August, Already?

Back in December when the summer schedule was confirmed, I remember thinking "I've got all the time in the world." But once May rolled around it seemed like the continuum of time started to contract at an increasingly accelerated pace. First there was the 11 day painting trip to Glen Arbor, followed by 5 days in Cross Village/Harbor Springs partly spent with my painting mentor Stuart Shils. (See stuartshils.com) The 4th of July came and went with a quick trip to Harbor Springs Tvedten Fine Art for painting delivery. And the middle of the month was consumed by framing/photographing/cataloging work for my solo exhibition at the Center Gallery in Glen Arbor. The week long show was capped with another quick trip to Cross Village where I taught a Gouache Workshop at Three Pines Studio. Then immediately back to Grand Rapids for delivery of new works to the Water Street Gallery in Douglas for a Group exhibition which opened last night. Throw a move of the painting studio into the mix and suddenly I find its the middle of August. Wow. Times flies when you are having FUN! No sarcasm intended. To paraphrase Professor Douglas Brooks, scholar of tantric philosophy "I got the lucky" right now. In all seriousness I find myself very grateful to be able to follow this path. Even while all the stress of pulling work together for 3 separate shows within about a 2 week time span seemed a little daunting and chaotic, in retrospect I wouldn't have it any other way. Perhaps my husband, family and friends see it differently, but you'd really have to take that up with them.



So now am ready to settle back into the space of making the work. Have painted for 2 days now in the new space. And even though its downtown, its quiet. Interestingly enough, while the city is buzzing and vibrant around me, its calm and even somewhat serene within the context of the new space. No distraction from the phone, the email, the laundry, the furry beings and all the other little things that disturb the flow of concentration.