White Elephant Cafe, Augusta, Georgia, June 2007, photo © 2007-2008 by QuoinMonkey. All rights reserved.
I don’t have much energy for writing. Liz and I spent the day at the Frida Kahlo Exhibit at the Walker Art Center. Then romped around the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden and Conservatory, snapping photographs of:
That’s our idea of a FUN day. This is a sculpture by Claes Oldenburg that’s pretty famous around these parts. Oldenburg’s wife and collaborator, Coosje Van Bruggen, contributed the cherry as a playful reference to the Garden’s formal geometry. It reminded her of Versailles and the larger-than-life dining etiquette of Louis XIV. She also conceived the pond’s shape in the form of linden seed.
The sculpture was a gift from Frederick R. Weisman in honor of his parents, William and Mary Weisman in 1988. The Basilica of St. Mary is in the background (left).
Spoonbridge and Cherry, 1985-1988
aluminum, stainless steel, paint
354 x 618 x 162 in.
The Frida Kahlo Exhibit – all I can say is WOW. I’m still reeling from standing a nose width from her paintings. And viewing the 80 or 90 vintage family photographs of Frida and Diego Rivera. More to come on Frida. We’re thinking of going back Monday night during Members Appreciation.
When we arrived at the Walker, the wait to get into the exhibit was a minimum of 1 hour. But there was a Members Express line that would roll us right into the exhibit in 5 minutes – we’re now members of the Walker. If you live in the Twin Cities, or even within 100 miles, I recommend you see it before it leaves on January 20th. Chances are it will be a long time until you have the opportunity to view a collection like this again.
We’re on the downside of New Year’s week. I’m wondering what other gifts in the form of:
people received for Christmas. For details of the White Elephant ritual, I refer you to the comments in the pig post, On Collecting Pigs Against Your Will (Comment 42 and on). Do you have any Christmas presents you’re going to return? Ties, wallets, shirts, an hourglass, or maybe some time in a bottle?
The White Elephant Cafe was a bar in the 1950’s. Last June my mother, step-dad, and I took a drive down Broad Street in downtown Augusta, Georgia. I took photographs. They talked about their memories of Augusta. The White Elephant was a place my grandfather used to frequent. The stories were rich.
Now they serve Southern lunches with: White Elephant Peanut Butter Pie and Moroccan Chutney Meatballs on Couscous. The most expensive thing on the menu is the: Rib-eye Grilled in a Peach Balsamic Sauce Topped w/ Peaches & Bacon served w/Smashed Red Potatoes for $18.95. I’m drawn to the: Smoked Salmon Hash for $8.95. Anything hash and I’m there.
New Year’s luck, did I mention I’ve had my fill of black-eyed peas. Remember all those extra:
I cooked up in bulk? No way I could eat them all. Ugh, tummy rumble.
Well, that’s it for Saturday. I’m heading off to watch a movie on the couch. Over and out with a portrait I took of Liz in the Conservatory at the Sculpture Garden after frolicking in the snow.
Any other White Elephants? So far I’ve heard about a Starter Pig and a bottle of Stay Young pills (2 a day for the next 40 years). Next year maybe Love Potion #9. (I remember the 60’s song by the Searchers? But something tells me they weren’t the first to record it.) Too tired for more research tonight. Off to see the Wizard.
-related to post, Dreaming Of Frida Kahlo
-posted on red Ravine, Saturday, January 5th, 2008
The spoon-and-cherry shot with St. Mary’s in the back is fabulous. The old and the new. The traditional and the inventive. The contemplative and the playful.
I’ll look forward to more on Frida. When you said you stood a nose width from her paintings, I had the same sensation. I considered how long a paintbrush was, and stood that distance away. I’d think, “Frida stood right here. Right here.” It made her feel very close to now.
