September 2010

Come on Baby Light My Fire

I love The Doors.  When I was in high school we listened to their Greatest Hits CD's over and over with the insistence that no one ever "skip a song" or they would have to face the consequences.  When I went to visit my best friend Erika in Paris while she was doing a semester in France, we visited the sacred and much-visited grave of the legendary Jim Morrison.  A few days later, when Erika and I took a jaunt to Amsterdam for several days, we visited a coffee shop and then had a moment of clarity when we realized that Jim Morrison was the reincarnated spirit of artist Vincent Van Gogh.  That circumstance deserves a lot more detail but I'll just save those for my memoirs.  I do believe that Jim Morrison, like Van Gogh, was a visionary.  He left this earth at too young of an age but still with an amazing legacy of talent, free spirit and revolutionary music.  Jim Morrison said, "A friend is someone that gives you total freedom to be yourself." In many ways, if you look at the life, career and art movement of Escapism by artist John Ross Palmer, the same message comes through.  He desperately wants artists to be Free.  Successful.  Stand on Their Own Two Feet.  Not be Crippled and Tied Down into the Gallery System.  Wise.  Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that I love Jim Morrison and The Doors.  And, I love John Ross Palmer.

                                             
                                                                      Jim Morrison

Revisiting Yesterday

Ok, I've just completed my normal morning routine of checking how many unique visitors came to our website yesterday.  Well, before I announce the number, let me give you the figures for the previous days of this week.  Saturday, 8/28: 209.  Sunday, 8/29: 226.  Monday, 8/30: 213.  Tuesday, 8/31: 213. Wednesday, 9/1: 193 (Gross...it pains me when it's below 200...).  And then yesterday, Thursday, 9/2: 449.  Are you guys also really huge Beverly Hills 90210 fans like me?  First off, thank you to all "regular" John Palmer Art Blog devotees for your continued support of our site and following along with the whirlwind life of artist John Ross Palmer.  I just need to learn from this data.  I think that it's important for a Blogger not only to regularly talk about the main focus of their Blog (the life and career of artist John Ross Palmer) but also to throw in humor, current events and not just the highs of John and his art--but also the lows, struggles and challenges plus how he overcomes them.  It just never ceases to amaze me which days and topics generate the most visitors.  I swear, I could blog about John Palmer winning one of the Kennedy Center Honors and receive several hundred visitors, but then, the next day talk about how he likes to read the newspaper in the bathtub only to reflect and see on that day we got thousands of visitors from all over the world.  The lesson I take from this is that it's important to do both.  Combine the news of his visionary career and promote his title of "The Hardest Working Man in the Art Business" but at the same time let the world know that his a mortal, with flaws and complications and that he is only getting by day-by-day through hard work, business ingenuity and the love and support of friends, family, cherished collectors and me.  I love all of you.  Thank you so much for following along and please enjoy a fabulous, fun and safe Labor Day Weekend!

                                                
                                                                                    Numbers

90210

Ok, I was a huge fan.  I loved all of the characters.  Well, David Silver was kind of annoying.  I even loved Donna.  I think she starred in some of the most classic moments in the history of the show.  Like, when she got busted for being drunk at the prom, was threatened by the administration that she couldn't get her diploma and then the whole student body threw a massive rally on her behalf chanting "Donna Martin Graduates!!" Or, what about that time Donna made that speech during the controversial condoms-in-school-themed episode, in direct contradiction to her overbearing mother's opinion, by stating (to the best of my recollection...) "If you have a pool in your back yard, you can put up signs, you can put up a fence...but, don't you think you should at least teach your kids how to swim?" And, the episode where she finally lost her V-Card after all those years of anticipation was basically a small-screen, iconic American moment in time!  My friend Suzanne Nebesky and I have always been big proponents of the idea that all of life's problems can be solved by reflecting back to an episode of Beverly Hills 90210.  Got a cocaine addiction?  See how Kelly kicked hers in Episode No. 321.  When you find out that your best "friend" has been hooking up with your boyfriend while you've been studying in France, see how Brenda reacted in Episode No. 222 (then probably consider doing the exact opposite).  Got a new roommate in your household?  Well, you should be prepared to learn that she's not as innocent as she seems and that odor coming from inside her room isn't just a "regular" cigarette. (Valerie Malone a.k.a. Tiffany-Amber Thiessen in Episode No. 294).  Well, what does all of this have to do with the life and career of artist John Ross Palmer?  Actually, not much.  If I had to choose a character that was most-like J.P., I would have to go with Brandon Walsh.  He had a strong-desire to overachieve, a powerful connection with his family and let's face it--drop dead American boy-next-door good looks.  I don't know if I'll ever again have such a strong connection to a television show.  It just lasted for so many years...and the ages and issues faced by the characters were very much in-line with my generation.  Happy 9/02/10 everybody!  I just wish that I could go for a burger at the Peach Pit.

                                   
                                                                       Beverly Hills 90210

Wrapping It Up

You know it's a busy day around the gallery when it is the first day of the month and there is such a late (in my opinion) posting on the John Palmer Art Blog.  If you follow the John Palmer Art Blog regularly, of course you know that on the first calendar day of each month, all of the prior month's entries cycle over into the Blog Archives.  So, I always have it as a goal to not only have a timely John Palmer Art Blog entry posted on the first day of the month but also to write a post that is full of excitement and interesting details so that readers will be hungry for more on each of the remaining days of the month.  Well, so far on September 1, 2010, I'm failing miserably on both accounts.  As many of you know, yesterday was the sign-up Deadline for the Jane & Co. Pet Portrait and Book Project.  While John and I traveled to pick up his art pieces at the Nave Museum in Victoria, Texas, Amanda had to field a slew of phone calls and e-mails from those folks interested in coming on board at just the last minute.  Hearing from her via text messaging--John and I had a fabulous ride down 59 South that was infused with excitement from each new text message sent from Amanda at the gallery.  We posted this message on Facebook earlier this morning, but we are extremely proud to re-announce that we've had 32 separate participants (this includes individuals and couples...a couple counting as "one" participant).  In looking at the number of animals coming on board with the lovely Lady Jane Palmer, we have 47 total.  In my wildest imagination, I never thought we would achieve so many.  "The Hardest Working Man in the Art Business" is now really going to have to hunker down in his art studio and devote these next several months to making each pet portrait a masterpiece.  Oh believe me, he'll be in Hog Heaven.  Meanwhile, I'm getting geared up for the Jane & Co. Book Project.  I have an outline organized by various chapters, some creative ideas about the book's introduction, a smart way to highlight the slew of charities that John Palmer Art has supported through the Jane & Co. Project as well as a great number of professionally photographed paintings that were taken care of through the prior three quarters of 2010.  There are so many individuals to thank for this project's ultimate success, but, there are just a couple that I would like to single out in today's John Palmer Art Blog.  You know, when a massive project is announced, you need folks to sign-up, come on board and give the endeavor real momentum.  John and I would like to specifically thank Mr. and Mrs. Michael Martin of Houston, Texas as well as Ms. Kelly Ross of Miami, Florida for being two of the first sign-ups to really get Jane & Co. off the ground and moving in the right direction.  Because of your very-early enthusiasm and support, John and I were given the confidence we needed to venture ahead with this massive commission project, the largest by far in the history of John Ross Palmer's lengthy career.  And so, to those folks as well as all of the amazing, pet-loving and wise Jane & Co. participants, John and I most graciously dedicate this September 1, 2010 John Palmer Art Blog to you!

                                             
                                 Not Quite as Many as on Noah's Ark, but hey, We did Pretty Darn Good!!

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