studio journal

There are four shows in a row coming up in my schedule - and I’m trying to get a good bit of work done so I’m not (more) insane by the end of them.    June will be a pretty tight schedule.  So I’m making things en-mass, which is not very typical for me.  The nice thing is that working on 10 or 15 sun-moon disks at once lets them evolve a bit further.  So - I expect good work to come out of it.  I’m also starting to feel some pressure, which I work well with.  A number of artists I know are this way - it’s simply better to have a deadline.  There’s a strange ever-shifting balance between pressure to create and creative freedom.  Perhaps, someday, I’ll understand it.

Next week I get to visit friends in the fine town of Hannibal, MO, while on my way to Chicago.  (Hmm, I should put together a list of all  the artists there.  I’ll work on that.)  I’ll still be working while I’m there.

Speaking of work, temperatures have dropped, so now I can get into the studio…  (95 degrees outside equals some version of hell in the truck in the middle of the afternoon, so it becomes time to do other things.)

Hey, have fun out there.

Last weekend was the Cottonwood Art Festival, in Richardson, TX.  It was a decent show.  The best thing was friends and family, to tell the truth.   My mother, who lives in the area, was with me all day on Saturday; we had a ball.  Lots of friends from the Arizona Fine Art Expo were there showing their work, which was great as well.  We all went and ate what seems to be the standard fare here - “Mexican” food.

It seems I’m hanging out in Texas for a bit, yet.  I can work here, and I’m enjoying being here.  This first week will primarily involve getting all current orders done, and images of everything up on the website.

I actually have four weekends off until my Chicago/Pittsburgh string of shows start.  Hoping to make an outstanding body of work.  Oh, boy, is there a large list in my head to get to…

Speaking of Pittsburgh, Wax Jewelry Design Studio, in Pittsburgh, PA is featuring me as an artist in June.  So they’re about to be sent a great body of work.  They’re worth checking out.  Check them out online at http://waxjewelrydesignstudio.com/

Chattanooga was an awesome town.  The 4 Bridges show there was probably one of the more beautiful, well juried shows of its scale I’ve seen in awhile.  The show has only run for eight years so far, so I think they’ve accomplished a huge amount.

The land was inspiring, and everyone I spoke to was very positive about the town.  Lots of artists and musicians, with plenty of support from the city to help that community grow.

The artist’s party had a pretty wide range of people; musicians, artists, hang-gliders …

I could see ending up there.  Not quite yet, but it’s of note.

Almost 9:00pm now, 150 miles to go. I’ve stopped at my favorite (bad) road food… Waffle House! Ignore the coffee, get a waffle and some oj, and life is good. Sugar and carbs! Oh, yeah.
Plus, my throat hurts from singing too much Tom Waits. (current favorite “so long I’ll see ya”)

I’m at a coffee shop called “the frothy monkey”, somewhere  in Louisiana.  Driving down I20, feeling a bit kooky from road brain, I saw a sign for a Wendy’s….   driving through the little town that presented itself to me was a delight.  Little downtown, cute shops…  hey!  A decent coffee shop!  I can’t go to a Wendy’s after seeing this.  So, here I am.  One latte’ with an extra shot, and two chocolate chip cookies later, my brain is doing just fine.
I’m enroute to a show in Chattanooga, TN, called Four Bridges. The show looked interesting to me, as I’ve had a number of friends rant and rave about Chattanooga.  So, ok, ok, I’ll come check it out.  Sounds interesting.  Lots of artists, reasonable cost of living, old mill town… so lots of industrial/studio space possibilities.  Possibly, it could even b a good show.

I’m about 500 miles or so into my drive, and really enjoying it. I’m driving a little rental car/thing (Pontiac psuedo SUV thing which seems like a waste of plastic and steel, largely, between bad aesthetics and ridiculous  proportions…  well, just sayin’…)  which feels like a ball (even in a bad car).  I left from Texas, and will head back down to Texas afterwards.  I’m enjoying where I am, so - I’ll just stay for a bit.  My next show is near Dallas in two weeks, so the plan was to come back, anyhow.

It’s always nice to find a little stop that has a good feel to it.  It’s not happened in a chain store or such, ever.  This place has chess boards set out, plenty of booths, polished concrete floors, exposed brick in what looks to be a  building from the turn of the (last) century.  People studying, free wifi, good coffee.  Nice.

Okay, time to hit the road.  I actually did not delay this trip until the last minute (which is a new thing, for me), so I have some time to enjoy the scenery.  So I better hurry. (That’s a bit of a joke, for those not paying attention.)

I’ve been enjoying Marble Falls, TX.   Almost everyone from the show has left, and now I’m staying here, working, and hanging out with new Marble Falls friends.  Taking time to be around new people is interesting - others are often mirrors for ourselves, and we learn about ourselves from them.  It’s an aspect about being on the road that can truly be a gift.

I very much need to get new images up on the site, though.  No reason why I shouldn’t be able to tonight.

