Walking Town

This evening, I met Hans and Matt in the lobby. We set out for a walk to an A Place To Bury Strangers show. We arrived towards the end of their set, so we got in for free. After the set, we walked towards home. On our way we passed by a wild looking punk squat house. We went in a bar in the cellar where we saw a gritty punk show. After the band's set, we looked around the courtyard. I went into another entrance, and found seven or eight gentlemen having drinks. I felt that could not go further, so I gave them a nod, and Hans, Matt and I continued our walk back to the hostel. 

Organic Berlin

I awoke to housekeeping at my door. Joe, Sarah and I met in the lobby. They were heading out for a walk to Alexanderplatz to begin an alternative scene walking tour. I walked with them to the plaza, but realized that I was short of money for the tour. As I was running on very little sleep, I bid them farewell and walked back to the hostel, where I slept until sunset. Back in the lobby, a group began to gather. Joe and Sarah and Helen and Faith were from England, Hans and Braiden were from California. Helen and Faith had plans to go to a jazz club. When Helen extended the offer, the whole crew jumped on board. We had some wine and headed out the door. Upon arriving at the jazz club, we saw the musicians loading out. We missed the preformance. We apologized to the musicians, then turned our focus to finding a bar. We found a small dive bar. It was dim. Black carpet, purple-red accent lights. The bar had red tinsel wrapped around hanging lampshades. I ordered a water, the bar tender said that he was going to ask for payment if I kept ordering water. I gave him a euro. Our group sat and talked. I had some great conversations with Braiden and Sarah about healthcare and pharmaceuticals. I heard fantastic illustrations on viruses and prevention from Braden. The DJ began to play dance music, and our whole group got up and danced. It was a type of miracle. We danced for a few hours then the group decided to find another bar, because Helen saw a woman on the dance floor sucking a man's dick. We checked one other bar before deciding to head back to the hostel instead. I stayed up all night with Tarek, my friend who works the night shift for the hostel the reception desk. He got off work at 7am. He gave me a cappucinno on the house, then we set out for a walk. When we came to his apartment, we parted ways. He pointed me in the direction of the retired airport, which is undergoing an organic conversion into a city park. 

Organic, that's the word for Berlin. It is organic beyond any place that I have been. 

There were many cyclists and rollerbladers at the retired airport, circling a rough perimeter of the land on what used to be runways. There were community gardens, organically built monuments and structures, even a put put golf course made from old airplane parts. I sat and enjoyed the space. I checked my clock, and realized that I needed to be back in the hostel in an hour to check out and into my new room. I found a train back to the hostel, where I checked out of my room. I had to wait a couple hours before my next room was available, so I ran a couple errands. After returning and getting a room, I set to resting for the following evening. 

Berlin

I spent a few days in Amsterdam, helping Karen with house work and preparing for an adventure in Berlin. I went out drinking two nights in a row with Giulia. I felt as if I couldn't make art with Karen in town, and so close to traveling, and being with Giulia was the next best thing. On the second night out, we went bar hopping with her friend Bart, who has had an incredible career printing band shirts for the past 30 years. We stayed out until 4 and closed a bar down. We and another gentleman were invited onto a canal boat by a fellow bar patron, Robbie. We follwed him to his house boat, located directly across the street from the bar. Robbie lived in the canal boat with his lady friend, Bonnie, and his two beautiful german shepards. The living space was clean, and casual. The gentleman, Bart, and Robbie passed a guitar around and sang Dutch folk tunes. In the morning, Giulia and I shared a lovely english breakfast. I bought a gorgeous backpack for my travels to Berlin. I packed a few pairs of clothes, and minimal art supplies, then headed out to visit the library before boarding a train. At the library, I planned my route to Berlin. I chose to depart around 9pm, as I would then arrive in Berlin the following morning at 11am. What I failed to notice however, was a five hour layover in a town on the Netherlands/German border called Venlo. 

I arrived in Venlo at 1am. It was the last stop, so all of the passengers got off the train and went their respective ways. I stayed in the station for a short time, looking at times for departing traIns. There were no departing trains listed, as the station was due to close in a half hour. I took a walk around the town. I found it very charming. There were a number of pubs open, and a shoarma restaurant. I had a kebab as a late dinner. The town shut down promptly at 2am. I walked back to the closed train station to weigh my options. Pulling out a map, I noticed that I was just a few miles from the German border, so I set out on a long walk to bridge some time. It was a peaceful experience walking with a pack full of essantials in the middle of the night, alone, in the outskirts of a town that I knew little about. Upon crossing the border into Germany, I gave a greeting shout. I thought I might walk to the next rain station to keep my path linear, but upon lookiong at the map, realized that I was currently only a third of the way there. I was beginning to feel fatigued and thirsty. I took in my surroundings, and expressed gratitude before turning back. When I returned to the station, I felt just short of collapsing. I saw a few others on benches outside of the station in the same circumstance as me, waiting for a morning train. I set my pack down and rested my head on it. It didn't take long to fall asleep. I awoke cold. I opened my pack and put on another pair of pants. It was 4:30am, and my train was to arrive within an hour. I paced aorund the station, in efforts to stay warm. The station opened and I boarded my next train. I had two more transfers before arriving in Berlin. I slept on each train. 

