IF AT FIRST YOU DON'T SUCCEED

After focusing a lot of time and energy preparing for next week's opening reception - cleaning up, hanging art work, making labels, etc. - I actually sat down at the drawing table yesterday and attempted to create a small watercolor sketch.  It never happened.  The paper was of poor quality, and the initial washes for the sky looked awful.  On a whim, I began playing with pastel, rendering the mid-ground and fore-ground first, and then re-working the sky.

Tuscan Three...pastel..6c10

I thought I should post this today because looking at recent posts one would think all I do is eat pasta.

3-30…Aglio olio with red chili pepper fettucine

I was standing in front of the fridge at seven o’clock debating with myself, call for pizza or cook; what to do.  And the I heard them, the pasta angels, whispering in my ears, softly, over and over again…aglio olio…aglio olio…aglio olio.  I swear that somewhere, mixed in with those voices, I heard my mother, and of course that did it!  Tonight we were having aglio olio, but with a little twist.

INGREDIENTS:

Al Dente Pasta’s chili pepper fettucine

Fresh parsley, finely chopped

Garlic, finely chopped

Mozzarella cut into small cubes

Olive oil

Fresh lemon juice

PROCESS:

Place the cooked pasta and some of the pasta water in a serving bowl, add all the ingredients and mix well.  The lemon juice can be added after all the others.

COMMENTS:

Oh what a delightful meal!  I had to force myself not to go back for thirds.

Thank you mom and thank you pasta angels.

3-28…Chile pepper fettucine with mushrooms and arugula.

I came in from the studio thinking I would call for some pizza tonight – not in the mood to cook.  About one hour later, sitting on the porch with a glass of Pinot Grigio and 3 plump raspberries staring at me from the bottom of the glass I became inspired.  Pizza!  Hell, I could do better than that.  After taking stock of the fridge and the pantry this is what I came up with.

INGREDIENTS:

Al Dente Pasta’s chile pepper fettucine

Portobelllo mushrooms

Organic cherry tomatoes  (one of Patience’s “finds” at Tuesday Mornings)

Arugula, coarsely chopped

Olive oil

Garlic and onion

Dry basil, oregano, and  red pepper flakes

Bacon, chopped

Sweet vermouth

PROCESS:

Cook the bacon, remove, drain, and set aside.  Replace the bacon fat with olive oil and add the garlic, onion, and mushrooms, plus the herbs and seasonsing..  Cook for about 10 minutes then add the tomatoes and wine and simmer for another 20-30 minutes.  (I have no set cooking time – it all depends on when Patience gets home.)  I try to cook off all the wine before I put the pasta in.

When the pasta is ready add it to the pan and mix in the arugula, add the bacon, and drizzle with olive oil. 

COMMENTS:

The next time I use chile pepper fettucine I will not use additional red pepper flakes; by the end of meal my head was sweating.  But, it was worth every ounce of sweat.  The meal was delicious.Much better than pizza.

3-27…Pasta with sausage, arugula, and tomato salad

 What to do for dinner?  I have some homemade sausage from Chicago that I have to use, as well as arugula and the usual assortment of tomatoes, fresh and canned.  This is what I decided to do.

INGREDIENTS:

  

Shells and fusilli (I cleaned up the pasta pantry)

Arugula, coarsely chopped

Diced tomatoes with their juice

Olive oil

Garlic and onion

Dry basil and oregano

Celery

Red pepper flakes

Mozzarella cheese cut into small cubes

Italian sausage in ¼” slices

PROCESS:

Place the tomatoes in a bowl and add olive oil, seasoning, finely chopped garlic and onion and mix well and set aside.

Cook or grill the sausage and slice into bite size pieces.  When the pasta is done place in a serving bowl and mix in the arugula, tomatoes and cheese.  The sausage can be added to the pasta or served separately.

COMMENTS:

The dinner tasted as good as it looked.  The only complaint from my lovely wife was there was too much garlic, and I have agree with her.  One small clove of raw garlic would have been sufficient.

Finding happiness with onions and beans

Tonight I decided to borrow a page from the pasta edition of La Cucina Italiana; it is a recipe for onions and white wine, something I have in abundance.  I added my own twist with the addition of white beans and toasted ciabatta bread crumbs.

