Month: July 2003

Miamiartexchange.com would like to invite you to our inaugural online exhibition featuring the drawings of Sébastien and Ophelie!

Who: Sébastien and Ophelie, a brother and sister of 8 and 6 years old who use a variety of media. They communicate clearly to us for a reason. Find out why.

When: Friday, 1 August thru 30 August, 2003

Where: Premiere & Open Galleries

In addition to the drawings, books of interest on “Art Brut” and the artist most identified with art brut, Jean Dubuffet, are available.

Our “splash” image “Tide Pool” was taken by artist Pattie Belle Hastings, aka Cyborg Mommy. Pattie Belle is an artist, graphic designer, and author, most recently co-author (along with her husband, Bjorn Akselsen and Sandee Cohen) of, “Adobe Acrobat 5 Master Class.” She is currently visiting Norway and offers this wonderful image.

Please log on Friday all day for our kick off exhibition! Thank you all for your support! Memberships are available, too!
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I would like to add another personal thank you to mommybabou for sharing her children’s wonderful drawings! *smooch*

My postings of late have been few because I’ve been working on the project. My partner wandered back to whatever it was he was doing before becoming my partner which left me twice as much to do. I’ve been working on laying the groundwork for an easier transition in the future. Updates need to be quick and easy as possible. Thanks again for all your support. androkles will have work featured in a couple weeks. 🙂

I finally went up to the Univ. to find out what’s going on. I was lucky to have run into the other photo prof. since he’s not teaching on the main campus this summer. At any rate, the other prof. and dept. chair, who I saw a bit afterward, both told me they are really happy for me to be teaching on this campus. And, that they support my ideas and have given me the possibility to teach a course of my choice. I have been interested in teaching an interdiscplinary course in photography & writing for a number of years and the chairperson told me she is currently seeking approval for the course to be taught. AND, that course, being interdiscplinary, was one of the main reasons I was offered a contract. They really seem to embrace the idea that education shouldn’t be partitioned off into little domains without a way to integrate an education into a total package. At least that’s the way I think.

Some of my undergrad work was independent study work. All of my master’s work was independent study, self-designed, and perfect for me. It allowed me the opportunity to bring together different part of my creative production that would be very difficult in traditional coursework. I integrated, photography, sculpture, performance, writing, and hypertext into my thesis. Every paper I wrote during the program came back saying that I had exceeded the expectations for master’s level work. Needless to say, I was amazed but very pleased. I knew how to write but my grad work confirmed that I should become more involved with writing, and I have.

I have had multiple successes with grant writing, press releases published in entirity, and a few article published, served as editor for NTU newsletter and Miamiartexchange.com. I feel good about my writing, even though it’s not easy by any means.

Not that death is on my mind, but I feel I have so much more to do during my lifetime and I feel the pressure is on with all the deaths I’ve seen in the past few years among friends and family. I best stop here so that I don’t get sad over recent events. Besides, I have to get to work on my web design…

susandennis has been the first person to have a splash image on MAeX.

I baked two more peach cobblers! One is all fresh peaches. The other is part fresh, part canned (because I didn’t have enough peaches). Canned could have been better if I had cooked the peaches in the wonderful juices but, it came on the heels of not knowing that I didn’t have enough fresh to make two cobblers. It’s still tasted good, with a scoop of ice cream.

It’s probably not good for some to say in such close proximity but I saw a dead cat’s skeleton a couple days ago and went back today for the skull. I’ve had a collection of bones since the 60s only most of those are long gone. I do have some photos of those skulls I recently scanned. I’ve had or currently have antelope, big cat (cougar or jaguar), dog, vulture, possum, sparrow, pigeon, rat, rattlesnake, alligator, bull, different fish but the bones are too delicate, and some others I don’t remember. Once I used a macro lens to take closeups of the fissures in the bone that looked like outer space. Snake skin close up that looked like a huge metal sculpture (although not a bone). I love bones… I should try to scan my book, Surfaces/Supports for you guys to see. Maybe this week I can get it done.

I’m trying to take it easy today. My multiple web site creating has reached a point of excess. I’m working on 6 different sites at the same time. Mostly web design but also maintainence and updating. I’m glad I’ve got some valuable skills in this time of limbo before teaching starts next month.

I was talking to a friend this morning that knows graphic design and he intimated that he’d like to work on a web project with me in the future. I told him, “The future is now! You can work with me on MAeX.”

My partner, Pablo, was talking to me about Helvetica fonts as “THE” font we should use on the site. Of course, I disagree. I had changed fonts after becoming editor and received emails, some of which are posted on the site, about how much easier the site was to read. Previously the site used Geneva which is similar to Helvetica. Anyway, having a bona fide graphic design professional should improve the site, especially when a redesign is actually done. My friend, Dan, is perfect.

I talked to my niece today. I love her so much! We always talk and talk on the phone. Of course, both of us being artists gives us a special relationship. She draws like you wouldn’t believe! Her college prof. kept some of her work as samples to show other students. But, she also make jewelry. She’s very detail oriented and does beautiful work. She needs a digital camera as badly as I do! 🙁

I’ve never been one to journalize daily, never. I’m too contemplative most of the time before committing something to print (even though we can edit and delete here). Anyway, let me update things…

Tues. I relaunched my site MAeX by myself because my so-called partner hasn’t held up his end of the deal, yet. His web design skills are not up to my level and I feel weak compared to some of the things I’d like to do. I don’t know databases at all and, my actual production is limited, but I try to design to the so-called ‘web standards’. Yes, I fail but I do know what needs to be done.

