Home

This is why we brave the traffic every week. Home sweet home. Over grown. Falling apart. But still the place where we come back to ourselves.
Most people go home every night, but for the last several years, Larry and I have camped out in the city during the week, working, taking karate, eating sushi on Monday nights, and counting the days til we can return home again.
Once we're here, there's another whirlwind that begins. Because we're only home two days a week, we can barely keep up with the things that need fixing. Most of the weekend is spent doing laundry and getting ready to go back into the city!
I always dream of a lazy summer, but this year, I haven't even gotten my hammock up! And the pile I started last year in the kitchen for a yard sale is still there, ever bigger, but no closer to getting outside and into someone else's life.
There's tons of art going on in the Hudson Valley, but I rarely make it out on Saturday nights unfortunately. This Saturday I did my best to get to the closing reception for my freind Ann Haaland's exhibition at the Wright Gallery in Kingston, only to arrive just as they were loading the last of her paintings into the car.

Ed Butler's gallery is a beautiful space, very organic, with wonderful windows, which were filled with sand - I'm not sure if it was for Ann's exhibition or they're always like this.

Ed was a bit discouraged when I spoke with him after missing Ann's reception. Apparently it's been a very disappointing summer for art sales. But I have heard that this summer has been a difficult one in other arenas as well.
I imagine most of us are spending our discretionary income on gasoline. Or saving up for what will surely be a very expensive winter for heating oil.
The next exhibition is Michael Fattizzi's prints and oils, with an artist's reception Saturday, September 3, 5pm to 8pm. Wright Gallery is at 50 North Front Street in Kingston. The phone number is (845) 331-8217.
Kingston is a great little town. There's a farmer's market on Saturdays. And Jane's Ice Cream, where you can not only get some of the best ice cream on the planet, but some pretty fabulous sustenance before dessert.



Now, what has this all got to do with inspiration you ask? Well, I'm home for the week. Not exactly on vacation, but working on pulling together an order of Street Bling, my line of found and reclaimed metal jewelry. While the day was somewhat hectic, bouncing between making necklaces and doing some triage for a project and presentation that just couldn't live without me this week (yes, I am being facetious) - it is just now settling into the quiet hum that makes this home.
I have managed to create chaos in the last bastion of order in the house: the living room, where I meditate, chant and chill with the cat on my lap, stare out the window and take naps. It now looks like every other room in the house, with art in the making.
I take solace in the fact that a March post on Anna Conti's blog was about an artist whose house was filled with the bread crumb trails of his art making life as well. Not a corner untouched. And machinery too!
So while working this week I will try to bless the mess and maybe squeeze in a moment or two to fill up a few large garbage bags for the thrift store. If I'm feeling overwhelmed by possessions and workload, and I am -- it's helpful to try to see it in light of abundance.