INGREDIENTS:

Al Dente Pasta's fiesta fettucine
Onion, cut into thin slices
Olive oil
Toasted bread crumbs...optional
Garlic
Parsley (I used cilantro because we had no parsley)
Dry white wine

PROCESS:

Toast the bread crumbs, but don't burn them like you know who did.  In a deep skillet add the wine and onions (I used 1/2 an onion and 1 cup of white wine for the 2 of us) and cook over high heat until the wine is gone, then reduce heat and cook until the onions are soft.  Add olive oil and garlic plus the white beans (I used navy beans but cannellini will also work.), herbs, and simmer while the pasta cooks.

Add the pasta plus some pasta water, mix well, and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with the bread crumbs.

COMMENTS:

A delightful dish with a delightful flavor, thanks to the onions and wine.  The next time I do this, and there will definitely be a next time, I will use a whole onion.  For 4-6 people I would use 2 o3 onions.

3-24…Dinner from heaven…no humility here!

If you have been a regular, or semi regular reader of my pasta blogs you know by now that I have a complete lack of humility when it comes to the meals I prepare.  Tonight is no exception.  I will tell you right now, this was delicious, scrumptious, over the top good.  The only reason there are a few leftovers is because Patience jumped across the counter to stop me from a third helping.

It was so good that Patience did not complain about the mess I left and the dishes that had to be washed.  (I’m usually VERY neat while cooking)

 INGREDIENTS:

Al Dente Pasta -  Fiesta Fettuccine

Tuna in oil

Olive oil

Celery

Garlic and onions

White wine

Butter

Penzy Pasta seasoning

Cherry tomatoes, quartered

Fresh lemon juice

Anchovies, 2 fillets finely chopped

PROCESS:

Saute the garlic, onion, celery, and anchovies is the olive oil.  Add white wine and allow it to cook off then add butter.

Add the cooked pasta and the tuna to the pan and mix thoroughly.  Add the lemon juice and tomatoes and drizzle with olive oil.  Add pasta water if needed

COMMENTS:

I have nothing more to say.

3-23...Perciatelli with arugula and shrimp.

Good grief!  It has been six days - six whole days - since out last pasta dinner.  No wonder my right eyelid has been twitching all day.  I will take care of that tonight with a pasta dish using arugula, shrimp, and pancetta, along with wine, butter, and lemon.  (And anything else I can come up with)

INGREDIENTS:
Pasta
Arugula, coarsely chopped
Shrimp
Sun dried tomatoes in oil
Olive oil
Garlic and shallots
White wine
Fresh lemon juice
Butter
Red pepper flakes
Pancetta, chopped


PROCESS:

Cook the pancetta until crisp, remove, drain, and set aside.  In the same pan cook the garlic and shallots in olive oil along with the red pepper flakes and tomatoes.  Add the wine and let it cook down before adding the shrimp and butter.  Before the pasta is done add the lemon juice, then mix in the pasta, arugula, and sprinkle with the pancetta and olive oil before serving.

COMMENTS:

 A great dish, easy to prepare and even easier to enjoy.  There are so many ways this can be adapted, improvised, varied, etc., scallops instead of shrimp, olives or anchovies instead of sun dried tomatoes, and on and on.

I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED

I lied!  Recently I posted that I was finished with the barns and was moving on to my next project, but I must shamefully admit that I did not keep my word.  Yesterday, while sitting in the studio doing nothing, I came across several small sheets of watercolor paper that I had preciously covered with graded washes of various colors, and I wondered...what can I do with these?  Before I knew it I was "doodling", and the result was two more small barns.  I gotta move on, and I'm realizing that it may not be that easy to do.

But...being the tiger that I am I know it can be done.  (And if I should slip and paint a few more barns I simply won't tell anyone.)

Pastel and markers on wc toned paper...5x7

Pastel and markers on wc toned paper...6x9

NEW ACRYLICS

Between the barns and farms over the past few weeks I did manage to make my way back to the easel and work with acrylics, and I am pleased to report that not a barn or farm made it into the work.

Imagine that...acrylic...20x16
This was done over an older painting that fell out of favor with me.  It was done quickly, exploring the use of 3 colors.

