end of Week 2

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Columbus Ohio.

We happened to end up in Columbus on First Saturday Gallery Hop. I
was dropped off in the arts district by the two young guys from
Ohio. Pondering how to take advantage of a night where a small
gallery district would get packed with 'hoppers' by 8 or 9 at night,
we stumbled into a nice little gallery with a salon style show up.
The owner Jacquie Mahan is one of the coolest people, let alone
dealer, I've met.

The thought went something like this—do a painting right in the space
(she had a nice spare interior for me) and try to auction it off that
night. The question is this- how does an art-going crowd in Columbus
react to a painter they don't know. Sure he has a good story, but
how much would they actually plunk down for an oil?

It was a crazy night, many good people swirling about. There were
some bids, and eventually Jacquie's aunt bought it for $400, and she
gave me the whole split. Great fun. So, with some money in pocket I
took the bus to Indianapolis.

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A day cruising through Indianapolis. Setting out to have adventures,
seeing what I could trade for art, what art I could sell, and more
importantly, who I would try to sell to.

Approaching a biker astride his Harley, cutoff shirt, Cigar in mouth,
he seemed the most unlikely art buyer. He gave me $6 for a small
sketch of his Motorcycle. He probably gave me the money just because
I was on a journey and needed money. But now he has a small drawing
of his old friend his motorcycle.. perhaps he'll really enjoy it over
time.

To some ladies eating lunch I sold a small double portrait for $20
each. So sweet they were, telling me all about how friendly
Indianapolis is.

Attempting to enter a nice restaurant, we got shut down as they are
corporate and allowed no cameras in.

Some business men on the street had zero interest in talking to an
artist on the street.

I then hit up a cool store that was like a locally owned jewelry and
home furnishings place called Silver in the City. The owner seemed
excited by the idea of trading art.. and I needed a few things. A
watch for one. I'm always late, so I figured a watch might help. And
a new T-shirt as a couple of the ones I brought didn't work well with
the radio microphones. She also showed me a cool bracelet made with
re-used metal from a city recycling project. So I bartered a little
drawing for a few things, and I think the drawing made her immensely
happy.

But upon seeing a spa on a 2nd floor of a beautiful Art Deco
building, I thought, "That is something worth trading for. A
massage." After barging in with film crew talking to the owners we
agreed on a couple small drawings for a deep tissue massage. I did a
portrait sketch of my massage therapist, and of the Art Deco barber
shop untouched since it was built. I was probably drawing more than
I was getting massaged, but it was worth it as I didn't realize the
amount of tension I have been holding. A whole different set of
stresses on this trip.

I left the spa. It had been pouring rain. I sought a dinner—we went
to locally owned restaurant and after a (what seemed to me) tough
talk with the manager, I convinced him to buy my dinner in exchange
for a drawing of the place- a 105 year old steakhouse, which he's
managed for 23 years. He was not so sure at first, but after we
were there for a while, entertained by the hilarious staff, and said
sure. I was happy he'd have this memory of the place- especially as
the facade would change soon. As I went by the open kitchen I
showed the drawing to them, and they, with the correct critique,
said, "where are all the people?" Yes, good question. Lots of laughs.

The waiter Eric was an artist also, and we had some laughs about
getting caught drawing people while on the job. He gave me one of
his ticket books covered with doodles, some even done while taking
orders! I loved the drawings. The waiters were all comedians it
seemed.

In the morning a Greyhound to St Louis. Greyhound is no fun.

Great to see the St Louis arch. I'm heading home.