one little thing

HI again!
some quicky notes from the road.

So, we are in ann arbor, to do a show and I just spent 8 hours setting up. it's really hard, when you only work for say... 7 to 8 minutes at a time, then wander off, chit chat, gossip, eat, get a t shirt, eat, look at your friends new work, sit on the grass and hang out and laugh, drink and talk on the phone look at your other friends new work, and laugh some more, say hello to more folks you haven't seen in ages, wander some more and other stuff and junk. It' a thousand wonders the booth is even up, and it's not FINISHED! I saved the back wall for the morning. ahhhhhhhhrgh
The new paintings do look good tho, and my cute handmade little bench is darling! thank you cindy. I will take photos!

Oh, and you will love this! I got collagen for my top lip! YEAH me!!!!!! now before you start frothing at the mouth.... NOT!!! what I REALLY did was smack my face directly into the top of my booth (it was only half way up....whatever) I had on a hat and couldn't see the f*&%ing thing. I was bending down and BAMB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! yep it bleed. now it looks like i had a collagen doctor who sneezed while injecting and i have 2 cuts and a duck bill for an upper lip. and no, i do not look like michelle phiffer. not even close. it hurts like a mo fo, especially when i just went to blow my nose. ouch, damn it, ouch. i think i permanently damaged that middle of your nose, separator thing. maybe my top teeth will fall out, cause my gums took a pretty good whack. and did i mention that there was a small audience? a mini crowd? i was talking to 5 people at the time, they were just standing there watching, one person couldn't even speak to me and ran away. the others (vincent) couldn't stop laughing. which i actually appreciated, cause it must have been really funny, i would have laughed if i saw it. then i put ice on it and felt like a dumbshit.
my teeth hurt.
on the up side, i have not dribbled coffee on anyone yet.
art shows are so glam.

meanwhile, just checked out tom waits tour schedule, and ran across a really cool interview with him, and he mentions some of his favorite musicians. one was Howlin Wolf. good stuff. i can't figure out how to paste youtube addresses into my list thing, but try this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ou-6A3MKow or google Howlin Wolf and it's title is How Many more Years. really, it's all good. blues, hot harmonica, great voice.

okay that's it for today.
LOVE TO YOU!!
XOXOXOX
fatlips

hot pocket... turning points

So the topic for today is: TURNING POINTS!!

Hello!!! How are you??? How is every little thang??

were back,

But first.........

A TRUTH: I might suck at this blogging thing. Ok, I said truth, so let's rephrase. I definitely suck at this blogging thing. I think blogs are usually done much more often than this. I actually forgot my password and stuff this time. it's been that long. my blog is more along the lines of the occasional newsletter, or maybe it's like one of those Christmas letters that catch you up on the yearly goings on, but with less lying.

ANOTHER TRUTH: My new favorite thing. well, there are so many really, but I do LOVE this Youtube video about Christian the Lion. OMG its a tearjerker and sweeter than honey. I have watched it at least 7 times. today. The music is a lot cheesy, but it's pure love. two guys and their once pet, now wild, lion. It's kinda "Born Free" with 2 guys who make me think of the Bee Gees. And while I am typing, why do they call themselves the Bee Gees anyway??? weird. I have my own lion at home, only he is a golden retriever. He truly spreads the love in that "I have missed you so, so much since I last saw you 4 hours ago" way. The feeling is mutual. Watch the video.

ONE MORE TRUTH: I only watched it 3 times today, and 4 yesterday which equals 7. damn truth.


