EPIC BLOG POST: Cambridge, Love, RAW, the Wad Gala, Farewell Phoebe, Brunch, New Haven CWOS

This was the kind of weekend that we'll remember fondly when the economy totally collapses and we're all destitute, depressed and struggling to stay alive. In the mean time, fun rules and art is the only party in town. Love is everywhere and we're not alone.

Friday night I went up to Cambridge to celebrate Ellen Ratfink's 17th birthday. She's studying at the Museum School in Boston. We went out to Enormous Room in Central Square. Brian F was there and so were a bunch of lovelies from Hartford. Ellen is a babe. We danced and drank St. Germain cocktails.

Mandy and Rachel

Ellen! WPU's favorite babe Melanie

yours truly

Ellen, Rachel and Brian F

Ellen's birthday present

Kevjn Kelly's chocolatey stare

the party fist

its been too long, Mandy

SATURDAY... ARCHAEOLOGY OF WONDER OPENING AT REAL ART WAYS:

On Saturday night I went to the big group show at Real Art Ways called Archaeology of Wonder, curated by Kristina Newman-Scott. Its a smart and diverse show. Its a good mix of video and objects. It has to do with the dream life, memory, mystery, mythology, personal discovery, faked science, collage and Halloween. Pictured above; two Hartt school students performing for gallery goers. I forgot their names. Yuko Suzuki wall sculptures hang in the background.

a nice painting by fabulous painter Justin McAllister

Javier Pinon

Kristina Newman-Scott, curator

best in show: Tom Bogaert's Colline au Milles Souris. An undulating, pulsing hill/swarm of black mice fighting for the summit, made of thousands of mouse-shaped black licorice candy. HALLOWEEN ART. SPOOKY! But really beautiful.

Harriet Caldwell, has a lovely wall piece in the show and she got her hair done

art babes

LATER THAT NIGHT... SPLENDOR GALA AT THE WADSWORTH ATHENEUM MUSEUM OF ART:

I donated this small watercolor portrait of Ellen Carey to the Wad's Gala Auction Fundraiser so they threw me a bone and let me come to their party for free. It was totally uppercrust and fun to shoot the shit with the other handful of artists invited plus all of the leading luminaries in Hartford philanthropy. I think the new director Susan Lubowsky Talbott was wearing Balenciaga. I think Coleman Casey was wearing the same cummerbund/bowtie set he wore last year. He also gave the same passionless speech. The museum looked absolutely magical. Connecticut gentry isn't quite dead they just don't know how to profitably market themselves the way the real housewives of New York can.
Art I would have bid on if only I had a discretionary fortune, a sugardaddy or if there wasn't a credit crisis:

a Peter Waite diptych

an Elizabeth Enders canvas beside a too-cool Ed Ruscha drawing

Classical sculpture is sexy

Ellen Carey

Krystian Von Speidel

artist Mark Williams

extra crispy uppercrust

LATER THAT NIGHT... FAREWELL PHOEBE & BRANDON:

I ducked out of the Gala not a second too soon. I had to wish these two lovebirds "happy trails." On Tuesday they're getting in the car and driving to Miami, Florida. I fell in love with Phoebe while I was working on my show at Real Art Ways. She was a logistical genius, a thoughtful set of eyes and ears and an essential part of my support network. It is truly sad to see her go but not completely. All the best must leave and if you really love something you must let it go. HAHA FAT CHANCE- NOT BEFORE ONE LAST NIGHT OF PURE ADULTEROUS DEBAUCHERY AND BAR FIGHTS.

Brandon at Barca

Gabriela and Natacha

oops I have a fabulous new cape

Brian F, Calvin and yours truly

LATER THAT NIGHT... BARCELONA:

Brandon looks like Tyra Banks in Cowboy Ugly

hey Diana

Uncle Sin getting spooky

Donald Judd men's room

true love

SUNDAY... CITY WIDE OPEN STUDIOS, NEW HAVEN:

After a luxurious four hour brunch with Phoebe and Brandon's freshly awoken farewell party, Uncle Sin and I drove down to New Haven for the City Wide Open Studios sponsored by Art Space. Leslie Shaffer has been catching a lot of grief for cutting down the size of CWOS from four consecutive weekends to only one, but as far as I could tell this was a more efficient and cost-effective event. Plus they published a very useful and handy little full color catalogue that functions almost as a kind of New Haven art scene yearbook.
If I had had all day Saturday and Sunday to devote to the studio tours, I would have had AMPLE time to give everything a good once-over. As it is, only about 10% or less of any art made anywhere is actually the kind of thing you like. Who wants to wade through room after room of bad floral photography? Most of that shit has been mercifully weeded out this year.

I only had Sunday afternoon to spend at the studios, so I missed Erector Square and Fair Haven, but I did make it to the Art Space downtown, Westville and Hamden sites. I wish I could have visited Cat Balco and Paul Theriault, but time and bumming rides around town would not allow. Above is a picture of Bradley Wollman's installation in Hamden.

Anthony Crisafulli in Hamden

Jen, Bradley, Anthony and Uncle

straight to the Prayer Dome

Phil Lique in Westville

Jillian Vento

more Phil Lique

art babes Jillian Vento and Faith Antion

my favorite finds of the day: paintings by Stefan Gunn at Hello My Name Is Gallery in Westville.

Kevin Van Aelst/Kim Mikenis home and gallery

Kim Mikenis collages and soft sculptures

Now I must go to sleep. All good weekends must come to an end and tomorrow I'll need to be on my best behavior.