where is my mind?

west wall :: studio

because it's been a long long while.... here's a corner pic..... this corner is in my studio. those are old old paintings of mine. what normally lives in that space is the wire blanket which has been gone and thus we filled the space with my old paintings. i know i made them, but somehow i feel almost disconnected from them now. as if another part of me made those. one that no longer exists. many more corners here . and corners started by the lovely amanda who is has been furiously writing a BOOK!! so very exciting!!

i have spent the last 5 or 6 days with our very special visitor. mr. hugh. he wanted to come back to the Bay Area to see some of his old haunts. he went to UC Bekeley in the 1930's. he has a recollection of prohibition.... he bought is first house in the oakland hills for $2500. $50 down and $25 a month. his best friend then was joe miner .... who met his wife when he and hugh lived together in a duplex on dwight way. he spent a lot of time at george hume's mansion house with a big balcony off the north gate [he had a fantastically gorgeous wife] - at the hume's was a 5 gallon glass jug [like water bottle] of gin that was free for the taking. hugh was naughty at times, but as a southern gentleman he seemed to be able to charm his way out of any real problems or danger. his friends... dick - the chess player w/ an IQ of over 180 - his mom was sweet and gentle. he died young in a car crash. calvin - his buddy from the japanese interment camps [he worked for the government for a spell and spent some time organizing those camps. regretable... but he said he met some fantastic people - even if the circumstances were not so great] who got pneumonia and died... hazel in SF that gave him a spare key to her apt [oh racey!].

he knows his mind isn't the same as it used to be and this frustrates him to no end. it is hard to watch a proud person struggle with buttoning a coat or dropping a napkin. but when there were those moments of pure clarity and lucidity he spoke of those he knew and loved you couldn't help but be captivated. it is my hope to be remembered like that by someone, somewhere, sometime. to hold on to the ones i know and love like that. because in the small details those people are still alive. and now that we know these stories hugh does not have to be the last one standing... the one to make sure joe, and george and calvin are not forgotten.

i must admit, though, that i'm downright exhausted. in the midst of this was my drawing class' first critique.... futile attempts to stay on top of a wholesale order and a website that needs to be built, and one that should be updated.... i did manage to get 3 boxes to fed-ex tonight... off to the next and probably last art show of the year for me....

i leave you with some photos of the last few days.... soon to come are some thank yous... i've been getting some amazing mail lately ! and updates galore to numerous things... and catching up.... what have you all been up to lately??

see wheeler
in front of wheeler hall

knotty tree
can't forget to look up

luck
i think we all can use some luck
happy thursday!

Comments

i love your old paintings!
Anonymous said…
lovely. all lovely. (thanks for sharing. i find that last photo esp. poignant...)
Anonymous said…
i enjoyed that poignant post...and i guess those paintings are a different you..someone else..all part of our journey :)
wow...those hands have a few stories to tell.. have a great day lovely xxx
Anonymous said…
Hi there Lisa,
Your time spent listening to Hugh's tales mirrors my afternoon spent listening to Noel, my elderly neighbour who escaped the shackles of the nursing home for a day to come and visit his old haunts and old chums. When the fog lifts and the lucidity returns is lovely and a little heartbreaking to watch.
take care, g
Anonymous said…
Lovely Lisa
Finally I have managed to read through the last month of your posts and as I read I collected the ideas that truck me must.
I can see you have been busy and that is so good. Producing, teaching, being with friends...all important for the creative process.
I can see you were very disciplined (not like me) and got to the end of your drawing a day. My favourites from the last 2 weeks: drawings on week 52 with birds and that drawing with the words and a bit of what I believe to be a thread has really inspired me.
It's is always great to see your work and how it develops. It's so important to look back and analise what we do and how we grow and what we learn from looking at past experiences.
I also thought it was important that you mention about the necessity of shifting and looking at things from a different perspective. I find this is fundamental for making us observe and develop a stronger body of work.
Also the importance of working everyday even if only a little bit but work, work as only from this constant work we can produce pieces that transmit energy.
I love your collection of polaroids and how they look together.
And the sentence that struck me most..."in the small details those people are still alive".

