Art Vending Machine In Yellow Springs, Ohio

Back in 2007 we, Nancy,Talitha and moi aka Jafabrit, had created an art ball machine which was displayed in various places around Yellow Springs, Ohio. 

Fast forward to 2026 and the art vending machine was donated to Sister Trillium's, a wonderful not for profit reused craft store run by volunteers. 

We were asked if we'd be willing to create art for the machine. So we got cracking and worked on small fridge magnets. 

Wonderful to be back with my art besties, and such a vibrant inspiring art community. 
 

Public Art Box and Jafabrit back in Yellow Springs

Been a while since the art box had a new installation. Alas the last one had to be rescued by Urban Handmade (much thanks) after the wind ripped off the plexi cover. 

Spring is here, the sun is shining, blossoms are blooming and the mice come out to play.

One of my fave pics of the art box is with Nancy in 2017 matching the flower planter box LOL! Just perfect. 

Previous Installations

 

Parkinson's and Art

 It's been and is quite a struggle for my jafapal Nancy dealing with Parkinson's. 

It affects every aspect of her life, eyesight, coordination ect. What is doesn't affect is a continued need or desire to create, be it in the theatre arts or visual arts. 

Nancy took a zentangle class a while ago and had so much fun with it .  Yesterday she started with the idea of doing  a zentangle but then it became a doodle with her own distinct style.

The Anonymouse Mousecapades in Yellow Springs, Ohio

In some of the Arizona coffee shops I’m known as the mouse lady lol!

I like to hide them a wee bit or in plain site.

In Yellow Springs I’m still remembered as a jafagirl. I’m spending a month in town and of course my jafagirl art mischief continues.  Many will not know the mice are mine as I don’t label or sign them ,hence Anonymouse.

Notes from Nancy: Meditation, Craft Cards and Gifting

I decided to do the cards after reading a book called "Bliss More" How to succeed in Meditating Without Really Trying by Light Watkins. It's a book about how to meditate and provides a very easy way to meditate.

  

So for the last 5 weeks every day, I've been meditating.  It is a kind of miracle for me to do anything that regularly.  I've decided to meditate many times and then never made it past a couple of times.  Part of what the author suggests is an exchange to do in thanks for the meditation.  You are supposed to do something that is meaningful and a bit 

difficult for you in exchange for the meditation- If you have a teacher who you are learning from you might make your exchange of gifts with them. If you are doing it on your own,  it could be a donation of money to a charity or doing something for someone  or group of someones (who are not someone/something you might do anyway.)  I thought about it a lot and decided to create cards and write in them for every person at Friends Care; our local nursing home.  It's been fun. I asked Corrine if she wanted to join in and do some too. and being a wonderful "yes" person she did!

Love Nancy

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks Nancy I am glad you asked me. I hope the residents at Friends Care enjoy them as much as I enjoyed making them.

cheers 

jafabrit

Handing Over "Peeps In the Park Project" to Village Artisans

Since I am moving it felt like it was time for us to hand over our project. Nancy and I would like to thank Village Artisans for stepping in and taking it over. It will be exciting to see what comes next on the walls of this happy corner in Yellow Springs ♥

About the Project

We initially called it the Pub Alley Project back in 2010 with the purpose being our

continued effort to showcase local art. We chose the alley by the Gulch specifically due to its location, its visibility with foot traffic coming from Corner Cone down to Corry Street and opposite Village Artisans.

Due to unforeseen issues the location had to be changed last minute and much thanks to the owner of the building on the corner of Corry and Dayton Street who kindly lent support to us installing 14 large painted plywood panels to the exterior walls of Village Artisans.

PEEPS IN THE PARK

Series One

 Karen Russell, Elizabeth Zaff, Claire Bayraktaroglu, Corrine Bayraktaroglu, Jennifer Float, Leah Grommon ,Kathy Moulton , Nancy Mellon, Alice Young-Basora, Michael Fleishman, Talitha Greene, Cynthia McDonald, Sue Brezine located in the art park at the corner of Corry and Dayton Street, in Yellow Springs, Ohio 

PEEPS IN THE PARK
Series Two

Dayton Street Side

Lucas Zaff, Travis Tarbox Hotaling, Talitha Greene, Sue Brezine, Corrine Bayraktaroglu, Sandi Sharp,  Libby Rufolf

Corry Street Side
 Nancy Mellon, Leah Grommon, Cynthia McDonald, Alice Basora ,Kathy Moulton, Jennifer Float

Slide Show Below

JafaWorkz Collective

15 new photos · Album by jafabrit b

In the Jafagirl ArtBox: Superdog

Well last Tuesday Nancy needed to get stripes out of her system and we did the lamp posts.

