Hello my friends. Hope all is well with everyone. I want to start off with something of a repeat of a show we did a few weeks back. The show was about gratitude, and being grateful. I received a lot of emails on that show. Many of you expressed how the show made you think about your own gratefulness. And I also have spoken quite a bit about how I draw incredible motivation from the continuous support that all of you provide me. It’s funny but I never thought about the complete circle that supporting each other can bring until this week. You guys have heard me talk about Bil Lane, Jackson Browne’s Recording Engineer. I met Bil at an art show I was doing in Hyannis this past summer. About a month after we met, long after Bil had returned to Los Angeles and returned to his work at Jackson Browne’s recording studio, I received an email from Bil. Bil was providing me accolades for my radio show on iTunes. He told me he found me to be an interesting artist. I was blown away. Here was a guy who was hanging out with people like Jackson Browne, David Crosby, Graham Nash, Bonnie Raitt, David Lindley, and a slew of other very famous and talented musicians and amongst all these people Bil found me interesting. The support from Bil meant a lot to me, still does.After I completed Bil’s painting, we became friends. I continue to draw incredible strength from his first email, the same way I draw incredible strength from the support each of you provide. And this week I discovered through Bil Lane another gift. I will read to you the email he send me this morning. Here is what Bil said to me: quote "Since I met you, I've thought more about inspiration and where it comes from and what it all means than I have in a long time. I've worked on the technical side for a long time, and my artistic side maybe suffers a little for it, but you've helped me realize that my artistic side needs to have it's voice heard as well. So thank you for that.", end quote. Blew me away!And that’s the topic for this weeks show. You and I, we are giving each other support, and that to me is what we should do. The purpose for the artist and the person appreciating the art is nothing more than support. We can’t pretend to love all art, nor all forms of art, but our job should be to love all aspects regarding the creativity behind the art. No matter what the artist, musician, writer, or poet, is working at, and no matter what they are producing, our job should be to stand behind them and support their endeavor. I have heard from many of you that you like the positive feel to this radio show, and that is what the relationship between the artist and the observer should be, support. All art is a reflection of the artist’s desire to express a creative urge. And creative urges aren’t right nor wrong, they are simply the artist delving inside themselves and extracting something that they hope will translate their expression. The support we give is simply our endorsement of their creativity. Too often observers feel the need to critique what they like or don’t like. Millions of people absolutely love the singer Madonna’s music. I am not a big fan of Madonna’s music, but I am a huge fan of Madonna’s creativity. To me Madonna is the perfect example of a person who will stand up and create the way she likes to create. The music might not be for everybody, but Madonna doesn’t let the critics distract her. She simple creates and creates and creates. Look at how many Madonna wannabee’s flood the market these days. And how many times have each of us opted out of a project because that little hamster wheel of fear in between our ears might stand spinning. Some might argue that Madonna gets paid enough money that she can afford to create the way she wants to create, but long before Madonna made money she began creating, and she wasn’t paid for it. On the contrary, she lived in almost homeless conditions when she first hit New York, but she stuck with her creative passion and over time the money came. I don’t know Madonna so I can’t say for sure, but I’m willing to bet that there is a side to Madonna that creates because the desire is there, with or without the money. In my mind Madonna’s devotion to her creativity is an inspiration.Bil Lane said "Since I met you, I've thought more about inspiration and where it comes from and what it all means than I have in a long time." I’m reading Bil’s quote to you because I never knew that me, Robert John Cook, held the possibility of inspiring someone. I am of course obviously flattered by Bil tremendous compliment, but Bil’s words are exactly how I feel about each of you. I love this time of year, especially in between Thanksgiving and the New year. It’s a time to reflect over the last year, and a time to contemplate the year before us. I can reflect over the last year and consider all the wonderful moments I have shared with you individually. I can see your face standing before, maybe at an art show, a reception, or some other event. The memory of that moment gives me inspiration and your support makes me feel confident in my work.I also liked Bil Lane’s statement "I've worked on the technical side for a long time, and my artistic side maybe suffers a little for it, but you've helped me realize that my artistic side needs to have it's voice heard as well." There’s a lot contained in this one sentence. The focus Bill placed on the needs of his artistic voice being heard is important. Each of us are many titles; a worker, a spouse, a boyfriend, girlfriend, father, mother, brother, sister, artist, writer, musician, etc. There are many titles of each side of who we are and the roles we have responsibilities with. Each one of our roles have needs. Some roles may be more important than others, and some needs a higher priority than others. But the role each of us have to create as an artist is important. I believe if we don’t create we don’t allow our minds the opportunity to express our emotions. I’m not a mental health expert, but it seems to be if our minds are inhibited from processing our emotions then we become detached from being able to sort our emotions. From my perspective, honing our skills in managing our emotions is tantamount to being content as a person, being at ease with ourselves.This year I was going to create a Christmas card and mail it to you. I drafted several designs and last night it came to me; This years card won’t be a card at all. I’ve decided instead of sending each of you a Christmas card I would instead give you a Christmas song during this radio show. So, last night I got my guitar out and wrote a song for you. Pretty simple song, but it comes from the heart, so I’m happy with it.Before I leave you with your Christmas song I need to give two quick plugs: Our friend Lee Bartell has her shop in Provincetown for sale. The store once called "I Used To Be A Tree" is located directly across the street from the Provincetown Library, shares a wall with Now Voyager Books, and is a block and a half from the center of town. There's an office at the back, with a window on the Bay! It’s 550 sq. ft. Lee is asking $350K, $300 now, and $10K/yr for 5 yrs. If you’re interested Lee’s telephone is 508-487-5900.

