Naturally we got a late start as we left for Cape Cod last Thursday. So what else is new? We stopped in Albany to pick up some very important accessories for Mr. Wilson and then to pick up a rental car. Neither of our cars have working air conditioning, which is mostly tolerable around town, but for a 5 hour highway drive on a hot summer day, it totally sucks. Then we had to stop at the Harrison Gallery in Williamstown, MA to drop off some new paintings. A stop for lunch, and assorted bathroom breaks and we ended up getting to the Cape Thursday evening. We stopped at the gallery to meet up with the owner, Glenn, and then we all went on to his beautiful house, where we were going to be staying, daughter, puppy and all.
Friday morning was overcast and didn't seem like a very appealing beach day, so we decided to go do some shopping. I wanted to find a shirt for the opening and, of course, my daughter wanted some new clothes and a few sparkly things. We took Mr. Wilson with us and quickly found out that everyone loves a puppy. In fact, we must have discussed Mr. Wilson, his age, his breed, his size and how cute he was with complete strangers at least 5000 times in three days. I can't believe I have missed out on the whole lap dog social world all of this time.
But I didn't want to compete with him at the opening (just kidding, we just didn't want to worry about him for the evening) and so we left him all set up in his crate at Glenn and Sharon's house.
The opening was excellent in so many ways. First of all, my work looked really good! I was dead sick of it by the time I shipped it out but I liked it again, looking all nice and colorful, hanging on the gallery wall. The show was hung beautifully and there was great food and wine. I broke my rule about not eating at my own openings, and of course the minute I shoved a mini quiche into my mouth someone came up to me to talk. I made a joke and all was well, but sheesh! I have that rule for a reason! I did stay away from the meatballs with sauce at least, mostly because I was wearing a white shirt and we all know the meatball would have fallen off the toothpick and bounced off the "ledge" leaving a good old highly embarrassing permanent stain. Anyway. I wouldn't say this opening was crowded, like it was last year, but there were a steady stream of visitors through the whole evening and I was able to speak to nearly everyone, which was really nice. And many of the people that came were people that I had met a few times before and/or who have previously bought some of my work (yes, I think I can now say that I have collectors! wow! how did that happen?!). And many of the visitors were other artists who show at the gallery. I love love love that so many of the other artists come to the openings at Salt Meadow Gallery. It happens to a lesser extent at the other galleries I show at, but definitely more at this one. There is just something really special about this group of people. Very supportive and encouraging.
And I was able to spend a lot of time chatting with one of my blog readers, Stephanie and her friends Jennifer and Donna, who came by last year also. Stephanie and Jennifer also account for two sales that night, as they each bought a painting. Thanks, you two!
After the opening we took Glenn and Sharon out for dinner, where my daughter proceeded to get completely wound up (thanks Glenn) and way too crazy for a meal in public. Finally she calmed down, but only after I made her cry by telling her that she couldn't talk (or sing) again until after we left the restaurant. She bounced back after we got home though and was even allowed a piece of her birthday cake left from the previous day. The evening ended with me just feeling like a regular old mom again rather than a way cool artist chick.
On Saturday we slept in! It was so quiet at their house that I actually slept really well (I am a light sleeper) both nights. Even though we live in the country there is all kinds of racket, bullfrogs, birds, the rooster, etc, so the quiet there was very soothing. We packed up and then before we left the Cape we stopped to visit with a couple that own four of my paintings including one of my favorites. Our daughter did some swimming in their pool, Doug made sure Mr. Wilson wouldn't drown (Mr. Wilson kept jumping into the pool) and I had the opportunity to chat with the couple and to look at their extensive art collection.
The drive home went smoothly, we traded in cool comfort for a crappy, hot old gas guzzler in Albany, got a nice welcome from Penny, our homebody dog, paid the sitter and were in bed by 11pm.
A good few days I'd say.
10 comments:
Very nice hanging, there. Beautiful! Glad everything went well, and we get the vicarious thrills by reading here, too.
Congratulations, Tracy - sounds like a winning weekend!
Thanks Casey, glad to know that you are getting some sort of thrill here:)
And thanks Mary, it was also a nice break from working and if it weren't so dang hot here today, I'd be getting a lot done!
greetings from the red dot on the right - the show was hung beautifully and i would have liked to take home that whole wall of works - and there were 3 more walls of fabulous work - and everyone there is so friendly - a wonderful experience - and, dear fellow readers, tracy is as nice in person as she sounds - i'm quite thrilled to be a supporter - do i need more than one to be a collector? thank you, tracy, for your work, your blog and your sharing - paint on!
Hey, do I see some sold stickers on there already?
Hi Stephanie, so glad that you and your friends came by, it was so nice to talk with you. And yes, you must own at least 15 paintings of mine to considered a collector:)
Gary, yes indeedy, those are red dots! Stephanie bought the one on the right and her friend bought the one on the top left.
Congrats for a good show... and there is nothing like being appreciated by a bunch of other artists.
Of course collectors are great too, even better when they are following you around....sound like you are great with people.
Your wall of painting looks so fitting with the pale yellow backdrop and next to a - what do you call that, a french door?
Tracy has a good sense of narrative.
I could read this post, and the comments, and go to sleep thinking that everything is ok.
"Ok" in a beautifully fucked up kinda way,
but ok nonetheless.
"Fucked up" in a blissful realization that It only gets harder. Life keeps getting harder. Were you born livin' or born dyin? Our lives are a constant narrative.
Thanks for telling us yours Tracy
Now that's what I call a body of work! So nice to see a consistent style ringing the variations - I'm just surprised you're not selling the whole wall to the same person...
Have you ever done diptychs and triptychs?
Tim, thanks, well, I am ok with people. I tend to babble when I am tired or nervous and I have been known to say the most stupid things. But I do ok at the openings and generally come off fairly well I think:)
And I like the colored walls too, this color is a nice neutral and works well with most art I am sure.
Thanks Steven, I think:) Things were pretty good on this trip, but we all know how things can turn on a dime and so you are right about things being blissfully fucked up too. I think things get better as I go through life though, not easier necessarily, but better at least. And it's true, I am all about narrative.
Katherine, thanks and I would be very happy if someone would buy a whole wall too! Last year one person bought at least ten pieces from the show, including several that had been grouped together that he thought had to stay together.
I have played around with diptychs, but haven't really focused on them. I guess I am not too interested in them, for now anyway.
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