Really, there is so much to share since last time. Really nice, healthy, good things are happening. but lets start here. My artwork is changing! Wow. I think this is a good thing. yes, clearly, it's a good healthy thing. It has been shifting for a while now, as all good art should, and it's interesting to see what is coming out. HOw funny it is that we really don't have such a grand plan as we might think, and when I say we I mean me. I could not have told you what I was doing with all these paintings, and I surely didn't see an overall theme at first, but they all seem to be about a small moment in time. Now it occurs to me that most of the new paintings deal with that space before an epiphany. not the actual epiphany, but the harbinger of. Some little insight in life that leads you towards a new knowing. I love epiphanies, and even had a wall in the studio called "epiphany central" with jotted blue index cards serving up my new ah ha's. Hey, do I get any sort of prize for being the person who used the word EPIPHANY more in a paragraph than anyone ever? Okay, so, lets get to you. I am wondering what is going on out there. Have you been experiencing some major shifts?? minor tugs? teeny glimpses of newness??? I always think it's fascinating when you start chatting, how similar things are going on with each of us. I also have this new fondness for horizons. loving that line. it feels very hopeful and open like the beach. like a good friendship.

Well, I am off to a show, Ann Arbor, in the morning. I have no idea how the new paintings will fly, but it's not the point. I am following them to where they take me. They are new, they are teaching me things and they will evolve. That's the game. It's a great game, yes?

Truth number 4: I hope you are are well and engaged in things that bring you pleasure and growth.

Truth #5: last truth sounded sappy, but I mean it.

Truth six: every cool line in this blog is most likely lifted from my brilliant friend jamie morris the writer.

Truth lucky #7: she made me say that.

later taters!!!
xoxo
lynnie
p.s. thanks fred for sending the youtube of Christian the Lion

ironman rocks

Hello, how are you???

but first...

a TRUTH:  I am a HUGE fan of Robert Downey Jr.

another TRUTH: I even have his cd,  yipper he can sing! uh huh!

Hey, just went out for a movie and sushi with my dear friend jane jane, and we saw Ironman. Let me just say it was great! we already have a big crush on our Robert Downey JR. cause he is

a. a bad boy

b. somehow EXTREMELY compelling

c. catches our eyeballs. 

d. and most importantly, he is EXTRAORDINARILY TALENTED! 

You know, not all pretty and stuff, but riveting and uber gifted. oh yeah, did I mention the bad boy thing, which is part of his charm. the flawed thing works for him. anyhoo,  check it out, it rocks, and though it seems like a guy movie, all transformery and stuff, it's really well done. WE LOVED IT!  hey and to be honest, I didn't expect to love it, but i did!

 later taters. 

HAVE A FRESH ONE!

XOXOXOXOXO

Lynnie

jackie chan, giver of love, sends you some. 

p.s. go carol

I miss you!

Hey peoples, what's up?

but first a truth: It's been way too long. I have missed you.

Yipper, I was thinking today that I want post on Miss Freshy a little more often, just for the fun of it. Why not, right? You know, just a quickie to check in and share a little. So..... here's today's tidbit!! We are in Nashville today for a gallery show, and have been poking around this great little funky area next to Vanderbilt University called West Village. Cute times ten. Coffee shops,  groovy clothes stores, great food, galleries, a famous pancake house, brick buildings, used book stores and stuff and junk. Our friend John Brown (drunky) sez Rachel Ray has eaten all over this place, or at least walked by. It seems like everyone we talked to here and at the opening tonight were either artists or musicians or writers or ALL THREE!! Yeah! that's what I am talking about! more and more I am realizing it is so common to find out my artists friends are also into music. and my music friends are into art, and my writing friends are into both! It's ALL THE SAME THING! Creative expression across the board. I LOVE THAT!! For true James. Maybe I always knew this, but it's a lovely thing to remember. it's soooo true and somehow so satisfying to this girl who loves all the above. 

so what that means is there is no limit to creativity.

that's it. just an observation. just makes me happy. just thought you should know.

hells yeah. go carol.

LOVING YA,

lynnie

I LIKE PEOPLE. I LIKE ART. I LIKE YOU.

Howdy dooooode cuties,

but first:

A TRUTH: I am not sure where this blog is going tonight

ANOTHER TRUTH:  I MAKE MISTAKES

TRUTH #3:  good FRIENDS ARE OKAY WIT IT

So, this past Saturday night we held our annual Spring Open House at the studios. We are a group of 20 artists and one cat.  We all clean up our work spaces, the common area, put out some yummy treats and host our community of wonderful collectors, friends, our families, other artists, new interesting folks and the general public! We have always had a really great turnout, and it is usually packed. You can barley move or even speak to everyone at times....but, this year, it rained. ALL NIGHT! It was the first time in 21 years we had experienced that much rain! can you believe that??? Well that's what Randy said, and he thinks he knows stuff. (okay, he does know stuff) I think it's some kind of a miracle we have always been so lucky!

