My Natural Inclination

On May 18th, 1987, I arrived at Clean Water Action in Washington, D.C. for my observation day. An observation day is basically a second interview where you spend the day with a trainer watching them do their job and trying it out for yourself. It is an opportunity for the trainer to decide if you have what it takes to go door-to-door talking to people about the environment, asking people to get involved and contribute to the organization. It is not a job everyone is cut out for. But I had discovered I had a talent for asking people for money on a brief stint raising money for George H.W. Bush. I'm sure they thought I was a spy. My roommate and I would rescue stamps from the stamp machine that the campaign decided couldn't be used because they got tattered. So I went out on my observation day confident I could do the job. Besides it was for a good cause, something I really believed in.

Blue Jay by Kenny Cole

When I arrived they had forgotten that my appointment was scheduled for that day. After a bit of shuffling, I went out in the crew with my trainer, Pete Northup. The area we were canvassing was a combination of middle-class townhouse development and subsidized housing. I will never forget one house we went to had a prosthetic leg hanging from the tree outside "airing out" we later learned. I can't remember exactly what the issue was we were working on at the time but I do remember people were supportive, of course that wasn't the case across the board. If it were, I doubt we would need so many non-profit citizen based organizations keeping politicians and big business in line.

I went on to become a trainer, manager then Canvass Director. I was able to help start up Clean Water's first office in Texas, to work for the California League of Conservation Voter, and even helped start a canvass for the Alaska Center for the Environment. My years actively involved in environmental issues were transformative. I met some of my very best friends, learned how to manage people and best of all learned that a group of determined individuals can gather enough public support to accomplish almost anything. So here we are 25 years later and I am celebrating both my 25 year anniversary and my two year anniversary of opening Monkitree with a show to benefit the Natural Resources Council of Maine. I'm no longer knocking on doors but I can still do what I can to help!

Natural Inclination
May18-July 20, 2012

Monkitree
263 Water Street
Gardiner, Maine 04345

Stepping Stones

When we figured out that Peter was going to need to get back to the DC area for work, I made the decision to come down with him and work.It was a step we needed to make. An easy one and difficult one to take. Difficult because it meant leaving Gardiner- our friends, our new business and building. Easy because it meant Peter and I would be in the same place and we could earn the money we would need to do the renovations needed on our building and to grow our business.

We were able to keep Monkitree open while away. I would get back every few months to hang shows and attend the openings. But there is no substitute for being there and running your own business. So for me it is time to hit the reset button and I have big plans for this year. Great art, great new products. Big movement on renovations on the building. Sure that will mean living in a construction zone but it will be progress. And that is why we made the sacrifices we made this year- living in Burke, not spending money, spending too much time commuting.

As I write this I am sitting in Virginia, looking forward to stepping back into my life in Gardiner one week from today. Unfortunately, Peter will be returning to Virginia. His contract was extended for three more months.



Artwork credit: Stepping Stone by Ellen Spencer. Her work will be included in the next show- Natural Inclination. Opening May 18th.

Beast In Show

Anyone who has a dog, cat, or animal of any sort that they have brought into their lives knows just how amazing these relationships can be. And people who have these strong bonds with animals tend to share these bonds with other animal lovers. It is one thing we know we have in common. When we are out walking our dogs, we chat about how old he/she is, how long we have had them, how we came to have them. We, of course, may never know these individuals names but they know our dogs name.

Two animal lovers whose names I do know, are the very talented Susan Mathias and Nancy McGinnis. They are the artists in the upcoming Beast In Show- An Art Show And Sale To Benefit Our Furry Friends. Artwork of animals and for animals. The opening reception is November 18th from 5:30-9pm at Monkitree and it is going to be fantastic. A portions of the sale of Susan's work will benefit the Kennebec Valley Humane Society and the sale of Nancy's work will benefit the Maine Greyhound Placement Service. Plus Monkitree will donate 10% of the total sales during the opening to the Kennebec Valley Humane Society. And to make it even more fun we have a drawing for a piece by each artist and will be holding a silent auction with gift certificates donated by local businesses. This last bit is a new development. It was exciting to have people so willing to get involved.