Last plug. Elaine Cohen and I met on last Sunday and discussed The Salon Des Refuses of Cape Cod. The details are coming together quickly. The Salon des Refusés of Cape Cod is a showcase exhibit, an annual art show with a reception promising a bit of a twist. The art show is titled "The Salon des Refusés", french for "Exhibition of Rejects". It stems from an 1863 exhibition of the then newly formed Impressionist’s work that were rejected by the jury of the official Paris Salon – that art was too new, no one had ever seen it before – it didn’t follow the "rules"!. The artists gathered as a group and declared their very own show: The Salon des Refusés of 1863 exhibited the important Impressionistic works the Paris Salon had rejected. Some of these jury-rejects went on to become very famous paintings, such as Édouard Manet’s Luncheon on the Grass, and James McNeill Whistler’s Girl in White.

The Salon des Refusés of Cape Cods of Cape Cod reception and one night exhibit will take place on Thursday, April 2, 2009 at the Cape Cod Museum of Art on Route 6A in Dennis. The first annual The Salon des Refusés exhibit promises to be a flamboyant and colorful reception that is unique and dramatic — the type of reception the press will find interesting and innovate — something to put the artists of The Salon des Refusés on the map, something the public will notice. As was the case in 1863, the audience for our reception are gallery owners. From across Cape Cod, the intention of the exhibit is to introduce gallery owners to local artists and our art. Instead of the artists of The Salon des Refusés bringing their portfolio to the gallery owners, we’ll be bringing the gallery owners to our portfolio.

The exhibit of the Salon des Refusés will be intriguing and intelligent. Only it won’t be the usual stuff an artist might throw in the trunk of their car to show a gallery owner, instead it’s the real art the artists have produced that they consider truly representative of their talent — sometimes the art being unpredictable! The purpose of the Salon des Refusés is to let the gallery owners see the real side of our art and not the stuff we’re trying to use to impress them with for gallery admission.