Untitled...acrylic...12x24.
Once again I was intent on using a very limited palette, working with  large amounts of Mars black.
As I do with most of my acrylics, the pigment is applied directly from the jars, and any mixing or blending is done on the canvas.   I don't know if I'm finished with this; will have to spend some time looking at it.  I'm thinking the darkness is an acquired taste.

3-18...POLENTA with SUNDAY GRAVY

I have to thank my cousin Joan for this dish which her mother-in-law introduced to her.  About a month ago I purchased some imported polenta from Italy and this is the perfect opportunity to try it.

INGREDIENTS:

Polenta

Parmigiano cheese, grated

“Sunday Gravy with sausage – see older posts for recipe

 PROCESS:

Prepare the Polenta per instructions on the box – usually one cup of cornmeal to 3 cups of water.  After incorporating some parmigiano cheese in the polenta I  placed it in a baking dish and topped it with the sauce and grated cheese.  I added some mozzarella for appearances, and baked it uncovered at 325 degrees for about 30 minutes.

COMMENTS:

I don’t know how objective I could be because of the sausage.  I believe I would give cardboard a 9 or 10 if served with sausage.  But…this was good,  A pleasing break from pasta but with the joy of Sunday gravy.

3-17…Pappardelle with Radicchio and Arugula

Tonight is a first.  I’ve never cooked with radicchio but have been seeing it from time to time in recipes.  I found one in one of my cook books – the pasta bible – that also uses arugula, and since I had some of Christy’s arugula left over, it fit the bill.

INGREDIENTS:

Pappardelle from Al Dente Pasta

Olive oil

Radicchio (1/2 a head finely chopped)

Arugula, coarsely chopped

Garlic and onion

Red wine

Celery

Caponata

Pancetta ( bacon can be used)

PROCESS:

Cook the pancetta, then add the garlic, onion, and celery and cook until soft.  Add the radicchio and a splash of wine and cook until soft.  At this point I tasted the sauce and found it too bitter; to counter this I decided to add a heaping tablespoon of caponata.  This effectively reduced the bitterness.

The cooked pasta is added to the pan, along with the arugula and mixed well.  Drizzle with olive oil and serve.

COMMENTS:

This  was very good; a distinctly different taste from what I’m used to.  I will do this again, substituting sweet vermouth for the red wine.  Another option is to add fresh eggplant instead of the caponat.

WINDING DOWN

I'm ready!  After several months of planning, painting, re-thinking, and re-thinking again, I am ready for JUST BARNS & FARMS to happen.  The work is finished, and all that remains is for me to get: everything cataloged, the gallery and studio organized, posters and postcards out, and a plan for hanging the show.  This should keep me busy and out of trouble for the next two weeks.

Here are three of the last five pastel paintings I completed for the show:

 Pastel barn #2...5x7

  Pastel barn #3...5x7

 Pastel barn #4...5x7

3-15…Spaghetti w Brussels sprouts, bacon, and sun dried tomatoes.

My favorite part of grocery shopping is walking slowly by the fresh produce, confronting the challenge to not buy more than I can use.  On my last trip I could not pass up the Brussels sprouts.  I originally planned to roast them and serve on the side of a rib eye steak, but something clicked in my head this afternoon, and I knew they would find their way into a new pasta dish.

INGREDIENTS:

Spaghetti

Brussels sprouts, halved and quartered

Bacon, chopped

Olive oil

Garlic and onion

Sun dried tomatoes

Dry basil, thyme, oregano

Red wine vinegar

Celery

Chicken broth

PROCESS:

Marinate the Brussels sprouts in olive oil, red wine vinegar, and seasoning for about 30 mintues before cooking in skillet over medium-high heat. Stir frequently and cook until the B S is soft and beginning to char.  Remove and keep warm.

  

Cook the bacon, drain, and mix into the B S and keep warm.  While the pasta is cooking sauté the garlic, onion, and celery in oll, then add the B S and bacon and about ¼ to 1/3 cup of broth and simmer until the broth is reduced.

Add the pasta to the pan, mix well, and drizzle with olive oil, adding some pasta water if necessary.

