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Cat Forum / Cat Anecdotes / May 2005I'm BACK! (Sorta OT)
Got back from the trip to Huntsville with my LLL, John, a couple of hours ago. He's back on the road again. The art show was a total bust. Not sure what happened but it just didn't get anywhere near the crowds we are used to. Victor mentioned the weather (4 Cat Night) and I definitely think that was a factor. When we set up on Friday afternoon it was gorgeous, sunny and about 75F. The temps dropped 30 degrees overnight and it was overcast, windy and in the afternoon started sprinkling during the show Saturday. It was clear on Sunday but still didn't get above 55F. The other factor, as most of the exhibitors mentioned, is this is the first year they've charged admission to the show ($8/person). So there just weren't any people there. No one really made out well at this one from what we heard from the other exhibitors. We thought we had a sale on a big painting Sunday afternoon; the couple lingered a long time, asked a lot of questions. From the diamonds dripping off the woman I could tell money wasn't the issue. They said they wanted to think it over but they never came back :( We took our time driving back to Memphis. We stayed last night at a motel in Walnut, Mississippi. We really have no idea where the town of Walnut *is*. All we saw was the motel (a very nice one, and cheap!), a gas station and a Subway Sandwich shop. The town must have been off the main highway; we weren't curious enough to go look for it. We grabbed Subway sandwiches from next door and ate dinner at the table in our room. Here's the on-topic part. We stopped at the vet to pick up Persia and Peaches and John got to meet my babies! When we got back to my apartment, I unzipped the carrier and Persia popped out. She spotted John and ran off about 8 feet, eyes wide, staring at him. He laughed, "Look at her looking at me!" Mom, who the heck is *that guy*? Of course she made up her mind and hid so he didn't get to pet her but he didn't really expect to. I've told him all about her little quirks. Persia is, of course, glad to be home. But she's still occasionally walking through the place meowing as if she thinks I'm going to leave again. She's settling down, though. The vet re-upped her shots on this visit. And she weighs 18 lbs! He wants me to cut her food back to 3/4 cup a day; half a cup in the morning and 1/4 cup at night. So, with the exception of the show (AAAARRRGHHH!) it was a great trip. And even though I miss John already, it's good to be home. Jill  SignatureI used to have a handle on life...but it broke off. > Got back from the trip to Huntsville with my LLL, John, a couple of > hours ago. He's back on the road again. [quoted text clipped - 47 lines] > -- > I used to have a handle on life...but it broke off WELCOME BACK!!!! Weeble will be so happy, once Persia finishes patroling her turf and writes him back!!!! OMG, Persia is 15 lbs!!!!! Now that's one *fluffy* kitty! Tennessee was only a smidge over 15 at his heaviest, and he's down to 13.5. Please tell Persia to watch her weight, Weeble wants a *healthy* girlfriend! (like I should talk - LOL) Anyway, I'm sorry that the show was a bust, but at least you did spend some time with your LLL, and he got to meet Persia & Peaches (even though Persia decided to play hide-n-seek, without any other participants). SignatureThe ONE and ONLY lefthanded-pathetic-paranoid-psychotic-sarcastic-wiseass-ditzy former-blonde in Bloomington! (And proud of it, too)© email me at nalee1964 (at) insightbb (dot) com http://community.webshots.com/user/mgcmdjeep >> Got back from the trip to Huntsville with my LLL, John, a couple of >> hours ago. He's back on the road again. >> >> The art show was a total bust. Not sure what happened but it just >> didn't get anywhere near the crowds we are used to. >> Here's the on-topic part. We stopped at the vet to pick up Persia >> and Peaches and John got to meet my babies! When we got back to my >> apartment, I unzipped the carrier and Persia popped out. She spotted [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] > Weeble will be so happy, once Persia finishes patroling her turf and > writes him back!!!! I'll make sure she does her duty and writes to him very soon! > OMG, Persia is 15 lbs!!!!! Now that's one *fluffy* kitty! Tennessee > was only a smidge over 15 at his heaviest, and he's down to 13.5. She's *18 lbs!