To paraphrase Sally Field, "They like me!"

Sunflower Trio

I know the actress was much derided for expressing this sentiment in her 1984 Oscar acceptance speech, but I honestly heard it echo as I read that the Watercolor Society of Indiana had accepted my "Sunflower Trio" into its Juried Exhibit. The show runs at the Indianapolis Museum of Art Oct. 17 to Dec. 5.

The opening reception is at the IMA's DeBoest Auditorium Oct. 17 at 2 p.m. I'll be there because I am so excited to have my work in a museum. The facts that "Sunflower Trio" will be at the IMA for a short while and that it's part of a group show doesn't dampen my enthusiasm. The museum thing has been a goal/dream/aspiration for years.

Down a notch

Don't worry that success has gone to my head. The following day I received a rejection from another juried competition I had entered. It was easier to stomach, given the preceding day's news. 

Tombi

Santa Fe Chapel

Nos. 2 and 3

Last Friday, I received an e-mail from Tom Poole of Bowling Green, Ky., that two of my paintings had been juried into the Kentucky Watercolor Society's Aquaventure 2010 show. Suddenly 2010 is looking pretty good.

"Tombi" and "Santa Fe Chapel" will be hanging at the Kentucky Museum on the Western Kentucky University campus in Bowling Green from Sept. 18 to Oct. 17. The opening reception is Sept. 18 (but I won't be there -- atoning trumps art that day).

Juggling logistics

So this week I had to figure out how to most efficiently deliver these paintings. I first had to reframe "Tombi" because its frame was splitting. This sounds simple enough, but because I needed to get the KWS paintings to Louisville by Thursday morning I had to throw myself on the Framemakers clerk's mercy. After hearing how I'd have to drive all the way to Bowling Green (about 8 hours roundtrip) if I couldn't deliver the paintings by Thursday, he agreed to put a RUSH on the job. He delivered on the promise, too. Thank you, Framemakers!

Then I arranged to drive to Louisville Wednesday night, stay with my in-laws, and hand-off the paintings sometime that night or Thursday morning to Jean Jansen. I took the Garmin GPS so I would be able to find Jean's in the dark, but that wasn't necessary. Jean pulled up in front of my in-laws' home at 10:40 p.m., and we packed them into the back of her car -- the paintings, not the in-laws. One mission accomplished, with a giant assist from Jean!

Now, next week I will drive to northside of Indy to deliver the Sunflower Trio.

Right now, it seems my creative time is being consumed by driving time. But I am NOT complaining.