New at Buffalo Springs Farm

New Art for 2009

2009-01-21T15:59:00.003-05:00

I have been asked to participate in the Demuth Museum's 2009 Invitational exhibition, A Novel Approach: Literary Inspiration, which will be on view March 7 - April 26, 2009. The assignment is to create a piece based on a work of literature. I selected The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas by Getrude Stein. It is an assemblage/collage work that I have placed in an old desk drawer.

Information about the museum and the exhibition can be found at: http://www.demuth.org/

2008-12-29T08:14:00.010-05:00

Animals on the farm

We no longer have a small flock of sheep here at the farm. Dan's health problems made it difficult to do the heavy work involved which left me as the only farm hand. As I told him at the time, "I am willing to do a lot of work around here, but I do NOT wrestle sheep!" After we sold the flock we learned that the life threatening bacterial blood infection that had invaded Dan's body may have been a result of handling newborn sheep. Although the sheep came with the farm when the Backenstoses bought it, the tradition has come to an end.

These latest pictures serve as documentation that a person can change...in this case, my dear husband has become a cat person! Here is a picture of our latest addition, Puffin, about 10 weeks or so. She was a skinny little feral baby that Dan rescued from the cold several weeks ago. She makes number 3 of our "house" cats. She is currently living in Dan's shop but once she is a little bigger, she will probably reside with Khumir in my studio which is much warmer and sunnier. "King" Noir (a black feral kitten we rescued about 18 months ago) is the privileged fellow who actually lives in the house (and Dan said he'd never have a pet in his home!!).

2008-12-28T16:51:00.003-05:00

Seasons Greetings from

Buffalo Springs Farm 2008
Dan and I are feeling truly blessed this holiday season. 2008 was truly a year of challenges. This time last year Dan spent the holidays in a wheelchair in a nursing home. Thanks to medical care and sheer tenacity (on both our parts), this December finds Dan on his feet and puttering in his shop on his beloved farm. Thanks for all our friends' prayers and well wishes. What a difference a year can make!!

We are both now "retired" and operate on the belief that now is the time to do the things we want to do. In Dan's case this translates as spending most of his time either working around the property or in the shop creating his artistic expressions in wood. For me the studio and the garden (in season) beckon. Probably my most difficult retirement task is occasionally coercing Dan into leaving the farm for some kind of adventure that requires leaving not only the property but even Lebanon county! Those who know him well know what I mean!! We've made a few trips to art museums this year and I'm campaigning for more trips in the next.

So here's wishing health and happiness to all in the new year.

Love and peace,
Teri and Dan

Simple Twist of Fate

2007-05-06T11:29:00.000-04:00

It's time once again for an entry to the Lancaster Summer Arts Festival’s annual exhibition at the Lancaster Museum of Art. I have had a piece in this exhibit each year for almost 20 years and it just wouldn't seem right without an entry. Last year's was a departure from the collage work I am best known for; however, this year I am back to my familiar narrative mixed media collage. This one is called "Simple Twist of Fate." As to the narrative, the viewer is welcome to "fill in the blanks," although I am happy to discuss my version of the story if asked.

Check out the Lancaster Museum of Art website at http://www.lmapa.org/about.html for more information about the 45th Annual Open Art Award Exhibit from June 2-July 29, 2007.

Women's Expressions 2007

2007-03-24T17:18:00.000-04:00

I have been invited once again to participate in Women's Expressions, an art event sponsored by Lancaster General Women & Babies Hospital. The monies raised from this year's gala and art auction are used for women's health programs. I have entered one of my fraktur-inspired acrylic and beeswax pieces, Eternal Flame.

There will be a Community Open House on Sunday, April 1st., 2:00 - 5:00 pm at Women & Babies Hospital. The exhibit will be on display at the hospital for three weeks. The work will then be sold at the gala fundraising event on Saturday, April 21st.

For more information , check out their website at www.LancasterGeneral.org/ArtEvent .

The Snow Geese are here!

2007-03-11T20:38:00.000-04:00

Dan and I visited the Middle Creek Wildlife Management area near our farm (approximately 5 miles away) this afternoon to see our late winter visitors, the migrating Snow Geese. We were told by the park ranger that there are 180,000 this year, an unusually high number. Apparently they are reproducing and surviving at a fast rate. In fact, hunting them is allowed here to thin out the flock. ( I saw a Snow Goose recipe book for sale for in the Visitors Center). The farmers find them destructive to the land as they devour all they can find during their residency in our area before they continue on their way to the Artic Circle. The weather was warm today and the crowds were out. We couldn't get close to the geese but we did trek down to the lake which is still covered with much ice and snow. We even saw a couple of ice fishermen which seemed incongruous with the 50 degree temperature. We loved the sight and sound of all those birds... and have no intention of eating a single one!

