RAWards--Vote for your fav RAWartist (hint, hint ;)

Nominations are now open; please help me make it to the finals by nominating me on the RAWartist site:

www.RAWartists.org

The top nominees in each category in each city will compete in the finals for a chance to go to the national show in Hollywood--omg!!  I would love to go represent Boise :)  But, I have to win the vote in Boise first; nominations are open through the 15th--you can vote once per day, after completing registration.

Check out the video below for all the details on how it works:

Thanks so much for your help; crossing my fingers!

Amber

Sneak Peekings: new work soon to be available :)

I just wanted to share a peek at some of the new pieces that will be available on my Etsy shop & in some local galleries soon :)   Above: the "Fat Lady" vases; from about 5 feet tall to just under 2 feet; made of steel, with a custom patina & bronze accents.  These are so cute! The big ones would make such a nice set for the entrance to a home; on the deck or porch; filled with seasonal branches etc....

The smaller versions are so much fun! Great for indoors or out: they are made of heavy gauge steel so they won't tip over :)

I'll be offering sets of 2, or the set of 3-one of each size, or singles: I have some other finish options too :)

And, I'm so excited about these small, table or desk-top pieces; just over 12" tall & made from mixed metals; more design options coming :)  They are so cute!  & these come in a larger, sculpture version as well...

Look for updates in the next week--I'll be photographing & listing starting tomorrow :)

Happy Friday!!

Amber

MaryJanesFarm Magazine: I'm in it, woohoo :)

OMG! I am in the current issue :)  It's available now: you can pick up a copy at Barnes & Noble or pretty much anywhere that has a magazine section.

It's so weird to see my pics on the pages (I've been a subscriber for years)  And even weirder to see someone at the checkout line with a copy: I wanted to run up to her & tell her about my article, lol :) 

I got to meet Mary Jane herself & Meg last year in Minneapolis & then got an email early this summer asking for an interview for the magazine :)  I chatted it up on Skype with Ardis Eckle, & then waited to see the article in real life!  And then a couple weeks ago, I opened up the mailbox & there it was :)

Thanks so much to everyone at MJF for including me.

 

Amber

Catching up...& chicken pics :)

The truck & trailer are in the same spot since we pulled in late Friday night after Carnevale...I've had a whole week to catch up, & still feel like I'm behind, lol :)   I did finally get all the stuff out of the trailer; maybe I'll unhook it tomorrow ; )

The chicken Horde (we renamed them the thundering horde, instead of the herd--it's more fitting...) were on the move this afternoon: providing lots of "help" with their chicken antics...Rooster was very vocal today, for some reason--maybe it's the smoke...btw; that grey sky; not clouds--it's been smoky for the last 4 days from forest fires.  Very surreal to see a bright pink sun in the morning & filtered grey light all day long...

Anyway; in between catching up on my online orders, deliveries, & cleaning up from events, I did get one project done that's been waiting all summer: a make-over on one of the storage sheds :)

I used the wood from my display at Art in the Park to cover the front surface for a photo backdrop :)  It looks so good!  Tonight I tested it out & love the warm tones for photos --I'll share those soon--

I couldn't resist adding one of my steel bio-hazards to the door, heehehe :)

It's been nice to catch up on some projects around the shop: I thought I was going to have a bit of a slow-down this fall, but it's not turning out that way, lol :)

I signed up for Art in the Bar for October 6th, then the Boise Open Studio Tour on the 15th & 16th.  And, I just found out that I'm a finalist for the Meridian Split Corridor Art project: will be putting together a proposal for 2 pieces of monumental-scale sculpture.   AND....the World Trade Center Memorial Boise project is moving forward again: after a few setbacks, looks like we could be starting work on it next week :)

oh well: busy is good, right??

Next week; look for event announcements for Oct, pics of the new collection, & more chicken antics...

oooh; and check out Mary Jane's Farm Magazine---there is a little feature about me-self & my work in the latest issue!!

Amber

Carnevale 2012-Thanks so much!

Now that the dust has settled, I wanted to share some of my favorite  moments from Carnevale 2012 :)

I don't even know where to start: I've typed & deleted & typed again to delete again about 5 times now, lol.  It's so hard describe such a unique event: thank goodness for all the great photos; hopefully they will do the talking for me :)

 It truly was an enchanted evening in the garden; there were amazing costumes, performances, food, drink, art, music & magic...   we had around 500 show up to join in the fun :)

The sun was starting to go down just as guests started to arrive & the weather was perfect!

