Cycles and Layers - One Lucky Artist, Marian Fortunati

The Pirate's Cove One of 31 paintings available at the Crain Art Gallery
Click on the link above to see all 31 paintings.

The events of the last few months have left me reeling.

Those of you that follow this blog, know that.   Along with great loss, I've had really wonderful things happen as well.  Last Thursday, our youngest daughter gave birth to her first child.  He is a beautiful little boy and we're all together enjoying his first days together.   I guess that's what life is all about -- Cycles -- Endings and Beginnings.    What

	Alpha Chi Omega Sorority Sisters
	A painting finds a new home
	Another goes to a new home
	Amazing friends with their new painting

begins, ends and what ends, begins again.

Even though I haven't painted very much except for those little baby shower party favor animals, I have managed to arrange, curate and hang a very successful one woman show.   It is called "One Lucky Artist" and I really feel that way.   I had been given this great opportunity and I accepted it, set the date for the reception so that I had the best chance of having it before my daughter's baby came.

With the help and support of family and good friends, the reception was a great success!  I saw so many friends and met many interesting people.   I also realized that our lives are layered.  Friends from so many different parts of my life came by....  Growing up friends, college friends, friends I made as a teacher and principal, artist friends and new friends all came to see the work.  My girlfriend, Beverly, who really is the reason this opportunity came about in the first place, came down for the reception.  I had a great time.  I even sold paintings!   What a thrill!

I didn't take enough pictures at the reception.  I should have taken many more... I was just having too much fun.    Please enjoy some of the photos I did take!

Sandy Morris, me and Beverly Dahlstedt

Beverly stayed with Sandy, who offered me this terrific opportunity, one day and then came home with me for a few days, and while I know it wasn't fun, she came with me to be with Daddy during his last few days.  I so appreciated her love and support.  When the two of us were in college, she went with us our annual Easter road trip to Guaymas, Mexico.  She and Dad and I shared some fun stories with other visitors who came to visit Dad.  -- Thank you Beverly.

I have also been thrilled to hear from friends who have gone by to see the show since the opening and it makes me smile.  I will be painting in the courtyard outside the gallery between 10 and 1:30 most Wednesdays at the Crain Art Gallery (1890 Huntington Dr. - San Marino), if any of you would like to come by to chat.

We need to celebrate and appreciate the many people who enrich the layers of our lives.  As I hear from my Dad's many friends and colleagues I am again reminded of the richness and the variety of what makes life worth living.

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