The Places Where They Intersect

I know I've posted this event already, but here it is again with an image I've put together and a few extra details.

The reception officially runs from 6-10pm on Friday, March 5th. Feel free to show up whenever and stay as late as you like. I'll be there.

The Lift features excellent martinis, a pretty decent selection of brews, and some great atmosphere.

Catering will be provided by Out of Box, LLC. Anthony always produces something interesting and unexpected. Looking forward to something aside from the standard wine & cheese trays.

The Art will be a mix of my cityscapes and more figurative works. I'm thinking that putting them all up in one room will help me (and others) to figure out where they come together. Thus the clever title.

If you don't get to make the reception you can still see the Art which will be hanging up through the end of April.

Looking forward to seeing you there!


Cheers,

R

Grace

Grace (grs)n.

1. Seemingly effortless beauty or charm of movement, form, or proportion.

2. A characteristic or quality pleasing for its charm or refinement.

3. A sense of fitness or propriety.

This week I was reminded of something. I was reminded of a choice we all have. About how we choose to carry ourselves from day to day. Our lives are hectic. Some say that we as a species are subjected to a historically unprecedented level of stress. I don't know if that's true, but I can say speaking strictly for myself it seems like things never stop. There are getting to be fewer and fewer opportunities to sit down and decompress. These days it seems that if I stop moving for too long... I just fall asleep. Those of you with children will understand.

Through all of this chaos (organized or otherwise) we still have some choices as to how we decide to live. Recently it's occurred to me that the only good choice, barring the ability to remove the stress, is to go through it all with a certain measure of grace. We can choose to walk effortlessly through our daily struggles letting the difficulties wash over you as water to a duck's back OR we can choose to let these adversities crash against us as though we were rocks on the ocean shore. While the latter may sound like a position of strength and endurance you have to remember where all that sand on the beach came from to begin with. It seems to me that moving with grace is the only logical choice.

People have been encouraged to forget this option. It doesn't sell. But when I look at the individuals I've admired in my life I think that one of the things that they all have in common is that, to me at least, they moved forward with a certain grace. It used to be the order of the day. Glamorous movie stars living so effortlessly. Heads of state with honor and strength. I know... I know. The past is largely an illusion created from memories of real events airbrushed by a sense of nostalgia, but I can't think of too many people that routinely make the headlines these days that I can say, "Yes, I want to be like that". I think they're out there. I think people prefer to see the Trainwreck. It's easier to look down on others and demean than to look up and aspire. Maybe it's also easier to stomp your feet and act like a child that it is to make the effort and inspire.

As for me: I've made my decision. I can act like a child. I can be a stressed-out trainwreck. I can be unorganized and confused. I can suffer the slings and arrows... I'm going to try to keep that on the inside for a while.
For the time being I'm going to try to walk with a little Grace.


Cheers,

R

Mark Your Calendars - Solo Show at The Lift !

Here's a quick update on what's happening:

A quick reminder that you can still show up for Drawing classes Monday and Wednesdays nights at the Des Moines Social Club. Beginner's Drawing class runs from 6-8pm Mondays and costs $10/session. You do NOT need any prior experience to attend. In some cases it's preferable. It's always easier to fill an empty cup. The full ones just keep spilling over.
Drawing II classes run from 6-8pm Wednesdays and are $12/session. I do require either prior attendance at my Drawing I class or some level of demonstrable skill.

Now for the big news:
Mark your calendars for Friday, March 5th. I've got a solo show coming up at The Lift and I'd love to see you all there (and your friends, their friends, their imaginary friends, relatives, pets... you get the idea). Drinks will be served. Food will be eaten. People will talk. Art (and people) will be stared at, potentially discussed and hopefully purchased.
The Art. Not the People.

More details to follow.


Cheers!

R