GJ Willis' Art Notes

You only see what your eyes want to see
How can life be what you want it to be
You’re frozen
When your heart’s not open
Mmm if I could melt your heart
Mmm we’d never be apart
Mmm give yourself to me
Mmm you hold the key

Frozen, Words and Music by Madonna and Patrick Leonard, @1998 WB Music Corp./Webo Girl Publishing Inc.

Today, I should have just took a day off from work. I got home late from last night’s gallery show. As a result of this I went to bed late, I woke up late. Ironically, enough I got to work on time, yet exhausted and discombobulated. I spent my entire work day feeling confused and sleepy. I was also irked that my stamper would not work properly. It was working just fine and dandy yesterday. Then it purposely chose a day when it’s owner was weary to start acting up. Hey, before anyone calls the sanity police I know that inanimate objects are not plotting against me it just feels that way....You just can’t trust those stampers or computers.

When I was heading home on the light rail I was happy to see that the giant Mary Sue Easter Egg pink balloon Bunny was up again. Seeing that bunny really cheered me up. He’s up, every year just around Easter time. He’s been down since Monday. I think maybe it has something to do with the snow or maybe some kids busted a hole in him and he had to be repaired. Anyway, the bunny is up and smiling again and so am I. I hope no one busts another cap in him.

On the art front I’m beginning work on the poster that I will contribute to the annual Sowebo festival. I’m going to attempt to recreate one of my favorite paintings that I no longer own. The painting was never sold it just became lost due to a series of unusual circumstances. Luckily, I made slides of it years ago.

I hope that I will be able to complete it by the 20th of April. If I complete it by then it will be on the Sowebo web site as well as exhibited at some gallery in Federal Hill or at the Charles Theater.

I’m not going to lie I would be really psyched if it were exhibited at the Charles because I like to go there as well as a number of my friends and associates. I think I had an art class with one of the girls I’ve seen working there as well. My ultimate goal would be to have it exhibited at the Charles.

Not to slag the gallery in Federal Hill. It would also be neat to have my work shown there as well. If my work was exhibited at the gallery then that would mean my work was shown simultaneously at two separate real art galleries in one month!!

I just got back from looking at my artwork in an actual art gallery. I can't believe it!!! My work is actually up on the wall of an art gallery. This makes the 2nd time I've had a gallery show. Mind you this is'nt a solo show but a group show. My first group show was at the now defunct Gallery M during the 90's.

My work is currently up at

Ahi Gallery at 1442 E. Baltimore Street in the heart of downtown Baltimore. They can be reached at 410-533-3350. They are open Friday through Sunday Noon to 5pm. I believe I've given enough info so that hopefully someone other than me goes out and sees it and hopefully gives it a home.

It's the picture I did as part of a group show with the Creative Alliance. When I made it to the gallery I tried not to look at it too hard. Remember, this was the one I wanted to make changes too. As I glanced at it it looked pretty acceptabe as legitimate art.

I hope some one buys it and gives it a home. I priced it at $60. In comparison to the other work up there I think I may have priced it too low.

Right now as I type this I feel so psyched! Right now I realize that I am a real live artist! With work hanging up in an actual gallery!

I’ll Get By (As Long As I Have You), Words by Roy Turk, Music by Fred E. Ahlert, @1928 (Renewed 1956) Fred Ahlert Music Corp., Tro-Cromwell Music, Inc., and Pencil Mark Music

I was shocked to learn over the weekend that my youngest niece, Alexis who just turned 21 had major surgery done and didn't bother to tell anyone. From what I learned from my father, she has breast cancer. In a sense I can understand why she didn't tell anyone until she came home from the hospital. The reason is our family is like a cancer lightening rod. She just didn't want us all to worry about her.

Both sets of my grandmothers died from cancer as did all my aunts on my father’s side of the family. It looked like my sister was about to be diagnosed with it last year but she chickened out and decided not to go back to get a definitive answer. I hate her for doing that! She could be slowly dying right now in front of us for something that can be treated. It’s like she’s committing a slow self suicide. I still can’t believe it. My niece had/has cancer and her mother is afraid to get a definitive answer about her own cancer. Life is bizarre and unfair.

Can You Read My Mind? (Love Theme from “Superman” a Warner Bros. film, Words by Leslie Bricusse, Music by John Williams, @1978 Warner Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

Tonight is the most anticipated night in my apartment, it’s Academy Award Night! David and I will be doing are annual Award show viewing. I’m not sure if I did this previously but the celebrity David most resembles is Issaac the bartender from the Love Boat.

As far as the awards go I’m rooting for my favorite eccentric actor, Daniel Day Lewis to win. I never saw Gangs of New York . David saw it and he said it was good, then again he raves positive about anything Martin Scorces directs. Martin Scorces in David’s book is a genius. All this week at work on my desk I had my miniature Oscar for Best Actress. One day I’d like to win a real Oscar for anything, it does’nt have to be for Best Actress it could be for best finger pointer, I don’t care. I want one, dammitt!!

Today, I got up earlier than usual and uploaded my blogs. The truth of the matter is that I have been lax in uploading them. The reason I started it up again is that I have been reading the Stephen King book, On Writing. I picked up this book because I am a fan of Mr. King’s writing and I wanted to know what he said about the topic of writing. I find the book to be very inspiring and no nonsense. After reading his book I decided to work on my writing a little more.

Basically, my blog entries are all transcribed from a notebook that I carry around with me. That’s right there’s a notebook and a sketch book always on my person. I think I picked up this habit from my mother. She used to have this composition notebook that she kept. Into her notebook she would put poems, drawings, and mathematical computations. She filled several notebooks over the years with her work. Why she did it I never asked.