Openings, events, demos, or my!

Well, I thought this was going to be a relatively easy week, and it was, but not as easy as I had thought. (Read: I didn't get as much done as I figured I would.)

Lets see, I'm in the Book + Art show at the Collins Gallery at the Central Library, and the opening reception was Wednesday evening. Got to meet up with a bunch of artists that I don't see often, so that was wonderful. It was also the new haircut's debut! Afterwards, the Good Prince (I originally typed 'Good Prints') and I headed over to Ping, the new fancy pants pan-Asian restaurant in Chinatown, in what was the old China Council office, where I spent a lot of my time years ago. Well, I have to say that it was somewhat disappointing, given the amount of press they've had and the pedigree (connection to Pok Pok ) and all. But maybe it's just the 'getting it up and running' usual bumpy beginning, I'd certainly try them again.

Thursday—worked on my professional development grant application, and went to Art Spark, a monthly art gathering that I've been meaning to go to for a while but only made it for the first time this month. The format—short presentation by an arts group in the middle of the evening, but mostly just a networking/social scene, which I'm not terribly good at. I think I also managed to mount Prosperity Soup on board.

Then Friday (yes, this is the laundry list) was a pretty long day of preparing for my demo at Contemporary Craft, prepping a board with a new gesso that I want to try, working on my grant some more, and prepping for Portland Open Studios jurying.

When I taught the class at Springdale las week, they asked to keep the models for the school, so I figured Saturday's demo would be a good opportunity to make myself some more models. There was really quite a bit of traffic through there but I did get the 2 important models done (the two that I will need for this coming weekend's class), and I got started on a 3rd model that I want to have on hand. I have a 4th model I need to make for the collaboration my critique group is doing, but I don't need to have that done until next Friday.

Then today was the Very Top Secret meeting which of course I can't talk about, so that's that.

Whirlwind Wednesday

Well, it's really Tuesday (still), and the whirlwind occurred Sunday-Tuesday, but I thought Whirlwind Wednesday sounded good. Besides, I seemed to have missed Packrat Tuesday this week, so I guess this is the replacement.

So, Sunday...

I installed the books and the folding screens at RSM, among the regular Sunday chores and prepping for Monday. Here's one of the screens:



Then, Monday...

In the morning, installed the little neighborhood coffee house show. It's me and 2 other artists right on my block:



And in the afternoon, installed Intersect/Parallel (the show of 5 engineers-artists) at the G&V Walters Cultural Arts Center:



And, Tuesday...

Finished up loose ends at RSM (labels), coffee shop (inventory list, and returning the nails which I took off their walls, stuck in my pocket, and walked off with them). And the opening reception for Intersect/Parallel in the evening:



At this show, I encountered something I had never encountered before. And in case Bob H. is reading this—don't worry, your "Please Do Not Touch" signs did the trick; I was watching like a hawk and nobody touched your books.

However, my "Please Handle With Care" signs did not seem to do anything at all.

Usually, people are so reverent about looking at art that I really have to encourage them to touch the work if I want them to handle and interact with them. So anyhow, I had these "Handle With Care" signs on the pillow books, but most people were paying them no never mind. The 2 ladies in the photo were very careful, I should say. But many would walk up, and without reading the signs or anything, the first thing they do is to put their hands flat down in the middle of the pillow books and give them a few pushes! Then they come around to the sides and give the books a squeeze or two!

One guy picked up one of the small pillow books and started squeezing it like it was a tennis ball!

Oh. My. God.

I guess you could say that those books are very tactile and inviting.

I asked the gallery director for new "Please Do Not Touch" signs.

Possibly more red letters...

Hey, sounds like I might be selling both of the violin pieces. Not a done deal yet, but I'm sure you'll hear about it when/if it becomes a reality. Both of the violin pieces can be seen here, one is labeled Fiddlehead and the other Violin.

So here are some photos from the Maryhill Gadzooks show. This is the first gallery as you walk in, and my books are in the case in the middle:



Here's another shot:



And here's my favorite of the petroglyphs at the petroglyph park (real name -- Columbia Hills State Park, Horsethief Lake area):



All photos by Eliza.

Worked on my grant application today, and tried out the online application process. They don't give you much space to summarize and describe your projects, but I think I'll have a few characters to spare.

Whirlwind weekend

This was the weekend of the Maryhill book arts exhibit opening. Eliza came down and we drove out to Maryhill Museum for the opening program and reception. My books were in the case in the middle of the room, right as you walk into the exhibit (!). And they put Fatherland on the cover of the exhibit program/catalog too! I was thrilled. I got a big stack of them. Many of the artists were there and there were lots of visitors.

Spent the night at the Lyle Hotel in Lyle. A very cute little 'railroad hotel', which I thought was a historical reference...but nooooo! Several trains went by in the middle of the night, right outside our window. I was able to go right back to sleep after each, but sounds like Eliza was not so lucky. The beds were comfortable though. Then this morning, we stopped at the petroglyph park and an orchard fruit stand before heading back to Portland, in time to go to the big celebration at the Park blocks for the opening of the old Daisy Kingdom building now turned into an art complex -- homes to Contemporary Crafts Museum, Blue Sky Gallery, Augen Gallery, Froelick Gallery, and Hartman (? I think, they're from Seattle).

Pictures tomorrow, or maybe Tuesday.