Temple Postscript

I just now returned from collecting my art at the conclusion of the Art Festival Beth-El in St. Petersburg. I entered the Temple wondering if I had made any sales and made my way past empty panels and packing boxes to the check-out table.

The volunteer allowed, with some excitement, that Matt Silverman, the President of the Tampa Bay Rays, bought one of my pieces. Going over her list, she finally said "Oh here it is, he bought "Diamond Dog."

Does Matt have a dog named Diamond, did he buy it as a gift for his friend, health guru Harvey Diamond, or perhaps, as he gazed at the drawing above, he thought of B.J. Upton, standing at the baseball diamond, tapping his cleats with his bat?

I don't have any idea, but I know that Matt's purchase made it a good show for me. Tomorrow I will buy another batch of art supplies. Thanks.

New Pictures At An Exhibition

The 45th Dunedin Art Harvest took place this past weekend and judging from the sparse crowds and low sales, the rotten economy is indeed affecting art lovers (buyers).

I will not complain. Beautiful weather, plentiful friends and free spanakopita made up for everything. An Award of Excellence didn't hurt either. Thanks for the photos Matt and Ligia.

The Starving Artist Special

The other day I got a craving for a bowl of ancho flavored chicken posole washed down with a cinnamon dusted horchata. In all of my “you can do this but not that” mental games, eating great spicy food trumps everything.

So I hurried over to my favorite Dunedin restaurant, Casa Tina on Main Street. Grabbing a vacant window seat, I mentally prepared myself for the feast to come. A waitress I hadn’t seen in a while came by, and, after the customary chit-chat, asked if I wanted my usual, “The Starving Artist Special.” Hearing those words again caught me off guard. Staring in silence, I finally shook my head no and looked down at the menu I knew by heart.

In my many years of eating there, I became known as the artist who likes “The Starving Artist Special.” OK, what’s not to like about a delicious plate of frijoles negras, salsa, and rice with a side of chunky guacamole. Right there you have your three basic food groups, plus complete proteins, carbs, and fats. And I could get all that great food for six bucks.

It was the clever title that annoyed me and no amount of friendly cajoling would get the owners to change it. My stories of eating three meals a day and sometimes not even cleaning my plate could not dissuade them. The Starving Artist Special remained on the menu.

If truth be known, it was most likely artists who began using the term “starving artist,” probably in an effort to drum up more sales at the world’s first outdoor art show. We are often our own worst enemies. It did not take long for an amused public to add “starving artist” to their lexicon of marginalizing expressions. “You bohemian, self-indulgent, unconventional hippie! You starving artist!”

In a culture that considers art a luxury or does not take its creative class seriously, making a decent living will always be difficult. That does not mean artists are starving. Like many people, artists have learned to live within their means and use their creativity to fashion a rich and satisfying life.

Artists, who live life out of their own center, and have a vision they are able to create every day, could be said to be the most well fed of people.