miles from Plano, Texas, to visit Kurt and me for the holiday weekend. The Martels have now officially attained superhero status in my book; who knew a family of five could be so spontaneous? They did! And we get to reap the benefits.

Can't wait to have you in Mississippi, Martel Family!

SPONTANEOUS GENEROSITY FROM THE MIDWEST

2009-05-20T16:14:00.003-05:00

Alexa, who has the super-awesome blog Pop Elegantiarum, and I are kindred spirits. We both love Sam Elliott, Grey Gardens and cake. But we recently found out that we have something else in common: we're both pregnant.

Just last week, Alexa saw fit to celebrate my pregnancy all the way from Illinois by sending along a little care package. Inside were two mixtapes (okay, CDs), a fabulous card, wooden blocks that spell out the word "LOVE," and a jar of Koepsel's dessert cherries. I love knowing that this baby will come into the world with such a fabulous collection of goodies waiting for him/her.

Speaking of, we'll know the style of munchkin we're having by this time next week, so stay tuned.

FOR THE LOVE OF CAKE CADDIES

2009-05-20T16:00:00.003-05:00

Apartment Therapy's The Kitchn blog featured a great bit on vintage cake caddies--or cake carriers, as they call them--last week. I have one similar to the silver one pictured, but I've always coveted the brightly colored ones with floral flourishes. Perhaps I need to start building a collection of my own.

Did you know that a cake caddy can also carry pie? It's true! Try it sometime. It's a trick that will amaze your friends and neighbors, to be sure.

AND THEN THERE WAS BRUNCH

2009-05-14T16:09:00.004-05:00

Poached eggs over greens with a lovely dressing, crumbled bacon and, of course, homemade biscuits on the side.

Good gracious, has this turned into a food blog or what?! At least I'm making something over here because I'm sure not making any paintings. Oh, but I am making a baby, and that baby likes to EAT!

YOU CAN TAKE THE GIRL OUT OF TEXAS, BUT...

2009-05-13T17:24:00.001-05:00

I made chicken fajitas with homemade tortillas (!) for my birthday dinner last year (and a few dinners that followed), so I've decided to make it an annual tradition. And I have to tell you, this year did not disappoint. I grew up on the chicken fajitas at Ninfa's in Houston, so the satisfaction in making my own is both gastronomic and nostalgic.

If you're interested in cooking up your own Tex-Mex fiesta, Robb Walsh has a great book on the subject, complete with recipes. I'm not sure where I found the tortilla recipe that I use, but there's a close approximation here--just flour, shortening, salt and hot water. But Lisa at Homesick Texan uses a recipe that calls for baking powder, vegetable oil and milk. I'll have to try her version next time.

The best thing about making a batch or tortillas is that you have leftovers. Or maybe it's simply that you can make use of them at any meal. We had a second round of fajitas the next day and breakfast tacos the following morning. The only thing missing in our Tex-Mex weekend was a tortilla dessert. Next year, I'll have to add sopapillas to the menu.

DID I MENTION THERE WAS CAKE?

2009-05-12T16:57:00.001-05:00

A lemon-buttermilk number, served with Blue Bell vanilla and fresh strawberries. Alas, this is evidence of the very last slice. When it came out of the oven on Friday, there was no time to document; it had to be eaten. Stacey and I did out part, and then I took half of the cake to a friend's party on Saturday night. But I had enough foresight to know that I'd want another piece--or two--on Sunday, so I saved some back--my Mother's Day present to myself.

A note on the recipe: As you know, I've been wanting to make Cheri Cruze's buttermilk pound cake, but for my birthday I happened to have a taste for lemon. So I whipped out my trusty Silver Palate Cookbook to revisit the always-yummy Glazed Lemon Cake. Because, while I thought long and hard about what kind of cake to make--a layer cake being my usual M.O. for a birthday--I wanted something simple, versatile, and the perfect vehicle for ice cream. Because what's a birthday cake without ice cream? Yep, just another cake.

COME BACK SOON, EDGAR!

