Our New Gallery

Progress is being made on the gallery and we have finally set an opening date. Apr 9, 2011 from 7-10 pm. There will be food, wine and great music. The side street will be closed for the party. Still working on getting the artwork here. Another promise of my work being shipped has been made. Will see if that comes to fruition. I have been busy filling out paperwork for licenses and permits, overseeing work in the gallery, searching for hanging systems and lighting and trying to complete several pieces of work I have in various stages of completion. This month is definitely going to be interesting and exciting.

Trying to get my work...

Along with leaving my old unhappy life in Puerto Rico, I left all my life's work. Thinking they would be in good hands and once I got set up here I would be able to get them back. NOT TRUE!!! My poor paintings are being held captive and I am unable to get them back. All I seem to get is a bunch of empty promises that they will be sent next week...well next week is 5 months already. My fault for ever believing that the promises of a man who I mistakenly thought would actually respect me and my work enough to send them to me. My fault for believing that 16 years with someone actually mattered. My fault for closing my eyes to see that once he was secure enough to know I wouldn't take his pension and retirement, that he could then call off all agreements and prior arrangements. Now my work is probably sitting outside somewhere collection dust, mold and lizard poop. Guess it is kind of fitting as that was what our marriage was like for the last 6 years of it. Dusty, moldy and full of shit!

Then again...what else should I expect from a man who when I caught him fucking a 25 yr old and I confronted him, told me I was crazy and imagining things, or when I told him I wanted to leave him and move on to try to find happiness, asked me if I needed to see a therapist, or when I have proof he is currently screwing a 30 yr old, someone younger than his youngest daughter, who also btw, happens to look like his youngest daughter, he continues to deny it.

Still pushing forward

Last count, 15 lbs and 15 inches gone. Have cancelled my PR trip and am rescheduling for another time. Can't stand to think about having to see or interact with anyone there. The thought of having to go just turns my stomach. So many bad memories and bad relationships. Thank God I have a very dear friend coming with me as my ally. I need all the help I can get to make it through this trip.

Continuing my forward momentum. The gallery is still slow int he making. Waiting on some finalization of some paperwork and then we can get in there and start the prep work to get it ready.

I have lots of painting projects planned and looking forward to getting started on them. Prepared 5 wood panels for encaustics yesterday so I can begin immediately. Discovered a process allowing me to do photo transfers with inkjet prints, so I will be incorporating mixed media into the encaustics.

Have discovered that those who yell the loudest about their need for privacy, have the most to hide.

Sticking to the plan

So far I have managed to lose 10bs. I have started exercising as well. Mostly strength and weight training. I am feeling much more energetic than I had been and am getting a lot accomplished.

A much dreaded trip to Puerto Rico is coming up. I wanted to be there for the first anniversary exhibition of MajiLina, but of course after I already made my travel plans, the date was changed. Wasn't meant to be there apparently. I will, however, have time to make a crate and pack up all my paintings and have them shipped back to FL. I keep having this dreaded feeling that somehow I am going to get over there and not be able to make it back home.

On the home front, I have build a large canvas panel to begin new work on. It will be 3ft x 5 ft. Spent the day gessoing to get it ready.I can't wait to start it. I also have another one in the works that is 3 ft. x 4 ft. It feels good to be back on track!!!

{tay'-cho}

Exciting news yesterday. We have been approved for a space in our downtown area that will be the home of my new gallery, {tay'-cho}. Now the work really begins. Must secure some financing to help with startup costs. It would really help if my ex would pay me the equity I own in my old house, but that isn't going to happen.

All week I have been busy writing, revising and checking my business plan. I am so glad I am not in the acct. business anymore. All those numbers just drive me crazy.

Our new gallery will be called {tay'-cho}. It is the phonetic spelling of the spanish word techo, meaning ceiling or roof. We chose that name as it encompasses all that will be under our roof. We have our work cut out for us, but I am always ready for a challange

Transformations

As my life is transforming, so is my art. I am finding myself completely bored with my old work and looking for ways to push it to a level that it has never been. During this past year, it has been very difficult focusing on anything other than just trying to take care of myself, which was probably a huge mistake as my art has always helped me escape my life and go to a place where I am happy. I am feeling the need to work more abstractly as well. focusing on composition, color and rhythm within my work. I don't want to be tied to a subject matter, as I feel that will come later. I have started a series of Mantras that I am feeling compelled to continue with.

A year of many changes

This is a transition year for me. I will turn 50 in 7 months which is a major milestone. I have just come out of a 16 yr marriage where I was lied to, cheated on and manipulated in every way possible. I am not writing this for a pity party, I am writing this as a documentation of my journey to recovery and happiness during this phase of my life. I feel the need to be brutally honest with myself here and anyone who reads this. I could write all this in my own personal journal, but I am hoping that perhaps there are others out here who may be able to identify and relate to my situation.

As proof of my out of control life, my weight has skyrocketed to my all time high. I have taken steps to recapture that control and have realized that I can not tackle my weight issues alone. I have sought help with this part, as I have come to learn in my 49 yrs of life, there is nothing wrong in asking for help.

I believe and strongly feel that I am on the cusp of something great and extraordinary. I just feel it in my bones. I am not sure what is about to happen, but I truly believe I am embarking on something spectacular. This path I am currently on will lead me there.

I have spent the last few months obsessing about my failed marriage and what things I could have done differently. I have finally realized that these were things out of my control since I was manipulated and lied to throughout my marriage. I didn't live the lie, he did, I only lived the consequences. Over the course of the last few months, I have checked phone records, bank accounts and credit reports searching for answers that I was wrong about my marriage. Every shred of information I found, only served to reaffirm my suspicions of betrayal and deception. This was extremely sad, however it is serving to help me realize that I am no longer powerless in my journey and that I can now put that relationship behind me and rid myself of all the toxic relationships in my life that were a part of that history. Today marks the beginning of my new journey.