 Soon, the garden was overrun with masks, feathers, stilt-walkers, & party-guests :)

 

Food & drink was enjoyed, along with browsing of the local art & admiring the costumes & masks...and lining up for a reading with the very popular Fortune Tellers :)

 

The first show of the evening was the Bourgeois Chic Fashion show presented by the amazing "Queen Nena"-Nena Earl.  Omg-her team did such an amazing job with the hair & makeup; not to mention the awesome carnival inspired clothes!

Love!

 

Don't they look amazing!?

Love this shot with the Old Pen in the background :)

After a short intermission, the crowd was gathered out in the grass around a huge crane for the next performance set....   I called in a favor to my fav. crane guys :)

 The sun was setting, & just as it was getting dark:

We were treated to areal acrobatics by the Red Light Variety Show--silk dancing from the crane boom: so cool!

The crane was also used for a stage for another set of performances...

btw: do you know anyone else who decides to throw a party & insists on having a big crane there???  Call me crazy; but I loved it!

 

As it got dark, there were more & more guests & more performances throughout the evening

 

In between performances: guests strutted their stuff on the runway in the Costume Contest; prizes were awarded for best top-hat, best mask, & best costume

Our Top-Hat Winner with me & my trophy creation :) 

And for the final performance of the night: we had fire!

 

sooo cool!

 It was the perfect end to the evening...  As the music faded & the fires went dark, guests filtered out with---with smiles & happy chatter about the art, performances & costumes...

  This is my fav pic of the evening: me, my Mom, & my sweet-heart: with my display in the background :)

Thanks so much to everyone who got involved & helped to make Carnevale happen.

Photos by:

Heather Sali

Christina Birkenbine

Keri Anderson

Huge thanks to:

 ICS Crane Specialties

the Idaho Botanical Garden

Bourgeois Chic

Dylan Haas

 the Red Light Variety Show

Rose & the Fire Dancers

the Stilt Walkers 

Willowcreek Grill

Fortune Tellers: Midge Woods, Lydia Farley, & Sandy Post

Artists:

Danielle Demaray

the Idaho Metal Arts Guild

Design Bandits

Twinkle Tattoos

Sarah Murry & Crew

Tandra-Ree Everton

Special thanks to:

Mika Belle of the Boise Weekly

for the blog & pics

Very special thanks to:

Josh (& Matt)

 for all the help loading & setting up & tearing down & chatting with guests;

 could not have done it without you ; )

and everyone who came out to enjoy the event :)

Hope to see you in 2013!

 For more pics & event info: please visit the Carnevale Facebook page at:

www.facebook.com/GardenCarnevale

Amber

 

Carnevale--Join us this Friday for an Enchanted Evening in the Garden

It's almost here!  This Friday, the Garden will be transformed once again...

Join us for an enchanted evening of Art, Performance, Music, Fashion, Food, Drink, & Frivolity :)

The Red Light Variety Show will be performing again, along with Fire Dancers, & a fashion show by Bourgios Chic.

Tickets are just $10 & available online at: www.idahobotanicalgarden.org

The fun begins at 6, with performances starting at 6:30 :)

Our theme for the event is Venetian Carnival, with a Steampunk Twist...prizes will be awarded for best mask, best costume, etc: winners will be receiving a custom trophy made by yours truly ; )

Costumes are encouraged, but not necessary--dress up, or come as you are: it's all good...

This year, we have fortune teller's tent, face painting & glitter tattoos, a selection of fine artists, & a tent for fantasy hair & makeup--come to the party & be transformed by a team of stylists & then be photographed in the garden: so much fun!

And of course, yummy treats & drinks:  a custom menu of gourmet goodies & full bar will be available.

I hope you will join us: it's going to be another unforgettable evening :)

I'll be there with new sculpture, art, jewelry & a few surprises...

Check out the Facebook event page for more pics & info--will be posting a schedule of events & more info soon :)

Amber

American Warrior 300 Trophy: Race Winner

Ricky Stenhouse Jr is the big winner of the American Warrior 300 & going home with one of my creations; how cool is that!   The race results are starting to come in all over the internet along with images; so surreal to see the trophy as part of it :)

From the Life of Duty Facebook Page:

 The NRA American Warrior team is at the Atlanta Motor Speedway to cover the NRA American Warrior 300 NASCAR Nationwide race this Saturday, September 1. NRA commissioned Idaho sculpture Amber Conger to create a trophy from gun parts and military hardware that race officials have crowned the "most unique" trophy of the season. 

 I'm so glad that the trophy was well received; to be honest, I've been a bit stressed about it all week, lol :)  Unique is good; so happy that the project was a success.   I thought it was cool that after welding the scrap aluminum pieces together with the gun cut-outs; it was actually a pretty silhouette...

This has definately been one of my favorite trophy creations; again: thanks to everyone who helped me make it happen :)

Celebrating tonight...

Amber