When I first met Liz, I remember being amused that you both carry the minimum of one (often two) cameras around your neck nearly anywhere interesting that you travel. The Camera Couple. I see by this photo that nothing has changed. 🙂
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Hmmm… A quick search tells me that “Love Potion #9” was recorded by not only The Searchers, but also The Coasters (the version I’m familiar with), and The Beatles. The Beatles? Really? Because I didn’t know, nor would I have guessed, that.
For the record, I didn’t get any returnable Christmas presents. I got meats and herbal teas, and was quite happy with that. But a white elephant would’ve tickled me, too.
P.S. I like the way you’ve incorporated the photos into this post. What’s that bit about 1000 words?
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Teri, thanks for the kudos on the photograph. I took quite a few yesterday and this is the one that Liz said I should post because it combined the old and the new of Minneapolis. That’s what makes it even sweeter that you so eloquently commented on that as well. Thank you.
I saw on the link that America’s first Basilica, St. Mary’s, is celebrating its centennial this year. And with Minneapolis at 150 years, it’s a big year for local history. I just love that.
The portrait of Liz, isn’t it sweet? Of course, I had many more with her cute face romping in the snow. And standing in the Conservatory. But we like to keep things anonymous around here.
Liz is a great photographer. But her true love is video. She’s been looking online at video cameras lately and I think she might want to purchase one in the next few months so she can start doing some serious video. It will combine well with her art and psychology.
It’s true, we rarely go anywhere without our cameras. And when I go back and look at my photographs from Down South last June, I am so thankful I have them.
Like Sam says, a picture is worth 1000 words. And looking back at the photos, I know exactly where I was, what was happening – photographs are connected to memories for me the way smell is connected to memory.
Luckily, I can match the photos to the digital voice recordings of my parents. It really makes the memoir come alive for me.
More on Frida in a few minutes! 8)
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Sam, thanks for researching Love Potion #9! I had forgotten that the Beatles had done it, too. I’ll have to check out what album that was on. And the Coasters! They are the ones I was trying to think of when I was nearing the end of this post.
I’m glad you were happy with your Christmas presents. That means No Returns! I’m looking forward to using the Borders gifts certificates. And I love the Butter Socks from Coldwater Creek. Red stripes and boy are they soft!
The White Elephant gift exchange is so much fun. It makes me want to do it with my friends next year if I’m in the TC. If not, my family in PA.
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Teri, the Frida exhibit was truly amazing (to use a few lame words). I’m still digesting. When we joined the Walker, the woman said that they had the most attendance they’d ever had in December. And they’ve extended the Walker’s hours to accommodate all the people who want to see the exhibit.
But, you know, once I got inside with Frida’s paintings, I forgot all about how many people were there. Liz and I were both so captivated, we slow walked behind other people to painting after painting, drinking in the details.
The people that attended fell into no particular camp either. All kinds of people, all ages. I was really touched by this young girl who must have been about 8 years old. She was walking around with a sketchbook and pencil, sketching Frida’s paintings.
What is it about her work? It’s so accessible to everyman. And seeing the photographs of her life in conjunction with the paintings – who could ask for more.
I hope I have the energy to do a post on the exhibit this week. I took a lot of notes. I have to look back over them and see what pops out at me.
By the way, yesterday was the Walker’s Free First Saturday for families. The first Saturday of every month is free admission. I like that the Walker and the Minneapolis Institute of Arts both have free days. It keeps great art accessible to those who might not otherwise be able to afford it.
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That sounds like my idea of a FUN day, too. I’d love to see the Frida Kahlo Exhibit. I look forward to your more on Frida.
No White Elephants for me this year. We’ve pared down the gift giving so much that everyone in my family seems to get just a few items they really want. Since I’m not working I didn’t have to participate in the kind of gift exchange that might have resulted in a returnable gift or two.
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QM, the photo of Spoonbridge and Cherry is wonderful. The sculpture is so whimsical. I, too, love the juxtaposition of the cityscape — and old buildings in particular — in the background. And the snowscape. It gives a good feel of how the city looks in winter. Beautiful!
