A soft gray Monday....getting acquainted....

Today when I went in I met with my COTC intern Candice and we both got down to re-organizing and storing specific art supplies...likes with likes...seasons with seasons.. and so forth.  I am receiving a donation on Wednesday from a mother who is moving her family this weekend.  It was a kind and easy way to become acquainted with one another as working with me gives her some school credit and some experience creating graphic arts for a variety of different clients.  We made head way in about 2 hours and then we went up to the cutting room and re-sized some of the donated foam core and matte boards ...recycling many papers and boards that would have ended up in a landfill.  We finished and I sorted according to the various sizes....ready to rework and create with quality boards.  Candice is preparing to graduate this Spring and she focus and determination as she shared her future business plans.  I am very excited to be able to work with this young artist before she enters the professional world of work. 

Last night I quilted with Downton Abby in the background.  Then I treated myself to another PBS special...Independent Lens.  They spent about 80 minutes introducing me to a Southern artist named Wayne White.   He is a gregarious man, a family man , married to an artist with two grown children who are now artists.   He came up from Tennessee to a move to Manhattan, New York.   He has a wild idea that an artist could entertain with the Art he or she creates.  Wayne shares the same insecurities found in the Art Community but he did not buy into belief "It is never easy"   When you do what you love and love what you do ...add a strong work ethic and work every day one might receive a reputation for responsibility.  Make Art for yourself...do it for yourself... and drawing was a continuing companion as he grew into a young man.  Reality pushed Wayne into a rebellion ...defiance... against authority figures.  I ordered a DVD "Beauty is Embarrassing" and share his appreciation that humor can be sacred.  He has years of experience working to create the sets for Pee Wee Herman's show...24 hours a day 7 days a week working in a horrible workspace with some very creative artists who remained life long friends.Wayne also has won awards for working with Smashing Pumpkins ;  Shining Town Station with Ringo Starr; Snapple commercials, and a series Riders in the Sky.  His passion is an example that "art as a lifestyle" is a very good place to be.  If you are able to see this DVD...I think you will have a renewed appreciation for puppets, set designs, unusual exhibitions, outreach programs and so forth.  No he does not say this is an easy life...but he has perfected a life that provides him enough to live an authentic life. He talks about how filthy the Art world can be, enormous egos, greed, and total insanity.  Hollywood taught him many lessons.  He has continued to move in forward directions with his Word paintings....but I will leave your google search for you to discover his madness or is it genius? 

"Friendship is neither  a formality nor a mode; it is rather a life."  David Grayson

Imagine and Live in Peace.  Remember to SHINE!  Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart