slightly wonky

Has anyone out there signed up for a CSA?  We just did.  I may have made a grave mistake.  This is what I’ve been told that we’re going to receive on Saturday:

Lettuce, bok choy, broccoli,cauliflower, spinach, peppers, kale, escarole, tomatillos, arugula, napa cabbage, parsley, radicchio, leeks, salad turnips, celery, 6# carrots, 4#potatoes, 2#beets, kohlrabi, cabbage, fennel, garlic, onions, 3# sweet potatoes.

Are. You. Kidding. Me?????

WHAT AM I GOING TO DO WITH THE ENTIRE PRODUCE SECTION OF WHOLE FOODS IN MY KITCHEN?????  SIX POUNDS OF CARROTS???  I really think that this is going to be a disaster.  We can barely fit three people in our kitchen, never mind sharing that space with 20 pounds of produce.  Ack!  If anyone out there has some words of wisdom for me, let me know.  I’m thinking vats of soup…forever…

My son and I have continued on our shrinky-dink kick.  Here are the latest creations:

What I love about these is that they become PERMANENT drawings.  I seriously think they’re indestructible.  What’s not to love?  He even makes them double sided, so that they’re drawn on both sides…brilliant!

I did manage to see some art this week.  WOO HOO!  I went to Danforth Art in Framingham…I love that place… They have an exhibit now of the work of Porfirio DiDonna and the New England Photography Biennial.  Nice!  Here are a few of the highlights…

Porfirio DiDonna, Egyptian Gold, 1979, Oil, gesso and graphite on linen

Gorgeous color…

Porfirio DiDonna, Untitled (PDN 86), 1971, Acrylic and graphite on canvas

I love how dark this is.  The dots make me think of Aboriginal art.  I like how it’s both orderly and chaotic…

Porfirio DiDonna, Red Hook (PDN 224), 1977, Oil and gesso on linen

This painting makes me think of a piece of lacquered furniture, with the dots being tiny nails.  Beautiful!

Porfirio DiDonna, Untitled (PDN 353), 1971-72, Acrylic and graphite on canvas

Minimal and mesmerizing…She also had more colorful paintings and also drawings, but I somehow gravitated towards these works

The photography biennial was also great.  I loved how many things there did NOT seem like photographs (nothing against photos…mind you.)

Noritaka Minami, Facade, 2011, Archival pigment print

Ahh…so cool.  Actually, I love this building, so what’s not to love about its photo?  This building is the Nakagin Capsule Tower in Tokyo, built in 1972.  Here is an image of the interior:

Noritaka Minami, B1004, 2012, Archival pigment print

Pretty cool, right?  I hear that it’s slated for demolition, which would be TRAGIC.  I was lucky enough to see it in 1997, but I didn’t get to see the interior.  No one invited me into their capsule.  Probably for the best.

Steve Duede, Evanescent I, 2013, Photograph, C inkjet print

I love this image.  It obviously makes me think of my own series which uses thrown about food.  The colors are gorgeous, and you can practically feel the humidity from the rotting veggies, fruits, flowers, etc.  The color of the grapefruit rind is amazing.  I wish that my trash looked this good.  (Right now, I’m fighting a cold…so my picture would be mostly of wadded up kleenex.  TMI?)

Andy Anello, 90 Worms From My Father’s Garden, 2013, 90 silver gelatin prints

Yes, all of those delicate little squiggles are worms.  I LOVE how these prints look:

Andy Anello, 90 Worms From My Father’s Garden (detail), 2013, 90 silver gelatin prints

I apologize for my bad photography of what are very beautiful B&W images of worms with grainy bits of earth still stuck to them.  Unlike typical photo paper, this paper looks like it has an actual tooth to it.  Lovely.

Samuel Quinn, Untitled, Archival inkjet print

This is from his series, “A Houses Echo.”  PLEASE look at his website to see the photos in this series.  I love this image.  While the landscape is just a projection on the wall (I think), I imagine instead that the hallway has been transformed into a camera obscura (even though the image should be upside down…)  The natural beauty transposed onto the garment and the decaying interior is really compelling and haunting.  Brilliant!!!!

Samuel Quinn, Untitled, Archival inkjet print

Another amazing photo…I want this one.  I love the color palette, the composition, the emptiness, the space…GORGEOUS.  I think that this image by Quinn might be my favorite from the show.

Jim Nickelson, Pyrotechnic #53, Archival pigment print

The deep umber color of this image is gorgeous.  Look at the detail of it:

Jim Nickelson, Pyrotechnic #53 (detail), Archival pigment print

Aren’t those delicate and smoky marks stunning?  SO beautiful.  I suppose this is a negative of the actual image?  I have no idea, as I’m not a photographer.  This also appeared to have been printed on a matte, toothy paper.  Love it.  Please check out his website…there are more in this series.

So, wish me luck with this CSA pick up…send me recipes…let me know if you want a carrot or two…we’ll have plenty.  Carrot soup…carrot stew…carrot muffins…carrot cake…carrot puree…carrot au gratin…carrot pancakes…

I may be a lovely shade of orange by November’s CSA pickup.