Chanukah Challenge

First, I'd like to wish those celebrating, a very Happy Chanukah.  While I know it isn't one of the High Holidays, it is one that is special to me, because I really do love giving gifts. 

That sounds cheesy, I know, but its true.  My favorite moment is that one when I hand someone the gift I have chosen for them and they open it - the expression of unexpected surprise on their face which says, "I got it right".  I always try to find unique items that the receiver of the gift wouldn't expect - if its something they didn't ask for but didn't even know they wanted till they got it... Or maybe it is something they wanted but didn't realize someone else knew about it.

I love that simple joy. 

And it is cheesy.

I have good memories of Chanukah and some of them revolve around the time that my mother would take time to take each of us shopping for our siblings.  Certainly we would all go together at some point or another, but my mother would make a special day where we went, one on one with her to purchase the items we chose for each other.  It was great to have a special day with Mom who had to work often, but it was also fun to take time to figure out what to get my brothers.  At first Mom would have a list of things that we would get each other, but as we got older, we were able to pick and choose ourselves.

Tonight is the first night of Chanukah and I decided I was going to challenge myself and make a new piece of jewelry each night.  They aren't going to necessarily be holiday themed pieces, but I wanted to create something and I figured it was a good way to motivate myself.  Each item will immediately be put up for sale on my etsy site so you can purchase them if you want.  I won't think about the designs till the day I have to make them, so none of these will be planned out.  Hopefully being spontaneous will help me create something good!

I made earrings today that are Steampunk inspired.  Brass clock face earrings:

Check them out here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/117577395/brass-clock-face-silver-cog-and-bronze

If you like them, please head over to my etsy shop and pick them up! 

I have new jewelry in my shop and as mentioned in my last blog entry, I have other new items - cards, prints, bookmarks etc...  My special is still going on, so all items, no matter how many, ship across the U.S. for only 99 cents!  If you order now, they will arrive in time for Christmas!  So take advantage now! 


We'll see what I come up with tomorrow!

Stormwolf Studios on Etsy

Back to my Roots

Some of you might not know this, but I am a traditional artist at heart.  I started out going to school for it and spent many years traveling to different conventions on the East coast to sell my prints.  My most popular pieces ended up being something I did on a whim, which were my Chromatic Dragon Hatchlings, based on the Dungeon & Dragons design concepts.  This lead to more cute baby animals, not just for prints but for commissions.  I also did images of fairies, warriors, maidens and mythological beings and found many people liked my style and imagination.

Katsucon 2001

I used to be a steady attendee to conventions like Otakon, Katsucon and Dragon*Con, but as time went on the economy dropped and so did the sales.  I had to cut back on many of the shows I attended and then eventually stopped going because I could not make back enough to even cover for the trip (gas prices didn't help either).

My convention trips were really a love/hate relationship to be honest.  Packing and prepping for the show was definitely not always my favorite part of the weekend.  I usually ended up working up to the very end and last minute on things for the show and getting prints done.  Traveling was whatever it was, though driving from New Jersey or Pennsylvania to Georgia was always a long trip no matter how you lay it out.  I actually sort of liked that part, the travel I mean.  We got to see different parts of the country and since we went yearly to some conventions, we would get to see familiar places or make familiar stops.

Getting to your location didn't mean things quieted down either.  When we finally arrived at the hotel it was then always a mad rush to get the car parked, check into the hotel, unload all the stuff, THEN check in for the convention, check in for the art-show and artist alley and set up as much as possible before crashing for the night.  The next morning it was an early rise to head down to the artist alley to finish setting up and making sure we had everything at hand (which many times we didn't and would lead to someone running out to get something).

Nekocon 2008 pic care of Dierdre Mcclintock

Sitting down at the table in the artist alley usually had me feeling inadequate in the face of some of the talent I was surrounded with.  As the years went on I also felt like I was too old to compete around the much younger artists in the alley and their styles.  It basically became me beating down on myself as sales for me were always slow that first day and other artists appeared to be doing better.  By the end of that first day though, things would turn around and the weekend would sweep along: Sales would pick up, I'd see my convention-friends, talk to a lot of great people and sometimes even get to see the convention sites.