COMMENTS:

If you like Brussels sprouts you will love this dish.  The bacon and sun dried tomatoes go perfectly with this weird but delicious vegetable.

FAITH...once more

I would like to begin this narrative with an excerpt from my journal written in 2008.

“What role does faith play in my life?  J. Cash had his faith in God,and in Christ, to sustain him through the darkest hours.  There was a time when I thought I had that faith, but everything seemed to shift for me. 

God went from something beyond me to a spirit within me, and my “faith” became “trust” - accepting that the mystery that is God is within me, as it is in everyone of us.  And it is our responsibility to discover that in ways that suit us best.

Stories of God, and Jesus, help by giving structure and concreteness to that which is numinous.  Some find this to be their way.   I am more comfortable with the mystery, with the unknowing.  Either way, faith and/or trust work by releasing the strengths we all possess within ourselves.”

from journal, 8-7-08

Faith is what takes where reason cannot.  Theologians refer to this as the epistemological leap of faith, the point at which reason and physical knowledge must be left behind.  For some, this is an easy step to take, for others it is difficult, if not impossible.  It is a major step that may have a profound effect on one’s life, and in my opinion, it is a very personal one.  Men and women have been creating Gods for as long as historians have been able to determine; the need to believe in a higher power is irresistible, both for comfort and understanding of our world. God (and Gods) has been woven into the fabric of every civilization for thousands of years, as documented in the volumes of spiritual writing.  There are many who accept these documents as the words of God, and not the work of man.  But…even that is an act of faith, and as such, cannot be taken as the ultimate truth.  (I say this with no intentions of demeaning the messages that they impart.)   What one person believes, another may not, and neither is right or wrong.

There is a lot of noise today about a war on religion, which is sometimes countered by shouts of a war on reason and free- thinking.  Neither accomplishes anything but division and misunderstanding.  Reasonable men and women of both sides of this debate should be able to co-exist and engage in meaningful dialog, without the need to convert one another.

My own journey of faith has taken me in and out of many rooms, each leaving with me a part of the whole.  I embrace my beliefs and my doubts with equal passion.  I do not expect others to share my beliefs, but do expect that they be respected.

3-14…FETTUCCINE W CHEESE AND BUTTER AND A BIT OF HEAVEN

OK, so for some folks it’s nothing more than Mac & cheese, but this is unlike any mac & cheese you have ever had.

I was feeling lazy tonight, and considered going out for dinner until I realized I was too lazy to change out of my work clothes, so I came up with one of the simplest pasta dishes I knew.  Now, almost an hour later, I am sitting here patting myself of the back for exercising such good judgement.

INGREDIENTS:

Al Dente Land and sea fettuccine

Mascarpone cheese

Butter

Blue cheese…just a small amount so it doesn’t overpower the rest

Romano cheese, gratted

Fresh parsley

Bacon

PROCESS:

While the pasta is cooking, chop and cook the bacon and set aside to drain.

In a serving bowl add the cheeses and butter.  Add the pasta with small amount of pasta water and mix until all the cheese is melted.  Mix in the parsley and bacon and sit down to an incredible pasta experience.

COMMENTS:

If I were into writing about pairing I would suggest pairing this with a second helping.

FAITH, BELIEVERS & NONBELIEVERS

This morning's post is a journal entry from the fall of 2008.  It complements yesterday's notes on values and may even be a bit repetitious, but it does reflect my intense interest and concern about the matter of faith and public discourse.

Is it necessary to believe in God in order to be righteous, moral, honest, loving, and compassionate?  Does the belief in a God provide one with a set of values that cannot be otherwise obtained”?  If so, whose God should one believe in?

For the sake of this narrative I am defining a believer as someone who believes in the divinity of Jesus Christ and accepts the bible as the word of God.  A non-believer is one who accepts neither of those propositions.  Agnostics straddle the fence and may or may not accept part of those beliefs.  (There are also the “Christian agnostics”, but that is another matter for another time.)

Beyond the obvious difference in a belief in a higher power, how does a nonbeliever differ from a believer?  Are there apparent character traits or behaviors that makes a nonbeliever easily identifiable as such?  Do nonbelievers live and act differently?  Just how do you tell them apart?

