Thursday, March 8, 2007

Tim Wraight Web Presence

Tim Wraight, sculptor, master boulanger, friend, has finally got around to getting a descent web presence. About time! There will be more pieces added in the near future, so watch that space.

Tuesday, March 6, 2007

Lloyd Harwood Again

And while we're at it, here's Lloyd Harwood at his Arts Council office again. I already posted a photo of him, but you see, Lloyd is a wonderfully smiley man, and to me, this is the face I adore; plus, that Nightingale green mug (that's what we call that color in Japan) is semi-permanently attached to his right hand while he's in the office, so a photo without it didn't do justice.

I haven't seen him since the last day of my Exhibit(ion) but I'm holding off visiting him because I am weak and I fear I might sign up for another one too soon.

Debriefing with Martin

I went to see Martin Rodgers of Arts Marketing (Nelson Bays Arts Advocacy and Marketing Trust) for a debriefing today, but I can't remember much. I just reported how things went with the Exhibit(ion), what I would do if I were to do another one, and briefly touched on the perception of handwoven textile thing, but just so briefly. And we discussed what I hope to do in 2007. The only thing I remember Martin saying was that I probably should do another Exhibit(ion), solo or group, before too long.

It felt strange talking to Martin about my Exhibit(ion), because I'm so far removed from it now, but I do appreciate any chance for a chin-wag with this busy man.

Jay's Morning Room

This is Jay Farnsworth of Red Art Gallery, my Fairy Godmother, preparing for a painting show opening night starting in 90 minutes, in the tiny kitchen of "The Morning Room" tea room, (working title), in the corner of her gallery.

There have been a fair few galleries I liked in my life, but never as much as this one, and Jay is the first gallery owner I've gotten to know. While I was a student, I loved reading biographies of artists and writers, and was fascinated by their relationship with their agents and publishers. Fascinated, but never really understood, until I got to know Jay. She seems to know what I'm trying to say before I know what I'm thinking; she's sympathetic and empathetic, and has a great sense of humor. And she's a perfectionist and self-confessed control freak. What's not to love!!

I had to go in this morning to swap a sample yarn pack on one cashmere scarf: neither of us noticed that for the last month and a half, a lime-green scarf had yarn samples of brick-red yarns stuck on it.

(JB, Jay was aiming for mid/late March, but the Council told her the lino flooring needs to be installed by someone licensed to install linos in commercial buildings, so there's a five-week wait, but she's still negotiating the timing.)

Sunday, March 4, 2007

No Direction is the New Direction

As well as avoiding doing my tax return due next week, I'd been moping, stomping and pacing while pondering the question of my next direction, when, on Friday, I ran into Jay Farnsworth of the Red Art Gallery at Zest Cafe on Bridge Street. I do a lot of thinking as I try to explain things to people, (which is why counseling works for me), but Jay is one who is able to make me understand what I mean or what I'd been thinking art-wise almost instantly. So in the short time we waited for her three Caffè latte to take away, two trim, one regular (possibly the other way around), I see now that I don't want a specific aesthetic direction this year, but that I want to go all over the place learning new skills and weave structures and improving my techniques, so that when I do decide to have a direction or a theme, I will be better-equipped to express them.

It's so simple, unassuming, unpretentious and so satisfying.