Otakon 2009

I never got enough sleep at the conventions and would be fairly exhausted on the last day as I tried to pack everything up to get it in the car.  But I also usually felt pretty good about how it all turned out and was also usually grateful that I had gone.

I miss those trips and the times I had but I have a lot of great memories.  I also have some really great friends that I am still in touch with because of those conventions and I definitely would not want to trade them for anything.  Having said that, if I was able to start attending the same conventions as I did years ago, I would not be able to capture the magic of that time.  Its not just because I am a different person, but the whole convention scene isn't the same as it used to be.  The attendees have changed and the markets that drew them to the conventions has changed as well.  Conventions like Otakon and Katsucon were the only places where people could see or purchase anime or manga many years ago, but stores carry the same items and everything is available on the internet.  The same can be said for the sci-fi/fantasy conventions.  The buyers are different as well - they are not willing to spend as much money as they used to on original art.

Perhaps one day I'll start going to shows once more, but it might not be focused on anime, or sci-fi/fantasy.  Instead it might be more for jewelry.  We'll see!

Chromatic Dragon Hatchling Set

I still have prints and such from my time attending conventions and there is no reason that it can't be made available to people to purchase again so I decided to post a lot of my work on etsy as items friends, family and fans can buy.  It has been great to look through my art and remember working on each one and the reaction of the fans at the cons to them.

Of course I have favorites in my shop like my Chromatic Dragon Hatchlings, but I also have some of my prints and bookmarks for sale.  Below are just some of the items I have available at: http://www.etsy.com/shop/StormwolfStudios

Gray Wolf Book Mark

Tiger Woman

Aura

To make it a little easier to navigate, I set up different sections in my etsy shop so that if you want to see my jewelry you can easily click over there, or if you just want to see the Chinese Zodiac prints, you can just click on over there.  My holiday sale is still going on which means everything shipping in the United States ships for only 99 cents, no matter how much you choose to purchase, so take advantage of it.  Or if you want to take a walk through memory lane, check out my work on etsy!

Red Bone Claws

You might remember from my Facebook page when I posted a picture of some items I had gotten. 

I thought they were kind of cool and would lend themselves to some really great earrings if I could figure out. 

The other day I finally sat down and started trying to do just that and the results were a bit mixed to say the least.  My initial desire was to take advantage of where the hole for beading was drilled and have the claw swing freely from whatever wire or what-not I could come up with. 

That lead to this:

...Which wasn't so bad.  It allowed the claw to swing freely, but the triangle shape had to fit to allow a free swing and the claw would slide and then get caught on the wire...  And apparently they ended up looking like chili peppers according to one person.  Neither of which I wanted.  I wore them at work for a day and while a few people complimented them, I wasn't feeling like they were as successful as I wanted them to be.  On top of that, while fighting the wire I managed to hurt myself by slicing my finger and nail with the pliers.

Not my coolest moment.

I thought then, that a square might be better.  I even drew out the shape so I could form the wire to the shape and size that I wanted.  Again, mixed results.  The square shape worked will with the distance of the bead hole and the top, but I was having a lot of trouble with consistency of the squares as I'm still learning how to manipulate wire.

I still like how they look but there is a lot of space and the claw slides back and forth more than I'd like.  I thought about using spacer beads, but none of my current ones fit right and I'd rather not use one at all if that's the case. 

I went out today and while I did so, I looked for a bail pincer that might work but none would fit the hole size or diameter of the top of the claw to be usable - so the faster easier way is sort of out.  I could use larger ones, but then they'd really be too big and obvious to have on an earring and would work better on a necklace.  To be honest though, I don't know that I'd use these claws as a necklace because the points are pretty sharp and would probably be uncomfortable, but I could try and see how that would work too.

