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Thursday, March 24, 2016

RUBY'S DADDY

March 24, 2016

News.. the reports of the terror attacks expands to almost paranoid reactions as folks 'see something and say something' locally. Caution is a good thing, I think.  Over reacting creates an atmosphere of fear that is hard to deny, but we are reasonable people and, to me, Reason must rule the day.  If we become limbic reactionaries, the media will ramp up and exacerbate any situation to the detriment of us all.   Deep breath.  Nameste. 

Then! Good news and good news and good news. 

We have a recent arrival: Ruby Reger! Welcome to the world! Ruby Reger's dad, Rob Reger, is in town for an opening at Thinkspace Gallery here in Los Angeles.  Yay and yay!!

RUSH HOUR has become a series on CBS.

Lillian Bronson, The Lady of the Freeway, immortalized by muralist, Kent Twitchell, will now live forever at LA Valley College.  

These three artful events are either a direct step (as in Six Degrees of Separation / Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon) for me or two or three steps.  The serendipity of how we are all connected fascinates me.  Rob Reger's dad and mom are long time and very dear friends.  

The feature film series, Rush Hour, was overseen by my former student, Leon Dudevoir and I have met Kent Twitchell in person for a brief chat, but via my dear artist friend, Jill Bell, I am acquainted with Joan de Bruin, author, who may still represent Kent as an artist?   

The point is that we are all connected and the joy in life is seeing... for me... the success and involvement in art that friends experience.   That, to me, is satisfying to the point that it feels good even physically.  Applause. 

Years ago (1990!), I installed a special art installation (The Cranford Project for the UNC Centennial) in my home town, Greeley, Colorado. It was specifically for my alma mater, the University of Northern Colorado.  It involved over two years of planning; effort and  getting cooperation from the university to do it. A friend let me use his huge band saw to create special stakes used to install the one hundred Maglites in a huge field on the college campus.

My point:  a cousin of mine, a successful businessman, asked me what was in it for me?     It was a one night event. What was in it for me?
"Satisfaction," I replied.  "I get the satisfaction of dealing with a bureaucratic institution, creating a really big art installation and knowing that I did it pretty much by myself." 

He shook his head, incredulous that someone would do something just to do it. That was that.  I'd borrowed a station wagon from another cousin, his brother, and the college provided me a place to stay over the time of the installation.   I get some of that rush back as I write this.  The tenor of the times at UNC has changed and the college's interest in my art (because my cash donations have been tiny?) has waned.   I did get permission to 'save' Totem Teddy, The Bear Totem, by embossing it in 2003 and installing the Ghost Memory Project
in 2005, again mostly at my own expense. My efforts to renew interest in UNC history: in particular The Bear Totem, have not been successful..  No Satisfaction.  Sigh.

This meandering narrative makes me want to do another Colorado project.  Why? Because.  Because it would give me satisfaction, AND.. I think that it's important for all  UNC students and alumni to not lose touch with this particular part of the college's history and tradition.  

Congratulations to Rob Reger and Katie Harbaugh for their wonderful addition: Miss Ruby.  Congratulations to Kent Twitchell and the restoration of the iconic mural The Freeway Lady: Lillian Bronson.

And, here's to a long and successful run of RUSH HOUR, the new series on CBS-TV.  If they can capture the madcap fun of Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker's chemistry in the movie franchise, that will be a real gift!  And, Satisfaction!!

March 24, 2016
michaelsheehan


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