Prodded On Once Again

Ah yes, neglecting the blog...

Pretty much the same old... (except that it NEVER is)

So, a couple of weeks ago had to go pick up artwork in Great Barrington... about 140 miles away.
Simple trip out, the gallery person gave me lunch and a bit more money than I'd asked for (both good),
Was on the way back... congratulating myself on a smooth trip when I got a flat tire! I was on the MassPike with the big rigs flying by at 70 mph... no way I was going to hang my arse out on the highway to change a tire. I called AAA and found that they can't service the Pike, but they got in touch with the state police and they sent a truck. They had me back on the road shortly and I was able to deliver the artwork to the Boston gallery on time.

Otherwise it's local deliveries and installations and a couple of painting projects.
One of the painting jobs was the better part of two floors at Mickey's house...
had to work around her husband and two girls, all home with the flu.
(Oh yeah, Mickey and I won $150 in the lottery a couple of weeks ago.)

This weekend is supposedly the 40th anniversary of the Plough's opening...
lot's of music acts. Dunno how much of that I can take. I'm sure there will be
a pile of oldtimers stopping in. I'm guessing a madhouse...

I completed a painting for the Newton Art Center benefit (at the last minute, of course).

Ok, Ok

So... casting around the other day, I came upon Christine Tarantino's Open Fluxus page, where she mentioned that Allison Knowles was giving a lecture at Radcliffe in Harvard Square. A few messages back and forth and I learned that Reed Altimus was planning to attend as well. So we all met up yesterday afternoon, Christine, her partner Doug, Reed and myself. We were a bit early and Reed and I spent some time catching up and I got to know Christine a bit. Allison started with a slide lecture about Fluxus... not really anything that I wasn't already aware of... then went into a few performances. Radcliffe girls all singing a different song at the same time... Radcliffe girls all reading from different newspapers in different languages with Allison conducting the volume (sometimes for all and sometimes for just a few). I thoroughly enjoyed it and was glad that I'd found Christine's announcement of the event. Afterwards there was a reception where Reed approached Allison to get her to sign a vintage chapbook of her scores (she was surprised to see this). I went to get Allison a glass of wine and found myself shaking trying to bring it to her (what was that about???). From there, I escorted our small crowd down to the Plough and Stars, where we had another beverage before everyone headed home. There were pictures of us all on Christine's Open Fluxus page by 10:30 (not bad, considering they had a 2 hour drive.
Take a look...

By Popular Demand...

Yes, Michael... I've over extended the week.
Unfortunately, there's nothing very significant to impart.
Today, for instance...
A rain day (we've been working on this exterior)... I'd made arrangements to
start painting Mickey's Living/Dining room area. She's messed up her knees
and was going to get them X-rayed... so I was on hold for the morning.
Did a drawing in anticipation for a painting that I need to deliver to Newton Art Center in a month,
primed the panel a couple of times... doing laundry all along.
Actually sent post to a stranger who had sent me a packet of stuff !!!
Got the call from Mickey around 1:00... too late to get started on anything.
Did some errands and ended up at the Plough (imagine that).
An higher level of banter than usual.
Otherwise, in the past week...
I installed an exhibitin at Clark Gallery, in Lincoln.
Drove artwork up to Manchester, NH.
Rearranged artwork in a woman's hallway.
Assisted with a residential art presentation.
Installed a big, heavy ceramic wall piece.
All while working on this exterior painting job and making sure the guys had what they needed.
Sundays were at the Plough, as usual.

A Sunday Afternoon

A walk over to Cambridge... cloudy, but the temperature was good and the sky tried to spit at me a few times.
Mickey arrived about the same time I did and we set up camp at our end of the bar... (this is the Plough and Stars, for those not following closely)
We then proceeded to lose money on scratch tickets, before wading into the crossword. Not a bad job of that, a bit clumsy here and there, but we got done only cheating once (the other times we peeked was only for confirmation). Tales over and over again about the evening before... seems like there were lot's of drunks about (I'd gone home early). The music came on at 5:00, I stayed for the first set, then cabbed it home as it was finally raining. A pleasant, but not spectacular afternoon.

