Can you buy just about any kind of art at the Mountain Arts Center in Lake Arrowhead Village? Absolutely. Looking for treasures or gifts?

The community of artists on the mountain hold an expansive space, right next to the Waffle Restaurant, in front of the lake, and they make sure to always have treats for dogs. Did I mention how dog friendly this town is? If you didn’t have a dog, you would surely adopt one if you come up here enough, and we are living proof of that. They also sell, like most of the vendors, bags of duck nibbles to feed the Mallard families for fifty cents. Cindi thinks they are for her.

The artists volunteer their time manning the store and the art they exhibit that sells, pays for the lease. Basically, it is a gallery and I go in to see what is new, what has been replaced and which creative spirit I can meet at the counter.

You will find gorgeous handmade jewlery, hand dyed silk scarves, watercolored postcards, an assortment of large and small items made of reclaimed wood, oil paintings, photographs and other such media throughout, making the visit to the lake a cultural with a Big C as well as a local Little c experience.

The following paintings were done by Patty McDonald whom I met yesterday as she was assembling her booth with her wares. The story behind the Blue Jays, named Heckle and Jeckle, was told to me at the time of purchase by the painter, herself. Let me know if you want to know more. I just had to have a lake scene of iconic Arrowhead, specifically, at the cabin and had not found the right one till yesterday at the Classic Car Show. The frames are made by an artist who specializes in redeeming the reclaimed Arrowhead wood from felled, diseased trees or pines marked for chopping down in order to keep the surrounding forests protected from overgrowth.

Lake Arrowhead’s 32nd Antique and Classic Wooden Boat and Car Show is in full swing as I type this post. The Rim of the World Historical Society and the Arrowhead Lake Association is sponsoring the family friendly event.  We went bright and early before the expected huge crowds. After Cindi traipsed, ran and did her business at the dog park peninsula, we wandered around the lake’s village and I did some amazing shopping.

I picked up two signed oil paintings, framed with Arrowhead pine wood by Patty McDonald. I got to chat and bargain with her over both pieces of art and she filled me in on the tales behind the works of art I bought.

Also, two historical books; a postcard series by photographer Russ Keller (who I met and signed the collaboration alongside Roger Hathaway) and another image and informational collection by Rhea Tetley who signed and sold me my copy. They were both under the shade at the historical society booth. The group sponsors the Mountain History Museum open only on weekends, now until October 11am – 5pm located at 27176 Peninsula Drive. I also found and received an extensive explanation and directions guide to the many hiking trails that abound in these natural forest surroundings.

She (Rhea) seems like a hoot! After a lengthy discussion of the Historical Society and several items and books I was checking out, she said, “You could even get the book signed today, the author is here.”

I said, ” Oh, that would be great! Are they here, where are they?”

“Yes,” she said. “She’s standing right in front of you.” “It’s me.”

When I asked her to sign it to Cecilia, she got the spelling perfectly and when I complimented her on getting it right, she informed me her middle names were Cecilia and Louise.

I was also granted some free time and spending cash so I could buy some cute clothes at my favorite boutiques. Cindi filled up on her very own “ice cream” with a dog biscuit spoon at Three Dog Bakery (see older posts) and the love of my life enjoyed a fresh coffee and purchased some tasty cinnamon and sugared roasted cashews and pecans.

There’s some free spaces for leasing. They could really use a vegan cafe here. All the vendors I spoke to thought that was a heck of an idea.

Perhaps tomorrow I will add my mountain made masterpieces (looking right at home here at the treehouse) to the post but for today, I leave you with these amazing pictures of gorgeously maintained oldies but goodies and a scenic shot of the village from the dog park perspective (clearly the best real estate is the dog park because this is SUCH a big canine loving town) wherein you can see just a smidgen of the many antique cars in a row, along the perimeter of the boardwalk, if you look closely. There were old time, highly lacquered wooden boats docked by the first pier ( in front of McDonald’s) but alas, I did not get any shots of them.