I’ve been receiving questions regarding who will be the artists? The original 1863 Salon des Refusés was to showcase new art. The intent was to generate interest amongst the gallery owners. Our purpose is the same. Because our audience will be prominent gallery owners the museum has criteria for artists being entered into our show: 1) We are limited to ten artists with two pieces of new art each, 2) The artist must have a professional portfolio suitable for immediate gallery owner review, 3) A strong desire to show their new art work to a gallery owner during the show, 4) Each artist must have their portfolio and new art work reviewed by Elaine Cohen and myself for show entrance. Please visit our website, thesalondesrefuses.wordpress.com, or sent me an email at MayflowerStudio@aol.com if you have any questions.

Sometimes things go around,

and around they seem to go,

just when I think I’ve got it figured out,

sometimes things seem to change,

sometimes when you least expect it.

And sometimes the wind blows in a different direction,

we can’t see it coming up from behind,

sometimes the ones we love we leave behind,

and sometimes it’s us they leave behind.

Those that aren’t here this Christmas,

set them a place at your table,

and when you give your Christmas grace,

invite them into your Christmas,

the way they invited you into their heart.

You will know your will in the smoke,

once you light that Christmas candle,

keep your eye on their smoke.

© 2008 Robert John Cook

I attended the other day a lecture on an artist whose work I have found absolutely incredible for a long time. Al Kochka, the Curator and Director of the Geissbuhler Project at the Cape Cod Museum of Art gave the lecture. Al’s talk was amazing, filled with detail and passion. The artist’s name is Arnold Geissbuhler. He was born in my beloved Switzerland in 1897. Just after World War I, then in his early twenties, Arnold Geissbuhler followed his art and moved from Switzerland to Paris. Paris at the time was the center for everything art, especially sculpture, following Rodin no less!

Rodin had an assistant by the name of Bourdelle, and Bourdelle’s assistant was Arnold Geissbuhler. A young woman working in Rodin’s library at the time, translating Rodin’s catalogs would later become Arnold Geissbuhler’s wife. And they would eventually leave Paris for her home on Cape Cod. I mention Arnold Geissbuhler this week because his work ethnic is nothing short of miraculous. And you have to have ask yourself why? Why is it that an artist is driven to produce, some artist being driven far beyond anything one might call normal.

Many have heard me talk about the influence Harry Holl has had on my art, and how I developed by voice as an artist from Harry. Harry Holl is the son-in-law of Arnold Geissbuhler. So it was an genuine interest that I absorbed everything Al Kochka said about Geissbuhler. The one theme I could see that ran concurrent between Geissbuhler and Holl was that they both shared a strong work ethic. The amount of art each of them generated is astounding. I mention this because there are times when I find myself withdrawn from my work, perhaps I’m distracted by other efforts that need my attention, or perhaps my creativity needs time to be thought though. I don’t understand the reason for my stagnation, but it’s there. I feel at times I’m letting myself down, and wonder if Geissbuhler or Holl ever had times when they weren’t working like mad men. Or, did they work like mad men because they knew the other was watching? Geissbuhler and Holl lived within a distance of measurable yards for the bulk of their life. Their studios were on the same property, they saw each other every day, saw what the other was working on, I can only assume they measured their productivity by comparing their efforts to the others.

I don’t share a studio with anyone, and I don’t have a mutual reference point like Geissbuhler or Holl had. So how do I know I’m being productive enough? And is the quantity of productivity related to the quality of my art. I think it is. Artists that produce art that can stand the measure of time have been able to do so because they are prolific at their dedication. They produced mass quantities of work, from which select pieces carried on their name into the history books. Artists such as them are constantly drawing, sketching, designing a new painting or sculpture. Their craft as an artist is continuously being exercised. Their dedication as an artist then becomes directly proportionate to their recognition.

So why is it Geissbuhler would spend day in day out slaving away in his studio? It’s on record that he was always working. The number of pieces he produced is testimony to his efforts. The shear quantity of his work, let alone the incredible quality, is astounding. His drive as an artist makes my drive as an artist feel tiny and weak in comparison. Should I be concerned?

