VICKIE'S WORLD

HELLO EVERYONE!  THIS WILL BE THE SECTION IN WHICH I KEEP YOU ALL UPDATED ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH MY PHOTOGRAPHY, AND WHEN I WILL BE SHOWING.  HERE GOES!

Set for late summer, 2008, is a project for Angels of Assisi.  Angels volunteer, Lisa O'Niell sent me this YouTube link because she said the charity event covered in this story reminded her of my efforts in making portraits of their animals.  http://youtube.com/watch?v=lsr_uOBA9vQ  We both got the idea that we could do something similar here in Roanoke.  Over the next few months, I will be creating a collection of artistically shot images of some of the animals at the shelter.  We will then use these shots to create awarness for the shelter and its animals.  Hopefully we can find a gallery willing to donate a wall for the event.

April 17: I received notification from the Rescue Mission of Roanoke City that all three of my entries made the cut for final pieces to appear in their 3rd annual Permanent Art Collection series.  There are only 32 pieces in the final judging, three of which are mine.  The pieces are "Letting Go", "Reflections of the Past Within the Future", and "Sunset Alley" - all of which can be seen in the photo galleries in the navigation list to the right.  Though this is completely a charity event, some of the biggest art collecting names in Roanoke will be attending.  The winner receives 3 months front window space for their displays at the Art on a Mission store in Tanglewood Mall!  The reception and final judging will be held Sunday, May 4th at 2:00 pm at the Rescue Mission facilities.  Wish me luck!

On May 3, I will be holding an in-home gallery show at my own home.

March 29:  The next show in my Home Gallery show series was held at the home of Becky Milliner.  Items sold were my much admired Clam-It Fly driftwood wall hanging.  Also sold were 3 pairs of Clam-It earrings, an 8x10 copy of "Heron In Blue", and a canvas mounted copy of "Destitute".

On March 5, it was finalized that three of my photos will be published in the area attractions section of the 2008 edition of the Roanoke Yellow Pages book.  The photos are "Grandin Theater", Texas Tavern" and "Sun and Star" - all of which can be viewed in the photo gallery for Roanoke by clicking the photo galleries link to the right.

April 18-20, I will have 12 pieces in the art show at RavenCon.  http://www.ravencon.com/   RavenCon is now over, and I sold three pieces.  In the art show itself, I sold the 11x14 matted copy of "Cletic Skull".  On Sunday afternoon, I was seated in the hallway with some of my pieces on a table in front of me.  The buyer of "Cletic Skull" found me and asked if it was possible to get a smaller version of the same piece for him to give to a friend.  It just so happened that I had the 8x10 piece with me, so the buyer was able to purchase on the spot.  Also, his friend purchased an 8x10 copy of "Sunset Moon".

March 1-2:  I had my second and third sessions with Angels of Assisi.  On Saturday, I went to the downtown adoption center and photographed cats and dogs.  On Sunday, I went to Botetourt to visit their farm where I photographed dozens of animals.  Cows, pigs, goats, sheep, chickens, ducks and a donkey.  I am also continuing visits of the Angels of Assisi shelter, downtown.

On February 23, I was attending the SheVaCon Science Fiction Convention in my capacity as a writer.  However, I was armed with a great deal of framed photo work, as well.  It turned out that some of the people who had booked space in the art show did not come, and I was able to hang my work officially.  Before I even had the forth piece hung, one of the first three got a bid.  By the end of the show, 2 pieces were sold in the show, and a third went to auction.  A forth piece was sold that Sunday, just an hour after leaving the con, to another con guest.   The pieces sold were: "Proud", "Crystal Blue-Da-Scope", "Celtic Skull" and "Bald Eagle".  Check them out in the photo galleries!

On February 22, I received an invitation to submit my work to the 3rd Annual Permanent Art Collection Competition for the Rescue Mission in Roanoke, Virginia.  Winners will be spotlighted on the rescue mission's website http://www.rescuemission.net/core.html, two months window display at Art on a Mission in Tanglewood Mall, and listed in the Mission Lobby for prospective buyers.  Wish me luck!

On February 29, I will have my second in-home art show with hostess Rhonda Moore.    Follow-Up:  The show went very well.  Despite a small turnout, the evening was successful and everyone had a great time.  Pieces sold were "Arches and Lines", "Mill Mountain Star", "H&C Coffee Sign", "Dr. Pepper Sign", "Yellow", and "Sunset Bridge".  One more in-home party was booked by next hostess, Becky Milliner, for March.  Date to be determined.

On February 17, I had my first photo session with Angels of Assisi.  I photographed 25 cats and dogs, and had a wonderful time.  The purpose of these photos will be for the shelter's adoption efforts.  I will be continuing to donate my services as photographer to this very worthy organization.  Please see their web page  http://www.angelsofassisi.org/animals/browse   You can also see some of my photography there on their list of pets for adoption. 

Selected framed pieces are currently on display and available for purchase at Essentials Massage in downtown Roanoke.  420 Church Avenue.  Please visit their website at www.EssentialsMassageTherapy.com

On January 26, 2008, I had my first In Home Art Show.  This was held at the home of a volunteer hostess, and attracted 20 guests.  For holding the show, the hostess received a free 8x10 framed piece of her choice!  It was a successful show, and the artistic photo titled "Suicide Peeps" was very popular.  It sold 3 copies!  If you want to host a show, please email me at vickieholt@cox.net

Please choose PROFESSIONAL PHOTO GALLERIES link in the menu to the right, and browse from several categories of beautiful, original photography by Vickie Holt.  Click thumbnails for larger image, and for the image catalog number, then email vickieholt@cox.net to order your print.  Print sizes available are:

4 x 6       5x7     8x10      11x14      16x20      24x36

Kaleidoscopes are available in:

5x5          6x6          12x12          24x24

Also, if you are a publisher or editor and amonge these images you see a photo that would be desirable for your publication, Vickie would be happy to discuss this with you.  Please contact vickieholt@cox.net

Please go to VICKIE'S ESSAYS and view reply number 2 of the essay involving school shootings for comments involving today's tragic Virginia Tech shooting.

I was recently made aware of a newly released article (thanks Brill) that supports many of the theories I put forth in my Essay about the school shooting epidemic.  To read the essay, please click on VICKIE's ESSAYS to the right.  To read the new article, go here!

http://www.theindychannel.com/education/11119883/detail.html

About a decade or so ago, my perceptions of the world were forever altered when I saw a documentary that revealed chimpanzee family groups attacking one another.  Normally, animals fighting one another is nothing out of the ordinary, but...in this case...the attack was not only premeditated, but carried out with the use of crude weapons.  Clubs and sticks.   The first group simply wandered in on the second group and set about making war.  Suddenly, man was no longer so unique on this planet.  Though I was certainly disturbed by what I saw, the scientist in me was also profoundly intrigued.

Imagine how further intrigued I was then, by last week's news of chimpanzees habitually and consistently making even more sophisticated weapons!  No one has yet reported that chimps are using these weapons for fighting one another, but many have been observed making spears, with which they hunt for prey.   For the first time in human history, we are able to actually observe the emergence of practical intelligence, crafting and tool making in a creature other than ourselves.  It opens a direct and up close look at the emergence of ourselves, so many millennia ago.  How much more exciting can an event become?

This is amazing news.  Bigger, more important, impacting and profound than any political story that has ever graced the headlines.  Please take the time to visit these links for more information on this revolutionary (and evolutionary) discovery!

http://www.blog4brains.com/2007/02/26/new-discovery-chimpanzees-making-weapons/

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6387611.stm

http://newsfeedresearcher.com/data/articles_t9/idt2007.02.26.06.26.44.html