One could point to church attendance and participation, but for years I attended church and was not a believer.  I’m willing to bet that there are many others who have, or are, sharing that experience.

What about personal values, a term that has been so misused and thrown about that it has become almost meaningless; do they offer a clue to a persons belief system? 

Consider the following:

   Love as demonstrated by how others are treated,

   Compassion and forgiveness,

   Moral and ethical behavior in private, public, and business life,

   Tolerance and respect for people and ideas that differ from our own,

   Respect for all life, not just the unborn, but criminals and civilians exposed to war,

   Honesty and integrity,

   Respect and commitment to family and friends,

   Acceptance of responsibility to self and to family, friends, and work,

   Willingness to share and help those in need,

   Respect for the planet.

   Love and service to country,

Is it possible to know someone demonstrating none, some, or all of the above values and be able to predict their “level of belief”?  I think not, and that is what infuriates me when I hear or read that without religion we have no moral compass, no sense of responsible or ethical behavior.   There are people who believe that a nonbeliever is not fit to serve this country.

Believers do not have a monopoly on moral and ethical values.  Behavior defines us far more than our beliefs do.

Fall 2008

3-13…Pappardelle with Salmon, asparagus and mushrooms

3-13…Pappardelle with Salmon, asparagus and mushrooms in a butter-lemon-wine sauce with sundried cherry tomatoes.

 There was some fine dinning at 803 Madison St. tonight!  Unfortunately I don’t have a name for this dish.

INGREDIENTS:

Pappardelle…Al Dente Pasta brand

Salmon cut into bite size pieces

Asparagus

White mushrooms, sliced

Sundried cherry tomatoes, coarsely chopped

Heavy cream or whole milk, about 1/3 cup

Garlic and shallots

Dry basil, dill and oregano

Fresh parsley

Dry white wine

Butter

Fresh lemon juice

Red pepper flakes

PROCESS:

Cook the garlic, tomatoes, and shallots with the red pepper flakes in olive oil.  Then add the asparagus, mushrooms, and herbs and cook over low-medium heat.  After 5 minutes (not critical) add the wine and simmer for another few minutes before adding the salmon, butter, and lemon juice.

About 4-5 minutes before the pasta is ready add the cream or whole milk and stir.  Mix in the pasta when it is ready, drizzle with olive oil, and serve.

COMMENTS:

Keyth joined us for dinner tonight, It took some badgering on my part, but he finally admitted this was a ten.  P and I agreed.

VALUES

Values is a word tossed about with a demeaning casualness in today’s public dialog but is rarely actually defined by the speakers, be they congressmen, candidates, media talking heads, or anyone else with a political agenda.  Since our country is engaged in so called cultural wars it must be assumed that these values are self evident, which of course they are not.  This results in assumptions that lead to misunderstandings and division.

When I hear someone say a political candidate “shares my values”, unless told otherwise, I believe the reference is to abortion, gay marriage, and/or religious faith (usually Christian). One could not be faulted for inferring from public dialog that our citizenry is composed of 2 camps, the faithful who oppose gay marriage and abortion, and people of little or no faith who do not, an inference that is utterly false.

I do not belong to any church. I do not believe homosexuality is a sin or a choice. I am in favor of gay marriage, and I believe in a woman’s right to make her own choice regarding abortion.  Does this mean I have no values?  Of course not.  I have a set of values around which I have lived my entire life, and I am quite confident that many others, regardless of church or political affiliations, share them:

Love for others

Commitment to family, marriage, and friends

Compassion

Understanding and tolerance for ideas and people who differ from me, and

Respect for beliefs of others

Forgiveness

Honesty

Trustworthiness

Integrity

Humility

Gratefulness

Charity

Thoughtfulness

Willingness to learn and accept change

A personal faith (to be described in a future post on this blog)

These are the values that determine who and what we are, our personal character and our place in the community of men and women.  They have found their way into the fabric of my life from many sources: my parents and my extended family and friends, personal experiences learning and practicing the craft of medicine, reading extensively the spiritual writings of others, and simply – or not so simply - navigating the corners in my life.

