Paintings Below Zero at Millennium Park

Thank you from the heart and soul

2008-03-08T20:22:00.131-06:00

Every spring, a couple of mallard ducks drop down from the sky into our pond and swim around in their mating ritual, reminding us that winter is really over. We returned too late for them this year, even as snow storm pounded Chicago. But we're home now; it's quiet here, and purple crocuses have bloomed already. More than 175,000 people came to see the artwork Paintings Below Zero at Millennium Park, but today the wall is down - now just a reflection in all our minds.

Got a note from Matt Hotz.

I took a moment and looked up yesterday and was amazed that two months have just blurred by. Been feeling a bit sad. 'Spose after such an intensive time invested in one thing and then to kill it and then pack it all up, I've been left empty for emotion.

Gord’s hockey buddy Brett McGillvray and his wife, Carole Ann Glover, invited us to dinner for a “Best and Worst’. Everybody gets a turn. You narrow the time frame, or the event, and then you find the moment which stands out for you as best, and the one you’d classify as worst. The topic was the past two and a half months.

For us, Chicago.

I had a hard time coming up with a Worst. I did have one absolute Best. Here are others:

One of the earliest was learning that CN was going to be the presenting sponsor - a Canadian company who felt they'd be proud to affiliate with Paintings Below Zero. At opening, Jim Foote’s comments that they were very pleased with their sponsorship, a Best.

Millennium Park was definitely a Best, the location, the artwork, the people who worked with us.

Another: that employees at the City of Chicago Cultural Department were reading - and enjoying the blog. Next, I learned that a decision had been made to put the blog on the official website, so that access to the adventures of Paintings Below Zero would be available to anyone who logged on to Museum of Modern ice.com

For me, the many people (of all ages and walks of life) who came to see the work and who shared their comments with Gord as he worked on the wall: an enduring Best. Every day he would come back, exhausted, but fulfilled in a way I hadn’t expected.

“People are just so thankful,” he would say, with humility and disbelief. What became a lasting Best was the sense of emotional attachment which they seemed to have towards the painting, as if they were trying to capture something of this ephemeral work and take it home: a photo, an autograph, a conversation.

There was continual fascination: from creation, to installation, to the changing

nature of the art. A delight in the flame-torching -- watching the color re-emerge from the white frost.

Warmth would soften the pieces and rain deepened the colors and made them shine. Drips would freeze mid-drop when the weather changed quickly.

Colors migrated towards the edges of the artwork, sat on the top and sometimes, fell off. There was a lacy stage. Here is a piece which fell onto Matt and then onto the cement.

A thousand pieces of art were created every time someone cropped a piece of the work into a photograph.

People came back two, three, four times to see what had changed and why. I overheard many explaining it to each other, to their children and friends, and when they couldn’t go on, a tap on the blue jacket to question the docent or crew member.

As the month went on, pieces which were made in the cold dark Fulton were brought out, and we delighted in seeing them again against the evolved painting.

Intelligentsia was a Best.

The Fulton, a strange and wonderful Best.

There were so many qualified people working for our project, doing the things that in the past, I had struggled singlehandedly to do -- especially press and marketing.

Every time Christine or Brooke called me, it meant there was another article, or interview to be scheduled which would get the word out.

We were inundated with requests, and in the end, we earned a list of press mentions that any project would be proud to have.

And every time I got an email or call from Lauren Gentile, Pam Morin or Sarah Best it was some new and beautiful piece of artwork which they had designed. Would I look over the copy? Could I provide captions for the photos? These tasks were joys.

When I opened the door to our suite at The Hard Rock Hotel, I knew we would be happy there. But I didn’t know how great the staff would be.

The hotel itself was two blocks down Michigan Avenue from Millennium Park, and one block from the Lakeshore Athletic Club; it couldn’t have been more convenient. Modern design, spacious and clean, with a good view of the city out several windows - we could see the park. Eventually, we were upgraded to their penthouse suite, which made the long stay really enjoyable.

In the end, I felt honored to have been a guest there. The staff -- to a person -- was accommodating, friendly, professional and personal, just the right touch. From bellhop to the concierge, to front desk staff, to guards, engineers, to house keeping, everyone was in my ‘best’ category.

The Consular Ball was a Best. Gord was guest of honor, he met Aldo Castillo and the beautiful dress I wore stayed up. I could have sung "I feel pretty." And then, to top it off - I met Abou Bakayoko, and found a long lost friend, his uncle.

The blizzard -- just days before opening,

after two days of unseasonable winter so warm we couldn't install anything -- was one of the Best moments: adventure, determination, solidarity -- success!

And now for the thanks . . . I want to say how much we appreciated the open arms and energy of the people of Chicago, whose many and varied contributions made our project so successful.

Thanks to the generous people we met who saw we were strangers and invited us into their homes, who fed us their food and held their glasses up in toasts to our success.

To those who took us out for lunch or dinner on the town, who organized receptions who introduced us. We felt embraced, and we are grateful for your generosity.

To the press who took the time to listen carefully to Gord’s intention, ideas, who came back with questions, curiosity and then translated what they heard and saw to their audience, thank you.

To the people who sent me photographs for the blog: the painting was captured in a myriad of ways, and our diversity as creative people is expressed in every single shot. Your generosity and talent, definitely a Best.

To those who sought us out - to create their own related projects - Danielle Dai, Friendly Joe, Karen from Icy Indiana, Susannah Doolin, Judith Dunbar Hines, Evening Associates, Metro Squash, Museum of Science & Industry - and others who sent emails, phone calls - thank you for adding to what we brought to the table.

To all the volunteers who spent your free time outside, sometimes in bitter cold, just to bring your knowledge of Paintings Below Zero to others, thank you.

To the interns who worked hard and cheerfully alongside us, thank you so very much for your hard work and optimism.

To the City of Chicago Cultural Affairs Department and the City of Chicago Tourism Department, thank you. First, for taking a chance on this out-of-the-box project -- and then for all the diligent and cheerful work you did to realize its success. Lucas, you were just so solid. Jason, a treat to deal with. Joseph, never a better Budget Man.