  This Tuesday I had an urge to change out the Art Box on Corry Street and use a funny glass dog I found in a local charity shop. As with a lot of things we do

it was very SPUR of the moment and over a cup of tea and general chin wagging there was the A HAH! let's make a superdog.

So after a bit felt and glue, pen and paper,  windex to clean the lucite front

TA DA

SUPERDOG 

LOL! Nancy matches the planter below our art box too. It's a very stripey day.

People Who Accidentally Dress Like Their Surroundings in Yellow Springs, Ohio

15+ People Who Accidentally Dressed Like Their Surroundings

How many times have you walked into a building, only to find that your clothing perfectly matches the décor? Do you dream of finding others that have also experience this most unusual phenomenon? Well now you can, with Spishak's..wait, no, with this list from Bored Panda!

I remember seeing the above link on Bored Panda and thinking it so funny. Well it happened in Yellow Springs, Ohio. Nancy has been itching to put white stripes on these street lamps on Dayton Street for a couple of years now and finally today I obliged.  Much  thanks to Barbara at Village Artisans for helping out with the top two bands of felt on each pole. So I was taking a few pics and well this happened. 

Jafagirl Fond Farewell to Yellow Springs, Ohio

After 15 wild and wacky years of art mischief in Yellow Springs, Ohio with the jafagirls it is time to say a very fond farewell.

I am moving out of state early 2018, and it's not to get away from Nancy, to be nearer my granddaughter. The blog will remain, as will the jafagirl spirit from afar, and who knows what the future will bring. Can I really stay away from Yellow Springs ;) Nancy has kidnapping me in mind, hah!

Here is what I want to say to all those dear people who supported us from near and far, to those jafapals that joined us, to those who tolerated us thank you, and thank you from the bottom of my heart. 

To you my dear Nancy, I love you. It's been an amazing journey and you shall be missed very very dearly ♥

Nancy's commitment to the arts community continues as well as our work with the Yellow Springs Arts Council Permanent Collection.

love

Jafabrit

JafaFUN: Hanging Around Artists is Inspiring

We've been busy this week visiting Village Artisans Artist Ann Bain and a recent newcomer to our village in Yellow Springs, Brian Mollar.  Anne will be the next artist featured on our POWA blog and what a fun visit, along the way I also got to see a 2 futuro houses (how cool is that) near Ann's house.  Brian Millar is finishing up a 16 foot painting that he donated to the Presbyterian Church on Xenia Avenue. 

We also helped Beth Holyoke find just the right spot for her beautiful ceramic art in the Yellow Springs Permanent Collection currently showcased at Antioch University Midwest. Here piece is titled

"Family of Refugees"

ceramic, gold paint

The broken image of a small family represents so many, they, like hundreds of thousands more are on their way, to an uncertain road to a new life. Their old world is gone.

Beth and her friend Kaethi spent a month working in a refugee camp in Greece.

So many wonderful and inspiring artists to meet in our wee Village.

Lost Bear and Breast Cancer Exhibit

Lost Bear is my muse, my little scruffy found bear that somehow get's his own place in a show about Cancer. Nancy and I worked HOURS getting this up. Looks simple enough but there was a lot of groaning, and replacing, and arranging, gluing and nailing. By the time we were finished the first day getting the show up we both crawled home with that "don't even go there or ask me or anything" kind of a LOOK. Anyway back to why circles.

When I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer last year all I saw was circles and boobs, kind of like pareidolia but with boobs lol.

Lost Bear's Boobtastic cuddlefest with Yarnbombing Boobs and Knit A Tits

I would like to say I originated the term Knit a Tit but after checking the almighty oracle, google, well there is a GREAT group called Knitted Knockers already knitting them, NOT for yarnbombing though. Check and you will see why I need a boobie tree.