So here's the nice part about that. it was a fantastic night! I really got to talk to people. I met so many new interesting folks! Groovy, young artists, great new friends who are writers, even people who brought relatives who were in from out of town. What a cool bunch. It was paced differently than normal, and I think that was a good thing, it was very enjoyable. I even have grown attached to the crazy drunk lady, or is that the drunk crazy lady, who attends every art event in Central Florida for as long as I can remember. She made it out, even in the rain. but I have a note to the crazy drunk lady.....do not draw on other peoples art work, even if you think it needs a little "fixin" okay??

and while I am at it, a note to self: do not forget to eat (except a few goldfish) and drink vodka. this is not smart. I do not need to grow up to become the new crazy drunk lady.....I'm just saying.

BIG TRUTH NUMBER 4!!!!!! and this may be what I really want to talk about. friends.

I have some really good ones, and I want you to know how truly grateful I am for you. I find you enormously interesting and engaging and I appreciate you more than you know. You are kind and I love your stories, the way you chat, your goofy sense of humor. I think you are all so good lookin, I really do, and I like the way you dress. you have the most wonderful way of making me laugh.... really, really loud. snort even. I love it when we talk I can see that you are really interested. And I think it's amazing the way you listen. It's so nice to go beyond the sufacy stuff and get down to something more real. I like it when we do that. I love that you care deeply about things yet you never seem too self important. You have such a creative mind, it's endless what we can discuss. And I love that we do not judge each other, not you and I, and that may be the greatest gift of all. So I thank you. Thanks for being there and thanks for being a part of this ride. I could not and would not want to do it without you. Sending you each big chunky hunks of love and some genuine, silly, squinty smiles.

that's it, that's all i got.

mom, i know that its bad grammar, it's just a thing.

sending you freshness and kind thoughts,

and love,

XOXOXOXOXOXOXXOXOXOXOXXOXOXOOX

Lynnie lou

p.s. are you thinking about your friends?

ART IS GOOD, EVEN WHEN I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT

HELLO PEEPS, how are you, and hey, it's time for another topic!

 but first:

TRUTH #1: I really didn't understand everything I saw at the Whitney Biennial

TRUTH #2:  This pisses me off and embarrasses me at the same time

TRUTH #3:  It takes work to stay current and to understand the context of the art worlds latest offerings. 

Okay Whitney Biennial, I didn't get it.......at first. So...we went to NY for a few days to drop off some work at the "Bridge" show, which is a MUCH smaller venue that feeds off of the big deal show, The Armory Show. Let's just say right off the bat, NY is AMaZinG! It's a field day of sensory input and stimulation. The smells, the people, the density, the visuals, the food alone is just so damn good! Street pizza......yummmm, and so many restaurants, and the desserts and the wine and, and (I am drooling) the fresh bread, and the pasta, and the coffee and...well you get the picture, but I want to talk about art. Hey, let's eat and drink talk about art. I love that.

First Stop: The Whitney Biennial. We have gone before, and it was wonderful, somewhat challenging, educational, interesting, totally worth the trip. This year, the curators focused on younger artists, which is great.  I must say, we both enjoyed it, but were doing some head scratching. I needed more information. Clearly.  One thing that stood out to me was a short film showing 6 blind people walking up and touching an elephant for the first time. Strangely riveting. Their descriptions were so varied. I felt like I was learning something.  I also loved a guy who filled containers with found stuff and and opaque resin. Then he sliced the blocks of "homemade terrazzo" into slabs. Compelling and strangely good looking. This same artist made simple glass containers, then shipped them via Fed X . He displayed them, with all their cracks and chips from transit, along with their Fed X boxes.