* Even more fluffy than you thought! > Please tell Persia to watch her weight, Weeble wants a *healthy* > girlfriend! (like I should talk - LOL) She's going on the diet starting tonight. They fed her this morning so tonight it's only 1/4 cup. > Anyway, I'm sorry that the show was a bust, but at least you did > spend some time with your LLL, and he got to meet Persia & Peaches > (even though Persia decided to play hide-n-seek, without any other > participants). John was glad to finally get to see her outside of photos. And Peaches :) He saw her and said, "She doesn't have a tail!" She's not supposed to have a long parrot tail LOL Jill >>> Got back from the trip to Huntsville with my LLL, John, a couple of >>> hours ago. He's back on the road again. [quoted text clipped - 37 lines] > > She's *18 lbs!* Even more fluffy than you thought! That was a typo on my part - my tangers got all fingled up ;) I realized just after I hit 'send' :( >> Please tell Persia to watch her weight, Weeble wants a *healthy* >> girlfriend! (like I should talk - LOL) >> > She's going on the diet starting tonight. They fed her this morning > so tonight it's only 1/4 cup. Oh my - she's not gonna like that! Be prepared for her bugging you constantly because her food dish is E M P T Y. Tennessee does that, but at least he *is* getting some exercise following me around and bugging me to put food in his dish. And running toward the dish every time it looks like I'm heading in that direction. Another good thing, the others are all sloppy eathers, always an asteroid field of kibble around the food dishes - Tennessee breaks down and hoovers most of that up! Poor boy - if it weren't for all the fat hanging off his belly, you'd think he'd never been fed at all! >> Anyway, I'm sorry that the show was a bust, but at least you did >> spend some time with your LLL, and he got to meet Persia & Peaches [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > Jill Glad you're back. If you weren't back by this weekend, I was going to start making calls. Another note I forgot to add earlier: According to my map program (MS Streets & Trips), there are *TWO* Walnut, Mississippi! One in west-central, and one in northern MS. I'm assuming you stayed in the northern one, as it's right on Hwy 72, which would have taken you from Memphis to Huntsville. > Got back from the trip to Huntsville with my LLL, John, a couple of > hours ago. He's back on the road again. [quoted text clipped - 47 lines] > -- > I used to have a handle on life...but it broke off. > Another note I forgot to add earlier: > [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > in the northern one, as it's right on Hwy 72, which would have taken > you from Memphis to Huntsville. Yep that was *the* Walnut. We never actually saw a town but there's probably one there. The motel was actually very nice, and cheap. It was a large, clean room with a comfy bed and with a table & chairs by the window. We like to play cards so that's always a good thing. Jill >> Got back from the trip to Huntsville with my LLL, John, a couple of >> hours ago. He's back on the road again. [quoted text clipped - 47 lines] >> -- >> I used to have a handle on life...but it broke off. > Got back from the trip to Huntsville with my LLL, John, a couple of hours > ago. He's back on the road again. > > The art show was a total bust. (snip) Glad to see you back, Jill, but sympathies to you both for the show.... what a bummer. Still, publicity is always good, with or without a sale. Just out of interest, does John have a website? I know it's a totally different kind of art, but it is amazing how many enquiries I get through my own site, and more people look for art online nowadays, even fine art. Even if he doesn't sell directly from the site, he can promote his artwork, and give details of the forthcoming shows, and any galleries where his work is sold. Can be a classy site, with low-res images for a portfolio. Just a thought, anyway. Deb. Signaturehttp://www.scientific-art.com "He looked a fierce and quarrelsome cat, but claw he never would; He only bit the ones he loved, because they tasted good." S. Greenfield >> Got back from the trip to Huntsville with my LLL, John, a couple of >> hours ago. He's back on the road again. [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > > Deb. Thanks for the thought! John has a very old website from when he was still with his ex. The paintings there are years out of date; his style is constantly evolving and he's always changing things in what he thought was a "finished" piece. He doesn't (think) he wants to try to sell online simply because of that, but we've talked about it. He also doesn't do "prints"; it's all original work so once a painting is sold the web site