scroll down to read about last night's wonderful seder.
3:46PM update: LEFT: this morning before starting work, RIGHT: a few minutes ago. laying the canvas down on the table helped not only in preventing the drips that tend to occur when you cover a large area with very thinned down oil paint. it was helpful as well in getting a different perspective on the painting, which is, after all, about seeing the ordinary from a different perspective.
right now, there is a silence in this one which is like a distillation of all that i've been doing since i began the parade series in august of last year. even further back, in 2010, i painted the original parade , which was shown at skoufa gallery in my solo exhibition.
2:37PM update: the painting is currently lying almost flat on my table with the fan going full blast so the large areas i painted thin won't drip when i put it up on the easel, which will happen shortly.
last night we drove 50 miles south to alamosa, where we were invited to a seder held at the alamosa senior center and organized by our friend, julie mordecai. julie had invited about 20 people, some from crestone, others from alamosa, only 7 or so of whom were jewish. many shared that they had never been to a seder before.
julie, at the head of the long table, kicked off the seder with introductions, going around the table. she asked us what passover means to us, and what it means to be at this seder. i was unexpectedly moved when i answered, letting the group know in brief what my childhood experience of passover was, and why this evening is so pregnant with memories and meaning.
she had selected a haggadah designed for the 21st century which, while maintaining much of what is found in the traditional haggadah i remember from my childhood, includes short explanations and commentary making it more relevant to contemporary jews and non-jews.
it was a beautiful, unforgettable experience which i'll never forget, and included meeting a few crestonians we hadn't known, or knew tangentially. julie was masterful at gathering people together many of whom didn't know each other, and instantly creating a warm and trusting environment. and for that, we're very grateful.
and now, on with my work on parade 35. i'll post updated images as soon as they become available.
