I do graphic design work --posters, flyers, mailers, programs, etc. -- for a classical concert series called LiveARTS.  I have no formal training in graphic arts, and in fact, I don't consider myself a graphic "artist"  -- I'm a graphic designer, and that only as a hobby.  My work is "informed" only by the fifteen years I spent working in digital printing and copying, an industry I am glad to say I no longer work in.  I have my fun.  Well, we had a concert this past Sunday, a recital by mezzo-soprano Heidi Skok.  The morning of the concert, I was working -- I am the choirmaster for an Episcopal church.  So I didn't get the call from the copy center that was printing the oversize color poster for the lobby, saying that it wasn't coming out right.  After work, I went to pick the poster up.  They were right -- it looked awful.  It was supposed to look like this.  But picture this: it looked like a bad imitation of a Warhol.  It looked like it had been put through a black and white copier, then colorized with far too much PINK!.  I kept trying to convince myself that it looked "artistic," but in truth, it just looked "bad."  The people in the shop told me they could send it to their production center, and it would be back by Monday or Tuesday.  I pointed to the date and time of the concert -- that very day at 3:30 -- printed big as day in the upper right-hand corner of the poster.

So I made a dash for home, 20 minutes away, to try to retrieve some fresh files for them to start again.  On the way, I stopped off at the church where these concerts are given to tell anyone who would listen that I was trying to get a decent rendition of the poster, and that I would be back as soon as I could.  On the way in, I noticed the smaller posters, which had been done at a different shop.  They, too, looked like crap, but in a completely different way.  This bothered me, since I'm sure they didn't look that bad on the screen, when they opened them at that shop.  But instead of calling me, they just went ahead and ran the job.  I really don't understand, since with a decade and a half for digital printing experience, I think I do a fair job of setting up my files so they're ready to print.  I guess that means different things to different people, though.

So, on my way out of the church, I run into Heidi Skok.  I politely introduced myself (especially given that she teaches at the college where, a dozen years ago, I did my first master's degree), and told her I was the graphic designer for the series.  She said "Oh, so you're the guy who did all of those posters!"  I said "Yes, and actually, I apologize: they didn't come out to my satisfaction."  She looked kind of puzzled, but I had to run off and take care of business.

So the shop was able to fix the oversize poster, and I came back with that and my recording gear to record the concert.  This, it seems, made me the big hero of the day.  The guy who usually records our concerts was unable to be there, and apparently, nobody got my email saying I would do the recording.  I go into the room where the concert will be, to find...

There's one wall of the sanctuary of this church, more of a partition, really, where they've always felt art should be displayed.  So, they got some lights intended to light paintings, and installed them on this wall.  Instead of paintings, the first thing they've put on this wall is a retrospective of posters I've designed for the LiveARTS concerts series, dating back to 2003.  I was humbled and flattered.  It was like a one-man gallery opening.  And this must be what Heidi Skok was talking about when she mentioned "all those posters."  During intermission and after the concert, people were going over and looking at them, it was really cool.

See some pics, here.

I work with a concert series that is affiliated with a church in the town where I live.  We present four classical concerts, generally chamber music type stuff, each season.  Let me see if I can fin an interior shot of the church where these concerts are, as something neat happened last night, but you need to get an idea of what the space is like first...

Okay, here's the place.  The congregation built this building in 2001.  It's basically a big barn that seats as many as 300 people.  There are no pews, just a bunch of chairs, so they can rearrange it however they want.  One wall, as you can see, is all windows with unfinished timbers as big as large tree trunks.  Outside that window is a copse of birch trees, so it's as though nature is part of the stage.  At this time of year, the trees are still bare, and the birch trunks are white.  It's a very striking image.

Every once in a while, nature really cooperates with us in our concerts.  One concert I remember, a pianist was playing a Beethoven sonata.  During the last movement, which was very fast and stormy, the wind whipped up and was blowing the birch trees all over the place.  But the best one was during a gentle passage in a piano piece by Debussy -- a deer appeared outside the windows, and wandered slowly by, grazing as it went.  I wish I had been there for that one, but I missed it.

The last piece on the program last night was a song called "Primary Colors".  As the singer started to sing it, two bluejays flew down and started cavorting in the trees on the left.  Then, two cardinals arrived on the right.  They started flying around, sort of playing with eachother, these bright blue and bright red birds in the white trees.  All during the song called "Primary Colors"!

The singer finished, and we all applauded.  She then went into an encore, the spiritual "Deep River".  Three of the birds had flown away, but one of the cardinals stayed.  It stood stock-still, the only spot of color in a sea of grey and white.  It waited patiently, as though it were listening intently to the song, too, and as soon as the song ended, it took off almost straight up and was gone.

"What's in a Name" meme stolen from carencey77, who stole it from 1oldmanfan

carencey77 says she stole it "mostly because my answers are SO bad. lolol."  I stole it from her because mine are worse.

1. Your rock star name (first pet, current car):
Heather Volvo  (That's so hardcore.)

2. Your gangsta name (fave ice cream flavour, favourite type of shoe)
Strawberry Cheesecake Florsheim  (You know, the gay Jewish gangsta rapper drag queen.)

3. Your Native American name (favourite colour, favourite animal):
Blue Dog

4. Your soap opera name (middle name, city where you were born):
Morris Newport  (Real romantic.)

5. Your Star Wars name (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 of your first name):
Miled  (Isn't that some sort of accomplishment in swimming, or track?  Yeah, I'm a miler.  I miled.)

6. Superhero name (2nd favourite colour, favourite drink):
the Red Beer  (Couldn't resist some Photoshoppery on this one)

7. NASCAR name (the first names of your grandfathers):
Bernie Russel  Or Russell Bernard.  (either way, it's pretty nondescript)

8. Stripper name (the name of your favourite perfume/cologne/scent, favourite candy):
Bay Rum Lindt  (Yeah, that works.  Right.)

9. TV weather anchor name (your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter):
Barge Boise  (Really -- her name was Mrs. Barge.)

10. Spy name (your favourite season/holiday, flower):
Spring Marigold  (Because I'm a female hippy spy.)

11. Cartoon name: (favourite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now):
Plum Pants  (No, they're not plum.  They're khaki.  I'm starting to think there's more wrong with this meme than with my answers!)

12. Hippie name (What you ate for breakfast, your favourite tree):
Cheerio Maple (I like Spring Marigold better)

The building in which I teach my last two classes has a cafeteria in it, and always smells like food.  Moments ago, I approached another faculty member, who was talking to someone I didn't recognize, and mentioned that, unusually, it smelled like hot dogs.  She was called away into another conversation by a student., whereupon the following exchange took place between me and the guy I didn't know:

HIM:  I wish I had some evidence.

ME:  Evidence of hot dogs?

HIM:  Yeah.

Oddly enough, I have absolutely nothing to say.  Discuss...