Monday, October 15, 2007
Sleepless
It's 1:56am.
Practically tomorrow.
I am beyond tired, but can't sleep.
And it's so damn annoying!
I don't even know why!
Yes, the adrenaline level got high these past days.
We hung 100 paintings last Saturday.
Then had a loooooooooooooong Friday, which started at 11am with a briefing to the gallery sitters, followed by walking around the gallery and having the artists who attended talk about their paintings. W'all then awaited the torrential rain to cease, while looking at the leaking ceiling (yup!) with increased concern. At some point, even the most patient and rain-fearing ones got tired of waiting, and swam to their cars. Everybody except the three of us, who stayed and waited for the brave (and very wet) Dean of Fine Arts Department who actually showed up in that insane weather and spent 2 hours judging the show and selecting the paintings that got awards (while eyeing the still-leaking ceiling!). After she left, we did the final touches, making sure everything is ready for the show opening. We left there at 6pm, wishing to not see the gallery for at least a month.
Well, so much for that... I was the one who went back the morning after to do the very first shift of the gallery sitting, chat with visitors, listen to their comments about the show and subtly check if they are potential collectors (nope!).
I love gallery sitting. It's fun, but quite exhausting at some point. As side by side with the occasional interesting conversationalists, there are always those who come and just annoy the hell out of you. Like the visitor who stopped by a painting, exclaiming, "Oh, that painting is cute!", which is the worst thing that can be said. I got into a violent mode each time I heard that, but kept my courteous smile intact. As Shakespeare said (OK, Neil Shakespeare, but it's close enough!), "...you let in the barbarians and get to overhear their caustic comments". How excruciatingly true!
When you are gallery sitting, you are often asked which is your painting. For obvious reasons, nobody made the "cute" comment about my painting. I got some obligatory "Oh, that's nice!", side by side with some true appreciations. One iPod-armed teenager kept twisting his neck, trying to read the text in my painting (until I decided to spare him and announced it's written in Hebrew...), and there was one person who came in, looked at my painting lengthily, again and again, kept coming back to it (always a compliment!), and eventually turned to me and said, "You know, I am an artist myself. I work with ink, and now I am starting a new series about despair. I really need to study your painting, to see how you managed to capture this feeling so well". I chose to take it as a compliment. And yet... it's always nice to know I am a role model for agony, eh?
Our reception is next weekend. I still have a lot to do towards it, including a speech to write and say in a trembling voice (yup, I am dreading that part! you try standing in front of a crowd and blabber in a language your mouth is not quite used to!).
Maybe that's why I can't quite fall asleep.
But hey - this post is becoming so boring, I think it's done its service... G'night!
# posted by Nava @ 1:56 AM 
Comments:
Definitely Fuzzy Diddums time!! Anyway - you can relax a bit now - the show is beautifully hung, and the standard is high - a credit to your first leadership show!!
I noticed a very authoritative moment when you firmly nixed space heaters because of the lack of insurance!! Very leaderly! You're doing a great job and I'm sure your presentation will be received with interest and pleasure........apart from anything else everyone will be happy it isn't THEIR job!!!
# posted by 
: 10/15/2007 4:45 PM
Rain - hooray! Send some of it this way.
I fear, no, I know, that I am one of those idiots who say 'that's a nice painting' because I am completely and totally uneducated about art and how to describe it. I can tell you if I like it or not, and that's about it. So in all seriousness, what should one say to express appreciation of art? I am always afraid of speaking to an artist to avoid being blogged about as a dolt. :)
And try melatonin for sleep. I used it last night and I slept like a log. And very tired log.
your post is not boring...
hope you got some sleep?
I can see why you are anxious.
Public speaking is not easy.
But, I'm sure you'll do well, just speak from your heart like you do here.
:)
# posted by : 10/15/2007 7:04 PM
Speaking of "that's a nice painting" and drinking, next time you want a good time all by yourself, turn on House Hunters on HGTV. Then take a swig every time one of the house hunters describes something as "nice". You'll be smashed before the finish the first house.
Val, well, someone needs to make sure we don't set this building on fire, eh?
Blogauthor, excellent question... I'll try to post an answer soon.
Rhonda, :-)
CherkyB, well, if they target their ads by the comments, now you've just made sure I'll get more of those.
Wow - you're right. The ad is still there, but they've replaced the picture of two dudes hugging with a picture of two hot chicks. A big improvement.
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I noticed a very authoritative moment when you firmly nixed space heaters because of the lack of insurance!! Very leaderly! You're doing a great job and I'm sure your presentation will be received with interest and pleasure........apart from anything else everyone will be happy it isn't THEIR job!!!
# posted by : 10/15/2007 4:45 PM
: 10/15/2007 4:45 PM I fear, no, I know, that I am one of those idiots who say 'that's a nice painting' because I am completely and totally uneducated about art and how to describe it. I can tell you if I like it or not, and that's about it. So in all seriousness, what should one say to express appreciation of art? I am always afraid of speaking to an artist to avoid being blogged about as a dolt. :)
And try melatonin for sleep. I used it last night and I slept like a log. And very tired log.
hope you got some sleep?
I can see why you are anxious.
Public speaking is not easy.
But, I'm sure you'll do well, just speak from your heart like you do here.
:)
# posted by : 10/15/2007 7:04 PM
: 10/15/2007 7:04 PM Blogauthor, excellent question... I'll try to post an answer soon.
Rhonda, :-)
CherkyB, well, if they target their ads by the comments, now you've just made sure I'll get more of those.
