Saturday, February 2, 2008

Just a Song Before I Go...

Deep Shadow, 2008, Oil on Panel, 24x36

Well, finally, after months of anticipation it's here. I am leaving for the Vermont Studio Center tomorrow morning, hopefully by 8am, but it will probably be more like 9am.

The last week has passed in a blur of activity, packing, organizing, kid's activities, appointments and painting. I just finished up four large scale paintings that Doug will deliver to The Harrison Gallery next week. My show there went very well, not sure what the final sales count is yet, but they want new work for their inventory, so I guess that's a good sign!

Doug and I sat down and went over the kid's schedule and I gave him all of my best tips in handling it. He says he is going to "try some different things". I give his plan a week, before it all falls apart and he has to revert back to mine. Anyway, the kids all know that he will always be late picking them up, and I have given them instructions on how to make the next month easier on Daddy. Heh. Poor guy. I'd feel sorry for him, except for the fact that all through our marriage he has always traveled A LOT and left me alone for days and weeks with the kids. When my youngest was a baby (at that time we had three kids under the age of five) he went to China for almost three weeks. Anyway, it's taken awhile but I am now exacting my revenge......

My supplies are pretty much packed up and I will finish that up today, in addition to packing my personal things. At first I was worried that I was bringing too much stuff, but after getting it all together it doesn't seem terribly excessive. I have one medium plastic bin with supplies, another that holds my paints and brushes, my drawing tackle box, plus a stack of drawing pads and primed paper and canvas. I decided to take about a dozen panels, 18x24 and smaller and then one large one for fun. I think I will do a lot of work on the primed paper and canvas, especially at the beginning. All of this will easily fit in my car, which has just been serviced and which I will also be praying makes it there and back without incident. It's a ten year old Mazda MPV and ever since we paid off the loan, it's been randomly breaking down.

I still have some things to do around the house today, most notably 57 loads of laundry and later on I have to go and get my hair done. 'Cause, you know, the hair has to look good at an artist's retreat. Heh.

I don't think I will be posting here every day, but I will try to post at least a few times per week. I want to keep track of what I am doing too and keeping the blog going will be a great way to do that. If I get wifi in my room or studio, I may post more often. So check in on me once in awhile, ok?

And please feel free to email and say hi! I am not sure if I will feel lonely there and missing my family, or if I will be the socialite of the year. Either way it will be nice to hear from friends, family and lurkers. My computer is still messed up (getting it fixed is on Doug's list of things to do while I am gone:)) and I don't have my address book on the laptop, so if you don't email me, I can't email you.

So here I go!

9 comments:

Unknown said...

Can I come too? It all sounds so great. A month of just concentrating on the business of art.

Maybe when this month is over, your husband will appreciate you even more. heh right back at ya!

It must be the latest below zero cold snap, 8" of snow, salty slush all over our cars, etc., etc., that is making me want to walk away from it all...for a little while at least.

If you get a chance to blog while you're there, great...but you are there to do art foremost, so I'll be patient for your next post.

Travel safe.

Karen Jacobs said...

Ooh! I want to go somewhere and paint... I want to pack my gear again and head off on a new adventure, just me and my gear and lots to discover about myself! I think this is the best thing you could do for yourself... revenge or not ;-)

Unknown said...

Tracy, I think your little revenge is only fair - I already wondered about your husband going to take care for 4 kids just on his own - wow! Funny to hear someone talking about this so recklessly - LOL.
Wish you a safe trip, much fun and a new crown!

Tracy Helgeson said...

Jayne, you should definitely come, although you wouldn't get much of a break from winter:)

Thanks Karen, you are right of course. The revenge is just a little sidebar in all of this:)

Petra, oh, he'll be fine with the kids actually. He's a great dad, way more involved than many of the dads we have known over the years. It's just that their schedule, plus his will wipe him out, he is only used to doing part of it at most, not all of it. Anyway, he is totally cool with my doing this.

Bridgette Guerzon Mills said...

How exciting! I can't wait to hear how your month will unfold.

Natalya Khorover Aikens said...

bonne voyage!! have a wonderful time! and so will your husband... although he will be wiped...

Actcrabby said...

I'm so excited for you. Have a safe trip, and please enjoy every minute.

Tracy Helgeson said...

Thanks Bridgette, Natalya, and Agnes!

Making A Mark said...

I remember vividly the first time my mother had to go away on a course. My plait had to be cut off in advance as Mummy was convinced that Daddy would never manage it....

You did make it clear to Doug that also coming back to 57 loads of laundry is NOT part of the deal? I'm looking forward to hearing about what he tried out. ;)