« And Then There's Imogen | Main | PhotoHunt: Emotion(s) »
June 13, 2008
Perfect
What a lovely evening. Today was Moscow's annual ArtWalk, and the weather could not have been more cooperative. Light breezes and sunny skies. The bands all played outdoors this year, and several artists were giving demonstrations as well as displaying their work. Children were making chalk drawings all across the blocked off portions of Main Street.
Tonight, I loved living here. That only happens twice a year for me. ArtWalk and Jazz Festival. The rest of the year, this is a pokey little town deeply divided along religious and political lines. (Seriously. People choose their coffee shop here based on religious affiliation. I kid you not.) But during these two events, imagination and creativity reign, and Moscow becomes a beautiful place to be.
I'm also quite pleased to live in the home of the Borah Symposium when that rolls around every year.
Otherwise?
Get me out of here. I'm too far away from everything: opportunities, choices, supplies, theatres, a gym with a steam room. I was fascinated to discover just last week that a number of local artists have finally realized that you can't make a living here. Not as an artist, anyway. You can live here, but you'd better be selling in other places, because this community cannot/will not pay the prices artists need to earn to survive. Astonishing that they're just now noticing. I figured that out ages ago.
My favorite moments this evening?
Walking into the Above the Rim Gallery which is located on the second story of Paradise Bicycles. You actually have to walk through the store to get to the gallery. The work currently featured in there is titled "Corpus Memento," by Uniontown artist Jennifer Holland, and is a collection of dress forms decorated with found objects. Gorgeous. Breathtaking. Extraordinary work. Really, really, really amazing. I kept gasping and sighing and making little "ooh ooh ooh" sounds. It was a little indecent, actually. I'm astonished no one complained (about my orgasmic vocalizations, not about the work). But I couldn't help myself, the pieces were stunning. (I just checked, and neither the artist nor the gallery have websites. For shame.)
Listening to local Buddhist nun and artist Debbie Chan, whose carvings and etchings and paintings were displayed and available in Marco Polo Imports. She was doing Chinese calligraphy, writing people's names, for free. A lovely woman, so friendly and enthusiastic and down to earth. And her work is beautiful. I'm going back for a couple of her pieces, I think. A painting of poppies on rice paper and a glass vase etched with a mountain scene, complete with tiger.
Watching a glass artist do lampwork. (From Ra Glass in Pullman. Why do none of these artists or organizations have websites? WHYYYYYYY?) He'd set up a booth in Friendship Square. The artist had flames tattooed on both forearms. So perfect, on an man who creates beauty from fire. He teaches one-day lampwork workshops. I really want to try it.
There were lots more lovely things, but those were the highlights for me.
And now I must go feed the cats. They're dyyyyyyyyying.
Posted by sally at June 13, 2008 10:07 PM
Comments
That sounds FUN! I feel your pain about trying to sustain an artist community in a podunk town. Simply can't be done.
In Texas, all the really bad old lady painters specialize in one of three things:
1. Depressing watercolors of flowers
2. Bluebonnet paintings, always complete with the same ramshackle barn
3. Replicas of Sears portraits of grandchildren in colored pencils. The teeth are always scary.
Do the old blue hairs have a specialty in your neck of the woods?
I'm sorry Jennifer Holland didn't have a website. I think I've actually seen her work before, but I couldn't be sure unless I had a peek. I'm glad you had such a nice time.
Posted by: OohLaLaura ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.sallyacious.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at June 14, 2008 02:58 PM
Well, let's see. My next-door neighbor is a weaver & textile restorer who's just moved into painting. We have an amazing glass artist who's getting very frustrated. And an award-winning installation artist who also runs the gallery where the Corpus Memento show is up. But she'd get upset to hear that I called her a bluehair, given that she's not really that old. 50-ish.
Oh. And a couple of really good painters. And one woman who does these amazing small shrines. A good friend of mine is a very talented photographer. She's in her 70's. I'm sure there are people I'm forgetting. A couple of ceramicists who do nice work as well. And some very talented musicians.
Actually, our older female artists tend to be a pretty rowdy bunch. When they get to drankin' around the firepit at my neighbor's house, it gets pretty loud. Occasionally they let me come play too.
Thanks to the universities, though, this is a pretty active place artistically. Certainly moreso than in other towns this size. It's just that the community doesn't have the cash to sustain all the artists who live here.
Posted by: Sallyacious at June 14, 2008 04:34 PM
©2006 - All content copyright Sally Eames-Harlan unless otherwise noted