Opening night was an unqualified Best. Walking to the tent, almost late, I could see it on everyone's faces - their pride and excitement. We had worked hard in all kinds of weather, we had done it, and we were going to celebrate -- together. Mayor Richard Daley, thank you for hosting Paintings Below Zero.

To Colleen Duke and Georges Rioux of the Canadian Consulate: a hundred thanks for the hundreds of things you did for us so well - to promote the project, to make us feel welcome and comfortable. You were definitely All-Out Best.

Our wonderful, inspirational crew on the ground & cast at home: you were The Best Ever.

My Very Best moment was one afternoon when Gord returned, exhausted and exhilarated from working the painting with huge crowds on Chase Promenade.

"I never thought I could find something that would move people the way your work does. But seeing the people respond to the paintings . . . I think I've done it."

Thank you to my cousin Julia, for making the trip from Indiana, to my sisters for keeping in touch - through the blog and by phone & email. To Lori for making the huge effort to be there on opening with your family.

To everyone -- we could feel your excitement from the first day we were here. Thank you for saying yes to Paintings Below Zero in December, and for saying yes, yes, yes everyday.

Photo credits: Caitlin Hicks, Colleen Duke, Matt Hotz, Susan Young, Patrick Pyszka, Jason Lewis.

Post Script to a painting in winter

2008-03-05T20:13:00.030-06:00

As Hilary and Obama tough it out in the final bid for the democratic nomination for president of the United States, as those desperate to influence the outcome have created a ‘scandal’ which tries a little too hard to smear Obama, we were on a plane to Minneapolis to meet with nine movers and shakers who are interested in bringing Paintings Below Zero to the twin cities.

My emailer yielded a note sent February 11th, which I just have to reproduce here, along with a neon memory of the installation, captured by Matt Hotz.

Congratulations on a splendid artistic endeavor for the city of Chicago!! As one of the underwriters of the recently installed Agora exhibit, I can't thank you enough for your commitment to artistic excellence in these elements, just outstanding!! KUDO's. Husband and I have always enjoyed all the winter festivals in Canada, especially Quebec (drank my first Caribou with Bill Shatner), Montreal, Toronto. You have managed to bring that kind of winter land joy to Chicago. THANK YOU!!!

--Gia McDermott

I’m playing catch up, but delight in remembering how Chicago has put us through our paces up until the last gasp. Our post wake ‘voluminous social calendar’ (as once described by Colleen Duke) included dinner with Colleen’s sister and mother. Above: totally hitting it off at wake dinner at Reza's.

Saturday, we stopped by the wall, already under much duress. Tim, Ari, Lucas et al (the Katies, Matt, Laura & John) had been at it for hours already.

It was just too painful, I couldn’t stay. Instead, squash at the Windy City Open in the Women’s 3.0 category. I lost my first match 3-0 (9-5,9-6, 9-7 because I didn't run) but won my second match 3-0 in a slam dunk.

Then, Saturday night, Amit’s mother, Judith Hasak, created a fabulous meal and theatrical occasion for her family and longtime Israeli friends. I learned the meaning of the word “goy” as we were two such creatures that night. She invited me to read/perform, and again I pulled out a couple of different characters.

At one point Nehemiah left the room to get me a kleenex -- then afterwards, told a moving story of his own. For us, an unforgettable connection with Amit and his remarkable family continues. I left my glittery jacket - Judith says it means we will return to Chicago. (And we will - Gord has a show at Aldo Castillo Gallery in Oct).

Sunday, I won my 3rd match 3 - 0, as I listened to Gord’s last minute direction: “don’t leave anything on the court” and to Peter Wendt’s “lob the ball deep”. I placed 2nd overall. Here's Peter, who plays Australian squash, who coached me.

And Imran, Lakeshore Athletic Club's squash pro.

It was a warm Sunday at the Museum of Contemporary Art where, after a delicious brunch, we took in the Gordon Matta Clark exhibit. Chicago just goes on and on. Jody Oshita-Bajor had given us tickets to the Canuks/Blackhawks game, but we were too exhausted. Then, onto a reception in Gord’s honor at the new, magnificent and thoroughly modern home of architect Brad Lynch. Georges and Sharon had just arrived back from Ottawa; Patrick Pyszka and the famous Emily toasted along with Colleen, Kieran and new friends, guests at the party.

Not to be forgotten, we had in the past week a warm and generous reception from Karen from Icy Indiana - she sought us out after her mother sent her a tear out from Reader’s Digest or some such magazine, (advertising the exhibit) and after reading the blog, as we have many many things in common. She’s keen to see Paintings Below Zero in South Korea and Columbus, Indiana. She came to Chicago expressly to see the wall, and came up early to catch my reading at Aldo Castillo Gallery. Here she is in front of the wall.

A long lost relative of Gordon’s, Gordon McLellan paid a visit, bearing family history and some sketchy news and family stories from earlier days when everyone was alive. Here they are, the two ruddy faced Gordons, at the wall at the wake.

We’re flying over Texas right now, strangely en route to Vancouver (one of the oddities of the American Airlines sponsorship). Yesterday the Twin Cities rallied with a wonderful idea for two installations - one in each city - to coincide with the finishing of the bridge repair. Art as healing. And here they are, those who can make it happen, post meeting in that wonderful surrounded-by-snow-parks-and-rec property just down the street from The Walker Museum.

It’s hot out the window and I can see how my life in front of me is going to take up all the visual space in my mind. So, I’m penning closure thoughts about Chicago on my laptop next to the window. Outside, below the landscape changes. We're heading west - into spring.

Come back - for photos, thanks.

Photo credits: Patrick Pyszka, Colleen Duke, Matt Hotz, Caitlin Hicks

Goodbye, Chicago

2008-03-03T17:31:00.031-06:00

Today I counted four gloves, on separate sidewalks, abandoned for spring. We spent the day packing and leave tomorrow for Minneapolis. On Wednesday, the west coast. The wall is down, and I don't want to glance at its destruction, or note its absence on the promenade.

