![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6k03lr39oMvOqazRLE0j5ZRk__lAtnNX3Ki2zf-dB4UtpTBXghczuKTMyzD5M4NeUmNtkF3BB01QNy8dUliErFPxOf0DgitvmUC0bRDoh_i4Ocu-WEEzz_-zHI9I-qcTGh62WsPoYyq_D/s400/sb707_72.jpg)
For the past few years, I've been lucky enough to be an
Art*o*mat artist. Art*o*mat machines are retired cigarette vending machines that have been converted to vend art. There are 82 active machines in various locations throughout the country. I just finished another batch of my
Strange Bird pieces - little felt and fabric birdies, that fit into a cigarette box. I still need to make about 50 more, to take with me to the 10th anniversary bash in Winston-Salem, NC, in a few weeks.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp5IyrpyIvpMgA9kQSGRa0upcC893q4onXAMkymQ_vruE4rR2Rw6mho5CdZDDU05D6RKcojAeUziezzvVuoUE6zjibfQDGh2xgrDtnsJNQ_oqY4YOstoLewdzEObINzJ-YZiaJQNEYWmw4/s400/sbyellow72.jpg)
On a different subject, last night I went on the
Old 97's Rockin' the River Cruise (
"Listening to your favorite artists while sailing past the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, the Brooklyn Bridge...you've never seen music like this before"). I couldn't get any good shots of the band - got there too late for my usual front row position...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsTQnbyz6LJ2YGb3_S6odt8AMNjY0WBO4U0Xn7Zys_jGqE67WEJCMUUTn97qhB-miRdjtvhRoNHkvEmOfqNnRfs8477ngg49MRAqDCVZVNv1QLz4h3_RDt_6N-yZakzjcPXtEBl_dL8fXK/s400/97sRTR07_1.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtnC9R6jfr9p6EWbLNaqQz7PIxL7Vgt5M6_Y0X93aohsHIaUVrTYIP9P72oVfQUhFgEnyItB_UTe2bF5p3-HN0UsKMspP8YaCaQq1MOGi53RB1jpAqnN5oXAC9ylXWJKUrndSFx4ivujbI/s400/97sRTRsetlist.jpg)
so I concentrated on the view...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAl9_regoTxETnJ4C8iIDcI17EiRZqTBJ45dirHCPHcK_J2ZE0sZCU9C_ldBC-zOvzu4cS3gF8Wm2QXeH5cuPtPTvZPgd412VpVwSZj_Vm9f1BGSD93Sz4dF0sISyx_DFcBG5kyXfC_j9W/s400/RTRliberty.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipY4ldb_v079bW71mt-rHb4oo8adhWmdYXkMw-c-3xotY6CXmaiMDykN7QXu1MRfH9pYNaYKFkz0FD3qzTkhqYAQ6yL5jWMfAJrtTyj-kCefdMXz4dvjlwcgHKfFnxd4jYOY33Y0CBv5Gm/s400/RTRbb3.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic7Dt1lYK1I8OGLVrSUpxouXpLz5GNUNTR7pQ42m7RXPuBBgyv5293E0mAKr7_ILrjCjKio1uKgRSFAy-iCnczVpgOXmFvHwZYkf9lUzSramBeczzLlSm483zSpAvqQWa1hEPSHi56oP8s/s400/RTRbb2.jpg)
later y'all