would be out of date or require constant updating. He is NOT a computer person. I'm the computer geek but I've never done a web site in my life. As for galleries, he's had some bad experiences with a couple of them. First of all, they want 40-50% of the sale. A few years ago he sent some paintings to a gallery in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He thought the owner was a "friend". But she'd given the key to the gallery to her then boyfriend and he went in one night and cleaned the place out! John never did get his paintings back. She closed up shop and disappeared. Obviously that's the exception, rather than the rule, but it's put him off handing his work to other people. When he cuts out the middle-man, I've seen him sell $7500 USD large paintings and didn't have to share the $$ with anyone else. One show last year (I think we were in Davenport, Iowa) a couple came in at the last minute and bought THREE pieces, each over $4000. We're talking about how he can best approach things. These shows are a LOT of work. Normally they don't end the way this one did, but he's 58 years old and trust me, the shows are hard work. You can see some of his new works here: http://community.webshots.com/album/332698141UtcsuJ Poor photo quality is strictly my fault. It's hard to take photos of paintings hanging inside a temporary canopy! The last painting (Jill) isn't new. It's one he did of me back in 1985 (we'd split up in 1981, heh, but apparently we never stopped thinking about each other). He gave me the painting on this trip and I hung it last night <G> Jill > We're talking about how he can best approach things. These shows are a LOT > of work. Normally they don't end the way this one did, but he's 58 years [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > apparently we never stopped thinking about each other). He gave me the > painting on this trip and I hung it last night <G> Seems like you and he have thought of most things.... I can imagine how much effort a show takes also. His work is lovely, very impressionistic - he is very prolific isn't he, and the one that shows Persia along with you is great - how flattering to have a portrait done like that! I also particularly like the musicians ones. Well, I wish you the best of luck, hopefully the next show will be much better all round. Deb. Signaturehttp://www.scientific-art.com "He looked a fierce and quarrelsome cat, but claw he never would; He only bit the ones he loved, because they tasted good." S. Greenfield >> We're talking about how he can best approach things. These shows >> are a LOT of work. Normally they don't end the way this one did, [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > much effort a show takes also. His work is lovely, very > impressionistic - he is very prolific isn't he He lives, breathes and eats (not literally!) paint! , and the one that > shows Persia along with > you is great - how flattering to have a portrait done like that! That's not Persia. He painted that in 1985, close to 20 years before I ever dreamed of having a cat. But that *is* me from back when we first dated. He made my hair look like the cat's fur. And yes, I'm very flattered. That piece is now hanging in my hallway. He said he'd never sell it, but he gave it to me. It's a $4000 piece of art. I have several other things he did back in 1979 and 1981, when he was doing pastels on paper. And an early oil from 1979 hanging over my fireplace. > also particularly like the musicians ones. Those are the ones that sell the most. He does a lot of different things but those are the ones he takes out on the road. Well, I wish you the best > of luck, hopefully the next show will be much better all round. > > Deb. Thanks! Kansas City, Kansas should be better. He has a following there. Linda and Steve always come out to buy something from him. Hopefully this year, too! Jill When will he be in Kansas City? Will you be there too? Diane > Thanks! Kansas City, Kansas should be better. He has a following there. > Linda and Steve always come out to buy something from him. Hopefully this > year, too! > > Jill > When will he be in Kansas City? Will you be there too? > > Diane He has a showing at a gallery in Kansas City next weekend; sorry I don't know the name of the gallery but I'll ask if you'd like. I won't be there this time. Some time down the road (June?) I may be with him at the show in Prairie Village - not sure yet. I was with him at that show last year and it was a huge success. It costs a lot for him to jet-set me all over the place. It was pure luck that the drive to