Supermarket Opening in Ocean Grove

Things move quickly sometimes.  Spent much of the morning dealing with the latest crisis at my college, which has joined the throng of schools that has decided to close the campus and switch to an online format temporarily.  This is in response to the corona virus epidemic, which has definitely arrived in this country.  We are off this week for spring break, but they want to know by tomorrow how we will be teaching our classes for the rest of March, even as faculty and students are banned from campus.  And for good measure, our plans for classes the first half of April, even though they tell us to expect to be able to return by then.  Even when there are no classes, we are expected to be working.

But that's a problem for tomorrow. Today I had to deal with a sudden surprise show.  This is the one I was offered yesterday by Jackie, and she also wanted to know quickly, so I had agreed to stop by today to see the space, show her some work, and maybe leave it with her to install.  In our discussion yesterday she indicated an interest in black and white prints, and based on the size she described, I figured supermarket prints would work best.  Dug up a bunch from my supply, filled one of my BAC large tote bags with unframed prints, and one framed one as an example, carried it to my car, and drove up to the Studio building.  Parked in our lot and called her (as she requested) to let her know I was on my way.  I had scouted the location from my car on the way home yesterday, but still I took her up on her offer to wait on the sidewalk.  Did not take long to get up the street.

The location is called Artisan Home and Design, located at 62A Main Ave in Ocean Grove.  The part of Main that was built as the business district is all typical commercial buildings, but many of the houses along Main have also been converted to stores and restaurants, including basements that can be accessed from the street.  That is the case with this place.  That big porch there in the front was not the destination.

The gallery is reached by a stairway to the right, take that down.

Get to the purple door, and you've made it.

No photos of inside, but there are a variety of rooms, some are Jackie's gallery, some belong to her partner in this, a guy who sells vintage toys. Her plan for me was a large blank wall not far from the front door.  She sees my framed piece in the center, and kept 10 of the unframed prints to tack up around it.  She and her partner were very impressed with the prints, which they agreed were unlike anything else that have ever shown there.  Not a surprise, as my black and white prints can pack a real punch.  

When I asked about the duration of the show, she mentioned maybe until the end of March, until her partner pointed out that it was only a few weeks away.  Turns out she thought it was February, but now knowing it was mid-March, she now suggested late April, if not beyond that.  No problem- I have no immediate exhibition plans for any of these prints, and I know from experience that as the weather gets warmer, foot traffic on Main increases, especially around Easter. No guarantees in art, but I do know that nothing would have sold sitting under my bed, so why not get it up on a wall that may draw a crowd looking to spend money? Promised I would send them a statement and bio via e-mail, took my tote bag, and walked back to my car.