The Art Show

On the morning of the art show, I opened an email telling me two more of my photos had been purchased on zazzle.com. This makes a total of four now. This was starting off to be my lucky day...

I spent the entire day getting myself ready for my first art show. I wore a dressy blouse I'd only worn once before. It was a medium so it was a bit snug and I had to wear the jacket so you couldn't see straps. The palazzo pants I pulled on had not been worn in years so the elastic was rather stretched. Surely I had not worn them when I was pregnant with Rhett! LOL So what could I do but roll them up as I dressed at my parents' house? I needed heels and I had flats. At least the fashion police did not site me. Rhett told me they looked like "Diva pants".

My parents, and Rhett and I arrived in separate vehicles so they could leave when they got tired whereas I would be staying to the end, ever the partyier.

The new lady artist who paints from her dark side, who had one of the weirdest pieces in the show was at the desk where you picked up your name tags. She looked wonderful and told me the same. At the exact same time, we told each other "We clean up well" and laughed. I think we are a bit ackward around each other because secretly we must feel in competition with one another.

My friend Cheryl and her husband Randy were the first of my friends to arrive. She wanted to see my painting then we walked around the room critiquing all the other pieces. Cheryl recognized names of artists she knew which seemed to excite her. We munched on the good food, getting some red potatoe halves with a tiny dot of sour cream. They reminded me of when I worked in Economic Development and the department funded an excavation of the downtown area. We rubbed elbows with the rich & famous families, the elite of old money names. Don really seemed to enjoy that outing. Miriam's catered the food and served the most delicious cold red potatoes I had ever eaten. Days afterwards, I even called them to get their recipe. All they would tell me over the phone was, "Oh, those were poached in chicken broth..." as if I was supposed to know. OK.

Much to my delight and surprise a fellow co-worker from another department unexpectedly showed up. I couldn't believe Jan was there. So my networking paid off even if it only brought in one new person out of all the email invitations I sent. Next came my friends and former co-workers, Barbara and Debra. I was standing by my art so I didn't have to take them very far to see it. I had been so excited just to see my art hanging that I did not pay close attention to the typo in the title. It was supposed to be "I love Ewe", but they had "I Love Eve" which made me feel like a lesbian! LOL Don is always getting on to me for not paying attention to details.

Our dear friend Helen came looking wonderful as always. She couldn't stay long as she had volunteered to usher at the Kenny Loggins concert. Lucky her. My dearest friends Jimmy and Bob showed up with a dozen deep coral colored roses which made me cry. I told them, "I can't believe you brought me roses." I wouldn't let Jimmy take pictures until after I composed myself. He actually took more pictures with his new digital camera than I did. For once in my life I couldn't seem to use a camera. We munched and talked. When they announce the winner of the big award, I whispered to Bob that the winner looked like an artist and Bob agreed. The man reminded me of "Tater Salad" on the Redneck Comedy tour.

Now I told all my friends who came to put my name on the slip of paper in the pot the hopes I might win the People's Choice award. I did not give them a choice to vote for who they liked, but they all voted for me. At least 12 of them voted.

I kept looking at the clock. I thought it was slow and I was getting anxious because Don had not arrived yet. My cell phone was locked in the trunk of my car. I borrowed Jimmy's to call Don. Don asked, "Do you realize I just got off work." I had looked at the clock wrong and apologized.

It was too hot in the room for Bob so we stepped outside into the hallway where there was a breeze blowing. Jimmy and Bob were sitting on a bench whereas I could not seem to sit down so I stood. A hand came around me and it was my friend David. Jimmy and Bob knew he was sneaking up on me, but didn't bat an eyelash. Good thing I did not scream! We stayed there talking, catching up and laughing. It reminded me of the old JCPenney days of us staying after work in the parking lot talking, laughing, blowing off steam which today is called venting. David has now developed diabetes, but like my mom only has to take a pill instead of insulin shots.

Jimmy said he should have shown up in a three piece suit carrying a briefcase and announced he was "from the High Museum of Art in Atlanta and he was willing to pay $47,000 for 'The Bristow' and that was a steal!" We all laughed. I walked inside with David so he could see my work as well as the rest of the show. He filled out a slip then he and I walked around the room. Our tastes are still very similar. I wouldn't take anything for his expression when he saw the weird ones. I had to hide my laugh. Then they announced the winner of the People's Choice award.... and I WON!!! I walked up to the podium with my roses on my arm and felt like Mrs. Congeniality! I won $100.00! I may not come down from this high or stop smiling until next week - if then.

One of the guild's photographers took my picture holding the gray ribbon next to my painting and will email it to me later.

I took David to see Rhett playing on the computer. I showed Rhett the envelope that said "People's Choice Award" on it and said, "Look what I won!" His eyes got very big. I wouldn't take anything for David seeing Rhett's expression. I am sure he was thinking "That is Becky made over." David left and I returned back to the room. They told me someone was looking for me. I figured it was Don, but I didn't see him as I looked around. "Was it a man?" I asked. No, it was a woman. Then my friend Anne, who drove all the way from Carrollton just for me walked up. She alreay knew I'd won the award. We moved over to my painting and talked. Then Don finally arrived. By then most of the food had been eaten but Don walked around looking then got something to nibble on.

Anne wanted to go upstairs to visit with her friends in the geneology department. We were ready to leave also. We collected Rhett who went with me back to my parent's house so I could tell them my great news.

Once home, I cut the ends off the roses like Jimmy told me to do and put them in a vase. My mom got the floral arranging gene whereas I did not. Don was trying to "supervise" by telling me how to place them, but they still looked pitiful which is why I don't work in a flower shop. LOL I did take some pictures of them against a blue chair for the background in hopes that I may paint them one day....

I called my best friend Genie to share with her my exciting news. Then I called my other best friend Penny and now I am glad I did. She found another lump in her remaining breast tissue. She said it is the size of a raisin. On the 26th, she will have a biopsy where they will remove it while she is awake. Then they test it. She hopes it is a fatty cell. I pray it is only scar tissue. Please keep Penny in your prayers.

Today I sent out thank you emails and telling those who did not attend that I won. I received back many, many congrats. One friend said he prayed it would be good for me, but it seemed like the Lord over-did Himself. LOL He certainly did and I am so very thankful. In my thank you email, I said, "I'd like to thank the Academy for this great honor..." LOL because I have always wanted to say that.

The computer kicked off on my so my pictures would not upload. Sorry. I will send them separately tomorrow.