I left Scottsdale Wednesday evening, largely pushing everything to the past moment.  I was making work, excited about new pieces, and reluctant to leave.  So, around 9:30pm I finally pulled out of the Expo site, and started my drive.  I made it to Marble Falls, TX, by 10:30 the next evening.  Not bad.  It was a beautiful drive, I’ve gotta say.  Although it seems the gas bill for this trip, just under 1000 miles, ran about $800 to $900 dollars.  Yeesh.

People have been great.  The show seemed to be far above what many of the locals expected, so there did seem to be some sticker shock for many.   A number of the artists from the 10 week long show were here, so it felt like a reunion.  Sorry to see all you go, family!

Speaking of family, my mother, her husband Michael, and friends Susan and Pete rode down from Hurst Texas.  Amazing to have so many of my friends meet my family.  Something glorious about that.  In an odd sort of way, it almost “situates” me, shows my current place.  To have one’s family see you in situ, around your friends, doing what you do for a living…  does that happen to everyone?  Glad it could happen to me.

Marble Falls is extremely cute.  The countryside around here, the hill country around Austin TX (45 minutes away), is stunning.  I’m hanging out here a few days.  I’m in a campground on a river, under trees, where it’s green and beautiful.  Lots of new friends, a gallery to check out tomorrow, perhaps a run to Austin.  And, of course, work to make.

Some days, this is all good fun.

The challenges:  the bumper falling off the camper, which  caused the end to get ripped off the electrical cord…  old campers.  Yeesh.  I’m going to do what I need to do, and have a bit of fun.

It’s a quick-and-dirty set up, but it works.  This is in my 16′ box truck…  part of this road group that’s happening:

Arizona Fine Art Expo, 2008, ended on Sunday. Tear down was that evening, and the last couple of days. Our community of the last 10 + weeks is going in many directions. A few I’ll run into here and there. (in fact, many of them will be in the show in coming up in Texas link) Most I won’t see until next year. Often I describe the group of artists as a big dysfunctional family. See you next year, family.

Now, I’ve got the mobile studio up and running. I’m still on the grounds of the Expo, working on fulfilling orders, and creating new work for upcoming shows. I hope to have a couple of very productive days.

I felt a bit resistant to getting the mobile studio set up… yet once I had it running, I remembered how much I love it. It’s exciting. It’s not the only thing that works for me, yet something about it fits the gypsy in me. I get to make work in continually new places, and the places always affect the work. I save time in between shows, by being able to work.

What doesn’t work? All of the new things I will be making. The Sun Moon Disk series of pendents should be wall or freestanding pieces two or three feet in diameter. Celestial mechanical mandalas, one could say. (although I’m not sure I could say it quickly three or four times…) Many of the monument series could be doors, gates… Anyone remember the giant monuments found in 2001: A Space Odyssey (that was it, wasn’t it?)? Giant black rectangles, based on the golden rectangle… somehow I could see the pieces in that scale (that might be a while, though.). Experimental work, electronics work, I can’t do all of it on the road, not efficiently. Not today, anyhow.

So I’m eager for the home studio, and looking forward to friends there. It will be about a month, I expect before I get there. First I’ll go to my show near Austin, Tx, then up to Hurst TX to visit Mom. Because you have to visit your mom. That’s how it works. Then I deliver a sculpture for a friend here to Oklahoma City. Then, off to Chattanooga, TN for a show the weekend of the 19th and 20th. Finally, off to home.

Today… I make rings.

Thanks to all, for keeping me busy. I’m grateful.

There’s a list of what this show has given me. I’ll have to work on presenting it to all.

Goodnight.

The last sweat lodge ceremony I’m able to attend while in Arizona during this trip occurred this evening. Amazing experience. I went into it feeling like I was the most complete person I’ve been since I’ve been here, and was somehow able to let go into the experience more than ever. I’m a bit floored right now. The hard part is what I can only describe as “a return to Earth”. I’m a few steps beyond tired, and aspects of life feel a bit jarring.

One thing we’re instructed while in the ceremony is to keep our experience to ourselves, for ourselves, for at least seven days. So - I can’t really write more right now about it. I feel their guidance is worth honoring.

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So, back at the ranch… :

Odd as it is, only two days are left.

We’re not done yet, so perhaps this is jumping the gun, but… it’s on my mind. I present: A few goals for next year:

More group trips to downtown galleries.

Some scheduled/organized group trips to Taliesin, and such.

The Expo bowling league. There’s already a group that goes golfing… and mornings are just not my time. I’m a geek. I like bowling. We were talking about designs for the bowling shirts this evening. I think we can make it fly.

The ability to speak better espanol by next year. This one will happen. Muy importante.

Two of my Sun Moon Disks made two to four feet in diameter, likely out of bronze.

For now, that’s enough… I feel there’s so much to write about. I’ll work on an end-of-show write-up/summary.

a few images:

www.flickr.com More of worksofman’s photos