Yes, if we don’t measure ourselves by some standard we drift. I look at Holl and Geissbuhler as the productive artists I strive to someday be. To build a catalog of work several pieces may someday be chosen from I have to work hard. This motivates me, and to think if I work hard perhaps someday I might be able to produce a piece equal to a Geissbuhler, or Holl, is the carrot at the end of a long stick I have passion to chase. So, it’s with the thought of these two incredibly driven artists that my own mind is consumed with ideas and thoughts. The joy of art is the rush when you apply a touch of paint, or sculpt with that one stroke that makes the piece important. The feeling of ‘wow, I made that’ doesn’t come with every piece of course, but when it does happen the rush is euphoric.

If you’ve ever run through the woods you will have experienced that as you’re running you’re constantly looking three or four steps ahead to see where your foot is going to land. The experience of seemingly floating as you run three or four steps ahead of yourself is no different from the rush of running through ideas for art. There are times when ideas come to me at three or four steps ahead of me, they come quickly and I capture them and play with them in that euphoric moment of rush.

I’ve been getting that euphoric feeling of rush lately. It’s winter time here on Cape Cod now. It’s nineteen degrees outside as I write this, yesterday snow blew in off the water and covered the desolate beaches. All the tourists are gone and the Cape has returned to being Mayberry. Like creatures that come out only when it’s safe to do so, I’ve been meeting my friends once at various gatherings. There are gatherings for art, some for writing, and many for music. The Cape is alive with these gatherings of friends, which is why the Cape during the winter comes to life for me. I love the winter on the Cape, it’s a time for productivity. It’s time to get to work and share your winter projects with your friends. It’s time to meet that at the gatherings and describe your latest ventures. And by the end of gathering, as I’m driving home through the cold or snow, or freezing rain I am enjoying that euphoric rush that hard work delivers. I then feel equal to Geissbuhler or Holl. My work ethic and productivity are in high gear.

So, what winter projects have me so excited? I’ve been hard at work contemplating the design for my new studio. I’m going to build my new studio out of Found Objects. By itself the studio will be a work of my art, a giant sculpture I can stand up in and paint.

And, as typical for the winter, the room outside of the desk I use to write on is home to a fireplace that burns for most of the winter. I’ll sit at my desk and finish the novel I’ve started about one winter on Cape Cod. The book will conclude on the day the one thing Cape Codders like myself dread; going over the bridge and driving ‘Off Cape" to attend the inauguration January 20. My book is a novel, most of it complete, that will end on January 20.

And, music, the most important part of winter on Cape Cod. My friends Jeff and Janni are busy organizing their House Concerts. Everybody seems to be putting their shows together, at the Open Mic, or some coffee shop or gathering here or there. And everywhere I go I see my friends, these artists, whether it’s the visual arts, writing, or music, running three or four steps ahead of themselves. Each of them caught up in their own euphoric rush. The musician never has more than arms reach away their musical instrument. No matter how cold it is, nor no matter where they travel to, their violin, guitar, or mandolin is right by their side. And my writer friends, they are never without their pen and notebook. And the painters and sculptors, I run into them at the museum or galleries, or see them at gatherings. Their new projects are underway and they are smiling. This winter is going to deliver their best work, you can just see it on their faces. The artists, writers, and musicians, all my friends are filled with productive work. I can gaze into the beautiful flames of the fireplace and wonder if it’s winter on cape Cod that Geissbuhler and Holl used as their motivation to be productive. The answer is gone by way of history, but I think they did, which motivates me to shift my gaze from the fireplace back to the computer so I can work on my new novel and discover what it’s like to run three or four steps ahead of myself.

Within one of those euphoric moments of rush last week I briefly described the idea for a reception with a bit of a twist. The art show would being titled "The Salon des Refusés", which is French for "exhibition of rejects". It stems from an 1863 exhibition of works that were rejected by the jury of the official Paris Salon. The Salon des Refusés of 1863 exhibited the works the Paris Salon had rejected. Some of these jury-rejects went on to become very famous paintings, such as Édouard Manet's Luncheon on the Grass, and James McNeill Whistler's Girl in White.

