Random Vernal Bits

So I've completed my taxes... yaaaay!!! Always a source of stress and weird eruptions (like I have this zit forming on my chin; I KNOW that's from tax preparation!), it grants me peace of mind (as opposed to a piece of my mind. Yes, large chunks of it break off whenever I'm forced to do financial things which is why I'll never master balancing a check book. How can anyone in their right mind commit to sitting down and spending time and more brain cells on something so numbing and futile?!?!) So taxes accomplished, I'm on to more valuable time consumers.

Like Spring garden clean up. This, of course, entails hauling 80 large tarp loads of soggy leaves and spent ornamental grasses off into the woods. The grasses inevitably torque sideways while attempting to navigate through any one of our garden gates, which leads to major events of cursing and re-wedging the grasses back onto the completely twisted tarp...fun!
At least the garden looks better, freed of last year's desiccated stalks and seed heads. I feel like I got the clean up well under way earlier than I sometimes do. I'm ready for things to start growing!

 

And I am happy to report that things ARE growing. (Nice shot of the over-wintered indoors plants that didn't die. The begonia that our good friend Bob gave us is blooming it's pants off.) The lilacs have actual flower buds and the daffodils are all budded and starting to burst. A few species tulips managed to not be eaten by (the mother fucking) squirrels and are in hesitant flower. (I think they're cringing and afraid to be singled out and then devoured). But it's shaping up to be a pretty spring.

A Few Days of Birds Behaving Oddly

To address the title of this blog post- in which I am cramming all sorts of tidbits- let's first look at the duck above. I was hanging out laundry and saw this brown lump on the other side of the fence. First I thought it was a small pile of leaves, as the wind was  blowing ferociously. But I kept thinking there was something sticking out to one side. As I approached slowly and cautiously so as not to scare it, it became clear it was a duck, it's beak being the thing sticking out. We do have ducks that land on and hang around our tiny pond, but this duck was just sitting there, looking around. I actually had enough time to go into the house, score the camera and snap this picture. It stayed for a while and then apparently flew off. But I thought it was strange that it hung out on the grass.
And the other day, Bob and I were standing outside by the side gate when Bob said, "Look; it's a Goldfinch sitting on the grass." On closer inspection, it wasn't a Goldfinch, but a parakeet! I tried to get near it, talking to it in a cheerful, friendly to birds kind of way (I thought!) but it flew off. I was reminded of how when I was young, my family adopted a small green parakeet who just appeared out of no where and landed on my mother's ("Mommy's") shoulder. Our parents (Mommy and Daddy) ran an ad and sought his owner, but none claimed the bird, so he found a new home with us. Charlie the parakeet was a character and sang and talked and whistled; I thought maybe history was repeating itself, but the bird flew away. I hope he found his way home as it was cold and they can't live outside here in New England.
The last "bird" under discussion here is Lil' Robin the Good. Maybe it's the Spring and the high wind and things beginning to grow or the changing light and lengthening days, but I've thought that Robin has been a little more needy or clingy than usual. She is a funny sensitive soul (and prone to nuttiness like when she's chasing shadows and leaves...) but she has seemed preoccupied. And I think she's put on a little weigh. AND THEN IT STRUCK ME: what if she'd taken matters into her own hands (paws) and gotten knocked up??!!? It seems unlikely: we've kept an eagle eye on her when she went out into the yard during her last heat.(*1) There are no intact males around that I know of (except Chops (dumber than a door nail!) next door. Dear goddess! Please, if Robin got impregnated, don't
let it be Chops!!!) Anyway, as there are no at home dog pregnancy tests, and it's a month ago that
her heat cycle ended, I guess I'll just pinch myself and wait another month to see if "anything
happens". (*2)

1.) Although I did kiddingly say to Bob one day as I went the door to work, "Keep a close eye on Robin and don't let anyone near her... unless he's a really fluffy attractive English Setter, Irish Setter, Golden Retriever or maybe even a Bernese Mountain Dog".

2.) It's harder than you think to find the right partner for your dog. Purebred dog owners are the worst and are terrified that their breeds purity will be sullied by mixing with mongrels. They would never willingly permit interbreeding! (Despite the unhealthiness of inbreeding and line breeding and all the nasty hereditary messes that purebred dogs inherit.) It would be the final irony if Robin found herself a "boyfriend" after all the unsuccessful work I've been doing to hook her up.

World's Tallest Amaryllis!

Just when I had despaired that our purchased amaryllis bulb had decided not to bloom (and we were stuck with figuring out what to do with a couple of strappy leaves and no flower) our friend Bob (one of many Bobs) gave us another bulb. This one was already promising to flower...
It's really out done itself. As you can see in the picture, it's a full 36" tall (that's a yard stick next to it) and has four large siren-like blossoms. AND it had another bud stalk rising form the pot!

It has made me so happy to see color and leaves as outside remains grey/tan/brown and bleak. It is a bit warmer (not over night!) and things are beginning to grow (not fast enough for me!). I guess Spring will officially arrive. I'm so eager to see how all those tulip and daffodil bulbs did.* And the lilacs! My infatuation with lilacs continues: I already have a short list of ones I need to find this year, like "Monge" and Charles Joly" and "Katherine Havermeyer". I guess this keeps me going when it still seems like warmth and flowers are so far away.

* I am a bit concerned as it's been so damned wet, and then we had a sheet of ice with water sort of trapped underneath. I'm afraid some of the bulbs may have rotted as they prefer a drier situation.

