Perspective, who are our heros.

I recently read that The Boise Art Museum Art in the Park was canceled.  It is an amazing show and a real feather in the cap of the artist who is invited.  I was very lucky to get in one year and I am always very happy for my friends that do.

David Bartholet does it every year and he works year round to save his very best for this show.  Karen Snyder worked very hard on a wire wrapped sculpture for this show.  It was as coastal log boat out of gold, red and black and it glowed, I had high hopes for her to win an award this year.  While we artists work hard to fill a schedule of shows, and are watching our calendar empty; I want to take a moment to consider all of those who put these events on.

To those who come to the shows, we thank you.  There wouldn't be a show if you didn't come but to those who put these events on, hats off to you.  Every year you put in blood sweat and tears to put on these events.  You bring together talent from all over and organize the flow so we all are showcased in the best possible manner.  You take notes during the show, while you are putting out fires and solving problems and as soon as the show is over?  Monday morning you are in the office working hard at it again.  You are organizing the notes you wrote during the show, solidifying ideas and writing new ones.  You are taking meetings with city council members and discussing areas that need improvement and how to solve new problems that are rearing their ugly heads.  Two months have gone by and you have already done filing, taxes, paperwork and advertising scheduling as well as working on taxes, payroll, fundraising and membership drives.  You are motivating members and volunteers and working with maps of booth layouts, parking and bus schedules.

Then a decision is made (a month before the show)  and it all evaporates like breath on the wind.  The show is canceled, the money that was spent to put it on is gone and there is no show to refill the coffers.The organization is facing a financial crisis and it has to look at laying off valuable staffing.  Where do those employees go?  they can't wait around for funding to come in, they have bills to pay.  The museum looks ahead to a rocky future and we all lament the loss of another amazing sales venue.  The staff misses the shows, they work hard all year to put this on.  It isn't for the pay, they do it because they love art almost as much as we love doing it.

As we all wait to see how the year falls out, I will be thinking of you promoters out there.  While we all sit around drinking cheap wine and light beer looking at the want ads for minimum wage jobs to hold us over.  I will consider how your year has been affected, your hard work has been for naught but do not think it was unappreciated.  While I stare at my inventory and drink my box wine out of a plastic cup, I will raise my glass to you.  Each one of you is a hero in my book and when the year is over, I will look forward to applying again to meet you on the green fields of the park to put up my awining again.