ps: I wasn't able to get my act together and join in the book club but I'm find interesting the ideas you girls are exploring. Thanks! :)
Anonymous said…
lisa, thanks for the insight into your studio, looks so lovely. Those paintings are really beautiful(i like the colors so much). i can really understand you are exhausted. as beautiful as experiences with your friend are, they don't go by like a light breeze, also you seem to have so much work going on at the same time. I wonder if it is not planted in our bodies to be exhausted after so many experiences; as if this is a sign that reads: hey, stop and take a rest to let it all soak in - and then maybe make something new out of it. thanks for sharing :)
Anonymous said…
hi lisa,
thank you for sharing mr.hugh's story. i really enjoyed reading about him and that last photo of his hands and the horseshoe is gorgeous. so touching!

you have a lovely studio corner and your old paintings are wonderful. i often return to a bit of writing i did and don't recognize it either. the whole idea behind that interests me and makes me want to think more about it.
xox shari
Anonymous said…
I hope that admist your fatigue and busy-ness you take great satisfaction in the incredibly loving time you spent with Hugh. I KNOW he appreciated your taking him around and letting him share his stories A LOT. You and your hubbie are the most!!
bugheart said…
i too have
been thinking
a lot about
how much we lose
{"when a man dies,
a library burns."}
when someone
passes away...
that sharing
these stories
document peoples
lives is how
people
live on...
it's hard to
be patient
when we are young
with those
that are older-
it's
a valuable
lesson
to slow
down
and listen...
thanks so
much for
sharing.
xo
Anonymous said…
Lisa!

Thank you for sharing that story with us. I think venturing into people's pasts can be so intriguing. Its just fun to place yourself in their shoes and be dancing with their memories. My sweetie's grandparents are from Oakland, his grandpa taught at Oakland high for many years. There about the same age as Mr. Hugh, I'll ask if maybe they new of one another, & then I can hear another awesome story( you never know!)
& I officially think your studio must be one of the most rad places to hang out! It's probably so hip & full of creativity!
Try to keep your head afloat with all the busy-ness!

hugs to you!
ash
Jan Halvarson said…
sounds like it was a lovely visit; always so enlightening those kinds.

i can so understand how you feel about your older work. i feel the same when i look at my own stuff. it takes us to where we are today and all so enlightening too. we wouldn't be here if we didn't go there. does that make any sense?
Anonymous said…
You are always so inspiring.
Anonymous said…
I think that I would miss that wire blanket piece so much (it's so wonderful), but my goodness, the replacement - your 'old' art - is just beautiful. I think it's so fascinating how we connect (or don't) from things we've made in the past.
And thank you so very much for your awesome enthusiasm about the BOOK! You are such a dear.
Anonymous said…
i wish that when i grow old somebody listens to my stories...

love the horseshoe, the image contains the whole story :)
thank you for sharing!
wendy said…
I love it, stories told by an old man. I love the timber of their voice...it is lovely and filled with knowledge.
his hands with the horseshoe...very beautiful.
Anonymous said…
really great to read this post and then SEE more ... i heart older people. hugs, mav
lisa solomon said…
hello friends... thank you so much for your kind and generous repsonse to my old paintings... as well as your thoughts on hugh. they have warmed my heart immensely.

ashb - it'd be amazing if they did know eachother - that would be so cool

jan... yes yes i do know what you mean about needing those parts of the past even though they don't look or feel familiar anymore...

gwen... fabulous quote!

paula - thanks for catching up! hope you are well!

hugs to all!!
Anonymous said…
hi friend :D

how ARE you?! I've been stalking your blog, but haven't had too much to say. I'm going to SF on Tuesday & I'm wondering if you have any art in any galleries I can perchance see?! I'd love to see some Lisa Art in real life! Any galleries have any fantastic shows you've seen down there?

Your horseshoe photo was amazing...

Also, I posted a watercolor, since we were chatting about how I'm neglectful & didn't realize a lot of your drawing a day's had watercolor in them :D

Have a fantastic weekend!!!
xo
1 - I love your paintings!

2 - those shots of mr.hughs hands are amazing....

3 - I adore the stories you weave and the tales you tell, they are so wonderful and moving to read.

xx :)
Anonymous said…
lovely photos, lisa, and your paintings are great!
Cally said…
I like the feeling when your own work seems removed, it feels like you own a piece by another person, which is always nice.

I think those 2 paintings are stunning, absolutely goreous.

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