Your Custom Text Here
Murray Street Coffee, Dallas Texas
Take a moment this Christmas season to relax, to sit in a quiet space and breathe. This thought has a new meaning for me this year, as I find myself in – while it's not exactly retail...
Read more
Things found on the morning after a party – reminders that are a mix of amusement and shame. Like, high heel shoes hanging from light fixtures, random articles of clothing on furniture, suspicious concoctions in the blender that seemed like a good idea at the time, and perhaps a person sleeping it off behind the sofa. Then there are the incidental items, like a decorated gourd on a barstool – tipping, but not falling off, having made it through whatever remained of the evening and the cleaning-up.
Artists make life more interesting.
Artist: Liz Conces Spencer
Another Art Festival has come and gone. I love going with Barry to these things, and I have seen them change in the short time that I've been going with him. I've been going since around 2005; he's been doing it for thirty years. We talked with other artists, talked with his customers – new and established. We had wine and water, food and candy while we talked about art, techniques and life.
What I've always loved about these festivals is the family that has sprung up between the artists. They would run into each other around the country on the circuit of festivals, and after a few years some very strong friendships emerged. People ask after each other. This weekend I heard people talking about an artist that they hadn't seen in a while; all trying to figure out if everything is okay and telling stories about that person. They talked about people that they had seen recently. They talked about health and how much longer they can continue and who is thinking about retiring to the Carolinas.
And, of course, I love the art. I am partial to ceramics, but there is a special place in my heart for painting. There weren't actual paintings this weekend. Liz Conces Spencer is a painter, but the work she was showing was glass. She kind of painted with glass and it's beautiful.
There was a time when people came to these shows with the intention of decorating their homes. Some still do, but the concept seems to have declined in popularity. I think that the possibility isn't even in younger people's minds any more – the idea of decorating a home with art. But, one of Leslie's accent tables would be perfect for the smaller homes and condos that are becoming so popular these days. Paintings and 3D artwork make for wonderful conversation, and as soon as people learn how to have conversations face-to-face again fine arts could have a renaissance. I'm certain that the next generation will revolt against the Communication Machine and hold conversation in cellars of coffee shops. Maybe they'll have somebody accentuate their more important points with percussion instruments. It's a nice thought. Somebody is bound to do a painting about the Burning of the Devices. There could be a novel about it as well, akin to Fahrenheit 451.
In the meantime, feel free to ponder over these pictures I took this weekend. My plan is to do more in-depth entries on some of the individual artists – their history, their art... their stories. Stay tuned.
I heard this years ago on the local NPR station - KUT. If I remember correctly it began as I pulled into the parking lot at Barnes & Noble and I sat there listening to it all the way through, much to the bemusement of the people in the cars around me.
Anna Russell dissects a fictitious opera based on Shakespeare's Hamlet. Her humor stands the test of time. So, if you have about 30 minutes to spend on mindless comedic entertainment, please feel free to give this a listen.
When my father finally lost his vision I was able to beat him at Scrabble, and not one day before.
We are heading into the first holiday season since my father passed away. The times we've had – I'll always remember them. Thanksgiving is this week and it won't be the same, but we'll raise a glass and toast to his life. At Christmas we can watch The Polar Express... at full volume.
*Sigh*
We'll miss you, Dad.
Search Rather Earnest Painter
