Some days are marked by the achievement of great success in the studio, while others are days that lay the ground for great things in the future. Then there are days like today, when I achieved nothing outstanding, but all of it was completely necessary. In terms of my productive life this day was the equivalent of picking up the groceries, or vacuuming the living room, important to keep the daily life of the studio going, but almost invisible in its impact.
We held a very productive and encouraging meeting of our faculty, got our Department Assistants working, picked up more gold leaf at the sign painters’ store, moved the pieces of the theatre that were cut a few days ago to the studio and worked on a description of the exhibit that’s evermore rapidly approaching.
By the time lunchtime came around I was feeling quite frustrated, but this is a symptom of the change that the new semester brings. During the summer I had the luxury of being in the studio every day, now I must get back to earth a little and remember that that luxury comes only if I effectively lead the art department. Gradually things will even out and the semester’s routine will establish itself and become normal.
Michael Stasinos called me from Pacific Lutheran University and told me that we are going to be able to go ahead with an exchange of exhibits that I recently proposed to him. The plan is that he’ll do an exhibit of his work at the Kwan Fong, and I’ll have a show at the PLU gallery in the following month. I hope to encourage and develop the relationship between the two Universities and have students visit for exchange semesters.
