Dear Friends,

It has been three interesting months since I added to the “Gil says” thing.  We have done shows, seen doctors, reevaluated life, and lots of other exciting things.  We are getting to the point in life where we are becoming less sure of our abilities and ability to do what we wish in the time we wish.  It’s called getting old.  The will is there but energy and all are not.

Bought a new computer and changed from AOL to ATT.  Lots of newness and found we do have friends who help and not just say they will help.    I tried things and found my fingers are too quick.  They act before my brain clicks in.  A guy thing.  Anyway I just wanted dorergj and I got chest1nut@att.net as an e mail address.   just got it all straightened out.  I now have dorergj@aol.com and chest1nut@att.net and gil@dorerstudio.com.  I like gil@dorerstudio.com for it hints at the website dorerstudio.com. 

Just finished the famed South University Art Fair.  Numbers of viewers was down.  Sales were down.  75% of our sales were out of state which is saying something about our dear Michigan..  I’ts that way for artists all over the country.  Most artists realize we no longer have a middle class.  Somone said that the 330,000 top incomes equal the bottom 150,000,000 in America.  Th top 330,000 buy invertment art.  Art by dead artists.  Another way to make money.  The middle class use to buy living artists work, Knowing them, loving them and the work.  Now they do not have the money or are too frightened to spend it.

Just watched CBS Sunday Morning.  There is always a segment on art.  This time it was on Vincent Van Gogh.  they showed his early painting, “The Potato Eaters”.  Colors of the people in the painting are dark green and brown,  just like potatoes.  I have always loved the honesty of that painting.  The featured paintings were of the famed wildly exciting bright colorful paintins he is known for.  Those wild paintings reflect on a tortured soul.  Cut off an ear in a rage.  At 37 he ended his life.  Now, today, he’d probably be in Jackson prison and be lost to himself and lost to humanity. 

Just read that the new U. S. embassy in Iraq will cost $585,000,000.  I am so happy that our ambassador and aids will be so well protected and show the people of Iraq our system of values.

Been thinking back of my days in Korea when I was a kid.  After the war we were sent on advanced guard near the 38th parallel.  Only two platoons went.  The rest of the division stayed near Pusan.  We had guard duty two hours on and four off seven days a week.  After a period of time all started acting psychotic.  The powers that be changed us to four on and eight off and the troops started getting well.  One guy from Illinois had a victrola.  Spell check says the work victorlo doesn’t exist but I know better.  It was a little machine that allowed a 78 rpm record to spin after it was cranked up.  We broke off darning needles and used them in the machine.  Worked well.  Our favorite was a Joanie James record.  We went six weeks without mail and the owner of the victrola threw it at a tree in a rage.  No more Joanie James. We got very into oriental music on the radio.  There is such a soothing quality to most of it.  It still lingers in my head. When I got to Korea, I was issue three army blankets. Thirteen months later I turned them in never having been washed.  I had it easy.  I was never exploded or shot or wounded.  My wounds were inside and not visible.  They are wounds that do not totally heal.  A few of our wonderful young men are getting the same thing today.  I wish I could feel it was for betterment of someone, anyone, other than owners of factories making war materials.

We are doing the Atlanta Art Festival in Atlanta, Ga. Sept. 14-16 2007. Cyndy, our daughter will be helping us as she did with the Ann Arbor show.  Come see us even if you have to travel.

Sept. 29-30 we’ll be at the Armonk Outdoor Art Show in Armonk, N.Y..  Our booth is #10 in the front of the show.  We love it at Armonk.  It truly is an old fashioned art fair where the artists are respected and appreciated.  Last year we had many viewers who said the work at the show is superior to the gallery art in New York City.  Don’t know but suspect it isn’t totally true.  700 volunteers help with the show.  All avenues are covered beautifully.  Only about an hour from the Big Apple.

Oct. 6-7.  Bruce Museum Art Fair at Westport CT.  Jan is on the short wait list.  They only have about 65 exhibitors and are loyal to previous exhibitors.  We respect this and really like the director of the show.  See brucemuseum.org and ask if Jan is going to be there.

Between the shows we are going to Belfast Maine to see our dear friends Misko and John Willis.  They live in a federal house overlooking the bay.  Across the bay is a facility that can keep 30,000 pounds of live lobster.  We call and say,”steam four two pounders”. By the time we get there they are done and we take them home for a wowie dinner.  It makes lobster any other place just common. 

Nov 10 is the opening of a one person show at the Chelsea Gallery on Main St. Chelsea, Michigan.  The opening reception is 6:00 to 9:00 on the 10th. Doris and Gary Galvin, who own the gallery, are great people with integrity and honesty.  We already have six people coming from Cleveland for the opening and lots of others from around here. The Chelsea House is the place to stay.  It’s just a block and a half from the gallery and the same from the many stared Common Grill.  Come join us in this celebration.  We’ll have a little retrospective display with the show and some real old paintings by Jan and a record book of the Ann Arbor show in 1962-63 showing sales and expenses etc.  All of us are excited with Jan’s coming out party in Chelsea.

Excuse me for doing some down thinking.  We do enjoy life and all it offers.  Just heard of a blond young lady at the dotor’s office.  the doctor informed her that she was pregnant.  the blond answered, “is it mine?”  Got some more but sweet Jan will not allow them, I’m sure.

If anyone out there has the ability or knowledge of how we can get in touch with Patricia Louisanna Knop or Zelman King, her husband, we’d love to have you pass on the info.  Pat was an Ann Arbor booth mate of Jan’s in the late 60s or early 70s.  We have one of her first eight sculptures.

Jan has been off painting doing shows.  Today she goes back to it.  I’m amazed at the quality and her new work.  She will be doing some smaller paintings.  She painted many big ones in the spring.  If painting big paintings, well, paint big paintings.  We now need smaller ones.  She enjoys the smaller ones for it is easier on her back and more people can afford them.

Don’t remember if I told you about buying back a painting owned by Harold Erbs, CEO in the 80s of Qwest Corporation.  It is a 43×63 seascape.  Jan didn’t want to paint it but Harold said he only wanted it by her.  Flattery works most of the time.  The building where his office was located in Dallas was sold and we were contacted and bought the painting back.  It’s a marvel how good of an artist Jan was even back in history.

Enough for now.  I do hope you can direct thinking toward caring, compassion, forgiveness, and love for all people and living things.

Love gil with Jan’s approval