Took Tues. & Wed for colonoscopy. One tiny polyp, and I’m good to go for ten years. I realized I need to think of symbols, the tree as a symbol. Now, I’m standing on the outside, aloof. I need to be a part of this tree, not merely observing.
Monday, June 2
I painted a bit yesterday before we went to Kim’s baby shower. It was lovely, and she’s ready to have the kid. She had amazing ultrasound photos. Today I worked on both paintings. So, the first photo is from Sun.
May 31
Last night “On Golden Pond” opened at HART. It was funny and thank goodness they didn’t have the character Norman, die at the end. Donna was shocked when I said we had to hurry out to serve. She had steeled herself for a death scene. She did not need that. I had some good feedback on my work. The opening night party is usually a madhouse, we were told, and this was no different. The caterers from Sunset fixed food that was mentioned in the play. It was the first time we had seen milk and cookies on a buffet! I think painting today was productive.
Kim’s baby present
I offered to make a painting for Kim and Sonexay’s baby girl, due in June. We decided on a theme of cherry blossoms. I did a paper collage, an idea I will follow. But I got interested and started a slightly different idea. This one is on a panel, a hollow core door that Gregg cut in half then added a support at the bottom. The size is 24″ x 40″. I’ve been exploring textures and this should be a challenge; blossoms, trunks, leaves, water, light and dark. I thought Kim would like to follow my progress, so if you’re reading this, you are a voyeur!
Installing my art show at HART
Gregg and Bobbi installed my show, and I just sat there. We agreed on placement, and got 25 pieces hung in less than two hours. We had a nice lunch with Bobbi and caught up on her treatment for breast cancer. I’ve already had an inquiry, and sold a piece. The show “On Golden Pond” opens tomorrow night and we will be there with bells on.
Eulogy to Robert Rauschenberg
Rauschenberg was 82 when he died Monday. Do you ever wonder about the Port Arthur, Beaumont area of Texas? Lots of creative people are from there, like Janis Joplin, John Alexander, and the Winter bros. Is that where the “crossroads” is? How did they get so creative?
Log cabin photo
My new show of paintings will be at HART from May 22 to June 8. This is one of the photos that I’ve been painting from.
Painting more than writing
The last entry was September, 2007. I still haven’t finished that story because I shifted my focus to painting. Forrest & Graham moved out in June, and by July I had made myself a nice studio. A whole room to myself, and I spill over into Gregg’s office, especially when we are framing. I got “Bettie in Blue” into the national juried show “Boundaries” at the Asheville Area Arts Center. It sold! Now that’s encouragement. In October I showed some paintings at the Haywood Public Library. The subject was an old log cabin that sits in my “stone” garden. I sold two paintings from that show to a retired veterinarian who had tested animals going into space at Randolph Air Base. Gregg and I inherited my parent’s house outside of San Antonio, just south or Randolph. Coincidence or conspiracy? Hey, my kids are funny, they had to get it from somewhere. Anyway, Dr. Harry also commissioned a painting of a log and stone potato cellar that was on his property and provided me with photos. I’ve done several paintings from these photos.
Gregg and I spent December in San Antonio until the week before Christmas. We celebrated Christmas at F&G’s home. Talk about freedom, no Christmas decorations! So I’ve been on a painting streak, a series I call “Disappearing Rural Architecture Portraits”. And I’m having so much fun. I will be showing these in the Gallery at HART Theater, May 22 to June 8. There is a diversity in surfaces; paper, canvas, and panel. The sizes range from small for me, 8”x10”, to a screen that’s 80” x 56”. The play at HART is “On Golden Pond” and the rural theme should complement the play nicely, I think. If you aren’t going to be in Waynesville, check out the Portfolio part of this website.
If you haven’t been counting your blessings every day, get to it!