Blog

As I once promised when I built this site, I am taking my thoughts to the weblog window to share. I am not long awake, but I suppose enough to at least think, with the help of coffee that is. I am not a morning person. Well, not true. I am a morning person in the sense that I enjoy it before I go to bed to sleep. I am one of "those" who gets her second wind (and third, fourth, fifth) around midnight. My most productive creativity happens between then and 5am.

But this weblog isn't about my unhealthy sleeping pattern. No, this weblog is about today and the Sidney Fine Arts Show and tomorrow. All three of which never fail to confuse me. I am somewhat stunned again at my success with this show. I had to do some heavy and sleepless scuffling in order to get my three entries into the SFA drop off in early September. As usual, all those big ambitious plans of being ready well ahead slid out of order with the calendar, and I woke up one day in August with a huge "UH OH!!" My three potential entries were well started, but far from finished. I do like to have some pondering time in the final stages of painting a masterpiece (said with tongue-in-cheek). I like to have extra time to sit and stare at it, hoping it will call out.."For Heaven's sake, Mary Ann....sign me and put me into a frame!!" But alas, I had pushed myself into the corner again, my ponder time was cramped. In fact, my ponder time was so cramped, all of the semi-finished paintings in my studio were calling out to me.."Mary Ann, maybe you can finish and enter me instead." And while I sat there in a cramped ponder, I let my paintbrush dab randomly from canvas to canvas. I wonder if Vincent did this sort of cramped pondering.

I know with all my artistic soul that I need to be better organized. I never do put my painting time ahead of the mundane, yet important, things. You know, things like laundry and "tidying"( not much of that, this house is NEVER tidy) and cooking and driving and gardening and singing and all those other things that I MUST do. No, I shamefully say that the painting time is last on the list of things to do. Although, when I do find myself near drop-off deadlines for artwork, I insist I HAVE to paint. I never get any resistance from my boss around here, either. No, he tells me I have to do that as well, so I can't blame him for my procrastinating. Well, I could ask him to do the cleaning and laundry and cooking so I could paint, but after 31 years of me doing those things, the thought of having to teach him those trades is too terrifying.

I probably should have mentioned first in this weblog (I hate the word "blog") that I like to write in cyberlands. If anyone should type my name in Googleland, they'f find my inane ramblings in many places. If you do, just know that I am not a complete nutcase, nutcase in the serious sense that is. I waited a long time to welcome a computer into our home. When that happened about five years ago, I rediscovered my love of writing. It was back to those days of long ago, sitting in class writing notes to friends, essays to teachers, letters to myself...aaah, the old days of writing my thoughts. What fun! And what a bunch of meaningless digressions I have gone into once again in writing my thoughts. Uh, right...sorry, get back on track, Mary Ann.

SO...I did get my three ready enough for entry. One large-ish one I hoped to finish just wasn't going to make it, so I grabbed a smaller one and put it in a beautiful frame I luckily already had. I sprayed my varnish and pondered and signed and framed. I booked my boss/cabbie/drum major/darling husband to drive us out there, me and my three works. I felt accomplished. I did it. In the dawning light of painting my tired brains out, I actually made it. I also thought to myself that one time I won't make it, and that might teach me to do things well ahead next time. I thought that as long as I keep "making it" within the realm of my own lack of time managing, I will never change my habits. Uh, right.

Okay, I must jump ahead and stop digressing. Good news came. My three were accepted by the jurors. One day I must write my thoughts on jurying. Now there's a triple edged sword to write about, being that I once am one who gets to judge. Anyways, those wonderful and brilliant jurors accepted all three of me. I was delighted. During my silent celebrating, I thought about my good luck with the Sidney Fine Arts event. In all the years I have entered, not once have I had a painting declined, not once. AND....only one painting in all those times has not sold. My luck with this show is so unbelievable, I supersticiously am afraid to think about it. I tend ot think that bubbles burst and jinxes are real. I have little rituals I go through like baseball players. Count to three while putting on socks, and six while putting on shoes. Actually, I am kidding, I don't count. But I never do put on the left one before the right. Anyways, while thinking about my past success, I was sure that this time, that bubble would burst. I was convinced that this was the time.

The artist's reception came. I attended with my good friend Margot Clayton (check her out on FCA Victoria Chapter..lovely stuff) and got there late, who'd a thought the Pat Bay Highway would be so trafficky???.. but we managed to get a seat. The talk by Robert Amos was interesting, I already knew all of what he spoke about since he was one of the first artist's speeches I ever heard waaaaay back when, but still very interesting. The awards were given, and I didn't win again. But since I am a jinx believer, I don't want an award, that might break the streak that I have going. When the presentations were done, they released us into the wild. Slowly we were hearded out and as we passed one of the main organizers she said to me..."You know you are sold out already??" I said.."Yeah, right." ..thinking she was kidding. But, of course, hoping she was serious. But certainly not going to jinx myself by doing any mental celebrating before I saw the works with red dots on them. No, I am good at being supersticious. Not sure if I am good at spelling it, but am good at being that. I made myself calmly shuffle along with the crowd. I turned right in the gym and went with that flow of returning art salmons. I didn't race to see a thing. Not me.

Well, my friends, to make a long weblog short, I did sell all three. They sold during the patrons preview. I met one of the people who bought mine, the last minute one that got added to the three instead of the big one that needed more pondering time. She told me she lined up to get the painting, had her red dot ready to stick. She probably was kidding about that. So not to jinx myself or burst any bubbles, I won't go into how my three were taken immediately. That patrons were lining up to get mine...YIKES, I am suddenly having goosebumps, and a hot flash. No, I don't want to say that and jinx myself, or burst this bubble. I better put some socks and shoes on, maybe count this time.

I am constantly thankful for being able to paint. I am even more constantly grateful for those who reach out to tell me they love what I do. It is the ultimate complitment, not to mention inspiration to paint more, to have our works sell. I love the kind feedback. No, I don't have anything around here that is available. But I am painting, and maybe I will show Master G how to work the washing machine and stove in order to get some new work done soon. Good idea, Mary Ann!

Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you......