Dearly Kept Opening Report

On a rainy day in April (go figure) I zoomed around town and installed almost all of the 15 sculptures in their various locations -- the Ivan O. Davis Library, Peavey's General Store, Liberty Tool Company, Liberty Graphics Outlet Store, and John's Ice Cream.  The audio worked, after an initial scare.

And the people came. And listened.  

The scene was opposite of what you'd normally want at an opening -- everyone standing around with cell phones up to their ears -- but I was delighted.

It was fun to finally have them all up, and presented well, thanks to a last-minute angelic descent in the personage of new friend, artist and carpenter Wes Reddick, who whipped out 15 custom bases in a day (well, a late night really) and offered excellent technical advice.  Willy Reddick was also very generous with her wares -- she's also an artist and jeweler.  A million thanks, you two!

The Town Office, the Post Office (not the museum one, the working one), and Walker Elementary School all got pieces the following Monday.

The school installation was fun -- the students from my artist residency there immediately knew what I was up to and peppered me with questions and comments.    If I hadn't worked with each of them, and encouraged their own artwork, they might've wondered silently but never would've spoken up.  Here's one for community art!

FYI Dearly Kept phone number  207-228-0301.

Giving a talk at the library Thursday June 9th, 7 pm.