--My apologies to Garry Trudeau for both liberating the title to one of his Doonesbury cartoon collections as well as for appropriating Zonker's comment as my first diary in over 18 months' title --
That being said, as Zonker aptly remarked, we all need a few chocolate chip cookies (and not necessarily the kind that result from troll-recipe posts). So, given how crazed and crazy and amazing the past two+ weeks have been, I thought it might be a great opportunity to take a moment and let you in on a very cool thing that happened to me just the other day.
Note, this diary involves some art, a little bit of Medicare, and lot of ramblings by me.
So, if you need a little pre-holiday cheer or are an art fan, or are just jonesing for a cookie, this might be a good diary for you.
More after the fold, including a piece of art...
Every October in San Francisco, we have an event known as Open Studios. This is a four-weekend long showcasing of the various and brilliant artists here in San Francisco. In essence, local artists literally open their studios (some coordinate with other fellow artists and do combined showings, etc., but you get the picture) so that the general public can see their art and their art in progress.
Running from the first weekend in October, the city is divided into 4 sections, and each section is individually highlighted one of the four weekends. Open Studios-- the whole event, from creating a publication listing addresses, artists, and even a sample of their work to even helping new artists figure out how to actually host an Open Studio -- is coordinated by a local non-profit, Art Span. It is a herculean task that this small non-profit pulls off every year.
In addition to coordinating Open Studios, Art Span has a series of programs for inner city youth to help bring art to everyone who lives here in San Francisco. One of these programs dovetails with Open Studios and it’s where my story takes place.
Artists are encouraged to show one of their pieces at an exhibition coordinated by Art Span, and this gigantic exhibition is the host to a series of educational/entertainment events for folks in the Bay Area.
Before I go any further, here is the piece I chose to have exhibited this year, entitled Birthday Still Life. This painting is an 11" X 14" piece, mixed media. And I do mean MIXED media -- oils, gouache, acrylic and a bunch of other stuff, like liquid plastic, and kids' 3-d crayon sticks. It is coated with a resin finish which makes it look a little wet, a finish which also makes it impervious to being smeared or ruined if touched. I believe in making my art as touch-able as possible. So, the painting:
Birthday Still Life (2006), mixed media, by me!
Anyway, back to the story.
One such event Art Span hosts is one that brings in kids from all over the city and Bay Area and gives them a rather interactive tour of all the art that has been put out on display. After the tour, the kids are asked to choose their favorite piece of art and then encouraged to draw it themselves. Because the tour/educational is so personal, and because the art is so literally close to the viewer, much of the art the kids get to see and sometimes to touch is equally very personal. It is an awesome sight to see these kids actually have the light bulb go off about art and then the second light bulb go off about possibility.
OK, now back to me...
It was a generally ok Friday morning -- my doctor and I were both pissed that the labs had screwed up a simple test ordered three weeks before, leaving my doc and I a nice chance to catch up on all things other than what we were hoping to see in this latest lab result. Nonetheless, I got yet another new prescription for my neuropathy in my ankles, and was sent off on my way. From doc to pharmacy, nothing spectacular. However, at the pharmacy, I find out the new prescription is going to cost me over $250, which is not only way out of budget for me, but unbelievable.
Doesn't my Medicare Plan D cover this?
or my MediCal?
Or ADAP?
Nope.
Nope.
Nope.
s.h.i.t.
Apparently, now my doc has to write a TAR (Treatment Authorization Request) so that Medicare and/or MediCal and/or ADAP can cover the exorbitant cost of this drug. Great...
Yeah, I leave the pharmacy feeling quite pissed off. It was then that I decided to go down to the Art Span office to pick up my painting which had been in the exhibit.
A bus here, a transfer there, another bus here and I get to their office space.
The staff that handles the youth programs for Art Span is really great and helpful and, to me, a sight for sore eyes, especially after the $250 prescription moment at my pharmacy.
Her first comment to me: "Your painting was THE hit with the kids."
Me: "What? Are you being serious?"
Her next comment: "Absolutely serious. Here, let me show you."
She then turns to a couple of manila folders on her desk crammed with drawings. When she finds the one she's looking for, she begins to leaf through it.
Looking at me she says: "Remember we ask the kids after the tour to draw their favorite picture? Well, you would not believe how many drew YOUR painting. They really, really loved it."
Me: "Oh my god... wow... uhm.. whoa.. cooooool.."
Looking at the drawings she says: "Here, like this one. Or this one. Or this one. Or this one. They go on and on."
Me: "uhm... wow... whoa... cooool... I'm completely blown away..."
Then she finds this one drawing, by a young girl who I'll name "Dadancy" (not her real name). She had drawn not one, but 2 pictures of my painting.
But the most amazing thing about her second drawing was that she did her "...own version..." (so I am told by the Art Span staff) of my painting. And why her own version? Seems she believed that my painting was MY version of flowers in a vase so now she felt compelled to draw her own version of flowers in a vase.
Nearly made me cry.
Made me incredibly happy. So happy.
Now, a few days later, the TAR is going to be written tomorrow when I see my doctor, the painting is now back home with me, and somewhere, some little girl named Dadancy (not her real name) is drawing her own version of things as she sees them, not as they are supposed to be seen.
And that makes it all worthwhile, in my book.
Oh yeah, please support your local artists. Some are probably better than you ever imagined!