Summer Sabbatical

Hello back at Dynamic Arts!

I am returning from a summer hiatus from my blog and website.   I don’t have anything grandiose to show for it…. but, I have been continuously contemplating new opportunities and directions for this forum of arts administration.  Readers’ patience is appreciated during this time of fluidity.

Things I have been doing this summer besides blogging -

1.  Violin Vivacity: In July, I performed my first solo concert since my senior recital in 2005 – Songs and Dances for the Violin.  I had so much fun doing this concert and it threw me back into violin playing which is – after all – why I became an arts administrator in the first place!

2. Becoming a Baker: This summer I put my artistic abilities to work on French pastries and rustic Italian dishes as well as music.  Ever since learning how to scramble eggs when I was five, I have enjoyed experimenting by mixing up curious “soups” and other concoctions.

However, I am now on a mission to unveil mysteries surrounding particular types of baking: gluten-free, wild yeast doughs, and the perfect fruit tart.  On the way, I have come across some wonderfully insightful and informative food blogs and resources.

My favorites include:

• Chocolate & Zucchini written by Clotilde Dusoulier
• Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef
• The Sunny Raw Kitchen
• Not Eating out in New York
  

  summer garden

Scouring recipes that feature fresh local produce and seasonal ingredients makes ordinary cooking artistic and creative.

My latest masterpieces have been a raw blueberry tart from The sunny Raw Kitchen, and a French apple tart using Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking cookbook.

In the Arts:

A highlight  of summer for me is attending outdoor arts productions and festivals.

The summer kicked off with  Art in the Vineyard, featuring music from performers of the Oregon Bach Festival and a variety of artist’s showcases.

Later in the summer, the Eugene Symphony performed their second annual outdoor concert at the Cuthbert Amphitheater in Eugene on July 17.  A review of it can be found here at the AntSaint blog.

The Roving Park Players showcased local talent of all ages in their production of Alice and Wonderland, an enjoyable rendition directed by Vicki Harkovich.  I attended a few different times – roving around to the play’s various venues including the Campbell Senior Center in Eugene, Island Park along the Willamette river in Springfield, Petersen Barn in north Eugene, and to finish at Maurie Jacobs Park on a different stretch of the Willamette in Eugene.  The above picture captures Alice with the March Hair, the Mad Hatter and the door mouse enjoying tea.

I am looking forward to next season in the park and all the other arts events that keep Eugene remarkably lively.

Now, the summer wanes and September arrives with a freshness and anticipation of the exciting year ahead… I will enjoy the fall harvest and getting back to school and beginning new violin lessons.

Fresh starts and new beginnings

Find more like this: Managing the Arts