When I woke up, I checked the weather and noticed that predictions were for 25 mph winds with over 40 mph gusts. I immediately became concerned about the safety of my outside temporary studio. I searched the web for comments about tents like mine surviving these kind of conditions. Most comments were negative about operating in these conditions. I found a help phone number for the Carousel Canopy company who made my tent and talked to a representative who told my to take it down because it would probably not survive.
When I arrived at the venue, I told my Griffins contact, Marissa about my concerns and that I had made a decision to take my tent studio down. She agreed that it was a good idea. I had an appointment to do oil paintings in the afternoon and evening of two subjects so she gave me access to a small dressing room in the arena area to use for a studio for my portrait sittings.
I started tearing down the tent and was 75% finished when a gust of wind from the south came swirling around the arena and pushed the tend down, breaking four cross brace members in the ceiling. I salvaged the pieces and packed it all up and put it in my van.
My friend Mark, from St. Joseph, had called me and was planning to meet me around noon. When he arrived, I met him and explained what had happened during the morning. We went to the BOB for lunch and planned the activities for the rest of the day.
I met Emily, a friend, ex student and model, for her portrait sitting at 2:30 PM in the arena studio. She sat for a couple of hours as we discussed resent activities since we last saw each other. Emily had attended the Chicago Art Institute School, then transferred to Kendle College where she got her degree. She recently married and is managing a wedding dress store.
After Emily left, Mark returned from some ArtPrize venue visits including the Gerald R. Ford Museum, where he met Leslie Adams and her friend Laura, both ArtPrize artists. Mark told me that both Leslie and Laura would be coming to my studio later for Leslie's portrait sitting. Mark and I went for dinner at the pizza place around the corner and he left for home shortly after that.
I met Leslie and Laura at the arena at 9:30 PM and took them to the temporary studio inside. I began the portrait and soon Laura left to drive back to her home in SE Michigan. After an hour Leslie and I both were too tired to continue the sitting so I photographed her, cleaned up, and
dropped her off at her hotel on my way to my place.
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