interior

we feed ourselves /  by admin

©2011 gary garbett.com

Food is art and my kitchen is another one of my studios. Not only does it need to taste good. It must also look good. Saturday looked like this.

Scrambled eggs with mozzarella, cheddar, and parmesan with a splash of salsa. Home style hash browns with onion, garlic, and green peppers from our garden. Olive oil lime parmesan french loaf topped with orange marmalade. Nectarines. Tomato juice and freshly ground fair trade coffee. Fab!

falling in love on the cheap /  by admin

©2011 gary garbett.com
I decided to venture out on a thrift store Doc Marten mission yesterday. I've been skunked for nearly 3 years, but with a few minutes to spare before my dental appointment, I needed to see what I could do to save any rejected soles. Thrift stores have such a character about them. Much like my friends, each one seems to be so different, all with their own brand of quirkiness, faults, and zest. I visited one of my faves. As par for the course, for quite a long time now... zilch. Nothing.

Driving west, I knew I had less than 10 minutes to spare and decided to make a quick stop by one more shop. I parked the truck and hurriedly dashed in. As I walked halfway to the back of the store where all of the men's stuff is stashed, I began hearing angels sing just before seeing it in the distance. Yellow. Soled. Stitching. 
A pair of 8053 Brown Harvest Oxford Docs where just sitting there. Waiting. Just for me. They wanted to be loved and I vaguely remember hearing the sweetness of Diana Ross & Lionel Richie singing the chorus of Endless Love as we both met. Score. Love. Seven bucks. Period.
Two hours later I had clean shiny teeth and with a $2 pair of new laces and forty minutes of focused shoe polishing, I was covered from head to toe in elation. A celebration with cheese and crackers for dinner ensued for my pups and I as my soundtrack of real life kept playing on.  
Life is like that. That's just how it is.

paperwork's complete. bring on tomorrow. /  by admin

©2011 gary garbett.com

Next to being a Dad, my middle aged return to higher education has been one of the most rewarding events in my life. Receiving my bachelor's degree at 48 years of age was a personal landmark. It was official. I'd been bitten by the education bug and prior to graduating in 2008, I'd already applied and accepted my invitation to attend graduate school in Virginia Commonwealth University's highly ranked School of the Arts program. 


I continued my forward educational momentum while also working full time for the university. Education and creativity surrounded me. I felt at home. Two years and one day after attending my very first graduate level class, my thesis art exhibition opened at the Rawls Museum. My frantic pace and life's ambitions merged. It was spectacular. A few weeks later, just before graduation, I was humbled with my invitation and induction into the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi. 

Throughout my entire life, I've always attempted to make good decisions. There were certainly numerous times when I fell far short, but my late in life decision to return to college has become one of my absolute best. Quite honestly with my working class upbringing, I never would have imagined ever being able to use the phrase college graduate associated with Gary Garbett. And to one day earn a Masters degree was simply unimaginable. My only regret is that I wish my father could have seen some of this unfold. He would have been so proud. Who knows, maybe he was watching.

There was a voice mail waiting for me on Monday as I returned home from the office. The voice was personable, upbeat, and professional. It was the university's Student Services office calling to say that my diploma was ready for pick up. I smiled and erased the message. With a few moments to breathe, I now look back and I'm incredibly proud of the work, direction, and growth, both personally and artistically that I've made over the past few years. I'm truly a blessed and lucky, lucky man. 

I'm just now feeling like I'm getting started and I've got a hell of a long way to go before being done. Life is simply that good and I look forward to what it decides to bring tomorrow. I may even set my alarm earlier for a preview glimpse.