I was taken aback by the scale of the Hauptbahnhof Station, a feeling that continues in my exploration of Berlin. I called a hostel called Baxpax and walked a few blocks to it. I checked into a room with four beds. Prior to arriving in Berlin, I'd arranged to meet with Berliners in interest of subletting their respective flats. My first appointment was to see a studio/living space on the west side of town. It sounded from our correspondance that there would be an individual waiting in an office for my arrival. Upon arriving, I recognized the building as the one which we'd discussed, but found no one on premesises. Further, the building seemed in at odds with the environment around it asthetically and environmentally. It seemed casual while everything surrounding seemed formal. I left for my next appointment in the Gesundbrunnen neighboorhood. The apartment tenant was a journalist and poet. Her name was Astrid. She'd lived in the flat for a number of years, and had in that time, installed plenty of shelves for her extensive library. The floors were wooden and the living sapce featured large windows which let in plenty of natural light. there were two bedrooms, a bathroom, and a kitchen, each of which had an old apartment feel. I was happy to be in the space and asked her questions about how she spends her time in the apartment and where she buys her food. I left the apartment feeling good about our meeting. 

The following day, Astrid emailed me telling that she'd showed the apartment to two other couples, but she would prefer I live there. I responded that I agreed. I will move in to the apartment on Wednesday mornining. 

I went on a walk that night, and met Viviana, a visual artist who makes film and photo works. She was working as a tour guide for an art installation that I stumbled across called Monster Kabnett. The tour was a bit cheesy, but the art installition was incredibly substantial. It featured several animatronic creatures which prefomed acts tthroughout. After the tour, I talked with Viviana, Pujo, and Hannes, the artist about the show. Viviana gave me her card and recommended that I meet her at a show that night. I went to the show. It took place in a venue called Mindpirates, which was a converted industrial space. The room was on the fifth floor. It was large, with vaulted ceilings. Art hung on every wall. In the center of the room, there hung a suspended lace cloth, with dried branches hanging upside-down from it. On the floor, there laid several large sewn canvas pillows, stuffed with barley stalks and hay. The room was lit by over one hundraed candles. A band played, sitting centered of the room, intermittently spaced in the room. The attendees, layed all aound the room. They were smoking, drinking, talking, laughing, kisssing, and feeling. It was a very sexy room to walk into. I saw Viviana there and met her friend Christine, who explained to me her opinions on Berlin and what becoming a Berlinner means. I lost track of time at the show, and stayed at the venue until 6am. 

Spa Day

I awoke to an alarm I set on my phone in time to make the transfer to in Manneheim to a train to Stuttgart. I slept on the Stuttgart train for an hour, then arrived in the town. At the station, I took time to orient myself, walking around the block, and getting some lunch at a cafe. I boarded th public transport train towards Si-Centrum, which I understand to be a sort of 'New Stuttgart'. It was a wealthy part of town with a new hotel, new theater, and a great connecting train system to the old part of town. I called John upon arriving and met him in the lobby of said new hotel. I hadn't seen him in a year since we'd met at a clothing optional event while I was living in Brooklyn. He looked healthy and tan, as he'd just come from an island off the coast of Spain. We dropped my stuff off in his hotel room, then went straight to the spa, which was an annex of the hotel. The spa receptionist was sure to inform us that the spa was a no-clothing spa, which John had informed me about prior. We confirmed that we understood, and went in. 

The spa seemed like an Epcot for saunas in that there were steam rooms, cold plunges, warm and cold baths, showers, buckets of ice, cups of salt, and simulated lighting and climates, to represent spa culture from across the globe under one megaplex. It was overwhelming in areas and underwhelming in others. Occasionally, I saw a logo on a table or a whack piece of art that challenged my center, but there were also special places where the corporate theme park vibe felt minimized. There was little guidance, which I appreciated. The line of nudity and sexuality I felt was in balance, which in other nude situations in the states I can't say the same for. John and I spent the entire day in the spa, including a meal in their inclusive restaurant. Afterwards, we dressed for the night, and went to the hotel restaurant to have drinks and dinner. The restaurant had a live musician. He was the American stereotypical fourty-something guy with a guitar in a dive bar. We heard Margaritaville and Goin To Carolina. John and I had a good laugh about it. We talked about our travels and adventures. Back in the room, I recieved a phone call from Karen. She listed off some of the work that she needed to accomplish before the coming Wednesday, so I offered to make the train trip back to Amsterdam in the morning, to help her with some tasks. John and I went to bed directly afterwards. He he had an early flight to catch, and I likewise had to get on a train back to Amsterdam. 

