Happy New Year!

The Dorer Studio year always starts in January. Fiscally it starts in July. This has always confused Jan and, at times, me. We start the year planning followed by Jan getting behind the brush. Most year beginnings are difficult for her. To be creative and good from the start is not easy. In fact it is frightening to her. This year she is painting like a dream.

We have decided that changes are due. We aren’t getting younger and the shows are not exactly getting easier to do. We will drop Boston Mills Art Festival after about twenty years of showing there. Changes have been made by management and changes in our ability have also taken place.

In place we will be showing Jan’s new work at the Cuyahoga Falls Sheraton Hotel, located between Cleveland and Akron, Ohio. From I 80 take Rt. 8 south to Broad St. (eight miles) The hotel is on the southwest corner. The happening will be March 18 and 19, 1:00 to 5:00 each day. We have the Summit Room for the show. It is a very large and comfortable room. There is a balcony for those wishing to puff a bit. This will take place of the Boston Mills Festival and be so much easier to do. We will see if Jan Dorer is liked and respected in the Ohio area by the attendance. We do hope to see you there.

For those wishing to stay at the hotel and join us for dinner etc. the number is 800 325 5788 or 330 929 3000. I don’t know if it will help with the price but I’d name drop Jan Dorer anyway.

The Dorer’s are maturing. Fun is my middle name but recovery happens at a much slower pace. We do have Arlene who does the bookkeeping. I interviewed her and ask if she thought she could work for five years. She said that maybe it would be OK. That was eleven years ago. She won’t take a raise in pay but we do nice things for her like telling her she is indispensable. A few years ago I took her picture and sent it to the Ann Arbor paper saying she won employee of the year at Dorer Studio and received a $500 bonus. They printed it. We really have Jan, myself, and Arlene part time. It was still impressive. She did keep the money. We now have Karen who does the year end and our taxes and nurses the computer. Dave has become the second Gil. He cuts frames and helps in many ways. He’s kind of bright but we don’t hold that against him. Ian is website honcho. I like what he has done and he encourages me to write. I had a paragraph about our first month of marriage in this Gil Says. Ian liked it but three or four women friends said it was too personal and should remain one of my stories to be told to the right people, so it was deleted. Come to the Sheraton Show and I’ll tell you. Ian says to keep writing and people will tune in to see Jan’s new work and read what I shouldn’t be writing to the world.

A number of people lately have been impressed with Jan’s new paintings. They say that her creativity is better than ever. I agree. Jan says to please tell her when the work becomes amateurish but, for now, there is no reason to do anything but keep her painting. We do love this life in art.

More to come…