An amazing set of circumstances and coincidences, matched with running three or four steps ahead of my own thinking, has lead the suggestion for this show to a place at the Cape Cod Museum of Art. My friend Elaine Cohen and I discussed it with the museum this past week. The Salon des Refusés of Cape Cod is scheduled for 5:30 - 7:30 on Thursday, April 2, 2009. I've set up a quick website -- needs work, but it will get us started. Here's the link:

http://thesalondesrefuses.wordpress.com/

The first annual The Salon des Refusés exhibit promises to be a flamboyant and colorful reception that is unique and dramatic — the type of reception the press will find interesting and innovate — something to put the artists of The Salon des Refusés on the map, something the public will stand up and notice. As was the case in 1863, the audience for our reception are gallery owners. From across Cape Cod, the intention of the exhibit is to introduce gallery owners to local artists and our art. Instead of the artists of The Salon des Refusés bringing their portfolio to the gallery owners, we’ll be bringing the gallery owners to our portfolio.

The exhibit of the Salon des Refusés will be intriguing and intelligent. Only it won’t be the usual stuff an artist might throw in the trunk of their car to show a gallery owner, instead it’s the real art the artists have produced that they consider truly representative of their talent — sometimes the art being unpredictable! The purpose of the Salon des Refusés is to let the gallery owners see the real side of our art and not the stuff we’re trying to use to impress them with for gallery admission.

The grand entrance of the show will be beautiful art models flamboyantly decorated and joyfully parading across the expansive museum floor. They will be parading as if on the streets of Paris in the early morning after a wonderful late night of incredible reveling.

I’ve received feedback from several artists regarding who will be the artists of the Salon des Refusés. The original 1863 Salon des Refusés was to showcase new art. The intent was to generate interest amongst the gallery owners. Our purpose is the same. Because our audience will be prominent gallery owners the Cape Cod museum has criteria for artists being entered into our show: 1) We are limited to ten artists with two pieces of new art each, 2) The artist must have a professional portfolio suitable for immediate gallery owner review, 3) A strong desire to show their new art work to a gallery owner during the show, 4) Each artist must have their portfolio and new art work reviewed by Elaine Cohen and myself for show entrance.

Plugs:

You guys know I’m a big fan of my friends with the band Tripping Lily. This Friday, December 12 Monica Rizzio and Friends are hosting a musical event at Buckie’s Coffee House on Route 28 in Dennis that sounds too good to miss. If you’re not familiar with how to get to Buckies there number is (508) 398-9700. Buckie’s is a small place with limited seating, I suggest you get there early, maybe 6:30 or so that night, the show starts at 7:00.

Also, on the same night Monica’s show is The Sarah Burrill Band at Joe's Bar and Grill up in Wellfleet on Friday December 12th at 10:00. I had the pleasure of hearing Sarah play at a private gathering last week. Wow, what incredible talent!

This may not fall under the heading of being as plug, but I very much believe what you give out comes back to you. I mention this because I received a beautiful gift from Bil Lane that I want to share with you. Bil is Jackson Browne’s Recording Engineer which many of you have heard me talk about many times. Bil’s generosity and continuously reaching out to shore up our friendship speaks for the type of wonderful person Bil is. I say this, because if you ever look at a CD and see the studio name of Groovemasters, or Bil Lane Recording Engineer by it. Bil has sent me CD’s that he has been the engineer on, and each of them is incredible.

I end each show with a wish from me to each one of regarding Peace and Love. After last week’s controversial show the response back was wonderful regarding the building of new studio. The ideas, suggestions, well wishes are wonderful. You guys are way too kind. It’s no wonder I truly do love all of you. Your are the coolest of the cool.