The Day of The Opening and Associated Adventures

Karen arrived in the mnorning at 6:30am, which was earlier than expected. I was glad I heard her coming up the stairs, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to help her with her bags. I went back to sleep, then woke up later in the morning with the girls. We had breakfast and I made some moves on some larger paintings. When Karen awoke, we all went to the market to buy hour devours for the final opening of the gallery. Back at the house, we prepared the food, then went downstairs to serve it to the timely guests, who had moments before heard Josine's speech, commemorating her 20 years as a gallery owner. I felt embarrassed to have missed it. The opening was close to overwhelming, as I knew very few poeple in the room. I was excited to see Henk Hage in company, and Dunia and Karen introduced me to a few others including art historian Thomas Hirsch, woodworker Case, and oil painter Tatyana. The gallery cleared out quickly just before sunset. A selection of the guests moved upstairs to Karen's floor for some snacks and drinks. 

It was Dunia and Anna's last eveing in Amsterdam, so we went for a long walk together. The girls talked in Russian the whole time, while I let my mind wander. The girls and I had become quite comfortable with each other's prescence to the point that we didn't need to talk. We arrived back at the house with just enough time for Dunia and Anna to pack their bags before heading out again to catch their bus. We walked to central station, where we told tall tales to the bus driver who was havinga  ciggarette break. I told a story about when my sister went skydiving; I was hired for $20 to go up in the plane with her and take photos while she jumped out. By the time we were up in the air, I was so overwhelmed with excitement, I'd completely forgotten my mission. I added some overtly extravagant embellishments to the ending and let the story develop into something of a legend. The bus driver had a good time with it. I gave the girls a long hug and saw them into the bus. I was going to miss them. 

When I came back to the house, I realized that I was in a tough spot. There was a lot of work to be done in terms of cleaning and preparing for my own travels. I quietly cleaned for a couple of hours until I heard Karen's voice loud and clear, "Kemeys, I'm trying to sleep!"

It was a nightmare. I had to be on a train at 7 in the morning to meet my friend John in Stuttgart, the house was not in ideal shape, and I was not packed. I figured since the house was relatively clean, the best course of action would be to pack a bag and get out as quickly as possible. I tucked some clothes into a backpack with a book and a phone, and left. Walking towards the train station, I found about 40 coasters, strewn in the street. They were a beautiful rounded delta shape and had some street charachter as they had seen some foot traffic. I imagined myself one of Moses' followers collecting precious manna from heaven. Oh the glory! 

At the station, I found the main entrance closed and was directed to enter through a side door. Upon entering the station, I saw about a dozen police officers, and a limited number of gates open. It looked like a terrorist threat, though I felt slightly silly about the presumption. I walked back outside and asked a gentleman what was going on. He said that it was standard procedure that they close most of the station for efficiency, and that individuals riding on morning trains had to wait outside. I offered to buy he and another young gentleman some water. The younger gentleman thought it was a great idea, and came with me on the mission. We went to a McDonald's in the Red Light District to buy a few bottles for all who were in our same situation. My new friend's name was _________. He was an internationally recognized DJ who was traveling for shows. He talked about his career and the compromises that have come with his success. I found his insights to be wholistically enlightenting and appropriate for me to hear at that juncture. The conversation meandered while we waited for sunrise. We talked about women, travel, religion, politics, work, play, and compassion. When the doors opened for morning travelers, we stuck together to buy our tickets and wait on our trains. After some time we exchanged information and parted ways. 

I sat down on the train platform and made a dozen or so rough paintings on coasters. I feel I am becoming more efficient at generating esthetic quality, as some paintings were singing after only a few moves. The train arrived. I took a seat and fell fast asleep before it left the station. 

 

SYRP

I went to the Rai Center this morning to help my new friends Chris and Ben install their booth at the International Broadcasting Conference. We started the day building a table. Chris had mocked up the design on a computer program, and they had the wood pre-cut at the hardware store. Assembly went fairly quick. The boys went out to buy a projector to display video in the booth, while I stayed  behind to work on signage. I was given the task of making a 3-d logo. I walked around the trade show and picked up scraps for the other vendors trash piles. I came up with corrugated and non corrugated cardboard, as well as some quarter inch MDF. I thought MDF would look best, so I set to applying the logo to the board. Chris had a template already drawn on paper for the logo, so I applied double stick tape to the back, and fixed it to the MDF. From there I began cutting through the MDF layers with a blade and a handsaw. It was slow work and by the time Ben and Chris arrived back, I'd only finished cutting about a third of the logo out. We switched from MDF to the non-corrugated cardboard with good success. It came time to paint the cardboard letters, so I took out my gouache. I realized I'd made a mistake when I saw an example of their logo- it was green. The night prior, Chris was painting another logo, which we didn't end up using, and I perceived the paint color as yellow for one reason or another. I brought my set of gouache, but made sure to leave out blues and greens, as I thought not to even risk mixing that hue. The mistake realized, I decided to make a dash to the art store to buy yellow-green, lemon yellow, and sky blue gouache. Back at the Rai, Chris and Ben had the projector working. I mixed the logo color and painted their 3-D sign, then Chris projected the logo on the wall for me to trace, and paint. We were flirting with the clock towards the end, and we wrapped it up right on time. I was happy with the way I painted today. Ben introduced me to the vendors next-door as Kemeys, the artist, which felt good. 

