birthday party at the Jepson!

Such richly colored vegetables!
So very flavorful, too!
Best asparagus, cucumbers, and cauliflower ever!
(THRIVE gets them from Pooler.
I see a trip there in my future!)

Shrimp with gouda cheese curls, atop purple grits!
So rich and decadent!
This cocktail was certainly especially made for me!
I know the Bird Girl would approve!

And for my last bites...
chunky hummus with kalamata olives adorning
crunchy tortilla chips - olé!
Also, a creamy scallion dip that I topped with
one of those juicy jellybean-colored
tomatoes - oh my!

I know you're wondering: why did the Jepson Center throw a birthday60+1 celebration for me?
Well, they had to publicize it as a reception for the artist talk by this young woman.
You know, like the Bananas do for the party they give me every year.
(smile!)

The artist, Ansley West Rivers, is my first niece's age.
When she was thirty, she developed a photography project, "Source To Sea: Seven Rivers", choosing bodies of water that serviced large populations across the USA.
She had been inspired by a river trip through the Grand Canyon two years earlier, shocked at how the Colorado River had changed in 150 years.

My favorite photograph is this one.
The rolling waters have a strong resemblance to the "Blue Marble" shot from the NASA mission.
What an excellent eye she has for juxtaposition!
Her talk, unique in that she was an #art912 exhibitor, was held in the Neises Auditorium rather than the cafe.
That was a good move, as the place was nearly full.

As I told Calli afterward, I thought this was one of the most multidisciplinary presentations I've ever attended.
The artist spoke of her photography in terms of literary quotes from Mark Twain and others, as well as using other historical notes.
In addition, she employed scientific principles to the analysis of her works, even using her maps and paints to create full renditions of a river's scope.

For example, this is the new art she crafted to represent the Hudson River.
She had applied three different types of paints, for unique chemical results, on the actual maps she had used for her trip on that river.
It's also worth noting that she had three children during this six-year project.
I'm going to have to make sure Christina sees this.
She'll appreciate it.
And I have truly appreciated this party!
(smile)