I didn't get close to a bird for a photo but the line of white in the one photo is a very immense congregation of birds on the water with a large group of people beyond them watching them.

You can find more information about Pennsylvania Wildlife Management areas at www.pgc.state.pa.us .

Demuth 2007 Annual Invitational Exhibition

2007-01-04T16:37:00.000-05:00

I have been invited to particiapte in the Demuth Museum’s 2007 Invitational exhibition, Forbidden Firsts: Jazz at Marshall’s which will be on view from February 2– March 30, 2007.

A lifetime of fragile health added a sense of immediacy to Charles Demuth’s adult life. His healthier moments were driven by a belief in living life to its fullest. As a creative person, he sought experiences that stimulated his senses. The early jazz clubs offered such a sensory experience. My mixed media work created for the exhibit is entitled Borrowed Time. For this piece I wanted simulate an impression of the exterior and interior of the type of building that may have housed Marshall’s or one of the other clubs Demuth frequented on his trips to New York City. The clock on the top floor is set just minutes from 12 o’clock; the bewitching hour for one living on “borrowed time.”

For more information about Charles Demuth, go to the museum's website www.demuth.org .
Borrowed Time may be purchased for $950.00 at the museum during the run of the show.

Saffron man

2006-10-21T17:40:00.000-04:00

True to his Pennsylvania Dutch roots, Dan grows saffron in the fall for local favorites, like Chicken Pot Pie, prepared with saffron the same way his grandmother made it years ago. It's an obsession that occupies his evenings this time of year as he daily harvests the flowers and collects the stigmas to dry them. He records the daily number of picks and maintains that the growth cycle creates a bell-shaped curve (this is the scientist in the man). Today he picked 86 blossoms. Some days the number is over a hundred.

Saffron is one of the world’s most expensive spices since it is hand picked and handled very delicately. It requires over 80,000 individual flowers to produce a full pound of saffron!
You can learn more about saffron at http://www.chefdepot.net/saffronfacts.htm.

Precious Baby!

2006-10-21T15:33:00.000-04:00

Every proud grandma loves to share pictures of her grandbabies and I am no exception...here's little Miss Cuteness herself at 14 months - Ellie Rea.

Halloween on the Farm

2006-10-09T21:50:00.000-04:00

Spiders and Jack-o-Lanterns

set the mood.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Fall at the Farm

2006-10-05T20:36:00.000-04:00

It has been a long summer with no news from the farm posted on the blog. I returned to full-time work the end of June. A "day job" to be sure, but time-consuming nonethless. I was asked to come back by a former employer, Childcraft Education Corp (www.childcraft.com ) to reinstate the inside sales department at their new Mt Joy office. I had been absent for 4 years, but after a few days, it seemed like I had only been off for an extended vacation. In the meantime, Dan was hospitalized in early July for a very serious bacterial blood infection. The infection went to his aortic heart valve causing endocarditis. After a week in the hospital and 4 weeks of daily visits to the hospital for intravenous antibiotic therapy, I am happy to report that he is more or less normal (those who know him understand the "more or less"!!). The source of his infection was never determined but he is now a heart patient and may eventually need a valve replacement.

The picture with this entry is a recent visitor to the farm who seems to be enjoying our stream. Since neither of us is well schooled in bird watching, we think it is a crane (perhaps an egret). He shows no fear and allows us to observe his survey of the water. Ain't life grand!!

Off to Minneapolis

2006-06-08T09:19:00.000-04:00

My daughter Carey, husband James, and the darlin' little Eleanor Rea are departing for Minneapolis and the University of Minnesota the end of June. James has received a prestigous fellowship and stipend from the American Studies department to teach and complete his PhD, a process that should take four or so years. Ellie celebrates her first birthday August 1st...an event this grandmother will sorely miss. I will be saving my pennies for a flight to the land of 10,000 lakes!

