the first meeting

wow.

i had no idea this was going to be so great. i left the gallery last night with the feeling that something huge just happened and i was a spectator witnessing it all. the fusion of passion, learning spirits, stories, ideas, feelings, history, innovation, and the age spectrum made last night’s “art hangout” meeting a really fantastic start to something that is far beyond one person or even a small group. this is huge. call it a movement!

we couldn’t even get through the introductions in one fell swoop around the circle. it took us about 3 hours to introduce ourselves. now, that’s what i’m talking about. everyone carried an inquisitive spirit as we listened to each artist share their story and answer questions that provoked conversation for hours. there was no agenda. getting to know each other turned out to be the agenda. we defied facebook and defined what real relationship means. even though valerie will attest to facebook as being the greatest invention of our time. i personally believe there is a fine line between the pros and cons of online social media.

in attendance was everyone expected except the artists in PÄS’s next show “Second Chance Art” Jose and Nacho with their friend Anais. they were the “kids” of the group and man, am i glad they were there. them being there added to the diverse engagement of stories and questions all leading to individual passion. so, jon st. amant was there, john sollom, rene, ricardo, charlie, valerie, myself, jose, nacho, and anais. we all sat around a table and ate cookies, pretzels, and mini chocolates while washing it down with brew and water, all while conversing as a group and sometimes in pairs. it was almost like an a.a. meeting, even though i’ve never been to one, it felt very therapeutic, like a counseling session for the repressed artist. we were free. the kind of freedom you have when you’re engaged in your art, but this was in a group.

but not all artists are the same. that’s one thing i learned last night. most think of artists as introverted, reserved, and mainly in their own head. which seems to ring true most of the time… until i met the extroverted, exhibitionist, passionate rene. holie shit he inspires me. his child-like excitement of just being around like-minded people engaging in art conversation made him glow. then to hear the histories that ricardo and his journey as an activist/artist in the san diego area. i can consider him the godfather of the group. not only because he is the oldest, but certainly the wisest, with a calming aura about him. as we sit and listen to valerie, jon and john talk about what it means to paint and ask questions and critique critiquing. while charlie and i are in the corner admiring these painters passion as they explain the need to paint, the rush, addiction of throwing paint onto a canvas, or wall, whatever it may be. charlie and i are more mechanical/computer driven artists and we both agree that we need to draw more. jose and nacho explained that their rush from hitting the streets is instilled with fear of the cops and the toker town gang. two forces against their love of art. nacho straight up said that he didn’t want to be sitting here in a meeting and he just wanted to paint! i love that. however, he seemed to be the most inquisitive and responded to the passions of the more seasoned artists.

if you were to ask me what art is, i would say this is it. ask me who an artist is and i’ll tell you everyone is an artist. but this meeting right here brought the Artist out. these are artists. true to the bone artists. i really wish i would of had a video camera filming the energy last night. but i know this will not be the last meeting. everyone was grateful to be there. everyone wanted to know when the next meeting was. i think everyone felt as i did.

high. and looking to go higher…