It’s been an odd day for weather today. Although temperature was around 17 or 18 degrees, it was overcast. Actually at one point there was a sprinkle of rain. I had left the sheets out on the line overnight because they weren’t quite dry last night and, of course they got wet again, so now they’re drying in the warmth of the porch, on the line. This is a thing you don’t think of at home; we throw stuff in the dryer.
There been a lot of emails back-and-forth about my project. I don’t know how many of you know about that. It is called Letters to the Earth: Between Despair and Hope. I began this project in 2021 and so far it has been all setup and in the organization stage. It is an environmental project involving about 70 creative people who commit to the project by writing letters to the earth and sending these handwritten letters to me. We have many exhibitions booked in the next two years. Our first one in Ontario is in Aurora at the Cultural Centre, and is on for about 10 weeks. Then we have one in the fall at the Station Gallery in Whitby. There are also two exhibitions in May, in Scotland, one in Glasgow, and one in the Highlands of Scotland, in an area called Sutherland. Before I left to come here it was a really really busy time and I was actually getting quite exhausted with the emails and the responses and putting together a catalogue and all the intricacies of organizing exhibitions and promotion. I came here and dropped the ball. Today, I got back at it answering emails sending images. I realize I’ve only got just over three weeks left here and when I get back I really have to do a lot of work coordinating all the aspects of these exhibitions.
My friends, Carol and Charlie arrive tomorrow night and they will get me on task working on this project. They have participated right from the beginning very enthusiastically. Our first exhibition in Ontario begins in June. In this June exhibition we have about 40 artists and almost 60 works so I’m hoping that you get to come to our opening which I think is June 3 but I will confirm that.
I took this year off the studio tour because I knew I’d be overwhelmed with work for this environmental project. However, if anybody wants to come up and see my own work at my studio, I’m doing or talk to me about the project or become involved, just connect with me. The good thing about being off the Studio tour is that I can actually go in around the other studios and see the work the other artists are doing. When you’re a studio artist, you don’t get to see your colleagues’ studios and how they set up, so that this will be a great opportunity for me.
Today my friends will arrive in this town by 7pm. I am really excited to see them. I last saw them last October/November in Tennessee when my friend Lynda and I flew down to Nashville and Carol and Charlie picked us up;we stayed with them in Crossville. I have known Carol since the late 90’s , when my friend, Audra insisted on me coming to do some photography in Spain. Audra had met Carol at a conference in Florida. Since then we have had many great times together and Carol and Charlie always joined me for Photography and painting adventures in Ireland, as did Lynda Cunningham!
C& C are now flying from London,UK to Lisbon and will catch a bus down here from Lisbon.
Have a great Tuesday everyone!
