Less than a month from all the excitement and more than enough to keep us busy! The un-fun reconciling of budgets, paying bills, and everyone wants their per diems. Don’t forget: after every project the abyss looms: what next?

Lots of interest: Chicago is in the works for 2007, and Igor is putting together a proposal for Dubai and Moscow. We’re talking with sponsors re: an exciting proposal which would call attention to British Columbia, Vancouver, The Sunshine Coast - and Paintings Below Zero in another (genius!) permutation for 2010.

Meanwhile: my sister has put this photo on her screensaver
and we hear from friends: Julie, one of our docents who took some paintings home with her and then went to Florida to thaw. On her return, they're still standing! :

Rain, rain, rain. 25 degrees warmer than our minus teens of last week, and what a relief! Gord got bone-chilled and lay shivering under a heapful of covers that last night at the hotel in Toronto. He's slept a lot on our return, made a fire tonight as he works in his studio on new designs for his 2010 project. Jaz flies home from Montreal this evening with Tim, and I'm still receiving Christmas cards from family. In front of a flickering fire, Spaffy curls up even as Toronto and Niagara are getting buried in snow, and Paddy Parr wrote today. I only met her once, but it felt like I was hearing from an old friend. Her confiscated paintings are . . . changing. "The large one on the tree, is turning to 'lace' most amazingly!!" she said.

I played squash early today. Although I'm still buried under all those receipts, I did send out some envelopes yesterday and today. There's been no usual Let Down, just determination to get through this necessary sorting of expenses, etc. I really like snow, but we missed the skies opening with our exit West, and even though our paintings have been dismantled, the internet is alive with Paintings Below Zero. It's wonderful to see what other's have seen.

Here are two photos from sjgardiner on flickr.com and we have been included in the 'art and photography' blogroll on publicbroadcasting.ca! Last week, Paintings Below Zero was featured in 'artist spotlight' at http://www.publicbroadcasting.ca/visarts/


Here's another, this time from Maria, from her blog called Adventures in Downtown Toronto.

This one from ComeUnDone, with a link to Now Publicnews: Toronto Knows Winter.

Tomorrow, steps towards my April tour in Nova Scotia. News! My short story, "Catholic Love" will be published in Fiddlehead's spring issue. It's almost Valentine's Day. I got a red chocolate heart from Gord, and Lisa sent me an e-card about love!

Our kitties seemed skeptical, to say the least. We'd been gone two months almost to the day. Damage from the storms all around, a tree half over, roots upturned, branches littered. Their bowls, empty. Wednesday Gord got up early to play his first Rusty Cranks hockey since Virgil. In spite of my fatigue, I lay awake - still on Toronto time. Thursday, my first pick-up game, I moved on lead legs. Now the mountain of receipts, reconciling budgets, paying bills. We're home, the exhibit dismantled, but Paintings Below Zero lives on!

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Text message from our docent, Cara -" Where are the pictures of the paintings taken from the exhibit?" Photos of Paintings Below Zero pieces "confiscated" prior to The Strike. Coloured icebergs in cityscapes - If you see them, Send! and I'll post here! Above is one of my favorites, taken by Paddy Parr.


The many, many photographers who went through the tent clicking their cameras have posted their photographs of the work on the internet. All you have to do is google Paintings Below Zero. These are more of Al Burns photos.

Pascale and JC took some interesting ones, here's a torch shot I've pasted from their url.

Visit her page on flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/30886471@N00/

Running through my mind are again, some of the people who helped - but haven't yet been thanked. Donald Ziraldo, whom we met at Piazza Valdo Fusi at BC Canada House during the Olympics, and who was responsible for our invitation to the IceWine Festival in Niagara on the Lake, thank you. Here we are in a Doug Hulley photo, taken at the opening night gala at The Sheraton in The Falls.

And once again, our VIPs - Eric and Vizma - ( last seen at a Sunday Books and Brunch at the Oakville Club - where Vizma hosted Anita Rau Badami, Margaret McMillan, Lawrence Hill - a rooomful of guests -- and us!). They've believed in and supported us, were our first cornerstone in the Turin/Olympics project, and now they've become friends. It's been easy, as they are generous and fun.

Thanks to Denise Ing, who put up the prints exhibit in the Rotunda while we were still in Niagara on the Lake.