From HAVE I TOLD YOU TODAY THAT I LOVE YOU…words to my children…

“Your relationship with others will be as varied as the people you encounter and will be determined by many factors, not the least of which will be your own personality and psychological style.  But regardless of who and what you are, there are certain basic tenets that I would urge you to follow.

Be respectful of others, regardless of their position in our socio-economic conscious society.  Be your real self with both the room maid and the hotel manager.

Be tolerant of ideas, beliefs, and behavior that differ from yours; no one has a monopoly on the truth.

With grace forgive the weaknesses of others and do not judge what you may perceive to be their shortcomings.

Forgive first offenses.  Overlook minor slights.

Enable and nurture; be one who helps other achieve their own selfhood.  Act in such a way that others will feel better for knowing you.

 Be honest toward others.  Do not present yourself to be other than who you are.  And do not deceive or use others to achieve your own way or goals.”

I cannot claim to be one hundred percent faithful to these standards, but I try, because they are within me, and not imposed by some external authority.

3-12…Penne with mushrooms in a simple but rustic tomato sauce.

Tonight was one of those meals when you use what  is available in the fridge and pantry.

INGREDIENTS:

Penne pasta

Olive oil

Garlic and onion

Anchovy fillets

White mushrooms

Bacon

Petite diced tomatoes

Sweet Vermouth

Dried basil and oregano

PROCESS:

Co0k the chopped bacon, remove, and set aside to drain.  Pour off the bacon fat, then cook the garlic, onion, and the finely chopped anchovy fillets in olive oil before adding the mushrooms.  Then add the tomatoes, herbs, and a splash of wine and cook over low heat.

When the pasta is ready, add it to the sauce, along with the bacon, mix well, and serve.

COMMENTS:

I don’t think I can be very objective about this (I haven’t had any pasta all day!), but I’ll try.  It was scrumptious, and it tasted good!  I have no reservations recommending it, or your own variation of it.

3-11...Fettuccine with arugula-tomato salad

3.-11…Once more with Arugula

Thanks to dear Christy I have a stash of fresh, home grown arugula to cook with  tonight.  Looking to come up with a new arugula-pasta dish, I decided on the following.

INGREDIENTS:

Al Dente fettuccine

Arugula, coarsely chopped

Cherry tomatoes, cut in half

Celery

Garlic and onion

Pitted Kalamata olives, coarsely chopped

Fresh parsley

Dry basil and oregano

Olive oil

Red wine vinegar

Fresh lemon juice

Bacon, chopped

PROCESS:

Cook the bacon and set aside to drain.

Place the tomatoes, garlic, onions, olives, celery and herbs in a bowl and mix in the olive oil, lemon juice and a splash of vinegar.  Allow to sit for about 15-20 minutes, then mix in the arugula.

Place the cooked pasta in a serving bowl and mix in the “sauce”.  Add pasta water if needed, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with the bacon before serving.

COMMENTS:

This was not quite as good as the last arugula dish I posted…but still rates an 8 or a 9 and I don’t hesitate recommending it.

Making the dinner even better was having Stef and David sitting across from us and sharing our food and wine.  I would have to say that the conversation was as good as, if not better, than the pasta.

A GREAT DAY AT GALLERY 5

Yesterday I put my grand idea to the test; Selected work in the gallery would be sold to anyone who made me an offer.  There were no minimum prices set and all offers would be graciously accepted.  I knew I was putting the client on the spot, and that I was vulnerable to ridiculously low offers, but was determined to see it through.

I am pleased to report that the day was everything I hoped it woulds be.  There was a constant stream of visitors to the gallery, sales were great, I was able to significantly reduce the number of paintings and constructions in my inventory, and a lot of folks walked out with the art they wanted at prices they could afford.  Everyone was a winner, and I am already thinking of this as an annual event.

Did I lose money, and did people take advantage me?  Although most of the work sold below the sticker price, and a few far below, I feel I recovered my cost and then some, because the work has been gathering dust in my studio for 8-9 years.  My primary goal was to get the art out and into circulation.
I believe all of the offers were made in good faith and that no one was trying to take advantage me; they were however taking advantage of a great opportunity being presented to them.

This exercise was possible because I have a very large inventory of work, and am in dire need of more space.  It resulted in more people seeing my other work, created the possibility of more sales in the future, and gave me the opportunity to promote my next gallery show.

