Saturday, January 28, 2006

Random Thoughts, Dreams and Musings While Hunkered in Bed with a Chest Cold

Although I am not a fan of musicals, wouldn’t it be fun to go into work on Monday to my Corporate American job and have everyone working in musical style…breaking out into song during our 2006 Business Planning Meeting.

My feet can do impressions and I think they are rather clever.

I had a dream last night about having my body parts exchanged with others. I had from my belly button down exchanged with my friend Lisa’s lower half and my eyes were exchanged with someone I don’t know. I remember looking into the mirror and hating my new eyes. I looked down when my pants were off and realized I had man legs that needed to be shaved. I looked at the person who got my lower half and I felt sorry for them. My friend Lisa does not have man legs. I had 2 TBSP of Nyquil before bed.

My cat snores.

The one thing that makes me smile everyday before work is about 25 ft. from the office door. There is a family of cats that likes to use either side of the beginning of the walkway as a kitty litter box. Every morning when I see the meticulously scooped piles of poo I say, “KITTY POOPIEEEES!!!!” That makes me laugh.

It takes approximately 20 minutes for my neighborhood dogs to stop barking once a police, fire truck or ambulance passes by. I estimate there are about 8 dogs relatively close to my bedroom window.

I have already made three to-do lists today. I like drawing a little box next to each item so when I'm finished I can check it off. I always check beyond the lines of the box.

I like to watch myself write. I especially enjoy writing a’s.

Saturday, January 21, 2006

Save me!

Recently, I gave up my title as Gallery Director at The Empty Space so that I would have more time to devote to my own artwork. I have complete shows detailed in my mind of all my future projects and let me tell you they are grand!

However, my new position at my paying gig in corporate America has decided to take up residence in my just cleared out, “reserved only for art” mental space. I was recently certified in the Kepner-Tregoe Problem Solving and Decision Making systematic process. I can teach a three-day class on PSDM or I can facilitate meetings to assist business units in making decisions or solving problems. I know, my “Art Speak” title tricked you didn’t it.

As I sit here and type, I have a pile of magazines surrounding me: Harvard Business Review’s Special Issue on Decision Making, Harvard Business Review’s issue on Focused Thinking, Harvard Business Review’s issue on The Human Factor, Fast Company’s issue focusing on Netflix and Fast Company’s Issue focusing on Google. Along with this pile of magazines I have my business unit’s 2006 Business Plan, Strategies and Metrics along with my Diversity and Inclusion Council’s Business Plan and Structure outline.

But guess what I did? Oh yeah, I rebelled and rebelled big. I purchased the newest issue of Art Review with a fascinating article on The Business of Art and Corporate Collections. Guess what I have been reading all afternoon. Yep, articles on art, art and more art! Oh, I’m a sneaky rebel, procrastinating, not so secretly typing about my rebellious procrastination on my work laptop that is to be used mainly for business purposes only, real-time Artist. Uh huh!

So, what I was thinking was I could maybe write a business plan on improving my company’s art collection so it can create a congenial atmosphere reflecting a shift in cultural and professional values within our corporate world, increasing staff pride, creating a clearer corporate image with increased and differentiated brand awareness…OH MAN, I think this calls for a Decision Analysis!

Sunday, January 01, 2006

You asked for it.

The Best of Art Speak, 2005:

I am not Greg Brown's Stalker received much attention from what I now know are called "Brownies" (I love you guys, but you are FREAKS!) just kidding...not really...no really. Also, some blogger referenced it as if I was some sorta freak...although I am not and NO, N.L. BelardASS you are wrong for saying I wrote it hoping that Greg Brown himself would read it and in return send me a little note or something saying he was charmed and the next time I come to his concert just come up and talk to him because he really actually found me to be totally adorable and cute and smart....anyway, next:

I hate Thomas Kinkade got a lot of hits from people who really love Thomas Kinkade. I have received "Painter of Light" hate mail.

I refuse to Ossify just made me sound sorta like smart ya know.

Brewing Rant made me come off as gay which is OK.

Your Arts in the Mail; Now THAT'S Funny! was just a show that was really the best damn show Bakersfield has ever seen! (Recently winning The Empty Award for the Best Damn Gallery Show of the Year!)

A Farewell...

Two years ago, I enthusiastically took on the challenge of Gallery Director and turning The Empty Space lobby into a professionally run gallery. That included sprucing up the paint job, begging for new floors, getting a whopping $50.00 budget for wine and vinyl lettering for each show, developing a much needed consignment agreement between artist and gallery, conducting a training day so any volunteer could sell art at the gallery, painting and patching after each show, developing new and exciting exhibit ideas, refining my press release writing abilities and generally drumming up enthusiasm in the local community for forward thinking, contemporary art exhibits.

Some highlighted art exhibits included the Spirit Companion group show that invited artists to make a spirit doll, Women’s Work art exhibit highlighting women artist from California and Illinois, Exquisite Corpse group exhibit, and my favorite, You’re Arts in the Mail; Now THAT’S Funny! mail art exhibit.

I’ll be honest; it wasn’t all fun and games. I had artists not showing up when scheduled (this happened a lot!), not putting the appropriate hanging wire on their work, not showing up for their opening, audience members complaining about the artwork being too disturbing, my $50 budget getting cut but me adding it to my personal budget, The Californian not putting our gallery opening in the Things To Do column in our local paper, improper lighting, music no-shows and last minute art show cancellations.

Like all the volunteers at The Empty Space, I put in 10 – 20 hours or more a week working on the monthly art exhibits sometimes even more. All the heartache and sometimes growing bitterness wasn’t a waste. Nothing is better than having more people show up than expected, repeat gallery goers, artists selling their first piece and celebrating, hearing a thank you, helping build an emerging fine art collector’s collection, helping new artists increase their professionalism, meeting talented artists and making new friends, and having the personal fulfillment of curating some amazing art shows.

With two years under my belt that equates to a MFA in curatorial studies, I bid The Empty Space farewell and pass the torch onto new blood with new enthusiasm and unique ideas for the gallery. I am thankful for a great two years as The Empty Space Gallery Director and Curator!