On Friday, our Dear Chicago poet Jessie (from Intelligentsia) read us a poem as we gathered with our candles. From the City of Chicago, Jason Moy had come to say goodbye. He has been wonderful.

Neil Spears was there, and friends, many friends we've made during our two and a half month stay. Jake & Alberta were there with a poem and a card.

Greetings, Gordon, Caitlin, Sons and all PBZ Ice Wall connection. Thank you from the heart and soul of Chicago. This poem, "A fire for you" is dedicated to all. Eternal, Jake & Alberta

.

Lois Roelf's husband spoke on behalf of the people of Chicago, and Tim gave a stirring speech.

We were just making it up, on the spot, like they do at wakes. How it touched us, how we loved it, how we will miss the colors and the crowds on the promenade.

We hugged each other, as much in celebration as clinging to our connection, forged in ice. Spring was in the air as the light drained from the sky.

Although only a month on display, I couldn't imagine Chicago without it: the wall, the ice, the colors, just so.

Photo credits: Colleen Duke, Caitlin Hicks, Patrick Pyszka

Next: Last words, new friends, a squash tourney, a reading, a reception, Aldo -- and many thanks.

Last day with paintings up

2008-02-29T12:29:00.023-06:00

On our last day with painting up, it looks like rain, and the temperature is just above freezing. This morning I finally got a photo of Jessie, our Dear Chicago poet.

Dear Chicago,

They said rain was the source
of your wisdom. A hill not here.
when the drip becomes dots
the day will finally close.

love,

a sea not here

And here we are, on our last day with paintings up, at the breakfast meeting.

“I’m ready for it to be over,” Ari said.” And then we told our stories to each other, about our adventures - and tortures, and everything in between. It wasn't a comprehensive conversation, as we are missing so many who participated. But we had a few laughs. And then they went off to put more new pieces on the ever changing painting.

When Gord returned for lunch he said, "There's quite a few people out there today, and they're all just as amazed as ever."

Tonight we’re going to have a Leaving Ceremony at the wall at 6 o’clock and you’re invited to come say a few words about what the wall meant to you, mutter a blessing -- something for Chicago after Paintings Below Zero on Chase Promenade.

Yesterday we went to the Milwaukee Art Museum, a stunning white structure on the lake, designed by Santiago Calatrava, with ‘wings’ which open and shut.

On the freeway, I captured that large billboard as we drove by. This is the one we saw in the taxi on December 15th, on our way into Chicago to begin the project.

Colleen Duke, Cultural Affairs Officer at the Canadian Consulate, drove us.

It was great to get out of the city for an ART excursion, and to see such fine design.

Then, we had a dinner date with Jody Oshita-Bajor at 96 floors up at the John Hancock building in the Signature room, that famous tall landmark on the Chicago skyline. She hosted us at dinner: Here we are after an absolutely fantastic meal and conversation about art, architecture and politics!

Here's Peter Bajor, Jody, Katherine Bajor, me, Mark Sexton, and Gord. Thank you, Jody!

When we got back, Trevor, who works the front desk at Hard Rock Hotel, told us that it was his last day.

Trevor is going onto San Diego, a new frontier for him, in his young life. He was fantastic during our stay - as were so many at the Hard Rock. Good luck, Trevor!

Photo credits: Caitlin Hicks, Matt Hotz

Bring your wishes, say goodbye

2008-02-28T07:25:00.027-06:00

In alpine nothern Italy in the small town of Fenestrelle, you could hear the cowbells tinkling in the distance, as sheep roamed the hillside down the mountain below. In winter, when the livestock were housed in barns, it was church bells tolling across the valley which became the sound of the morning. (www.paintingsbelowzero.blogspot.com)

Now we’re in Chicago, and it’s the ambulance siren and the blasting honk of the firetruck which fills up the space between the buildings and creeps into every ear in every building any time, day or night. Gord says it’s probably that the emergency workers want to remind all of us that they are doing their essential job, day and night.

I am seeing and hearing again all the things we discovered about Chicago - what makes it uniquely Chicago. After two and a half months here, I had become part of the daily crush, opening and closing the tail of my scarf, pulling on my gloves for the umpteenth time as I pushed open the revolving door and set myself against the cold.

But these are our last days here, and my eyes and ears are open again, cherishing what I experience, in heightened awareness as if saying goodbye to a lover.

Yesterday, the snow, that pristine gift from winter has fallen flake by flake and gently made everything uniformly white. At 7 AM the rooftops and sidewalks were blanketed. And then, of course, the people with shovels and cars and footsteps muddied it all in their determined daily rush.

Still, at minus 3 degrees, it felt balmy, and I just had to go over to the wall again and see how it sits there on Chase Promenade, lighting up the monochromatic winter landscape.

They tell us that over 112,000 people have visited the painting. I got a farewell email today, “Good luck to you! You've been a fantastic winter treat for all of us!”

On Friday, we’re going to have a ceremony of leaving. We’re bringing our wishes for Chicago, and asking others who have loved the wall to bring their own. Say goodbye.

At six o’clock we’re going to light the candles and melt one painting from the wall, a symbolic sacrifice for the destruction we know must follow.

People are already talking to us about how they will miss the colors. Maybe we’ll have some pieces that some can take away with them and put in their yards, like we did last time.

On Tuesday, Aldo Castillo hosted a reading of my work at his gallery on Franklin Street in River North. Almost everyone who said they’d attend eventually arrived; we had an audience of about 25 people. I read two well worn characters from my repertoire, felt like a singer who pulls out a popular song for a loving audience; and then read a chapter from my-almost-finally-tweaked novel. Pretty serious stuff, with one very ‘out there’ character. I think it went well, at least it was fantastic for me, to remember the times in our lives when we toured theatre and worked our art project on the same excursion (in the late nineties at the London International Financial Futures Exchange, and on weekends touring Singing the Bones ). It just felt great. To give my work the light of day, to perform again.

