group show opening

I am participating in a group show here in Prince George at Artspace during the month of August. There will be an opening on Friday, August 5th at 7pm, however, I will not be in attendance because, as an anonymous blogger commented, I have a wedding to go to on that day.

Artspace is upstairs in Books and Co. across from the Native Friendship centre. Hope you can make it! and if you like my work...please consider buying it. (shameless plug).

nuggets of wisdom

This from a co-worker: Don't blow on a bee or a wasp, it infuriates them.

This from my son: Did you know that cockroaches fart every 15 minutes?

This from my husband: Did I tell you who bought our red car we sold at the auction? Rent-a-wreck.

This from my daughter: Did you know we'll be naked in Heaven?

Again from my son: 1 minute of laughing equals 20 minutes on a rowing machine.

an arm and a leg...maybe

I just returned from a visit to several framing shops in town. I am preparing for a group show at Artspace here in Prince George for the first week in August. I know that framing costs are expensive, but I was truly shocked at the cost. I have 6 pieces of work that I want to show. Three small ones, 4"x4" are $50.00 each to frame. That means if I want to sell that art, I apply my price, then add for framing, you are looking at about $120.00 to buy one of my pieces that is 4 inches square. That piece took me about 3 - 4 hours to complete, that's about $15.00/hour I earn on that piece. Most people my age probably earn more than that where they work.So, next time you look at art and wonder why it is so expensive, think about the framing and the time involved to create the piece. I bet it will look like a much better deal!

of what value is my art?

I've been thinking about how hard I am on myself when I create. I think I am comparing my work to some unknown ideal. If you look around my small basement studio (closet), you will see many drawings, sketchbooks, and paintings that are half finished. They have been abandoned by their fickle creator for some other fancy. I'm sure some would think this small room a gold mine. I used to think that about my grandmother's living room. Under every chunk of furniture was a unique clay sculpture. Under the furnishings were the burial grounds for what she considered to be her failures. To me they were a treasure. She used to panic as we pulled out the pieces, "put that back, I hate it. It just doesn't look right." We used to "shop" under her couch at every visit. I still have 3 of her pieces, although not her best work, they are a reminder that Mary Berezan was a talented artist whose once lived in Athabasca Alberta. She dug her own clay out of the banks of the river, and created her sculptures of nature. Her artwork was(is) valuable as it represents the point of view of one who looked closely at nature. I owe a lot of my influence to her, also to my mom...but that's another story.

an almost new car

After much research and test-driving, I am happy to announce that we have purchased an "almost-new" car! The 2004 Toyota Corolla will come home tomorrow to join our aging stable of Toyotas. She is the beauty of the bunch and I hope the other vehicles don't pick on her. One thing I know, I will enjoy taking her out for a run!

rainy days = productive days

It has been raining every day for almost two weeks. When I was a kid, I looked forward to rainy days as it meant time indoors to read or draw. Each time the rain settles in, I have that same feeling. My mind turns inward. The bright sun is not a distraction today, therefore I will accomplish much indoors. Great justification...raining anyways, might as well work. It's important to have days like that when your workplace is also your home because sometimes the call of the birds and the warmth of the sun is just too much to resist. Needless to say, I have accomplished a lot these two weeks!

what a title!

Ever racked your brains to come with just the right word or description for something? Here is a phrase that perfectly describes its speaker: Ehyeh Asher Ehyer is translated (from Hebrew) as I AM THAT I AM. This is what God said when Moses asked Him what he called himself.(see: Exod. 3:14, 3:15). Now hold on those of you who are not believers, don't change the channel, this is interesting! Upon closer study, I find that the word Ehyeh can be roughly translated: I am or I will be. The word Asher is a unique Hebrew word as it can mean, "that, who, or where" individually or simultaniously. In English we have many tenses, but in biblical Hebrew there are only two main tenses, the "perfect" tense describes actions that are completed such as I walked, I did walk, while the "imperfect" tense describes actions that are incomplete such as I will walk, I might walk. The "Ehyeh" verb can be either one of these. So possible translations for Ehyeh Asher Ehyer could be:

I will be that I will be
I will be who I will be
I will be which I will be
I will be where I will be
also
I am he who was, am, and will be (ibid.)

The statement by which God calls himself more than a philosophical phrase, it is the description of a self-existant and eternal being. There is no more that can be said! Amazing!