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The Judith Racht Gallery show was fantastic! I came home with a big handful of cash, 5 new pieces of art for my collection and lots of new contacts plus the digits for 3 men!
It all happened on the Red Arrow Highway.
First of all, the gallery people opened their arms to me. So that made everything else go smoothly.
Friday night was the premier and all of the wealthy Chicago peeps that have summerhouses in Michigan showed up. Joan Cusack came all three days of the show! She bought a cat painting. Some other stuff too, I guess.
I made a banner that said, “Welcome to LuLu Land” It made people laugh and attracted them to my work. I received so many great comments. Mostly they understood my whacked sense of humor. And interestingly, I liked the way they reinterpreted my work. I didn’t even know all of “that” was in there!
I loved the crowds and people watching and even the selling. I work in isolation so it cool to force yourself into a really big show like this one. Judith gave me a great space right in the beginning of the show and I was surrounded by some of the biggest dogs in outsider art.
Oh whee…everyone was calling me LuLu which I really liked.
The man south of me, Roger, is a money-packing Winetkaite, who does volunteer work at a mental health facility in Elk Grove Village. He was selling the work of the day-programmers to raise funds for the art program. Another woman sold Haitian art to benefit them and Carol sold Mexican art. Many of the major players were there too. The art was amazing. I finally saw Lee Godie’s work up close. It is in the $1000 range so I couldn’t really afford a piece. The woman selling her work said she actually met her back in the 70s on the steps of the Art Institute in Chicago. Godie was a bag lady and she offered the drawing for $3.50. They woman said no and Godie said, “Girls never get nothing for their art.” Man it was sensational. I talked so much and laughed so much that I am going to need a week to get my bones back in place. I learned so much, I am still trying to absorb it all.
D was amazing. He helped me get everything there and back. He took over sales so I could wander and meet people, and according to my other neighbor, Janet, when I was away he talked about me like I was a love goddess. Haha! He is nice.
A restaurant that does Middle Eastern food catered the event. I was in knee-deep in whipped cream! Lamb, shrimp, vegetarian platters!!! At night I went swimming in the hotel pool, then D and I would take off for dinner. One night we went to Skip’s Other Place, an old-school supper club kind of place with wood walls and those mom-age waitresses. We had prime rib…the modest cut. It came in five versions…. the largest being 24 oz for $49.99…well, just pull that steer right up beside the table!!!!!!! On Saturday night we attended a party at Wow Gallery. Richard was telling us that he goes to Skips with a friend and they order THE BIG ONE…it lasts for THREE days of meals.
Oh, and the artists actually traded art with me. I will have to show you when I get some pics. This area of Michigan feels Wisconsiny woodsy and familiar, it has excellent restaurants and lots of galleries, yet little else. Many rich people summer here, but in the winter everything closes up and they go back to Chicago or go to Florida. When we have snowstorms in Chicago the people on this side of Lake Michigan get hammered ten times worse…lake effect. It’s much like Buffalo, New York.
But go there in the summer, especially on Labor Day. I will be there.
LuLu says, “Hi!”
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One gallery is taking me on. I have been invited to the Black & White Ball that Intuit is doing in Chicago. And Carol wants me to visit her in Old Town. She is introducing me to the insider Chicago scene!