Do you know where the Frida exhibit is going next? What an opportunity to see such an extensive exhibit of her work! I can’t wait to hear more about it when you do a post on it.
As far as white elephants go, I got none this year. Well, the closest was the itch control shampoo and conditioner that came in my stocking. Although, my dry hair and scalp do get itchy in winter, so even that was needed if not romantic ; – ).
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Robin, I know what you mean about paring down. Liz and I only exchanged a couple of small things this year. We decided that putting money into much needed work on the house over the last few months was our Christmas present. But it was wholly worth it.
I’ve really gotten into the pattern of trying to give more throughout the year. I just don’t need anymore Stuff.
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ybonesy, here’s the info on the Frida Kahlo Exhibition Tour. Looks like it’s heading to Philadelphia, then San Francisco.
BTW, I wanted to include the sponsors because I think it’s interesting to see who funded the exhibit.
Liz and I stopped at a booth yesterday called Minnesota Citizens for the Arts (MCA). They’re having an annual rally in St. Paul at the State Capitol on Valentine’s Day to encourage our government, corporate sponsors, (and people like us), to keep funding the arts. Exhibits like these are the reasons we need to keep arts funding alive!
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ybonesy, thanks about the photo. Minneapolis in winter is a real mixed bag. Yesterday it had warmed up to the mid 30’s (from our -14 temps of earlier in the week). So there were gray skies and fog all around. It’s even warmer today.
You know what I noticed yesterday as Liz and I were shooting photographs near the Walker? It’s such a joy to have colorful sculpture and art dotted throughout the city. It brightens up the winter landscapes when they get muddy and dirty after the fresh snow is gone.
I can see why the Minnesota ancestors began the tradition of valuing and funding the arts. Gives us something exciting to do inside the museums on cold winter days. And adds spice and color to the gray winter lands.
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QM,
Do you know when the rally in St. Paul is?
I watched the movie Frida after I went to the exhibit. Though I don’t know if the movie is historically accurate, but it was great to watch and see which paintings she made while (nearly) flat on her back in bed. Also, there is a scene in the movie where Diego found the painting of her miscarriage and broke down weeping. It was amazing to have seen it at the Walker with my own eyes.
I wonder if there are audio clips of her voice available on the internet. Wouldn’t it be great to hear her talk about her life? I imagine her voice to be deep and strong. Maybe raspy in a lusty sort of way.
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Teri, I realized I had left off the day so I went back and added it to my Comment 9. (Just so you know you’re not going crazy and I did actually edit the comment!).
The MCA (Minnesota Citizens for the Arts) rally is Valentine’s Day. Do you want to go? I’m seriously thinking about it.
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Teri, I had the same thought after I saw the exhibit – that I wanted to watch the movie “Frida” again. I remember those scenes when she was painting from traction positions in her bed.
Weren’t those last few photographs at the Walker of Frida in traction amazing? I could just feel the pain jumping out from them. I’m telling you, I loved the photos almost as much as the paintings.
I don’t know if there are audio clips of her voice. But I’d love to be able to hear them if there are. I imagine it the same way – deep and strong. I wonder.
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Yes, I’d love to rally for the arts on February 14th. There is also a Poetry Slam at the James J. Hill House in St. Paul that night that I plan on attending. Three actors will be reciting poets from the era of Emily Dickinson and Edgar Allen Poe.
When I saw the photos and paintings of Frida I felt so grateful for health. I can’t imagine overcoming chronic pain.
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A Poetry Slam the same night as the rally? That sounds good, too. I don’t think I’ve been to the James J. Hill House yet. But Liz went there with her Mom once on a tour. (Some know that Hill was a local railroad tycoon. He also had the Stone Arch Bridge built.)
What time? And is there any charge for the Poetry Slam? Let us know details or an info link.