 

TRUTH #5:  My favorite thing at the Whitney was the coat check guy. yup.

I couldn't see him at first, but I could hear him yelling in a deep, booming barkers voice: "Step right up" "What will it be" "Blue!" "Yes!" "Brown!" "Excellent Choice!" In between his shouting, you heard a giant and beautiful jingling sound, which turns out to be 1000 tinkling metal coat hangers, bouncing off each other as the huge "dry cleaner" type system swung overhead. It was melodic and perfectly choreographed. A surprise and a delight. It played out, over and over, with amazing enthusiasm. I smile just thinking about it.

 

have I lost my edge?? perhaps. The show was really enjoyable, and I did love being there in the swim of my tribe. I did feel like those other lookers were my peeps, and it was packed. It was interesting, but I wasn't moved. I want to be moved....and not by Fed X.

Can I just say, I like painting and there wasn't much of that. There was tons of installation, which I love, and more good video than usual. On the whole, this was more conceptual stuff. Which is great if you know the concept. And whose job is it to learn about the concepts??? YOURS and MINE!  And how do you learn??? GO TO THE ARMORY SHOW!!!!!! Also, it helps to put an artists work in context, along side their peers and against their previous work. I, as it turns out, am guilty for not taking the time to educate myself. I even allowed all my art mag subscriptions to lapse. They were piling up, and I finally admitted to myself that I wasn't reading them, I was barley looking at the pictures and what about all those trees??

Thank God for the Armory Show. It was brilliant! AND we saw so much more work by the artists who were chosen for the Biennial. This was unbelievably helpful!!! It all started to make sense! I still didn't always GET it, but it was fascinating! a great big, heaping helping of creative thinking. Tons of talent and some bullshit too. all good.

I heard a great quote about art from John Waters today, He said, and I paraphrase, Art is the opposite of movies, with movies you want everyone in the whole world to like them. Art, if everyone likes it in the art world,  then it's TERRIBLE.  He said, "The art I buy is what first makes me angry. All great art you hate at first, you have to learn how to see it."

In 1913, at the very first Armory Show, a Matisse reclining nude caused a scandal. Now it's a masterpiece.

 

DOES ART EVER PISS YOU OFF?????

HOW DO YOU WANT ART TO MAKE YOU FEEL??

Do tell!

XOXO

Lynnie

 

AND AWAY WE GO!!

TODAYS TOPIC: PLEASURE VS. ENJOYMENT

but first:

A TRUTH: I have been afraid to start this blog.

REASON: Unsure how to proceed, lazy, unsure how to proceed.

A NEW TRUTH: I am going to do it anyway - 20 minutes at a time. I plan to reschedule my day, my life, my creative output, 20 minutes at a time. This sounds easy, yes? We shall see. It could be fun to watch!

REASON: I want to share. I also want to build discipline. 

OLD TRUTH: Historically, I have not been known for my discipline - yikes.

HERE WE GO!

I have one word for you today: ENJOYMENT! yeah, I like this one.

They say enjoyment is different than pleasure.  Interesting! Who doesn't love pleasure? Good food, a relaxing nap or glass of wine, good conversation. Surely we all have a list of what we feel constitutes pleasure, but what I found most intriguing is that enjoyment goes beyond pleasure.

Enjoyment includes something unexpected, something new. Something pushing past what we have already accomplished or experienced.  Enjoyment goes further, causes forward movement, and if we are really lucky, it can take us somewhere even unimagined before.  In that case, after an enjoyable event, (which may or may not be pleasurable at the time) we have changed, we have become more complex.  WE HAVE GROWN!

It may have something to do with fully concentrating on an activity.  Maybe it's about learning?Is it how you employ your brain? hummmmmmmmmmm. 

I do know that when one is fully engaged in any activity that flows so beautifully from one thought or movement to the next, it's a great place to be.  And If you go somewhere new in the process, it is truly amazing.

Any thoughts on this? Pleasure vs. Enjoyment??? Bring it on!!

XOXOXO

Lynnie