In Kind Donation

I got my first rejection from a foundation yesterday.  The woman was nice about it.  Thankfully, I had only submitted an email letter of inquiry.  I have been working on this material since January.  Librarians have helped me spruce up my resume, write an artist statement, rewrite my artist bio, get better pictures.  The books about grant writing, the materials they have copied for me should theoretically all come together after the initial letter of inquiry...resulting in a grant. 

The grant I didn't get to propose was to be a series of paintings highlighting places in Licking County that I have been moved to paint.  The goddess must have a gargantuan sense of humor because when I got home feeling all dejected I had a package in the mail.  And in that package dear readership was a $50 check for a set of penny buttons and an in kind donation of acrylic paint.

You may remember that I had pulled 8 canvases out of a CCAD dumpster a while back.  The artist who tried painting must have been discouraged and chucked their work.  I pulled out the canvases, and thanked my lucky stars for my good fortune.  I used a can of inside trim paint that my x landlord had not paid me for, and I re coated those canvases.  I have waited and longed for the day when I could buy some acrylic paint to replace the paint I used up on Three Kool Katz and The Blue House On Cliffside that was stolen before I could finish it.  I grieve that stolen painting like it was a child! 

The original paint was given to me by Jennifer Erdman a potter I worked for in Granville back in the day.  Jennifer went on to create a whole set of dinnerware for the Governor (Celest I believe).  She put her daughter through college, and I believe sent her to Europe.  All this after her x husband told her she would never amount to anything. 

It is stories and in kind gifts from people like Jennifer who keep me going in spite of rejection letters.
Thank you Jennifer for the paint in the 1980's, and thank you Judith for the replacement paint in the 21st century.  Because of both women's generosity, I have been able to paint along with my other artistic endeavors.  Most people, even artists believe I should "specialize" and concentrate on just one art form and process.  I tried that...and I can't do it.  I just can't!  My degree was in art education which made it seem like I needed to understand many different art processes in order to teach them to others.  I am happy to do that whenever I run into someone who really wants to learn...

I will begin my painting series without funding for now.  It was a local funder that politely turned me down as they only give to non profit ORGANIZATIONS.  I don't know how I missed that, as I have had lots of help preparing... I realize that I really don't want to live here (Licking County), but while I have to, I will make art that is about here, and how I feel having to live here.  Maybe I shouldn't ask for local money, when I detest living here as much as I do...maybe I deserve to be rejected when after all I am planning on escape!

Land Escape painter...seeks work.  I can see the headlines:)  Lets see if I can paint my way out of here dear readers.