Gallery Openings and Other Phobias

I must be crazy to own an art gallery.

Openings are one of my biggest sources of self-induced stress. Kind of like driving the Jeep without a gas-o-meter or a speedometer or a spare tire. Or like walking three dogs at a time because I'm too lazy to go around the block twice. Or like taking the scooter out on the road after it being in hibernation for six months.

Now, all of these things are easily alleviated. Fix the Jeep, walk around the block twice and quit being a wimp about riding the scooter more often. But the art openings...well.

See, I have to be manic about cleaning the gallery (and studio, which is where I live every day, so it's a lot messier than most of the other square footage in the building). I get crazy about it, and drive my daughter nuts about it, too (since she's been living with us, she's conscripted for  "helping" get the place in tip-top shape). Then I have to self-induce stress myself about the food items and getting the wine and making sure I have napkins and oh, God, do I have enough plates? Hanging the art? Oh, that's another story altogether. Will it all fit, which wall is best, which art goes in the window....will people show up....that's the worst fear.

Arts, in today's economy, have taken a considerable downturn, both in the purchasing from artists and in showing up to openings and receptions to support artists emotionally. And, believe me, as I are one, there is a lot of emotional turmoil in creating something and having someone admire it (and hopefully purchase it for their own homes). It's like being naked in front of the school class. No, it's like being grossly overweight and naked in front of the school class. No, no, no....it's like being grossly overweight and naked in front of the best-looking boy in the school class. Etc.

So, if anyone out there is reading this within a few miles of Flemingsburg, I certainly hope you're not terribly busy this Friday night, cause you need to be here at Doodles Studio & Gallery around 5:30 p.m. We have some artists that need your presence. They need your support. They need you to look at their art and give them a reason to continue. They need to know that what they're doing is being seen. That what they do is important to a civilized and cultured society. Very few artists really get rich, and most never can exist by just doing art and it's not always about the money anyway. It's about who we are and what we create.

It's about who...we...are.