September 14-15, 2008. RhondaK restocks Star Fish, sloses through Hurricane Ike, takes her pug for a drive, paints new work and tries to figure out how to stop crying and start living.

1. Hurricane Ike’s Backlash, New Studio, Restocking Star Fish in Cortez, Trying to Not be Sad RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artist http://www.rhondakwrites.com

2. Hurricane Ike’s backlash submerged my yard and all my collected wood. I’ve been walking miles of beaches looking for washed up wood, with some success. I needed to restock Star Fish Company as they reopened September 15, 2008. Meantime, I’m dragging some sadness about TiKiMan’s Death and my bank account being ate by a Jacksonville Lawyer of some ill repute. Court date to be announced. RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artist http://www.rhondakwrites.com

3. But why look at the flooded yard. I can’t figure why I’m having a hard time fighting my way out of sad. These pics are about where I life. RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artist http://www.rhondakwrites.com

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6. RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artist http://www.rhondakwrites.com So, what is my problem? I tried to work my funk out. Tried to paint out my sad. Tried to focus on big shows coming up. I rescued some wood from the flooded yard. Some of my signs went down the canal and my landlord rescued them. I think they’ll be worth more money once the wood checks. My landlord built me a porch studio with nightlites and everything. I’ve been working trying to make my heart catch up with the heart of my world. I mean…look at it. It is beautiful. I need to stop mourning and see it.

7. RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artist http://www.rhondakwrites.com Some wood that Hurricane washed up. A mangrove that catches wood.

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9. RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artist http://www.rhondakwrites.com RIGHT?

10. RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artist http://www.rhondakwrites.com So, this is my new porch. As you can see I have a stack of work going. They say when you are sad to death you should work to death. I’m not sure what my big girl panties are…but maybe it is work.

11. RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artist http://www.rhondakwrites.com This is my work in progress. An egret and blank sign of my signs. .

12. RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artist http://www.rhondakwrites.com To start painting I had to step over these signs that the backlash of Hurricane Ike washed into a canal. My landlord Bob rescued them. That is Sadie the Sales Pug on the side.

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15. RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artist http://www.rhondakwrites.com This is the beginning of some new work. It makes me sad to paint pictures of roughly how Star Fish Company looks coming in on the dinghy like the TiKiMan and I used to see..but I thought I needed to start incorporating that LOVE into my work. That FUN. Even though he’s dead. I’m not.

16. RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artist http://www.rhondakwrites.com This is one version I took to Cortez, Florida to sell at Star Fish Company.

17. RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artist http://www.rhondakwrites.com My work at Star Fish Company in Cortez Florida. New signs. I’m mixing more higher priced, detailed work with the previous $5-10 work. I’m not sure it will work.

18. RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artist http://www.rhondakwrites.com While Sadie was fed ice, I redid my set up putting in new display screws and replacing all the old signs with new work.

19. RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artist http://www.rhondakwrites.com A lot of people call me to redo this 14 piece sign of my signs. But I did it special for Karen Bell of Star Fish Company and Bell’s Fish House. Actually I don’t think I can duplicate it precisely. A lot of sayings on the sign are from Karen. It is her sign. It is Star Fish’s sign. A new tradition of what it is to hang at Star Fish. It is a work of love of something beyond myself. Yes, I think signs can be like that. This sign is about belief. I can never duplicate it. It is faith. A prayer on the wall of Star Fish Company.

20. RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artist http://www.rhondakwrites.com This is what the new setup looks like from all angles.

21. RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artist http://www.rhondakwrites.com This is what the new setup looks like from all angles.

22. RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artist http://www.rhondakwrites.com This is what the new setup looks like from all angles.

23. RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artist http://www.rhondakwrites.com This is what the new setup looks like from all angles.

24. RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artist http://www.rhondakwrites.com This is what the new setup looks like from all angles.

25. RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artist http://www.rhondakwrites.com This is the front of Star Fish Company. The roothead tiki was carved by TiKiMan. When he left, I painted it. They said in Cortez if he hadn’t of came back I would have painted the whole Village. Now that he’s dead. I’m repainting the world.

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28. RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artist http://www.rhondakwrites.com The pug and I went to Salty Dog New Pass after I restocked Star Fish Company. They are dog friendly and she can lick a lot of toes. She loves licking toes.

29. RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artist http://www.rhondakwrites.com New Pass in Florida. It got its name from a hurricane. A man woke up his wife after a hurricane and said …look honey it is a NEW PASS.

30. RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artist http://www.rhondakwrites.com Salty Dog is a dog friendly open place on New Pass.

31. RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artist http://www.rhondakwrites.com Salty Dog is a dog friendly open place on New Pass.

32. RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artist http://www.rhondakwrites.com I watched Randy Pausch’s Last Lecture. http://www.thelastlecture.com/ You know, I cried through it. His dignity. His wisdom. I’m just not that good. I get that life is for the living. I have to take this thing I have and make it live MORE. Yeah, that’s paint on my face. This is my life. There’s going to be paint in it.