Margaret and the farm

 Margaret is beginning to figure out how what farm ownership will look like.

Exhibition poster

The poster for my exhibition of paintings at Last Mountain Lake Cultural Centre. 
 

Ready to hang

 I finished gluing all the hooks onto all the paintings. Didn't count them. There are a at least a couple dozen hooks remaining. 

William still working after disappointment

Weather finally getting nice enough that we sit outside. William did some drawing. Still hitting deadlines, but since my department declined to support his film this week, he will not be able to even submit, so that deadline can be ignored. His big film is now, at best, two years out from shooting. 

 

Fourth year films

 Went out to valley to see Crocuses today. This evening went to fourth year films. William got some advice from Joanne on his project. Margaret talked to the university president, primarily about William. We have become "William's Parents" in his eyes. 

Picture hangers

Bought a jigsaw and some long 1x1 pieces of wood. Cut wood into 1.5 inch lengths. Hammered 500 picture hanging hooks into 500 bits of wood. 
 

Third year film students

Screening of third year film student work this evening. Was good. Some was excellent. I was surprised that not all the students had work showing, and some had two pieces. I had expected to see everyone. Those without films, didn't all come to the screening at all. These will be my students in the fall and they are a really strong group.
 

Painting class

 Another camera. Getting people interested int coming to see my show, but also determined that glue gun will not be strong enough for the hooks. Going to wood glue with the concern that they might not come apart again. 

Snow again? Really?

I really want to start getting creative and getting last work done for my exhibition, but working out in the garage is so depressing when snow returns this late in April. 
 

Painting wall mount plan

 Devised this system. Have tried gluing these on with glue gun, but worried they'll come off too easily. Bought 500 metal hooks on Amazon. 

Easter visit

 Margaret's nose is running all day. Not sure if it is a cold or spring allergies, but wearing a mask just in case as she visits her dad on Easter. 

Easter eggs

 I didn't help with these, but William pried himself away from the Telefilm project for a while and worked with Margaret on some egg colouring. 

Telefilm deadline

 The Telefilm Talent to Watch program deadline is the end of the month, but William needs a letter of support from one of the four Saskatchewan designated organizations. One is Paved, whom we've contacted. They haven't looked at them this year, but it is a stretch because William has never joined and has no history with them. It does occur to me that William really should join Paved as it is a multi-disciplinary group and a good fit for him. The second is the Filmpool. I thought they would be into it because there was excitement about supporting the program at the meeting at the end of March, but apparently by mid-April that tone had changed. The third is SMPIA, which is now called Sask Screens or something and they had a deadline two weeks ago under their brand new banner that was completely outside our radar. The fourth is my own department, and Mike Rollo has given William today as a deadline to submit for "our" approval. 

Support video shoot

 William and Geremy shot the support video for the application to Telefilm today. It looks fun and weird and cool. If nothing else, it will create conversation and as we know, all attention is good attention. I personally never want to fund the boring stuff, regardless of how capable it might be. 

Painting time

 Back to class and still in prep for my exhibition. This is a charming, albeit chinchy camera with a "Time Magazine" log on it. Undoubtedly a free gift with a subscription. 

William drawing

 William has multiple big deadlines this month, but also has daily commitments like his comic. It's not all fun and games being an artist. 

Classes are over

While far from being able to relax. with classes over, I did spend some time on the couch today... but not alone!
 

Margaret's photography

Margaret took some amazing photos today. 
 

AGR member's show

Member's Show at the Art Gallery of  Regina reception today. William has a portrait of the king in a gold frame on display. I purchased a small Evelyn Lambart and a glass banana by Sandee Moore. 
 

Classes end, art gallery events

Last day of classes today. Next week will be busy still, but then the term winds down quickly. After class there was the BFA exhibition. about 80 people there for the talks - 7 students showing. Afterwards we headed to Moose Jaw and saw Gabriela Garcia-Lopez exhibition. Good crowd there, although we arrived pretty late. 

 

Thirsty cat

Our cat Sylvie is looking older this year. She's also perpetually thirsty and wants to be lifted up onto the sink to drink. 
 

Painting class re-starts

 

Huge hole in sidewalk

 This was dug back in November but was quickly filled with snow and ice and one could walk on it easily. Since melting, it is a significant hazard. Waiting for the city to fill it. When is the weather good enough? Margaret put up barriers to stop people and cars from going into it. 

Birthday

Got a nice ice cream today as William and I headed to the theatre after supper and saw "Mickey 17" in an almost empty theatre. Movie was really great. 

Early birthday lunch

 Lori made me a cheesecake and we all converged on mom's this morning for a short lunch and snacks. This afternoon we went to The Day The Earth Exploded, which was good fun. 

AGR member's show

 A couple of days ago, William finished then hung this coloured ink drawing at the Art Gallery of Regina's member show and sale. It is his first time doing this at the AGR. 

Elaine Pain

Elaine Pain with Margaret Bessai in 2009

Elaine Pain passed away this afternoon. I first met her when I took an animation course around 1983 or 1984. I continued working along side her throughout the 80s and early 90s on the Board at the Filmpool. She was president of the Filmpool during the ill fated Brenda Owens period when the Board needed to do all the work of the organization for a year to keep it afloat. In 1999 when I was hired on at the university full time, we were colleagues and taught together until she retired in 2010. During her years of teaching, students could always find her at the loading bay having a smoke. Those years caught up to her with a vengeance as she was diagnosed a few weeks ago with stage 4 cancer. 

Elaine Pain in palliative care

I visited Elaine Pain this morning. Sandra had just arrived. Elaine was sleeping and apparently  had been medicated due to having a very bad night. I held her hand, spoke loudly, gave her an occasional shake of the arm, but she didn't wake up enough to talk, so I eventually went to work. Margaret had visited yesterday and had ordered flowers which arrived this morning. 

In class film 2

Other class shot their 3 pigs story today. Bigger class so I also had a sub group do a behind scenes mockumentary. Very different tone. They took much longer to get momentum, but they really got into the spirit of it. 
 

painted without auxiliary flash

Painted this one wrong. Had other things to do so I didn't really put the polish on it that I would/should have. 

 

In class film 1

 I cobbled together a line from each of the students' midterms (a 3 pigs story) into a surreal little skit and they shot it in class today. I went home and edited it afterwards.