This has been a busy week!

My Growth Series for next week's Vista Lights event is coming along nicely. I should finish sometime today depending upon framing/client/telephone interruptions! (I'm minding the shop alone.) I plan to hang them after 5 PM this evening, continue working on my Life Everlasting Series in my studio, and finally going to Wims Roefs new galleryopening at around 6:30 or 7 PM. (if ART Gallery, 1223 Lincoln St. 803-238-2351 or wroefs@sc.rr.com; opening receptions throughout the weekend, even Sunday from 1 - 5 PM)

Tonight, Alex is going to a USC basketball game with the exchange student from Norway. Alex is having trouble with his drama teacher due to the fact that he opted out of being in the last school production of Pirates of Penzance. Alex cannot sing and knows the high school shows are quite lame at best. He was pre-committed to Carolina Ballet's Nutcracker with its conflicting weekend rehearsals anyway. Now, however, his teacher has decided that he didn't put in enough "production hours" and refuses to count any of the countless hours Alex has worked toward Nutcracker. John Whitehead (CMFA and Carolina Ballet Executive Director) even sent a letter to her with a cc to the principal. Alex has a D in this area of participation and is (for once) freaking out. The situation is entirely ridiculous. I'm expecting a telephone call from the teacher and feel like I've been sent to detention already! I was always a "good kid", too afraid of getting into any trouble at all.

Steve is in DC and attended one of two antiquarian book auctions yesterday evening. One volume of absolutely stunning early 19th c. Indian lithographs had been valued at $20,000 to $30,000. It was the highlight of the sale, especially when it sold for $87,000. To that amount is added a 15% buyer's premium!

We were interested in a broken book of mid-19th c. musical instrument prints. The estimate was $200 to $300. Steve said we'd go to at least twice the price. Steve dropped out at $900. They sold for $950. These auctions are now being held simultaneously on a branch of eBay, with several telephone lines, and have on-line catalogs. We may never be able to buy anything again, but at least the price of our own collection and merchandise is going up, up, up!

Alex has Nutcracker rehearsal on both Saturday and Sunday, long ones--full cast, complete run-throughs. He also has "strike" at Trustus (closing of a show) on Sunday at 10 AM and we are to deliver his tree to the State Museum for Friday night's Festival of Trees gala. He and his girlfriend Erica are suppose to find an hour or two to go purchase a gown for the gala that can double as a prom dress. So, it'll be a busy weekend!

The week wasn't exactly "quiet" either. Karen Watson, executive director of the Sumter Museum of Art, came by on Wednesday. I had a chance to pitch the idea of showing the Archeology Project to her. The museum is currently booking 2008. I gave her a CD and a proposal. She took several pieces, including some vessels, back to the gift shop.

After Karen left, I went to Terrace Oaks with merchandise and on to the Artisan Center in Walterboro with my artwork. There I got to meet the new retail manager and tour the as yet unopened new building. It is FABULOUS!

I've finished another piece in the Elements of Architecture Series, took slides of several other pieces, and finished up nearly a dozen more of the single pages in the series called Life Everlasting.