allow me to toot my own horn

Despite the crazy rainstorms we had yesterday, it felt like a sunny day for me. I'll have to leave out some details, in order to stick to my subject; perhaps for another blog.

Yesterday was the 37th annual Art Show for the Nacogdoches Art League. I had several other commitments yesterday, but carved out just enough time to make our opening. I'm enternally grateful that i was able to get there just in time, because i had the most wonderful surprise awaiting.

In an unprecedented gesture, the judges awarded 2 Best In Shows: my sculpture being one of them! If i had missed R.R's explanation of how this decision came to be, i doubt i'd have the deep honor that i have. I would have been excited, but i need to hear her words. I felt genuinely validated as an artist...for the first time in years.

She described the effect it had on her--and she was dead-on with where i was coming from. She said that she was drawn to it, it made her feel uncomfortable...yet she saw beauty in it. As she described it, i was thinking "Yes! That's it!" ...she was reading it like a book. Its a self-portrait, and she understood it like she had read my autobiography. I had sucessfully translated my feelings into my art! It was interpreted and had moved someone who understood. As i listened to her, i was moved to tears...and as i write this i am overwhelmed again. I have wanted to produce something for years that meant this much to me. Even better than that...it meant something to someone else, too. It was the best feeling i've had in months! i'm still riding high on this.....

If you live in Nacogdoches, you have until to July 22nd to check out the Nacogdoches Art League's best show ever! (...and i'm not just saying that because of my lil' ole piece, either!) Our beloved SFA Gallery Director, S.B said she felt it was our strongest show yet.