Storm in the Black Dirt

By Carrie Jacobson

I’ve had a couple bad experiences in Florida, and so, for now, for the foreseeable future, I am staying away.

And I had been so hopeful! This most recent show was a fine art show, put on by the Boca Raton Museum of Art. I was honored to get in, and as I walked the show Saturday morning (or in my case, limped the show), I was thrilled by the quality of the art – and how well my stuff measured up.

That moment of happiness feels like it warmed me a lifetime ago.

For me, and everyone near me, the rest of the show was awful. No one in my general vicinity had anything amounting to good sales. And the people who came to the show looked like they were so unhappy to be there! If there is one thing I know, it’s that unhappy people don’t buy art.

So I am writing Florida off – almost. On my way home, I stopped to see a friend from The Record. She has all sorts of ties and memories to the Black Dirt Region, and bought this painting, one of my all-time favorites, and saved Florida from being a total loss for me.

This weekend, I am pushing myself hard to try something new: a dog show! I’m going to unpack my van, gather all my dog paintings, repack the van and head to Connecticut. The show is at the XL Center in Hartford, and is on Saturday and Sunday, if you’re in the area. It should be fun!