Pecha Kucha last night

The turnout was awesome for Pecha Kucha last night in Thomaston! Watts Hall was full of enthusiastic supporters of art, wine, Rock City coffee, the Island Institute. Chris Rector, our state senator, did a fabulous job MCing the event and Maggie Blue had done a terrific job putting the Power Point together so that our 20 slides/20seconds for presentation followed each other perfectly smoothly. Isabelle did a particularly impressive job winging it in front of such a crowd! We went over to Billy's Tavern afterward for drinks and more fun. Thanks to everyone who got themselves there to share the evening!

Trigger and Reconfigure at Wellesley

The show is up at Wellesley College at the Jewett Art Gallery. Check it out: http://jewettgallery.wordpress.com
We managed to get coverage in the Boston Globe, in the Critic's Pick section. The opening was well attended and I was pleased to see some of my former colleagues, a coupleI hadn't seen in 20 years! Clara took us all out to dinner afterward and the whole evening was lovely. I drove home the next morning and went right to my studio--a logn lost adventure these days it seems--and made a new piece in the afternoon.

24 hours in NYC

A quick, quick trip to New York with Bart allowed me to see four things I found worthwhile: a visit to my favorite store in Soho(Evolution), a perusal of a show called Day Job at The Drawing Center, a visit to the Center for Book Arts just to check it out and a fabulously inventive show of works by Robert Rauschenberg at Gagosian which handles his estate. Many galleries were closed for installation and the streets were sloppy with wet snow. A visit to New York from Maine is always good for some deep contemplation of humanity...

New web presence

Not wanting to load too many pictures onto this blog just now...you cansee more images on my new web page on Maine Art Scene. www.maineartscene.com/abbie.read.html
Thw Wellesley show is coming up. I drive down to Boston on January 20 with my work to help install it. Then the opening is the following week on the 26th. I'm excited about having this great opportunity and grateful to Jessica, Antoinette and Clara for all the work they have done to see the show happen!

A new year, new resolutions

I have promised myself (and a few others as well) that I will attempt to improve my relationship with the internet, and specifically this blog...here is some new work....very, very soon you will be able to see images on my new webpage on Maine Art Scene's website www.maineartscene.com

Training for the Gaspe Peninsula

I'm just back from a training ride with Tracy for our upcoming trip to the Gaspe Peninsula. We'll be on the road for 9 days with Tracy and Dave, and John and Sonya, who will ride a tandem. Our ride today involved tackling Clary Hill Road, a steep uphill grade that goes on for probably a mile or so before opening up into blueberry barrens at the top. We both accomplished the climb without having to stop--we're psyched! It's a beautiful day, cool and windy so we started out with layers which were soon removed as we climbed Clary Hill. We stopped for a little break to admire the view a little later on along the ridge then came down the other side of Clary Hill to ride past Beth's Farm Market and onto Middle Road to arrive at Tracy and Dave's two hours later. I had a fierce headwind coming home for their house but the long climb back up to Appleton Ridge along Butler Road was not gruesome, just a long slow slog. I'm feeling more confident about riding on the roads in the Gaspe. The blogs we've read tell us there will be big hills, headwinds, gravelly shoulders and at times heavy truck traffic. And wonderful views, interesting friendly people and a whole different culture to absorb. A little over two weeks to go.