Carefree Recap!

We're heading out for another trip tomorrow, but I still need to catch you up on Carefree!

We started off on a good note - Sangria! What can I say, Fountain Hills has created a monster (or two)! Ora may or may not have done a new original drawing titled, "Lady Sangria"...

We finally visited Chef Sara's FINISHED raw vegan cafe, and it was EPIC!

We split the combo appetizer - almond falafel, olive pate, hummus, green salad and raw vegan crackers.

I asked Sara to "surprise me" and received a WOW tower - nuts and seeds that have been soaked to release the enzymes, along with a bunch of shredded veggies - I can't even begin to tell you what was in here. It was PACKED with nutrition. Kind of an interesting/slimy texture, but I loved the crunch and the spice!

Our absolute favorite part of the meal - Tiramisu! This had a base of medjool dates and crushed almonds, topped with macadamia nut cream, Sara's homemade dark chocolate and cocoa powder. I'll go back just for the desserts - it was that amazing!

The show was a bit quiet, but we got to meet a lot of wonderful people who collect Ora's art. Many fond memories were exchanged.

Tomorrow we head off to Tempe, Arizona. We already know about Crave, the restaurant/bar across from our booth, but is there anywhere else local that we should eat??

Fountain Hills Recap!

Fountain Hills was an... exciting trip. The weekend started off wonderfully with beautiful weather and sunshine.

The calm before the storm.

Ora and I spent our days, and evenings feasting at Sofrita, our go-to restaurant that was right across from the booth.

Their winter sangria is OUT OF THIS WORLD! If you're ever in Fountain Hills, order one of those before winter is over!

Saturday and Sunday ended up being a little bit treacherous. We got warning that there would be rain and wind overnight, so we buckled, strapped and weighted down everything in the tent.

And the clouds came rolling in.

The next morning we awoke to this:

About twenty tents were completely destroyed by the storm overnight. Luckily, Ora's tent is nice and heavy, and we strapped EVERYTHING down. We didn't have so much as a loose painting.

We also experienced SNOW! For about thirty seconds on Sunday, big puffs of snow came floating down from the sky before melting instantly on the ground.

Snow in Arizona and broken glass? Yeah, that makes for an exciting trip.

Palm Springs Recap!

      We just got back from three weeks in a row on the road: Palm Springs, Fountain Hills and Carefree. Here's a quick summary of Palm Springs - the other recaps coming soon!

We set up in the rain in Palm Springs.

No one appreciated the rain, but some fared better than others.

We escaped the monsoon by going to Monsoon, a local indian restaurant. Delicious and dry!

Ora walked the catwalk in our LOVELY hotel!

Such a wonderful 180 from our "hotel" in Indio!

Kate recommended that Ora and I check out Cheeky's for brunch.

Kate, you are a GENIUS!

The BEST breakfast Ora and I have ever had!!! 

In fact, as a thank you for your amazing recommendation, Ora would like to offer you a free mini-print of your choice. 

Please e-mail us and let us know which one you'd like - we can ship it to you, or you're more than welcome to pick it up at one of our upcoming shows!

For everybody - we will be hosting more giveaways! We'll be asking for restaurant recommendations for each trip, and if a certain restaurant makes an outstanding difference in our lives (as Kate's recommendation of Cheeky's did), we'll be giving you a free mini-print!

Fountain Hills recap coming soon!

Palm Springs, Here We Come!

Hello everyone! It's that time again - time to prep for another trip next week and beg for restaurant recommendations!

We'll be heading out to Palm Springs for the Desert Arts Festival on Saturday, February 19th, Sunday, February 20th and Monday, February 21st from 10am-4pm.

Frances Stevens Park

538 N. Palm Canyon Drive

Palm Springs, CA 92262

Booth #6-7

Ora will be debuting some AMAZING new drawings, including:

and...

Plus MANY more! I'm going to make you wait until next week to see the rest, OR you can see them at the show this weekend!

Here's some trivia for you: Which fine artist, whose medium is oil paint and whom paints surreal paintings, has a birthday on February 18th while she happens to be in Palm Springs at an art show?

Please tell me you guessed this!

 HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ORA!!!

Now on to the most important section for me: WHERE SHOULD WE EAT?? Ora and I will be celebrating our birthdays and need a recommendation of somewhere amazing that only exists in Palm Springs or the surrounding areas. Any ideas?

Heading to Indio!

Hey everyone! We'll be heading out bright and early tomorrow morning for the Southwest Arts Fest in Indio, California - possibly the most exciting city in the entire Western Hemisphere. 

Or not...

Ahhh, the lovely desert with blaring sun, crazy winds and trains!

Don't worry though, the Southwest Arts Fest takes place in one of Indio's prettier areas - in the Empire Polo Club - the only green place for miles around!

Sorry for all the Indio bashing - the Bexter isn't a big fan of windy desert, and it's looking like set-up tomorrow will be on the breezy side. 

My favorite parts of Indio include Just Java Coffee. They have awesome unsweetened granola!

Indio, redeemed!!!

In other news - painting progression! Here's a side-by-side comparison of Ora's new painting from last week and its current state.

How's that for progress?

I'll also show you another original drawing Ora did that was transformed into one of her most popular paintings. I give you: Imagine!

 Here, in Ora's words, is her purpose behind the painting:

I have been asked: what does it mean???
"Imagine" tells the story of how I paint.

I started painting as a little girl. I've always loved the magic of bringing images to life by paints and lines - (the girl on the pallet). Painting for me is physical and spiritual at the same time. It is an all-consuming and focused process. I am not aware of time or sound… 

I paint for hours in solitude. It is hard for me to let go.

 I hesitate to start - (the rope holding me back), but once I hold the brush and dip it in paint - (touching the apple), I am transformed into the land of wonder:

a world where imagination rules.

The heart shaped tree at the center of the Goddess is a reminder of what matters.

The “little people” signify my roots, heritage, and my ancient people.
The sphere is my time symbol. It is a clock with no “hands”.

I try not to live my life ruled by time.

-Ora Tamir

And so we now head off to our next adventure. Come by and see us at Booth #647! We'll be there Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10am-5pm.

 

WE NEED RECOMMENDATIONS ON WHERE TO EAT! It's very, very important that we get input :)

Welcome to Ora's Art Blog!

     Hello everyone, and welcome to Ora's Art Blog - an interactive look into the creative musings of a traveling artist.

The stunning artist herself, Ora Tamir!

I'm Bexter, Ora's assistant, and I'll be updating this blog every week so you can follow the adventures of Ora and myself as we take to the open road and showcase her art. I'll also be giving a little behind-the-scenes tour of the studio and some background on how Ora's artwork comes to life.

A small glimpse into the birth of an oil painting.

The original drawing - "Infinite".

"Infinite" - oil painting in progress. 

Stay tuned!

     This year we have THIRTY-THREE (!!!) shows that we'll be attending, so keep checking back and we'll let you know when we'll be in your area. You can also sign up to be on Ora's mailing list by sending an e-mail to orasartblog@gmail.com.

     We just got back from a show in Carefree, Arizona, the first of the year, and enjoyed some beautiful weather and a steady stream of clients, both new and returning.

One of Ora's clients-turned-friend, Sara, is opening up a raw vegan academy and cafe over on Cave Creek Road, and we were lucky enough to get an inside look before she opens in two weeks. More details on that can be found on my personal blog: Hike, Bike, Eat.

     Our next show will be the Southwest Arts Festival (Booth #647) on January 28th, 29th and 30th at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. We'd love to see you there, so please come on over and visit us! You'll get an extra smile and bonus points if you bring baked goods for the Bexter. 

I'm just sayin'...