Then, once the work is up on the wall I have a couple of days where...well...it's like a silent family reunion. Most of the pieces have been moving around to and from various exhibitions for the last six months. Some of them were so new when they left my studio that I don't even really feel I "know" them yet. I sit in the middle of my studio surrounded by all of these paintings. It's like being in a sanctuary with stained glass and the bright shapes of glass are cut from my soul. I can feel the paintings' joy, hope and love. They know me. I look around the room and I often find I'm smiling and speaking to them out loud, "I remember you! How have you been? It's so good to see you again!"
I wish they could tell me about their time away. I would love to hear them tell me about the little girl that pointed and laughed. The young couple that held hands and smiled. The old woman who remembered coloring on the floor with her siblings. When the paintings are on exhibit, they are serving their purpose. But it's nice to have them come home for a visit.
It's "joy" by the foot! Wow! What an exciting place to be! Want some music in a few weeks?
ReplyDeleteWow, wish I were close enough to have been on this crawl. How great and I loved your thoughts on knowing what people said as they saw your work! Totally understand. Today, I had a guy cleaning our carpets and he opened a closet door that had some of my pieces stored (duh, which ones were they?!?) and he found me in my studio and asked if he could buy it. Random. Who'd a thunk?
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