Here’s a general description of the MCA rally:
Advocacy Day 2008 will be February 14th (LINK)
And here’s a link to the FAQ’s about it (including the schedule for that day):
Arts Advocacy Day: Frequently Asked Questions (LINK)
We’ll have to see what we can coordinate as it gets closer. 8) Hope others in the area can attend as well.
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The Poetry Slam is at 7 p.m. You know, it is very close to Garrison Keillor’s bookstore: Common Good Books. I know that has been on your “must visit” list.
The Slam is $8, $6 for Minnesota Historical Society members. I’ve reserved two seats, but could increase my order and you could come under my membership. You, and any other Twin City redRaviners who are reading this. 🙂
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QM, it sounds as though you & Liz had quite a fun-filled day!
I love the photo of the sculpture! I also ejoyed the photo of the “White Elephant Cafe” I hope I can go there the next time J & I are down in that neck of the woods!
As for the white elphant exchange let me clarify it for those who might not understand it. No adult is expected to go out & purchase a “gift”. You simply pick something from your own belongings, something you no longer have a need for or simply did not want in the first place. All gifts are centered on the floor. Each adult draws a number from a basket. The person who has #1 is first to choose a gift. #2 is next & has the option of taking #1’s gift. If #2 does this then #1 chooses a new gift from the pile. #3 can then do the same by taking a gift from another or picking a new one. And so on & so on until all have something. J’s gift was a can of soup! It can be anything at all. Some are a little on the naughty side, so we make sure the children are not near the room. MOM pcked first & hers was quite fun! R3 left with the most interesting one! They can explain! It is great fun for all! D
Also, QM, did I detect a hint that you might be here next year for Christmas? I hope that means Liz also. Don’t tease us !
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Teri, that’s a great offer on the Poetry Slam. Let me coordinate with Liz on the Valentine’s Night plans. We haven’t talked about it yet. I’m thinking about the MCA Art Rally though (during the day). I need to firm up plans and get back to you. So many things going on Valentine’s Day.
Diddy, thanks for clarifying the White Elephant Gift Exchange. I guess people have figured out from your details that the person to draw the last number from the basket makes out the best! They are the last to choose a gift. It’s the luck of the draw. A little chance and a little fate. 8)
It would be fun to come for Christmas next year. I have to see how the plans go. So many places and people to visit, so little time off! I’m trying to talk Liz into coming with me and Mom to Georgia in June. Maybe we could all rendezvous down there for a bit this year. I’m planting the seed.
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Thanks, QM, for posting the next dates for the Kahlo exhibit. I will try to see it during a trip to San Francisco in that timeframe.
Diddy, oy, I guess used dandruff shampoo would have been a true white elephant gift, indeed. I’ve not done the gift exchange with used gifts, but it sounds like much more fun than the versions (usually work parties) where you buy new-but-goofy gifts and do all the stealing-from-others stuff. Used gifts adds a whole new fun dimension.
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QM, consider that seed as being planted! One of my favorite visits to Georgia was the year that you, MOM, & Gritsinpa made there long ago! Do you remember staying in the condo & hearing a noise from upstairs? One of us took a butcher knife & we all climbed the spiral staircase to the upstairs & opened the shower curtain as if we were actors in a Hitchcock movie! OK, so it turned out to be a cat.
YB, the white elephant exchange is truly a blast! Some family members actually leave with some very nice items. Others are not quite as lucky! I would like to add that the children in the family are involved in a “new” gift exchange. It teaches them the lesson of giving & receiving without being out of control. The adult exchange comes after the children’s exchange.D
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diddy, I remember well that trip we took to Georgia. And the midnight prowl up the steps to see what that noise was! It was at Uncle B.’s airplane hanger wasn’t it? Oh, that was a fun trip. Mom gave us all Garfield sleeping shirts. I don’t know if I have mine anymore. I think that was the last time I had boiled peanuts from a roadside stand, too. We didn’t get them last time we were there. Thanks for the memories!
