The Show and the brunch

Well, here it is – the day after Easter and the day of the end of my visit to Nashville. I will rate the trip as very enjoyable overall and I am glad that I came. The opening, which took place Saturday afternoon turned out to be a very enjoyable event. It is true that the overall turnout was affected by the fact that it was held the day before Easter, but there was still a large enough crowd to spark momentum in the exhibit. There was one high-end designer who went crazy over my work and practically assured me that his client in Colorado would be equally mad over it. He said that he had been searching for the perfect work of art to place in the client’s house and that he was sure that he had found it in my work. The staff seems to think that the show will do quite well for the rest of the run and I tend to agree. Here are some obligatory images from the show.











Here's lil' ole' me at the show



And here is my wonderful and lifelong friend Helen and I having a bit of fun at an intersection in Nashville waiting for the light to change, after the show...



I started off Easter Sunday with David, Carrie, and Heidi doing the fun search for the basket thing in the garden. We made jokes with Heidi about the bunny leaving something in the back and what not. It was fun and all tongue in cheek as she is 14 now and way pat the point of believing in the Easter Bunny. Her basket was filled with the things appropriate for a girl of her age and she got a kick out of it.

Even though the day began wonderfully weather-wise, by the end of the morning the skies had turned gray and gloomy. We all just sort of floated about the house and did our own thing. I had been invited to a brunch and my friend Mandy’s house, but for some reason, I just didn’t feel like going. After floating about the house however, which had started to become a bit depressing, I decided that I would go visit Mandy after all. I phoned her and she said that she would send someone to pick me up as I was nearby and that I didn’t have a car during my stay. Oddly enough, as soon as I had made the decision to attend, the weather broke and an absolutely glorious day formulated the rest of the afternoon.

Mandy and I have been friends for close to 20 years. She is one of my favorite people in the world



and I was very glad that I made the decision to go.

Here is Mandy and Kim in the background.



Here is Mandy again. I think at this point there had been Bloody Mary's a plenty and Mandy is quite sure that she has had a heavenly visitation of some sort.



Kim with ears...



John with ears...



Chris with colorful slinky. These work equally well with Easter or Pride Day..



Chris in reaction to Mandy's words o' wisdom...



The lovely and witty Charlene ( AKA Hotsy) and her partner Tim..



And the ever effervescent and lovely Angie



It was a lovely and festive event indeed. I laughed quite a bit - which, as anyone who knows me will tell, is one of my favorite things to do...

Belmondo a la Belcourt

It is a lovely Saturday morning here on April 15, 2006 in Nashville. Birds chirping, blue sky overhead, sun beaming across the lawn. I think this will be a good day for an art opening.

As I stated in my last post, after my brother and sister-in-law and niece returned from mass, we all went to catch the “neo-noir” French gangster flick Classe Tous Risque at the locally historic Belcourt Theatre.



This is a really wonderful theatre indeed. They feature art house type of films as well as live music, theatre and art exhibition. When we entered, we walked into the middle of an artists' reception for a group photography exhibit.

The theatre where we watched the film was very large and opulent. Everything was colored in that robust color of red that works so well in film theatres.

The film itself was a real treat. I happen to be a fan of French and Italian cinema from the 50’s and 60’s and this was a classic example of film from that genre. Some literature on the film describes it as “neo-realism meets film-noir”. I can see how that description can be accurate, but it really felt very existential in nature to me.

Here’s a verbatim description of the film from The Belcourt’s newsletter: “Two tough guys execute a broad daylight payroll heist on the streets of Milan. But, returning to France after holing up in Italy for nearly a decade, one of them realizes there’s a life beyond the milieu”.

That is really a very abbreviated description of the film, but it works. There are some wonderful characters in this film and they are all drenched in that hip, French cinema look and feel from the early 60’s and late 50’s. My favorite is Jean-Paul Belmondo. What an incredible face for film.