Gord gave a blue jacket to Amit, to acknowledge how much a part of our Chicago crew he was, as king of The Fulton. Amit gave it immediately to his father, Nehemiah, who wore it proudly throughout the reading. We stayed until 8. Lois Roelfs was there with her husband; she lives across from the park and has contributed photos to the blog.

In fact, every Friday night, she and friends have a party at her place to celebrate the wall and watch its many changes.

One more thing. It all started when I snapped Arquilla’s photo at the Consular Ball. She gave me her email address, and later as I wrote to send her the photo, I noticed her name. So I took a chance and wrote her a note.

"Dear Arquilla & Abou,

Here is the photo I took of you at the Chicago Consular Ball. Your name - Bakayoko - is one familiar to me and I am wondering if Abou may know a man I knew in Geneva, Switzerland, many years ago. (1975)

He was the Consulate General for The Ivory Coast in Geneva. I knew him simply as" Monsieur Bakayoko" -- and I lived with him for 3 months in a little town called Chambesy, working as Au pair for two young boys, his son Frank and Jacob (Frank's cousin). They were both five years old at the time. Franck's mother had died, so the boys needed someone to look after them.

A few years ago, I returned to Chambesy & Geneva, asking after him at the consulate, but they only said that he no longer worked in Switzerland.

Since you are in the diplomatic realm ... and your name is the same, I thought I'd contact you to see if you have any news of this man.

You looked so beautiful that night, enjoy the photo.”

Her note, after the Consular Ball, said simply,

“Caitlin,

Your email was quite a surprise and proof that the world is truly a small place. Monsieur Bakayoko, is in fact Abou's Uncle. He is now the Secretary of State for the Ivory Coast. Frank lives in Paris and has a small daughter. Abou is actually in the Finance realm and myself, I sit on the Board for the International Visitors Center of Chicago.”

And so we had supper together. Abou told me how the Bakayokos I knew have lived their lives since then. Abou, who reminds me of his uncle, gave me contact information for both Monsieur and Frank. and I can’t wait to call!

Photo credits: Caitlin Hicks, Colleen Duke, Matt Hotz, Gord Halloran

Our final Sunday: sunshine, artwork, fans

2008-02-25T08:53:00.026-06:00

Photo credits: Matt Hotz, Caitlin Hicks

Romance, fun & beauty

2008-02-23T17:47:00.050-06:00

David Kay and Metro Squash were all over it today with their leaders: Max Laverty, Paul Cussen, Christine Bonkamp and all the kids. Later, we got a note: Caitlin, thanks again for the presentation. Fantastic exhibit, the kids had a great time. Paul Cussen, Metro Squash.

Blue jackets out on the back wall, installing in the sunshine. Crowds, thick with curiosity, on all sides.

So many fans, gathering round, how could anyone possibly count this many people?

New paintings went up, as another sea of Saturday strollers filled the promenade.

What an adventure for everyone, to work, to see the work being done. To explain to the children. To feel the sun, to watch the color migrate to the edge into lace.

To be in family.

This family came from Port Huron, Michigan, just to see Paintings Below Zero, the wall.

Here's Mel Jones and Susan Morrow, who, it turns out, work with Amit.

Photo credits for Saturday: Caitlin Hicks, Matt Hotz, Jessica Levin.

Next: A story, 32 years old, resurfaces in a chance meeting in Chicago. Our last Sunday at Millennium Park! Have you been blogged?

2008-02-22T15:52:00.045-06:00

"It's like candy. You want to break off a piece and snack on it." - Audi Chenoweth

An intimate still life ~ by Jim Donegan
ICE BLOCKS

background & foreground
Colored Ice fused and smooth
yellows and reds
mid field
Chipped/ Jagged, hard- edged
yellows and reds

raspberry juices dripping
the spaces between

leading eye along a line
the sun caught

to black gap beneath

Thanks to artist Gordon Halloran for Painting Below Zero

Dear Caitlin,

I just wanted to tell you that I was downtown on Saturday and took a friend to see "Paintings Below Zero."IT WAS AMAZING! It's too bad Chicagoans don't go outside in winter. ha!

There must have been people 30 deep on each side-the sun was out - the piece was melting -people were snapping pictures like crazy… it couldn't have been cooler, or as Gordon says "colder!" I was hoping to bump into one of you… I just hope you got a chance to witness the crowds yourselves. - Pam Grimes, WGN-TV

“The wall looks great, evolving through all these weird weather patterns. Just as Gord predicted, Mother Nature is having lots of fun playing with his art." -Nancy Cottingham Powell

My sister, Bernadette wrote me today to say "emily has left a new comment on your post "58,000 visitors to Paintings Below Zero":

“What a neat exhibit and a great blog! I wanted to let you know that we featured the exhibit and linked to your blog on Intelligent Travel:

http://www.intelligenttravel.typepad.com/

On Wednesday, Evening Associates of The Art Institute of Chicago hosted us at lunch in the Garden restaurant, a preparation for Thursday's event, co-hosted with the Canadian Consulate. (www.eveningassociates.com)

Here they are: Glenn Eden, Gord, Ann Rosen, (Trade Commmissioner for the Government of Canada). Other side: Bonnie Goldsborough, Audi Chenoweth, Tara Anbudalyan and Colleen Duke.

Thursday evening, we all gathered for a slide show and talk with the artist about the work. Colleen and I put together a slide show with images from Italy and Toronto as well as Millennium Park.

And the question was:

“When the snow melts, I feel sad. How do you deal with the sense of loss?”

“There is no way to escape the lapse," he started, "it's part of the process. The experience of being in Chicago and sharing the work, it’s going to come to an end, there’s no running from it. It’s part of the sequence of life. When the paintings go through their transformation, I ask myself, ‘how did it(the color) fade away?’ and ‘how do I add something to the experience?’ It makes it very rich."

Subject: Chagall mosaic at Chase Plaza

Good morning!

Lynn (one of our docents last night) compared PBZ to the above mentioned mural. I don't think you two have seen it. Chase Plaza is located at 10 South Dearborn. The mosaic is outside. For a photo, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Seasons_%28Chagall%29.

