Work, then art. A few more elevens.

The expiration date on the cereal box this morning read, "11/11".

Then to a busy day at work - even with the gorgeous weather we are having, people want their massages.  I knocked off a little early so I could head upstream a clip to a brand new gallery in Saugerties for their inaugural opening.  Actually, this was the second opening reception for Jen Dragon's 11 Cross Street Gallery's first show.  Artist was on-hand and spoke casually but passionately about his "Rock &" exhibit.  One piece, "The four directions" by LDDD (I'm embarrassed because I dont know what the initials stand for - I want to know the artist's name better than this - Jen, if you are reading, help a girl out, unless LDDD is the artist's version of "Madonna" or "Seal" or "Sting", in which case "LDDD" is enough) took its inspiration from a Native American medicine woman's healing words, carved in stone, mounted on wood and arranged int he four directions.  In the center, was the artist's late wife's bag that she carried around Nepal on a trip there.  To me, it said that any way you look there can be healing.  Any way you look there is history.  Any way you look, there is a foundation.  What made it even more interesting, was the artist's story of how, tragically, his home recently burned down and this piece was able to be salvaged from the rubble.  Any way you look, there is hope.

Thanks to Jen Dragon for being such a gracious host and for welcoming me so warmly to her new gallery. 
www.11crossgallery.com

Photo of "The four directions" taken from:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Saugerties-NY/11-Cross-Street-Gallery/104505696249284?ref=ts

From Saugerties, I made my way back downstream - no, I wasn't in a kayak, but could have been with all the runoff and localized flooding we have in the area as a result of an 80 degree day at the beginning of Spring.  I noticed some roadside trickles that turned in to rushing rapids.  A quick stop at the used book store in Saugerties and $11 later, I had in my possession two art books which I intend to flip through this evening, if I can break away from the computer for a moment.  I am especially looking forward to thumbing through "Henry Moore Carvings, Bronzes, 1961-1970".  Ever since my days at Purchase College and a few covert and a few not so covert trips to the PepsiCo campus across the street, I've been in love with Moore's work.  And now that I am in training to be a docent at Storm King, I have a renewed love for sculpture and am fortunate that they have a Moore or two in their collection for me to gawk at.

OK - that's enough.  Time to go home.  But as I made my scenic route home, I remembered that it was the first Saturday of the month,  and so I found myself in Kingston at the Arts Society of Kingston's opening of a member show, "Three Dimensional Wall Sculpture" with pieces that ranged from silly to poignant.   Also showing was Lynne Friedman's, "Poetry of the Flowering World" consisting mainly of representational watercolors.  Not my cuppa, but I can appreciate the technical merit and creativity.

I've been trying to be more of an "art appreciator" lately, even if (or maybe especially if) I don't particularly like the subject matter, materials or execution.  I keep saying that making art can be purely about the making.  Whatever that means to each artist can be different, but I respect each person's own process, or at least, I choose to believe that each person is in their own process.  Props to photographer, Anthony Maddaloni (http://www.etsy.com/shop/archivalstudio), for sharing his own insights about looking at other people's art with me.  You never know what little golden bits of wisdom may be birthed in even the most casual of conversations or gleaned from a quick visit to a cute little gallery.

11/11.  Any way you look there can be healing.