Thursday, October 29, 2009

Guy Stuff


Sometimes it seems like a lot of mixed-media artists who blog do a lot of ... pink. Girly stuff. Pretty stuff. Feminine stuff. I think it's because a lot of them are women and pink stuff comes more naturally to women than men. I'm not being sexist here, I'm just making an observation. And it seems like a lot more women than men have blogs where they talk about the process of making art.

When I go to art workshops I'm usually the only guy in the class. Wait! I'm NOT complaining -- being one of only 10 men in a group of 400 people is a very nice situation to be in.

[Susan speaks: This is what I hear all day long, as women read my nametag:
"Oh, you're Don's wife."
"Your husband must be Don. He's in my class."
"Tell Don I said Hi."
"Oh. I didn't know Don had his wife with him."
"Where is Don?"

Trust me on this fact: No one ever says to Don, "Oh, you're Susan's husband."
Does this bother me? Not in the least. The man is so oblivious to predators that he had to ask me if a woman inviting him to her room for a drink after class was coming on to him.]

About a year ago Susan made a connection with a woman via this blog. They started out as strangers exchanging email about something they found in common only to find out that they had a lot in common and they now refer to themselves as Evil Twins Separated at Birth. When we were in New York City last spring we met up with her, and she and Susan and I all felt as though we'd known each other forever. The two of them are very much alike and yet very different and I had fun watching them interact with each other.

This time in New York City we met up with an artist we'd connected with via this blog. He was an artist who understood what I meant when I talked about the "pink" stuff. A guy! A guy who makes art! We talked about metal and rust and dirty, worn stuff and it was easy to talk to him, as though we'd known each other a long time. It was a very, very nice connection.

[Susan speaks: It was cool. He is very much like Don -- a gentle, grounded soul. The two of them are very much alike just as they are very different and I was delighted that Don found someone he could talk to. They are in the picture above.

As for the pink, feminine stuff.... I had to remind Don that although he may call his ceramic pieces "dudes", they could also be considered dolls. So now, once again, he is fully flummoxed.]

late edit: blogger is messing up paragraph breaks, resulting in awkward stuff. sorry.

6 comments:

Leslie Avon Miller said...

Hi Don - aren't you Susan's husband? I believe the color pink has never made an appearance at my blog. I appreciate it when a guy will blog about his art process, or attend a workshop. It adds a welcome additional perspective. Even if he does make dude-dolls! (wink, wink)

Seth said...

A good time was had by all! And remember...rust is the new pink!

Anonymous said...

Sorry, Don, but you'll always be Susan's Husband to me. I met Susan at ArtUnraveled several years ago in a Sas Colby workshop. Her project, like mine, was meant to be given to her husband (who was in Phoenix with her but was SHOPPING! rather than attending workshops). I remember you because you arrived at the end of the workshop with a bag of skulls for Susan that she was thrilled with and I was too cuz I later begged one from her. In any case, the way you were/are living out your marriage seemed so much like the lifestyle my husband and I have, I felt confirmed. Thanks. And, your blog is just right!

Anonymous said...

P.S. The photo of you and your internet friend ... YOU EVEN LOOK ALIKE!

ArtPropelled said...

I've yet to meet someone (face to face) who gets as excited as I do about rusty weathered stuff. What would I do without the blogworld?

Anonymous said...

god, it's taken me this long to start catching up, you guys. pathetic. but i know you understand. i keep hearing the phrase 'brother from another mother' lately. so i guess you're my sister from another mister?

j