I’m all pleased with myself because I stayed up past 11:00 last night. Also because I was the one who suggested going downtown for First Friday. What does this mean? I must be getting over my physical and mental melaise of the last couple of months! I still slept over nine hours, but that’s okay. It was a good, heavy sleep with many interesting dreams.
Sandy and I went to an art show honoring John Skau, benefiting Piedmont Land Conservancy. Local artists used the materials that John left behind to make their own works. I talked to his wife Judy and his son Drew, and we all agree that John would have been delighted.
Then we meandered down Elm St., in and out of antique stores and art galleries, until we reached Artmongerz, probably my favorite gallery if I had to pick one. I love Frank Russell’s found art sculpture, and I like all the other art too.
Sandy and I had a conversation with Betty Trotter, a mixed media artist whose collage paintings we admired, and she said that there was a half space available in the co-op and encouraged me to apply for it. The price is right and I feel that I would fit in well there, so I may be visiting the gallery manager on Wednesday or Thursday with some of my work. It is a very small space, but almost everything I do is small. It would be wonderful to have a gallery again. I miss Two Art Chicks, but this would be a much more serious involvement, since I would be part of the co-op rather than just having work in the shop. So I am very, very, very excited. I think that it will energize me to get some of this WIPs finished and begin some new projects, especially weaving and bookbinding.
We also stopped by South Elm Pottery and Gallery (thanks, Greensboro Daily Photo) and spent some very pleasant time talking to Jim and Jane Gutsell. Sandy won a gift card at work that was burning a hole in his pocket, and we both have a weakness for beautiful pottery, so I bought a Japanese inspired cup and bowl, and Sandy bought two small vases/bottles. I think that he plans to use them as bottles – I saw them as bud vases.
Then we went to Natty Greene’s, had an interesting conversation with an unemployed stand-up comedian at the bar, and watched the passerby on the street from our table at the window, drinking great local brew with our dinner.
Now that it is getting warmer, I’m going to weave off the fabric that has been gathering cobwebs on my loom in the studio. I want to make some scarves and pretty towels from all the wonderful cotton yarns that I bought a couple of years ago. I have small tapestries. I have many old books to upcycle into journals, books ready to bind with handmade paper and painted papers. I have woven hats that I can sell, and I could weave some more hatbands for them. I have random weave baskets. I have some beaded jewelry from my beading phase. I think that it would be pretty easy to fill up that small space – I may have to make or buy some displays. Then I’ll be moving into art quilting, and fusing ALL of these things together. WHEEEEEEE!
slowly she turned 