Later, Colleen

Then, my sister Therese sent me an art photo: the home made belt I sent her for Christmas with scarf - from Italy?

Photo credits today: Julia Chester, Colleen Duke, Patrick Pyszka, Caitlin Hicks

58,000 visitors to Paintings Below Zero

2008-02-20T11:05:00.036-06:00

Caitlin--I saw the Painting Below Zero installation yesterday -- IT IS INCREDIBLE !!!!!!!!!!!! I stood there for a while, even though it was totally freezing outside. I LOVED IT! I'm definitely going back again and again during this month. It was inspiring and made me feel relaxed--it's GREAT! I'm so glad I met you guys--I'm a fan! ~Margaret

The weather is fantastic again, have I stopped noticing the details? Now that I’m a ‘local’? Tonight is a lunar eclipse.

Everytime someone else takes a photograph of the exhibit, I appreciate the diversity we share; how we learn from one another, build our intelligence and knowledge on each other's experience. The above two are Julia Chester photos. See what I mean? I never saw what she saw, until she snapped the photo. Then, it becomes something I recognize. Her artwork resonates with my experience.

And the paintings change, just like the weather.

We had rain on Sunday. Here’s Gord in the truck, sorting through paintings he’s made, selecting new ones to install on the wall.

Monday, Aldo Castillo hosted lunch, where we discussed art, theatre, possibilities. Lorna Marsh, an artist from Capetown, South Africa shared her confidence as an artist who has torn it up and put it back on canvas all her life.

Kevin Richards, President of the Chamber of Commerce in Streeterville, and his intern, Selina, represented the marketing aspect, the context of presenting art, and theatre. Pat Turnbull, President of Kayhan International had a seasoned comment or two. Aldo brought us all together. I was there, taking the photographs.

Then, randomly, we met a woman and her daughter who had come to Chicago, expressly to see Paintings Below Zero at Millennium Park -- from Boulder Colorado. Here they are: Asia Sageman and Bert Steinmetz.

The crew worked all day, replacing ice shards,

so now you can see the morphed ice alongside the pristine pieces.

Then, Monday night we supped at Kerri’s. A warm, homey evening with kids underfoot, a basement ‘pub’ with bartender,

and dinnertime conversation about the meaning of art and politics in our lives. Gord sat next to Nora, who teaches Buddhism in Art at the Art Institute, of course the word 'ephemeral' came up a few times; Kerri talked politics (Obama/Hilary, race, sex),

Mike, an architect, wanted to believe that there is a standard to art which sets it apart; Dan, a mathemetician: about learning how math relates to our lives; Peggy and Olivier more or less observed all with a smile, while the kids tromped through from time to time. I was there too, taking the photographs.

We decided that I would read for our friends in Chicago, and we're going to: at Aldo's Gallery on Tuesday.

President's Day Weekend at The Popsicle

2008-02-17T13:09:00.041-06:00

Here's Ravin, my (sometimes) squash partner.

Above: Matt, Gord and Jessica, a very helpful docent, who is going to send me her photos. Below: Julia, my second cousin, and her husband, Val. They made a special trip here from West Lafayette, Indiana, just to see Paintings Below Zero, and stayed two days. We saw the Impressionist exhibit (2nd only to the Louvre) at the Art Institute.

The pile of ice on the right was made by a little artist, who left a note.

Friday night we toured the painting with our hosts the Honourable Georges Rioux, Consul General of Canada, Jack & Rosemary Fortnum and Gary & Nancy Houser.

Jack treated us to dinner at the official residence of the Consul General of Canada. This was the auction item from Canada at the Consular Ball - dinner for four - with Paintings Below Zero artist, his wife (me!) and the Consul General (Georges Rioux) and his wife, Sharon Grey.

We did, indeed, have fun. Cuisine was excellent & Sharon, the rabble rouser.

Ari and Tim's parents came to town from western Canada: Chuck and Dacia from Victoria and Cheryl and Mick from The Sunshine Coast. Saturday night, we only waited a half hour for a table for eight at Mambo Grill. Tim's mother brought a copy of the front page of the Coast Reporter the full color story "Halloran's ice wall set to fire up Chicago".

Above photo was taken by Tim's choice volunteer -- she missed a couple of us. It was great to relax and be able to finally call our two core crew workers - 'the kids'.

We were all just missing Jaz.

Midwestern sky

2008-02-15T15:06:00.021-06:00

This morning, the sun burst through the thick curtains in our otherwise dark room, one of those invent-the-world spectacular kind of days, sunshine so bright and magnificent, we were all suddenly young again, rich and full of all the promise we were ever capable of. The sky is big over Chicago. They have these days in the middle of winter.

We’ve been living the city high life for two months, to the day. Along with the stress and work of putting up the installation in madcap weather, we are taking advantage of Chicago's offerings: last night we saw Conor McPherson's Shining City at The Goodman. A few nights ago: a new opera: Osvaldo Golijov's Ainadamar.

Even so, I miss my kitchen, my cat, the earth beneath my feet. It’s spring after all, on the west coast: we’d be putting seeds into small pots, setting them on the windowsill, and watching green, hopeful seedlings poke up through the chocolate soil.

Gord has a cold. His opportunities have multiplied, and daily he’s grateful, especially for the interaction with the people who come in droves to see his artwork.

Sometimes, it’s overwhelming, trying to sort it all out. This week on the Presidents day holiday, I imagined everyone else at home, wearing fuzzy socks, sitting in the sun, drinking home brewed coffee and thinking: nothing.

A redoubled crew is out on the promenade today, putting up new shards, renewing the artwork in anticipation of the weekend crowds.

We had local media again, doing a very short story at dawn. This is Don Schwenneker of WBBM.

Here’s Jill Hurwitz and Marion Meers looking cheerful before the sun came up with producer Harvey Moshman from CBS 2.