Thanks for the great news articles

Yellow Springs News and Dayton City Paper 

♥

More about the show next time

Bosom Buddies Website 

You Are Never Too Old to Play and Identity

Nancy calls me with a tone of urgency and drama and says she has this idea but will share when I go to her house. I go to her house and there on the living room floor is a pile of clothes and hats, and glasses and she is telling me "let's play dress up" and take pics. Errr! okay Nancy lol! I am always game.

Grandma's can be invisible to the world but they never are to their Grandkids
Can you tell your grandmother loves lace?

These are two of my fave shots and have been incorporated into an art piece called "What is GrandMa Doing" for the Yellow Springs Arts Council "breaking the rules" members show.  Nancy will tell you that some of the poses she was breaking out of self imposed rules, as well as creating an art piece that confronts identity and ageism.

cheers from the Jafagirls who aren't actually girls, but women, or theirs, or whatever the  terminology is au courant at the mo.

Hum! jafatheirs just doesn't' quite cut it.

Bosom Buddies Exhibit and Breast Cancer Support

Breast Cancer Exhibit

I have been working on a new website (link above) specifically for our upcoming exhibit Bosom Buddies at the Yellow Springs Arts Council at 111 Corry Street in April 2017. 

Opening Reception will be April 21st 6-9pm

Gallery hours are Wed - Sun 1-4pm

The theme of the exhibit is two friends and invited guests sharing how a diagnosis of breast cancer (including other cancers) affects patients, friends and family. This is an exploration of the creative ways they have dealt with the roller coaster of emotions: of fear, anger, grief, bewilderment, and joy. 

In the gallery we will have a sharing wall in which guests are invited during the month long exhibit to share their artwork, poems,notes and photographs.

The Art Show and Art Mischief by the Jafagirls

Finally got to see the show that was aired earlier in January and really think the producer and film crew did a fantastic job. Somehow out of a full day of blithering on they edited and managed to really convey how we feel about supporting the arts in our wee community. Hope you enjoy having a peek at what makes us tick.

Watch now: The Art Show | Season 6, Episode 2 | ThinkTVNetwork Video

The Jafagirls of Yellow Springs use craft activism to raise awareness of social issues. We visit the Cohen Film Collection in Columbus, where modern technology is being used restore and preserve rare movie classics. The 442s in St. Louis fuse classical music and jazz. Watch online: Season 6, Episode 2 from The Art Show.

So what's NEXT on the agenda

Other than our regular duties as active members of the Yellow Springs Arts Council and Permanent Collection Steering Committee, we will be working on a new post for POWA!

Preparing work for our Bosom Buddies Exhibit

and 

Nancy has some kind of wild photography idea she wants us to do, hum!

thanks for dropping by

Viva La Vulve and The Craftivism Sisterhood

This wasn't a jafagirl project BUT we are all jafagirls at heart and a sisterhood in the art of craftivism ;) Can't remember whose idea it was (yes wait it was Kate) but somehow we decided that since none of us can go to the protest in DC, we can stay home and do something. So for a couple of days we sewed vulva ornaments to be

placed on a tree for the inauguration. Since nobody could be arsed to get up early enough in the morning to festoon a tree with felt vulva art we met 10pm last night instead. Dressed like ninjas all in black and fussing about we were like the flippin' marx brothers in Duck Soup. I tell you we couldn't get them up fast enough.  Dam! Karen forgot her fags so we could just light up, lean against the car and look all nonchalant like if the cops drove by. A car is coming,dang  is it a cop car, look normal. No, phew! So 

we carry on. Oh shit, is that a cop car. Dang, yes it is. Quick act normal ladies. Drives slowly by but good he's passing right by. Did he see me wave? Cruiser stops a few yards away and waits for a min. Shoot is he coming back, what's he doing, phew! he's going. Hurry, says Kate, who swears he will circle around. I say, naw, really! I don't think so.  Well we will just have to say hello and ask him if he wants to help;)

He never did pass by again and after 15 mins we were happily on our way home secure in the

knowledge that some people will get a kick out of our wee protest art. On the other hand many may not even know what the heck they're  supposed to be.

