Party With the Professionals

 

For those of you unfortunate enough to have missed our fabulous garden party- due to illness, weather fears, previous engagements, etc- I offer an overview, in words and images. It really was a stunning success, due to all attendees being vigorously in the mood for a good time. COVID had (obviously) put the kibosh on anything other than small gatherings... and even those were approached with trepidation!

Great shot of Bob's sculpture (*1), a true highlight of the afternoon, along with the gardens, which looked incredible, if I do say so myself. The reason for the party, apart for the wish to see many friends drifting about, enjoying the chance to get out and blow the proverbial stink off, was to celebrate our gardens. Of course, the day dawned cloudy and rainy. We had a small tent, generously lent by friends (thank you Lydia and Vincent!!) but I was vexed, anticipating crowding all attendees beneath one small tent or having to rush them inside the house... this was supposed to be a garden party, after all! The weather gods chose to cooperate and stop raining about twenty minutes before the first guest arrived.

I was delighted to see our friends taking advantage of the day to walk around and see the garden in all of its glory, while eating and drinking and smoking and enjoying each other's company. Terrific food, congenial company, decent weather: it all was a delightful afternoon. I attempted to talk to everyone- if even briefly- but I was so busy playing "hostess with the mostess" (as was Bob). It was a busy afternoon, locating plastic forks and spoons and napkins for all gathered. But fun! We had fun!

Here I am, explaining the finer points of gardening (in The Blue Garden) to anyone who will listen. I was kept on my proverbial gardening toes by the many inquiries by inquiring minds needing to know. I reeled off Latin- and common names and hope everyone went home the wiser.

This picture is after poor Robin the Good was liberated from the (air-conditioned, soft ambient music playing, food/water/toys provided) maximum security jail that is our bedroom. We had even had her sedated (didn't work!) thinking that she'd be stressed and crazy if allowed to freely roam the party. WRONG! Worst thing I ever did was try an prevent our pathetic Robin from joining in with the festivities! Never again. She was fine and well-behaved after her parole. In this picture, I am explaining some sort of wonkish garden lore to my fellow horticultural nerd friend Bob S. Thank goodness for people as crazy and plant addicted as myself!

There's Neko in the background. I think she was curious about all the people wandering around the yard. I took several groups of friends in to meet her. Neko seemed to enjoy the odd variety of visitors. Some brought treats; others just marveled at life with large barnyard animals. Something for everyone! Novelties and oddities. Roots and tubers. Vegetables and flowers. Friends and strangers. A splendid gathering! And we don't have to do this again for at least a year! (*2)

*1) All photographs were taken by Mickie Sistrand who graciously allowed me to post them. I was way too busy to think of documenting the party...

(*2) Bob and I were exhausted. After limited human contact for the last three years, it was a lot to entertain so many people. Fun, yes but tiring. And I had to go speak at an artist's talk the next day... we were quite finished by the week's end. Typically, we used to have a big party every year- either a summer garden party or a New Year's Party. Maybe the tradition returns this year...

What Is It With Me and the Weather?!?!?

I know, I know: it IS Winter and everyone gets miffed with ice, snow, cold temperatures, driving wind and grey days. But sometimes, I feel the need to respond personally.
A good friend asked me that question a couple of days ago (Hi Louise!), because every time I'm supposed to do something- something important like meet the Queen or  take a trip to the Moon- the weather predictions become dire. I was supposed to address my adoring audience of art lovers and art groupies tonight at the school where my art is on display but I postponed it because it's predicted that snow will start this afternoon, and they've been coy as to how much.
Alas, on Saturday, when Bob and I are slated to go into NYC to install my work at the Spring/Break Art Fair, it's currently predicted to snow all day. I have been skating my schedule around to accommodate changing that to Friday or Sunday... but it's hell to not be certain when and if you're hopping on a train to set up the most important show of the year! And I feel badly not being courageous and damning the weather and plowing forward, come hell or high water but I have bigger concerns: like not getting in an accident and winding up damaged and without a car! (I also know that I will inconvenience my co-art stars but me thinks they receive less snow where they are (further south) and are possessed of such assets as four wheel drive and stronger stomachs for hazardous drives.
Update: As it stands now, I'm going in the evening before installation and staying over at our gallerist's home in Greenwich and we will drive (with my work securely tucked into the back of her Prius). Lord knows what the weather will bring. Yesterday's threatened snow fall turned out to be a few wonky flurries and a real dud of a storm... but I guess that's better than sliding off an on ramp into a snow bank.* Maybe I need to take a chill pill, whatever that is.
And, yes, I probably am a tad wound up because we are on the brink of an exquisite art experience! That's bound to make one jittery. It's a good thing I spent the afternoon finishing a large piece (crystals pictured above an integral part) and playing with Robin the Good!

Tired her all out...


*Unfortunately, I think I inherited an awful propensity for seeing disaster looming from my saintly mother (aka "Mommy"). She was always predicting tragedies... On the other hand, I do think that people exercise undo bravado when traveling under less than optimal conditions. And I've had waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too many harrowing journeys home in inclement weather to feel sanguine about venturing forth when blizzards and ice are expected.

The Good, The Bad and the Worser

(Pictures of house plants are provided to give us something living and green to focus on. I haven't killed them yet, which is one of the good things! A selection of begonia, dracaena and succulents).
The observant among you will notice that I am typing this at 3:45 a.m. (Well, I started my post then and am continuing at a more civilized hour). I couldn't sleep because of all the roiling 'round that my brain was doing.