Dunia, Anna and I went for a long walk. I brought several candles and a box of matches. Outside of the house we met a gentleman and his lady friend who were looking for Dam Square. Dunia and I pointed them in the right direction. While we were talking, I was playing with a match in my pocket, casually dragging the sulfuric end across the strike strip on the box. The Gentleman, his lady friend and I realized that the match had lit at about the same time. I jolted my hand out of my pocket which I believe introduced some more air into the mix. Black smoke trailed out from my jean pocket. I beat at the pocket until the burning sensation subsided. I felt like a cartoon, but my burned finger did not. 

Injuries aside, the walk was beautiful. We lit candles along the way, leaving them strategically in areas that might invoke wonder or romance in passers by. I lit one for a couple at a cafe, who were enjoying a bottle of wine. Dunia lit one on a lonely bench. Anna lit one and placed it in a recession in a sculpture. We must have visited a dozen playgrounds throughout the city, which unlike american playgrounds felt wholesome and made with genuine materials. It seems that I harbor some bitterness towards American plygrounds because of years of static shocks from ployesther and plastic slides, splinters from cheap wood, and burns from metal exposed to too much sunlight.

We got lost in the outskirts of the old city, and spent a couple hours finding our bearings. We found a sandbox playground and built an alter out of sand. We lit our last candle together as an offering for guidance home. We called out to Vla, which is a delicious puding-like food, (and a staple for dutch junkies we later learned). We arrived back home safely. 

Long Date

Today was incredible. I woke up earlier than usual. Dunia and Anna were moving their things upstairs in preparation of guests in the floor below. We had breakfast together, and I made some significant moves on some paintings. I went to the cafe in the afternoon to play my coffe trick of selling a street drawing on a coaster. I sketched in a ballpoint pen, then went in with conte pencils; black, white, and two gray tones. THe drawing looked great sobut twenty minutes in and I feel like I am learning the street well as a result of drawing it three times. There's something enthralling about not documenting the work as well. I have two drawings at home that I intend to document and post, but I don't consider them among the better drawings I've done. Perhaps I will keep a winner soon to send to my family.

Anyway, today the cafe filled up after I sat down and several people were watching me draw. After I finished the drawing, I turned to the table behind me to ask if they would like to see. I met a lovely group from Southern California, as well as a couple from Switzerlad. I told them some of my story, and talked about the luck I've had in selling coasters. Andrew bought the drawing. I went home to prepare for a date with Giulia to see her studio, and move some of her art peices. Before heading to meet Giulia, I threw some spray fixative into my bag. I went byy the cafe to apply the fixative to Andrew's coaster drawing, which he appreciated. I met Giulia by a saxophone player, and we rode to her studio. The studio was incredible. it was 500 square meters. She shared it with six other artists, all of whom were working on significant projects and two of whom, I was farmiliar with. Giulia showed me a lot of her work. It is textile based and graphic. Most of her creations are plush animals that blend play and fine art. The craft was incredible. We loaded or bikes with boxes of her work to bring to a shop which represents her products, but upon arriving, saw that the store owner was away for a few days. We stopped by the graffiti shop where she works to drop off the boxes. She would have to run her errand another day. From there we went to am electronics store, as Giulia needed a cable for her computer for a project. We sat down for a quick coffee to wait out a bit of rain, before setting out on our final mission; to buy tickets to a music show that Giulia intended to go to on the weekend. I began to see that our date was a shopping list. After all of the errands were run, we met with Giulia's friend at a bar. His name was Jordy. We had our drinks, I chose sparkling water. We bar hopped until we came to a bar that Giulia frequented. She got endless games of pool compliments of the bar tender, so we played a few rounds and drank more of our respective beverages. Jordy told us about his friends from New Zealand who had a great product for time lapse photo and video that were in town to promote their product at a film exposition. He offered that we meet up with them, for a night at his apartment, which we happily agreed to. The bike ride was a long one so we made sure to stop by a bar towards the end of the ride, to refuel on our respective beverages. We met Ben and Chris at a Cafe close by Jordy's apartment. We talked about our respective goals and goings about in Amsterdam, which we seemed to align incredibly well with. We went back to the apartment, and Ben and Chris got straight to work; they had an installation to work on the following day. I offered my help for the morning and we exchanged info. The project that they are working on is incredible, and I would love to help them in any way that I can. 

