Thanks To Google Alerts!

Bless Google Alerts!  Through frequent email notifications, I have learned that "Annette Bush" is a realtor, a graphic designer, a politician, a columnist, a teacher . . . . and that two of my paintings are listed on eBay.

Last month, I had received an email about two of my original paintings which had been acquired by a new owner.  She asked about the value and wanted to know the "story" behind the work -- sounded like someone who loved the work!  When I read the titles, I distinctly remembered the twenty year old paintings, so I replied and gave little thought after that, except to wonder about no "Thanks for the info."

So last week, when the email from Google Alerts mentioned those paintings, I followed the link and discovered that the new owner now has no use for them and wishes to sell them on eBay. She has linked to my website for further information, but says this: 
"Annette Bush is a native of Augusta, Georgia, but has lived and worked all over the Southern United States, as well as Japan and France.  She is primarily known as a watercolorist, but also paints in oils, has illustrated books, and is also an active teacher and a Fine Arts and Crafts Juror at many exhibitions and festivals."
Makes me sound okay, I guess. Just not good enough to meet her reserve price, so the paintings are listed again.  I hope she gets her money, but I wish she had been honest in her inquiry and just said she wanted to sell them.  (And I wish she had taken better photos!)

In theater, delivery of the mail is often portrayed as an exciting event filled with letters and news from far distances.  The Internet has joined the mail delivery in keeping us up to date with news and information, sometimes in unexpected ways -- thanks to Google Alerts!

BushStrokes (c) AAB

Looking Forward to Looking Back

Reunion meetings seem to be the thing that is filling my calendar these days. My high school class is in the midst of plans for its Fiftieth Reunion. My college class is celebrating its 45th this year.

And what about the others!?! The annual barbecue for my high school classes of the 50s. The fun weekend for anyone who went to my junior college (now a university) in the 60s. Even a year long event to celebrate the 225th Birthday of my high school. Why is there such interest?

Perhaps it's a mark of my age. When we planned the 25th reunions, everyone said people were interested because their children were older or out of school or married and there was time to come back. Now they say it's because we're at retirement age and have little else to do! Sure.

Frankly, I think it's the fault of the Internet.

Searching for lost classmates is like solving a mystery -- well, at least as much fun as a crossword or sudoku puzzle. Emailing makes communication with old friends easy and cheap. Blogging with photos keeps everything up-to-date. Building a website spreads the word around the world that "the old school is still alive and kicking, so come on back."

I'll be working hard on building enthusiasm for each of these events. Thanks to the Internet, I'm looking forward to looking back.

@AAB

Porch Sitting

When I was 10, the bookmobile came near my house. I always brought home all the books than I could carry and stacked them on the front porch next to my favorite chair. Even though I knew there would be no more for two weeks, I read them all in just a few days while shifting into the kinds of contortionist positions I can only dream of now. I went to worlds beyond my imagination in those marvelous books. Now I don't have to wait two weeks for the bookmobile, I can make the trip to the main library which is just five blocks away and I still have stacks of books by my chair.

Fifty years later, I discovered another way into imaginary worlds and now I spend way too many hours on my computer soaking up images from museums, having conversations with artists and dreaming of places I'd like to go. And, with a laptop, it can all be done on the front porch.

One of my most used sites is Artcyclopedia.com Its statistics show 8,407 artists listed; 2,278 art sites indexed; and access to about 180,000 works of art. And now, I've discovered that I can have the Art News page connected to my blog subscriptions -- more worlds -- does it get any better? I think I'm a kid again!

Comment: This fast loose sketch (4.5" x 5.5") was done with a simple pen and a waterbrush while I was waiting for friends. I was interested in the reflections in the door, the black-green wicker and the swing chain, so perspective is mostly OFF and the chair just got in the way.