So come on out and enjoy an evening of amazing art and amazing people while you support local artists, local business and most importantly the animals.

Figures and Faces

Well July is here. And it will be busy! Saturday we leap into the car with Bo in Virginia and drive to Newark Airport. There we will pick up Marley and Levi (Peter's kids). Not sure how we will be fitting all of us in the Element but we will suffer through it. We will stop in Boston for the night then make our way to Gardiner. There I will be preparing for the next opening- Figures and Faces by Carol Wiley and HanJi Chang. I'm excited about this show because of the interaction between the artists in the month up to the show. I can't wait to see what has come of their collaboration. One thing is for sure- it will be bright and colorful. In my last post I used and image from Carol that was still a work in progress so you will have to come to the show to see how that piece evolved!

The opening on July 15th is going to be great fun for many reasons. There will be 3D glasses, food and beverages and good friends. Oh and it is the day after my birthday so join us while I will be continuing my celebration.

Keep On Keeping On

I am currently sitting in Burke, Virginia working on a press release and postcard for the upcoming show at Monkitree in Gardiner, Maine. I hadn't imagined that I would be back in the DC area but Peter's work required him to be down here... so here we are both working (on a Sunday). Of course this move will help us to complete our building renovations and continue to move forward with the life we began building in Gardiner. I miss Gardiner!

Fortunately I will be up in Gardiner soon for the last day of Kenny Cole's show and to hang and open the next show- Figures and Faces by Carol Wiley and HanJi Chang. The two have worked closely together and I am interested to see how this collaboration has influenced their work. And if you haven't seen the current show Gold, God, Guns and Girls,you should make a point to do so. I have my favorites that have stayed in my head.

Gold, God, Guns and Girls by Kenny Cole through July 9th.
Figures and Faces by Carol Wiley and HanJi Chang- Opening July 15th

Oh boy...

I wish I could say Spring is in the air but sadly there is a Winter Storm Advisory in effect through Friday and we may see another 6-12 inches. That said, there is the optimism that comes with Spring wafting about. I am preparing for our next Opening Reception for a show entitled "Gold, God, Guns and Girls" by Kenny Cole. I enjoy Kenny's use of words and his challenging subject matter. Kenny captures how we are bombarded by information constantly, yet still struggle to find truth in the words. Or as Kenny puts it,
"Sometimes it seems as though, in this age of instant information, the more information that we have at our fingertips, the less we actually know and that the further we advance as a species the more we become steeped in myth."

When I was first introduced to Kenny's work I fell in love with a series he calls "Prison Papers". On found prison forms, Kenny drew weaponry from the worlds arsenal. I was amazed, given the subject matter, I could find humor in his work. With "Gold, God, Guns and Girls," he again takes on serious subjects and makes us consider the power of words. He leaves it up to the viewer to "navigate this body of work to find their place between truth, fiction and the collective unconscious."

I look forward to introducing his work to everyone this Spring.

Valentine's Day

I have never been a big fan of Valentine's Day. I remember as a kid being disappointed with those hearts filled with chocolate. There were only ever a couple pieces that I actually liked. My sisters and I started poking our fingers through the bottom to see if we would like it before taking a bite. Eventually, we told my father that we didn't care for them and he started filling a shoebox with chocolate we actually liked. That was an amazing thing. It is always best to get someone what they like rather than what is expected. Which is why I haven't filled Monkitree with heart shaped things, red things, and silly jewelry. Just the same gorgeous artwork, jewelry and craft.

I also have a sense of humour about this holiday which probably comes from many a Valentine's Day as a single woman. My friend Liz and I would get each other things like- Grow a Boyfriend. So while I have some sweet Valentine cards, I also have many funny ones. Sometimes it is easier to say "I Love You" with a card that says "I'm Achin' For Your Bacon". Just sayin'.