Slow Dance in Blue— At the West End Gallery
She says nothing at all but simply stares upward into the dark sky and watches, with sad eyes, the slow dance of the infinite stars.
–Neil Gaiman, Stardust (1998)
Slow moving this morning. Not exactly slow dancing. More of a slow shuffle.
Things on my mind and things that must be done have me sitting here this morning with a small, dull headache that doesn’t seem swayed by the second cup of coffee. Wasn’t sure I wanted to write anything but there were two things compelling me to do so. The first was my self-imposed obligation to promote my current show, The Jubilee Dance, at the West End Gallery and the upcoming Gallery Talk there. The show itself ends Thursday, November 12 and the Gallery Talk takes place next Saturday, November 7 beginning at 11 AM. I will have more details tomorrow including which painting will be given away at the end of the talk.
The other reason for writing today was the fact that I am within sight of the end of a year in which I have posted something every day here. It’s been like 340 or so straight days. It doesn’t mean anything, of course. Just a private goal that won’t get me a prize anywhere or anytime soon. Just something I feel I need to do right now.
Part of that goal is to write something meaningful every day. I can’t attest to whether that part of the goal has been met. I would like to think it has but who knows? I am sure there have been days when I felt like crap and tried to glide by with some sort of nonsense.
Kind of like today, I guess.
But you know what? Even if it is light on content or deep thought, there’s some good stuff here. Take the painting here, Slow Dance in Blue, that is part of the West End Gallery show. As I have been writing this, the image of it takes up the right side of my screen and it has been very soothing. Maybe even easing my headache a bit. Well, maybe not that but I do feel calmed by it. All I could ask this morning.
Then there’s the short passage from Stardust. Though I know Neil Gaiman has lost some of his luster, he has written many damn fine books. Stardust is a good read and was a very enjoyable film.
And to tie it all together, here’s Willie Nelson with his version of the Hoagy Carmichael classic Stardust. I don’t know that I have ever heard a bad version of this song which has been covered by a vast multitude of great singers over the years. But there’s something about Willie’s version from his 1978 album of songs from the American Songbook, also titled Stardust, that works beautifully for me. His phrasing and tempo fit it so well. I bought this album back in 1978 and it is always a good listen.
See? It’s not all just fluff this morning.
Now don’t make me say git this morning, okay? Just do it.
While still in grade school, I danced with my dad to the original (sometimes played on 78s), but Willie’s version is my favorite now. Here’s a fun tidbit: when Nelson sang it at the Austin Opera House many years ago, he recalled, “There was a kind of stunned silence in the crowd for a moment, and then they exploded with cheering and whistling and applauding. The kids thought ‘Stardust’ was a new song I had just written….”
If you’re of a mind, here’s a nice history of the song that includes that tidbit.