That’s interesting about the the “new” gift exchange for the kids. I remember how nuts they used to go with all those presents. It *was* kind of out of control. How does the exchange work for them now?
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QM, that was quite a memorable trip & I remember the Garfield night shirts! Gosh, boiled peanuts! We just had some at the Outer Banks in NC in September. And yes, the condo was attached to Uncle B’s airplane hanger. It was so peaceful there!
The childrens exchange is great, although there aren’t as many children anymore! They all grow up before you you even know it! The family has grown so much in numbers & that is why we do the white elephant exchange with the adults. We did it one year when you were here for the holidays. Your gift was a fold up Army shovel provided by J.
D
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QM…I am SO GLAD you and Liz got to see the Walker exhibit and loved it. I have to wait until San Francisco.
That giant spoon is so cool. I wish I had known the place was there when we traveled through!
Hey yb, maybe I’ll run into see you at the SF show.! I stay at the Triton when there. You should check it out. Quirky place at the entrance to China Town…Fortune Tellers, Crazy Bell Hops and rubber duckies! Try Julie’s supper Club if you get the chance.
🙂 H
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H, I remember when you traveled through Minneapolis. Wasn’t it you who did that post about being on the I-35 Bridge before it collapsed?
Yes, next time you come through the Twin Cities, head over to the Walker area. I personally think it used to be cooler when the Guthrie was there, too. But that land has been completely cleared now. I think they are going to add another sculpture garden if I remember correctly.
The Frida show, I hope you get to see it in San Francisco. It would be great if you and ybonesy hooked up there and saw the show together. I can’t recommend it enough.
Even if people are unfamiliar with her work or don’t like the surreal qualities of it, they will still be moved by her paintings and the photographs of her life.
The same thing I learned about writing applies to art: it doesn’t really matter if you like the piece of writing. Or the art. You can still learn a lot from the writer or artist: their processes, work, and the way they lived their life.
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Diddy, I remember that fold-up Army shovel. It had a green canvas cover to it, too. I kept it for the longest time and took it on camping trips. I can’t remember if I still have it. Or if I gave it away when I moved. It might have gotten rusty.
Just goes to show you, when it comes to the White Elephant gift exchange, one man’s ceiling is another woman’s floor!
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[…] -related to post, White Elephants On Art […]
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Teri, regarding your comment (#16) about the Valentine’s Day Poetry Slam:
Liz and I talked about Valentine’s Day and decided we want to go to the slam and to Common Good Books. So can you still get tickets? (Any other local red Raviners taking Teri up on her generous offer?)
We are also going to the Minnesota Citizens for the Arts rally that day (comments 15 & 9). Are you up for that?
We decided our idea of a romantic day is to go to an Arts rally, do a poetry slam, and hang out with friends. (Does that make us crazy?) Nah, I don’t think so. We’ve still got the whole rest of the night after all that. 8)
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QuoinMonkey: The White Elephant sign is a wonderful image. I almost want to print it, and hang it up.
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Stevo, thank you. That is a great compliment. I am drawn to signs of all kinds. I don’t know why. I love to photograph them. And if they have particular meaning to family history, all the better. I like typography and graphics.
You know what struck me about this Cafe sign was the unevenness of the edges and borders of the letters. And the difference between the font in White Elephant and the font in Cafe.
The sign looks like it could be from my grandfather’s day. But it probably wasn’t…more made to look that way. Still it makes me want to know the history of how it came to be hanging there with those waffley letters.
There is something, too, about the shades of red, green, and blue. Brick is so much a part of the history of Augusta. As well as part of past family history.
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QM,
I read through the comments on this post today, and these lines you wrote in Comment #5 hit me in my heart:
“I was really touched by this young girl who must have been about 8 years old. She was walking around with a sketchbook and pencil, sketching Frida’s paintings.”
I imagine no one stood over this child with threats of no allowance if she didn’t bring her sketchpad to the Walker. She already knows what she wants. I hope life doesn’t force her into becoming something dull and monotonous.