The day was a success my any measurement.

Imagine that...acrylic on recycled canvas...20x26

This artwork has nothing at all to do with this post.  I just finished it and wanted to show it off.

THE VALUE OF ART

Blue...clay mono type...14x32"

 How do artists place a value on their work, and is it always in monetary terms?  If it is sold in a gallery or auction house the issue is resolved and the market prevails.  But if the artist sells the work directly then he or she has to set the price, trying not to over or under price the art.  For the past 10 years I have been using a set price per square inch for my work in an effort to maintain some consistency.  This has worked well until recently, when dire economic conditions have made it necessary to make some adjustments.  

This weekend I am turning everything around and asking the client to set the price, and since I first had the idea I realized this was not going to be easy for the buyer.  Will they embarrass themselves by offering a price that is too low, and offending me, or will they pay more than the work is worth in the market?  I could set a price range, but since this is not an auction, and all offers will be accepted on a first made basis, that basically sets a price, which defeats the purpose of the event.  It is possible for someone to take advantage of me and walk away with a real "steal".  But I'm confident that people will make an honest effort to set a fair price.

I expect that some of the work will be under sold and some will be over sold, and I am OK with that.  In either case, the buyer is establishing the value of a piece of artwork for themselves, and for me, that is the point of this whole experiment.

I am really looking forward to this, and want to encourage potential clients...you will not embarrass yourselves, and I will not be offended.  This is a win-win situation for both of us.  I would rather have my art on a wall in your home than gathering dust in a corner of my studio.

the I&O Glass Co...shadow box with interior lighting.  aprpoximately 18x25"

More of what is on the wall this Saturday

Several readers have asked to see more of this Saturday's "make me and offer" fare (honest - I'm not making that up) so I'm posting a few more images.

Tick Tock...mixed media...42x34" framed

 Red Roofs...enhanced clay mono type...image 10x8...framed 20x18

 Tree...enhanced clay mono type...image 10x8...framed 20x18

AV fistula...mixed media...9x16...framed...15x22

My apologies for the glare in the pics...they were shot through glass and acrylic glazes.  Like everything else on the walls...make an offer and they are yours.

3-7..I died and went to pasta heaven tonight!

An old friend with a new twist.  Al Dente pasta with shrimp and sea scallops in a wine - butter-lemon sauce with just a touch of blue cheese and cream.

INGREDIENTS:

Fettuccine
Sea Scallops
Shrimp
Sun dried cherry tomatoes
Olive oil
Garlic and Shallots
Red pepper flakes
Fresh lemon juice
Dry white wine
Butter
Blue cheese
Parsley
Dill, oregano, dill,  and basil

PROCESS:

Saute the garlic and shallots in olive oil with red pepper flakes and some coarsely chopped sun dried tomatoes.  Add the shrimp, scallops, parsley and cook for several minutes before adding the seasoning, and butter.  Continue cooking over low-medium heat then add a splash of wine and lemon juice.  About 5 minutes before the pasta is ready mix in about 1/4 cup of cream or whole milk and about one tablespoon of blue cheese.  Add the pasta to the sauce, mix well, and enjoy a feast from the pasta gods.

Priceline comes to Gallery 5

I'm really stepping our of the box this time, and I have no idea how it will turn out.  This Saturday I will be exhibiting over twenty paintings, constructions, and prints that have been part of my inventory for the past ten years.   I really like the work, but have since moved on to other interests and directions, and this, coupled with a critical shortage of space, has lead me to try something really new.

The work, which takes up two walls of the gallery, will not be priced, but will be sold to anyone who makes an offer, and no offer will be refused.  The buyer will decide what the piece is worth to them.  There will be no negotiating and I will gladly sell the work at the offered price.  The buyer will have a piece of art they can comfortably afford, and I will be happy to have my work hanging in someone's home rather than sitting in a corner of my studio gathering dust.  Everyone wins!

All of the work is framed and/or ready to hang.

Will this work?  I'm hoping to find out this weekend during our Second Saturday gallery walk.  I will let you know.

Clay mono type banners...each approximately 30x14"

Architectural drawings on clay mono types...14x12"

Mixed media on panel...12x12"