XOXO: My Yearly Date with Angels

Top: Selfie with some of the Angels - Jody Battaglia, Letty Worley Brooks, Laurie Meseroll, Jocelyn O'Gorman, Sophia Brake -- after our annual lineup. Bottom: Life is good, especially when there is faux bois.

Never a dull moment with Jen.

Lucky me. Once a year I hang out and spend the night with Jen O'Connor and some of her stellar Earth Angels in Sanford, FL at the colorful Jeanine Taylor Folk Art Gallery. For 9 years, Jen and her troupe have come South for a two day trunk show filled with paintings, a menagerie of handmade animals and quirky dolls, jewelry and miscellaneous decor. I arrive in plenty of time for the Friday art stroll and open house and leisurely make my way back home Saturday afternoon. I XOXO this tradition.

Nicole Bowen's totally fantastic plush felines. Rawr-lite.

Nancy Wiley's portraits (right) with a Theresa Disney painting in the back. "Clara", with the black bob, stole my heart.

Sophia wearing a Jocelyn O'Gorman apron.

One of Letty Worley's mohair kitties.

Jody Battaglia, artist and author of Funtown says, "You should never be skimpy when it comes to cherries."

And there were other fruits besides cherries to take home.

Collaboration: Laurie Meseroll "mezzes"with my blocks.

EarthAngelsStudios.com is open 24/7 for browsing and buying PLUS the Angels often take their show on the road. Next stop, Nashville. You too can be a p/t groupie like me.

The Theresa Disney room at JT Folk Art

Jen Lindquist's studio space.

Jeanine Taylor Folk Art in Sanford, FL is an incredible gallery for original folk art from artists such as Theresa Disney, Mary Proctor, Ab the Flagman and Jen Lindquist.

Into Butch

Gosh, how I love people who see opportunity in the humblest of things and who create something new from old. Artist and visionary Butch Anthony does this.

The "Rest Your Bones" chair made me chuckle out loud.

I didn't know about Butch till last month when I drove up to Sanford, FL and walked into Jeanine Taylor Folk Art. My friend Jen O'Connor, art seller and cultivator, grabbed my arm and guided me to a center room. She was so excited. I was certain she was going to finally let me taste the Beard Papa cream puffs she had been raving about. But no..........that would come later.

i am captivated by the simplicity of his wit.

Instead, at that moment, I discoverd Butch Anthony.

Jen  asked "Don't you love him?" 

"Oh my gosh, yes!" I obviously replied.

underneath our composed exteriors we all look like this

 I love the x-ray series for its blend of vintage imagery and fluid line work.

a one room guest house the Butch built when he was 14

I was reading Butch's bio and saw that the New York Times featured his home. I rushed to click on it. He built it with his own hands and furnished it largely with salvaged materials. Since I was little, I wanted to marry a guy who could build me anything I desired. So far, this hasn't happened, yet miraculously, I am doing just fine.