Studio, Gallery and Life, 37: Rejection

How has your week been?  I know I say this every week – mine flew by.  It’s the first week in three that we haven’t had company.  My daughter arrives today just for an overnighter.  We have a few staged pictures to take and catch up about her trip to Vermont.

Rejection!

Did I talk about my project of making a house for every month of Covid?  Painting the date on the front.  Then, I added up all of my screen time (iphone, ipad, laptop and desktop) for the corresponding. On the side of each house are the total minutes.  Yikes, anywhere from 11,000 to 17,000 minutes a month. Then, I made three different shapes of smaller houses and painted seven lines on each one representing the days in a week.  “How will you/I spend your/my time?”  I made 60 of these.  Here is a close up picture of the houses representing a pandemic month.

Studio Time:

So, I took several months making all of these houses.  It was a good quiet project.  I applied to the Muskegon Museum of Art’s Regional Show.  It’s been years since I have entered an exhibit.  It felt good to think about the process of applying.  I received notice yesterday that my entry was declined.  At first, I thought, “what was I thinking that I should apply?”  Then, I was a bit disappointed.  I took the above picture showing just the months.  After looking at those images, and the houses, I realized that I created this project just for me.  I just might be ready to move on, away from the lockdown, and “really” get back into my studio.  Maybe…or maybe they need to be shown together in another exhibit/show.

In the meantime, Camille is on her way here.  I am looking forward to seeing her.  Dexter, her cat, will be going home with her.  Yeah!  (Sorry, Dexter).  I am a dog person.  We took good care of him but her is ready for his mommy.

Articles and recipes for your perusal:

Alice Neel belonged in the Village.

The Week’s best photojournalism

Best Friends Forever

From the Farmer’s Market:

I am finding beans, tomatoes, and herbs.  This recipe is perfect for now.

Green Bean Salad with Cherry Tomatoes and Feta

SERVES 4 to 6

To make the beans in this salad tender, bright green, and deeply flavored, we blanched them in highly concentrated salt water (¼ cup of salt to 2 quarts of water). This quickly softened the pectin in the beans’ skins, so they became tender before losing their vibrant color; it also seasoned them inside and out. We made these flavorful green beans the star ingredient in a summer-perfect salad.

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ pounds green beans, trimmed and cut into 1- to 2-inch lengths

¼ teaspoon table salt, plus salt for blanching

12 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon lemon juice

¼ teaspoon table salt, plus salt for blanching

¼ teaspoon pepper

2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (½ cup)

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

If you don’t own a salad spinner, lay the green beans on a clean dish towel to dry in step 2. The blanched, shocked, and dried green beans can be refrigerated in a zipper-lock bag for up to two days.

INSTRUCTIONS

Bring 2 quarts water to boil in large saucepan over high heat. Add green beans and ¼ cup salt, return to boil, and cook until green beans are bright green and tender, 5 to 8 minutes.

While green beans cook, fill large bowl halfway with ice and water. Drain green beans in colander and immediately transfer to ice bath. When green beans are no longer warm to touch, drain in colander and dry thoroughly in salad spinner.

Place green beans, tomatoes, oil, mint, parsley, lemon juice, pepper, and salt in bowl and toss to combine. Transfer to platter, sprinkle with feta, and serve.

(From America’s Test Kitchen)

I made this recipe and it was nice for a summer time supper.  I added walnuts and it was a meal.  Take good care,

C2.