Books read in 2015

The Bridge at Chappaquiddick, Jack Olsen  
And Then I Cried: Stories of a Mortuary NCO, Justin Jordan  
Art on the Block, Ann Fensterstock  
The Murder of Marilyn Monroe: Case Closed, Jay Margolis & Richard Buskin  
A Family Business: A Chilling Tale of Greed as One Family Commits Unspeakable Crimes against the Dead, Ken Englade  
Model: The Ugly Business of Beautiful Women, Michael Gross
Curationism: How Curating Took Over the Art World and Everything Else, David Balzer
Dead Center, Shiya Ribowsky
The Monopolists, Mary Pilon
Silent Witnesses: The Often Gruesome but Always Fascinating History of Forensic Science, Nigel McCrery
Lives of the Artists: Portraits of Ten Artists Whose Work and Lifestyles Embody the Future of Contemporary Art, Calvin Tompkins
Sin, Shame & Secrets: A True Story of the Murder of a Nun, the Conviction of a Priest, and the Cover-up in the Catholic Church, David Yonke
Living and Sustaining a Creative Life: Essays by 40 Working Artist, edited by Sharon Louden

Currently Reading: Gracefully Insane: The Rise and Fall of America's Premier Mental Hospital, Alex Beam

Stamps School of Art & Design

I drove up to Ann Arbor last Friday to view Medium Rare exhibition on the campus of the University of Michigan. I viewed works of art by the Stamps School of Art Design graduation Bachelor of Fine Arts students. The exhibition was scattered in three different locations: Slusser Gallery, Works Gallery and Argus II building. I only made it to two locations: Slusser and Works Galleries.

Painting by Marco Lorenzetti

The student work I did view was fantastic! I loved several pieces. My favorite out of both galleries was a giant painting by Marco Lorenzetti. I loved the paint colors and the figures. It was so beautiful in person. 

 Other pieces I loved were by Nancy Huynh. The drawing was about her dog Beau. Such a sad story. The drawing was stunning. The graphic novel about a fairy tale by Lonny Marino was wonderful. The book of film photographs by Katelyn Wollet was stunning. I wanted to buy a book and the large three photos on the wall.

I'm glad I drove to Ann Arbor to view the BFA work. I worked as a photographer for 14 years at a local newspaper and rarely went to a gallery show. Now that I am no longer a professional photographer, I have taken the time to view so many gallery shows this year. Seeing what others have done, makes me want to draw and paint everything.

The Medium Rare exhibition ends May 2.

Glass City Half Marathon

I ran the Glass City Half Marathon Sunday in Toledo, Ohio.

Before starting the race, I met up with Jen and Emily N., who are also Oiselle athletes, and we had a few photos taken.

It was cool, but sunny for the start. The beginning of the race went well. I was hitting the mile markers like I wanted to. After passing the 10K mark, my race started to fall apart.  

It was like I hit a brick wall. All of my energy was gone and my legs got heavy. All I kept thinking was keep going and put one foot in front of the other. Another thought that popped into my head was that the reason all of my energy was gone and my legs were heavy, is because I am carrying some extra weight.

When I ran my half marathon PR in 2011 (1:55:18), I weighed a little less then now. My next half marathon is at the end of May. I don't want to have the same feeling today then. Also, that half marathon has more hills. Those hills take work to get up.

Running towards mile 13, Jen, who finished the half marathon in fifth place, was standing on the side cheering for me. It was easy to spot her in her bright yellow Oiselle sweatshirt. I ran into the Glass Bowl on the University of Toledo campus and finished the half in 2:09:34. Definitely not my best half marathon. Once I stopped running, my left foot hurt. As I'm typing this now, the pain has gone away. But I didn't notice it while running.

I met Jen, Emily N. and Emily B. at the post race party. It was nice to see them and congratulate them on their races.

I'll keep running everyday, but I need to eat better as well. If I can do them both, I'm sure my times will drop again.

Birthday

Happy birthday to my wonderful husband Mike!

Books read in 2015

The Bridge at Chappaquiddick, Jack Olsen  
And Then I Cried: Stories of a Mortuary NCO, Justin Jordan  
Art on the Block, Ann Fensterstock  
The Murder of Marilyn Monroe: Case Closed, Jay Margolis & Richard Buskin  
A Family Business: A Chilling Tale of Greed as One Family Commits Unspeakable Crimes against the Dead, Ken Englade Model: The Ugly Business of Beautiful Women, Michael Gross Curationism: How Curating Took Over the Art World and Everything Else, David Balzer
Dead Center, Shiya Ribowsky
The Monopolists, Mary Pilon
Silent Witnesses: The Often Gruesome but Always Fascinating History of Forensic Science, Nigel McCrery
Lives of the Artists: Portraits of Ten Artists Whose Work and Lifestyles Embody the Future of Contemporary Art, Calvin Tompkins
Sin, Shame & Secrets: A True Story of the Murder of a Nun, the Conviction of a Priest, and the Cover-up in the Catholic Church, David Yonke

Currently Reading: Living and Sustaining a Creative Life: Essays by 40 Working Artist, edited by Sharon Louden

Medium Rare

Until May 2, University of Michigan's 85 graduating Bachelor of Fine Arts students culminating projects are on display in Ann Arbor.