2009-05-11T15:59:00.005-05:00

Edgar, the second-cutest dog in the world, and his owner, Stacey, were just in Mississippi for a little visit from New Orleans. Kurt was out of town, so it was a weekend made for two girls and their dogs. Jackson and Edgar rolled in the mud and ate bacon that "fell" from the breakfast table, while Stacey and I watched movies and had a weekend-long cake eating contest. It was my birthday, see, and there was cake. Lots of cake. I have to say, though, there was also lots of bacon. We all had a very good weekend.

INTO THE WOODS

2009-05-02T12:41:00.002-05:00

Before the rain really started coming down this morning, Kurt went for a walk in the woods. He returned with this handful of beautiful blooms from one of the many yellow poplar trees that populate our property. Evidently, the yellow poplar is also know as the tulip poplar--and for good reason.

BISCUIT TIME

2009-05-02T11:49:00.003-05:00

You know it's the weekend when there's time to make biscuits. So I started off this lazy, rainy Mississippi Saturday by making a half-dozen and took a few on the front porch, where I slathered them with butter and raspberry jam while listening to the thunder. Such a great way to start the day, although now I'm ready for a nap.

The recipe I use comes from the Homesick Texan, a.k.a. Lisa (hi, Lisa!). Her biscuit method is fool-proof, but I've managed to make them my own. I roll them out them a little thicker and omit her beating-of-the-biscuit step. While that step inspires the butter to flake, I think skipping it makes for a more tender biscuit. But any way you make them, I can guarantee you that they're going to be good. And that you're going to want to take a nap after eating them.

BED OF ROSES

2009-04-29T19:58:00.005-05:00

A couple of updates from the homestead: the roses are in full bloom, and we found a new piece of furniture for the house. The person who'll be sleeping in that new piece of furniture arrives on October 31. Yep, we're having a baby. Which I hope helps to explain both my sporadic updates on the blog and my insatiable sweet tooth of late. But I've reached a point in my pregnancy where I have a lot more energy and--hopefully--can drum up some willpower to get off of the dessert train for while. That second thing remains to be seen, especially since I have yet to make Cheri Cruze's buttermilk poundcake.

And I have to tell you, this crib was a real find. Kurt picked it up at the swap-n-shop lot down the road from us for twenty bucks. A fresh coat of paint and she'll be as good as new. For those of you who aren't familiar with swap-n-shop lots, they're like community yard sales along rural highways. Every Saturday, folks show up to an empty lot at the crack of dawn to buy, sell and trade. A lot of it's junk, but sometimes you can really make a score. Like handmade Adirondack chairs. Or, in this case, a super-cute wooden crib.

So I don't intend for my art-and-life blog to turn into Baby Central, but you can probably expect some updates from time to time. Because this baby was made in Mississippi after all.

NOT JUST ANOTHER CAKE

2009-04-27T17:40:00.005-05:00

Tony Cenicola/The New York Times. Stylist: Jill Santopietro.

This glorious creation comes from one Cheri Cruz, whose family's dairy was recently featured in The New York Times. Cruze Dairy makes buttermilk--really good buttermilk. Earl, Cheri and Colleen Cruze brought some of their buttermilk to Mississippi last year, when they came to Oxford to receive an award given by the organization I work for, the Southern Foodways Alliance, and to bask in the glow of the adulation that followed the screening of an SFA-made film about their life's work, Buttermilk: It Can Help. They are fabulous people--the cream of the crop--and they most certainly deserve all of the attention, as does their buttermilk. But when this NYT piece came out, I couldn't help but focus in on the mention of Cheri's buttermilk poundcake. And wouldn't you know it, those fine folks at the NYT saw fit to include Cheri's recipe. Lucky us.

All I need to do is head to Knoxville to pick up a case of the Cruze's buttermilk--definitely an errand worth making time for.

JUST ANOTHER FRIDAY IN MISSISSIPPI

2009-04-24T16:47:00.000-05:00

Yep, more cake. But this one's red velvet! And it's four layers! And there are roses! The roses were a gift from my friend Leyla, and the cake was a gift I gave to myself. It's not homemade, mind you, but it was very good.

It's nice to imagine a world in which every Friday is filled with cake and roses.

