"Another Martian Show"
Ashland. May 1, 2008
At the May Art Walk of Ashland, OR, I was the featured artist of Gallery Karon (corner A and 4th). It was the second one-man showing of my Martians within less than a year in Ashland. Karen Wasser, the owner/operator of Gallery Karon, had suggested the theme of the show, “The Martian IRS,” several months ago as a proper theme for the U.S. tax season ending 15 April. I didn’t quite meet the deadline. In fact, I had finished only 14 of the 21 watercolors I usually prepare for a show and its associated booklet. So I brought some of my older work along, remnants from the series “a Trip Through the Greek Islands.” Also on display are a half dozen of my humorous driftwood “sculptures” of Martian birds.
The show was, and still is, a success, according to Karen. If you click on the third line from the top, you can see some photos of the artist reception. I enjoyed especially the following:
1. As at my reception in August of last year, Steve Fain and Dan Feldman (bass and guitar) delighted my ears, and those of the Art Walkers, with a backdrop of soothing chamber jazz that was perfect for any artist reception. Perfect, because the melodies, chords and improvisation of these musical artists didn’t shout for attention, but were complementing the visual art the same way a mellow Merlot complements a “Sauerbraten in Rahmsauce,” one of my favorite dinners.
2. A journalism student of USO, a charming young lady, whose name I forgot, had the assignment to interview “someone” connected with the Ashland Art Walk. She picked me. We bantered and had fun. I could easily have been her grandfather. It turned out, I did more interviewing of her than she did of me. The future of our newspapers is in good hands if all future journalists are as smart and socially adaptable as she.
3. The man who laughed the loudest as he was reading the limericks posted below each Martian painting was the Reverend (I forgot his name) from the Ashland Church of Holistic Transition (see photo “Those Martians are hilarious”). His laughter was so contagious that I had to join him until I was out of breath
4. I met Mark Curcy of the Ashland Magazine, in my opinion one of the finest seasonal art/business magazines in the state. I learned a lot about advertising art and art events in a “small town.” Not all is applicable to Brookings, however, since we are a good deal smaller yet than Ashland.
The “Martian IRS” will be on display until Ashland’s next Art Walk on June 6th, when the theme at Gallery Karon will be “Husbands, Wives and Lovers.” My wife Leslie (fashion design) and I (watercolors of lovers) are one of several artist couples that have been invited to participate. If you come to Ashland in May or June, go to Gallerie Karon (corner A and 4th Street) and see for yourself.
Horst

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