Two weeks to go and I'm going to savor every minute. Tim’s parents are here, as are Ari’s. My cousin Julia also visits this weekend. The dinner hosted by the Consul General at the official residency is tonight. Gord just came in the door, for lunch. “People are so kind, “ he said, sinking into the chair in his paint-splatterd hoodie. “They just want to say ‘thank you’ and to shake my hand.”

A childhood acquaintance from New Carlisle has said he can't make it, after all, so that's disappointing. But it’s a good day. The sun is still brilliant, in the way it can be here. The sky, so big.

PHOTO CREDITS TODAY: Dave Frech, Adrian Goldberg, Caitlin Hicks, Lois Roelofs

Artist, audience & The Popsicle

2008-02-11T22:11:00.027-06:00

Early Sunday morning, Jaz took a plane back to the west coast. The weather turned very very cold (2 degrees f), but there were still lots of people at The Popsicle. (Mark Rodda photo below).

And, it didn't stop them from filling Cassidy Theatre at The Cultural Center where Gord gave a talk about the installation. I took notes on a napkin.

Someone asked: "What has surprised you?" and Gord said,"There is no way you can dominate the work, you must have empathy with the process . . .

to watch and watch . . and midwife the work.

"To be out there yesterday, to be present as thousands of people responded to the work was fantastic,

the dazzling quality of some of the pieces as they go through their transformation." (Gary Sinclair photo below)

Usually, artists have openings and they don't get the chance to see people interact with their work.

Here .... what a bonus to hear them, to answer their questions. (K Ardner photo above)

At the end of the day, I received a comment posted on the blog, which I will re-print here: (Lois Roelofs photo above, Colleen Duke, below)

Wow.

Today I was a volunteer tour guide and expected almost no one to be out, given the sub zero temps and the far below zero wind chills. Was I wrong!

There were many enthusiastic people, and I enjoyed sharing what I know about the exhibit with them and discovering anew the beauty in the ice.

Mostly I want to say how much I have come to love the Museum of Modern Ice. I work directly across the street, so I have been able to watch it from the installation forward. I monitor its changes the way I would those of a growing child.

Every time I look, I see more. I feel not only engaged by the ice, I am beginning to feel a bit possessive of it.

Not in a way that I don't want to share it, just in a way that it belongs to me, that I will take the ice with me long after the season has gone. I think I am beginning to prosectively mourn its departure.

Thank you, Mr. Halloran and crew. I have a new appreciation for public art, the beauty of ice and the way this beauty has brought people together.

M. Jackson

Here's Eva Silverman, who has been working very hard coordinating so many events for Musuem of Modern Ice. Today, she introduced Gord to the crowd at Cassidy Theater.

We had supper with Rebeca and Michael Orlove at uncommonground, a community restaurant with fabulous artwork on the walls, a cabaret and wonderful hosts, Michael and Helen! Surprise, surprise!Todd from Hard Rock Hotel (the definition of cool) was there with a friend who owns Jane, another restaurant!

Tomorrow: Pre-dawn interview for CBS-TV. The newest opera: Ainadamar. THANK YOU to all photographers who contributed to today and yesterday's blog! Keep those photos coming!

Weekend on Chase Promenade

2008-02-11T16:02:00.001-06:00

This weekend, it was all about public art.

Thousands of people came through Chase Promenade, hour after hour, curious and animated, looking, questioning, pointing and chatting about the thing they'd come to see: The Popsicle.

The crew was out in force, like an assembly line, doing all the things they do to keep the colors visible: torching, scraping, planing and watering, hauling out new pieces and gluing them to the surface.

Here's Julie McKay, her sisters and mother.

They hail from: Detroit, Grand Rapids and Trevor City, Michigan, as well as Jacksonville, Florida. They read about The Popsicle in a travel section, and decided to make Chicago their destination for their annual family get-together.

The cameras were out in force, here's a smattering I got in five minutes.

My own camera failed me - running out of batteries.

so I asked around: could someone take a photo for me?

It was like fishing for Salmon during the fall spawn going upstream.

I stumbled onto a photo club!

Mark Rodda was kind enough to get these for me, and it just demonstrate that our diversity is our strength.

A friend of the Van de Voorde's in Virginia said hello to Gord while I was back at the room getting my replacement batteries, which also failed ...

So I got this photo from Katie Ardner.

Here's Alberta & Jake Thomas who, after viewing the wall, quoted Deepak Chopra, something like: "without passion, there is no spirituality" ... then went onto link the passionate paintings with a spiritual experience.

On Saturday night The Canadian Consulate hosted a reception at the Chicago Cultural Center. Jim Kvedaras from presenting sponsor CN was there with his daughter -- and lots of fans.

Here's the crew with pals from Millennium Park. It was Jaz's last night in Chicago.

Later today: Through the eyes of other photographers on site during the weekend! Lecture at Cassidy Theatre; Jaz departs for the west coast.

The Chicago Consular Ball at Chicago Hilton Grand Ballroom

2008-02-10T12:20:00.000-06:00

Friday, February 8, 2008

The Chicago Consular Ball.

The annual black-tie formal where Consuls General from countries around the world gather once a year, and dressed in their tuxes and gowns, chat, dine & dance.

This year, we were guests of honor. Here we are with Peggy Parfenoff, International Visitors Center of Chicago and Honorable Georges Rioux, Consul General of Canada.

Where hors d'oeuvres, so luxurious, were reminiscent of our days as filmmakers at the Montreal World Film Festival, the world premiere of our film, "Singing the Bones".

Here's Gord with Tony and Valentine between the shrimp and lobster on ice.

A sort of chime/gong called all to the grand ballroom. Ballerinas danced near tables with glorious centerpieces.

The "Grand March of the Chicago Consular Corps", presented each Consul General to the crowd, under a spotlight.

We all stood and sang the United States national anthem.

Here's Gord with Donna Sadlicka, the soprano who performed with an absolutely unbelievable voice.

At the silent auction, we were out-bid. Canada's contribution was a dinner for four with the Canadian Consul General and . . . "world famous Canadian artist, Mr. Gordon Halloran" -- on Valentine's Day.

