2 Weeks till it begins. The roots of these projects.

I am in the final days of planning and calling. Many things fall into place. More people confirm. Most pressing in my mind right now is talking with the band director of Roosevelt who I have not called today out of respect for Sundays. I'll try and call him tomorrow. My pursuit for bands has led me in many different directions. I emailed one gentleman who politely told me no as his band is a sitting band only. I have contacted a bagpiper that has sent me to another bagpiper as he is already booked for a wedding. I have contacted a group of percussive musicians that have sent me onto a few others since they are already booked at a mall.

As to parade Amy Thompson has also confirmed her constume making participation.

As to Chauatauqua Matt Strauss will also speak at How I started my space. I had a lively meeting with Keith Bucholdz about his art and I am excited to have him on the art panel. I've got many more meetings this week, we'll see how they go.

So Anyways on this rainy Sunday I am questioning why do we put ourselves through the craziness and what do I focus on/ prioritize on the final countdown.


When I first started the parade paintings that I'll exhibit at Gondo, I wanted to understand the event I had experienced; the visuals, the melding of people, place, nationality, and initially I was drawn to use paint, to create surfaces that were rich and gucky and dirty and collaged and somewhat handmade, or at least had the hand present. As I continued working on these paintings the natural tendency seemed to be to expand out of the canvas to have the things going on in the painting continue out into the viewer's space. This task also proved daunting as I had to began to expand the paintings in terms of design/composition to help with the transition from canvas to wall. Recently the answers to the wall space have come slowly to me. Yesterday I found myself slowly wandering through Steve Antique's in Alton with thoughts of my paintings in my mind, trying to figure out what if anything was missing. I also had to acknowledge the natural tendency in myself to want to try the recent discovery on earlier paintings but then also wanting to preserve something of the initial painting. All in all I wanted to present a consistent research of this concept of parades and I wanted to explore in as many ways a possible. Now I just need to get feedback from people. Which is a bit scary as people for a while responded to me greater as an animator over painter. I have also tried to animate instances of the paintings but this has not reached its finish point as of today and quite frankly I am not as energized by it yet.

The parade really came out of this same desire for exploration. I questioned what if what I experienced in the parade could not be shown merely through a painting? What if it by nature was actually an experience that needed to be created? What if I needed to try and bring all the makers and joy maker's into one space for a day of celebration, a day of celebrating creative process, diverse streets and histories, the art of a hodgepodge, and of making something from very little means. Its been funny to see how some people participate with such ease and relax and others need a little cajoling. My intention or hope with the parade is that the participants and marchers will gain something by that group collaboration, whatever it may be, that they might experience what I felt in Peru two years ago. And so with that in mind, whatever turn out will be enough and will be who needs to be there. Sometimes I get caught up in the press or invitation of it all because I want to be sure that people had the knowledge that it was going on and that if they wanted to get involved they would have been able to.

As to the Chautauqua Art Lab well that really came out of my conversations with my friend Eric Repice. Initially, I just said what if we had our show but it was not just about the show, it was actually about using that space for a different capacity just for one week, a temporary project. To have the show be as much about idea sharing and learning; as sharing our own research and ideas with our friends. It started out a seed of an idea that was huge and then small as Eric and I considered what we could do but then grew again as Emily H came on board with her enthusiasm and people prowess. I am really excited about what conversations will come out of these meetings of people, what I'll learn, who I'll be able to connect with. The Chautauqua is a time of bridge building. Eric likes to talk about "the good things of a bad economy" and this being one of them. I am excited by the notion that people meet a few nights to share some ideas, music, art, vision, and that we might be the better for it in the end. A free exchange. Rich in ideas although maybe poor in our pockets.

we're lying in the gutter but some of us are staring at the stars-Oscar Wilde

Dana Schutz painting I've spent some time looking at.