Gawd, A Week Went By

Yes, a week went by...
Nothing really special to report.
Art installations and small painting jobs took up most of the time.
I DID get the guys started on the small exterior painting job, here in Somerville,
but I didn't have any time to work on it myself. I was taking care of a couple of
regular clients in Brookline. Both small jobs that needed patching, priming and painting
so I bounced back and forth between them waiting for things to dry.
There was on installation that STARTED at 8:00 Thursday night!
The woman of the house was much more enthusiastic about the work than her husband.
Eight small encaustic, abstract pieces that were to be hung in two grids flanking the door
in the dining room. A few minutes composing the placement before I installed the first grid (two over two)
which took me about 10 minutes. The speed was commented on. The second grid went up and the husband finally decided that they looked pretty good. In my cheeky way, I looked over my shoulder and said, "Don't be so surprised! It was a good choice". They then wanted to hang a piece that was badly framed and inappropriate for this modern, formal dining room... it would kill the elegance. Both myself and the art consultant tried to dissuade them... we didn't put it up, but I'm guessing that they did it themselves.
Anyway...
A walk over to the Plough in the morning... might be an interesting afternoon.
Supposed to rain, but I walk over, rain, shine or blizzard every Sunday.
I'll tell you all about it tomorrow.

The Past Couple of Days

I just returned from Sally O'Brien's in Union Sq., Somerville.
Reverb Joe's band was playing a tribute to him (Joe passed away in early August).
Sounded good, with Joe's son Jake doing most of what Joe used to do.
Good crowd, most of them I know from the Plough. I always had hoped that I
could get Big Al Davies over here to meet Joe... they would have got along famously,
each of them being terrific stringed instrument players.

Earlier in the day Sylvia and I went up to Gloucester and had a ramble. (I'm sure there's a
few pics on her Flickr site) It started with a rather underwhelming lunch... but the walk was nice.

Let's see... Thursday I took some artwork to Waltham, some sort of pharmaceutical offices.
I was supposed to be supervising the installation (union rules or insurance wasn't allowing me to do
the actual work). But the building was still in construction mode, so the artwork wasn't going
up that day. With about 5 hours to kill, I called Mickey and suggested lunch. She balked at first but in the end she treated me to a couple of beers and a shared sandwich at the Plough. On to the next job, a presentation of artwork in a posh condo downtown. Worked until 8:30 pm... picking up the work, delivering it to the site, unwrapping it, showing it, wrapping it back up and taking it back to the art consultant's place. (she did sell pieces for 4 walls)

On Friday I was trying to get Michael to come look at the carpentry for a job we're supposed to
start soon, but I couldn't get in touch with him. Took a proposal to the client and again spent the downtime at the Plough, doing the puzzles. That's where I saw Spider John... he seemed to take more time with the "Cryptoqute" (even saw him using an eraser... I work in pen) but he beat me by a word in the crossword.

Enough. A walk to th Plough in the morning for the usuall.

Wednesday, and I Finally Shipped the Piece

Sylvia and I went out last night for her birthday...
Ruth's Chris Steak House (we had gift certificates)
Wouldn't have been my choice otherwise.
Not a bad experience... way too much food.

Finally got the Parrish print crated up and sent it via the post to Mississippi.
Surprised that it only cost $30, including insurance.
More than I'd anticipated, but the piece will arrive safe.

Yesterday afternoon I was doing a residential installation... the art cosultant
had been telling me for two weeks that it was about a dozen pieces.
Turned out to be over 50 !!!
We installed about half in the time alotted and will go back Friday to finish.
I know these people can never count, but I've never seen one this far off the mark.

Today was an easy pick up at the framers and an easy install at the client's .
About 16 pieces in all. Then on to an EMERGENCY install in Brookline.
This client needed a few things rehung before her holiday on Friday.
Everything worked out fine...
Got the work done... got the crate shipped and had a pint at the Plough.

The checking account is in the black for a minute.