I Don't Know how I Got This Far

Ah, the Art World...

Today started out slow, I didn't sleep well last night.
Spent a little time painting in the morning and then it was off on an emergency art delivery (perhaps I should mount flashing lights on the roof of the van).
I got the call just yesterday, "can you deliver two pieces to Hamilton and pick one up in Rockport tomorrow?" (about 3 hours of pick up, driving and delivery) I say "yes" because I'm broke. No real excitement... can't get a late lunch in Rockport because everything is closed for the season.
Back into town to attend Stephen Mishol's opening. Good to see him, we used to work together. (he's gone on to teach at UMass Lowell) Found out that Todd McKie also had a reception up the street so I went and said "Hi" to him. Jeremy Foss (one of my art shool instructors) was there with a few paintings on the wall... so spent a few minutes with him. Pressed the flesh with a few other artist aquaintences... one small plastic glass of the cheap wine for me. I did my round of letting people know that I still exist, (and yes, I'm still painting and making art). I buggered out and went home, where I painted for a few more hours.
Dreadful time trying to e-mail an image to Stephen. It got done.
You can probably Google these names to get an idea of what I was looking at.

Another Colorful Project

Over the holidays we were lucky enough to work for a furniture artist. Bold color statements on this one... The kitchen was an orange/yellow with dark green trim and the stairway (three floors of it) was acouple of pale yellows on the walls with a pale green trim and accents of deep blues on the front door and stair treads. Actually the stairs were to receive a brilliant runner with a multi colored diamond pattern. I haven't seen that installed yet, but can guess that it's fantastic.
Otherwise, we've done some less interesting jobs and I've been coming home and painting for a couple of hours every evening. Art installation/presentation is keeping me running around the city. The art people seem to be selling stuff, so I'm trying to get my own artwork in order so perhaps they can flog it off to the unsuspecting for me.
Michael Leigh, jump started this with his comments. I hope that it inspires me to write more often.

Short Week

It's a short work week with Thanksgiving and all...
Started with a delivery of stretchers to Emily Evelith (the painter of donuts)... simple task, that. Then on to work with the guys at an old farm house in Milton.
A brilliant house that's been neglected... we're setting it right. It's a bit of an effort and the client was shocked at the initial bill for labor. Mildew everywhere, learned that the place was vacant for two years with no heat... explains that. We're really making the place look right. It's the kind of job I really like... where we can take something that's sort of a wreck and bring it back to it's glory.
Looked at a potential job this morning via Derek... turns out that I have mutual acquaintances with this client. We'll get the job. It's significant and could get us up to Christmas. Lowell goes home to his wife in Toronto on the 12th, Paul thinks he has some other projects...manpower could be an issue. Michael's around and Rick seems hungry...We can do this.
Thanksgiving tomorrow... I'm making the squash. Sylvia works. I'll be over to Mickey's with a good bunch of friends and bring a care package back to Syl.

About time

Well, anyone reading this knows that we had a a great time in the UK.
Yes, I was ill for a good part of the trip... I believe that Michael and Hazel were afraid that I was going to die in their front room. Met with Artnaphro, who thinks he walked our legs off (we'd already walked from Marylebone) stayed with the Leigh/Jones lot (Good old friends that we love SO much) then to Cardiff for a walk around with Mord, brilliant, that. On to stay with Big Al and Cheryl, who hosted us brilliantly (being strangers)... I spent half the time in the loo... I'm OK now.
So... I'm on the way to the Plough this morning (as usuall on a a Sunday), nice walk for me. As I head out I notice that there's someone in Sylvia's car. We chased him out... he looked back at me as if I'd wrecked his day. I walked on...spent too much time at the Plough, but the love there is remarkable...

So, We're off to the UK...

Amazing, the amount of details we have to tie up in order to go away for 10 days.
Change some money... frightening that...2$ to 1£ !!!!
Set up my painting guys for the 2 weeks.
Packing and sorting out the homestead.So... we're ready to go...
Meeting Paul (ARTNAPHRO) at the National Portrait Gallery, stay a couple of nights with Michael, Hazel and Archie in Cheshire, then down to see Big Al Davies in Wales.
Should be a good trip.
I'm going to have to get back into the blog of things once we're back...
Tell about our trip and recommence to tell the everyday...

Cousins

Cousins Originally uploaded by jstangroom.

Rip & Sibs

Rip & Sibs Originally uploaded by jstangroom.

Dad's Birthday

So, last weekend we celebrated Dad's 80th Birthday... his real birthdate is 26 July, but this is when we could get the most of us together. Fourty some odd of us showed up. Some cousins who I hadn't seen in twenty years... found out that some of them have been lurking my blog and Frickr. Dad was surprised (actually we all were) that some travelled from as far away as Maine (that's his sister, Evelyn). Nice to get reaquainted. Dooley and Diane (brother and sister-in-law), Diane making more food than we could possibly eat and Dooley forever trying to expand and tame the property. In an earlier incarnation the house was once the town "Poor Farm". Someday we might have to reinstablish that...