I’ve seen several of his films from this period ("À bout de souffle"- english translation "Breathless" was probably his most famous from that time) and he steals the scene every time the camera looks his way, at least in my opinion. Also, if you happen to see this film on a big screen, and it is touring the country now, you will be stunned by the cinematography – glorious shots of Nice, Paris, and the countryside. It made me want to trade my beetle in for a Vespa.

Oxford Sweetened Cabin Biscuits - oh my

At some point earlier in the day, I had written quite a bit about my evening last night. Then, as I was writing, I started to feel a bit green from my evening last night, and I put it aside. Now, it is about 8 in the evening. So, I’m just going to give a brief synopsis of the evening.

1: Mandy picks me up at 5:50
2: We go to the Cabana
3: Her friend Hotsie arrives
4: We drink
5: A lot
6: Hotsie leaves
7: We stay
8: We leave and head to The Villager
9: We drink and play music on the jukebox
10: We catch a cab home
11: In bed by 12:30

Though I spent a good part of the day drifting in and out of a hangover, I was able to get to the Frist Museum to catch an exhibit with David, Carrie and Heidi. We also made it to the Nashville farmer’s Market that made for some lovely photo ops.









I love these last two pics. They were taken in an International Market. What crazy graphics. The cookie eaters have a somewhat knowing, sinister look in their eyes. Perhaps the eating of Oxford Sweetened Cabin Biscuits gives them the ability to read your thoughts. Funky.


I am going to a neo-noir French gangster flick later this eve. Will report more tomorrow - also the day of the show by the way.

Nashville at night

Yesterday turned out to be a lovely day. After my morning and early hangout at the coffee shops, I went with my sister-in-law Carrie to pick up my niece Heidi from her school and to drop by the Arts Company where my exhibit is being held this Saturday. I was very pleased with the way they have hung the show and I, as well as they, expect the show to go over very well.

I was also pleased to see that the Nashville magazine, the “Nashville Scene” has the exhibit listed under the “Our Critics Pick” section. They describe my work as large work “which reference the iconic power of silent-film images and vintage photographic portraiture”.

I have been informed by those in the know that this is the most well read magazine in Nashville, so the write up is a very good thing indeed. So, after all of that we all went to this hip little restaurant in east Nashville called the “Family Wash”. This place had a very hip laid back look and feel to it.





My brother David...



My sister-in-law Carrie



And my niece Heidi



All suggested Shepard’s Pie. I took the suggestion and was very pleased with it. It came to the table bubbly and hot, with the great aroma of rosemary and lamb. But what made the dish even more wonderful was the fact that all draught beers were on special for TWO DOLLARS!!!! Yee Haw!!! That included Guinness - which is unheard of! With the pie, I could only finish two of the lovely dark amber brews…



After dinner, David suggested that we take a stroll across the walking bridge on the Nashville waterfront. David said it was the “longest walking bridge in the world”. This is also referred to as the “Shelby Street Bridge”. In any event, it was absolutely lovely on a warm moonlit night, and I took some great photos from up there of Nashville at night…

In Memoriam...

In Memoriam...
June Pointer
1953 - 2006

I must say that I just read with heavy heart the news about the passing of June Pointer. She was one of the Pointer Sisters. I loved their music in the 80's. Great songs like "Fire", and "Automatic", "Jump" and the wildly danceable "Neutron Dance". I remember buying the 45 single of "Fire" in the way back machine with my friend Eric and feeling very soulful.

Portland Brew

Oh man – what a fun morning I have had. OK, so I’m being cynical. Just sort of. I have actually had a lovely morning. Though, right now, I am bored. I don’t really have many friends in Nashville and those that I do are busy with their 9 to 5’s or kids during the day. My brother is also working and my sister-in-law is busy working on some time sensitive commissions so I don’t want to get into her hair or make her feel like she has to entertain me. I know when I get busy in the studio, that is all that I can focus on.

I left the Frothy Monkey about an hour and a half ago and walked about two businesses away and found another coffee house called the Portland Brew. I like this place. It’s hip, yet sedate. In fact, right now I m in my own little cubicle/mini room where I can plug in my laptop. I was unable to do that at the Monkey. There are 6 chairs about the table here, so if I wanted to have an impromptu work meeting, I could do that here - if I were still in that line of work. What’s funny is that I can hear a guy on his cell phone in the cubicle behind me arguing about the HR person. Ugh. Man, I hated the corporate life. That was, thankfully, many moons ago.