Please take NOTE: Our tree installation was not designed to represent ALL women. It was designed to represent OUR feelings as three cis women, who were objecting to the inauguration of a cis male who bragged about grabbing cis women by their privates.

 

'Pussyhat' knitters join long tradition of crafty activism - BBC News

Donald Trump is causing a yarn shortage in the United States, where many Americans just can't get their hands on worsted fuschia pink - because many of the world's knitters are using it to protest against the incoming president.

I have to think Britain's First Feminist, Mary Wollstonecraft, would have been proud. 

Meanwhile in Boston Yarnbombers have added 'pussyhats' to the Make Way for Ducklings statues. Not to be left out Lost Bear has joined in and has his very own hat too.

Be Safe Sisters

SISTERHOOD POSTCARDS SOLD HERE

Sisterhood and the PussyHat Project

About

The Women's March on Washington D.C. is happening January 21, 2017! The Pussyhat Project launched Thanksgiving weekend! As of now, we have 12 days to knit, crochet, and sew 1.17 million pink pussyhats. Join the movement!

Unfortunately health issues did not allow for me to go to DC or any other protest march BUT after a prod from a friend, who supplied me with yarn, I got to knitting hats that will be handed out at the women's march. 

"Sisterhood"
by Corrine Bayraktaroglu

The pattern is genius in it's simplicity, cute as heck, and I've managed to knit three in three days. It's wonderful to see so many women/girls of all ages come together and knit, crochet, and march in sisterhood. 

And Now From Pussy Riot

and

a word of warning for Americans

Jafa Journal: Yellow Springs Arts Council and THINKtv Art Show

It seems like it's been a bit quiet around these parts, but behind the scenes it's been go go go, particularly for Nancy who is the gallery coordinator extraordinaire at the Yellow Springs Arts Council.

"Into the Deep" by Nancy Mellon
Yellow Springs Permanent Collection

We are both busy with upcoming exhibits  either at the Yellow Springs Arts Council Gallery or at the Antioch University Midwest Alcove Gallery. 

"Saints of Misinformation" by Corrine Bayraktaroglu
Yellow Springs Permanent Collection

in between our duties at the arts council, we are working on our own upcoming exhibit at the YS ARTS gallery in April called "Bosom Buddies". Which reminds me I better start working on the website page for that.

 Need Coffee. LOTS of coffee

Our segment on the Art Show is airing Jan 15

The Art Show | On Air | ThinkTV

Southwest Ohio is home to strong, vibrant, and thriving arts and cultural communities. The Art Show takes a look at the artists and the art scene in and around Cincinnati and Dayton. The weekly award-winning series features profiles from the worlds of art, music, dance, and theater in our corner of Ohio, along with cultural highlights from across the nation.

I don't know that I have the courage to watch it, lol! 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks for dropping by and please pop back to see what new and hopefully inspiring mischief we will be getting up to this year

jafabrit

What a Trifle and Craftbombing Felt Butterflies in the Winter Snow

HAH! Can you believe I won FIRST place for my trifle at the bake off at the Yellow Springs Arts Council. Thank you ever SO MUCH, what a hoot eh! They are super easy to make and very tasty, although I skipped the sherry for the bake off just in case any youngsters were attending. 

Recipe

Sherry, Pound Cake, Raspberry Jam, Mandarin Oranges, Orange Jello, Birds English Custard Powder, Whole Milk, Whipped Topping, Sprinkles

Slice pound cake into thin slices. Spread jam between two slices and then cut into chunks. Put 2 or three small chunks in bottom of desert dish or clear 8oz cups and sprinkle a little cream sherry on top. Let soak for a wee bit. Top with a few mandarin oranges and then put in a layer of jello. After jello is set, pour on a layer of custard and let set. Before serving add a layer of preferred whipped topping and then add sprinkles. 

That's it.

Here are some yummy variations or a classic.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Winter Wonderland in Yellow Springs

and the felt butterflies look so pretty.

The Jafagirl Christmas Cookie Caper

It was the day before the Holiday Bake Off. Grandma Deal's Special Cookie Recipe lay on the counter,  spotted with the doughs of Christmas past. I preheat the oven to 350 degrees and turn on the Christmas carols.