The exhibition, Medium Rare, is displayed in three galleries: UM's Slusser and Work galleries and the Argus II Building in downtown Ann Arbor.

Locations and addresses of galleries:

Slusser Gallery
Art & Architecture Building, U-M North Campus
2000 Bonisteel Boulevard, Ann Arbor
Gallery hours: Monday - Friday 9 am - 5 pm & Saturday 12-5 pm

Work Gallery
306 South State Street, Ann Arbor
Gallery hours: Tuesday - Saturday 12-7 pm

Argus II Building
400 4th Street, Ann Arbor
Gallery hours: Tuesday - Saturday 12-7 pm

Track and Field World Championships

Zach Ancell Photography

Eugene, Oregon, which is known as Tracktown, USA and home of the University of Oregon, was awarded the 2021 World Track and Field Championships last Thursday. Eugene was given the championships without a bidding process. 

The governing body of track, the IAAF, said the decision was the "desire to break into the key American market. We have to give it to Eugene, to a city where athletics (track) is like a religion," said IAAF president Lamine Diack.

The 2021 World Championships will be hosted at University of Oregon's Hayward Field. The stadium with be rebuilt to accommodate 32,000 spectators.

Hayward Field will host the Nike Prefontaine Classic, NCAA DI Outdoor Track and Field Championships and USAT
F Championships this year.

Signal-Return

While visiting Detroit over two weeks ago, my husband and I stopped at a local letterpress shop called Signal-Return.

Signal-Return's mission according to their website, "is to teach, advance, and preserve the tradition, craft and art of letterpress printing and, as it name suggests, serves as a beacon for the community who respond to and inform what we do".

I loved the store and the items that they had for sale. They do have prints and cards for sale on their website. While I was there, I did buy a print. It is a Robin and Apple Blossom, which is Michigan's state bird and state flower.

I hope to visit the letterpress shop again when I visit Detroit.

Books read in 2015

The Bridge at Chappaquiddick, Jack Olsen  
And Then I Cried: Stories of a Mortuary NCO, Justin Jordan  
Art on the Block, Ann Fensterstock  
The Murder of Marilyn Monroe: Case Closed, Jay Margolis & Richard Buskin  
A Family Business: A Chilling Tale of Greed as One Family Commits Unspeakable Crimes against the Dead, Ken Englade Model: The Ugly Business of Beautiful Women, Michael Gross Curationism: How Curating Took Over the Art World and Everything Else, David Balzer
Dead Center, Shiya Ribowsky
The Monopolists, Mary Pilon
Silent Witnesses: The Often Gruesome but Always Fascinating History of Forensic Science, Nigel McCrery
Lives of the Artists: Portraits of Ten Artists Whose Work and Lifestyles Embody the Future of Contemporary Art, Calvin Tompkins

Currently Reading: Sin, Shame & Secrets: A True Story of the Murder of a Nun, the Conviction of a Priest, and the Cover-up in the Catholic Church, David Yonke

Glass, Cinders & Thorns III

I visited Inner State Gallery in Detroit over the weekend. The exhibition currently is Glass, Cinder & Thorns III.  I thought the show was beautiful. So many different interpretations of fairy-tales. 

I did have a few favorites in the show: I Met Lucy by Cyclus II; The Rose Elf by Kelsey Beckett; Snow White In The Black Forest by Mab Graves; Venenosa by Tatiana Suarez; Taro The Dragon Boy by Yumiko Kayukawa and two pieces by Sheri DeBow - Little Fox Sister and Jaquelin Jackelope, Bride of the Forest.

Glass, Cinder & Thorns III will be displayed until April 25 at the Inner State Gallery, 1410 Gratiot Avenue, Detroit. If you can't make it to Detroit, all the the works are available to view at 1xrun.com. The works are also available to purchase online at 1xrun.com.

ITU Gold Coast

ITU Media/Delly Carr

The ITU World Triathlon Series stopped in the Gold Coast, Australia Saturday for another race. And, some history was made.

Gwen Jorgensen, USA, won her eight consecutive WTS race. That is the longest-running streak for the elite women since the start of the series. Joining Jorgensen on the podium were fellow Americans Sara True and Katie Zaferes. True claimed silver and Zaferes won bronze.

ITU Media

Jorgensen came out with the leaders after the swim and stayed in the lead pack on the bike. On the run is where she put distance between her and second place. In transition two, Jorgensen's bike fell over, so she had to serve a 15-second penalty during the run. The penalty didn't hurt her at all.

Jorgensen crossed the finish line in 1:57:00. A minute and 18 seconds behind Jorgensen was True for silver (1:58:18)  and then Zaferes following in 1:58:36.

ITU Media

The next ITU series race will take place in Cape Town, South Africa on April 25.