The Business Of Art

I was at a pub last night and a man who works with the town hall approached me. He said, "What are you artists doing over on Pearl Street?"

He explained to me that the behind the scenes business development of our art colony that business type stuff that as an artist isn’t within the realm of my day to day thoughts. It made me wonder that maybe I should consider the business side of art.

Over the many broadcasts I have often spoken of the Pearl Street art colony where my studio is. From it’s inception I have loved the idea behind Pearl Street – taking an old run down neighborhood in downtown Hyannis and transforming it into a thriving art destination. As a matter of fact the reason for this very broadcast grew out of my excitement for this art colony under new construction. And I love Hyannis, it’s named after my eleven generations ago grandfather and I have a deep passion to see this newly conceived art colony take place. Many of you haven’t been to Hyannis, and maybe really don’t fully understand Pearl Street. Within arms reach of where the packed ferries venture to cross the twenty five miles of the Nantucket sound to reach Nantucket, or Martha’s Vineyard is Hyannis. In some regards it’s a small seaport with a village perched at the top of the hill. Main Street in Hyannis is a mixture of restaurants and shops, and like most tourist dependent resorts the names on the shops change as frequently as the tourists.

During the summer the traffic around Hyannis and is constantly stop and go. To the tourists it looks like Hyannis is a metropolis, but if you’re a local it doesn’t take long to get to all the other locals. As one of my friends put it as she formed her index finger and thumb into the shape of a small circle, "The Cape is the size of a quarter." In the middle of Main Street where tourists gather by the bus load is the famous John F Kennedy Museum. Tourists hurdle in front of the statue with the museum placard in the background and photo op’s are exploited. A distance measurable in yards, just beyond the JFK Museum, the next street up on the left is Pearl Street. It runs in the direction toward the ferry launch. On a hot summer morning, especially in the early morning, the wonderful smell from the ocean finds it’s way up Pearl Street. Sometimes the air feels like it’s delivering the history of all that has taken place before, it’s as if the wonderful air is laden with the past Hyannis seems to so wonderfully cling to.

When the Pearl Street art colony came to life due to the incredible generosity of people like Pat Cursio and Shirley Blair Flynn, their vision was to create a place for artists to nurture their growth. The gift of a 1938 house and small barn bequeathed from Shirley to the Town to be used as working studios created the foundation for a multitude of wonderful artistic expressions. When the renovations to the former house where completed by the town, six of us moved in and started painting. The art that has been turned out of there to me is astonishing. As a group each of us have motivated the other to be pushed, to struggle, to be part os something very positive. This is the premise by which I thought a verbal journal of what’s taking place on Pearl Street needs to be preserved. The very reason for this radio show, this podcast, was to record the history of Pearl Street as it became a well known art destination on Cape Cod. This was the reason iTunes decided to carry the broadcast you are listening to.

It didn’t take long for the expansion of Pearl Street to be seen as a good business investment by local merchants. Some had the vision to see that the artists of the Pearl Street art colony where going to revitalize a run down section of town and they wanted to be part of it. And God bless them for their interest. Not long after we opened the doors to our working studio did other doors begin to open all around us. Old buildings were remodeled and soon galleries began to open. The concept of transforming Pearl Street into an important art destination had all the ingredients for success. The woman managing all these efforts for the Town had the outstanding skill of being able to see into the future what Pearl Street should be and worked hard to put the plan in place. She did a great job at motivating others and keeping us on track for the greater good. Enthusiasm became mixed into our paints as those of us as artists worked in excitement. Pearl Street became the new envy of the art community, many other artists wished they were involved, but space was limited. Not enough supply and too much demand put Pearl Street on the map and from it interest grew all over the Cape. Pearl Street became known as the cool place.