The good? I have a one person show at a (community) college art gallery... YAAAAAYYY!! It all happened spontaneously and serendipitously because of an other artist's erratic behavior and sudden departure to points west. (It's actually sort of interesting that this other artist- an in demand young man!- disappeared to Southern California on a whim and left the curator with no show to hang.) So because I am a professional (I'm laughing here) and I have a ton of hang-ready work AND the curator loved my pieces... I have a show. I'll keep you posted as to the opening date and artist's talk.
I also have another REALLY GOOD art related event coming my way that is partially under wraps until February 1st. But let's just say I'm EXTREMELY pleased and excited!!

And that's a good thing as other aspects of my existence suck, big time. My job? The one that I've had for 12 years and really like (at times)? Probably won't be long before I'm seriously unemployed. Our hours have been cut (nothing personal- it's across the board), and apparently there is a hemorrhage of money and plenty of bad luck (unfortunately typical of the antiques/auction world). It's a changing market and there are other options for people to divest themselves of treasures and merchandise. But we also suffer from sinking morale (with nothing being done to boost it!) and increasingly peculiar conditions. * It does keep me up at night!
The worser and worser is: Do I really want to look for another job? What on earth am I prepared to do? I'd prefer to bury my head in the sand and deny the possibility of having to look for a different mode of economic support. I've certainly always had a fraught relationship with gainful employment! And I am silly/deluded/impractical and delirious enough to still hold out hope that "someone" will "discover" me and buy all my back inventory of artwork and catapult me into financial freedom. Are we all laughing now? I guess we need a good laugh as it's fuckin' freezing outside and we have a long way to go until spring.

*I am suspicious that "they" are surreptitiously trying to get us to quit. There is a major game of "uncle" going on; a brinksmanship battle to see just how far they can push us.Talk about stressful.

An Xmas Post

Xmas was celebrated today (December 28th) with my family. Things got off to a rocky start as the reports of ultra cold weather to come threatened to derail our festivities. After the inevitable testy phone calls, emails and smoke billowing from both of my ears, rapprochement was achieved and- cold weather be damned!- Christmas happened.
I think this year was more heavily laden with emotional and familial baggage because it is the first one since Mommy's death. Holidays are always fraught events; this is nothing if not the perennial cliche. My family certainly comes up with it's own exotic expressions of stress, sisterly hierarchies, issues of control etc etc. You get the picture.
I guess I'm lucky in that differences of opinion and questions of rationality versus emotionalism appear insurmountable and yet (mostly) seem to be overcome once we're in each others company. Then we have a good time. I suppose food and wine solve many squabbles...
We cleaned, we cooked, my family arrived. Indeed, they were brave and doughty souls to bundle up in parkas and boots and scarves and gloves and confront the arctic chill. I applaud their heartiness as it is Siberian out there, what with single digit temperatures and bracing wind chill. But our house was warm and the tree was lit up, well... like a Christmas tree.
The food was stellar. We ate so much that Bob and I skipped dinner altogether and I woke up after midnight full of energy and rarin' to go. (Go where you might ask, as it is 1:30 and something like 3 degrees outside? I know this last bit in reality as Lil' Robin the Good just decided that she needed to relieve herself. It really is cold!) Highlights of food included guacamole, spinach artichoke dip, roast pork, sweet potato casserole, cranberry relish (I could eat the whole bowl myself!),squash, brownies, peach pie, several bottles of wine.... and slightly musty tasting green beans.
The green beans sparked a new tradition. They were passed around, tossed, balanced, fondled and generally employed as entertainment. Worthy of the Schmenge Christmas! (Google that on YouTube if the reference escapes you.)
All in all, it was a nice day. We don't exchange Xmas presents anymore- thank god!- so at least that source of stress is eliminated. (Although Bob and I did give my brother in law John his birthday gifts, distinguished this year with a black and red motif.) Lots of food, bright sunlight (despite cold), a tree harvested from the side of our driveway, politics with everyone on the same side of the aisle; it was a good time.

The above shot of Hell is exactly what my throat feels like. I don't often fall ill but recently I think I've been suffering from stress on top of a few sleepless nights and now I'm fighting off a cold.
I am actually home from work, too, as I correctly figured that my co-workers would not appreciate my sharing germs and malaise. I rarely take sick days, but I am hoping that lying around the house dozing and blogging will knock out whatever small viral invader I am currently entertaining.
And speaking of entertaining, our good friends Don and Elizabeth visited from Massachusetts this weekend. They hadn't been down together in quite a while and we had a good time, talking art and politics and movies and mob connections. (Not personal mob ties; tangential ones!) I am hoping they didn't personally deliver- or leave with!- my illness. I am thinking I picked this little bugger up from (another) visit to the Yale Art Galleries. Bob and Don and Elizabeth and I were so tired from staying up late talking and imbibing adult beverages that we yawned and lurched from one thoughtfully provided bench to another. It was a congenial way to spend the day: an eyeful of art and nothing to do but look.

This may look like a shot of our dirty carpeted stairs, but to my sick eyes, it was a pleasing zigzag abstracted  shape. A minute before I impelled myself up those stairs to get my camera to document this, the light had been more dramatic, with a sharp golden wiggle coursing along the edge of the zigzag. Wasn't there when I came back, but hey! indulge a suffering artist. My neck hurts, too.

Then I saw this. Maybe I'm hallucinating. See if you can figure out what this is. In the meantime, I think I'll go back to bed.