Well, the work for my fifteenth show, Traveler, at the Principle Gallery has been delivered and now there is some time to exhale a bit before the opening this coming Friday, June 6. It was a good trip yesterday with no complications during the drive , stunning weather and a really nice time at the gallery– such a warm and upbeat group of people there. While there, a friend popped in for a good visit and I also met a few other interesting folks, including one who also had a family connection to the early logging trade in the Adirondacks. There is a good possibility that our great-grandfathers knew one another in those days of the late 19th century when that part of the mountains was abuzz with lumbermen. But that is a story for another time.
Delivering the show brought the usual feeling of relief that comes with completing a task but without the anxiety that often accompanies it as I wait to see if the show will be successful. I suppose I have enough experience with this scenario to know that things always work out if I have put in the effort. And I have. This show was very satisfying, during the process when I was the creator and in the aftermath when I became an observer. There were pieces that came from hard fought struggles and some that seemed to fall from the hand with no effort, each ultimately achieving that life of their own to which I often refer. In the end, it all seemed to come together very well. I will be eager to see how it hangs in the space. I hope that if you are in the area, you can stop in and see the show.
It’s a Sunday morning , which means it’s time for a little music and I thought today I would feature something from Leonard Cohen. I chose the song Anthem simply because of the chorus that goes Ring the bells that still can ring/ Forget your perfect offering/There is a crack, a crack in everything/ That’s how the light gets in . That has long been a theme in my work. My second show at the Principle Gallery was titled Seeking Imperfection because I felt it was the imperfection in the work that made it brought it to life, that gave evidence of the imperfect person behind it. To me, perfection was cold and sterile concept, far from the human experience. I wanted the blood and heat of humanity in my work. Maybe that’s why red has been such a vital color in my visual vocabulary. Perhaps the piece shown at the top is a good example of this. Purifying Light, a 20″ by 60″ canvas, is part of the show.
Anyway, here is Anthem from Leonard Cohen. Have a great Sunday!
Redtree Times 