Pissing and Moaning

Peony from the Lake, Q. Cassetti, 2012Poor  Alex Cassetti. Today he has to go on the Senior Picnic and then…oh my, he has to submit himself to being fitted for a costume. Pissing and moaning about how put upon he was this morning as we finished up the big big load of recycling and trash….to be surprised by Mr. White’s productivity in the Killing Fields. Yes, once again, right on the back porch, Mr. White methodically decapitated another squirrel (last one was Monday if you recall), and started his process of devouring the beast leaving the head, tail and a foot or two and the liver (always feels almost Masonic in the symbology). So, to spare the neighbors the site of this massacre, I moved the squirrel and Mr. White to another less central/less visable location and he lost interest. Now we have a half a squirrel in the freeze (in a freezer bag) waiting for Elly to take to the Super Hawk, Tucker. Waste not, want not. There was a look in Mr. White’s single eye that suggested that this might not be the only prize of the day.

Yesterday’s conversation with Steve about my work we are going to try to do at GlassLab on Governors Island (July 1, 2012) was exciting and productive. I have my list of things to try before we go — so I am making up a sheet of glass decals, ordered up some 3M Buttercut, and some resists to see what we can do. I am looking into glass enamel paints to see what that would yield tooo….and then away we go. The Maryoshka dolls going from the largest being clear, middle a bit less clear to the tiny one being color and brilliant is the approach. We may do some burka Maryoskas as well as it would be another technique, and could be a second to that nested set. So, I am psyched. Might learn a few things and might add a little nice twist to the things on my resume. And who knows, maybe we can pull it off.

Off to see my friends at TreeGate Farm. We are reviving their project…and hope to get some lift for them. RedByrd went back on press. MacDonald on stall  until his rush of work slows a tad. Goodlife wants to relook at where they are.The Farmers Market starts a week from today….and I am getting a bit nutty around everything working out. I had a nice meeting with a board member who recalibrated everything for me…which was a blessing. And so it goes. Local food, local growers coming on with the season.

And the RFP keeps chugging away. Today is the review of all of our insurance work. Left foot, right foot.

Chilly, blue sky day.


R up at 4 a.m. to get a plane to Philadelphia to connect with one to get him to Miami as start of Art Basel Miami. He is back in NYC on Wednesday for a meeting and then back to Miami for the remainder of the week. The first half of the week has the Vernissage, an event practiced by the Europeans which wiki frames up this way:

A vernissage (varnishing, from French), also known as a preview, private view or simply opening, is the start of an art exhibition. Guests may be served canapés and wine as they discuss with artists and others the works in the exhibition. Critics and press may also be present, or invited to separate private viewings.

At official exhibitions, such as the Royal Academy summer exhibition, artists, in the past, would give a finishing touch to their works by varnishing them (J M W Turner was known for making significant changes to works on varnishing day while his fellow academicians were simply varnishing). The custom of patrons and the élite of visiting the academies during the varnishing day prior to the formal opening of the exhibition gave rise to the tradition of celebrating the completion of an art work or a series of art works with friends and sponsors. Nowadays, for commercial shows it is an opportunity to market the works on sale to buyers and critics.

There also is a comparable ceremonial ending of art exhibitions, called finissage. Larger art exhibitions also may have such an event at half time of the exhibition (midissage).

This vernissage is the culmination of some of the work the Hot Glass team at the GlassLab will be producing with the designers they have invited to work with them. Should be great. Vernissage is something that the Museum of Glass introduces as part of their programming with their hot glass outposts. Every time is wonderful, interesting and often pressworthy.

So, I am a bit tired getting up early. There are things to do here, reservations to be made, money to be gotten, appointments to be made. I shot images of K last night which I plan on using instead of a classmate for the NYC or work with a photo project from Hartford. I want a portrait of K and one of A and this is the opportunity to do it. I will check with mentor Murray to get clearance on that. I have a picture of my dog that has gotten published. Maybe this year its my kids? I have always felt that I couldnt do their portraits and have shied away from it. But I think with the black and white chops I have gotten with the vector work, this is something that is possible and quite possibly nice. If I could get one/both done for Christmas, what a present that would be.

No news from the Society of Illustrators on whether I got into the 51st show. Friends have heard if they havent gotten in...but I haven't heard if I have. I wonder if I should call or wait and let the busy people at the Society catch up? Nothing from Illustration West either. I just got certificates from last year's show last week...so they may be running a bit slow on this one. January and February are another rash of entries. I will post.

Getting the snows put on the Wonderbus. The rain/snow/ice/slush fun that we had yesterday makes me very nervous. Thus this shoe change for the car. Too scary without the right traction.

gotta go. work awaits. I have to plan out a few weeks of a photoshoot in order to communicate it to 3 photographers to quote by mid week/next. Lots of chutes and ladders and trap doors that need to get sync'ed.

No turkey today.