So back to drawing board for me!  I'll keep working on these and when I am happy with them, I'll post them up for sale on my etsy site. 

Keep in mind, my holiday sale is going on right now.  All items ship in the United States for just .99 no matter how many you get!  That means all the jewelry ships out for just .99!  Internationally, all items ship for 3.99, no matter how many pieces you get!  Take advantage of the sale now and get your gifts in time for Chanukah, Christmas or whatever holiday you celebrate!  Please take a moment to check out my gallery on etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/stormwolfstudios

Now, I'm off to try and get these bone claws to work... Just a little more carefully.

Have a great weekend!

Thanksgiving and the Holidays

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays.  I don't know if its the memories of childhood or the turkey or the pie (I suspect the pumpkin pie does influence things), but I have always loved Thanksgiving.  This year was a quiet one with just Mom and I, but that was a wonderful thing - especially as we both had to work the day before and the day after.  Quiet and simple was perfect.

I am always sad after Thanksgiving is done because now-a-days, the holiday gets short-changed between Halloween and Christmas.  Both of those holidays offer a lot more potential for sales of random things than Thanksgiving ever does.  And once its over, the big swing of Christmas shopping takes over and swallows everything up.

But now we are in the holiday season and I am not seeing the joy I used to see as a child when people were out shopping.  My theory for the reason is that we no longer allow ourselves the moment of discovery as we walk along the avenues window shopping and browsing through stores.  There was always something fun and wonderful about strolling down a street or through a mall, peeking into shops or gazing through racks and shelves, searching for the perfect gift for our loved ones.  It seems we decide on something, research it all over the web and then just go straight to the store and buy it then leave.  In and out.  We have no time to look or search.  We have no time to enjoy the holiday, to enjoy the search, to see the lights and decorations.  We have other places to go and things to do!  On top of this, is the stress of knowing our economy isn't doing well and hearing stories of big business screwing the little guy.  It can make things less fun, that's for sure.

Having said all of that, I do have some new items in my etsy shop.  New necklaces that might be perfect for someone in your life or of course, for yourself.

Tree of Life Pendant

Tree of Life Pendant can be found on my etsy site!

AND I'm having a sale.

Right now, shipping in the country for any item is only .99 with NO EXTRA CHARGE for any additional item!  That's right!  You pay only 99 cents for shipping!  And nothing more if you get multiple items!

Silver disc necklace

Blue Bird Pendant

Memory Key Necklace

Gunmetal Locket

Brass Fittings Necklace

Multi-Bead Necklace

Copper Key Hole Necklace

Please take some time to check out these and my other items in my shop and see if there is something that might make a great gift for your loved ones this holiday season!  All the items will ship for just 99 cents and nothing more!  

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and that the holidays to come aren't terribly stressful! 

Treasures Great and Small

While driving out and about, I decided to look into some of the small shops that exist around me that I have driven by repeatedly and looked at with interest.  One such place could be missed very easily, but really shouldn't be to those that enjoy making jewelry or are looking for unique beads and baubles to enhance their crafts or that are searching for some really beautiful and lovely hand made items: Bedazzler!

The front of the store could be missed if you don't know where it is, but it sits in downtown Overland Park, right on 80th st.

Walking in, I have been greeted by the friendly staff each time who are present enough to help, but not overly effusive or in your way.  You are free to walk around as much as you like and look at the items for sale and the handcrafted jewelry on display on the counter.  It can be almost overwhelming at first till you take some time to soak it in and see how things are set out to choose from. 

Near the entrance is a clipboard and a bead pallet for you to use as you shop.  You place your chosen beads on the pallet and write down on the piece of paper on the clipboard what you've picked up.  Then you are free to pick and choose what you want.  And there is a lot to choose from!

