Sunday, September 16, 2007

NorthEast Timing Organization

NETO is a chartered 501C3 non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of nostalgic drag racing motor sports. For track meets, the group is currently divided into two classes of race cars and one group of motor bikes. The club is open to anyone possessing an interest in drag racing and who would like to attend any or none of the meets, go to the three annual parties, hang out and have an extremely good time. Owning a qualified car or a vintage bike, is nice, but it is not required for membership.
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If you wish to find out more, visit http://www.neto-nostalgia.com/ . If you join now, you will be welcome to join us at this year's upcoming Banquet. Members' note: the Banquet has been changed to the Ramada for this year. Invitations have gone out, you should have received yours.
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NETO's three annual parties are called "Marcus Dairy", "The Picnic", and "The Banquet". Marcus Dairy is the club's annual membership drive, the picnic is late summer, and the the banquet is the awards dinner at Christmas time. While no one in the club is ever unsocial, at the track they are typically all business and machinery orientated; they go to the track to race. At at the parties, the machines are thankfully quiet and the time is devoted to happily networking and completely enjoying friends and family.
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Many of us have been discussing how to link the artist and racing communities further. Some of us, the extremely rare few, truly belong to both worlds. Cars and bikes have always sported fine paint jobs and glorious airbrush work; almost all of the time this work is performed by specialized artists or professional paint shops. In addition, a number of us currently do 'car jewelry' and use old car parts in sculpture. To further the discussion of how artists can participate in the racing community, as well as the flip side of how can the racing community help promote art, Orchid attended this year's NETO Picnic.
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All of the photos are from this year's picnic. As to why there are not more 'car photos', I remind you: this is an ART blog; it is not a CAR blog.
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This year's picnic was again held at the Drewhurst Ranch. Known as tommyanderinsplace, the Drewhurst Ranch is a twenty acre estate nestled in the rolling hills of lower New York State. With many people gladly travelling several hours to attend, the members and their families party from early afternoon until the stars twinkle late evening; some people leave the next day. Anyone who did not attend the picnic this year missed an incredibly good time, lots of delicious homemade treats, and rudely interrupted fireworks.
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Down the heavily wooded country lane from the Drewhurst Ranch past the meadow with the beekeeping boxes, there were three beautiful horses and one adorable striped donkey. The donkey's name is "George W."
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A number of folks opted opted to motor to the picnic in their vintage mobiles, thereby creating instant entertainment with a "Mini Car Show" . As we wandered through it with Orchid, on our way back from feeding and petting the horses, we were particularly taken with the blackandwhite vintage station wagon in the photos. We deemed it 'Best in Show' and simply loved the littlebluewords sign on the back of it. We were very careful that not one of Orchid's long hairs should so much as graze the vehicle while taking the photographs. Two male club members insisted that the best part of the car was not the littlebluewords sign, nor was it the fact that the car was a rare two door something, they told us that the engine was the best part. "That car has a twentythousanddollar motor!!" We gave each other the "I wouldn't pay tencentsatagaragesale for that" look and then said, "Ok! Then let's take a picture of that ENGINE!!"
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A special welcome to all new members and a thank you for joining us at the picnic. I hope to see simply everyone at the banquet; the president of NETO, thewingedthingking, has unequivocally assured me that our party time will not be negatively affected by the delivery of this year's allotment of golden winged things.





















Friday, September 14, 2007

Elves to Depart

The Elves will shortly be departing for points east, west, south, and north on the compass. You will be able to find Elves wherever their little dragons lead them. For the inside track to where the dragons are, visit www.cforiginals.net . Rumor has it that some Elves might be invited to visit Australia.

Sunday, September 9, 2007

Portraits

"Portraits" is the title of one of the Helmut Newton books on my filled-to-overflowing bookshelves, "White Women" is another. I had to acquire "White Women" while in Italy visiting relatives, it was so hard to get.
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As a long-time Newton enthusiast, I spotted this photo instantly while waiting for string beans and tofu at the Chinese restaurant at the top of the hill. Published in "GQ", April 2007, probably even the page in this magazine is collectible; no, I didn't rip it out.
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It did remind me, however, that an over-size portfolio of Newton photographs is currently available from rare book dealer friends. Large and lovely, I was grateful to view the photos but could neither afford them nor fit them in our house. Priced at approximately onehundredfifty US dollars, they were an unusual find. If you are interested in the portfolio, use info@cathycara.com ; your mail will be forwarded.
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As a final comment about Helmut Newton, he vies for first place on list of 'Favorite Photographers Who are No Longer Amongst the Living'. It is also easy to see that Newton's influence lives on; Richard, who is living, has immortalized the non-living in a way that I am sure Helmut would appreciate. Richard's postcard portrait of Orchid got framed instantly, all over town. Visit 'Bebe', Richard's portraits of the dolls, at www.richardgardnerphotography.com .
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A quick reminder for those who have not seen 'Bebe' before: Richard named the show 'Bebe', and the collection of photographs was displayed by FotoFoto gallery in April 2007. The public, typically refers to the exhibit as "Cathy's Dolls". All of the dolls in the photographs are used for exhibition purposes. Most of the dolls in the photographs were, indeed, sculpted by me. Some were sculpted specifically for the photography work. The three largest, most magnificent sculpts, were done by A.D. .
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The dolls and the photographs are available and will be used for future exhibition work.

Thursday, September 6, 2007

Love is Blind

Completely hand-sculpted by A.D., our latest darling was conceptually designed and subsequently meticulously created to fall madly in love with Orchid without ever having set eyes on her.
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However, he is supposed to be able to see her. He is supposed to be able to gaze at her. Talking to her, I don't know. Contrary to popular belief, and fortunately for me, I still do not hear any of them talk.
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This photograph is an excellent example of what can happen when you shop too early for accessories for a piece. Orchid and I were out shopping and we picked out this top hat while A.D. was still balancing and testing hips. Perhaps I would have had better luck if we had gotten him a tie.