Post-show depression and touring
Yesterday, Becca and I picked up Subjective in Corvallis and drove it directly to Bend, where it opened today.
Touring a show is hard work. Keeping on top of deadlines and schedules with each of the venues is just part of the effort that goes into the tour. The physical logistics are equally challenging at times, and April Fool’s Day seemed ripe for testing Becca and me. The weather reports for the mountain passes into Bend were full of freezing precipitation and, to make matters more interesting, one of the paintings had had an accident in the last days of the show in Corvallis. Before leaving the valley, we would have to get the portrait into its new frame!
Becca and I somehow managed to stay on our tight schedule, and, when we reached the mountains, they looked like this. The opposite of a blizzard.
The load-in at the Pence Gallery went just as smoothly and, by early evening, we were back on the road again, headed home. We had planned to spend a night in Bend, but the ominous forecast chased us out of town—via highways 97 and 197 to interstate 84, a route which avoided the snowy Mt. Hood area (a useful tip from a friend of Becca’s).
And did I mention that Becca did all the driving? That’s because she’s amazing.
All in all, touring shows is worth it despite any hiccups encountered along the way. I discovered this when I debuted Apple Pie in Portland and took it to Eugene the next year, and I was glad to do an even more extended showing of Subjective. After all, putting together a series is hard, and it’s a shame to give it just one little month of public life.
I used to be sad whenever one of my conceptual shows came down. I would spend a couple of years developing the paintings only to have the show live for thirty short days. No matter how successful the exhibition was in that time, it was always a disappointment when it came down. With the tours, the work and I are given many opportunities to meet an audience, meaning that when I do finally retire the series it’s less of a letdown. What’s more, touring means that I get to meet different communities and learn more about what I do from different perspectives. It may be a lot of work to take a show on the road, but the rewards make the effort worthwhile.
To catch Subjective in Bend, visit Central Oregon Community College by 30 April. It’s open Monday through Friday between 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM.
Opening reception: 8 April, 4:00 to 6:00 PM
Pence Gallery at the Pinckney Center
Central Oregon Community College
2600 NW College Way
Bend, OR 97701
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CATEGORIES: - Practice - Subjective -
Susan Gallacher-Turner...
Gwenn,
--- -- - --- - ---- - - --- ----- -- -Great show…I saw it at pcc and loved it. So glad to hear your tour is going well, though not surprised, the work is amazing. Glad you and Becca made it over the snowy passes and home safe!
Susan