Peaces of Mind

Part 1 - the Preparation

The Day for the Exhibition is finally upon me and I still have three paintings to finish, add to that that I am currently working the night shift at the hotel, I believe that this will be an interesting morning... A bit sleepless perhaps, but interesting none the less.

I tried to switch shifts with someone but could not find anyone willing to offer up a Friday night on such short notice.

A smarter guy than me would have finished the paintings in the past week. My only excuse is that I've been busy promoting and papering the city with posters for the last few days. I'll have to pull off a Hunter S. Thompson to get this shit done before noon.

Nine hours of lost time until I get home. Then Red Hot Chili Peppers on a loop along with my lovely little bialetti mokka express and four hours of focus!

I have faith!

Part 2 - The Chaos

So I get off from work at 7 AM and buck it for the tram stop, wouldn't you have guessed it but my line is cancelled.. Well, well, only 6 hours until opening. That's what you get for not being prepared I think to myself.

After some time and timetable switcheroo I get home and get to work. Biggest thing first, I bring out my empty canvas and start smearing paint like it's no tomorrow. Finally I get to a point where it feels like I can not do anything good until the paint has dried (The good thing about acrylic it that is dries fast) so I pick out the next thing and get to work and the pattern repeats itself and it works surprisingly well, as soon as one piece needs to dry I put it aside and pick up the next one. and believe it or not, by 12 o'clock I feel nearly finished. or as finished as I feel I am going to be.

As Leonardo Da Vinci said:

"Art is never finished only abandoned."

This is what came out of those chaotic, productive hours.

Part 3 - The Exhibition

We roll up to the gallery, I kid you not, 12:59 and we are supposed to open at 13:00.

Nicklas and all the others are already there of course. I grab all my things and hurry to hang all the canvases.

Anayah, the beautiful soul responsible for putting me in contact with the gallery and helping me arrange this mess is there, friends are the, people are starting to arrive. Canvases are hung, wine is drunk and pinkie fingers lifted.

I haven't slept so it might not be a great idea, but hey - It's a vernissage. You are supposed to have wine.

People start to stream in and what started so hectic turns into a really lovely day. But by the end I am feeling a bit fuzzy, too much caffeine and wive on too little sleep.

I get home around 7 I have another night shift at the hotel coming up.

I end up sleeping straight through the Sunday. Completely missing out on the second day but I think I needed it.

Sleep is the rent we pay for our bodies and I was due!

I am writing this almost a week later, after the hectic first day and the subsequent recovery the tempo has been a lot slower. The sale has been slow, I hear it is a hard time for Gothenborgian artists, but none the less it has been a wonderful experience for me. I've been sitting here, promoting, working on the website and writing. I couldn't have asked for more. I am super grateful for all the people that helped me get this together.

Arta, Anayah, Magdi, Philippa, Nicklas - Tack så jätte mycket!

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