Then, there's Eliya, who like Zorro, came and went on his own time but was known to be helping in and outside the tent - and last seen holding a camera. In December, he fed our kitties, moved our furniture, sat guard through the storms.

There's Roger Handling and Kera McHugh, (valued advisors amidst their own busy careers); there's Duane Burnett of The Local, who always seems to be there on the other end of the email with encouragement and interest. There's Ann, John and James Law, our neighbors who have kept our kitties fed and cared for. There's Nancy Cottingham Powell, our Production Manager at home, whom we dearly missed on site; there's Charlotte, who sent info to contemporary galleries for us, necessary background work.

There's Cat of Cat PR, a fireball upbeat publicity professional.
And Doug Hulley, who shared his photos with us.There's Lisa Kurtz, whom you've met here, so joyous and available, esp accepting of the in-Toronto stressed-out me. John, the hockey player from Virgil who presented Gord with his own creation: a candle holder made from a wine barrel. The woman at Jet Ice who called the cab for the extra paint cans Gord needed Pronto! Mary and Bernadette, my sisters, who have sent treasured emails and notes of encouragement and love throughout. Mary, I remember, sitting at the foot of our father's bed. We walked out of the room together that last time his heart was still warm, more connected than we'd realized, more sisters than ever.

There's Donna Schmirler, my friend, our friend, whom we have counted on for support and love for years.
For richer or for poorer, in sickness and etc, she's been a fan, a board member, a confidante, with me, with us, at home and abroad, in our lives and work, making salads, taking tickets or messages, or hosting us or sending us off on our various adventures, sometimes feeding our kitties, checking our temporary tenant, or driving us or picking us up; whose number & name I have memorized and put on the form to contact in an emergency. She takes our trust along with the weight of the world on her shoulders, she's tested by it, and keeps looking for redemption. For this, we are both, Gord and I, grateful.

There must be more, whose contributions will surface in a dream, or keep me awake in the morning, not yet acknowledged.

So send your photos of your piece of Paintings Below Zero still frozen -- where you have placed your artwork - on the curb, your front lawn, wherever. (paintingsbelowzero@dccnet.com) I'll post them here. Check back. (In April, we're going to Eastern Canada to screen our film, Singing the Bones -- and I will perform (at last!) readings for three audiences in Nova Scotia).

Next, we go with Paintings Below Zero to Chicago . . .

We left - it felt like escape. The bitter cold, the demise of our efforts. Tim, Mariel and Jaz stripped the tent, a well-planned mission headed by a determined JC. We were happy, but guilty, that we didnt' have to return to Niagara on the Lake. Overstuffed bags, farewells in the lobby. Mike & Cheryl picked up their Tui Tui print. Jordan posed for a photo. We tipped the bellman, sat in the back of the cab. This time, no conversation.

There was some joy. We'd passed the word - anyone who wanted a 'live' piece of artwork from the exhibit was welcome to take it. The tent was coming down around our ears and I snapped Marek getting his piece, and a couple who worked in the hospitality tent next door.

The night before, we'd supped with those fabulous docents at Queen Mother, our favorite restaurant and frequent hang-out. Here's Lisa, the barmaid who sparkles from within. Yuri Dojc (photographer & longtime peer/friend of Gord) and wife, Eva, discussed art, patriotism, hot water and lemon.


At the other end of the table Jaz and Tim held court.

Now we're off to hockey, my first since the rink in Virgil. More to come, a wrap up, more people to thank and feature.

WinterCity in full tilt, beyond below zero temperatures. One day blurs to the next, with so many people streaming past the paintings.
Our docents are awesome! They spend so much time with everyone, and it's not easy - you can always see your breath in the tent. We set up in the info booth today, with those beautiful PBZ art books from the Turin installation. The whole day, I am so tired!

Last night, after ice skating on the square and over the rink painting, the winter show unfolded from the warmth & comfort my room at The Sheraton. Those are Kitonb acrobats making the puff on the left - from a giant crane!


We took some time off to have supper at a Winterlicious restaurant. Here's my maid of honor, 23 years later, and me, at Jump, where funny thing, we all remembered those years ago, just before Gord & I got married. Ain't she sweet, that Lisa?

Today Erik left for Montreal; we gathered for a coffee to say goodbye. I had tears in my eyes, 'cause we've been like family these past 2 months, and I'm gonna miss that kid.


