begun sunday, 30 may 2010, to be continued.

yesterday morning on my way to the studio (a 5 minute walk) when i passed the FOOD MARKET one of the saleswomen was cutting flowers in the little garden in front of the store. last night when i stopped in to purchase items for today's lunch and dinner i saw vases and jars with the flowers positioned throughout the store. when i was at the fruit & vegetable counter (each section of the store is run like a stall: you pay for your purchases as you get them) i remarked to the woman (using sign language, english, a stab at an armenian word) how beautiful the rose was. she immediately grabbed it, wrapped the stem and handed it to me. i am still smiling.

when i bought apricot jam my first day here i thought the brand name so appropriate. last night i went into the hostel kitchen to find a container for the rose there was an empty jar waiting for me. i hope you can read the label.

there is a lot to share but time to post right now is impacted by my 12 hour studio days as i attempt to finish the first stage of a ceramic-based installation piece.
thus this is going to be in bits and pieces and not in chronological order.

yesterday i worked it the studio alone, as on the weekend movses takes his wares to vernissage to earn additional income. the radio is always on YEREVAN FM and the song list includes many repeats of songs such as DON'T WORRY, BE HAPPY, STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT,... i changed the station for the day to what was reminiscent to me of arabic tunes. when movses' friend proceeded him into the studio last night (a man who i had not yet met) he said barev (hello), looked at the radio, and asked turkish? then you like it. i shook my head yes and gestured that it was o.k. to change the channel. then movses walked in, listened to what was on he radio and walked over and changed the station.

this suggested to me a need for a cultural exchange program between armenian and turkish artists in a neutral location...

must now run to the studio to be let in before movses is off to vernissage. later,...