It’s a nice coincidence that Steve and I should both be showing in libraries.
My son Matt, an employee of the Cleveland Heights/UniversityHeights Main Library, passed on the news that the library had prepared some gallery spaces in the old YMCA building across the street. I was urged to contact the appropriate people to get in line as an exhibitor. Before long I was summoned down for a confab to learn that I had a one man show in the offing and a month to get it together.
I had a few thematic options available including the chains, ladders, plastic, plaster and the various oddiments that have appeared on this site. However, some factors constrained my choices. For one, all available walls are equipped with hanging rails which limit the weight of mounted objects and which tend to be visually compromising. Furthermore, the one dedicated space has a low ceiling, limiting vertical dimensions. The other two spaces are a short wall in the computer room and a reading room which turns out to be the best exhibiting area. These are busy and I had to take into account their public nature. I didn’t want to install anything that would tempt people to mess around. On the plus side there is a lot of track lighting.
View of main gallery
Turns out that my modest collection of paintings, done over the last ten years or so, would fill the bill. All in all they are the right size and relatively light weight. I then had to hurry up and make frames for a number of them and put finishing touches on others.
Interior gallery/reading room
The weather was a factor as I had to dodge the snow in order to cut the frames. I was favored with a few good days for prep work and the hanging. The hanging process was made easier with the help of Aaron, who works at a local gallery, and who provided a lot of good advice and muscle.
The entire process was a bit unusual as it was just the show and me with minimal third-party involvement. The show itself began with the first painting hung. I was there last night, checking on things, adjusting lights.
Cotswolds and Lily Pads in reading room
Graffiti and Vaticano in reading room
Ain’t Thinner in reading room
I have a month to go with this exhibit and am tempted to replace some pieces with fresh material.
Once again, congratulations on your show. An entire month to display your work seems luxurious. For what it’s worth, I think it’s a great idea to mix up the pieces every now and again.
I’m concerned that the lighting is bad. The room looks too dark and sometimes the light on the work is unflattering. Is this the case, or is it just a trick of the light due to the camera?
Have you had a show before this? Good luck with it, I hope you will add updates over the next month.
Tree:
There is considerable drop off around some of the painting edges. My version of Photoshop does not appear to have any feature that would clear this up. Of course, when there, one’s vision tends to correct for such unevenness.
Every so often I’ll exhibit somewhere. These particular paintings are being shown for the first time in a gallery setting.
Actually, walking in with fresh material might not be such a good idea as it would create problems in the insurance department.
Jay,
Congrats on the show, and for beating me to a post. I did manage to take pictures at my show one morning before there were people around, so I’ll be able to show what it looks like on the walls.
Do the tables and chairs in one room represent a place where people can purchase a coffee or the like? Even if not, I think it’s nice to be able to sit and have pictures around, looking up from a book or a conversation from time to time.
Too bad you had a low ceiling–your large paintings deserve more room around them. And I agree the mid-height rail is unfortunate. But I would imagine it becomes less noticeable as one moves around and approaches particular paintings.
Steve:
My first out of the chute was merely a matter of sitting with my laptop atop my lap, wondering what to do next. Hurry, don’t tarry with your own post.
The congregate nature of the gallery takes a little getting used to. Most folks make a beeline for the computers and I’m sure that porno on the walls would escape their notice. The reading room functions more like an elaborate coat check with stuff dumped around. A good thing is the quietude which allows one to watch the art without having to watch one’s back.
I say that as the library is a gathering place for school kids, some of whom can be violent. A very good Shreckengost water color was damaged during a fight recently. Fortunately, the gallery space is away from such areas of turmoil.
The rail becomes a greater problem when photographing. I’m urging those with a say-so to paint them to match the wall, which would alleviate some of the issues.
But I’ve got a little tag line that works in both of our venues, and that is: “Take in a show, take out a book.”
‘aint thinner … Mineral’ is so Jay.
The ambiance of the room with the furniture looks more appealing. It is good to sit down and look at pictures leisurely. That is what I do in museums in NYC, sit on the benches and let the pictures work on me.
What did you use to make the frames, wooden molding?
Reading your description of your show gives me a good sense of what it must feel to exhibit one’s creations to the world, deserving or not.
Birgit:
Have a can that says “stripper” in the basement. Shall I be the Ripper? Hmmm.
My feet set the terms of my museum visitations. I’ll bypass entire galleries due to tired dogs.
Yes they are wooden. I made them with the customary tools, using whatever material comes to hand. Cotwolds is framed with plywood provided by an old futon.
I don’t think about exhibiting enough – a failing. So it is a bit of a kick to go down to inspect the work. I tend to forget how I make things, so it’s like looking at the products of somebody else. Judging from the nature of some comments, some people seem to be wondering where I came from. Wizened artists like myself aren’t supposed to be unknown. Me cover is blown.
…’so it’s like looking at the products of somebody else’. Congratulation for setting aside your ego.
Birgit:
Ego has never been a problem.