I just started a new part-time position as the director of Weizenblatt Gallery for Mars Hill University. MHU is a private college right here in the town I live in, about 15 miles or so north of Asheville. The gallery hosts about ten shows a year. Last week, I spent a lot of time hanging my first show there: the biennial Faculty Show. It took way too long, of course, because I'm still learning the ropes, where the tools are, what they expect to see in the gallery, what to do with the student work-study people, who to talk to about publicity, and so on. Tomorrow, I have to put together the plan for the reception on Wednesday. Once the reception is over, I gotta do the planning for the next show so that thing go smoother.
Some people wonder why I agreed to do this. After all, in addition to my studio activities, I still work as a proposal writer for small firms trying to get federal contracts. And I'm on the board of a small Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) focused on the Kurdish region of Iraq. And I've been working with the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE), which is a volunteer organization that mentors small businesses that are trying to get started, or grow, or whatever. At the same time, I have a lot of "life" stuff to do: chores, walk the dog, mow the yard, fix this or that, you know the drill - lots of things that just eat up time. I needed one more activity like I needed a hole in the head.
But this gives me an opportunity to work with the Art Department students. I really enjoy working with the young ones just starting out: build their capabilities some, give them confidence that they can do it, show that there's a helluva lot more to art than they can comprehend right now, and help them learn how to find their voice. I love seeing the flash of sudden insight, especially when it's something that I know will stay with them and not be forgotten in two weeks.
So to make time for the gallery, I'm cutting back on my SCORE functions and one of the tasks associated with proposal writing. My focus is going to be more on art and art-related functions going forward. I'm still figuring out what that means.
Some people wonder why I agreed to do this. After all, in addition to my studio activities, I still work as a proposal writer for small firms trying to get federal contracts. And I'm on the board of a small Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) focused on the Kurdish region of Iraq. And I've been working with the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE), which is a volunteer organization that mentors small businesses that are trying to get started, or grow, or whatever. At the same time, I have a lot of "life" stuff to do: chores, walk the dog, mow the yard, fix this or that, you know the drill - lots of things that just eat up time. I needed one more activity like I needed a hole in the head.
But this gives me an opportunity to work with the Art Department students. I really enjoy working with the young ones just starting out: build their capabilities some, give them confidence that they can do it, show that there's a helluva lot more to art than they can comprehend right now, and help them learn how to find their voice. I love seeing the flash of sudden insight, especially when it's something that I know will stay with them and not be forgotten in two weeks.
So to make time for the gallery, I'm cutting back on my SCORE functions and one of the tasks associated with proposal writing. My focus is going to be more on art and art-related functions going forward. I'm still figuring out what that means.
Well Brother,
ReplyDeleteI know you are an artist, and you know I am different. Neither one of us know what my medium is. Please help. Shaft