The effects of the contents in the previous two posts will undoubtedly rumble on… in and out of consciousness as and when required, and occasionally and uncomfortably when not. So I’ll let it lie…
A more frequent visitor to my real art world life is indecision. What should I do “for the best”?
Make decisions, that is what is best. I know it’s only April, and the exhibition is July, but that really isn’t very far off…
Should a PV be on a Friday or a Saturday night?
Wine or tea?
Nuts or cake?
Is my home made cake a bigger draw than a free glass of plonk?
There are those among prospective visitors who would, if it was polite, demand my cake.
There are those for whom wine at a PV is a tongue-loosening essential ingredient.
Shall I perform? (yes, one decision made)
How many songs?
Who with?
Do I need a bass player?
Does it have to be Dave?
So do I move the date in order to get Dave?
(Dave “Ubiquitous” Sutherland, so named because he is able to take up a variety of instruments and figure out what the hell I am singing, and add so much to a melody I have just hummed to him. He is so far, on three of the recordings, and now I know he also has a mandolin, there will be at least one more)
Can I be bothered rehearsing with a new bass player, among the inevitable feelings of disloyalty? (no, another decision made)
What time should I start?
What time should I finish?
Dan will be there, so will it be ok just with Dan, and pick a set accordingly? (yes… maybe…. decision nearly made)
How shall I hang the work? How should I organise the downstairs gallery? Whose work can I hang there and how?
Should it be only my work? The drawings? (yes, probably… another thing nearly decided)
How will I play the recordings?
Should I have headphones set up at the PV? Just speakers?
Should I get someone downstairs to do refreshments, while I ponse about upstairs?
Should there be comfy seats? (because I have a bad knee, I’m always on the lookout for a comfy seat at a PV)
Should I cover the window?
Move the paper chest?
What shall I wear?
What should I do with my fucking bird’s nest hair? (sing the song written for it and pretend it looks like this on purpose) (another decision made)
Which image should I use for the postcards and posters?
Should I just go for pink?
Should I avoid pink like the plague?
What font should I use? (American Typewriter as always? Probably yes… another decision made)
So these, and believe me, dozens more questions mill about my head.
In delicate moments, I am convinced that a half hour difference in opening time, a choice between peanuts or cashews, cake or wine, this song or that song… that these things will prevent the perfect combination of people from attending.
This is not the case is it?
I just need to decide.
The people that want to come will come if they can.
I shall tell as many people as possible, in as many ways as I can think of. The rest is up to them.
Some decisions I have to make quickly, in order to get the printing done (pink/not pink… time…date)
Others can wait.
Other decisions have to be made before the next decisions can be made.
At the moment I’m thinking:
Friday night PV. (With wine, because that’s so other people…and honey roast peanuts, because it gives me an excuse to buy them, but not eat the whole big bag myself.)
Followed by Saturday Open Studio (with tea and cake, because it is so very me)
Maybe three songs, so I don’t get too stressed.
Just Dan, because he stops me feeling stressed, knows me well, and is able to musically pick me up if it all goes horribly wrong, and lead me back to the right place…and probably even sing it all for me if I pass out, or my lips stick to my teeth and my tongue to the roof of my mouth.
Actually… writing these lists has helped.
Blog = comfort blanket.
Bloody Bo Jones… right again dammit!
