Above: In March of 2006, we held a salon in the W. Village in NYC, immediatley after the reception for my exhibition at Synchronicity.  Scott Poole read poetry and Amelia
accompanied music.

That experience led us to open our home to various groups we had met during our involvement in local political campaigns. It was around the holidays and I thought it would be fun to have art on the walls and good food and libation. The party turned out to be the beginning of what we learned later, was a continued family tradition of hosting salons.  These grew and melded in music and the spoken word.

Above: The NYC March 2006 reception was held at Synchronicity Fine Arts Gallery down the street, prior to the salon.  My friend Meera traveled with her mom all the way from Portland, Oregon to attend.

Center:  Scott Poole reading his ironic poetry at a summer salon in Portland.

Right:between texture & light reception and salon, Autzen Gallery, Portland State University, summer '06.

Some of the past salons:

• Literary salon, Portland / for Kurt Andersen, author, and host of public radio's Studio 360 - January 2008
• Art and literary salon, Portland State University, Autzen Gallery / with author Michael Rips, poet Scott Poole - July 2006
• Artists' salon, Portland / in conjunction with Oregon Public Broadcasting's Cornerstone Society, with Linda Tesner, Director of the Hoffman Gallery of Contemporary Art, Lewis & Clark College - June 2006
• Gradisca Vini e Cucina, NYC  / with Poet Scoot Poole, music of Amelia - March 2006
• Various art and literary salons in Portland / with Poet Scott Poole, author and Oregon Book Award winner (2005) Marc Acito, Oregon Book Award winner (2003) Cai Emmons, essayist Stacy Bolt, Gideon Freudmann and his electric cello, the music of the band, Amelia
• High Desert Museum, Bend, Oregon - December 2003
• Artist salon, Borrego Springs, California - November 2003
• Artist salon, Broken Top Club, Bend, Oregon - August 2003
• Artist salon, James Opie Soiree, Portland / with Persian ensemble Damam - December 2001

Over the years the salons were well attended and have run their course.  As I have evolved as an artist, my work deals with more personal themes and the newer techniques I employ are more labor intensive.  I have scaled things back so I have more time to paint.  These days I will host an occaisional literary salon - but the days of the large parties are past.  Dave built a gallery on the property and I hang my completed work there.