a work in progress

I was accepted into the Heartwood Cooperative Gallery in Fayetteville, AR and I took this painting and most of my other work and hung my display this week. It’s a smelly old building, but I am very excited about this space, because it seems to function as a cooperative should, with lots of cooperation! It’s casually run, but seems to function fairly well. Each artist pays rent and advertising and works in the gallery one day per month. 100% of the sales go to the artist, so I am free to sell the work displayed there through other venues. It’s a great time for me to have a space of my own to clear out the walls in my studio and home, since I need to work on my show at EurekaThyme for November, and because there is a lot going on at home. It has been a wonderfully busy summer. I love summer and I love swimming. I swam from the cliffs to the island against the current and came out of the water a ball of fire! I went to the Grand Canyon and New Mexico, which I am crazy about, one week, came home for a week and then headed to the Texas coast for a short visit to the beach. While away a microburst hit the tree in the front of the house and put a big hole in the eaves just missing the studio. That is still waiting for the shingles! A week after that was a huge yard sale, the remnants of which are piled in the living room destined for ebay I think and there is a mountain for the dump piled high in the side yard. I have been working on plans for remodeling the house and converting the garage into a studio. I have learned, among other things, how to wire a circuit, install windows and doors, and pour concrete. I have torn the old paneling out of the mudroom, purchased the new ceiling light for it and everything I need to wire it, it’s switch, and a couple of new receptacles. I have the doors and windows for the garage conversion waiting to be installed. First, I’ll need the building permit and the construction will really begin. Now, what I fail to understand is how I am going to actually work this hard all by myself everyday and still prepare for my show! I am working on manifesting a crew of friendly and talented tradesmen. Two women and a ten year old boy are just not adequate for this series of tasks! Today is the boy’s 10th birthday and the party is over. Tonight, the grown ups will kick back and laugh and sing karaoke and try to forget about the condition of the house, the studio and business for a few hours.