All of Time– At Principle Gallery
It was the month of May, the month when the foliage of herbs and trees is most freshly green, when buds ripened and blossoms appear in their fragrance and loveliness. And the month when lovers, subject to the same force which reawakens the plants, feel their hearts open again, recall past trysts and past vows, and moments of tenderness, and yearn for a renewal of the magical awareness which is love.
–Thomas Malory, Le morte d’Arthur
I am in the midst of getting prepped for my Gallery Talk next Saturday, September 30, at the Principle Gallery. This includes prepping some new pieces as well as gathering my thoughts and trying to formulate what I might actually say.
What I am looking for in my planning is a new perspective to give to the audience there. A bit of information that might cause them to see the work in a different way or add depth to how they see it now. Sometimes, it comes down to sharing a personal detail– a recollection or memory or emotional trigger– behind the work.
It can sometimes feel confessional on my part, as though I am sharing something deeply private. I often joke that these talks serve as a form of therapy for me. There’s something to that, in reality. I often feel unburdened after these talks, as though I have gotten some things off my mind.
Those confessional moments often define these talks. It gives them a sense of intimacy and authenticity that extends beyond merely talking about what brush or color I employ on a certain painting.
The thing is, as much as I plan ahead, those moments can’t be planned. They usually come from me talking off the top of my head, which can sometimes feel like walking a highwire without a net. You feel your way forward but there is a constant sense that you could plunge to the depths.
The only safety net here, I guess, is to try to carry a few thoughts into the talk with me that won’t instantly evaporate as I stand in front of an audience. These gathered thoughts end up serving as a jumping off point from which I can then talk off the top of my head and use whatever ability I have to react and respond.
And that is usually when the best moments of these talks occur.
That seems like that was a lot of words to say so little. Let’s end it here by filling out today’s triad. Here’s a recently released demo version of her 1974 hit Help Me from the Joni Mitchell Archives. It is just Joni and her guitar without the backing band, orchestrations, or backup singers. Itis less polished but no less powerful, really showing off her vocal qualities. Good stuff.
REMINDER
What: GALLERY TALK
Who: With GC MYERS
Where: PRINCIPLE GALLERY, Alexandria VA
When: SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, Beginning at 1 PM
Why: It’s free, fun, informative, and there will be a free drawing for the painting below, On the Rise.
And more!
On the Rise– You Could Win This Painting!
Redtree Times 