last night at mcgees gallery

It is saturday morning, the morning after last night's reception and I sip my coffee while replaying the tapes in my mind of last nights conversations.

It was a great night.

There was a great turnout of folk to this funky little gallery on Bethesda's Art Walk. In fact the evening was a bit of a blur. Once people started to arrive there was really no lull.

Perfect.

And the best part was that people really "got" the work.

Feeling a little strange about hanging some of the older work this time ("girl in a box" and "seeds") I wanted the contrast of the attitude to be seen. People really seemed to respond to the symbolism of the work, and the contrast from "girl in a box" to "dancing in thin places" helped that big picture process.

So, this morning I am uber-tired having over extended my introverted self with three plus solid hours of chatting with folk about the work and doing it in heels none-the-less. It is still a little surreal thinking about those who approached me, hand outstretched, saying...

"You are the artist?"

Yes (weird). I felt like looking over my shoulder to search for the individual that they must be referring to.

Oh yea... its me.

The last show's reception was attended by people that I knew so this was a bit of a different experience being received by strangers. It was wonderful to listen to the reactions of folk and hear the personal interpretations. It was also interesting being questioned about how the work came about, what inspired me, whether I dreamed the work first, the process, and so on.

The first to arrive was a very elderly woman wearing a funny hat who walked in and went straight for the wine...

hmm...

but as I watched her regard the work I approached her to see if she had any questions...

She looked in my eyes and started to speak of the spiritual nature of the work, how it inspired and how things weren't always as they seem...

Wow. so true.

Later, when the room had filled with other viewers she warmly shook my hand and thanked me for my work.

Before I knew it it was after nine and there were still people chatting and sipping wine. Bryan and I hadn't had dinner so we excused ourselves to go get a bite.

The work will hang at Mcgees for a month.

me in front of "girl in a box". Mcgees brightly painted walls, unconventional by most gallery standards were the perfect backdrop for my work.