Celebrating 'Celebrations'

 




The opening reception of "Celebrations," the show that Shawn Dell Joyce and I have at the Wallkill River School Gallery drew a lovely crowd, in spite of truly torrential rain. Many folks I'd hoped would attend didn't make it, but many I hadn't expected to see came out and enjoyed themselves.

When you're at my level, there is a tremendous range of work involved when it comes to mounting a show and hosting a reception. Some galleries do all the work, though those are few and far between. At other galleries (Wallkill River School among them), the artist does all the work.
We pay to design, print and mail the postcards, addressing and stamping them ourselves; we make and hang posters; deliver and hang the art; make the title and price tags for the show; make, buy and present the food and drink - and do the clean-up afterwards.
 
It's like putting on a big party and inviting all my friends. It's fun, it's exhausting, it can be expensive - but it's a joy to create an atmosphere of warmth and welcome, where people can meet and talk and relax, and look at the art that I've put heart and soul into creating.

So those of you who come to openings, who brave weather and traffic and all the million things of your lives to attend, thank you. I truly appreciate your presence and the effort that it takes. This most recent opening took more effort than usual, I know, because of the rain. Those of you who couldn't make it, we missed you - and you missed a fun time!

The show is up at the gallery (232 Ward St./Route 17K, Montgomery, N.Y.) until the end of the month. See the Wallkill River School website for directions and information.

In photo at top, Jim Douglas and David Munford are facing the camera. Jim is a gifted framer and artist, who works in Montgomery. David is a wonderful painter who has contributed to the Art for Shelter Animals Project.

 Left, the crowd at our opening. Usually, the two artists mingle their work; Shawn and I decided to hang our art in separate rooms. That worked well, and didn't seem 

to cut down on the viewing. 

Some of my paintings hanging together. This little grouping really worked well, I think. I like the way the colors complement each other.

That's me on the right, with my old friend Taryn Clark. 

We worked together at the Times Herald-Record, and we sure had fun. I miss her every day. 

Here is Shawn Dell Joyce, demonstrating her pastel technique. We each did a demonstration, and it was fun! 

Here's the crowd, watching Shawn.