Jordy lent me a jacket for the ride home, which I needed, as I'd left home in the afternoon anticipating a quick outing with Giulia, whom by this point in the evening, had taken a shower and found a bed in Jordy's apartment to crash on. I rode home with vigor and enjoyed every second of it. I can home with a runners high, and took a shower. I ate a small meal, and called my mother, who is going on an exciting trip with my father, and all of my living grandparents. I enjoyed talking with her. 

I talked with Dunia and Anna. They enjoyed the zoo in the afternoon, and had a great meal with a friend of theirs in the evening. 

I have set out all of the supplies that I think I could use for the morning, among them gouache, acrylics, brushes, a blade, pencils and tracing paper. I am excited to meet with Ben and Chris in the morning to help set up a professional booth. 

Weather

Dunia, Anna and I went to the market together and found some good used clothes. I bought a tan winter jacket from the 70's and Dunia found a beautiful burgundy dress which laced up the front.

I worked a few hours in the studio yesterday, then had a lovely evening with Dunia and Anna in the loft of the home. The loft is painted completely white and its walls slant inward into a triangular ceiling. It was a quiet and comfortable space for us to enjoy each other's company. It began to rain that night. 

The majority of today was gloomy and raining, which made for a good studio morning. In the afternoon, Dunia, Anna and I went for a walk to get some soup at a Thai Restaurant down to the street that I enjoyed last week or so. The restaurant was closed, so we set to walking towards the Rijksmuseum, to find a backpack that Anna had scouted out earlier. The walk was pleasant despite the cold and wet weather. Dunia and Anna were lively and optimistic. We found the store. It was an outdoors store which had winter clothing and traveling gear, and free hot chocolate. It was a type of oasis from the cold and rainy weather, which we made a long use of. We got comfortable drinking tea and hot chocolate, and began walking around the store, before an employee asked us to be mindful of their merchandise, and relegated us to the coffee corner. Anna made her purchase, and we set back towards home. Walking out of the shop, we noticed a beautiful Thai restaurant directly next door. We sat down and ordered chicken soup with coconut milk, mushrooms, and lemon. We also ordered what was described on the menu as chicken cake, which we found was a light, fried, savory kind of cracker. The food was unbelievable. We waked home quickly as the weather picked up some gusto. 

I looked up a music zine that I discovered today, and saw that Braids were playing tonight. I geared up and set out to brave the weather. I rode across town toward Amsterdam Centraal to find the venue. The weather gained intensity as I rode closer to the main waterways. A combination of intense weather and lost bearings sent me back to the house, where I took a hot bath and prepared for more studio time. 

Door to My Future

Today I went back to the market, but it was closed entirely. Close by, I thought to stopin to say hello to my friend Giulia at Henxs shop, but she was not in. I walked the street for a short while before coming across the Rembrandt Huis. I had been meaning to visit for some time now and this was the perfect opportunity. I paid 12 euros and declined the talking phone earpiece tour thing. It seemed I was the only one who wanted to walk without a gadget to their ear. Everyone else had one and the place was pretty packed. I found a few moments of solitude with the paintings which I cherished. A woman gave a great demonstration in making oil paints in Rembrandt's tradition. Afterward, I went to the top floor of the building where there was an exhibition of an artist from Amsterdam named Peter Vos. Through the course of his career, Vos illustrated many depictions of Metamorphosis as alluded to in greek literature. It was a sort of retrospective, as he had died in 2010 at the age of 75. The paintings were small but there was no shortage of them. I enjoyed most of the work very much. 

Afterward, I returned to a garbage pile which I had been keeping my eye on to pick up a door that had been thrown out the night prior. I stared at the door for a good 15 minutes after propping it against a wall. I was considering wether I could fit it in the house or not, and if I had the time and space to finish a painting of this scale. The answer to the space question is currently, no. I cannot fitt the painting into the spiral stairwell to bring it up to my studio. I sanded the door to prepare it for a coat of gesso, then stored it in the bottom-most section of our foyer. I will either have to dismiss the idea, or find a studio in Amsterdam in which to begin painting larger works. I would prefer to find a studio, and I believe I will focus attention towards leasing a space shortly. 

I spent the rest of the evening in the studio. It began to rain as the sun went down. I called Dunia and Anna to see what they were up to . They had gone to Antwerp with a friend for the day. They returned and we shared stories. Dunia bought some herbal jam from a Chinese market. We spread it across bread and it was a very interesting flavor. We made a joke out of topping or sandwiches with whipped cream, or as it is called here slagroom. (potentially my favorite Dutch word thus far). 