On the tables in the center of the store are trays upon trays of baubles, beads and findings.  Some are rather basic of course, but others look quite exotic and delicate.  There are also ear wires, clasps and other items to help accentuate your work.

Along the walls crystals, pearls and other beads hang in shimmering rows.  They are set up in an easy to browse sort of way so you can see each strand.  There are also rolls of chains as well, so don't think this is all just for beading.  In the back is a section of tools and they even sell gift boxes.  I do shop in Michaels, but I can find it a little hard to find what I'm looking for there, or the type of individual pieces that I'd really like for my jewelry.  This smaller shop offers a more interesting variety of bauble and things that not everyone is going to be able to get.  And I like to support the small shops and businesses.

I picked up a few things today - some were more of the horns I got the first time I was there, along with metal bookmarks and some keys.  Considering how much reading I've been doing lately, creating some interesting bookmarks sounded like a good way to go.  Once I have them created, I'll post them on here and my Facebook page, along with my etsy shop for sale.

Bedazzler has coupons and classes that you can get access to via their website: http://beadazzlerbeads.com  And there are newsletters letting people knowing what's new and coming up.  

Its definitely worth a trip in there, even for a look around.  Who knows what it might inspire?

Sarah Nouveau by Elisse Hamu Heydt

Speaking of inspiring...  

For my first artist spotlight, I'd like to direct attention to some really great artwork by Elisse Hamu Heydt.  She's done a wonderful series of illustrations called Heroines Nouveau.  

These pieces are absolutely gorgeous and charming at the same time.  The style of them is reminiscent of cut and layered paper though they are digital, but the detail is just as exacting as the traditional style.  

On top of that, each piece is of a leading female character from a science fiction or fantasy movie from the 80's, giving a wonderful memory of those classic films that we grew up with: Not just live action movies, but animated ones as well.  Some might be a bit obscure, like Crystal from "Fern Gully", but most will recognize Lili from "Legend".  With their own details and filigree icons each one is a treat to see in the Art Nouveau style.

I've seen her post each one and been amazed at how she has made each detail that speaks of each heroine chosen - and all of them have been strong female characters that didn't have to rely on their looks or bodies to overcome their trials.  Definitely ladies to look up to!

Lili Nouveau by Elisse Hamu Heydt

The entire collection can be seen on her Deviant Art site here: http://kishokahime.deviantart.com/gallery/37161864

Sorsha Nouveau by Elisse Hamu Heydt

Time to get serious

The final decision making is getting closer.

The end of the year is really what's doing it since so many courses in schools will be beginning in January. The choices are fairly narrow, but it has been hard to focus on what would be best.  A new school called The Art Department has come into play with the added bonus of being in Kansas City, MO, only 15 minutes away.  This would allow me to remain living where I am without worrying about the cost of living that I do when thinking of attending Gnomon (in Hollywood) and VFS (in Vancouver).

I don't know if The Art Department is the best for me compared to the others, but I have more to think about than just what I would like to do.  I don't have money burning a hole in my pocket or anywhere else in my clothes to be honest.  My goal is to get good connections, yes, but it is also to get a portfolio geared to Game Design.  I believe that almost any place that I attend will help me to do that and the work at The Art Department is impressive enough to make me feel confident in attending.

I've also been trying to go to different places for information.  I've been reading a lot of gaming magazines (not platform specific or company specific ones) to see what has been new and interesting in the industry.  Obviously a few games have been chatted up more than others - Like Assassin's Creed III (which I would love to play), but I am learning a lot about the smaller game companies that are out there making new and interesting games that are forcing the larger boys to sit up and take notice.  Its important to know that there are more options for me than just EA Games or Nintendo to look at.  On top of that, more and more girls are getting some respect.

