Spring/Break Art Show Further Reflections on Art and Life

Did I want to wake up and see this? Did any of us want to see this? It's supposed to be spring... And where have I been, you may (or may not) wonder?!!? I'm a bit behind in the blog posting business.
I'm still recovering from Famous Artists Syndrome. (Hahahaha) Believe me, I was so "talked out" after Spring/Break The Art Show that I had a hard time wanting to communicate on any level. I did jump right back in to studio work, but I subscribed to a near-monkish silence for days. I'm kidding, of course, as I had an artist's talk/ meet 'n' greet/closing festivity at the Community College where my show, "Wordy Dervish" was on display. It looked amazing! It was a fun talk- and delightfully well attended, including a nice mix of students, faculty, friends and family (hi Cathy!) and even a few long-ish lost-ish friends we hadn't seen in ages. I do like talking about my work, so had no problem jumping right in and orating about the hows and whys of what I do. I was asked questions and (hopefully) entertained the assembled art appreciators. Now I need a vacation!

I'm so sorry (NOT!) to be making you look at snow. And it's cold and windy to boot. Stay inside and make art or read my blog; just ignore what's happening outside and it will go away!
Anyway, the great art fair moment may have passed but left me with several bulleted points* of wisdom to share:

1. Gee that was fun! It's really nice to have thousands of people streaming through you space admiring your work. Trust me- I could get used to that!

      2. Some aspects of the art fair I won't miss. The women's bathroom (helpfully labeled as
         "Woman Identifying Bath Room") after four days of heavy use began to resemble an art
          installation. The floor was flooded and dotted with bits of paper products- some used-
          and the occasional cheerful splash of blood (!), probably evidence of a sacrifice performed to
          attract the attention of Jerry Saltz or other note worthy critics. Artist will go to great lengths...
     
       3. It is hard to maintain peak health at an art fair. If you didn't have the presence of mind to
           pack lunch in, you were out of luck. Beer and wine were available, as was coffee and a few
           cookies or pastries, but no where was there meat, fruit, salad or real provisions. I demanded
           that we stop on our drive in for me to obtain a sandwich. I need sustenance in order to properly
           address my adoring masses!You also become tired on a galactic level, as standing on your feet
           and reciting the pretty-much-the-same message 5000 times takes an odd toll. Example: "Hi!
           I'm one of the artists. If you have any questions..." and "So I'm channeling my "Inner Ivanka"
           with this piece..." You get the idea.

     4. (Repeat) Gee that was fun! I hope we do it again because I'd do it again in a "New York 
         Minute"!

And I do feel something like a molasses-like flow occurring where my art work is concerned. Maybe this is (finally) the year I get connected and sell some work and get some tangible much needed recognition. Maybe? Crossing fingers!

*And my formatting is all wonky! Can't see to fix that... it reads like bad concrete poetry!
*Now here's a nicer picture of happy plants- some blooming- enjoying the warmth inside:

      

Queen of the Shit Pile

There I am standing tall on my horse Maggie's hard work. Yes, I am Queen of the Shit Pile. My friends on Facebook have already seen this picture, But surprisingly, no one has come along to try and topple me! Isn't that the way the game of life is played? Especially in the Art World.
I have officially hit my 400th posting on Blogger. I amazed even myself, as that's a lot of posting. I attempt to blog regularly about life here on the Art Farm but sometimes life gets in the way...
And Spring is a busy season. The shit pile needs turning (so that it will become compost), the seeds need planting and we have to go back into NYC tomorrow. Holy cow! When will I get back into my studio!!!
So much happened here this last week. Both Bob and Jules celebrated birthdays and we did more than our share of running around, taking in Open Studios (at an artist's residency program called I Park) and picking up our new bed. That's another story worthy of a complete posting... or maybe I'll have my sister Beatrice explain the intricacies of procuring a surface on which to sleep. I cannot possibly do that subject justice!
In addition, I finally began- successfully- a new long term project in my studio. It was a gnarly, prolonged incubation period this time, with much gnashing of teeth and beating of breast. I lapsed into a deep bout of The Worried Artist, as in: I'll never have another idea again in my life. I have made my last piece. Maybe I never was an artist to begin with.... stupid drama queen stuff. I excel at it- look at me on that shit pile! Hahahhahaha. (At least I can laugh at myself. Sometimes.) But it's all coming together handsomely and now I just need more time.
That's enough for now. I feel the need to retreat to that new bed as we have a long day in NYC tomorrow. I need to sound semi-coherent for my part of the artist's talk that I'm participating in!

'Round the House

I may be (too) busy with art deadlines and am neglecting household arts (like cleaning or painting baseboards) but Bob has been busy making nice with the fireplace. Look at that! We now have a respectable replacement for the hole that was variously covered with plastic, plywood, insulation boards, a flat file cabinet and simple exposed 2x4's and wood siding. But then Bob made good on his promise to finish off the fireplace with cement and he even made feet for the boards that were chopped off at half mast:

Very Temple of Dendar, indeed! And it came in handy as we had friends for our Tuesday Night Pizza occurrence and we actually had the first fire of the season. (Oh say it isn't so! First day of Fall next week...)
We do (obviously) have several other things to attend to like the sundry dry wall holes that occupy the living room and beyond:

Holes? Did some one say holes? Here's a delightful closeup:

Look at the depth, the complexity of that hole. It was hidden behind the sheet rock that I had up when I used that wall for drawing on. I could spend too much brain space wondering how it got there in the first place!
On a cheerier note, we really do have a dining table, completed by the same old hodge podge chairs and the addition of Mid-century modern ones from Bob's mother's house.

And say! what's that displayed on the dining table? No, not the attractive zinnias in outrageous colors, compliments of the cut flower garden but that book, cutting a rakish diagonal? Yes, that's a mock-up of my almost completed book, "Better Guns and Gardens". hate to say it, but I'll be glad when it's done! I've devoted so much time and energy that I'm beat!! But the end is in sight! I will have a life again...