In which I meet two "real live" artists.

I was very lucky a few weeks ago and was able to meet two artists. H.A. Sigg, who is from Switzerland and Ron Balser, from Atlanta.

Sigg was showing at Mason Murer for Modern Atlanta weekend. My partner designed his website so we were introduced to Sigg, his wife and his son. He was a charming little old man. I don't remember how it came up, but he said to us at one point "When I'm in my studio, I am a god, a king. But when I leave, I am nobody." (This is all quite paraphrased by the way.) I thought it was a good description of probably how many artists feel. Creating something that seems so important or amazing, but then (for most of us) no one knows (or cares!) what we've made. : ) It reminds me of Nell always telling us to "let go" of our art, to not keep it precious to us.

It was also interesting that I didn't have much to say. I mean, here I was, talking with an internationally know artist and all I could comment on was how brilliant blue some of his paintings were. I'm not great at small talk, but geez, seems like I could have said something more than "I love that blue."

I did love seeing the originals, especially after a year of seeing web printouts of his paintings all over the house!

Ron's work was up at the Fay Gold Gallery. Ron is a client of ours at work. We've done some of the design and the coding for his website. Some of the benches were pretty cool. I loved Dorothy's Tornado. I thought it was a nice variation on "bench."

Didn't have much to say to Ron either, but he's a client and that feels a little presumptuous to take up his time in that way. He was also swamped with guests. But maybe those are all excuses to not have to talk to him! : )

There was also photographer Arno Rafael Minkkinen with work up at Fay Gold. His work was really clever. Landscapes and body shapes that would create these weird spaces and vistas. They try to trick your eye. Very cool.

So, I didn't make any art, but I did get to see some and meet some artists. And now I'm writing about it. Pretty much doing everything I can to avoid making anything!

~JML

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