Then & Now

Work relationships are always interesting.  Really, we spend most of our time with people we wouldn't otherwise know.  There have been times in my life when I spent more time with my co-workers than I did with the people I loved.  These are people we don't choose to meet, a selection of job skills is what bring us together.  I've worked with many people and made some terrific friendships along the way.  But one situation sticks in my brain as remarkable.

When I moved to New York City, I didn't know many people here.  I was a bit overwhelmed with my new life, new home and new job.  In the most unlikely of places (an investment bank) I found some of my favorite people.  I remember the first time I met Sue, Michael and Chris individually; I remember how I liked each of them instantly.  They continue to be fantastic friends, but also shaped how I first interacted with the city itself.  I made other friends through them, saw new parts of the city and had new experiences because of them.  And I'm so glad it was them I met first.

We were tasked to build and grow a department, not knowing how this new media would explode.  Stuck in a sub-level basement we worked as a team, finding each others' strengths.  It was an amazing symbiotic relationship.  As the months progressed, still in our sublevel basement (some days never seeing daylight) we created a safe haven.  We worked hard, but we also played, created and shared.  We all went through times of celebration and drama.  We each moved, started and ended relationships, made important life decision, and dreamt about the future with each other. We created life-lasting bonds.  When life seemed to be the hardest, I always knew that the people at work would support and nurture me.  We all did.

We were part of a creative department, yet separated from the group.  As we built our little lab, people from the department would come and visit.  They came down to eat lunch, to take a break between stressful meetings, just to say hello.  Every one told us how lucky we were to have our own space.  Really, we were lucky to have each other.  The space became what it was because of the four of us.  Changing one person would have changed the dynamic completely.  We helped each other move, went to each other's homes, spent time with each other outside of work.  And although we did spend time discussing work (as you do) we spend so much time together because we spent the majority of time not talking about work. Even when we were on the job, we took time to speak about the other things in our lives. Not only did we work well together, but we genuinely liked each other.

As time went on, our little group needed to split up. It was time to leave the nest.  Slowly, we all found new, wonderful opportunities.  Because of the bonds we built we remain very close friends.  As our lives take shape we don't speak to each other as frequently, but when we get together its magical.

Sue's in town for her art opening - go to The Screamers site, it's awesome.  So the four of us were able to get together.  Once again we shared our experiences, talked about the future, our recent accomplishment and frustrations.  We hung out.  And it was awesome.

Social Change Exhibit opening in NYC

Close Encounters, Acts of Social Imagination will open June 25th - August 28th. The reception will take place Thursday, June 25th, 6-8pm, Nathan Cummings Foundation, 475 10th Ave.

Among the artists in attendance will be the Floating Lab.

"Floating Lab Collective” is a group of metropolitan DC-based artists working collectively on performances, media art and research. The main idea is to expand the space of art into public space and to expand the discourse about contemporary art. The participating artists are a dynamic and flexible group that expands and contracts in size depending on the piece to be executed.

June 25th will mark the opening of Provisions’ second Close Encounters exhibit, this time in NYC at the Nathan Cummings Foundation. Featuring 14 artists with distinct acts of social imagination, the premiere performance of Floating Lab Collective’s Screamer and musical guests the Tom Gardner Trio. Opening night is sure to be a celebration.

To RSVP for this event, go to the Provisions Library website.  You can also read my interview with Sue Wrbican of the Floating Lab collective to learn about her exciting projects.

An interview with Sue Wrbican

Arts, inspiration, fill in your own adjective, Sue Wrbican is coming to New York for an Exit Art opening on June 25th. 

Read all about her new projects (she's unstoppable) in my interview.

Frozen Car Project

Years ago I met Sue Wrbican.  And I am so grateful.  She is the person who gave me the courage to pursue my creativity.  Fidgety, I'm always making something - knitting scarves, making necklaces, cross-stitching, and even a Lord of the Rings puppet theatre for the office (it was the dead of winter, we were in a sublevel basement we needed something to look at).  Sue's a natural-born artist.  I can't imagine her doing anything else.  Her photography, poetry and film work are nothing short of amazing.  I was in awe of her projects. 

But more personally, it was Sue who looked at what  I was doing and said "You're an artist."  I told her about the crazy ideas I was hatching, the way I was seeing things and she cheered me on. She teaches at an arts school and is the perfect person to be nurturing a new generation of artists.  She also has time to make her own art. 

Her latest creation is a new collaboration with Mary Carothers - The Frozen Car.  Sue sent me their site and it's just too cool not to share.

Learn all about this amazing new project by checking out The Frozen Car site.