I am my own worst Influence

Something I have noticed over the years as I go through periods of isolation and being surrounded by people is that I am my own worst influence. When I spend too much time alone is when I start swearing and plotting global domination.

I also apparently start thinking I have super powers, and thanks to what is probably a large dose of mind-over-matter, start developing them.

For instance, today in the gallery I set myself to the task of finishing the winter re-arrangement. One artist has been a particular problem in work placement because they gave me two 4' x 4' paintings, which isn't normally a big deal, but they have a 6" frame (making them 5' x 5', only 5" shorter than me) and really really heavy since the paintings are on board instead of canvas. Really heavy and awkward to move since they require their own special wiring system to support all the weight.

Vertin Gallery has a system of free floating walls to maximize the use of the space for paintings, which are 4' wide (already I'm sure you're noticing the problem) and they are our sturdiest walls because the walls of the building are over 100 years old and made of plaster with studs that are where ever they feel like being at the moment and never anywhere convenient (and only gets weirder as you go up since the 3rd and 4th floors were added 20 years later). They don't fit on the sturdy walls though, they can only go on the plaster walls with some crazy screwiness. Of the plaster wall space, there is still very little room since the 1st floor has been remolded/re purposed a few times.

Now, I could call our handy man to come over and help me move this monstrosity of a painting all over the gallery until we find a place that works, but no. Because I have been living alone I am to stupid/convinced of my own super human strength to do this and lug this giant painting that is just ever-so-slightly wider than my arm span until I find a spot for it.

Then I decided it needed what is probably the 2nd largest and heaviest painting to go next to it, which due to the fact it had previously been positioned on the stairwell I ended up carrying by the lower corner and over my head. I imagine I looked not unlike an ant carrying a leaf larger than it and was glad no one came in the gallery until 4:30 because I would have looked really silly.

Like this, but instead of a car, art and instead of Superman, a 5'5" girl in a skirt and heels.

The lesson I took away from this is that tomorrow I will be calling the handy man to help actually hang the paintings.

The lesson you should take away from this if you're an artist is that people are much more likely to buy your work if they can fit it in their car and/or shipping it won't cost more than the painting itself.