Eventually the wonderful woman who worked for the town, the woman whose efforts brought Pearl Street together left her position with the town. Her departure came at the same time a new gallery, a flagship for Pearl Street was opening up. The idea behind the gallery was a coop style whereby various artists would consign their art. It was intended that as many as two dozen artists would participate in this coop gallery. At that time I was invited to join, and I did for one day, then I quit. The problem I saw was that with such a mixture of artists the strong possibility was that there would be wide range of varying degrees within the art. Some good and some bad. The mixed bag of amateur verus professional art concerned me, so I dropped out. Another reason for my decision to drop out of the coop gallery at that time dovetails into this week’s topic: The Business Of Art.

It’s a very good thing I dropped out when I did. The coop gallery was being infiltrated with management form a local art association.. The art association moving in to manage the new coop from my perspective was an accident waiting to happen. The problem with using a local art association to run a gallery was that in no time whatsoever the word will get out and the gallery will be known as the art association’s gallery. My concern was that my name, the business of my art, would be dragged into the business of the art associations. I’m not slamming the art association, but they have a nitch in the world of art as a business for marketing low end amature art, for which there is a market, just not one I want to sell my art in, nor be affiliated with.

Within a very short period of time the new coop gallery became known as the place for amateurs to sell their art, which is sad because that wasn’t the case. Many very talented artists were in the new coop, but because the art association’s name was recognized by the public as amateurish art the new gallery was dragged through the mud. At this same time the wonderful woman who had spearheaded the development of Pearl Street left her position with the town, her no longer working for the Town meant a replacement would have to be hired.

The town decided to promote a person who I think was an assistant clerk. The title for the position being Arts and Culture Coordinator. A person with zero experience in the arts and zero experience in coordinating culture was given the job. The woman took over and within moments after starting her job she fired the warning shot across the bow of us artists; she was in town to take charge. She asked if she could introduce herself during one of our art shows, we agreed and in she walked with her clip board, ready to assign decisions to each of the artists who now ‘worked for her". She went right to work with the first question being, " Why do you have art hung on the walls?" I couldn’t believe the question, I thought she was joking. She then shook her head, "I don’t know if you can hang art on the walls. I’ll have to get a legal opinion on that. " Out she went, straight out the door to the town’s attorney office. My disbelief I can’t can describe.

From that moment things went downhill. As one of the other artists, a friend and colleague put it, "she speaks from both sides of her mouth." Trust evaporated. Too often she had two versions of the truth, one truth which fit something she made up, and the other truth being what she thought you might want to hear. When we asked her questions she would become defensive, her annoyance would build, and she’d reply, "You’re trying to spin my words, that’s why I can’t answer your questions." Her role as Arts ands Culture Coordinator destroyed the moral and created so much conflict our studios became a place of depressing negativism. Most of us shined away form going into our respective studios for fear it would bring us down. What was once a thriving place to be creative was now a dark place where negative distrust dwelled.

So it was when at the pub last night and this man who works with the town hall approached me and said, "What are you artists doing over on Pearl Street?, I replied, "I think the town has messed up on this one." The coop gallery is in trouble he told me, and from my own view, our studio is also in trouble. I say the town has messed up because the vision that once provided promise and direction is now gone, in it’s place is that narrow thinking of treating artists as employees and directing them as if we sit in cubicle awaiting direction from the boss. The town has left this poor woman all alone, she’s trying to do a job she doesn’t understand, and as she herself said it’s her role to make policy as she fits. She even went on to say that her predecessor didn’t document anything therefore she’ll has to make and implement all new policy regarding how she will handle our professions as artists. It’s scary to think an unqualified person is now going to walk in manage your career path.

The business of art is a delicate balance. Selling art has been a struggle for artists since day one. Artists are artists and the challenge of selling art is typically not within the realm as to why they became an artist in the first place. Overcoming the fear to produce art is one thing, to overcome the fear of explaining why someone should buy their art is a whole new matter. It took the brave personality of Picasso to say, "My art is art (and therefore worthy of the price) because I said so." Most artist’s don’t have the courage to stand up and direct the public this way. This is where on Pearl Street the coop gallery and studio space need an Arts ands Culture Coordinator to work with us and for us. Instead though the town let a woman who initially blazed the trail go, and in her wake promoted a woman whose intention was getting a promotion into a job. I question her capability.

