Getting ready….What a Day!

Before I begin, I will tell you that there will be no photographs in todays blog.  This has been a day of preparation for the exhibition opening that will occur from 1-4 tomorrow. (thursday)  We expect a great turnout and students are very excited after all of their hard work.

The list of things that must be done seems endless.  Here’s a sample:

Complete projects.  Finishing touches, installations, hanging the work, designing each exhibition space, cleaning floors, returning tools to their proper places, writing artists statements, preparing labels, paint touch ups, hanging lights, preparing price lists…… All this times 16!

Most of our students have never done anything like this before so they need a bit of guidance, but it’s a very valuable prelude to the senior seminar that they will all have to complete as seniors.

As I write this blog, they are all gathering for their very first “students only” critique.  We don’t do anything like this during the regular school year for any number of reasons but they were told at the beginning that they were going to be treated as artists and not as students.  We’re hoping that this will be a positive experience and that they might continue it back at Wheaton.

Tomorrow morning will be a time for making last minute adjustments before show time.  Rumor has it that most will dress up and wear the best of what was packed for the opening.  The work from this show will be exhibited at Wheaton in the fall, in Mars Arts and Humanities, and possibly at other sites throughout the year.  

I’m beginning to think that this blog is a bit of a ramble but I’ll be honest…I am exhausted!  

So…tomorrow is the exhibition followed by a barbecue sponsored by the Burren College of Art, then a short break before dancing lessons in Kilfenora.  Students will be learning the fine art of  Kayli dancing.  A bit like American square dancing with many more spins.  I will be taking photographs  to share with you.

On friday morning we will have our final faculty led critique and then the show will be broken down for travel.  Packing on friday because our departure is fairly early on saturday morning.  Friday evening we will be dining at Orchard House, the student residence, on food prepared by students.  We will have our final toasts, closing ceremonies, and get ready to return home.

This has been some journey.  More tomorrow and I promise more photographs in the remaining blogs.

Thanks for staying with us!

PS…the weather has been absolutely beautiful here for the past 21 days.  I think we had one afternoon that was pretty dark and gloomy.  We know that most of you at home have been plagued with absolutely dismal weather but we promise to bring the sun home with us!  

Andy