aboutimage galleriescontactsubscribe

The Opening

NOVEMBER 12, 2007
Prep for the show
After going into the city for the American Illustration party last Thursday and a few hours sleep on Mr. Flaherty's couch, I headed back upstate to Woodstock - I had to prepare for my Gallery opening Saturday. But first I had to paint the gallery. Nobody else was going to and there was one stain on the wall that particularly disturbed me.
The smell of fresh paint... Ahhhhhh.
By 9:30 p.m. Friday the walls were clean and white. Now I had to race to the studio and get to work!
Race against time
Midnight and I was in full production using everything in the place- band saw, drill press, construction adhesive, timber locks, and lot's of paint.
The workbench
I downloaded a bunch of Black Sabbath and had it playing full volume- works better than coffee.
Good old Rustoleum
Adding wheels and touching up paint. There are 4 engines.
All made out of found objects.
3:00 am   
First snow
I went outside to find it snowing. By 5:00 as I headed back to the house we had over 3 inches of snow. Then I went inside for my 3 hours of sleep.
Sunny morning
8:30 am and I'm up and ready to get busy. The sun came out and I trudged through the snow to the studio to start loading up the artwork.
Drooling PiƩrre
Some pieces still needed missing elements that had been left to dry.
Old camera and old flashlight
Then bleary eyed I gave everything a final inspection.
Honey, have you seen the egg beater?
Then loaded up tables to bring to the gallery to put the art on. Whew!  Now the snow was melting and dripping on everything.
Taking over the space
3:00 pm Saturday Nov. 10th  One hour before the opening... I still had a lot to do.
I hung everything, raced home to change into clothes not covered in paint, glue, and dust.
I made it!
4:30 pm I arrive at my opening. It was great... first person I see is a good friend from the Ink Tank days. Then drawgers and illustrators arrived.
Chase Pierson
The music was arranged by my friend Chase, which included a guitar, ukulele and a vocalist. It was perfect.
More friends arrived... it was a full house.
Screaming shoe
Pulled off of the tree outside the studio this morning.
Please touch
And kids.... lot's of kids. They loved the fire engines and couldn't keep their hands off them.
I even hung drawings that some kids from my cartooning class did.
Kids enjoying art
" Hey"           "Hey"  
Found stuff from our woods
Lid man in his VW
Fire Alarm
The Fire Alarm was rung by many.
Tow Away Zone
Bob Staake was nowhere to be found, but his car was left parked in front of a hydrant.
He's giving me the Finger!
Then it was over... went home and the party continued. Mr. Hitz joined us for food, wine and conversation.
Mid-night and most had gone to sleep.... I was back at the studio....     The next day I'm in fetal position with an eye twitch... my daughter's birthday party.... 12 screaming girls tearing our house apart and stomping on all our perennials. Pouring salt into the earth. Then they found a microphone to amplify their shrills of joy.
© 2024 David Goldin