Of course, I want to be 8 again right now (with the knowledge of someone who is 46) and stay close to that kid who was writing in the Quonset hut in the dead of winter. I don’t feel like saying something cheerful like, “Oh, I needed all those other detours to make me who I am today.” I just feel the grief or anger or frustration over the lost time.
Perhaps I’ll have some fishsticks today. One of my favorite foods (served in the school cafeteria) when I was 8.
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[…] earlier this week of Spoonbridge and Cherry, 1985-1988, which came out in red Ravine post “White Elephants on Art,” reminded me of a fascination I once had with spoons. Their shape and size, the way they […]
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Teri, lost time. That’s a big one. I think many people grieve lost time. I suspect you are not alone.
The little girl at the Walker who was sketching Frida, I can still see her smile. She was one of the only children that age who was in the mobbed exhibit that day, so she stuck out for me. Liz and I both noticed her and went out of our way to compliment her drawings. She simply smiled and kept drawing. But I noticed she made a point to see us again. I never really ever saw who her parents were.
There were many young kids in strollers and crying babies that day. But I’m especially drawn to connecting with kids aged 8 – 12. I think it’s because it’s the age I felt most lost – but at the same time, most free to explore. It seems like the years when the core of who I am was formed.
I hope she keeps drawing, too. And finds her way with her art. Did you have the fishsticks the other day? Yum. I used to love fishsticks. We had them at home sometimes, too. I can’t eat them anymore because I’m allergic to fish. Let’s see – what other foods did I like as an 8-year-old?
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I’m glad, QM, that you came back and commented on Teri’s insight and response to the little girl in the gallery. That response has been sitting with me since I read it. This morning I decided I was going to do a whole post about it, it was that strong for me. “It” being that notion of how our parents shape what we do, who we become, and how that shaping can be along the lines of the natural contours of our strengths and preferences, or how it can go against the grain to follow what our parents want for us, what they think is right for us. How that kind of parental guidance/pressure/expectation has changed over time, and why I think it’s changed.
The image of the girl with her sketchbook struck me, too. And I had a similar sort of pang as Teri did. So when I read Teri’s comment, I was kind of amazed.
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ybonesy, I hope you do that post. It sounds timely. I had no idea when I mentioned the young artist at the Frida show, that it would have an impact. It definitely affected both Liz and me – enough for us to stop and talk to her. You just don’t see that everyday. And it was most striking in the hoards of adults that were there, milling around and chatting about Frida’s work.
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[…] 13, 2008 by QuoinMonkey I wonder if the 8-year-old girl, who was sketching at the Frida Kahlo exhibit a few weeks ago, will someday look back with wonder like Ray Bradbury. It could […]
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I bought groceries last night, and stood in front of the frozen fish section for about five minutes. The pictures on the boxes just looked so…wrong. The McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish Sandwich has the sort of fish we had in my grade school cafeteria. I may go there and order two patties, no buns.
Though I get frustrated and sad about the years (and years and years) that have gone by in an unconscious blur, I do believe there is power in redeeming my life from where I start now. And I’m not just trying to sound like a Pollyanna. By the way, I saw the movie Pollyanna for the first time two years ago. That girl really *was* a Pollyanna.
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I just got back from an Artist’s Date. I went to Amazon Bookstore and perused their used books selection in the basement. In the spirit of being 8, I found and bought a book that was published when I was 7: The Best American Short Stories of 1968. The first story was written by James Baldwin, “Tell Me How Long The Train’s Been Gone.” It that isn’t a classic James Baldwin title, I don’t know what is.
The book smells old. It’s in nearly perfect condition. 75 cents.
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I used to love McDonald’s fish filet sandwiches when I was in high school. We had an open campus and often went there for lunch. I liked the tartar sauce, although now that I think about it, it tasted awfully similar to the special sauce in the Big Mac. Hmmm…
Your dates sound so fun. I think that sounds like such a great idea, buying that book. I was also 7 when it came out, so I’ll be interested to know how the Baldwin story is. And any others. Good price, btw.
