CHRIS ARVIDSON

words and art
 

Many of you might be wondering why, why Chris? why have I said not word 1 about the fact that this week pitchers and catchers reported for Spring Training. Believe me, I've been asking myself the same question. That's why I changed the background theme of this-here website to "turf." I needed some reminding.

The truth is I'm covered over with the details, minute and global, of the March 10 opening of the "Evolution of Words & Art" exhibit which I am managing at the Charlotte Art League AND like a complete dumbass, the simultaneous opening of my own show "Painting Words" the same night in the same place at the samd GD time. It seemed like such a good idea... two ekphrastic shows can compliment one another...one is upfront, the other in the back on the "featured artist" wall...blah blah blah. But seriously? What was I thinking? 

It's all OK. Things are on schedule. My paintings are ready...ok some need to dry a bit more. But I've gotten to the point where I'm waking up at 3:00 a.m. routinely thinking about stuff like, periods after middle initials on the writer's list, D-rings on the backs of some of my paintings, a wholesale rethink on which poems to produce/print... you get the idea. 

So, I think a trip to the store to find a Faygo Red Pop, some hot dogs, and then a look at the MLB TV Spring Training broadcast schedule is in order. I need to PLAY BALL!

Had a break from getting ready for the March 10 opening of the ekphrasitc show "Evolution of Words & Art" that I'm managing at the Charlotte Art Leage (CAL) last night. My writing buddy, and former student Cole (Luther Kissam V) and I crushed it as the featured poets for Waterbean Poetry at the Mic. It was a lousy weather day, foggy, hard rain, and cold, but turnout was damn good anyway. (See the picture in the left column). 

I've been really humping it to get my own ekphrastic work together for the show I'm having as the "artist of the month" in the back gallery at CAL, running the same time as the big show up front. For some unknown reason, many months ago, running these concurrently seemed like a good idea? I'm concentrating this week on making sure all of the oil paintings I'll be using are done and have time to dry by the opening. Whew.  

So let this be a warning -- MARCH 10 -- be there! Charlotte Art League. 6-9:00 p.m. Two, count-em, two fantabulous ekphrastic exhibits. 

The box came today. It is THRILLING. The book looks beautiful. Thank you Finishing Line Press for publishing my work, and for putting my painting on the cover. 

Now, if you've pre-ordered, yu should be getting your copies in the next week or so. Please take a picture of yourself with the book and post in on Facebook, or Instagram, or here on this blog!

You can order the book directly from the publisher at www.finishinglinepress.com. I'm working on getting it into bookstores (you can ask for it at your local bookseller and they can order it for you), and it's available on Amazon as well. 

Lots of fun this week in the snow, with very cold temperatures, and seeing friends. Back when I lived up here in the Traverse City Michigan area, I worked at the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy, with rhe smartest and most dedicated crew ever. 

I met up with Birgit and Glen at the 240-acre site of the new conservancy center, a rennovation of an old golf club in town. After spending 20 years above a grocery store, an office that was too small 15 years ago when I worked there, seeing the conservancy's new home was positively thrilling. In a happy quirk of fate, the Oleson family, above whose store we worked, funded the $1.2 million acquisition of the Mitchell Creek Golf Club. In addition to offices, they'll be a volunteer center/barn, and horticulture/greenhouse facilities. Oh, and they'll be goats. 

Painting with my sister, Lorie, is also on tap this week. You can see a painting I did today, from a picture I took out at the new conservancy home yesterday, at the top left.  It's called Fairway No Mo.