Dunia and Anna joined me in the studio while I worked. They read and talked and I was happy to have their company. I am making good progress on my paintings, and have started a few medium sized works in circular dimensions which are exciting. 

Market Day

Great evening in the studio. I worked for a long time on the big painting and its becoming quite powerful. I will need to do some exploring to figure out the best finish to apply to it. 

I went out in search of a market today. First, I found the flower market, where a whole two blocks are devoted to bulbs. I didn't need any bulbs, so I moved on to another market, which had a lot of clothes and food. I bought a great papaya juice drink, and later a ham and cheese croissant. I saw nearly all of the booths and was on my way out when I noticed a booth on the side devoed to used books. I found a copy of a Jean de La Fontaine book that Gustave Dore illustrated, as well as a collection of paintings by John Bauer, a Swedish painter who died early in his career. I had been looking for a John Bauer book for sometime, and happily bought the pair of books for 10 euros. 

I bought some new groceries, as I am beginning to seek variety in diet from my standard leverwurst sandwiches. 

Quote

There is a quote in Henk Hage's book that reads, 'The difficulty lies not in making, but in reaching the state in which it is possible to make'.

I appreciate this satement tonight while working in the studio. 

*Statement of Brancusi, often quoted by Bissier. Werner Schmalenbach, Julius Bissier, Köln, 1986, 2nd ed. p.74

Henk Hage

This morning, I took an early train to Nijmegen to meet with Henk Hage at his home and studio. Henk met me at the train station in his car, and we took a quick drive around the block to his gallery. The show was freshly hung just two days before our meeting, 17 pieces, mostly watercolor. About half of the works were framed, while the other half were hung raw with a foam board backing to give them distance from the wall. The show looked very elegant, and we arrived at a time in the morning where the natural light was perfectly sufficient for the paintings. William, the gallery owner, was there painting the exterior of the building in preparation for the opening reception on Sunday. Henk talked about each work in detail, telling stories and interesting information about their making. I was especially happy to hear about his materials, among them watercolor, gesso, gouache, encaustic, dried pigments, oils, and found objects. There were a couple paintings which he'd started in 1983, and concluded in 2013 displayed in a cabinet with a glass door, illuminated internally, that were particularly powerful.

He explained several concepts concerning the composition of works, wether it be in two moves over the course of a single sitting, or over the course of thirty years. His insights were incredible. Moreover, his excitements over pigments, mediums, and interaction of colors were charming and promising of a fulfilling life. We looked through books of his works and he explained how they were composed and for what purpose. One book featured seven tall paintings, displayed side by side on a single long page, which folded accordion-style into the spine. The craftsmanship on each book was high quality. 

Henk explained his feelings concerning art openings, that recieving compliments for three hours straight, is uncomfortable and unnatural, which I appreciated hearing. 

We left the gallery to visit Henk's house, where I met Saskia and the couple's border terrier. Henk and Saskia had a daughter together, Eva, 15, who was not present as she was at school. They live in a beautifully designed home which used to be a component of a catholic monastery. Saskia made coffee and sandwiches. The three of us and the dog went outside and told stories of our travels, as well as some art talk. Henk and I split off to visit his studio, in a building directly adjacent to the house, in a building which used to be a cloister for nuns. 

The studio was gorgeous. The windows were blown glass, and had a ripple to them, there was a substantial amount of white which reflected the light around the gallery in a diffused glow. He had clippings and things he'd collected on the walls, and his tools in perfect order. In one corner, there was a chair and a cello. 

We talked about different bodies of his work, and aspects of his thoughts about the journey. It was incredible to review a lifetime of dedicated work. The end of our time together, Henk chose to play Casal's Song of The Bird on cello. It was the perfect way to end such a great visit. Henk gave me copies of all three of his books and signed them. I was flushed with gratitude. (or grattitude, because gratitude is an attitude)

Henk drove me back the the train station where I found my train. I took a nap on the train and woke up in a station that looked very similar to Amsterdam's Centraal Station. I got off, the train departed, and I found out that I was in Utrecht. I'd wanted to go to Utrecht, but not particularly today. I took a walk around the block to check things out quickly. There was a beautiful cathedral in the distance that I would like to re-visit another day. Back on the train, I made it to Amsterdam, and rode my bike to Spuistraat where I thought I could catch Edwin, my friend who owns the gallery space. I found him next door at an art opening at a beautiful space. The works were huge oil paintings that looked about 70% finished and varying in quality and subject matter from one to the next. Edwin recognized me, but did not remember my email. A new development has come up and Edwin will now be in New York putting on a show in November. I am still permitted to have a show in his space, but I will have to talk to different management. I hope it works, and have back up plans if it doesn't. 

