Down to the Wire.

The Meeting Acrylic Diptych on Canvas

Thanks to everyone who gave me such support for having published my book. Of course I was thrilled to get my proof copy in the mail last week. The pictures looked good and so did the layout. Unfortunately some bloopers had passed by me and so I needed to revise the book and republish it. I was eager to do this right away so I would have time to order copies for my show at Onda Gallery, opening July 31.

Imagine the frustration when I found myself unable to connect to the internet! I got my book revised and was ready to go, but no connection. I tried everything I could think of, but no dice. I called my partner who is working in Colorado for a few weeks and tried everything she could think of. No success.

I observed my frenzy of frustration while I was in it. How had I become so dependent on this internet thing? For most of my life such a concept as the internet was nonexistent. But I wanted it and wanted it now. Finally my son came up with the solution. My old firewall had decided the internet was the enemy and was protecting me. Once I got rid of that firewall (somehow I had acquired another, so that was part of it), the problem vanished. The new version of the book is now online and some copies will be available at the Onda show. The painting shown at the top of this post will be in the book and the show.

Of course this made me think of how our old defenses, like firewalls, may act on faulty ideas of what is dangerous to us. I noticed this as I was preparing my book. I was thrilled about doing it, but an old "firewall" in my brain warned me that I was being a bit conceited, who did I think I was, etc. Not so easy to delete that kind of program but I was able to override it. I'm sure at one time that "firewall" kept me from trying things I might regret, but it has outlived its function. Life is short, and internet publishing is fun. Let's all put ourselves out there!

Also showing at Onda starting on July 31 will be artist Bonnie Meltzer. She creates "Very Mixed Media Art" and will be using computer parts for the pieces she'll show at Onda. I can't wait to see them! The photo below uses different media but shows how colorful, vibrant, and original her work is. Look for more of her work on the web ( I still can't make links by myself, but she's very googlable.)

Bequest by Bonnie Meltzer