The past few weeks have been about internalizing and then cramming for a couple deadlines that have come and gone.
That's the best explanation I can give for not writing.
Internalizing.
well. it's been a weird but fun process. trying to take everything i've inputted and figure out why exactly it strikes me and then figure out how to communicate that. can't say i've succeeded, neccessarily, but i suppose i found a start.
on Dec. 1 I put all the work I'd finished--a meager total of 4 peices--and some older stuff, photographs and other paintings, up in a tent in the middle of Heymann Boulevard in Lafayette.
All the streets where closed off for the Christmas Sleigh Lighting Festivities, so there were shops open and live music and food and all that festive stuff.
A bunch of our friends who knew I'd be out there stopped by and a bunch of poeple who were just passing by passed by.
And it was..well, it was valuable, even if it only pointed out how much more I needed to do.
Most people from lafayette went straight to my photographs--suppose their exoticism is intriguing, and some people had recently been to that part of the world.
And a few people paused briefly at the paintings, a couple commented on the use of color or questioned the subject matter (even that wasn't clear to some).
Only two people really seemed to get it.
They were two women from Chalmette, who had relocated to Lafayette. and they went straight up to the painting of Mrs. Virgin's lot. I sat back and listened to their conversation a minute before I approached them. And the woman was clearly touched.
She thought she recognized the lot. Turns out it was only a couple blocks from her home.
I think she said, at one point "this is what people need to see."
It felt good. that the people effected directly got it.
so that made the whole night worth it.
but it also pointed out that i was nowhere near communicating to people who were detached.
and that's definiltey one of my goals.
that left me with less than a month left here, and a lot of work to do to get back to LA and get through the holidays and whatnot.
i spent the next weekend resigning myself to move on and finish up the ones I'd started but then start gearing up to go home.
But Thursday night I had one more big opportunity.
I was donating a portrait commission to the Acadiana Outreach Charity Fundraiser on Thursday.
They would display a sample for people to bid on in a silent auction.
I have to admit I saw it as an opportunity to put a painting out there, a way for all of Lafayette's artists and art apreciators to see it.
So come Monday morning I found myself with inspiration. And I spent the next 48 hours painting.
Thursday was the big night, and thursday morning found me still in the midst of it...
but on top of that, puking. yeah. puking. every time i'd take a bite it'd last 15 minutes then i'd puke, then i'd have to lie down, staring at the paitning, then i'd finally convince myself to get up and do something, but i could only last a couple minutes before i started the whole cycle over again.
finally the hour was upon me and i had no choice. i had to deliver.
i knew it was a risk, and a selfish risk at that, and i had a destinct feeling of guilt,
but i had made the decision not to put up a traditional portrait sample, and was thriving on the fantasy of the stir this paitning could cause.
so--i swallowed down some vomit and brought it over to the lafayette convention center.
the whole place was already decorated, it was all this futuristic psychedelic lava lamp stuff.
all the other art was hung up all over the walls and in the silent auction area.
it looked pretty extravagant.
i was nervous handing off the painting, and honestly I gave them the option of it or two smaller portrait samples (tee hee)
but they wanted the big one.
i went home to rest up for the nights gala.
unfortunately, 8 hours later i still wasn't keeping anything down and was too weak to even get in the shower.
watching it all unfold in my head i was SO bummed not to be there. but alas, my body betrayed me.
my dad would call to tell me how it was going and who was curious and whatnot, and i had wnother internal spy who told me how much it bid for--and it actually did pretty well for the charity, so that was a relief on the conscience.
i still don't really know what kind of an impact it had on people,
but...it must have had some kin dof an impact, eh?
anyway, that's what i'll let msyelf believe anyway.
cause now it really is time to buckle down and tie loose ends and get my stuff in gear to go home.
the other home.
and my conclusion is--
to really express the impact of this event, i think i will need to curate a group exhibition.
hand pick peicces that fill in the story.
of, you now, this very historical and personal event.
so. i guess that will be how i continue this once i return to LA.
hopefully with a show here in Louisiana as well,
so-artists, hear this,
if you have something you feel needs to be heard about your experience with the storm.
let me know.
maybe we can pool ourselves together.
tkim@melodicpictrues.com
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