At 10 am Corrine arrives at my house. By 11 we had had our tea and chatted about art and everything else. Finally, I said “I guess we better bake.”

Corrine had bought butterfly cookie cutters. We planned to ice the butterflies blue, and they would have black-piped bodies and tiny candy silver balls for eyes. We had a vision of a tray of beautiful blue butterflies winning first place at the bake off.

 The dough was chilled, all night chilled, it takes a lot of muscle to roll all night chilled dough.  Nancy is looking forward to Corrine  doing it. Corrine gives it a try and says “I'll cut the cookies, you roll.” Nancy stares at the dough. “What are these brown spots?”  Gotta be nutmeg that didn't get mixed in enough.  Well... it doesn't look too bad.

We do the bottom rumba, it is not a 2two-butt space. We bump into each other and reach over each other, as one rolls or adds dough and one reaches for flour to keep things from sticking, and we both want the spatula, and the other  lifts off the cookies, and puts them on trays. “Would you like to live in a Harem?” I ask, and Corrine says no they mostly plotted and wanted to kill each other.  Hmmmm.

Corrine was unloading her shopping bag.  She had bought the blue and black icing colors we needed and a neat little packet with a brand new icing bag with instructions, when she froze, holding one of the little containers, and  said, “Green?” 

  Luckily I had a blue in the cupboard.

Then came the discussion of water in the icing. “It has to be thin,” says Corrine.  Hmm. Mine always has butter and milk.  It's fat.  She whipped out her phone, and looked it up. The instructions didn't say use water, and didn't say use butter.  Glycerin? We used water.  Corrine assured me she'd always used water.  And it would make it smooth.  We'd pour it on.

Corrine asks, “Is it okay if they are this close on the baking  tray?” 

“Sure,” I confidently say as I nudge one a little farther away.

When we were ready to  bake our first tray, I can't find the recipe.  Where did I put Grandma Deal's special recipe that I have used for 30 years and never made a copy of and no one else has?

Oh well, I'll find it later, I'll guess how long the cookies should bake.

“Wow, they are all puffed up,” Corrine says.  But they sink in a minute. I don't say anything as I cut the blobs apart to put on the rack to cool.

I find my recipe in the living room.  That's when I notice that the temperature was supposed to be 400 degrees.

 I turn the oven up.

By the time we get to that last sheet of cookies to bake, they look pretty good.

 

Corrine is ready to test the icing. “I need a rack, so the icing can be poured over them.”  I only have one rack.  It's got hot cookies on it.  For 30 years I've thought of getting a second rack.  Maybe I will tomorrow.

She pours, and then looks at it. It's not exactly beautiful. “I think I need to test another one.”

After a tray full of testing, some with knives, some with fingers (Corrine, you've got to wash your hands now) and a very large pool of blue, watery icing on the counter, she says, “This isn't working.” 

And gets on with opening the piping bag.  Maybe we can pipe them.  But there is only one bag.  How do you put it together?  After futzing with it, I ask, “Have you read the directions?” 

“No” 

(I honestly didn't think I would need to, I mean how hard can it be)

So she reads them out loud.  And neither of us understand them.  But I take over, sure I can figure it out.  I will read the whole directions.  Half way through, I realize I can't understand them either, and start at the top again. Still don't understand, stop reading, give up on using the twisty part that keeps it neatly on the bag, and start cutting off the top of the bag, and drop in the pointy nozzle.  And Corrine starts scooping in black icing.

After carefully making some swirls on a blue iced cookie for a body and long curly feelers, Corrine says, “This is ugly, they look like Fallopian tubes” And we give up. 

“Corrine,” I say, “you need to take pictures! I want a picture of your face the way it looked when you tried a bite of cookie.”

As I start to wash up the huge mess we have made, Corrine kicks into artist gear, and uses the piping bag to decorate the not iced cookies with smiley faces ,and frowny faces, and  heartfelt words, and finally says to me “'look at this one.”

It says “Fuck” in beautifully piped black icing. Nope.  I don't think we can bring that one to the bake off.

Instead,  in the morning, Corrine will make trifles, which she makes every Christmas. She makes them very well. By herself.  Nancy BOUGHT the supplies.

Happy Holidays!