Gallery!

And in non-Relay related news...

The gallery opening for the show I made it into is Thursday. Even though it's only one painting in a multi-man-and-woman show, it's still pretty cool. And openings are always kinda fun.

And I've been tightening up some work for a one-man exhibit next month! It's small, and at a public library, but in a pretty affluent town. Who knows? There will be some music, courtesy of a flutist friend and her violinist companion. I haven't decided between fake wine and cheese or cookies and juice. (Okay, who am I kidding. It's going to be fake wine and cheese. Unless I receive a mysterious shipment of cookies from the Mid-west. Hahah!)

I also sent submitted some work to the authors/artists in charge of this Children's Lit Conference later in the year. Only have to wait till August to hear if I made it in!

Maybe things are starting to turn around?

HUB-BUB

As I mentioned before, I kicked my butt and dove back into painting. Some of my ventures have been pretty cool and some not so much. I've been staying up pretty late and dragging myself out of bed to go to work in the morning. On the one hand it's been invigorating while on the other I haven't had nights like these in a long time.

Fun. =)

So my renewed efforts are actually two-fold. I'm an artist. Making art makes me happy. It's something I need to do. You see the logical conclusion (and the inevitable question: Well then, what the "f" has been your problem?").

The second reason is a bit more specific. There is this amazing job opportunity for an Artist-in-Residence position that I want. I actually really want it. There, I said that too. I want this job.

While going through pieces to include in the portfolio to send, I was talking to good friend who encouraged me to do some more paintings. She was of the opinion to forget about the marketability of the work, and just do it: Make something.

And it's been fun. And now I have 2 (maybe 3?) new pieces that I can include in this portfolio that I'll be sending out this week. It's exciting, and almost feels like applying to art school all over again.

I'm thrilled at the thought of working in a gallery for 11 months. To work with the community in a creative aspect. To create and play with creative people. It's like a dream!

Now, I don't know what kind of talent I'm up against. There are scads of amazing artists out there. I've been trying to keep that in perspective. I want to take this wave to its highest crest and see how long I can ride it. If things don't work out with this one for me, I hope that it sets me on a new path.

$36,628.85!

That's how much this Relay has raised so far!!! That is more than TWICE what we raised online last year, and if memory serves me correctly, scant hundreds less than what we ACTUALLY raised last year.

I can hardly believe it. With all that's been happening and with the event barreling down on us... Holy crap! Haha.

I want to push for $40,000.00 by the weekend... Maybe even $45,000.00 by the event? Is it possible?

(That's not to mention the $10,000.00 I'm pushing my team to raise. We're at $7,337.57 right now. If I can sell all those t-shirts, that'll give us another $1,200. Another bake sale, maybe another $400... Who's got $1,000 for us?!)

Naked People!

Tomorrow I'm going to head into the city for an overnight figure drawing event at Pratt! I say that with both excitement and a little bit of trepidation.

I still find the big bad city to be a little too intimidating. I'm fine once I'm there, so maybe part of it is like my issue with travel in general. I just want to be there, I don't want to go to the airport and sit there for hours waiting for the flight to take off. But in this particular case there is a certain flair of social anxiety. Not that I enjoy the wonders of full-blown social anxiety disorder (and I mean, how could I if I run a city-wide event, right?), but I think my discomfort is a little bit more than what's normal given certain sets of circumstances.

What's compounding it this time is the fact that this event will be chock-full of kick-ass artists (I mean, Pratt... c'mon!). This plus the face that I haven't drawn naked people in so long... It's going to be interesting.

Aud proposed this idea earlier in the week, and I talked myself out of and back into it about 10 times. Signs sort of keep pointing toward "You idiot! Go!"

I'm proud of myself for submitting to that contest. And I'm happy that I'm taking steps to rearrange my life. I'm not great at it, but I try to challenge myself to step out of that comfort zone (read: walk into a social situation--or any situation--where I'm so not comfortable).

Just keep my eyes on the naked people. It'll be fun!

"Smile, breathe and go slowly."

Judge!

I received a phone call today from the local arts center in town... And they asked me to be the judge in the upcoming show! That's right. Not a judge, the judge.

Wow.

Granted, I might have to finagle my way out of work for this (who cares?), but now I feel like I should brush up on some of my crit skills too. There will be both professional artists and amateurs in the upcoming show. Either way, I doubt I will know many of them. Which is a good thing when you're trying to objectively judge something that is influenced heavily by subjective impulses.

I think I talked her into three categories instead of just one best-in-show piece. The winners don't get any money (and neither do I!), just recognition. So why not? Plus, I think it's difficult to weigh an oil painting against a water color or a mixed media piece or even sculpture. It's like asking, which is a better piece, Starry Night or the Pieta. Okay, well it's not exactly like that. But you get what I'm saying.

Can't wait--should be exciting!