ARCHIVES - President’s Message - September 2005
Entitled Space
By John Muhler
There is always a period of adjustment after you return from a vacation. And flying from coast to coast literally puts you in an alternative time/space zone. You’ve been breathing different air, smelling different things, and of course there is only an outhouse in which to contemplate these things.
Every summer Wende and I head Downeast to the family camp and visit her brother’s family in his neck of the woods- (neck of the woods where does that come from?). This year we were able to avoid the skeeters, black flies and no see-ums by going later and that made all the difference in the world. Not too early in the morning I took my bath in the cool lake water to the tunes of the loons, dried off on a conveniently placed trampoline -in the water- to keep the nasty red fire ants off, and then dramatically increased my heart rate by doing 200 jumping jacks- in doses of fifty or less. The days were spent foolishly playing rummy, visiting relatives and absorbing the sights and sounds of the east. Evenings we read our mystery novels and listened to the bats in the attic- (I could pass on that experience… I kept ducking when they flew even though they weren’t in the room … they were nesting(?) about two feet and a ceiling away.
This was a much-needed vacation after a very busy July… The July that literally changed the way I create art…. It began with a plan to judiciously use the old picture windows from the house and convert the carport into a much needed studio space. I built it in six by eight foot sections in between the posts. Added some French doors and voila- a creative space the likes of which I haven’t seen in nearly twenty years. The size is modest… 13 x 18 but that merely reflects my own self image…. Now, now don’t laugh, in reality I actually at this time I’d rather not get into this discussion… it hurts my head (I guess I really do need a shrink- get it … big head … shrink… o..kay).
Anyway- after a smooth journey home I was greeted by my new studio- and without picking up a hammer or a nail I found I was ready to get to work (or play as I see it). With the music cranked and the tubes squeezed, my brushes went flying and my heart was singing. It will be a full September- with gallery talks, up-coming shows, several portrait commissions and setting up the display of my Life Encounters on Canvas immigrant portrait project at the Snohomish Public Library.
Well, enough of me… and my stuff… I’m sure you have better things to do in your entitled space.
- Johnny D.
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