One year ago

It seems I have survived. Don't know how! Looking back it's surreal... getting ready for the walkway over the Hudson grand opening just as my sons left home, my father-in-law got sick and my husband left. How did I do it? I haven't had a lot of days, like this photo, where I am walking in air. I have more often tunneled my way.
But as we look to file the legal documents next week, I see that life has it's bridges, and even tunnels mean you can move forward. (ndp)

Some review on the past year

My 2009 goals were:
Solidify local networking I exhibited in 11 group shows, 4 public works projects, 2 two person shows, and 2 solo shows! How nice the solo shows were spaced from spring to winter! Hailed as the “town artist” for three area villages and towns (that’s nice about rural areas) As for press coverage I got 8 articles about my work in papers from Poughkeepsie, to Bedford to Millerton. I spoke to two village boards and was on public cable TV. And I have to count the one radio show. One of the public works projects linked a community of 50 artists countywide.

Reach overseas I took a German class, sold two painting to a guy in Brussels, and have two drawings in a show in Berlin right now. Need to do more.

Community service I organized art slide slams, a county wide artist studio tour this fall, did school backdrops for events, window displays for a local non-profit, co-curated a show that got NY Times coverage, donated paintings to non-profits, volunteered in an after school woodshop class, and hosted 5 free community flag making workshops.

Grants and residencies: Though it feels like much more, I applied to at least 16 places or art competitions, and have at least 7 rejections. Three places are still considering. My goal was to apply monthly- and I did that. I have since come to realize that with everyone gone from my home I don’t need a residency- unless it has a valuable networking component, so I probably won’t be as gung ho about applying next year.

Paint 20 hours a week There were weeks I painted over twenty hours and a lot that were less. Completed a lot less paintings than the last year or the year before.

Internet: Web I will have posted work almost 300 times on my blog this year. Started a second one, not as regular but with a few followers, with images from my past as I analyze my marriage. Started posting miniatures on eBay a few weeks ago.
Links I was going to make comments on other blogs and reach out- but frankly had no time. There is no Internet service at my studio. I did write a couple articles for healthybeing blog. I am still a member of dailypainters.com. I started and forgot about my Etsy account in February. Absolute arts in March, Linkedin in April, Twitter in May, Fineartamerica in June, and recently artslant and Artblogs4U. I refused to do facebook even though I was told that was a great way to keep track of my kids. Haha.

Sell/teach I started teaching my dream job this summer. I have an after school stint with them and promise of work next summer. I also taught a workshop through an adult art school that was very successful. Hope to do it again this spring. I put a sign in front of my studio and now have four adults coming on weekends for 2-hour classes.

Separate studio from house. I moved into a new studio in the spring.

Contact mail list 1x month I didn’t do this as regularly as I hoped. Made two postcards this year. Did 4 e-newsletter type blasts. Had about 45% open click rate on them.

Book- didn’t get there- but last June I had my own room in a huge art mill event and put on a solo show with the one idea I had in mind. I can start to see it- the wall labels are a start! Just last week I made a quick book from CVS of my last solo show before it came down today. I included the explanatory text that I worked so hard on. I may push that further. The info is all there.

Flags going for county wide quilt

Three of the flags made this summer are going to be included in a county wide quilt project...
The Millerton Clock Tower by Ralph F., the Maxon Mills (Wassaic Project) building by Rhoda L., and the Furnace by Kent K. 

It's going to be awesome. The walkway project organizers- in addition to the quilt are creating a book. I know they have to still fund raise for a couple million to finish the park amenities. Perhaps the book will be something to inspire people to give back to the bridge. (views on the bridge) 

(no dp)

AMENIA

A LIVE STREAM OF THE EVENT CAN BE SEEN AT WWW.WALKWAY.ORG at least for a while. Soon they will be burning and selling CD's for interested people, historians, participants, etc...

Walking on air

In spite of rain in the forcast and in the morning- we had a clear procession across the bridge yesterday. The crowds were wonderful, the energy was high and the views were awesome. You can see so far up and downt he river it feels like you are flying. Most of my pictures- before my camera died- are of the town flag bearers. I hope to see more images from other sources in the next few days. My favorite part of the whole thing was how well it all pulled together. Every detail was thought of- Jeanne and Alex and Sophia deserve a big toast and breakfast in bed!

Country Chicken pepper soup ingredients

12 x 23 inches collage and acrylic on wood panel. 

I am getting ready to:

--- rope up friends to help Millerton parade across the Walkway bridge in good form this Saturday October 3rd. We are three people shy! Why? Oh why?

--- address 80 envelopes to locals who either do not have email or can't get an ArtEast studio Tour brochure and map any other way

--- send out my e-newsletter and make an ArtEast Art Tour flyer

--- hang 8 semi-erotic chicken paintings at the Lick Ice Cream store on Warren Street in Hudson as part of the 15th annual Arts Walk which runs from October 3- 18th.

--- call it a day, and go to the diner with some girlfriends.

Stringing up the flags

Amenia

Millerton

North East

I keep counting and re-counting and hoping to get different numbers, and then re-counting. I have to pull this all together by Monday and several flags are still OUT, not done, or possibly  missplaced. Yikes!!!!

Flag workshop pulls together now

I am stringing them up! And they look pretty good. Today a new person came in- actually three people came in- and two of them are famous cartoonists in different areas! Nice.
I also taught myself how to oil my old sewing machine. Patience and a good attitude go a long way.
The green and blue flags are for Amenia. The blue background flags are for North East, and the yellow flags are for Millerton.
Only 6 left to be designed. Anyone interested? Email me right away! I want all 75 to be done by noon Sunday.

Indian Rock School Community Picnic

What a wonderful, almost dry day it was for the whole community to get out and get together! The after-school boys club were busy signing copies of their book, A Year in the Life. The bunch of them, full of laughter and stories, lent a mischievous and historic (of course) air to the morning. Nancy Offenhauser, another local celebrity,  was signing copies of her memoir, Healing Cancer Peacefully... a must read if you have, or know anybody with, cancer. My walkway flag project got a real boost from participants young, old, and in between! After a couple hours almost all the flags are finished. What was nice was that some of the participants said they had no artistic talent and yet were willing to try and pleased with the results! I missed the pie baking contest and the kids games and Abe Lincoln's birthday cake.

Paintings on pins... badges for walkway over hudson

Oh they are beautiful! I can't believe them... my paintings in miniature! Thank you Walkway.org. I guess these are for the towns people who walk the bridge on the day of the celebration. October 3rd. Though I want to give one to my mom, and my dad too.

Yesterday was really busy- I wore many hats! First spent the morning with the sewing ladies of South Amenia working on the flags. It was a wonderful and relaxing and fun way to start the day.

Then I flew to my friend Amy's side and we tried to lay out the whole Arteast studio tour brochure. Only 14 of the 19 artists have submitted the proper information. I hate making phone calls... Then I raced to Poughkeepsie to drop off my three emblems. Sophia and Alex were there and gave me a tour of the work space. It looked awesome. Anyone can walk in- noon to 7 p.m. weekdays and 10-6 weekends to participate in creating the props for the walkway celebration. I thought it looked like lots of fun. These two, with Jeanne Fleming, have been so thorough- have thoughtof every detail- have such a wonderful attitude- they are nothing short of brilliant! I seem to be meeting a lot of brilliant people these days. It inspires me.