Make Room for Ducklings

2006-06-05T20:28:00.000-04:00

We had our own little storybook moment today. When I came out of my studio this afternoon I heard much peeping and quacking. After a little investigation I discovered several small ducklings on the bank bridge behind the barn who were trying to get to their mother who was in the stream below. After running from one side to the other, they each decided the only route was to take the plunge and leap to the water (at least a 10 foot drop). Luckily they were all safe and joined their mother for a swim down the stream .... a happy little brood of 12 babies and mom.

Thanks to Mother Nature, never a dull moment here in Buffalo Springs!

For more information about mallard ducks check out: www.k12.de.us/warner/mallard.htm

Transcendental Tulip

2006-06-05T16:33:00.000-04:00

I was surprised and pleased to learn that I won 3rd Place with one of my new acrylic and beeswax paintings entitled Transcendental Tulip at the 44th Annual Open Art Award at the Lancaster Museum of Art. After much nervousness on my part when I first started this new series of paintings (certainly a vast departure from my previous work), I have been much encouraged by the positive response the work has received. The opening of my show at the Troupe Gallery last Friday (June 2nd) was well attended despite the heavy rainfall and all the comments shared with this artist were enthusiastic approval. A fellow artist told me that she thought I was quite brave to make such a leap...change is good! I had told Lisa Troupe prior to the exhibit that I considered Dan my muse for this new work. When we arrived at the opening we were given name tags so that we might be identified by the public. Mine was...Artist - Teri Traner. Dan's was...Artist's Muse - Dan Backenstose !! He is truly a man comfortable in his own skin. He wore it proudly! And I am proud to be his artiste (as he calls me).

For more information about these exhibits:
Lancaster Museum of Art - www.lmapa.org
Troupe & Co Fine Art Gallery - www.troupegallery.com

I was also fortunate to have been selected to be featured in the events section of the June issue of Central Pa Magazine and on their website for June. This can be viewed at
http://www.centralpa.org/events.html . The image at the top is my painting, Miz T's Tulip.

Sheep Shearing Time

2006-05-24T08:13:00.000-04:00

Our itinerant sheep shearer arrived Monday morning to perform the annual fleece removal ritual. The sheep were "tricked" into the barn with a snack (sheep feed), the door was secured, and they were removed one by one for their "haircut." An amusing thing to watch for those who have never witnessed such an event. The sheep shearer brings with him a large piece of plywood which serves as the shearing floor. Once he has secured one of the sheep, she is set on her hind quarters and amazingly she offers no resistance. The whole procedure takes about 2-3 minutes a sheep. The lambs are not shorn and watch on with much interest. Although the shearing was done on an unusually cold May morning, the sheep will be much more comfortable during the summer months without their heavy coats.

Rockin' Lancaster

2006-04-20T16:14:00.000-04:00

This year I will be one of the artists participating in the Lancaster County Cultural History Museum's fund raising project, "Rockin' Lancaster." Selected artists have been asked to create a rocking chair, either from a child's rocker supplied by the museum or by creating one of their own design. I elected to use the one supplied and have decorated it with images similar to those in my new paintings. The event kicks off at the museum on First Friday, June 2nd. The chairs will then move to various locations in the city to be displayed for the summer. The chairs will be auctioned off at a fundraiser in September. For more information, go to the museum's website at www.culturalhistorymuseum.com .

Exhibit of latest Teri Art

2006-04-20T08:57:00.000-04:00

A new studio in the old chickenhouse... lead to a new body of work... which in turn lead to an exhibit in Lancaster....I think I'm on a roll!! Twenty-five of my latest mixed media (primarily collage, acrylic and beeswax) will be on display this June at Troupe & Co in Lancaster. Opening reception is June 2nd. For more information visit the gallery's website at www.troupegallery.com .

The response from friends has been positive. I am anxious to see what the public response will be. Stay tuned!!

Spring has Sprung!!

2006-03-30T20:07:00.000-05:00

The daffodils are in bloom here in Buffalo Springs and the residents couldn't be happier! Dan and I eagerly look forward to the warmer weather so that we may once again dig in the earth and watch our flowers grow. So we now have six Spring lambs and the flower blooming has begun. Life is good!

Spring Lambs

2006-03-16T08:25:00.000-05:00

We now have six babies in the pasture...two sets of twins (one male/female, one 2 males) and two singles (one male and one female). The pasture has become quite a noisy place with all the mothers and babies calling for one another at all times of the day. For those unfamiliar with sheep and their habits, they most definitely do not utter the storybook sound of "BAA"... it is clearly a loud "MAA" instead!! We still have two ewes that may yet deliver. The ewe that lost her baby last fall due to its capture by the neighbor's dog seems depressed by all the babies in the barnyard. She hangs back from the crowd and looks sad.