Onwards and upwards, and not a moment's rest: Igor spent the day talking with Gord about Dubai, Moscow . . Aix en Provence? Gord was so fed up with the cold, he wouldn't even walk Igor through! So I did. Here he is, matching his yellow shirt with the paintings.
Emily surprised us, too, in the afternoon, looking everywhere for her 'Uncle Gord'. She's at the top there with her friend, Andrea.

And although we weren't set up to sell artwork here, a couple sought us out after seeing the prints in the rotunda - and bought Tui Tui.

Here's Hayley, back in California, missing us, but happy to be out of the cold. We're almost finished our work here. One more day!

Hard to believe it could be February lst already, a Thursday afternoon, temperature going down, traffic picking up, lights flashing on Nathan Phillips Square, lots of skaters out and twenty minutes to go until our exhibit opens at 5. Everyone went to the free opera concert at noon, except me. Instead, I gathered recent press and photocopied for three different presentations -- next gigs in exotic places, made appointments, answered emails and other miscellaneous activities which make me feel useless. Still, on my mind is a tribute to some of the many people who have been working behind the scenes with us, who make our lives and our experience here interesting and rich.

Here's Rosie, who has worked at The Sheraton for 27 years, on this floor, in this section. She's from Domenica, a small island near Martinique, where the sun shines and the air is soft. She speaks Creole, and is here because of true love. She didn't really say 'true love' when I asked, but did admit it is because of her husband that she braves Toronto cold winters and humid summers to work for The Sheraton's lucky customers. She's been wonderful, and we miss her on weekends when she's off.

And here are the guards, on duty at the big white tent, whom our crew has gotten to know quite well in the past few weeks, left to right: Jim Koenig, Gord, Marek Kutrowski, Marielle and Rob Koenig - the Koenigs are brothers, all are artists/musicians in their own right. Missing from the picture is Larry Gross.

Then, there's Sandra Cunningham, who wouldn't let me take her picture. She accompanied me to the big fancy buffet at The Sheraton on The Falls for the IceWine Festival's opening gala. She held down the fort at Niagara on the Lake the busy week we prepped for our opening in Toronto. She and Danna McDonough greeted individually the hundreds, perhaps thousands of people who visited our installation and prints exhibit, explaining Gord's work, his process, the history and lore of Paintings Below Zero in the hall at The Shaw. Here's Gord, with a couple at the exhibit. Sandra was one of the people back home who helped out during the exciting times of the Turin exhibit, and has been our voice to the outside world to attract future exhibits since then. This time, she wrapped and packed prints for storage as JC and Tim did their swift take down at the Shaw venue. She's good natured and goes with the flow, so when we realized that we now needed her back home to produce and send sales materials for the new gigs, she didn't miss a beat - and now she's on a plane headed for British Columbia. Thank you, Sandra!

Here's Natasha Emery, who was our liason with Special Events when the contract with the City was arranged. A tough negotiator, she also has a heart of gold, and we were disappointed when she announced she was taking a leave of absence and wouldn't be able to work with us for WinterCity! We were just as happy at the reason though: she adopted a baby girl and took time off to give her a good start at her child's young life. She surprised us on site a few days before opening; here she is with Gord.

Last night we hosted The Legendary Mike Brisbin and two other co-horts from Toronto Special Events at an impromptu party in our upgraded suite at The Sheraton. Monika, who is legendary in her own right for her kind manner, voice and calm nature under duress (the Legendary reputation has spread to the entire department! Now it's The Legendary Special Events Office at City of Toronto) told us of her daughter's visit to the installation. "Mommy can I have some of this candy?" "Honey, it's not candy, it's ice." "No, Mommy, it's CANdy! You're just saying that because you don't like me to eat candy!" There were other stories. People argued with each other that it was really glass, jello, plastic. Mike watched one person reach, reach, reach and finally when she thought no one was looking -- touched! He gave her a thumbs-up. But the best one was an overheard story: "You know how the media hypes everything up - and when you get there it's not as great at they say it is? Well, this is even better than all the publicity!" Al Burns sent a bunch of photos, but I've got to space them out.

Last night we had our last meal together at Hal's Burgers - our Core Crew, 2nd crew and Cat Fawcett, our PR lady. Tim and JC had just returned from the strike at Niagara on the Lake, and already there was talk of future exhibits: Dubai, Moscow, Chicago.