I have received over the many broadcasts many wonderful emails and phone calls from you guys complimenting my optimism. I’m very optimistic that Pearl Street will survive, maybe in a different form from what it once was, and I strongly believe art in Hyannis will thrive and that someday Hyannis will be known as the art destination second only to beautiful Provincetown. The challenge I believe is that hiring a person with no experience in coordinating the arts and culture with neither art nor culture as a background, but rather only interested in getting a promotion, severely limits vision.

So what’s the answer? There’s a great push in our country right now to call on each of us to volunteer. In this regard, unless the town is capable of hiring that one in a million person who can really walk in and instil that sense of vision that motivates the development of a project as big as Pearl Street they should put together a board of advisors. The initiative behind the board of advisors would be to get the Pearl Street art colony unified in one common objective. Right now the Pearl Street art colony consists of a coop gallery, a private gallery, an ice cream shop, a coffee shop, an artist in residence, a working art studio , and a barn for teaching art and holding art shows. If the town orchestrated a Board Of Advisors to develop and overall plan to carve out the Pearl Street art colony mission with clarity it would send a positive signal to the public. A signal from which the public, I believe, would consider the Pearl Street art colony as a serious and professional place for art. If you recall a few broadcasts back I mentioned meeting an art professor at a local college. The professor asked if I was involved with the coop gallery on Pearl Street. I said, "No.", to which he professor replied, "Yeah, it’s too bad amateurs have taken over the coop gallery."

It’s not until people like this art professor are able to endorse and support the activity on Pearl Street that Pearl Street will be able to shine as Cape Cod’s serious place for professional art.

I recommend the Board Of Advisors be made up of a hand few of Hyannis Main Street business owners, professional artists, a town representative, and a member from the Main Street Business Improvement and Development Board, and the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod. The purpose of the Board Of Advisors would be to draft a document outlining one common plan for success for the entirety of the Pearl Street art colony.

Many of you have heard me say over the many shows that I am a spiritual person, and I strongly believe all things have a reason for being. I don’t view the decline of the enthusiasm on Pearl Street as anything other than a signal; it’s time for me to move on into the next chapter of my art. I say this because the business of art means as an artist I must be cautious with my affiliations as an artist. I can’t afford to have my name dragged down as the town carries Pearl Street through the mud. I can’t afford to have a man at the pub ask me questions as to my involvement in an art initiative that is failing. I can’t afford to have an art professor thinking I’m connected to a group of amateurs incapable of effectively marketing their art. The business of art means I have to make business decisions if my name is to survive as a reputable and serious artist. The business of art means it’s time for me to vacate Pearl Street. But don’t despair my friends, my optimism is shining through. When one door closes ten other doors open, and if you’re spiritual like me they will close and open for good reason. I don’t know exactly what the future will hold in terms of my next studio, but my eyes and heart are wide open and we’ll see where the next adventure lands my pallette knife. In the interim I am smiling.

Onto another topic, now here’s a good idea, my friend and colleague Elaine Cohen has come up with a great idea for an exhibit, with a reception promising a bit of a twist. The art show would be titled "The Salon des Refusés", which is French for "exhibition of rejects". It stems from an 1863 exhibition of works that were rejected by the jury of the official Paris Salon. The Salon des Refusés of 1863 exhibited the works the Paris Salon had rejected. Some of these jury-rejects went on to become very famous paintings, such as Édouard Manet's Luncheon on the Grass, and James McNeill Whistler's Girl in White. Any artists out there that are interetsed in exhibiting in such a show are welcomed to contact me at MayflowerStudio@aol.com