Day 4608: Magical Cut Paper Works & Llama Caddies in North Carolina.

   

"Everyday": junk papers collage & Ink

  

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Click: John Barry, Out of Africa.

 

2GN2S

Magical Cut Paper Works, 

by Barbara Earl Thomas Alchemizes Light and Shadow

Detail of “The Transformation Room”

Barbara Earl Thomas reminds us that darkness—and the absences and omissions it conceals—are part of the stories we’ve adopted as truth. Her pieces gravitate toward the inextricable relationship between light and dark, with warm colors and soft glows emanating from floral motifs.

Working in paper and Tyvek, Thomas makes poetry of nature as it envelops the human body, carving intricate narratives that can be read as beautiful and apocalyptic. She’s interested in illuminating the choices society makes, whether it be deciding to cloister ourselves in climate-controlled spaces safe from the elements or cling to baseless prejudices.

“A Joyful Noise” (2022), paper cut with hand-printed color. Photo by Spike Mafford

Thomas works out of a basement studio in Seattle that she’s occupied since 1988. On the walls are paper-cut portraits with long sheets of Tyvek draped over tables. She knows all of her subjects and sees each body of work as a sort of community, one she won’t split up even to send a piece or two to her gallerist in preparation for an exhibition. For the artist, the community and the individual, like humanity and nature and light and dark, are co-constitutive. Their unity is what allows them to exist.

“Girl with Flowers II” (2022), paper cut with hand-printed color. Photo by Spike Mafford

Casting elegant shadows throughout the gallery, the installation invites viewers to reflect and see themselves and each other anew. The artist intends to “create a community gathering experience where my vision is filtered through sound and light, while being anchored in the historic familiar, poised for transformation.”

“Girl and the World” (2022), paper cut with hand-printed color


The Illuminated Body runs from February 17 to May 21 in Philadelphia. Find more by picking up a copy of the accompanying monograph and visiting the artist’s website..

Left: “Two Trains” (2022), paper cut with hand-printed color.
Right: “Lady in the Library” (2022), paper cut with hand-printed color.

Llama golf caddies drive tourism

Dave Rhiver of Raleigh played a round with Sandy, a male llama, as his caddy. Photo: Clifford A. Sobel

Golfing with llama caddies — who carry your clubs uncomplainingly — is the hottest ticket in North Carolina. Tourism and recreational activities involving llamas have been on an upswing.

• Llama (and alpaca) lovers attend competitive llama shows and invite llamas to visit schools, libraries and nursing homes.
• You can go hiking with your own llama — and the pack-bearing animal may even carry your gear and beer.
• The animals are popular to rent as wedding guests — and they're selfie-magnets that never fail to halt traffic when they're out in public.

Elwood, a Suri llama, has twisty strands of fiber and can carry up to 85 pounds, though the golf bags typically weigh only 23.

At the Sherwood Forest Golf Club in Brevard, North Carolina, the phone rings 3-4 times a day with people who want to book the llama golf caddies.

• "We get everything – first-time golfers, kids, senior citizens — it's universal," said Mark English, who has trained some of his 30 llamas to carry the clubs.
• The llamas also go trekking with guests at nearby Earthshine Lodge — where the female llamas live.
• They work regularly with SOAR, a wilderness therapy program for children with ADHD and learning disabilities.
• And they do weddings — and go to schools on class photo day.

Lightning the llama gets up close and personal with Maureen Plattner (left) and 4-year-old Isla Craig (right). 

Elwood the llama helps Kate Warner of Horse Shoe, N.C., with her swing. 

How it works: Llamas are sturdy and docile animals bred to carry heavy loads in the Andes Mountains, so they don't think twice about being saddled with 23 pounds of golf clubs.

• English has had special "cross-tree" saddles made for them by a company called Quality Llama Products..
• Each llama carries two custom-made golf bags that sit on the saddle.
• Each golfer is assigned a llama, leading the animal around 9 or 18 holes.
• English, who has a degree in turf management and used to own a golf course management business, accompanies the golfers and gives advice on club selection and course play.

Fun facts: Some golf clubs have tried goats and donkeys as caddies, with less success.

• Llamas are "amazingly trainable" — and hypoallergenic to boot, English said.
• Plus, they don't pull up the grass when they graze, and their soft toes are easier on the fairway than golf carts.
• 
  

Jenifer Lyons takes a shot. When a llama is your caddy, you need to carry a stake to put in the ground as you proceed along the fairway.

The reward for a good caddy tends to be a bowl of water and a handful of tasty greens.

 

  

 

A 4+ minute video, Llamas vs Alpaca , here

 

 

 

  

 

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Mexican.Kestrel

 

 

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