Lambing Season Has Begun

2006-03-02T20:38:00.000-05:00

We had our first lamb of the year last week. One of my favorites, "No. 7" (so called because of the No. 7 yellow tag in her ear) gave birth last week to a healthy female lamb. Mother and child are doing well and after several days in the lambing quarters or "nursery" and are now with the rest of the flock in the pasture. The picture here is No. 7 and daughter.

"No. 5" gave birth to twins (males) two days ago and it is their turn to be sequestered in the nursery. One of the lambs is smaller (a runt) and the mother has tried to reject him. Dan has periodically tied her with a leash so the small one can nurse. So far he survives. We have our fingers crossed. Time will tell.

Teri Art is Morphing!

2006-02-21T13:32:00.000-05:00

After many years as a collage artist, I have taken a new path....still with a collage base but I am now very involved with paint and COLOR. My work in the past has been rather dark and introspective. Now color shouts from the surface and demands attention. The source of my new imagery is all the wonderful Pennsylvania German fraktur designs that are part of my environment now that I live with my 18th Century man here on our 18th Century homestead! I am responding to these images and interpreting them in my own style. Thus far I have done several with the tulip design as my starting point. I have only shown this new work to a few friends but the response has been extremely positive and I am encouraged to find out where this path will take me.

A friend once asked me when was I going to paint "happy" pictures...I do believe these qualify.

New Dan Art from the Shop

2006-02-02T12:54:00.000-05:00

Dan just finished a new large natural Cherry Table made from the crotch of a cherry tree that is Mother Nature (with Dan's assistance, of course) at her best. It is truly gorgeous...a must see! Dan applied the finishing touches to it this week and we installed it in our living room this morning. The figure in the wood is superb. The table would make a great addition to any room, as a coffee table or side table. It measures 26" wide by 52" long. It is currently 23 1/2" high but Dan would be happy to shorten the legs for no extra charge. The price for this lovely table is $850.

Demuth Invitational Exhibit

2006-01-25T18:39:00.000-05:00

I have been invited to participate in the Demuth Museum's annual invitational exhibition, entitled The Paris Experience: Franklin and Demuth. Of course, the Demuth referenced is Charlie himself and Franklin is included this year because it is the 300th anniversary of the birth of Benjamin Franklin. The commonality for the two is the fact that both spent informative periods of time in Paris...in different centuries and for very different reasons. This was the challenging theme for this year's exhibition. I chose Paris as the focal point of my mixed media artwork created specifically for the show. I purchased a 1914 map of Paris off of eBay and I was off and running. The image on the outside of the box is from an early 20th book about Paris that I also purchased on eBay.The images behind each of our main characters (Ben and Charlie) are pictures of the Louvre at the approximate time of their respective visits. The title of the piece is Common Denominator. The price is $750 (30% goes to the Demuth).

The opening of the exhibit is Friday, February 3 and run until the end of March. The museum is located at 120 E. King Street, Lancaster, PA. You can check out their website at www.demuth.org .

Studio Cat

2006-01-17T19:47:00.000-05:00

Introducing my studio companion.......The lovely Khumir! She was originally my son-in-law James' cat in California. When my daughter and he adopted another cat and moved into a one pet apartment, Khumir needed a new home. After a detour or two, she officially became the studio cat this last fall. She loves her little kingdom (or cathouse!) where she can watch the sheep in the barnyard and the birds at the suet feeder.

December Sunset

2005-12-25T10:22:00.000-05:00

As the sun

sets on

2005...

Peace in

2006

for all

Season's Greetings

2005-12-24T14:38:00.000-05:00

Happy Holidays...

Wishing health and happiness

to one and all in the New Year!

Peace,

Teri and Dan

Picturesque

2005-12-14T11:49:00.000-05:00

The double bridges over the Buffalo Springs stream here on the farm have been photographed innumerable times and painted by many local artists. They were especially interesting this morning with the results of last night's single digit temperatures....frosty and shimmering. Dan couldn't resist taking some pictures. I wanted to share this one because it is rather dramatic. We are truly blessed to live in such beautiful surroundings.

More Teri's Art Boxes

2005-12-13T11:44:00.000-05:00

I have created a few more of my boxes recently. One or two may show up in a friend's or relative's Christmas stocking, but most are for sale. The larger Rabbit Box is $125, The Lady Box with gold knob is $95, and the box with Girl on Phone is $50. Anyone interested in knowing more about my boxes can contact me through our website: buffalospringsfarm(dot)com.

