At Bat and On Deck

Baseball analogies seem appropriate this time of year, and these past few weeks have felt a bit like a pennant race as I scrambled to set up for Open Studios and then tested my stamina by getting through two full weekends of visitors.

Now we’re into the next round, and a new show is in the batter’s box. On Sunday, I took down my Open Studio. On Monday, I put up a new exhibit just around the corner at the Seabright Storefront Gallery. It’s just what the name implies: the bay windows of a storefront have been converted into a mini-gallery. When I went by last week to scope it out, I had the happy realization that I could hang several pieces that have been in deep storage. They are too big to frame, being about 6 feet tall and 3 or 4 feet wide, on Fabriano watercolor paper that I bought in huge rolls. Most venues don’t like to hang bare paper, and I concur; too much traffic and too little protection. But this was perfect!

Here is the window gallery with my installation:

The large work on the left is called “Worlds Without End”, from 2006, and the one on the right is called “Palm Trees”, from 2005. Both are ink and acrylic on watercolor paper. I rounded them out with one other ink and acrylic painting (“Feather”, not visible in this photo) and several sets of prints: a couple of Camino prints, the fairy tale series, the Blake proverbs, and the set of prints about violence against women.

Here I am, looking pleased with myself after setting it up.

The Seabright Storefront Gallery is located at 533 Seabright Avenue in Santa Cruz, and my work will be up through the end of November.

I once read a quote by Georgia O’Keeffe to the effect that an artist should always have enough work on hand to hang six shows. I’m trying to meet that standard, but it’s hard to do. Even the small window gallery took 16 pieces! On deck is a solo show at the Lakeview Branch of the Oakland Public Library, which I’ll be hanging in two weeks.

World Series, anyone?