FOR THE LOVE OF NANNER PUDDIN'

2009-04-23T17:48:00.002-05:00

My Facebook friends are probably tired of hearing me wax on about my recent craving for and undying love of Bill Smith's Really Good Banana Pudding. My oldest friends might wonder what, pray tell, has happened to me, for they know I've harbored a lifelong dislike of bananas--their taste, that is. I do very much appreciate the banana as a fruit. But I've never really enjoyed eating them, unless they came in the form of banana bread. I have to say, though, Bill and his pudding converted me. I think it might have had something to do with the meringue.

Bill is the chef at Crook's Corner in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and every time I'm in the area, I have to have a meal with Bill and end it with a healthy dose of his take on this sweet Southern staple (and/or his honeysuckle sorbet, which is heaven on a spoon). Bill included the recipe for his Really Good Banana Pudding in his book, Seasoned in the South:Recipes from Crook's Corner and from Home. If you're looking for another Southern cookbook to add to your collection, pick it up. Bill not only has a way with recipes, but a way for conveying the joy he gets from cooking food, eating it and sharing it with friends. His enthusiasm in infectious. So is his nanner puddin'.

So, to get to the point, I made Bill's Really Good Banana Pudding last weekend. It was better than really good; it was divine. Although I recall that Bill is pretty heavy-handed with his application of meringue, which makes the dish all the more playful and enticing. I think I held back a bit with this first try. But I certainly don't have a problem with trying again.

By the way, for those of you too impatient to get your hands on a copy of Bill's book, his banana pudding recipe recently made an appearance online. You can find it right here.

JEWELRY ON MY MIND

2009-04-22T18:10:00.000-05:00

Day of the Dead Ring by Margaux Lange

Brooklyn-based jeweler Margaux Lange, whom I've mentioned here before, has done it again. The "Day of the Dead" ring pictured above is a custom piece she did for a client and, well, it just knocks my socks off. I have a pair of Miss Margaux's earrings, and they're always a conversation starter. Read this article about Margaux and her work that was written by my friend Rob Walker.

A while ago I mailed a little jar of pearls to Miss Margaux, asking her if she'd make a custom piece for me. The pearls were given to me by a friend and, instead of just keeping them in a jar, I thought it best to celebrate them in a peice of jewelry. Margaux is working on her inspired creation as I type, and I cannot wait to show it off here on the blog--and around my neck.

PEACE OFFERING

2009-04-14T15:02:00.001-05:00

Strawberry Cake - Pluto, MS - 2006

Thought I'd tide you over with a piece of strawberry cake, since I still can't manage to give my beloved Made in Mississippi the attention it deserves. Sit tight, eat up, and I'll be back again real soon.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, EUDORA

2009-03-30T17:44:00.001-05:00

"The Meanings of Words Are Serious Things, You Know," Arturo said...After

Talking All DAy, He Was Thirsty for Buttermilk. ~The Shoe Bird, Eudora Welty, 1964

Acrylic on wood, 12 in. x 12 in., 2009

Mississippi will celebrate the centenary of Eudora Welty's birth this year. Eudora Welty Week kicks off in Jackson on Saturday, April 11, and many festivities are scheduled through the 18th.

Highlands Fine Art Gallery is scheduling a show to open, with a reception, Thursday, April 9th, two days before the actual commencement of the week of celebrations. The working title is Eudoric Eurythmy: Visual Arts Based on the Life and Works of Eudora Welty. My painting featured above is included in the exhibit. This show will be part of other events scheduled for Eudora Welty Week, and Welty fans from across the country are expected to attend. The show will hang until May 1st.

Eudoric Eurythmy: Visual Arts Based on the Life and Works of Eudora Welty
April 9-May 1, 2009
Highlands Fine Art Gallery
119 S President St
Jackson, MS 39201
(601) 969-4091

MEMORIES & MEMENTOS

2009-03-24T15:25:00.010-05:00

Matilda Wanted To Remember This Night Forever, So She Covered the

Petits Fours With Hairspray When She Got Home

Acrylic on wood, 12 in. x 12 in., 2009

* * *

AMY C. EVANS :: MEMORIES & MEMENTOS

KOELSCH GALLERY - HOUSTON, TX

APRIL 4-APRIL 25, 2009

*Opening reception Saturday, April 4, from 6-9 p.m.

