an opening

Quilts for Art Sake IV, I think it was, opened last Friday night at Gallery 214 in Montclair, NJ. Here are Patricia Malarcher, Rachel Cochran, and Barbara Conte-Gaugel having a serious discussion aboout something appropriate to the occasion. I joined the discussion and if I remember correctly, it was about the challenges of jurying and the wish to see fresh work submitted rather than pieces that are similar to those submitted to previous shows, or that have "made the rounds." I will be one of the jurors for Art Quilts Lowell '07 - a national show - for which the organizers hope there will be fresh and interesting work submitted. It is a relief to know that I am not submitting to this show because I do not, at the moment, have any fresh work. But, back to Gallery 214... This is the first time the annual show at 214 has been hung so you could see every piece. In previous years this show was juried and accepted so many pieces that they were hung salon-style, which made for a highly overcrowded exhibit. This year, the show was an invitational and the work was more even in both size and quality -- and was hung more more effectively because there were so many fewer pieces. Rachel and Barbara each had pieces in the show (Barbara's is the large orange and green canvas) and there were pieces by Carol Taylor, Denise Linet, Dominie Nash, Diane Savona, and other artists I can't recall at the moment. Why? Because I had such a terrific weekend that it sent everything else out of my head.

These three luminous young women treated me (and themselves) to a spa weekend at the divine Short Hills Hilton.L-R my daughters Hilary & Jessica; my daughter-in-law, Anne Marie. My brithday present as I enter official decrepitude - was this wonderful mother/daughter escape and pampering that was the BEST. Hil, Jess, and I checked in for the weekend and Anne came for an afternoon in the spa on Saturday. This was the first weekend we could coordinate our schedules.

What could be bad? Massages,manicures, pedicures, facials, drinks and hors d'oeuvres in the Executive Lounge, dinner at Legal Seafood, plenty of laughter and heart-to-heart discussions over dinner, more laughter, and then today - a lavish brunch (ah, the caviar & creme fraiche) and shopping at the Mall at Short Hills with no husbands to look annoyed that we were taking too long. Pure luxury: time together with no agenda other than pleasure. We had so much fun that we decided we should do this once a year.

Tomorrow: back to real life, groceries, bills, and I need to go back to the mall all by myself to do my own shopping for Chanukah, which starts at the end of this week. Everybody is coming next Sunday for latkes and to exchange gifts.

I know I have been missing in action but I have needed to take a break. Will try to get back on track: I haven't had time to either write my blog or read anyone else's. But don't give up. I'll be back to a better schedule soon