really-really-recycled

Virginia very kindly dropped by the art center at the end of her work day yesterday to help me hang the new canvases outside my studio windows. It has now been years since I was on the rolling gallery steps that I practically used to live on in hanging shows for VisArts, and all that spackling and painting, too. It is amazing how a life path unfolds... and I don't know where I will be tomorrow or next week... but this spot is fine for now. First we laid them out on the floor to figure out spacing, and then with Virginia's help I thumb-tacked them up and made some slight adjustments in placement..... finally hanging them with rows of tiny and discreet brass nails.

The canvases are up, and I will get images of them soon..... I am really pleased with the way they look and the way they translate at their current height above my windows, and it is always a delightful surpise when an envisioned project turns out the way you wanted upon completion. A fellow artist (someone I respect tremendously) gave me the ultimate compliment and said she wished she had made them. She said she doesn't say that often, but when she sees work she really likes she has that feeling... wishing she had created it herself. Her words gave me goosebumps. I am fortunate in my friends.

Virginia mentioned to a couple of people at the art center that this was a really, REALLY recycled project..... and she was right. I had not even thought to tell people about the history of the canvas in the project. I have been saving it for some time now, but it has an interesting history in how it came to me. A friend of Virginia's, and his children, had gone to the dump here in Montgomery County. They found this roll of canvas still tightly wrapped in its plastic sheathing, and apparently the kids all immediately thought of me and asked their Dad to give it to me. I was delighted that someone thought of me and I have saved that length of canvas for just the right project. So not only are all the buttons recycled, but the canvas itself was saved from the landfill. A really-really-recycled project! And I still have some of that canvas left!!!