Dream State Opened to Great Success!
I drove to Heuser Art Center and met up with Heather Brammeier and her husband, Tony. They were gracious enough to offer me a ride. I sat in the back seat really excited. I was on my way to hear Paul Krainak and Mark Holmes.
The Dream State opening reception was more than I could’ve hoped for. So many of the Illinois Wesleyan University students and staff came for Paul Krainak’s talk about his show. It was really nice to listen to Paul talk about this own work. I don’t recall having ever heard Paul speak formally about his work in the last four years. Paul, the artist, is definitely far more laid back than Paul, the art critic.
The talk finished at 5pm, the rather large group of IWU students, alumi, faculty, and guests made their way from the lecture hall on the 2nd floor, down the hall to the stairs and to the Merwin/Wakeley Galleries.
I’m following the mass of pedestrians and as I turn left to take the last set of stairs, I see a group of Bradley graduate students and fellow alumni/adjunct instructor standing in the foyer. It was great to see familiar faces there to share in this experience. I look around and see Bradley Printmaking professor, Oscar Gillespie and his wife, and the Bradley University Gallerist. I felt really good.
I make my way into the Wakeley Gallery and for the first time see the work on the walls and lit. The show looked amazing! My heart literally stopped for a split second. I had a moment of realization that I could do this. I could make this art thing work.
As the hour progressed a lot of the students from Bradley, who I have come to know over the years filed into the gallery. I could’nt believe the amount of support and smiling faces I knew! So many!
I must admit January 10, 2012 has been the best January 10th of my entire life. I will never forget this.
* A special thanks to Carmen Lozar and her student gallery assistants. Thank you so much for the opportunity to exhibit this body of work and your hard work in hanging the show.*