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Oh, the McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish. I used to love those things. I wish I could still eat fish. I’d run out and grab one for lunch.. 8)
When I was in PA in November, my brother and I were driving around picking up a few last minute things for Mom’s 70th birthday and we passed the McDonald’s that I used to frequent with my friends in high school. We lived in a rural area and this McDonald’s was the only fast food thing around for miles back then. I have fond memories. And it’s still there, probably on its 100-billionth hamburger sold since 1959.
Teri, reclaiming your life at any age is powerful. And you are setting such a great example for others who don’t figure out until later in life that they want to write or do art or photography for a living. I find your story inspirational. And others can find strength in it.
James Baldwin – now that’s a writer after my own heart. I will always connect him to Natalie’s Intensive last year. Because that’s where I first read his work. What I find astounding is that books are timeless. It doesn’t matter how old they are (or we are) — when we read them for the first time, they come alive again. And the writer lives on through his/her words.
Your Artist Dates rock! And I’m glad you’re supporting Amazon Bookstore. They have a long history of supporting women writers (before it was considered lucrative or trendy to do so).
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Since we read James Baldwin for the Intensive, I’ve heard his name referenced no less that five times in movies, lectures, etc.
Speaking of coming to our art form in the middle of life, I interviewed photographer Doug Ohman last week. We sat at Trotter’s Cafe in St. Paul and he told me his entire story–from being special ed in grade school, to becoming an executive at the Mall of America, to recently publishing a series with the prestigious Minnesota Historical Society Press. He has broken every (and I mean every) rule for how it is all supposed to go in the creative life. I was hanging on his every word. He is 47.
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Teri, cool that you interviewed Doug Ohman. Will you be publishing the article? Print media or online? Please come back and let us know so we can check it out.
I didn’t know that history about Ohman. It sounds like he is doing exactly what he wants to be doing now. The choices people make to get where they need to go always fascinates me.
Liz and I watched a film on the Documentary Channel last night called Beatrice Wood: The Mama of Dada. She was an artist, writer, potter who was once the lover of Marcel Duchamp. But the amazing thing is that she was making pottery and living precisely the way she wished to live until she passed on at 105!
With that in mind, we might have over half a century ahead of us to read, write, do art. You just never know!
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Living fully until 105 would be amazing! What were her secrets? How did she avoid illness, arthritis, and all?
The story about Doug is going to be in print media–a newspaper in West-Central Minnesota, and (hopefully) a magazine in Northern Minnesota. I left our meeting full of hope.
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Looking forward to your article, Teri. Keep us posted.
Beatrice Wood was amazing. I don’t think she necessarily avoided all the things you mention. But it seemed like, no matter what (failed relationships, lost lovers, old age, living alone) she always had her friends and her art (her practice). She also laughed a lot.
She had her pottery studio (with kiln) right in her home that had a view similar to O’Keeffe’s at Ghost Ranch. So every day she got up and looked at the mountains. And worked on her pottery.
If I had to narrow it down to a few words, I’d say she stayed vital to age 105 by:
-holding her practice close to her
-practicing her art every day
-nurturing friendships
-laughing (and smiling tons)
-living a place that she loved (close to nature)
-showing gratitude for her life
That’s just my observation. I found her to be delightful.
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[…] with your art or writing, writing in a group, submitting your work? Do you support libraries, rally public funding for the Arts, frequent museums, encourage your kids to do art. Or is it as simple as showing up to the page, at […]
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[…] largest urban sculpture parks and visitors to the Twin Cities don’t often leave without walking the 11-acre home to more than 40 works of […]
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[…] & Cherry at the Walker (see my foggy winter photograph of Spoonbridge & Cherry in the piece White Elephants On Art). It is the scale of these sculptures that draws me […]
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