Huntsville brought him right through where I live (and where we met and dated all those years ago). Jill >> Thanks! Kansas City, Kansas should be better. He has a following >> there. Linda and Steve always come out to buy something from him. >> Hopefully this year, too! >> >> Jill > >> Got back from the trip to Huntsville with my LLL, John, a couple of > >> hours ago. He's back on the road again. [quoted text clipped - 51 lines] > > Jill Wow, he is *very* talented! Jill, if you'd like, I can do a web site for him on my domain name (PossiblePlaces.com - the "PossiblePlaces" name covers lots of subject matter so PossiblePlaces.com/Art/ or something like that would be very apt). I can get a web site up in less than an hour, so it wouldn't be a big burden for me - and I have *SO* much extra hard disk space that's not being used by my sites that it wouldn't cost me anything extra. All you/he would have to do is get me some good shots of his work (I can Photoshop it to get the best presentation, but the better quality the picture, the better it will show on the web). Then get me some verbiage. I can even set up an email through this domain for him. Anyway, email me privately if you're interested. Hugs, CatNipped > Wow, he is *very* talented! Jill, if you'd like, I can do a web site for > him on my domain name (PossiblePlaces.com - the "PossiblePlaces" name covers [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > CatNipped Also to consider (like the couple who was interested in a painting but didn't come back) sometimes a person may be interested in a painting at a show but are reluctant to make an impulse buy or just don't have the cash for the price of the painting at the time) - John could get some business cards made (very cheap over the web through VistaPrint) with a link to the site and hand them out at his art shows and other places. Then people could go to the site, take their time to look over all the paintings available, and buy at their leisure. I can even set up taking payment over the web site by using PayPal (they just take a small percentage of each sale). [In case you haven't noticed, I really *LOVE* doing web sites! ;>) Hugs, CatNipped >> Wow, he is *very* talented! Jill, if you'd like, I can do a web >> site for him on my domain name (PossiblePlaces.com - the [quoted text clipped - 28 lines] > > CatNipped LOL Great minds think alike! I already got him business cards from VistaPrint. At the shows he accepts checks, cash, credit cards (yes, he has a machine to run them through). I'll talk to him about it. The problem is, as I've mentioned, his work changes constantly. It would be difficult to maintain a web site. He's already sold one of the pieces I took a picture of. But I will mention this to him. He's getting tired of running around the country (sigh). Jill > >> Wow, he is *very* talented! Jill, if you'd like, I can do a web > >> site for him on my domain name (PossiblePlaces.com - the [quoted text clipped - 38 lines] > > Jill I don't think changing pieces would be a problem if you guys have a digital camera - putting them on and off the web would only take a minute, so as soon as he changes you'd just have to shoot off and email to me and two minutes later the site is changed. Hugs, CatNipped >>>> Wow, he is *very* talented! Jill, if you'd like, I can do a web >>>> site for him on my domain name (PossiblePlaces.com - the [quoted text clipped - 49 lines] > > CatNipped You are forgetting, he lives in Arkansas (practically in Oklahoma) and I live in Tennessee. I have the digital camera, he has the paintings. Even with the best telescopic lens in the world... LOL We talked about it again this morning. He likes the idea of a web site but is still mulling over how we could work it. Jill >The art show was a total bust. Not sure what happened but it just didn't >get anywhere near the crowds we are used to. Victor mentioned the weather >(4 Cat Night) and I definitely think that was a factor. Sorry the show didn't pan out for you. You're right that Mother Nature pretty much sabotaged our Panoply this year with unseasonably cold weather for late April, due to a storm passing through Thursday followed by the cold front. Panoply started out 24 years ago as a showcase for local artists and, like Topsy, just grew into our largest, most popular festival. Free to all - just last year attendance topped 90,000 for the two days. But I don't think charging admission this year was a huge factor. Those looking for free entertainment stayed away and most of them probably would not be buying anyway. I think many of those willing to pay