A Night at the Bruce Museum
Gustave Flaubert, the author of Madame Bovary once wrote, ‘you don’t make art out of good intentions.” And when it became imminent that wind, rain, the category 3 storm Hurricane Sandy would visit the site of my first exhibit days afterwards, intentions were no longer part of the equation.
The story should start with, ‘it was a dark and stormy night,’ but in my head there were too many details still to pin down. On the night of October 26th, 2012 we had rented a gallery room at the Bruce museum, a small, but vital modern art Museum in Greenwich, Connecticut for my first exhibit. It was an introduction for me and my art into the art world.
Our day was full of plans. We loaded and unloaded each of my canvases, and set them up in the gallery to maximize it’s potential. Madeline Furhman, a musician and longtime friend, practiced her music in the house, while I readied myself mentally. We all hoped for the best, but I couldn’t help and wonder how this day would define me as an artist. A couple of hours before its opening, me and my assistant finished setting up the exhibit. Wine and aperitifs spread along the table for friends and family who came, and art for enthusiasts and artists alike.
The Exhibit
On display, we had 10 different paintings from the past year.
A few of the paintings were:
Silent Moment
Freefall
Sampson
As people filtered in, Madeline Furhman’s melodies filled the room. One of her stand-out songs was entitled “Something Beautiful.” My wife Rose was executive producer of the video content (linked below) that came from her Kickstarter contribution. We also hired a young photographer, Fernando Perez who recorded the entire evening.
Having each piece set-up gave me the opportunity to reflect on my pieces at a deeper level. I saw them not only as the creator, but as a critic. Also, when glancing around the room, I saw the pieces in juxtaposition with one another. It gave story to the themes, styles and colors that are personal to me.
What I accomplished and what I absorbed from the experience was different from my beginning intention. I thought that it would be an introduction of my art to everyone. But it turned out to be an introduction of what art was for myself. It started a new dialogue within me. After this show, I felt that there was more opportunity for experimentation, innovation, and potential to express my ideas through other mediums. Overall it was a phenomenal night, and a lasting memory.
Madeline-Something Beautiful