Winter at the Farm

2005-12-09T11:20:00.000-05:00

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!! Nine inches of snow overnight. It looks beautiful and it is a gorgeous sunny day. Although after all the shoveling out, Dan and I are beginning to understand why folks move to warmer climes in their golden years.

Sad News

2005-12-07T12:33:00.000-05:00

Our little lamb died this morning. The stress of the whole ordeal must have been too much for it's little system. It may have had internal injuries from the dog's rough handling and the mother's rejection was surely traumatic. Too many negatives. A sad day here at Buffalo Springs. I shed a few tears over this one. Mother Nature is not always kind.

Truly Never a Dull Moment

2005-12-06T10:13:00.000-05:00

For a life long city girl, life on the farm can be quite traumatic. Last night when we climbed into bed for the night we could hear the mother sheep calling and calling for her lamb. Yes, the lamb mentioned in earlier blog. We knew something was wrong. Dan threw on some clothes and wandered the pasture to investigate...no sign of the lamb or foul play. We decided the lamb most probably had been abducted by a fox (which sometimes happens) and was gone. The mother cried all night. When I awoke this morning I heard the mother call and then heard a reply to her call. Dan and I raced out to discover a neighbor with the lamb. It seems his dog had grabbed the lamb and taken it home. They wrapped it in a towel, put it in a box in a warm spot for the night and returned the little one this morning. We immediately put the lamb in the pasture with the mother but unfortunately she wouldn't let it nurse. He probably had human smell over him and although she recognized his cry, she didn't recognize his odor. We tried much coaxing to get mother and lamb into the barn's nursery but with no success. We are now bottle feeding the poor thing and letting it rest. The door is open and the mother can get in but is no longer showing interest. Mother Nature is not always kind. If we can't encourage the mother-child reunion, we may be the little ones new mommie! Stay tuned for further developments.

Studio Update

2005-11-25T16:30:00.000-05:00

Now that Thanksgiving is over, I am out of the kitchen and back in the studio. I am currently working on small boxes. They are something I enjoy doing to get me into the studio groove before I dive into more demanding projects. I often use them for gifts or sell them at $30-$75 for the smaller ones, depending on the size and complexity, and $75-$150 for larger boxes. They are collaged and painted inside and out and generally have a line or two of text incorporated to tell a little story. I try to have smaller, less expensive items available for people who would like a piece of "teri art" but don't have the budget for the larger works.

Sure feels good to get back to the studio!

Lamb Update

2005-11-23T16:04:00.000-05:00

So far, so good. Mother and lamb (a little ram lamb by the way) are doing well. Still in the "nursery" and the baby is nursing. This one is a smaller than normal lamb so we will keep him with his mother longer than we usually do. His prognosis looks good. We've got our fingers crossed that he makes it.

Surprise New Arrival

2005-11-22T20:32:00.000-05:00

When Dan and I were feeding the sheep a treat of some corn on Saturday morning we noticed that one was missing. Fearing that one had a mishap, we began to call, then noticed some activity at the top of the pasture. We then discovered she was not alone. She had apparently delivered several hours ago and we had a new little black lamb to add to the flock. This was very early since our sheep normally give birth in February. We then went up the hill to retrieve the lamb and coax the mother to the sheep barn to be sequestered for several days in the "nursery" for some mother-child bonding. Unfortunately, once there we discovered that the mother seemed to have no milk and the lamb appeared weak. Dan went racing out to buy nipples and formula so we could feed our new baby ourselves. I am glad to report that after two days of bottle feeding the mother's milk has come in and mother and child are doing what comes naturally. The lamb is on the small side but we are hopeful it will thrive. Included here is a picture of me coaxing the mother down to the barn.

New Art Cart for Studio

2005-11-19T14:44:00.000-05:00

Dan has spent the past week or so building an art cart for my studio. He enjoys the challenge of designing something new and I am more than happy to be the recipient of the fruits of his labor. The cart has shelves on both sides, collapsible leaves on both sides, and is on casters so I can move it around. When it is fully extended it gives me a 9 foot surface to work on and will allow me to do larger pieces. A wonderful addition to the studio from a wonderful husband! I've attached two photos from yesterday's installation. Our good friend Christopher drove the tractor and helped with the heavy lifting. Thank you Christopher!