If you know me at all, you know that I have been involved in a lot of industries that have had a larger percentage of males than females.  It started with comic books (I was the ONLY girl in the department while attending School of Visual Arts) and then moved on to animation and then to anime/sci-fi and fantasy conventions.  My first convention was Otakon and there was only me and I think two other girls there.  It has changed in anime of course, with the amount of girls now outnumbering the boys, but in industries like comics and sci-fi/fantasy art, it is still more males than females.  This is still the same for game design, but there appears to be a certain amount of respect for 'gamer girls' for many (though not as much as there should be).

There are scholarships for girls getting into gaming and a lot of opportunities to get in there.  This was a great thing to learn.  It means I have options.  Ones that I don't think I would get in an industry like comic books which appears to still have a lot of issues with having women holding the art brush. 

I have a few books I've picked up as well and I'm going through them to get as much information as I can.  I know that no matter what school I attend, a lot is going to depend on what I bring to the table.  I can't just sit back and do the assignments - I have to really focus myself and my work so all of it is funneling to that portfolio that's going to get me a job in pre-production.  Sure, it would be great to start working now, but I don't know that I am ready for that - that my art skills are well geared for it.  I would rather come on strong instead of hearing, "Well, I think you have a good start here.  Come back after you do some more work..."  I've been told so far that I have a lot of good skills to start, but I need more work.  So, no point in wasting time looking for a job I won't get and instead, spending the time doing the work so I can get a job.

But speaking of games... I saw Wreck-It-Ralph today.  It was a lot of fun thanks to all the retro game references.  The animation was also interesting as the more pixel-version characters moved differently than the fully rendered ones in the more modern games.

Having said that, I can't say it was the best animated film I have ever seen.  I enjoyed it and it was good and I had a good time watching it, but I would find it hard to say it was better than movies like Toy Story 2 or Monsters Inc.  I will say, after spending so much time in the Sugar Rush game, I was feeling pretty hungry for candy!  (I will add though, that I did really enjoy the animated short "Paper Man" which was a beautiful and sweetly done piece with a slight retro style.)


With things like Wreck-It-Ralph out there though, it means that video games are becoming relevant in mainstream, the way comics have been.  More movies will be coming out that are based on video games and that is a good thing.  It means I am entering an industry that has legs to keep moving forward and is finding new ways to keep us addicted to the entertainment.  That's the type of thing I want to be a part of and making better.  I'm hoping that what ever decision I make regarding my schools and future plans, all will lead to exactly that.

Choices... Choices...

Gnomon in Hollywood, CA

The time of choosing my path is looming ahead and getting closer.  I want to work in the video game industry, but I know my skills aren't honed towards the job and position I am looking for.  So for the last 3 - 6 months it has been a search for classes or a school that I can afford to attend.  I've narrowed things down a bit and if you read my previous blogs you'll know at least two of the schools: VFS and Gnomon.

VFS in Vancouver, Canada

Both are pretty well respected, but both have differing ways of getting to the same result - the result being a job.  I like them both and think that I would gain a lot from either one of them should I attend for the year or so that I would be required to go through their programs.  Both have excellent placement percentages (%95 - %99) and both have great facilities and teachers at their disposal.

Of course, should things work out to afford attending either, I would have to move.  The cost of the schools set aside, I would need at least a year of living expenses to afford a place to live and food to eat as well as water and heat as neither school has any kind of housing or dorms available.  Because both are very intense programs, I would be unable to do part time work to help with the cost of living.  That is a pretty big issue considering how expensive it is to live on your own these days.

This leads to another school that I found nearby called The Art Department.  The pluses for that one are that it is nearby and I can drive there if necessary and the classes are held online AND I can do part time or full time.  If I do part time I can still work.  And I don't have to worry as much about my living expenses because I wouldn't be moving to a whole new place.  A lot of pluses. 

Yes, it would all just be easier if I could just get hired I suppose, but without the necessary portfolio and skills, I can't move forward.  The modern Video Game industry is still in the earlier phases and they know what they need and what they are looking for - I just have to present myself as what they need and what they are looking for. 