On the back cover of the 20-page program it said: Special Guest: Gordon Halloran, Artist. We stood at our table as we were announced.

Zygmunt Matynia, the Consul General of the Republic of Poland and his wife sat on either side at dinner at the huge, round table.

On my right a man named, almost unbelievably -- Carl Swanson. This name is so etched in my psyche -- as Carl Robert Swanson was my mother's first husband, killed in World War II just months before the war ended. I wrote a story about my journey to find his grave. (www.fatsalmon.ca/writing/veterans.htm)

Also at our table (#42) were Joan and Richard Miller, of Evanston, Illinois. Richard ultimately acted as the auctioneer for the larger items: a trip to London, Buenos Aires and Shanghai. Afterwards he asked me to dance.

Gord was thick in conversation with Aldo Castillo, Director of the Aldo Castillo Gallery -- who wants to bring Paintings Below Zero to Brazil.

I danced with Dan Miltner, whose wife, Kerrie McClimen, is Peggy's best friend. How refreshing it was, to be introduced to someone, hearing the words, "She's my best friend."

Mostly I delighted in the costumery of it all.

Below are Kerri McClimen, Peggy Parfenoff (Executive Director of International Visitors Center of Chicago), Rich McMenamin, Mary Sue Barrett, the Honorable Mads Mikkelson, Consul General of Denmark, and Emily Brinkmoeller.

Another couple, also with a name from my past: Bakayoko. Here: Arquilla & Abou. Bakayoko was the name of a diplomat for The Ivory Coast when I visited Geneva, just after graduating from university. My role, at 21 was au pair for his two sons, Franck and Jacob -- neither of whom I have seen since.

We danced.

until the lights came up

and people started taking home the flowers in the center of the tables. Here's Emily again, and her date, Marcelino Garcia, of the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity.

Tomorrow: the weekend with the Popsicle & Bean

The windy city: slush, sleet & rain

2008-02-07T16:55:00.000-06:00

The Caution Falling Ice sign came to life today as I was underfoot when pelted by slushy snow on the way to Intelligentsia. We all scurried, our heads bowed.

This morning, over coffee, we were assaulted by psuedo songs in one key -- loud. The weather is no better. Sleet, snow, rain. Wet & windy. Above freezing. Happily, today was cooler. You can see how the paintings have changed. Our crew is skeleton, but we're back at work.

The word from Colleen Duke: My camera is back at the office as I am planning on periodic photo safaris until the wall is a colorful little puddle on the ground.

This one looks like we’ve landed on the moon.

Here’s Tim, torching past the frost.

Gord threatened to go back to The Fulton today to do more pours. The lacework and color is still quite amazing to see. Jaz took most of these photos.

People are stopping by the wall all day to ask questions, to thank Gord for bringing this colorful, unusual artwork to Chicago. It's not even the weekend - where are they all coming from? It's hard to get the work done with all the questions, but I think the ambassador in him enjoys posing for photos with everyone, or in this case, taking the photographs for them.

Meanwhile, people have been good to us, and we’ve gotten some sleep, so as to be able to appreciate it. Invited to dinner by Peggy Parfenoff of the International Visitor's Center of Chicago, at her in-laws.

Hosted by Michael & Marilyn, we had a lively supper in their playful, colorful, whimsical home, designed by son Eric. Peggy is one of the coordinators of the Consular Ball, a princess in black. She helped me find my dress!

Art Sutherland sent an enormous basket from Bin 36, congratulating us on our achievement. On Feb lst he was stranded in the Cascade mountains of Washington state in this cozy photo.

Noreen Ahmed Ullah had lunch with us today. Great discussions about Islam, Pakistan, Afghanistan.

Meghan Muholland sent us a copy of Spirit (Southwest Airlines in flight magazine), where an article she wrote about Paintings Below Zero appeared this month.

Here’s Gord with Spirit Magazine photographer Phillip Chin, just outside Gord’s studio back in early December. The painting between them is part of Gord's Hung Jury series)

We’re still hearing from fans.

I live in Chicago and last Sunday walked to Millennium Park to see the Paintings Below Zero exhibit. Thought you might enjoy looking at your work as seen through my camera lens on a cold and foggy day. I think this and the ice skating rink are just spectacular! Thanks for doing this in Chicago.Tom Barrat

http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=o3y2cun.1vqdosaf&x=0&y=sb95ph

Paulie said...

"seeing these pics (and i am not an art lover by no means) makes me want to go and see this work of art live and tell all who are like me that there is no shame into liking this"

Tomorrow is the Consular Ball!

Super Tuesday, magniloquent

2008-02-05T17:46:00.000-06:00

“Have fun. Pace yourself. Chicago can be a 24 hour party.”

It’s Super Tuesday. The rest of the country is out voting. Today, I passed a police barricade set up for ‘Obama’s rally.’ We’ll see what happens tonight. Jaz just called: could I come down and take some photos of the installation? They’re torching and spraying - and the paintings are magnificent. Some kind of storm is pelting my window, I hope it's snow.

Let’s just preface today’s blog with one of the recent words from Doctor Dictionary: magniloquent: lofty or grandiose in speech.

First of all, the paintings. You'll see them here in various stages of freezing -- from frosty to glassy. The frosty - suggestive of ice bergs melting into the ocean -- and the glassy = good enough to eat. Remember, temperatures went from very freezing to a balmy 45 degrees, to snow to rain to sleet to slush, and ice responds differently to those conditions.

Overheard at the opening itself, "Where's the artist’s signature? And Adrian Goldberg, who created the lighting, said, “If you’re the only person in the world who’s doing this, there’s no need to sign it.”

Colleen Duke, Academic and Cultural Affairs Officer at the Canadian Consulate woke us up, the morning after: “Well, are you basking in the media’s love affair with Paintings Below Zero?”

“It’s the coolest thing going on in the city,” said Todd Stablein, the Concierge at Hard Rock Hotel (whose favorite band is Poi Dog Pondering). “It’s the most amazing thing to have in your backyard.“ Here’s Todd & Gord with The Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun Times, on Feb 1st, when the full page, full color stories were printed in both papers.

