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| The METRO proposal submission. Gastone made me a "float" frame. -- Very cool! My husband rocks!! |
How I became "almost famous"
In late May I received a message on my answering machine which was followed up within a day with a formal letter announcing that I was one of three finalists for a Metro project. (Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro). It probably comes as a surprise, but Los Angeles -- the city of freeways and a gazillion cars -- DOES have a rail and bus system. We even have some subways!
Panic!
I was in a panic! First, I never realized that Metro hired "outside" artists to do anything. I always assumed that the wonderful art in the subway stations was done "in house". I kept thinking how did they choose ME??? I didn't even know such a program existed, nor did I apply for something this prestigeous. Plus, I had never attempted to do a public art project.
Well, after the panic subsided, I settled down and called the project manager back. Each finalist was to submit a proposal for a poster (11" x 20" ... or 22x40) which would be used to create a bus and a rail Metro ticket highlighting the city of San Fernando.
Mystery supporter?
I thought that perhaps the director of La Galeria Gitana, Karen Nichols, had recommended me because the gallery is in San Fernando and she has been wonderfully supportive of my work. But when I asked, she knew nothing about it. I then thought that whoever recommended me followed my work on my newsletter. But no one "admitted" it. In the meantime, I worked on the submission. I decided to include many of the features which make city of San Fernando unique. I included the main entrances and two historical spots and two very modern locations. I tried to tie the different vignettes together with a ribbon of swirling mariachi dresses.
Well, I finished the project within the short timeline and I was proud of my submission, but mine was not the winning proposal.
I will not be famous. But I did have a good time developing the proposal. And today I got a nice big fat check in the mail. Almost famous is pretty nice.
The mystery is solved!
The project director called me today to let me know I could pick up my painting. I asked him who it was that recommended me. He explained that it wasn't someone I knew, but it was people in the art committee down at Metro. They had seen my website (YAY, FASO!!) and evaluated the work in my portfolios to make the decision. The committee narrowed down those that they were investigating to the final three. I was very happy to be "almost famous."
So if ANYONE ever tells you that having a good website isn't important... Well, you know what I think about that!!
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