hiatus

So it's been a while!  My last blog was a bit...I don't know... angry/sad/mad.  (There's a few things at home that get me down.)

BUT!

The last few weeks back at home in the city have been going pretty well.  A recap:

Here's the program I work for, should've posted this sooner!

www.learningthroughart.org

(Recently I subbed at a couple of other school besides my regular site: One with artist Jenny Bevill at PS 8 and the other with artist Mark Dzula at PS 152.)

+ Here's an interview with Jenny from 2005:  http://ps8pta.org/archives000153.html

+ and here's Mark's myspace page:  http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=8565396

I celebrated Nooruz (the Persian new year) with the Keramatis.  You know the usual -jumped over "fire" (a candle), ate a big yummy meal, received new money.  

My friend Elena from Gexto, Spain (near Bilbao- the Basque country!) came for visit!  She's living in Richmond, VA teaching Spanish.  We met in 2005 when we both worked at the Chinati Foundation - www.chinati.org

Our week included a concert at Studio B - Crystal Castles performed. http://clubstudiob.com

Seeing the new version of Haneke's film - "Funny Games"

Checking out the restaurant ICI in Ft. Green for Broolyn's restaurant week: www.icirestaurant.com

Making some midtown stops: (1) the Camera Club of New York exhibition space to see Clemence de Limburg's show.  (we met her the night before at the ICI dinner party)

www.cameraclubofnewyork.org/juried_show_winner_clemence.html

(2) Our friend Tony Feher's show at Pace Wildenstein -  www.pacewildenstein.com

(3) The Pig 'N Whistle for our friend's last-day-at-his-job party (what better reason to celebrate?) www.pignwhistlets.com

(4) And finally on to Rudy's - http://nymag.com/listings/bar/rudys_bar_and_grill/

The show's were exquisite.  I still wonder how Clemence found her way into the Hasidic community (seemingly invisible) and how Tony's playful pieces can go for sooo much money - good for him!

The bars, eh.  I'm not sure if it's because it's still winter/spring/a time of yin or what, but going out is not for me right now.  But on the other hand - the place and the present company play a huge role.  ICI was lovely - we had the private dining room upstairs - a pure white room with soft yellowish lighting.  Plus the little I saw of Ft. Green was awesome: a positive vibe, not run over by hipsters, the park,  a nice evening atmosphere.

We ended Elena's visit at Fatty's Cafe and a quick sight seeing of Astoria Park.  

www.fattyscafenyc.com

What a great trip!  For her & me.

 

      

people

for the most part, all the people i encounter are decent.  they are either friendly, give off a good vibe and become a potential friend, or they mind their own business and stay a stranger.

what happens when someone you've known since you were born, perhaps even since before you were born, becomes someone you want nothing to do with?

this keeps me awake at night.

a kindred spirit

last week i found a posting on craig's list for an artist's assistant for a sculptor.  i sent him my resume and cover letter.  he said he was holding out for someone with more of a sculpture focus.  

oh well.

look at his stuff.  it's niicce.

www.derickmelander.com  

dubya dubya dubya

out of the corner of my eye two days ago, i noticed a postcard given to me by arley rose a few months ago at elizabeth's film screening in tribeca.  it is on the fridge at my house. 

she lives in providence and lives at the 'dirt palace.'

a feminist artists' collective.

www.dirtpalace.org

they work, play, create and improve together.  supporting each other.

LOOK AT IT. now!

love of knowledge

phi : los : o :phy 

a system of values by which one lives.

people should take care of each other, no matter what.

  

kindness 

politeness 

generosity 

understanding

compassion

affability

these are some of the staples of life.

  

a full internal conflict

i want to spend my life learning and helping people.  i'm drawn to teaching.  but i'm having a major dilemma as to where and in what capacity i should teach. public/private, classroom teacher/visiting artist, museum educator???

so many choices.  could i spend grad school money better somewhere?

and what about my art making...

and also there's this force pulling me to live in a rural area. live on the land! grow my own food.  farm farm farm. wake up at dawn, in bed at 9.  could that even work?

at home today in oklahoma on OETA (the local PBS channel) i heard a line from the "oklahome theme song -  "you know we belong to the land..." it struck a chord.

right NOW

i'm in transition. in a way or rather in many ways.  been back in new york since last july. already found my way to many inspiring people in the art education world. already found a nanny job and quit.  already taken a class at cuny and been disappointed. already found a seemingly wonderful grad school (www.bankstreet.edu), whose application i need to get started on. 

the point is - in eight months  - i'm a very different person.  i must make art, not to survive or sustain, but to live, to feel joy, to notice. 

!movement, travel, growth, expansion!