Friday, October 19, 2007

Conversations with Calliope


JOE: Good morning, Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning, Joe. Did you get any writing done yesterday.
JOE: Of course. But I had to do it early. After our conversation, I got down to work and wrote a chapter about my wife in her kayak and thoughts she had about the marriage.
CALLIOPE: And that was all you had time for?
JOE: Not exactly. I took my son to Wyoming, a gaslight village about twenty miles from here. It was an artist colony at one time and is making a minor resurgence in that direction. Anyway, Pete had arranged to deliver some of his prints on consignment to the W.G. Handyside Gallery of Fine Arts.
CALLIOPE: So where did your writing come in?
JOE: While he was negotiating, I looked around the shop and found that she sold books as well, but mostly about art. I asked her whether she sold other books and she was open to the idea. Flash. I just looked outside and found the most beautiful sunrise I can remember seeing. Wow!
CALLIOPE: Glad you enjoyed it. Sunrises are in a different department from mine but I enjoy them too. You were telling me about the gallery.
JOE: Anyway, I got to talking to the owner, Dianne Burnham, about my books and she took several copies of both of them on consignment.
CALLIOPE: Congratulations. Did you talk with her about your art as well?
JOE: Yes, somewhat hesitantly. I am less sure of my painting and drawing than of my writing and have trouble evaluating it.
CALLIOPE: Most artists do.
JOE: I remembered the old sayings, "Chacun a son gue" and "De gustibus non est disputandum" and talked with her about the relativity of impression of art on different people.
CALLIOPE: So are you going to show her some of your work?
JOE: Yes, I am. I might also put together a set of photos similar to the one I am preparing for the Christmas show at the Arts Council.
CALLIOPE: My, you are getting bold. Good luck with it. Well, back to the writing.
JOE: Yes, Ma'am.

(Main Street in winter)

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