At least the guy has the wherewithal to come to a hip, sedate place to have a rag out session on the cell phone with a co-worker. Here is a pic I just took of myself at the Portland Brew.



I look bored here because, well, I am, and I am listening to the man behind me bitch to his co-worker about the HR person.

And here is one I took aiming my camera right outside of my cubicle.



I think that I'm going to walk about for a bit and see what cool photo ops I can find. PS - the bitter business guy behind me just made the most stomach churning snort/gurgle your own phlegm sound that I have heard in quite some time. Ick.

Love the Frothy Monkey!

So, I made it to Nashville. Eventually, my brother and I were able to hook-up in the airport. He was waiting on one side of the airport and I another - for an hour. Ugh. Thanks to the echoing sound of “Would Michael Sprouse please meet his party”, we met. Made it back to his lovely home and relaxed. He grilled burgers and my sister-in-law Carrie, made a great vegetable melody. His daughter Heidi joined us and we sat outside on the deck in the lovely warm sunset.
Though I didn’t sleep as well as I would have liked, I did sleep a bit because I remember snippets of odd dreams. I remember waking up hourly it seems in a daze. Eventually, I got up for good around sunrise. Carrie was up and we had espresso made in the wonderful Italian stovetop espresso makers that I have recently fallen in love with. George phoned from Collingswood and discussed the trip and the morning. He says it is a beautiful day there. And it is here as well. 75 and sunny. I am now in a great coffee house called the “Frothy Monkey”.



I have been here before. It’s very hip with great coffee drinks and free wi-fi. Gotta love it. More later.

An airbourne Tin Can of tuberculosis

I said I wasn’t going to do it, but here I am, typing on my MacBook Pro while in mid flight to Nashville. Not that there is anything wrong with it at the moment, in fact, the attendant mad the announcement that it was fine to run such items. I just didn’t want to really. I just wanted to sit back, read a bit, perhaps sketch in the little sketchbook that I threw in my computer bag – but if I don’t put this into words I’m going to freak.

Here it is. I must let this serve as a reminder never to fly aboard one of there “express jets” again! This is like flying in a freaking closet above the ground. Not just any closet mind you, but at the moment, one packed with screaming babies and wheezing and sneezing folks that might as well be on their way to a tuberculosis ward!



In fact, sitting right across the aisle from me (let me remind you that this “aisle” is about 12 inches wide – no joke). Is the sickliest motley crew that I’ve encountered in quite some time. Between his hacking cough and her over-the-top gut wrenching sneezes, I feel like auditioning for the lead role in a remake of “The Boy In The Plastic Bubble”.



Ick!!! It’s all I can from knocking their heads together, which I could do from my seat across the aisle while repeating, “cover your fucking mouths!” over and over in a very staccato angry voice.

Hey – I think we may be landing soon.

OK, so now we have landed and I am waiting in the Nashville airport for my brother to pick me up. I’m not sure if he knows where to find me as we were unable to exchange that info. So, I’ll sit here and hope for the best. I really could use cocktail…

Gate 28

So, while waiting at gate D9 and working on my blog, I suddenly get an uneasy feeling about the gate. I decided to follow my instinct and I ask the young fellow behind the check-in desk if this was indeed the gate that I needed for flight 2545. He told me that it had been the gate, but that the gate had just been changed to gate 28 and that he was getting ready to make an announcement. “Well, I’m glad that I asked” was my reply and off I went to gate 28.

So, now I am here at gate 28. A much larger waiting area I must add. There’s an older fellow, based on his voice that is sitting directly behind me, the back of our chairs are touching. He has been on the phone for quite some time. He is the type that moves about quite a bit while he speaks on the phone.