admission stayed away solely because of the unstable weather - so we'll blame Mother Nature!!! Better luck next time!!! Jeanne >> The art show was a total bust. Not sure what happened but it just >> didn't get anywhere near the crowds we are used to. Victor [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > cold weather for late April, due to a storm passing through Thursday > followed by the cold front. It really wasn't much fun sitting there in the chilly wind. I'm sure it was a factor with the crowds. > Panoply started out 24 years ago as a showcase for local artists > and, like Topsy, just grew into our largest, most popular festival. > Free to all - just last year attendance topped 90,000 for the two > days. But I don't think charging admission this year was a huge > factor. Those looking for free entertainment stayed away and most of > them probably would not be buying anyway. True. But admission, with paying to park was probably a factor along with the weather. Most of the other exhibitors thought so. I think many of those > willing to pay admission stayed away solely because of the unstable > weather - so we'll blame Mother Nature!!! Better luck next time!!! > > Jeanne Thanks, Jeanne, but there won't be a next time for us for Panoply. There were other things about the show that bugged us. For example, we wanted something to eat. There were very few food vendors there and they'd set them up about a mile (of course I exaggerate) away from where the exhibitors were set up. We weren't told we'd have to buy "food tickets" since none of the vendors accepted cash. So then we had to hunt for food tickets. And we couldn't find even the usual ukky "show food" - hot dogs or burgers or a slice of pizza. Ice cream? Yeah, right. Closest thing to food was Gyros and I hate those things. So we learned that lesson on Saturday and that night ordered a pizza to take with us so we'd have something to eat on Sunday. Another factor which is always (oddly) an indication - we saw no pets. Usually people bring their dogs to the park for these shows and we have fun watching them. In the past, we've even seen people walking around with parrots on their shoulders. This was strictly a two-dog show. We saw one couple walking a small dog on Saturday and another couple walking with another tiny dog on Sunday. That's it. Weather again? Maybe. I don't know what the head count was at Panoply this year but I guarantee it wasn't 90,000 people. Most of the exhibitors were grumbling by the time it was over. We felt sorry for this young photographer a couple of booths down from us. He had some fantastic nature shots and wasn't priced very high. We were happy he finally sold two photos right before the show closed. I think he made about $50 and he and his father had travelled from middle Tennessee to do the show. I didn't realize we could have met you! Of course, I didn't have Persia with me; she's no roadcat like Harri <G>. But what the heck, maybe some day. John and I still had a fantastic time together. It was too short. Some of his new works are here: http://community.webshots.com/album/332698141UtcsuJ Jill I'm so sorry to hear the show was not as successful as it should be after all your hard work. Purrs and best wishes, SignaturePolonca & Soncek > Got back from the trip to Huntsville with my LLL, John, a couple of hours > ago. He's back on the road again. [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > ($8/person). So there just weren't any people there. No one really made > out well at this one from what we heard from the other exhibitors. <snip> > Got back from the trip to Huntsville with my LLL, John, a couple of > hours ago. He's back on the road again. <snip> Welcome back! I'm sure Persia was glad to see you. SignatureAdrian (Owned by Snoopy & Bagheera) A house is not a home, without a cat. >> Got back from the trip to Huntsville with my LLL, John, a couple of >> hours ago. He's back on the road again. > <snip> > > Welcome back! I'm sure Persia was glad to see you. Persia was her usual "I have to check things out around here" self. She was a bit shocked to see this big tall guy standing there when she jumped out of her carrier. She spent a good hour after he left prowling around the apartment, checking everything out. Since then she's been clinging to me like velcro; she's afraid I'm going to leave again. I had to go to the grocery store yesterday to pick up some items for the Minestrone I made yesterday. I wasn't gone 30 minutes but you'd have thought I'd abandoned the poor girl! Jill |
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