My daughter and her boyfriend have been thinking about getting a cat. They’ve been pouring over the internet listings of Denver area shelters. Our whole family has become interested in this hypothetical cat, and my son Bob thinks an orphaned cat who looks a little like she’s been dropped on her face if her face was made of unfired clay is just perfect. So much so that he made her photo the screen saver on the computer in the living room. The shelter estimates her age to be around 9 years old and they have named her “Miss Kitten.”
I’m excited to be opening this ekphrastic show – painters responding to poets and poets responding to painters – at Zip 37 Gallery in six short days. The entire project had its origin in this blog, sort of, about a year ago. I was participating in Leslie Saeta’s 30 in 30 challenge after losing my studio made me wonder if I would ever want to paint again. Ken Smith was at that time writing a poem a day and posting those poems on Facebook. Ken wrote a piercing short poem titled Clown College Failure in response to one of my little 30 in 30s and I started a large canvas in response to his poem, “An Old Man’s Story.” Do you remember the old Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Ads? Saying it was just like that is silly, but tonight I feel silly and I’m going to embrace that.
As the date for my show neared, I approached Ken to see if he would be interested in participating in a larger ekphrastic project, including works from some local painters I admire (Gina Smith Caswell, Rebecca Cuming, Joan Fullerton, Lance Green and Mark Penner Howell) as well as a few of my own. Not only was he up for it, he enlisted two Indianan poet friends, David Dodd Lee and Ross Taylor, to participate as well.
Each painting will hang along side its corresponding poem. I could not be more excited for this show. I haven’t seen most of the poetry yet, and one of the paintings will be a surprise to me as well. I love having something to look forward to in these dark times.
I look forward to seeing YOU if you can make it to Zip 37 between February 10 and February 26. The opening reception is Friday, February 10, 5 – 10 and there will be mini-receptions On the following 2 Fridays, Feb. 17 and Feb. 24. Zip is open Thursdays 5- 8, Fridays 5 – 10, Saturdays and Sundays noon – 6.
I was thinking about custody battles. I was thinking about cats.
I wanted to find a great rendition of No, No, Non Si Speri but once I went down that rabbit hole I found this beautiful Dido’s Lament by Jeff Buckley and I couldn’t resist.
Tomorrow is my beautiful mother’s birthday and I will be sharing most of the day with her. I also am less than 10 percent moved out of my studio. Will I be able to catch up? I have no idea…
I don’t know that I’m in purgatory, but I’m certainly in an in-between place just now, with the end of the month deadline looming for vacating my studio.
But the Sufjan/Gallant below makes me feel better. Beautiful music is medicine.
I am stupid as the day is long when it comes to legal matters. Other things as well, most likely.
The cry-face may take a while to subside.
I thought dog court would be not a big deal this morning – my dog busted through the screen door and barked at & scared people (he has never, ever bitten anyone) – but I was wrong. I pled guilty but probably should have sought counsel. Must get over my fear of lawyers.
I took both dogs for a walk in the rain tonight and they were good as gold.
I love my dogs. The thought of any harm coming to them causes me a lot of distress.
Also, here are some new paintings.
The first, most pertinent one is not quite finished but almost there.
WIP “This is the Dog who Worried the Cat”
This is the Cow with the Crumpled Horn
This is the Cock that Crowed in the Morn
This is the House that Jack Built
Here are a couple tiny ones that I will have available in my studio this First Friday:
“Scaredycat”
oil on canvas, 6″ x 6″
Also, I am tremendously pleased to have a painted skateboard now showing at the wonderful Valkarie Gallery, just west of Denver.
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