this in from Michele de la Menardiere

American Society on Aging

Today I presented with Gay Hanna and Paula Terry (NEA) at the American Society on Aging conference. Gay presented national monuments as a form of healing and unity, I presented NIH and USBG as national institutions which are also healing environments and Paula presented best practices with NEA funded programs for the elderly.

Afterwards we went out for a glass of wine, it was lovely to catch up.

Smith Farm Center Gallery

great party! thanks to everyone who came by

beautiful morning in bmore, blissful night's sleep. we plan to work today until 4 and then I'll head back to alexandria. Tomorrow a meeting with Booze Allen about a very small consulting job and then the hard hat party for the gallery at Smith Farm.

lovely accommodations, incredible conversation over dinner. A fascinating cross section of people, but, what I really enjoyed was having the chance to talk to Lenny and his wife. I'm looking forward to the discussion tomorrow.

crazy day yesterday. mix up at the usbg, got to my meeting at 8am, waited for an artist for 45 minutes. (not so bad had lots of time to wander the garden and take pictures) drove to NIH, no sooner sat at my desk when they called and wanted me to come back. Ended up having a very good meeting. Worked on the 2009, 2o10 schedules (with several great exhibition opportunities due to some renovation). Had lunch w/my dear friend wez then drove out to Sharon's to pick up some clothes I left w/her since I was in San Diego. Today I work at NIH and then head to Baltimore to meet with the Art & Addiction jury.

happy easter!

Migration: A Gallery

On our gallery tour we stopped by Migration to see their current show of Arturo Mallmann's beautiful work and introduce Martha to the owner Laura. This description of the show from their web site:

Arturo Mallmann's paintings are akin to thin sculptures that you can hang on the wall. His builds so many layers into each work that the depth you are drawn to in the images is not only an illusion; it is real. Mallmann's technique - to layer acrylic paint and resin and sand in between - is something he developed after years of work to convey his personal beliefs about light and darkness and their part in any journey and indeed in the human condition. His paintings simply beckon you to join him on his necessary and magical journey. We will show new work that adds more saturated color to his previously subdued palette.

Interestingly I just saw Eric Finzi's show at Heineman Myes, Eric is an artist who also uses resin, the surface was very similar but subject matter and textures unique to each artist.

lots to blog but it will have to wait until I get home. I have to submit my selections for the Art & Addiction jury by this morning, check out and then drive home... its been a great great trip. I'm very excited about the new hospital project and had a lovely visit with Susan.

charlottesville

as always great to be back in Charlottesville. Easy drive down, quick show change at MJH then to my lovely room to answer a flurry of emails from all corners. Seven of us girls went out to dinner at Oxo, unbelievably fun non-stop talking for almost three hours. Needless to say I went back to my room and fell into bed. This morning we have a gallery/artist tour around downtown.

I had such an inspiring studio visit with Novie. that girl is amazing. looking at her work I'm reminded of the James Joyce quote "Art has to reveal to us ideas, formless spiritual essences. The supreme question about a work of art is out of how deep a life does it spring? The painting of Gustave Moreau is painting of ideas, the deepest poetry of Shelley, the works of Hamlet bring our mind into contact with the eternal wisdom, Plato's world of ideas.

All the rest is the speculation of schoolboys for schoolboys"

Aziza Claudia Gibson-Hunter and Millicent Young @ Smith Farm Center for Healing and the Arts