art

business of art and pez /  by admin

©2011 gary garbett.com
In preparation for this weekend's 43rd Street Festival of the Arts, I recently placed the order for my new business cards. With all the advancement of technology and the addition of social media, there's a good bit more text than there use to be these things. 
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the best damn art show in Richmond. Period! It's a day filled with fine food, fine music, fine art and fine folks. Come get your culture on and be sure to stop by to take a look at what I've been doing creatively. If your one of those kind that needs even more incentive than all the above goodness, …yes, I'll be giving away Pez dispensers while they last. 

Saturday, Sept. 17, 2011
10-5
Forest Hill and 43rd Street.

Come see me. I'll have a free 2" x 3.5" limited edition print waiting for you.

shake, rattle, and rock and roll /  by admin

©2011 gary garbett.com

For the first time in my half century of living, I experienced the earth physically move by her own will yesterday. All by herself, she quivered and rattled everything around me as I sat in cubicle 3-02R on the third floor. Like everyone around me, I paused everything I was working on, then quickly grabbed my camera and computer bags and made my way down the stairwell and out of the building. Within minutes of the movement, I read posts of a 5.8 magnitude earthquake reported on Twitter.

Upon arriving home two hours after the quake, just 20 miles from the epicenter, all appeared fine with exception to the hanging artwork throughout the house which had shifted and a few cupboard and cabinet doors had flung open. Our dogs and cats, who always greet us happily when we arrive, were very vocal, frantic, and far happier than normal to see us. Aftershocks of 2.8, 2.2, and 4.2 followed.

I discovered the greatest casualty this morning as I walked into my studio. My vintage G.I. Joes, Ace Frehley, and Paul Stanley dolls were sprawled on the floor, six to eight feet from the place they usually perch while watching and guarding the studio. The horror and senselessness was moving, much like yesterday afternoon.

fortunes of good graces /  by admin

©2011 gary garbett.com

I had a visit from UPS yesterday. It was a fabulous day. In addition to the driver and I having a really great conversation about living healthy, family, and attempting to outlive the short lifespan of our "passed away far too young" fathers, he also delivered my new Olympus E-5. My two crazy, life loving pups ran around the yard showing off as the two of us stood in the gravel lane and talked for several minutes. After about five minutes and with more deliveries on his route to make, we brought our talk to a close. I thanked him, shook his hand, and returned the favor by sending him away with a package... a bag of freshly picked tomatoes from my garden.

An hour or so later, I received a phone call from a longtime friend who I hadn't spoken with since her husband's memorial service last year. I'd been thinking about her quite a lot lately and it sounded like she's been moving forward with things pretty well since we last spoke. During our conversation, she asked if I could visit sometime to assist her with some computer issues she's been having. Without even looking at my calendar, I asked if today would work for her. I'll be stopping by to see her on my drive home from the office this afternoon. I may even pack a bag of tomatoes for my visit.

I scouted and reviewed the reports on my new camera for nearly a year before finally making the purchase. It really is a beauty and a phenomenal piece of equipment, but with all of my anticipation of it's arrival, it just wasn't the highlight of my Wednesday. It delights me at how the little things like a brown bag filled with garden picked tomatoes or a jar of homemade pickles can soothe the soul. Combined with a few minutes of genuine, honest conversation and you have something far more valuable than any cardboard box could ever hold. Sincerity is simply golden.

farther along than i once was /  by admin

©2011 gary garbett.com

My closet and dresser are filled with years of gathered fabrics that I rarely ever wear. I just don't have the time or the place to, but each are on my list of things to one day accomplish. After not wearing one for several years, I purchased a new wristwatch last week. I use to always wear one and not really sure why I quit. I like knowing what time it is at any moment of the day. It's another tool to keep me on pace with my regimented routine.

Ah... routines. My father certainly had his. As a teen I promised myself I'd never fall to such day-to-day mundaneness. Seems as though time and age have both changed that for me. I'm always battling myself to find the time to accomplish even a few items each day that I've penciled in on my ever growing "must do" lists. Maybe what's really happening is that I'm really living someone else's life and theirs is just getting in the way of my living mine. Or even worse, maybe someone else really has mine. If so, I just hope their living it exactly the way that I planned it.

As for today, I can scratch, "post daily blog" from today's list. Enjoy yours.

taking a spin with george harrison /  by admin

©2011 gary garbett.com

Music centers me. From the time I was a little boy, it always has. I get lost in it and it simply finds my soul. I've had my share of music devices over the years from numerous record players, a lime green portable AM radio with a thin plastic wrist strap, chrome retractable antenna, and a single mono ear plug, several 8-track and cassette tape decks - both portable and stereophonic stand alones, a Sony Walkman, cd players, an iPod and other digital media players. The one that got me started around 1964 was a box unit Beanie and Cecil record player. I then started collecting 45's from the time I was about five or six years old. By the time I was nine, I was serious about my music and began buying albums, partly because of the art as well as the music. A few of my firsts were Led Zeppelin III, Credence Clearwater Revival - Cosmos Factory, The Guess Who - Canned Wheat, and The Osmonds self titled. Yes, the Osmonds.

My appreciation of vinyl albums continues and I try to make it a point to listen to a few each night. I love the artwork and packaging. I love reading the liner notes. And I love hearing the depth and richness of the analog sound as the reflection from the grooves dance on the turntable. It's been nearly 50 years since Santa brought me that Beany and Cecil box and the love it opened up for me continues. Record albums define who I am. They've been my best friends for a long, long time.

Last night I enjoyed time with Cat Stevens - Teaser and the Firecat, Santana - Abraxas, and George Harrison - Thirty Three & 1/3. Seems fitting.