I started working for the Keokuk Art Center last June. It’s been an interesting challenge. I think I would enjoy this job more if I were an artist so I could teach a class, etc. I’ve been putting in more hours than I thought I ever would, but since I can’t divorce my “do a good job” gene, I’m putting in tons of hours trying to think of ways to create events that will celebrate the arts.

I was speaking with Roxanne Puga, an artist from Ft. Madison and someone I just met yesterday for the first time. Roxanne wanted to show a few of her pieces. Not all artists have enough work for a full-blown exhibit. I had been wanting to do something special for women during March since it’s Women’s History Month. Consequently, I decided to invite women from the Tri-State area to showcase their work limiting them to 2 to 3 pieces.

Yesterday, I set up the exhibit. My husband helped, and I asked the previous director who had the position for 46 years to come and help lend his visual advice. Arranging an exhibit is physical and takes time to make it look appealing especially when you have a variety of styles. Plus, I had twelve different bios to look visually appealing as well. This morning, when I arrived to work and was going to do some updates with some of the artists’ labels, I discovered one artist’s work had fallen and was damaged. Unfortunately, the wire hanger the artist used was not secured well. Anyway, dealing with the trauma of that situation was not fun.

Tonight, we had the best reception ever although the last two were also outstanding. Everyone said what a great exhibit it was, but at the end of the evening, the same artist’s work fell again damaging a corner of her piece. Another contributing artist who was standing there said, “It’s not your fault.” However, I still feel horrible. The artist didn’t even come to the reception which made me really sad, because she never even got to see her display, and after that second fall, I took her work down. I’m not sure what I’m going to do, but she’s down to one undamaged piece.

The reception begins. Not shown in this photograph is the other three walls of artwork and the food table, the wine table, or the cart with coffee.

At the end of the day, I’m exhausted. My back aches. I’m not looking forward to the bad news I have to share. I’m also in the middle of creating an “Art in the Park” event slated for the end of June. Nuts.