Tis the Season

Party time at the Jersey Shore Arts Center today.  I got up there a little before noon, as I had been told that today there was a big luncheon to attend.  Officially it was for the volunteers in the building, but Nichole had let me know in passing that we were all invited, and this was backed by an e-mail newsletter last week.  I learned that it would be held in the 3rd floor seating area by the kitchen up there, which is what I had expected.  Had a little time, so first stopped at my space in the basement (Molly hard at work on more printing, has some craft show type things going on right now) to drop off some stuff.  Molly declined to come join the festivities, claiming to be to busy.  Took the elevator up to the 3rd floor.  It stopped at the 1st and two volunteers got on, startled by my presence in the car.

Soon we were up to the 3rd.  When that floor was opened up, we found a large commercial type kitchen had been installed, which Herb told us was intended for teaching cooking skills to the visually impaired.  (don't know it was for personal or occupational skills)  That program has yet to happen, but it's an excellent space any time they are doing an event like today.

Just adjacent to the kitchen is a large open room (once a classroom I assume) that is used for meetings and other event, but today was set with tables, and those tables had tablecloths, rolled silverware, glasses and coffee cups, flowers, and some small party favors- sand dollar magnets and a little bag of Hershey's Kisses.  Large pitchers of water and soda were brought around.  Food came from tables set up near the opening to the kitchen.  Our chef today normally works out of a restaurant in Deal, but did his catering in our space today.

There was a large platter of cheese and crackers, and a very large bowl of salad, with a pitcher of salad dressing (oil and vinegar type), then steam trays with penne, eggplant rollatini, a salmon dish, something I was told was chicken with pesto (my scoop seemed to have a little piece of chicken and a whole lot of large pieces of cauliflower, but I eat that, too) and another pasta dish.  Served buffet style.  We had a good crowd- probably 30 or 40, mostly elderly women.  As with the volunteers who got on the elevator, no one knew who I was, and they were shocked to learn that I have had a space in  the building for 10 years.  The old ladies tend not to come down the the basement.  The people who work down there (some of whom were at the luncheon and we all sat together) know who I am.  My former student Mary Lane, who regularly came to the critique group, never saw the building above the basement until she had her first meeting about holding the East Meets West show there, so I guess it evens out.

Started with a large paper plate of salad, then a large plate of some of the hot dishes, and since there was so much food left, went back for some seconds on the penne and the eggplant.  There was so much food I could have had a few more helpings, but I was pretty full at that point.  When they brought the dessert out, I did have a few fancy cookies and a small piece of cheesecake, and I knew I wouldn't need to eat tonight.

However, it was still early afternoon and I wanted to get some work in.  Molly and all her product was gone (I guess the reason she had no time for lunch) so I had the place to myself.  I was having a hard time last week with the block drawing for my card, and considered looking for a new idea, and spent all weekend looking through my art books, but nothing inspired me.  So today I was back to what I was doing last week.  Sketched on paper at first until I think I knew how to convert the original painting to my card idea, then started drawing on the wood.  Had to stop and erase it all when I realized that my block drawing was still oriented like the original art, and started a new mirror version.  Worked out some of the basic composition, then decided to call it a day.  Probably go back tomorrow.