Ephemera

cricket chirping sound?
cloudless starless night-time sky
change in my pocket!

I sat with George Langbroek, June-Etta Chenard, and 2 guys named Mike at the Open Mic at Strega. We discussed how it felt like a party in Quebec, with young ladies playing HeadBanz, variously aged musicians on stage, a chatting couple in the back with a baby (guess who!), and a single fellow having dinner and a cookie, the staff behind scenes, and ourselves. The cross generational party is rare around here it seems. Folks like to sort themselves out according to age, class, gender, and hobbies. There was a familial mix at the Strega, and it was comfortable for us. Like at the cottage, no one really felt it was necessary to impose ourselves on each others' fun, but everyone acknowledged each other throughout the evening with smiles. Not flirty - just pleasantly.

Tomorrow, Suitcase In Point will install their work for the Art Under Glass at the Strega. I'm excited. I'm hoping for old posters, handbills, programs, photos, whatever ephemera they've generated as a theatre company over the years. I used to skip NAC events to go see SIP Cabarets at the Merchant Ale House (when I was el Presidente no less).

Colouring books

I've just finished the artwork for a special colouring book commission. The focus is pretty much on nostalgia, and I had a lot of fun doing the work. People who've known me for a while may have had a chance to go out to Port Colborne to see my Grandmother. (That's where I got my cat, Punk Rock Girl.) My grandmother was a collector to put other pack rats to shame. So I was very comfortable looking at lots of the old imagery I needed to assemble the book. I tried to capture an old-timey feel to the works as well, by using brush and ink, rather than markers or pens. The cool thing is, I had just received the smaller brushes I used so extensively from Virginia. She'd just returned from Korea, so these things were the real deal. When I had brought the work to the Strega for my meeting with my client, June-Etta spotted me, and gave me some similar brushes from her own collection. I have also been using some of these brushes lately in my Wednesday night art classes. These gifts are truly appreciated. I may also be getting another commission soon from another client. Let's all cross ourfingers and eat our vegetables folks!

On another note, I was on CBC on the 14th! I've heard about it from someone different every day since then exccept for Sunday, when I went into hiding to work on the colouring book pictures! Sometime around the 9th, a very busy day, I had fired off an email to the CBC about the 7 Wonders of Canada, and they liked my idea enough to send out a camera crew to film me quoting myself. My brother taped it, but I doubt I can post video tape at this point.

Tomorrow I am supposed to be photographed for an article in Niagara Magazine regarding the Art Under Glass series. Let's hope I don't melt in the heat before the cameras arrive. I got a decent sunburn out in the cornfield for the CBC, but I've recovered. One of Ann's cold iced teas ought to take care of me.

Piles of Art

Art jobs done today

1. Old style hockey goalie making a skate save on the chalkboard at the Mansion House
2. Found 1961 Amy Vanderbilt cookbook illustrated by Andrew Warhol
3. Pcked up drawing pads, India Ink, and block printing ink
4. Corresponded with Colouring Book Producer
5. Picked up lead for Police colouring book
6. Described summer courses at Rodman Hall
7. Updated Art Under Glass listing with the Arts Council
8. Taught drawing class at Strega using Korean ink brushes given to me by Virginia Parker
9. Wrote renku with Stacey

spring haiku

dandelion smell
I never noticed before
thirty seven years

pear blossoms smell like dead fish
Hannah is wasting the soap

soap to wash my hands
covered in India Ink
after my art class

ink covered Hannah body
read the writing on your wall

high school hallway wall
stink covered teenage bodies
don't let them moon you

remembering my first drink
Greg T.'s dad's peppermint schnapps

let me smell your breath
when you try to sneak in late
sweeping the sidewalk

climbing to my bedroom sill
but the front door was unlocked

this invitation
disregarded by my cat
astonishes me

you should rub it in catnip
growing in my mother's yard

leaping from windows
a privilige she has lost
catnip and birds gone

L. Boese & Stacey Gray

Start-up Show

The kids were so loud today at the Mad Science start-up show I ended up miming part of the show for 10 minutes!