Winter 2007-2008 Wrap Up

Winter 2007-2008 has been somewhat of a dreaded and anticipated rollercoaster ride for me. I have been up, I have been down, my head has been bumped from side to side, and my mind taking multiple flipping loops.

It first started with my visitation to NYC during holiday times after not coming "home" since January 2007. I have been working and living (couch bumming) in Corning, NY after graduating from Alfred. I thought that not living in NYC would be fine, but a tiny taste of the cultured City made me realize that I couldn't fathom not living in NYC and giving it an honest attempt at "making it".

So after getting laid off from Corning, I split my time going from Corning and NYC for about a month and a half. I would eventually spend 1 week in NYC, showing my beloved German friend Till (my international buddy from Sydney College of the Arts) and his girlfriend Ana around the City. The next week helping Ray blow glass in Corning, and then spending the next 5 days in NYC. Then back to Corning to take Mark Matthews' Graphic Color Systems in Glass. From there, I spent a few days in Hornell packing up my college belongings and complacently letting go of a person who I love so deeply and passionately. After returning to Corning, Ray helped me move all my stuff back to Brooklyn.

The day after, I decided to pack a bag and leave for Montreal. I turned 23 when I arrived and was welcomed with snuggly hugs from Conrad and Sarah. (Conrad was one of my housemates in Sydney and Sarah is his partner.) It turned out that I was not prepared for the raging Canadian winter. A pair of wool socks and a super long scarf saved me. There was so much going on in Montreal that I ended up staying for 3 weeks (and watching at least 5 Habs games (hockey, duh)). Even though the city was pummeled with almost-record high snowfall, I had a blast! It wasn't just all the exploring, eating, and hanging out with good company, it was that I learned and realized so much more about the realities of living life—working, looking for work, democracy and personal awareness/involvement, coupling, and (somewhat most importantly) finding self-satisfation, -worth and happiness in fighting for a cause.

Now that I've officially moved and settled back in NYC for a week now, I have applied for three jobs and been offered one to work as the right-hand woman to a gallery and its owner. The position is not full-time nor does it pay living wages, but my heart tells me to take it because the gallery's mission is incredibly ideal—being very selective of their work, located in a community of residents, outreach program for school kids, not pretentious at all, and most important to me of all— sales are not the highest priority. Art itself, it's appreciation, and education is.

All the while looking for full-time salaried art positions or supplement jobs, I plan on taking the position. I feel that it will teach and challenge me in ways that will build my integrity.

Other than all this job stuff, my frenzied mind is slowly being quelled as I prepare and reorganize space to make a mini studio for myself, and reunite with past friends.

Heartful thank-yous and warm hugs to all who have helped me through this emotionally rough and frenzied time.

Just trying to live life and make sense of it all,
sandy.