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:

      

Spring/Break Art Show Part 3

                                    

It's exciting that our room at Spring/Break Art Show was featured in The Guardian! Politics was a big theme at this year's show and our room was timely, topical but well pulled together. Many people commented on how well curated our room was.

And speaking of "many people", we heard a rough estimate yesterday that as many as 20,000 came to Spring/Break! I personally feel like I talked to 19,357 of them! It was exciting, exhilarating, exhausting and excellent (and any other word beginning with "X" one wants to exploit). I would do it again in a minute (but at least let me have a week or two off...)

I also like telling people that I passed out over two million dollars in "bribes" as my business card was a piece of fake money (in denominations from $1 to 100,000) with a sticker with my name and vitals on it (phone number, email, website and Instagram handle). Everyone enjoyed that and I surprised no one else seems to thought of it. You gotta make viewers remember you!

And although I didn't make two (or even one!) million dollars, I did sell a couple of my smaller works and broke even. I suspect that Ellen (Hi Ellen!) who runs ODETTA (the gallery in Brooklyn that we're affiliated with) will hear from interested parties who may want to purchase work post- art fair. So many people photographed not only the work, but the price list. So I am optimistic.

Whether anything sold or not, many eyes saw our work and that alone is gratifying. As an artist who creates alone in her studio, finding an audience is paramount. I love my solitude, I love where I live (Green Acres is the place for me...) but I also crave the lime light, baby, and need the adulation of those adoring eyes. But more importantly, I (and my gallery mates) have a message and are sharing it with the hopes that things will change. We ARE activist artists and there are so many things that need changing right now. Maybe we can push people in that direction...

My gallery mates and I (hello David! Hello Margaret!) are likewise happy with the level of exposure we received. Margaret got significant notice for a bit of a flap that ensued after she was told to remove an art work from our window (facing the street and a Trump building diagonally across 1st Avenue...) that featured a X'd out portrait of Himself. Suffice it to say, any publicity is GOOD publicity. (Here's a link to The Guardian article, if anyone is interested: 

Critical Canvas Spring/Break Art Show

Spring/Break Art Show Act 2

Ah yes! "Collusion", "Complicit" and "Fuck Your 2nd Amendment" are happily ensconced at Spring/Break (along with fine work by David Borawski and Margaret Roleke). I'm happy to report that our booth- in a relatively hospitable office space with heat and electricity and a near by water fountain!- is receiving excellent reviews. The paparazzi are popping and we're feeding on feedback and I couldn't be happier.
I think I've made some good connections (along with enough praise that my head is a bit inflated!) and I passed out more than a million dollars in business cards. (My business card is a sticker with all my vitals (name, phone number, email, web site, Instagram handle) on a piece of fake currency. Literally, all denominations. People loved my fake money/bribery card. I said, "Better than bitcoin!")
Wouldn't you know it though: two people I really wnated to see came by when I was here at home, resting and recuperating from talking to a half a zillion admirers. It's nice when someone you don't know comes into the space and says, "Gee I saw your work on so and so's Instagram feed!" I guess I'm hitting the right eyes.
Fortunately, the entire presentation of our space is coherent and well curated (thank you Margaret and Ellen) and has a unity of theme to it. There are more than a few pretty chaotic spaces full of demanding, noisy work...

Did I mention that the UN Plaza Building where the art fair is taking place in across the street from a Trump building? How ironic is that? The theme of this year's Spring/Break is "Fact or Fiction" and there are many interesting installations (including our room) that play with the weird dynamic of "fake news"and lies and misrepresentation. There's even a giant pill container, filled with fake "drug money" in a tiled pharmaceutically inspired room. That one's cool!
But I'm signing off as I'm tired and need to prepare for my next episode of life as an emerging art star. (Kidding!)   But I do have another million dollars worth of business cards to produce and I need a good night's sleep and orthopedic shoes. My feet got really tired from walking on hard pavement and standing for eight hours on cement floors. Life as an artist is hard!!!

Spring/Break!

No, not the kind of Spring Break where college frat kids run off to Florida for debauched fun in the sun. This is the Spring/Break that occurs in various NYC locations and involves (sometimes) debauched artists running off to have fun in improvised gallery situations...
You will notice (and not comment on unkindly) that the young man (hi Joey!) tasked with assisting me hang my work was... well, maybe two feet taller than myself. He was so tall we really didn't require a ladder. (But then, I admit to being "vertically challenged".) This was immensely helpful however and we did a swell job of getting "Complicit" at just the right height. (Ironically, this piece references me "channeling my inner Ivanka" and we are directly across the street from a Trump Tower. (Groan) But I ask you: could we have a more splendid location?!?)

(Need more proof of height disparities?!?!? That's my piece "Collusion" that we're working on and Margaret's print) Anyway, we got the work up with a minimum of fuss and bother (a few glitches like the suction hooks I bought didn't stick to the frosted textured glass of the doorway partition) and the results were impressive. My fellow Odetta artists (Hi Margaret! Hi David! Hi Ellen!)were set on their tasks and we all managed with a degree of cooperation and good-natured camaraderie.
I managed to find my way out of the rabbit run maze of studios, offices, temporary spaces and get a train and get home to Bob and Robin and Maggie exhausted but happy. This is shaping up to be some adventure! Tuesday- when I next return- is press and VIP day. I sure hope that dignitaries, celebrities, oligarchs and collectors of art show up!*

*They will! This art fair has a great reputation for providing fresh, exciting art and is even considered "the art fair for people who don't like art fairs".