Anyway, my partner claimed he was ill on the eve of the relaunch so I stayed up late, got up early to produce enough of what mattered so the launch could happen on the announced date. I saw him last night at the museum opening. He apologized, again, and talked about a redesign. I told him communication is the heart of a good working relationship and doing a redesign at this point is a waste of time since all the currently needed pages weren’t produced. I’m taking this with caution.

My friend David Rohn did a performance at the main library across the plaza from the museum. The library show is about food and David’s piece “Alas Foie Gras” was so full of fun and puns. David is one sexy man. We dated a couple months. You know I like intelligent, sexy men.

At both openings I did the socialization thing drumming up excitement about my site relaunch, looking for both artists and sponsors. Yes, I felt it was successful.

Several artists said they were disappointed that I’ve pretty much given up artmaking to make some money but, that’s the way life is. If I had a donor (huh) I could maybe sell a piece. All the photos I’ve taken lately have been for my other artist friend Edouard Duval Carrié. I still plan to do my canoe trip, when I get the time and money. It then becomes crucial that something good comes from the trip even though under such circumstances it’s dangerous to expect so much after waiting such a long time. I still have a positive outlook even though this summer has not been one of joy.

My video card died and installed an older one I had so saved some money. My old printer isn’t working now because of some glitch and I just spent $26US for and ink cartridge! Because I tried to boot up several times without a monitor working I messed up some software. I spent too much time reinstalling software and haven’t finished this DIFFICULT ARTICLE. Nobody responded to my requests. Maybe this article won’t get published.

I called my parttime job and asked if they wanted me to come back yet. It’s been 3 weeks now. They said not yet. Something is off with the current manager. Nice guy, but something ain’t right. It’s not all the economy. I’ve worked in the bicycle business since 1978 and if a store as big as the one where (I was asked to come back to) work, there’s a reason the competition is getting your customers. Especially, if you’ve been in the same location for over 20 yrs.

Anyway, I’ve been busy, writing, working on my site relaunch, working on clients sites, writing, and meeting with new advertisers for my site. All this to feed, house, clothe (I don’t need any clothes), pay phone and elec.; it’s what I’ve got to do. Having some stress is okay, but I try to keep it to a minimum.

More later in the week…

I know there are some who don’t believe in God, god, saints, deities, orisha’s, lwas, or anything else. However, if you do it never hurts to “git right with it.” Reason being, my Dad called me 30 min. ago. He said to sit down. I was. He told me my cousin Peaches had died today! She was eating, got choked, couldn’t dislodge it, was taken to the hospital and, pronounced dead on arrival. [Correction & update: she needed a tracheotomy but because she never went to the hospital she didn’t know she was diabetic. As a result, her heart, which was swollen, stopped beating twice before she was pronounced dead.] I just saw her last month at my Uncle’s funeral! This is too much. Her sister died last year. My aunt has survived both of her children… that’s got to be a parents greatest fear. I should go up to the funeral but, I’m broke. Damn.

Well, my banana cake stayed in the oven too long. Nasty. I made another one this morning, and turned out perfect! Only had a sliver with a latté. Later on, I grilled chicken breast with a marinate of tamari and pesto sauces, and a splash of mojo criollo (cuban spanish seasoning sauce). It was SO goood! I cooked brown rice with a pinch of tumeric and chili powder and crushed red peppers. Brocoli I didn’t do anything special to with all the other flavors. For dessert, I had strawberry shortcake (scratch, naturally) and non-dairy whip cream! Isn’t there some virtue to being so domestic? I have tools and can build stuff too, but auto mechanics is out! Call me, let’s talk… *wink*

Today was going to be my prep day for another peach cobbler. Instead, while shopping, the strawberries had a sign, “buy one, get one free!” Yes, I bought. I sliced some up and sprinkled some raw sugar on, put in the fridge for tomorrow. I was planning on posting this little tidbit but, I see ruralrob & emjaybaxter has posted pics and a little story about making strawberry ice cream! *Yum*

However, it’s so warm here bananas ripen way too fast. I can’t buy more than 3 before they get too soft to eat. I don’t like ’em too green when I buy ’em. I thought that I should bake a banana cake, I did. It’s cooling off right now but looks fine.

I’ve been really busy working on several websites. I even got paid without having to say it was time to pay on one of the jobs. I had to resolve the domain renewal for another client. Then I started two new websites this week. I love when people pay a deposit up front. 🙂

I have a domain to transfer to myself next week, Miamiartexchange.com. My partner and I have had some discussions about getting the site redesigned and the artists we’re going to exhibit. I told him that right away I just wanted to redesign the main page so I could send out an email telling everyone the site was changing hands and would relaunch soon. I just to keep the traffic there since there hasn’t been much new there in the past month and a half. Writing policies and contracts aren’t easy. I wrote the by-laws for the St. Lucie Co. Cultural Affairs Council when I lived there. Also for an art organization I used to be a member of. I’ve been involved with a few attorneys over the years but, I would like to find an attorney-for-the-arts that can help pro bono. The local arts council can provide that.

Last but not least, I wish I had a digital camera. I saw the most handsome streetworker today when I went to the store. No shirt, thick chest, not too tall, light brown short hair, fuzzy chest, stache, and sexy-as-can-be body! He was avg. built but gawd, I just stood next to the sidewalk where he was working and just stared (drooling is more like it). When I left the store he had gone up the street so, I drove up to see him again. Gawd, he was fine! I like that type of man… my friend that died was a construction worker. He had big hands and some tatts, smooth, muscular (iron worker), brn hair & eyes, stache, & square jaw (woof). For those that know porn, he looked like a miniature Wolfmeir, honestly. Let me calm myself down here…. *fan*