* * *

See more of my new work on my website, www.amycevans.com

Made in Mississippi

NEW PORTRAIT: ROBERT EARL MATHIS

COME HOME, JACKSON

HEN PARTY

AMY ART ON EATOCRACY, CNN's FOOD BLOG!

*CRICKETS*

LET IT SNOW!

FRAMES FROM DAMSELFLY CREEK DESIGNS, A.K.A. MY HUSBAND, KURT!

LET THERE BE PIE!

A HANDMADE STUDIO

PIE + BACON = YES, PLEASE!

PORTRAIT OF ONE MIGHTY SPECIAL PUP

GOOD MORNING, SUNSHINE!

NEW WORK @ AMELIA THIS WEEKEND!

PAINTING PREVIEW: PIE (AND A BISCUIT)

INSPIRATION FROM THE GAS STATION

PAINTING PREVIEW: COUNTRY HAM

PAINTING PREVIEW: DONUT

BEEN SPENDING A LOT OF TIME IN HERE LATELY

CHANGE OF ADDRESS

ELIZABETH YARBOROUGH'S FINGER FOOD RINGS

NEW WORK TO SHOW AT AMELIA IN OXFORD, MS - OPENS ON 9/11/10

SOMEONE MADE ME AN EASEL!

INSPIRATION (CULINARY AND CREATIVE)

BREAKING IN THE NEW STUDIO. FINALLY.

DEATH AT THE PHILADELPHIA ART MUSEUM

%$#@&*^!

STUDIO NESTING UPDATE: THE LAMP

STUDIO NESTING UPDATE: THE COUCH

FIRST LOOK: MOVING IN

GUESS WHAT TIME IT IS!

MORE ART THAT I LOVE

CHROMATIC VALUE SCALE IN GREEN

PIE VS. CAKE

AMY ART IN THE OXFORD AMERICAN

THE 32ND FLAVOR?

WILL WORK 4 ART

THE EVOLUTION OF COLOR

¡FELIZ QUINCEAÑERA!

LET IT SNOW!

PIE!

SLEEP DEPRIVATION INSPIRES PROJECT

SOFIA GRACE STREETER

A FLOOR TO REMEMBER

RIDE 'EM, BINGO!

FOR THE LOVE OF ART, PANEL TRUCKS, AND DON DRAPER

FOR THE LOVE OF PETITS FOURS

YOU KNOW YOU WANT SOME, PART 3

YOU KNOW YOU WANT SOME, PART 2

YOU KNOW YOU WANT SOME

FOR THOSE WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED

BINGO IS ALREADY ADDICTED TO FACEBOOK

THE BRIDGE, IT IS DONE!

OVERPASS--ER, BRIDGE UPDATE

FOR THE LOVE OF PICNICS

NEW PROJECT @ THE HOMESTEAD

THE NESTING IMPULSE STRIKES

THE LIFE OF OBJETCS

FOR THE LOVE OF ICE CREAM

FOR THE LOVE OF SOUL FOOD

STUDIO UPDATE: DOORS & WINDOWS!

SIGNIFICANT OBJECTS

A PASSEL OF FIREWORKS, $200

THE FAMOUS KURT BURGER

THE HOLIDAY THAT INSPIRED A PIECE OF FURNITURE

FOR THE LOVE OF BACON FAT! (AND CORNBREAD)

TURKEYS, TURKEYS EVERYWHERE!

HAVE SWEET TOOTH, WILL TRAVEL

BRISTOL WAS A GAS!

BINGO IS HIS NAME-O

PEARLS OF WISDOM FROM APALACHICOLA

INTO THE FOLD

HOLD YOUR HORSES

FOR THE LOVE OF RECYCLING

RANDOM BEAUTY

FOR THE LOVE OF BUTTER AND AWESOME EDUCATIONAL FILMS

GOODBYE, MS. WANG DANG DOODLE

FOR THE LOVE OF BACON

FISHING FOR S'MORES

PIE + GREENSBORO, AL = GENIUS

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