As I was typing that last paragraph. He rose from his chair and asks me if “they have made an announcement about the flight to DC since it was scheduled to leave at 4:00 and it was now 4:00.” I tell him that I haven’t heard anything, but that I wasn’t headed to DC and probably wouldn’t pay much attention to an announcement made about that flight. A middle aged business woman who was sitting next to me who had been listening to the man as well (he is very loud) informed him that the arrival time of the flight had just changed to 4:25.

He walk around nervously a bit, took his seat and just made a loud call to “honey” about the delay.

The Biggie

It’s almost 12:00 PM and I’m waiting at the gate for my flight to Cleveland. It seems like a rather full flight. Up ahead a young couple is traveling with their very young infant with them. Earlier, it was screeching. Ugh. Please don’t let me have to sit close to them….

It’s now 2:46 Pm. I’m in Cleveland. I have a 2-hour layover. The “Express Jet” flight from Philly was fine, though quite cramped. I forget how “big” I am until I try to squeeze myself into a space made for someone 5 feet 8 and under. I’m 6 feet 5 and I weigh 230 pounds. I have a large muscular frame – sort of like a football player I guess. So, I basically feel as if I just flew a clown=car through the air. However, I am now in a “sports bar” enjoying a “biggie” beer and have just this second had my lunch dropped off.

OK, so now it’s 3:26 in the afternoon. My sandwich, the “French Dip” was disappointing as all airport food usually is. The beer was tasty, but overpriced – almost 7 bucks for the “biggie”. The only thing that I can really connect to the word Dip would be the gum-chewing waitress. A zombie with the decent body of a 20-year-old young lady would have worked equally as well. When I was waiting for the gum chewer to bring me my check, a young very cute fellow in a wheel chair was trying to get seated at the table next to me. His wheel became stuck on the leg of one of the metal chairs and absolutely no one seemed interested in helping him. God, how weird, just as I was typing this, he just wheeled by me and gave me a knowledgeable look of some sort on his way to who knows where. That may make more sense once I finish the story. So, no one was helping him and he seemed somewhat sheepish to ask for help, he just kept backing back and forth into the same chair. So, I finally stand up, look him dead in the eye and say, “So you need help with this?”

He gave me a knowing look then as well. Though the only words that came out of his mouth were “uh huh”. I mean, this guy can’t be any older than 20. It was one of those strange moments when your eyes lock with a total stranger for a moment and there is some kind of silent communication exchanged. I could feel that he was thankful that I helped him, but also somewhat taken aback. He didn’t thank me vocally, just with his eyes. He did again just as he passed by 5 minutes ago.

So, here is the photo that took shortly after I began this part of this post. Its Continental gate D9 here at the Cleveland airport. Technology still amazes me…

Nashville bound...

It’s early Tuesday morning here and the sun is rising over the bay. The water is soothingly calm and reflective of the colors of the dawn. I’m sipping my coffee and watching the cats dart their heads around as the sea birds fly over the deck with their unique laughing caw.

In a few hours George and I will be on our way to the Philadelphia airport where I am going to catch a plane for Nashville. I have an art opening there this coming Saturday afternoon. The name of the space is The Arts Company.



I’m looking forward to this experience. I like the gallery and it’s staff, I’ll get to spend some time with my family and friends, and I get to go to an art opening where I am one of the featured artists. That means that I get to meet new people, which is one of my favorite things to do. I now this sounds corny, but only because it is true - every close friend in my life now that I can’t imagine not having in my life, was a total stranger to me when I met them. I always have that thought in the back of my head when I meet people, especially at an art opening.

The other added plus is that the people that you meet at an art opening, are usually there because they have connected with your work in some way and they want to express that to you. In fact, they are often looking forward to meeting you – so, already the cards are stacked in your favor. At that point, it is all about being gracious, charming, and witty – which is my favorite way to be.

Hubba Hubba Hummus

I love hummus. It’s hearty and very healthy and amazingly easy to make. Though traditionally served as an appetizer, I also often use it in lieu of mayonnaise in wraps and sandwiches. It’s also relatively expensive to purchase pre-made, but it is equally inexpensive to make yourself and amazingly better tasting. I’ve been making quite a bit of it recently and I have had many requests for the recipe. So, in order to kill several birds with one stone, I’m placing it here. Feel free to make it, or modify it at your desire.



