The Other Art Show

In my last post, I shared the art we enjoyed at The Spot, where Greg's work is being shown during ArtPrize, a huge Grand Rapids art event.

ArtPrize is a fascinating show, because anyone can get in it. It costs $50 and the only requirement in terms of the art is that the artist must find a venue that will display it. This is easier said than done. Not so hard if you know the Grand Rapids folk; much harder for some who must submit portfolios of their work.

The art at the gallery exhibiting Greg's work is terrific, and you saw in the other post that we really enjoyed ourselves at the reception where Greg told Rick to wear and suit and me to wear a dress. (That, too, is easier said than done!)

As you know, the art was beautiful, interesting, intriguing and certainly well done.

Let me also say it couldn't hold a candle to the ensembles worn by various guests. This is the gallery owner. I thought he did a fine job of elegant tuxedo with arty tie (it had colorful little spikes coming out of it.) This fellow -- Kevin -- knew how to combine formal with flair. But check out the guy in the background. We'll see him again later!

I rather liked these pants. I wouldn't have had the nerve to wear them to an occasion to which the kid told me to wear a dress, but I'd love to wear them when chilling out in front of "Masterpiece Mystery!" on a Sunday night. (Or for that matter, Sunday morning breakfast.) The shirt tail hanging below the wrinkled jacket was an arty touch. In fact, I'd define the outfit as "faux arty."

Here's a better view, with the wrinkled black jacket.

Some came dressed to the nines. I called this one Miss Bridal, Sans Veil. (Like the black jacket and purse?) And what was her friend thinking? You don't wear this dress unless you have zero boobs or hips. It's one of those things that looks great on the dummy at the store and you think "That would be perfect for me." Think again.

(NOTE: Mae sent an email with an thoughtful comment that perhaps I should have been more generous to Ms. Flower Print, saying she reads blogs about overweight women who don't want to be limited in what they can wear. I know what she means, because I'm one of them. And I agree that freeing oneself from preconceived notions about what they should wear is a good thing and worthy of respect. SO, I'll just add that in public I would have steered clear of this dress -- which would look a lot worse on me than her -- but she is fully free to wear what she pleases and not worry about what I think! And, if I had the confidence not to care, I'd probably wear it too. I think the last paragraph of this post sums it up pretty well!)

This one was pretty elegant. A slight train, an odd but interesting top hat fascinator. I'm very fond of fascinators and now I'm wishing I'd had time to whip one up before we went.

I really did like her hat. Very cute with the little flippy things coming out of it. She had some flair.

Same dress, different view. The black single-shoulder on the right was quite sophisticated and classic.

Here's our flower dress girl -- looks better from the back. But the fellow on her right -- they shouldn't have let him out of the house. And why he was wearing shorts on a pretty brisk night is beyond my comprehension. (He did have a cool hat. Inappropriate, though perhaps not -- maybe it was his ArtPrize entry and he's just not at this venue.)

Personally, I think he wanted to compete with the art. It worked. (And he did have very snappy shoes!) The fellow on the right had a traditional suit and interesting artsy hat -- I thought that was appropriate. And the girl in the middle had the body to wear her dress, which was kind of cute. If brief.

And that's a good thing, because you saw a lot more than the dress. Only someone with decent legs could wear those tights.

The woman looking at Greg's display had a striking teal gown and could wear it. That was my favorite, though you can't see it well here.

Now this couple -- they didn't seem to care about the clothes or the art.

Here's a last look at Greg. I suppose it was his artistic side that picked a checked shirt with a patterned tie. I'm still a little traditional for that (I still have emotional problems combining floral patterns with checks in decorating, which is why my house is pretty boring in the upholstery department). But look at that smile -- He looked darned cute to me. And the kid knows how to wear a suit.

In comments from the other post, some of you asked what Rick and I wore. Compared to the rest of the crowd we were either under dressed, overdressed, way too conservative or way too boring. This is us in the same clothes at Rick's cousins wedding two years ago. (Yes, I had on an old outfit. I don't do dresses except under pressure!)

Oh, to have the confidence and arrogance to wear whatever you like, wherever you wanted, no matter what the "dress code" and just not care (or, better still, think you look good). I sure don't have that confidence of style, and I wish I did. Then I would have tied a scarf around my head like Lucy used to wear when cleaning the house in the old "I Love Lucy" shows, capris -- or fishnets or flip flops, REALLY big earrings (that didn't match), stuck art rhinestones on my cheek as a beauty mark and punked my hair. And a boa.

I would have fit right in.

NOTE: Now at Chopsticks and String: "We Might As Well Win," by Johann Bruyneel and Bill Strickland -- it's about a lot more than the Tour de France!