The Empty Space Gallery has coordinated another great art show! I was asked today, “how do you do it Julia…working 50 - 60 hours a week at a Corporate job and take on such a huge responsibility as volunteer gallery director.” I will be honest; it is 20+ hour a week gig. We have a lot of ups and downs when organizing a show. Group art shows are the most labor intensive. Take for instance, the Dia de los Muertos show that just opening this past Saturday. The show was filled with artists brand new to the art world and veterans that have been showing for years. As a gallery director, I spend a lot of time coaching new artists, answering their questions and helping them with their presentation along with sending out reminder emails to all about shipping information, consignment agreements, drop-off times and gallery opening details.
This particular show had started out as a brain-child of Maria Mercado, local theatre Director (Anna and the Tropics). Her enthusiasm for the event was evident, but her calendar just got too full for her to take it on. Since I had already sent out information to artists about the event, I decided to move on.
I sought out another volunteer to run with the festivities, but alas, two weeks before the event their calendar got just too full and they had to drop out. Wow, I hadn’t hung the show, I started a new job, I wanted to do a piece for the show…too much to do and not enough help! In walked Guinevere Park-Hall, working machine and volunteer Marketing Director at The Empty Space Theatre. I originally asked her to assist our Dia de los Muertos event coordinator with the theatre details, but without a word, she stepped up. She said, “Well…this probably couldn’t have happened at a worse time for us personally, but we will march on!” She tells me she can help me up to the event, but has another commitment to attend to on opening day.
I contacted the new Mas magazine about a month ago regarding the event and they hopped on it. Guin and I were both interviewed extensively about the show and I forwarded artist’s names, numbers and jpegs for possible inclusion in the article. I promised to snag a couple copies of the article for the out-of-town artists. (Who might I add sent me their work, nicely framed and packaged weeks ago. I love you!) I was told that it would hit the streets the Friday before! Oh, the excitement was building!
A.S. Ashley, a veteran of the art world jumped in and offered to help hang the show and get some publicity. He got an hour ½ interview on KRAB radio and a plug the day before the event.Guin lined up a musician a month ago…this event was going to be an amazing pull-off for two tired and overworked volunteers. We called each other frequently to give each other pep talks and to check in. Unfortunately, my support to Guin was minimal because I had to focus on the art and artists.
Guin checked in with the musicians, got decorations for the altar donated, food and soup ordered and dancers were slated to be contacted by a friend. Yeeehaw!
The art hang day came and all went fairly smoothly. Michael Biagiotti came up from Los Angeles to pick-up his work. I patched and painted the walls. We only had a few stragglers turning in their art and a couple issues hanging unframed work, but A.S. Ashley and I were a hardworking team and the art was great!
After a 6 hour hang day, I had a few things yet do and a week to do them in:
- Pick-up vinyl lettering from Kinko’s ($27.00 yikes, but they do look good!)
- Apply vinyl lettering
- Type up the placards for each art piece (My printer’s out of ink. I hate Dell computers…you can only get ink from them)
- Pick-up an artist’s work from their house (the things I do!)
- Get beverages and pastries donated (Thank you The Filling Station!!)
- Post the event on Bakotopia
- Send out a reminder email/press release to my contacts
- Figure out when I can actually get into the Theatre to finish my details (it is Tech week you know!)
- Read my Flawless Consulting Book, 5 Dysfunctions of a Team and Crucial Conversations books for my new job. (zzzzz, just kidding boss!)
Tuesday, we get a call. Our musician cancelled. Yikes! Guin does some magic and gets the talented Ben Gomez to donate his time. He can do it, but has to work until 5:15pm at the Spotlight Theatre…he says he will get there as soon as possible.Wednesday, we hear that the dancers were not called by a friend of the theatre. Chalk this one up to a misunderstanding.
Friday, Mas magazine article was not printed. They decided to push it to the next issue.
A few more bumps in the road, but it is Saturday. I’m driving to Kinko’s to get those placards printed and zip over to The Empty Space. At the stop light, I have a lovely experience with some teenagers on bikes spitting on my driver’s window. Great, but it is OK, I’m focused.
I’m hanging an artist’s last minute pieces that were not completely dry…takes a little longer than expected. Eeek. Guin pops over to spruce up the altar with fresh flowers and then some. Bob, the Artistic Director, gets in the spirit by helping with the arrangement. Guin, says that she will drop off the soup and food she ordered (that she donated to the cause) as she is leaving town. I’m trying to wrap up, field last minute calls from artists and friends and get home to spruce up.
I get a call from Guin. The restaurant didn’t put in her order. She pre-paid a week ago. No tortilla soup today! She makes a dash to Los Hermanos and gets it in just under the wire for the opening. She is running late for her other event, but gives me a hug and kiss and wishes me the best. I am thankful that I can truly count on her. She says she will do something and her word is gold. She is a rare artist, friend and volunteer!
The show opens, artists are adding to their altars, people are adding to the community altar, talking art, smiling and drinking. It was about celebrating and remembering those who have passed. This opening event was an inclusive day that crossed cultural boundries where we all could celebrate our loved ones and each other.
Proudly, two hearts in two weeks brought the community the Dia de los Muertos art show and opening!