The prospect of returning to school is rather daunting.  It elicits a sense of fear and excitement.  I still worry that I won't be good enough or won't do work that is good enough to get me to the next level.  I suppose that those are normal things for an artist and probably good because it means I'm not content to sit on my rear end and just fall back on what I got now, but that doesn't change the worry.  I also worry that I will have spent the money to go to school and then STILL won't be hired.  That is a big concern and fear of mine.

I know this is an important step in the next chapter and I know I am looking for signs that the choices I'm making are the right ones...  Things seem to be falling into place in certain ways, but the image hasn't come together fully so I can't really see how this will all work out just yet.  As always I have to keep moving forward and making the decision I think is best.

Of course it would be easier if someone else would make all the decisions! 

Falling Back

The glow of our trip to Vegas is slowly fading, though re-reading my previous posts describing the trip keeps those embers burning.  On the upside of our return, a strange moment occurred when my friend Mike, for whatever reason, challenged me to draw my hand.  He wanted us to have a good spirited competition that would get us both drawing again since neither of us had been doing much in that department for the last few years.  That small challenge grew into something more, mostly due in thanks to Mike's wife Mandy; she created Call to Artists: Daily Art Challenge group on Facebook.  

Every day, a challenge is posted on the site and those who wish to participate can do so and post the results for others to see and comment upon.  I've been doing these challenges fairly faithfully since they began and it has been a wonderful thing for me to see that I haven't lost my hand to drawing or my enjoyment of it.  I am still shaky on the idea of just sitting and doodling on my own, but I feel this is a good start for me.  Having 'assignments' gives me some focus which I know I have been sorely lacking in the art department of my life.

First Challenge: A foreshortened hand

Challenge: A self portrait

On November 1st, another friend, Sako, invited me to join the 30 Day Sketch Post-It Challenge.  There are a set list of challenges for each day of the month of November, but the work is confined to a Post-It, which presents its own pluses and minuses in art.

Day 1: Draw yourself

Day 2: Draw a body part

As you may or may not know, I am looking to return to school to do video game concept art.  I'm closer to figuring out what I am doing in that arena and things like the Daily Art Challenge and the 30 Day Sketch Post-it Challenge have been great in getting me more involved in art and hitting that touchstone in my heart and soul once more.

Day-Light Savings takes place today and we fall back an hour - which, as most grown ups know, doesn't mean that 'hour more of sleep' that you always hope for.  Its just the year resetting itself for the coming months and I feel like these drawing challenges are doing that for me to - resetting me for the months to come when things will be decided and change.  Falling back sounds like a bad thing many times, as if you aren't stepping forward, but I am thinking of it differently.  I am falling back into my art and that, to me, is a very good thing. 

Trip to Las Vegas: Day 6

Technically, I should be starting off speaking about our last day in Las Vegas, but I forgot about a picture I had taken at Lagasse' restaurant Table 10 at The Palazzo.  We of course decided to have desert - which we had been VERY good about avoiding our whole trip - and it was definitely worth waiting for.

Our dessert of pumpkin cheesecake with almonds, cranberries and pumpkin ice cream

Um...  smears of remains of our dessert with cranberries on a plate...

I also forgot that when we exited from the tram in front of the Luxor, we noticed a lot of interesting cars parked there.  I believe there was a car show going on some where, but since I don't usually care much about those sort of things, I can't say I know much about where it was or anything.  I did take some photos of those in the valet parking area...

Those were the ones there that I could get close enough to get a shot of.  And of course, there was this guy at the front entry of The Luxor:

Anubis statue guarding the front of the Luxor

Waking up the next day, I got into my packing mode.  Years of attending conventions had me fairly well trained: Last day you checked out by 12 so you had to get packed up and ready to go. 

Packed up... yet STILL had more stuff than I could fit well in the bag...

