11/05/2004: "I'm all vechlempt! Talk amongst yourselves..."

Have any of you seen the new ebay commercial?

It has this light piano music while images of people doing kind deeds flash on the screen. For example, it shows a person picking up a piece of litter from the sidewalk, strangers helping push a car stuck in the snow, a driver waving a car ahead of them in traffic, people chasing after someone's papers that start to blow away, etc. At the very end text appears that says "We started out with the belief that people are good, you proved us right".

It's very touching and reminds me that even though the residents of half the country *feel* like my enemies at the moment, I still believe (like Anne Frank) that people are essentially good. When I go home to Nebraska for Christmas, although everyone in my town including my family probably voted for the "other" side...they would still do anything they could to help me out if I needed them. In this time when our country is so devided, I think it's important that we don't forget that.

It's snowing out today too, which always helps with my mental health. I'm looking forward to a cosy weekend at home...just me, my two cats, and toxic paint fumes. I did buy some of that "Nox Out"...pellets that are supposed to remove hazzardous particulates from the air, and if I set it right above my blob of Liquin (yes, I'm back to using Liquin again, although Walnut Oil Alkyd is excellent for speeding drying time, it still doesn't do much for thinning paint) it seems to help somewhat.

I had a couple people over to watch the election returns the other night and I had the paintings out for the new show...(including one friend who has always been a big fan of my work), but their response was very underwhelming. It has brought back a tingle of panic but I'm trying to keep things in perspective. I plan to rent the digital camera again soon, then I'll post some images in here for feedback. Seems I really need it!

Replies: 2 Comments

on Friday, November 5th, holly said

Prolly wasn't the best time for critique, ya know? I'm sure the paintings are lovely- the events of this week have kind of undermined everything else. Looking forward to pictures of them here!

on Friday, November 5th, Elise said

Yah, I know what you mean but at the time they came over we all still thought the Dems were going to win.

(foolish foolish us)

However, I didn't specifically mention the new paintings or ask for feedback or anything, they were just hanging up in view because my "studio" is also my livingroom.

I always feel really vulnerable having new work out where others can see it and the stuff I'm working on now is really different and experimental for me so I felt that way even more strongly than usual.

To *not* get a response at all made me feel unsettled but as you said, we were pretty preocupied with more important matters so maybe I shouldn't take it so personally...