After visiting Edwin, I went to a show opening called Broken Fingaz. The work was great, illustration with graffiti influence. The artists were all very friendly too. They were all from the same town in Israel. They started the art collective, (and two are in a band together), and began traveling around the world hanging shows, painting murals, and playing music. I have seen that it can be done. I bought a badass shirt and traded art stickers with them. I look forward to our paths crossing again. 

I made some more moves on the big painting tonight. I believe a lot of the painting will be rendering from here and not as much wild throwing paint around. 

I don't know what kind of day the girls had, they were in for the night when I got back home. 

Drawing the Rosengracht

In the morning, I had a cappucinno at the corner cafe and drew a street scene of the Rosengracht facing the opposite direction that I'd drawn it from before. The drawing became a wrestling match, and by the end of it, I felt like I had lost. Everyone in the cafe enjoyed it and even brought it back into the kitchen to show the line cooks. I knew I would have to try the drawing again. 

I met with Josine at noon to visit the studio of a sculptor, Carlos Granger. It was wuite a pleasure to see his studio, and some insight on how he creates his art. We moved sculptures around to figure out their best arrangement for Carlos' upcoming show. 

After the studio visit Carlos, Josine and I sat down for drinks at a nice bar by the water. We talked about art theory and education. 

Upon riding my bicycle back to the house, I went out for a secind drink at the cafe on the corner, to try my hand at drawing the street scene that I'd attempted in the morning. The second attempt felt much more natural, but I used so much conte and smudging, that the final drawing came out a bit dark and muddy. I am excited to try drawing it again. 

Dunia, Anna, and I shared good conversation about political dynamics in Russia. I relished their insight.  The conversation led us to stories and experiences of our travels. Conversation was natural and fun. I really enjoy having friends in the house. 

I had a great evening in the studio, with Dunia and Anna in company. I made good progress with my large painting, and am having a blast bringing it back from abstraction, where I left it the night before. I will take much more time on this one I believe. 

Tomorrow morning, I will visit Henk Hage in his studio in Nijmegen, to learn about some of his thoughts on watercolor painting.  

Found A Gallery

Today I woke up in proper Dutch time. It was a business day, and the top priority was to find a potential gallery to have a show in. I rode my bike around to find a few places that had been recommended to me by friends, but before I found any of them, I was distracted by a huge wall of street art. I got off my bike to walk around and soon found a door that was disguised by artwork. There was a little paper sign that read 'always open', so I tried the door. It was locked.  I continued to walk down the street, reading graffiti etc., when I heard the door open. A man came out to have a cigarette. I approached him and told him that I'm looking for a gallery. I intended to follow up with the name of the gallery that I was searching for, but he bursted out, "This is your gallery! Here it is!" 

His name was Edwin. I walked through the doorway to see his gallery. It turns out Edwin was right, the gallery was just what I needed to have a pop-up show. Edwin had open dates that worked well for me, and as a gallery owner, seemed accommodating and respectful. We exchanged contact information, and talked about the German language for a while (the root of the topic being my family name), before parting. 

In the evening, Dunia and her friend, Anna, arrived from St. Petersburg, Russia, on a short break from their school. I was happy to meet them. They were kind and well spoken. I went outside for a walk while they unpacked, and found a giant sized coaster (used in the basin of a serving tray) that I thought would be great to draw on. I sat down close to the Dennis Residence to draw the Westerkerk Cathedral from across the canal. While I was drawing, a man approached me to casually ask if I wanted to go on a boat ride. The pitch was that he and some friends have a sort-of under the radar tour company that they book by word of mouth, and street promotion. He explained that it's a small boat and the ride will be about an hour and a half. I happily agreed and went inside the house to invite the girls. Within a few minutes, I was on a boat with Dunia, Anna, a couple from Germany, a lovely woman named Maggie, and out two captains, Jesse and Neil, (who were transplants from Berkley, California). Our boat tour was phenomenal. It was casual in all of the right ways, but informative. Jesse and Neil brought beers, sausage, cheese, and tobacco. I brought a chocolate bar that was quite popular, and the German couple brought cashews. We had something of a picnic and saw Amsterdam by way of canal while the sun set. 

Dunia and Anna made dinner while I worked on paintings. Our dinner was fantastic, we talked about education systems, and differences between students in the US and Europe. Interesting opinions were voiced, and I appreciated the outside perspective. 

I made nice progress in the studio tonight, but had to cut it short in order to meet with Josine at an appropriate time tomorrow. I am very excited, as Carlos Granger has offered to open his sculpture studio for me to visit. 

Below is an underpainting for one of my larger works. I feel liberated when painting in this loose style, knowing that I can choose when and how I want to interpret the painting as it evolves. 

