Big Fish in a Little Pond

So now I have made the North Island newspaper without having to send them a press release and beg for some notice...the best kind of publicity. I am very pleased the painting is going over so well but it makes me wish it was better than it is. Next time. And the next one is probably going to be of my sister-in-law, Sandy, whom I'll be seeing in a couple of weeks in Wisconsin. Bob and I go down there about once a year to visit his parents and see Sandy and husband Phil.

My next blog will be from there, in Viroqua, southwest part of the state and not far from the Mississippi. Nice area and it should be beautiful right now with the Autumn colours. Anyway, Sandy is a singer/songwriter and has some very cool performance costumes that I want to use in a painting of her. I'll know more when I see her and the costumes and the environment. If

I can pull it off I will put it in the "Telling Stories" exhibit at the CRAG next January. It feels so good to have some inspiration and I need to follow up on it...not let it simmer too long as that is when I begin to lose impetus.

Driving by the Comox Valley Art Gallery on tuesday I noticed in the window that my painting

of Josette was propped up, apparently in readiness to hang. Now this is exciting, I thought.

The painting will be available for viewing any time day or night for the duration of the show.

The opening is tonight but I can't make it, unfortunately. It is quite far from where we live and

the night time drive back home through the mountains, in the rain and fog, is fairly treacherous. I am just pleased that the curators like the image well enough to give it this

kind of attention. Giving pleasure to others through my work is quite truly the best reward

of all.

The grant proposal is written finally, (and thanks very much to David Peto, of Vancouver, who kindly did some review and editing for me), and now I am putting the budget figures together and gathering the information for the CV and listing of all past exhibits and mentions in the press, etc. Since I have done this kind of thing before I already have it fairly well organized, but I do not have most of this information on my computer so I think that is a step I need to take. The grant committee is apparently interested in past work so I will delve into works from quite some time ago that is relevant to the project I am proposing. Some of it is only on slides so those will need to be scanned as all images are to be submitted on a disc. I haven't kept much of the work from a long time ago and now wonder if that was a mistake. The best pieces were sold, for the most part, and I have no idea where they are. It is like having children whom

you send out into the world but then never hear from again. They stay in your heart though.

Rethinking Damien

I receive a weekly newsletter called the "Friday Roundup" from Ken Blackburn, through the Campbell River Arts Council. There are often intriguing bits of information about art and artists from around the world and this week in particular. Alexander Boldizar has recently interviewed Damien Hirst in his current Bali home where he has begun a series of paintings. Damien has apparently decided to quit his usual production of formaldehyde encased animal sculptures, etc., and concentrate on his first love...painting. I had long sloughed off the work of Damien as being publicity generated, unattractive, blatantly obvious "commentary on our society" sort of stuff. His DOT paintings did not impress me. I didn't know the man it seems. I still don't but now after reading this fascinating interview I have rethought my initial unkind assumptions. The guy is a serious thinker and has some very worthwhile things to add to the society, plus his new paintings are very beautiful in a dark, neo Gothic sort of way. Go to: www.boldizar.com/blog/nonfiction/damien-hirst-new-paintings-interview/ for a fresh look at this man and his work.

Debbie's feet worked out perfectly. I finished up and got the painting into the Comox Valley Art Gallery on tuesday afternoon. Some of the background colour was a tad tacky yet so I had nightmares about paint rubbing off on the work of other entrants...so hoping that hasn't happened! How embarrassing. I did let the girl taking the work know about it and asked her to place it away from other work for a day or so. The show doesn't open until next week. Now it is time to concentrate on another revision of my grant essay. I haven't looked at it for several days so I should be able to immediately see what works and what doesn't when I look at it again. I also need to start planning for the mounting and framing of the 30 drawings I am putting in a show in January. That date will sneak up on me fast. I also have to consider what to enter in the "Telling Stories" show I have been invited to show in. One has to be a self portrait. I do have one from about four years ago...very small coloured pencil. Do I feel ready to embark on a new one? Staring at my own face is often less than inspirational...

Socks?

Ok, I hit the inevitable "don't know what to do now" syndrome that is a part of every single piece I do. The model wore black socks & jeans for the sitting and I was thinking about painting her legs and feet bare but kind of liked what was an initially unplanned, unexpected and fun juxtaposition of the classic draped figure with the peek of contemporary iconic costuming. The black of the socks seemed to be too dominant, though, so now I am going to try showing bare feet, but keep the jeans. I need to find a suitable foot model...posed my own feet but not the right look. My 64 year old feet aren't bad but not youthful enough for this model, plus I inherited my mother's very flat feet and they aren't terribly graceful, (see photo). I think my next door neighbor, the talented watercolourist, Debbie Reusch, will pose her feet for me. She is lovely and athletic and much younger than I am and I think she has good arches:-) You can go to her blog for a visual treat of beautiful watercolour paintings.

Anyway, if I can get this finished in the next couple of days I will take it down to the Comox Valley Art Gallery to submit for the 35th Anniversary Show, a gallery fundraiser worth participating in and going to see; October 24th to November 7th. I just hope the pale background colour is dry enough to the touch when I bring it in...