Supercharged Weekend Part Two

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My sincere thanks go to Keri Wallace and Connie Buntrock of the Cross Timbers Fine Arts Council (CTFAC) for making this blog post possible. Ladies, my hat is off to you! Geraldine Roe of Roe Art in DeSoto, Texas provided custom frames and mats that made the prints look great. Thank you, Jerry!

You may recall I escaped the reunion party with just strength enough to crawl into bed. I slept the sleep of the just and was in fair working order when the alarm sounded on Sunday morning. This was to be my big day. Actually, it would be the third big one in a row. I kept my dawdling to a minimum and was dressed and on the road by half past 10. The open house and art show began at 1:00pm. I arrived on time. I did not make the mistake of dining at the Hard Eight Barbeque Restaurant before the event. Last time, I arrived looking like I finished second in a food fight. As delicious as it was, I did not want to wear the menu on my good shirt.

There were few cars at the gallery when I arrived. “Good,” I thought. I brought a few more pictures and I now had time to install them without interruption. The CTFAC gallery never looked better. Tasteful Christmas decorations brightened every room. Accomplished artists and crafts people staffed displays of photographs, textiles, jewelry and more. I found them all impressive.

An a cappella choir provided cheery Christmas carols. The gallery also furnished cakes, cookies, punch and more delights than I can name for the snacking needs of guests and artists. Gee, I hope some of it was for artists. I dived in, carefully selecting treats that looked good on a white shirt. When the choir finished, a wonderful harpist began playing. I understand why pictures show angels with harps. The music was heavenly. It made everything right with the world.

Guests arrived in a more or less steady stream from 1:00 through the close at 5:00pm. Feeling a bit sheepish, I stood my ground in the room assigned to me. In no time, I began to meet friends and relatives who accepted my invitation to attend. I also met many new people. Most all of them were complimentary, even if they did not purchase. I found the many compliments reassuring. Better still, more than one guest paid actual money for my prints. I was ecstatic! What could be more complimentary to a starving artist than to open one’s pocketbook and buy the product of his labor? Let me answer that for you. Nothing. More than a few prints found new homes. I am particularly grateful to Charles and Gayle Ledbetter. They stocked-up. Thank you. I believe you chose wisely.

At the end of the day, I began the long chore of packing up. It was dark when I reached the highway leading toward home. The Hard Eight closed before I could get there and I was too tired to care. As misty rain cloaked the highway, I lit the fog lamps and poured gas to the engine. My trusty car whisked me swiftly and quietly homeward. I was “On display” most of the day. Now, I sat in the dark quiet of the car and felt warm, lucky and satisfied. It was a good beginning. The middle stripe ticked by in a blur.

Once home, I went straight to bed. Exhaustion claimed me.

When I awoke, I was surprised to learn it was still Monday, December 7, a day that lives in infamy. I remained near comatose until noon. I completed the day by doing nothing. It was all I could manage. I was beyond exhaustion. Who knew something so enjoyable could be so demanding?

Today, I am fully recovered and a legend in my own mind.  It is a small but important start.

Merry Christmas to you all!