I get a bit stressed internally about this because my convention practice had everything packed up and then either taken to the car, or to the table in the artist alley where I was selling my work.  I always wanted to get done as fast as possible because I was eager to get my art table set up and open to make some last day sales.  That wasn't the issue here obviously, but I still had the tension in my gut till we had checked out of the room and had our bags held at the front desk. 

We went over to Mandalay Bay to see the Shark Reef.  Now the reason was more than just seeing the exhibit; Years ago when Las Vegas was different and MGM hadn't owned so many hotels and homogenized them, Mandalay Bay had some beautiful shops - one had amazing hand made items that we often purchased from.  So we looked and realized those great shops, like many of the others in the other MGM hotels, were gone now.  We were really sad about that because it was just another thing we looked forward to seeing that no longer existed in the ever changing city.  Mom also was looking for these parrot earrings (clip-ons) she had gotten years ago but of course they no longer carried them. 

So, we went into The Shark Reef which is the only ocean predator based aquarium in North America which also houses about 2000 submarine beasts.  It is a really worthwhile place to visit and while it has some amazing things to see, it is also there to educate.  It is home to some of the world's last remaining golden crocodiles along with other endangered reptiles and has exhibits talking about conservation, saving wildlife and changes that need to happen if we are to hold on to the amazing and exotic creatures of the world. 

Recreated skull of the crocodile.

Golden crocodile floating at the front of the glass enclosure.

Golden crocodile floating at the front of the glass enclosure.  You can see more of the golden color on his back.

The creatures were right there in the front so it wasn't like you couldn't see them like other places where you always seem to get there at 'nap time'.  That didn't mean they were running around, some were still lounging...

Unimpressed Komodo Dragon is unimpressed.

There were a few aquariums with a lot of fish in them - huge ones! - but it was difficult to get pictures of them between the glass the dark reeds and how fast they would swim by.  I took a lot of photos but they weren't really all clear. 

They also had piranha - a lot of them - in one tank.  The sign next to the exhibit said that piranha were illegal in the state of Nevada, but these were allowed as they were all confiscated from people either owning them illegally or transporting them illegally through the state.

Sure, these piranha look innocent now...

They looked rather innocent as they swam along...  Its hard to imagine them in a feeding frenzy, but I'm more than glad not to witness that and certainly have no need in my lifetime to do so. 

Throughout the exhibit were many statues and the structure of the first part of Shark Reef resembles an ancient ruin, but I'm not sure what culture they were going for.  I certainly am not sure what the statues were meant to represent.

Pepto, the god of indigestion...?

The further along you go, the more 'underground' it becomes, as if you are heading into the depths of the ocean.  The darkness envelopes you and the outside world aspects fade away.

Entering further you pass through an underwater tunnel to an area where they have a little 'petting' area or Touch Pool.

We were allowed to pet the horseshoe crabs and stingrays.  You could gently pet them on top, between the eyes, but not in front of their eyes or on their tail.  I sat with one stingray and pet him for a while - he seemed to  really like it because he hung out with me the entire time instead of swimming away after a few strokes like the other stingrays did when other people were petting them.  Apparently I had the right touch.  I asked the biologist there if the crabs and stingrays really felt the touch and liked or disliked it.  She told me the horseshoe crabs didn't really feel anything - unless you touched their tail, but the stingrays did feel it and did seem to like when they were pet the right way.  Because of the way the species is, the ability to gauge their reactions is a little difficult.

After petting the stingray for a bit, I went back to looking around at the aquariums.  There was such a variety of fish there that it would be impossible to describe them all.  All of them were interesting and exotic! 

Some were easier to shoot pictures of, because they swam more slowly and came closer to the glass.  There was an octopus, but I couldn't get a shot of him.  A girl was there with this HUGE camera with an even bigger flash (the flash bulb thing was about the size of her head, I kid you not) and she was taking photos.  The octopus did NOT like the flash and scuttled away into the crevices of the coral.

One of my favorite displays is the jellyfish...  I could sit and watch them for hours.  Because jellyfish are rather delicate, the enclosure is kept smooth and round so they just float about, gently bumping into each other before drifting in another direction.  It is so very relaxing and peaceful to watch them.