Hubba Hubba Hummus

Either 2 regular sized cans of Garbanzo beans or 1 large one.
I red pepper (optional)
I medium onion (optional)
2 to 4 garlic cloves
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Juice and zest of one lemon
3 generous of tablespoons of Tahini (in the international section of any major grocery store. It's basically peanut butter - but made from sesame seeds rather than peanuts)
One rounded teaspoon of cumin (Here's a tip for this as well - you can usually find this spice much cheaper in the Latin food section of any major grocery store - or better yet - find a Latin Food store and look there.)
½ teaspoon of crushed red pepper (optional)
½ teaspoon of Turmeric (optional)
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
Kosher salt to taste


Cut Red Peppers, Onions, and Garlic into small chunks and sauté in olive oil until soft.

Rinse Garbanzo beans in colander and shake out excess water.

Layer beans, sautéed vegetables, lemon juice and zest, and spices in food processor. Pulse until desired consistency by adding olive oil intermittently to help process.

Garnish with drizzled olive oil, parsley and paprika.

Lazy Sunday.....

I didn’t post yesterday because I was so happy doing nothing that I didn’t want to be focused on anything else but that. It was the first Sunday in a long time that I didn’t have to be somewhere doing something other than absolutely nothing. I lounged about on the deck and watched the waves roll across the bay. Then I listened to the gulls. Then I played with the cats followed by surfing the web aimlessly. I made whole-wheat thin spaghetti for lunch with lemon-butter sauce. I watched the end of an old forgettable movie and listened to some jazz. I actually involved myself with many “no things” and loved it.

And then, to top off the lovely day, I had dinner at the home of my friends Joe and Mallick. Sharon and Rachel were there as well. It was lovely. They have a wonderful home right on the canal that is backed up by acres of protected rolling wetlands. It is truly lovely. Here are some photos to prove it.

here is the statue in their yard that they refer to as "the lady".





Joe on his porch



In the backyard overlooking the canal at sunset...











Tomorrow, I leave for Nashville for my exhibit on the 15th at the Arts Company. I'm looking forward to it and intend to document it here..

Java Junkie

What a wonderful surprise it was for me yesterday when George came home with one of these ...

Now, the one that he brought home isn’t exactly the same as the one pictured above, but it is still a “Stove-Top Espresso Maker” nevertheless. They all have basically the same look and feel. I have wanted one for quite some time after being turned onto them by my sister-in-law once in Nashville. I think that she discovered them years ago while living in Europe. These things make incredible coffee! Plus, there’s just something so, Parisian about them. And I must admit, after my visit there a few years ago, I could be happy livening in a cardboard box under a bridge in Paris.

http://framboise781.free.fr/Paris.htm
(The above incredible link courtesy of my friend Miguel)

Run, Toto, run!

Man, I hate this. I just turned on CNN just to mindlessly check out the latest news while I sip my coffee and I see the CNN LIVE weatherman excitedly reaching all about a map of the Southeastern United States. There are large spots of crimson red on this map and he’s talking about violent storms and tornado outbreaks all over the area. I look a bit more closely, unmute the sound and realize that the area that he is referring to is my hometown, Bowling Green, KY. In fact, he says, tornadoes and severe storms are popping out all over that area from BG to Nashville ( where my brother David and his family live and where I will be traveling to on Tuesday the 11 for an exhibit of my work). Needless to say, this is very disconcerting news. He just described it as an “explosion” of violent storm activity.

I jut phoned my sister’s office in BG and there was no answer. So, I try her cell phone and she answers from the basement of the building where she works. She said that she was fine, but that they were moved there for safety. Now they are announcing that anyone in Nashville or the surrounding areas should take shelter immediately. That’s where my brother, his wife and daughter is. Ugh. I don’t like this at all.
This reminds me too much of this event, which I lived through, and remember vividly...
http://www.april31974.com/