Show Time

At last, the big installation day has arrived.  The work is all framed.  That still left me with the tasks of wiring a few pieces and creating title cards, all done this morning.

Another necessary task was retrieving my hand truck, stored in my father's outdoor shed.  Had a small solo show in South Orange in 2001, and not knowing what the parking situation would be, I figured being able to move all my boxes of framed art in one trip would be a good strategy.  It was, and having one of these has proved to be very good investment.  One of the other artists at that gallery was so impressed that before the opening she had gone out and got one for herself.

Went back home, packed my wrapped pieces around the hand truck, had lunch, and then went down to Ocean County.  Went in first to make sure everything was as expected, before starting to empty my car of all the art.  Adding to the chaos was another function setting up in the hallway, a one-night charity related event.  Found my contact, and she showed me the wall that had been set aside for my work.  One of the better places, across from the top of the grand stairway up from the theater lobby.

There are 10 artists scheduled to be part of this show, and most had already started setting up before I arrived.  I know the space well- I have worked in this building for more than a decade.  Cinder block walls, and a rod hanging system, a common and practical way of dealing with framed works coming and going.  Clear plastic rods that hang from a mounted rail, with adjustable hooks on each.

While I'm in the building tomorrow I'll go back and try to straighten/even out the frames, but at least they're all up and ready to be seen.  As suggested, the labels are just attached to the wall with loops of painters' tape.  If they don't hold, I have another sheet of the labels and some mat board and can make something better before the opening.  The other artists I spoke to seemed impressed with my prints.  Some really like the subjects and details, and some are reacting to the bold colors.

Just a few days ago we got word of a change to the show and a need for additional work.  There is a large lobby type area and a curved wall that forms the back of the balcony level of the theater.  A decision was made to have each artist put one piece on that wall, the prime spot on that whole floor.  I had calculated using my five framed boardwalk prints for the show and didn't want to take one from that grouping for this other purpose, and while I do have a sixth boardwalk print available, I don't have a spare frame that it would fit.  However, I thought of another option.  I had one more beach themed piece in a frame, ready to go, a portrait of my college friend Kathy.  Not satisfied with an earlier piece she had posed for, I had come up with a new approach, setting it on the beach.  My large head and figure pieces tend to have biographical components, and this one is no exception.  She has an intense love of the beach, the hotel in the background had childhood memories for her, and there are other references to things current in her life at the time.  We scouted the location, then went back to my house and did the actual pose in the comfort of my living room.  Background stuff added later, but when cut and printed, it all comes together.  This life size piece will look good at that big wall.

This Scene at the Shore show opens on Sunday, December 4th, with a reception from 1 to 4 pm.