Openings and tunnels

Peter Goldberg, in conjunction with The Narragansett Bay Commission, is showing photographs of the Combined Sewer Overflow Project (CSO) and is exhibiting with me the first week or so of my show. His opening is on November 12, from 4 to 7 pm. Since my work will be up as well, it's another chance to snag a glass of white wine in a plastic cup while viewing it.

This photo is from my journey down to the center of the earth, but I'm curious to see Peter's photos. I'm fascinated by the CSO project (see my slideshows of The Utility Shaft and The Main Shaft). Alas, the tunnel is now sealed so there is no hope of getting down there again. I am going to try to go to the opening unless I am frantically finishing up details of my show. Peter's work will come down on November 25, at which time I will put up more of my paintings to make it the one person show that I thought it would be from the start.

The gallery is also open on Gallery Night on November 20, so it works out that there will be 4 receptions during my show, November 12, 20, 15 and 29, all from 4 to 7. The opening on the 29th will include the new paintings I've added. Confusing? I'm sure, but after all this work, I'm not going to say no to festivities and wine.

Election/Exhibit Day approaches

It seems like forever that I've been juggling with the dual obsessions of this show and the elections. After the show is on the walls and Obama is elected (Hope!) I don't know what I'm going to do. Maybe sleep, exercise, walk, socialize, attend art events, shop, clean, read, see a movie...all the things I've put aside for months.

But my frames are mostly assembled, and I'm starting to attach the paintings. I'm amazed at all the hardware I have to buy to accomplish this task. But I guess it's not that surprising considering I have 20 paintings to frame. They have to be delivered in less than two weeks, so I think I'm on track, but without a moment to spare.

Now if I can just get some press releases in the mail...

Warren Walkabout

I went back to the shoemaker's shop for the fourth time about a week ago to visit my machines during the annual Warren Walkabout. It's a bit disconcerting to see them, they're familiar and strange at the same time. Some seem smaller, almost like miniature models, in others I see new details that I want to rush back and incorporate into my paintings. This was probably my last visit, chances are good that I'll be moving on to a different subject after my show, although I'm still not sure what. The natural world always seems to be what I plan to return to, but a chance encounter, like that with shoe machines, can divert me.

While in Warren I talked with the shoemaker himself, Tim Noonan, and to my surprise he had not heard of St. Hugh, although he was very familiar with the other patron saint of shoemakers, St. Crispin. He showed me a hammer with "Crispin" stamped in the metal head, and a tool he uses actually made out of a bone, though I doubt it was St. Hugh's bone.

Looking good while lying

Okay. I wouldn't care how much Sarah Palin spends for clothes. I wouldn't even care if the Republican National Committee paid for her whole family's makeover (although their donors might). What I can't stand is their damned hypocrisy. Their "just like you" "small town values" b.s.

You know who's more like me?



Notice who gets the credit card bills for this family. And you can't script these little kids. This video was recorded in July, when celebrity Palin was just a twinkle in John McCain's eye.

The perfect cup

It's great to have the first cup of coffee in the studio. Unfortunately I had to go to work about an hour later, after putting a coat of paint on my frames. A good way to start the day though!

chaos

No, I'm not talking about Wall St., I'm talking about my studio. I like to think I keep it pretty organized, but it always gets like this in the weeks before a show.


In fact, here it is right before my Russia show, the last time that I went all out making frames.


I'll be glad to deliver the paintings to the gallery in about 4 weeks (gulp) and sweep it out.

But once the show is up and the cold weather settles in I'm not sure how often I'll be able to work in this studio. I managed to hang on to my day job, which these days is a good thing, but the bummer part is that they are probably going to change my schedule so I might not get back home to my studio till 6 or 7. Since it takes about 2 hours to warm up the space in the dead of winter, it will mean starting at 8 or 9 at night. I'll do it somehow though...I'm not going to stop doing my work just cause I have to make a little money.

Like a lot of people, I've been obsessed with politics lately. I must check the polls a dozen times a day. I'm liking what I see though, I hope we can keep it going. I'm also glad to see so many art blogs I visit have gotten political and show their support for Obama, so I know I'm not the only artist being distracted by this critical election. The more we are subjected to the dirty campaigning of McCain and Palin, the more I'm convinced that they deserve to lose even more than Obama deserves to win. If like me, you've been appalled by the anger filled McCain/Palin rallies, Edward Winkleman turns the anger back where it belongs.