angela_n_hunt | Entries tagged with leaving dakota

So, I'm late to the party, but the past week was hectic, but here it is:

I rarely do self-portraits. I've been forcing myself to do them, as it's making me stretch in ways that are unexpected. When it came time to create my contribution for Kyle's show (which you should know by now can be found here: http://kylecassidy.smugmug.com/Art/absurd-equipment/LeavingDakota/14749038_ZKvqm#1105379677_dcM7Q), everybody I normally would have asked to model for me?

Not available.

And I only had ten shots left on the memory card in the camera.

So I did what I always do in a situation like that. Looked at what I was wearing, looked at what was in the kitchen, grabbed a dog tag chain, one of the props from the box and went outside.

This was the result.

I actually really love it. How about that?

Here's the thing. Doing the show? I hardly have words. When Kyle {

kylecassidy) originally asked for folks to be part of the tour, I am not exaggerating that I volunteered and bounced up and down like a cracked out monkey. My original idea had been to find a space to put it up in. But like none of my models being around, nothing was available on such short notice. Then I remembered he said it would fit on a regular size door.

And I thought of my garage.

Originally, I was going to put it literally on the garage door. But I couldn't figure out how to light it adequately. Most of my studio lighting is gone or broken and that ruled that out.

Then I remembered the canvases that my dear friends Vicky Jo and Robin gifted me around my birthday. Over a dozen of them and large and it snapped in to place. I would put them on the canvas, lean them up *inside* the garage and...voila.

So then to let people know the show was on.

And that's when I suffered the doubts that no one would come.

I couldn't have been more wrong.

It wasn't a huge night. But you know what? It was more amazing for what it was. An intimate amazing night with people that I would not have likely met any other way except through the auspices of Kyle's work. And we ate cupcakes and cheese and crackers and huddled around the patio firelogs in my bbq as the night wore on and we talked travel and art and of course, Kyle's work.

But best of all, by the end of the night, I felt I had made a whole new pile of friends.

All because of Kyle and Leaving Dakota.

So. Officially, here and now, from the bottom of my heart, Kyle Cassidy, thank you for letting me participate. I had a grand grand time. You helped prove what I have always believed. Art makes the world a better and more beautiful place. It connects us in ways that cannot be expressed in words.

Thank you so much for letting me come and play.