CARLSBAD OCEANSIDE ART LEAGUE

by Shirley M. Carolan

Time and other commitments got away from me this month. Hence, I missed the deadline to submit two oil paintings at our annual Fine Arts Award Show. Excuses just cut do it! I had wanted to submit an oil portrait of my mother taken from a sepia photograph, sometime in the 1930s. She is wearing this magnificent soft felt hat, with beautiful bird and feathers "nesting" in it. Unfortunately, it did not dry in time for the exhibit. The other oil painting was a self-portrait (when I also wore hats in San Francisco). The frames were carefully and lovingly selected for each painting. I thought it would be nice to have a mother/daughter team displayed side by side.

Nevertheless, I've learned my lesson about adhering to set time frames and deadlines over which I have no control! I will probably attend the Awards and Reception this Sunday, August 3, 2008. Here's the press release I wrote about the event earlier. You're invited!

58th Annual Open Juried Fine Arts Award Show

The Carlsbad-Oceanside Art League invites all Southern California artists to participate in the 58th Annual Open Juried Fine Arts Award Show commencing on July 26, 2008. The show runs July 27 through September 7, 2008. Cash awards totalling $2,500 will be distributed in several categories. There is a limit of 3 entries per participant, plus small entry fees. Judges this year are Pat Dispenziere and Elaine Harvey.

A Reception and Award Ceremony will be held at the League’s Gallery located at 300 Carlsbad Village Dr., Ste 101, Carlsbad, CA on Sunday, August 3 from 2-4 PM. For more detailed information please Contact Show Directors: Pamela Brasel (760) 751-9709 & Ursula Schroter (760) 751-8513. Gallery Telephone: (760) 434-8497 and website: www.coalartgallery.com.


Shirley M. Carolan
Publicity Chair
Carlsbad Oceanside Art League
760-732-0663

FINIS! A Labor of Love Completed

by Shirley M. Carolan

IT FINALLY HAPPENED! THE END OF A PROJECT! Today, July 13, 2008

YIPPEE! It’s over! It’s been a work in progress for a long time. I never thought I’d see the day when I would finally finish an eBook that I hope will inspire others, get them to think about how they are living their life, be honest with themselves, especially if something needs changing, not expecting others to change for them, and then taking the appropriate action to live a richer, fuller life!

It’s been an enlightening experience, sometimes sad, sometimes painful, sometimes humorous writing about the myriad events and people in my life and what I discovered needed changing and daring to go for it! I am truly grateful to all the folks who gave me feedback, they didn't hold back anything! Even my doctor said "Shirley, folks of all ages will enjoy these insights but I hope you will address the senior citizen population too!"

Culling all the articles was perhaps the hard part and selecting those that had a true, viable message for others to enjoy was a huge challenge. I have enough chapters and articles left over to either do another eBook or think of converting into a full blown book!

Right now my focus is on editing the material and getting an ISBN number then loading it onto my website for others to see, download and enjoy!

My labor of love is entitled: “IT AIN'T OVER... TILL IT'S OVER!"

NOSTALGIA!

by Shirley M. Carolan

If you’ve ever visited the British Isles, and London in particular, you probably saw and remember the red, double-decker buses, the red, rotund mailboxes, and the red telephone booths. They just seem to stand out in a bustling city full of tourists from all over the world.

As a child growing up in London, before WWII, I vividly remember the red telephone booths, with heavy plate glass and telephone book dangling from a ledge. I also remember after putting my pennies in a slot pushing “Button A” and, when the other party answered so that I could talk to them, pushing “Button B.” I can even remember taking shelter in them during a rainstorm.

American telephone booths are set up a little differently and not nearly as colorful as I was later to learn when my family emigrated to America. But, with the advent of cell phones, I guess that won’t matter much any more because all pay telephone booths will be disappearing from view and memory. How sad! They are/were an institution and a lifesaver to those of us who don’t own a cell phone and probably never will. I mean, I’m a party of one so who on earth would I call? My little Shih-Tzu is clever but not clever enough to answer a phone.

Be that as it may, I have very fond memories of my London childhood despite the bloody bombs destroying a lot of it during WWII. Hence, the red telephone booth was a bright beacon of warmth, cheer, and solidity in an otherwise dismal war. But, I never thought I’d ever miss it, or that I’d ever feel that it was an important, or sentimental part of my life ... until I visited Carlsbad, California in 1995, almost 50 years later.

I had flown down from San Francisco to the Toastmasters International Convention being held in San Diego that year. A friend rented a car, I paid for the gas, and we did some sightseeing driving up the coast. As soon as we hit Carlsbad, I saw it and nearly jumped out of the car! Lo and behold, there was a beautiful, sparkling, red, English telephone booth at the edge of the lovely Carlsbad Inn by the sea. I could hardly believe my eyes as my heart pounded in my chest and tears of joy fell down my cheeks.

Nostalgia engulfed me! Somehow, after all these years in America, I knew I had “come home.” I just knew this is where I wanted to be and live out my days. I went back to San Francisco, immediately put the house up for sale, (it took over 2 years to sell because real estate was slow moving in 1997 and prices had fallen dramatically, just like today) and set my sights on Carlsbad.

December 1997 I made it to Oceanside, California and I couldn’t be happier. I have visiting rights to that beautiful, red, English telephone booth. Yes, I’ve come home!

Shirley M. Carolan, ATMG
Artist ● Speaker ● Writer
artistwithaflair@att.net
Phone/Fax: 760-732-0663
http://www.shirleycarolan.com
http://www.smcarolan.blogspot.com

Copyright© 2008 by Shirley M. Carolan. All rights reserved. To reprint any part of this article simply contact Shirley Carolan at artistwithaflair@att.net. Thank you.