Tuesday

Today I did laundry, made a sculpture, and bought groceries. I rode my bicycle to the Rembrandt statue to have a picture of me taken to commemorate my facial hair. A friendly couple took my photo, then I rode home to shave it off with a cheap razor that I bought from the corner store. Shaving a full beard with a disposable razor took a long time, but I am happy to experience some facial freedom. 

 

In the afternoon, I rode my bicycle to Henx Store to visit Giulia. We had good conversation about gallery possibilities. I showed her several paintings that I made on Amstel coasters, and she recommended some galleries that might be appropriate for the style of work. I took note of the recommendations and will pay each of them a visit tomorrow with examples of my work, to discuss show possibilities. I rode my bike to try to find one of the galleries, but came across the Harry van Gestel Gallery first. I went in and said hello to Harry. He had just showed every painting in the gallery (they are stacked deep on every wall, not to mention, they're all very large) to some visitors from Japan, who were interested in digitizing the work. We talked about his gallery operations, then about some of my work. We had tea, then he closed up the gallery and I left. 

Back at home, I cleaned up a mess that I made on the first day here; a layer of dust from sanding pieces of drywall inside. It may have been wise to not finish drywall indoors, but at the time, I was swept up in inspiration. Today's cleanup lasted about 3 hours, and I am sure that the environment is in better condition than when I first came here in August. 

I bought a Eurail pass today which will allow me to travel for any 10 days, within 2 months, within 5 countries. I chose Benelux, Germany, Denmark, Switzerland, and Italy. I am excited to use the European rail system within the next couple of weeks. 

I have set up a work table on the other side of my studio, where I am beginning to map out my priorities concerning travels, and business for this European sojourn. 

Monday

I put a good day of work into my paintings and sculptures today. It took some time to generate ether in the studio, as I became somewhat impatient with the work. When I relaxed, I was able to focus, and a painting whipped together in a few moves. It was very rewarding to experience and I am happy to have another nice thing to look at from my blogging chair.

 

I have been wrestling a large painting for a few days now and I see some options for closing it up. I think this will be a good project for tomorrow. 

On a bicycle ride today, I found an incredible piece of wood that was a table top. I have it at the foot of my bed to greet me tomorrow morning. (though secretly, I don't wake up until the early afternoon, as I've stuck to my American schedule). 

I also found a two-gallon pickle tin, which I have vague ideas of applications for. 

I contacted Karen Dennis today on the phone to ask about the relationship between a contractor and a personal assistant. I have made a good deal of work here (and I intend to make more), which I cannot take home when my stay is done. I am curious wether I could make good use out of a second pair of hands in terms of organizing a show for my artwork. Karen gave me some good advice, and I am now weighing my options for potential help. 

I called my family. It was sweet talking to them and making up fake stories of what I've been up to. 

I will have visitors in a couple of days. Two young women from Russia who are backpacking through Europe will be staying in the floor below me. They are friends of the Dennis Family's, and we have been in email correspondance already. I have been cleaning the house for their arrival. 

The Lords Day

Today I began painting earlier than usual, in the afternoon. After making some moves, I went down to the Cafe to have an espresso, and to see if I could make my caoter trick work again. I drew the street view from my vantage point on the bottom of a coaster and as I was finishing, I noticed a man standing behnd me, watching. He said that he'd been watching me draw from the beginning when he ans his wife were sitting inside. I told him that I sold two coasters yesterday for two euros each and I was hoping to sell this one. He thought it was a great idea and bought the coaster. His name was Al and his wife's name was June. They were missionaries from Nova Scotia, who had done some work in another town in the Netherlands. Al and June are a part of a salvation mission team which had its own boat. He was happy to inform me that it was the largest floating book fair. We taked about my stay here, and they were sure to inquire about the red light district. I spoke clearly to then without censorship about my opinions of the controversial subjects of the red light district. I told them about the quality which is resilient within the town people, and what I thought were the benefits of having a community like the one represented here. The style of their inquiries seemed like they were in search of problems to fix. I gave the couple a card and asked them to send me an email so we can keep in touch. They blessed me and we parted. 

The art store was closed today, but I made due with what I had in the studio. I went on a walk to find coasters that had fallen on the ground. I found three, before I turned around to head home. I saw a Thai Restaurant across the street that looked great, so I went in an ordered a chicken soup with coconut milk. I had the pleasure of painting on the coasters while I waited for the soup to be made. I enjoyed the atmosphere, which helped the drawings come out nicely. The soup and rice came out at the perfect time, and made an incredible meal. 

Back at the studio, I made some more moves on four paintings, and all of the sculptures ( there are six sculptures in the making). 

I cleaned my palette and will be happy to look at everything dried in the morning, as I am working quite thick and wet. 

I will need to be productive about finding a gallery to exhibit this work in. They take up a decent amount of space, and I would not like to deal with them past my time in Amsterdam. I will also need to begin preparing the works to be hung, and sold.