But always be careful...  Even if they are washed ashore, their stingers can still cause you damage!  I had a jellyfish sting years ago and the scar took forever to fade away.  Still, in the water at this moment, they were really amazing.

The last part of Shark Reef is where the actual sharks reside.  The structure is like that of a sunken ship and you are looking up into the ocean where dozens of sharks swim around you in their constant state of motion.  There are blacktip reef sharks, whitetip reef sharks, bonnethead sharks, nurse sharks, sand tiger sharks, sandbar sharks, zebra sharks, white spotted bamboo sharks, port jackson sharks and lemon sharks and sawfish... along with large fish and even turtles!
 

No, the sawfish isn't trying to spear that other fish... 

What was sort of amusing was that the sea life were aware of their 'schedule'.  Not all the turtles would be out - in fact they had a little cove where it looked like they were going on their 'break' while another turtle swam out.  There was even a particular sawfish that appeared to have a standard route because he followed it, hitting the same point at two minute intervals where he would then swim over the tunnel and continue before coming around again.  After about an hour, he changed his route, going another direction to do that one over and over.  We sat in the tunnel which was the last part of Shark Reef before the exit, for a long while.  It was fun to watch the children be amazed at all the sharks and fish... Even to hear one little girl exclaim, "Look, a turtle shark!" every time she saw the turtle swimming along.  The flow of the sharks around us and the dark area was as relaxing as the rest of the aquariums, the noise of the people around us seemed to fade away. 

While nice to look at behind glass... not so nice when you are swimming in the ocean...

Shark Reef Shark Reef opened in Las Vegas in 2000 and is the only accredited aquarium by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association in Nevada. Popular with tourists and marine experts alike, Shark Reef is considered one of the most prestigious facilities of its kind, along with the San Diego Zoo and Sea World.  It is an amazing facility and aquarium and definitely worth the time to go and see it.  It is one of the many places in Las Vegas that can get overlooked in all the glitz and glitter.

After that we were left with not much to do except walk around and take in as we could of what was left of our vacation before we had to board the shuttle to the airport.  We sat down in a cafe for some coffee and to just do that one thing you so rarely do on a vacation sometimes: Nothing.

Sadly, we did end up having a television with the news on.  Considering it was early October, what else could they be discussing but politics.  We blocked it out as best we could because really, who needs that?  But it was a subtle reminder that the rest of the world was waiting for us after this break.

Eventually, we headed back to the Luxor, gathered up our belongings and waited for the shuttle to the airport.  When it came, we got on, along with a family who had a little boy with him.  His older sister pointed out things in the window telling him to say goodbye to everything so as we rode, a little voice behind me said, "Goodbye pyramid... goodbye New York hotel... goodbye lion... goodbye sand..."  When everything was out of sight he said, "Thank you!"  It was pretty adorable.

While it wasn't a normal vacation, it was a lot of fun and writing up this blog afterward made me remember how much I really did get to see and do while in Las Vegas.  The city has changed a lot in the 10 years or so since we last visited and I'm not sure I like all the changes or believe it has changed for the good, but there still remains so much that I do like.  The energy is still there, the museums, exhibits and grandeur are still there, amazing shows like Cirque du Soleil are still there.  Yes, there are tons of places to gamble and bars are everywhere, but that isn't all Las Vegas has to offer.

Mom and I had the added bonus of seeing my cousin Sue in Los Angeles after some freak weather which included hail (and now they can never say 'we NEVER get weather like this here!').  And I wouldn't trade that day for anything!

There are still questions about school and what I'm going to do, where I am going to go.  I haven't made up my mind yet.  But I do know that if the opportunity comes, I'd go to Las Vegas again.  It was a great time!  Unfortunately, I definitely broke the rule, "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas." so, I'm not sure they'll let me back in.