Travels, Continued.

Well readers, the small but adorable (and bare) Brooklyn apartment I'm sitting in has two noises - MacBook keys and a quiet fan.  Every once in a while there is a deep sigh or a moment of introspection but for the most part, it's an enjoyable early afternoon in with overcast skies and a coffee at my side.  Let me explain.

I arrived last night and as I neglected to explain in my 2 am post - am currently crashing in the apartment of two of our artists - Oriano Galloni and Stephen Shaheen.  They are two of the most gracious people I've ever met and such a pleasant evening all around.  After driving for such a long time it was a relief to see such happy faces.  For those of you who don't know, Oriano is Italian and while his English is ten million times the better than my Italian - there is still a bit of a language barrier left - a barrier you don't even realize exists because there is a general sense of jovial good charm that fills the void. (Also Stephen is fluent in Italian and does help translate) The two of these men together are a pair that play off each other not only in skill with marble but also in general nature.  I would be remiss if I didn't mention that in addition to being extremely talented, these two men are also extremely good looking and charming.  Add in Oriano's accent and Stephen's wit and you're pretty much feeling 100% at home before you even say hello. Within 5 minutes of my arrival they already have me laughing as they talk about women - those Italian men sure do know how to talk about women - take note American men... with sincerity flattery can still make the toughest woman in the room blush.

Currently it is 11:30 am and Steve has since left for school where he teaches.  Oriano, being such a gracious host, found me a wonderful cup of coffee from a local coffee shop and a chocolate croissant.  Needless to say - amazing breakfast.  Now there is just this lovely quiet kept in time by the pace of our typing and the hum of the ceiling fan.  Spaced about 10 feet apart, he sits on the floor answering his emails and I am perched on one of two stools the men have in the gallery, typing my blog.  I know that I need to call the car service and get my day going - but leaving this is a hard task.  But, leaving is a must - Oriano has a full day of work ahead of him and I need to get out to see Peter Drake and return a few paintings to him as well.  Also, I look forward to seeing the School where he is Dean - a very important position for a very talented man.  I only hope they aren't monopolizing all his time keeping him from the creative.  Peter's work, if you have not seen it yet in our gallery, is stunning.  The latest collection, that of over-sized lead soldiers is rich, full of character and a step backwards to your childhood.

Well, it's time.  I will continue to blog the events of the day and yes, I will take photos.  What's a story without illustration?  Well, it's not a story about artists.

Katherine