Side by Side

Dear Reader,

Since my return to painting in 1998, I have worked hard to get my work out there, which means many things: having a web site with a section for paintings, maintaining relationships with gallery owners, and participating in group and solo exhibitions. My husband, John Gaumond, has done much the same thing with his color photography. Our work has been in the same galleries and in many group exhibitions.

A few months ago, we were talking with someone at dinner and he asked, “Why haven’t you done an exhibit together?” The opportunity simply hadn’t presented itself. Until now.

John and I have each had solo exhibitions at the Worcester Jewish Community Center Gallery. It is an active place, with gallery space nicely situated in the main reception area and throughout the corridors. Thousands of people, young and old, pass through each week. Over the years, the WJCC has invested in the French system of hanging, which is easier to manage than any other. Adjust the bar and set it into the ceiling track. Voil à !

When the offer of an exhibition materializes for either one of us, an air of excitement mixed with anticipation wafts through our house. After all these years, it still happens. We both love to show our art. However, we also understand the amount of work needed to be able to cross the bridge from concept to finally stand at the reception with plates full of cheese, crackers and grapes.

Once the dates are set, in this case – September 2nd through October 31st – plus a date and time for a reception (to be announced on my home page), the real work begins. We will design and send out a card. We will look at the building diagram and evaluate the wall spaces. We will write an exhibition statement to post. I will type the price list.

“Side by side” is our title. When we told some people of a certain age, they started to hum the popular 1940’s tune.

“Side by Side” is also an apt title because John and I have worked side by side for decades, even in our art making. Between his camera and our travels, he has an incredible body of work: Italy, England, Germany, Turkey, France, Iceland…as well as images from our back yard of his stone wall. A challenge for him will be to choose twenty or more photographs to display.

My choices will be based on my many different phases and explorations of mediums and formats since my return to making art: acrylic, oil, collage, ink, transfer. To intersperse them with John’s photographs will be a first, and also a complete joy.