We received congratulatory emails from all over the country: Patrick Firpo in San Francisco, my sisters, Gord’s brothers, even a long lost relative on the McLellan side in Michigan, among others.

“Congratulations. Wow! The wall looks awesome!” Debbie Hicks, Phoenix, Arizona.

“Congrats on a wonderful installation. You have every reason to be proud.” Mary Hicks, San Diego, California

"Congratulations!!!! Your work is beautiful (said warmly from our California home in front of a fire!!!) Hugs!" Bernie Milbury, Chino Hills, California

From New York: “The project looks fantastic. It’s even worth a trip to Chicago BRRRRRR in February.” Marilyn Meyerson.

From J.C. in B.C.: "Hey Gord, Congratulations!!!!!! Looks FANTASTIC!!!" (Photo credits, above: Colleen Duke)

“I am in awe at the depth of mastery going into every segment (of the painting). There are many here watching in complete amazement at how fine this project is.” - Katherine Denham, the dancer who changed River’s life.(see River’s bio on the right for more info on that). (Next 2 photos: Patrick Pyszka).

“Out of this world! A fantastic, colossal job.” Al Burns, Roberts Creek, British Columbia, Canada.

From Chicago: “The city seems to think it can lift our cold, broken spirits by taking the sould-crushing Chicago winter and adding the word “festival”. (The city would be right).“ Emily Withrow (flavorpill.com)

“Please pass my congrats to Gord and Caitlin. This looks absolutely stunning and I wish I could be there. The residents and visitors of Chicago are indeed lucky to have the installation.” Jane Fernyhough, City of Richmond. B.C., Canada.

“It looks fabulous!” Marielle Camozzi, Vancouver (Former intern with PBZ).

Here are a few of the Canadian Women’s Club of Chicago who hosted me at a lunch the day after -- and posed in front of a frosty painting. Photo by Susanna Doolin.

News was that the restaurant on the park was dead-of-winter-quiet -- and after opening, jammed to the rafters, busy, busy, busy. Over 12,000 visitors came to see the site on Saturday and Sunday. Gord didn’t get near it, but Jaz, Ari, and Tim kept it going over the weekend.

We had a delicious lunch at Vong's with River’s parents and his cousin, Jeremy.

We did pizza in the suite for Super Bowl.

We had dinner with Colleen Duke and her chef husband Kieran, an absolutely yummy affair which had us in a real home for a few hours. They brought out their best wines -- including Inniskillin ice wine.

We did a tour of the Chicago Art Institute - what a fabulous collection of impressionistic paintings! And it’s free to the public in February!

We said goodbye to River, and this morning, to Erik.

Last photo: Colleen Duke; all others not credited: Caitlin Hicks

Chicago gets its Popsicle

2008-02-01T16:03:00.000-06:00

January 31, 2008

It looked like an easy finish ahead. At Intelligentsia, only River showed up: the rest were still in bed, recovering from a midnight ‘wrap’ - a film term for ‘it’s time to go home’.

Except (the original) Katie, and Tim. The wall looked beautiful, though still tarped. There was a lot of cleaning up to do.

Gord had decided it was close to done: a few more pieces at the top.

There is a moment when every painting is made, where the artist must stand back and decide: enough.

Enough brush strokes. Enough color. Enough elements. He must give the composition space - so that it has movement and sweep. Gord had arrived at that moment in the morning.

My first glance told me that the ‘painting’ wasn’t yet 12 feet high, if you wanted to be literal about it. And I thought: we promised 12 feet, didn't we? So I told him, ‘maybe you should have a couple pieces at the top.” Me, armchair artist, shotgun-seat driver, the expert, reflecting imagined mainstream concerns.

And he said, “It’s a painting, that’s how it looks. I don’t have to fill up every inch of it to be able to say that the painting is 12 feet tall. I like the space.”

Still, there had been a lot of focus on the numbers, on 'the biggest and best ever'. I wasn’t sure his audience, fed so much about the project through the media, would understand. But I left. My last art class was in high school. Who am I to question a work such as this?

Several hours later I couldn’t reach him. Tim told me Gord was having a time out and his phone was turned off. I knew he was feeling some kind of pressure - this morning he had been so light, so confident.

He arrived back at the suite with maybe an hour left until opening and headed straight for the bath. We dressed, met the crew in the lobby, realizing we had about five minutes to get to the site before the mayor did. We walked the streets together, proud, excited, almost late.

Afterwards, after the speeches and cameras popping,

after the hundreds of people crowded into the tent,

after the walk through visit with the mayor,

after celebratory toasts at Bin 36, I learned in bits and pieces what happened in the afternoon just before opening.

Valentine, who has shepherded us through the entire project, who has shielded us from the issues, while finding solutions to solve them. Who broke her leg last week and who was at work the whole week, because she was needed. Valentine had visited the site, worried that the painting wasn't finished at the top, speaking passionately about her concerns.

One thing I know about Gord, he responds to passion. He loves it, respects it, trusts it. And this process of creating this painting had been made under intense scrutiny - daily interest and much attention from the press. It is a public piece of art. One thing I've heard about Chicago is: they embrace art, and once they do, it's theirs.

The other thing about Gord is -- he goes with what's in front him. What's in front of him has been part of the process of making these paintings from the get-go. He makes it his own, but he says, "Yes" before he considers saying "No" ... and after he says "Yes", he says ... "and?" He asks himself, "What is my opportunity here?"

The wonderful thing is - the 'artist's cut' and 'the final artist's cut' both turned out beautifully, after all.

But not without a bit of tension first.

After Valentine left the site, River, who is King of the Lift, pressed a button he shouldn’t have and the lift, a couple of inches from the wall, crashed into the north end of the painting, shattering a few pieces on both sides in the process. Treasured, saved-until-that-moment pieces, gone in seconds.

It was as if River pressed the gas when he should have pressed brake. It wasn't a huge deal, except that this happened to be the afternoon before opening. The truss structure -- and the wall -- held up well against the impact. Shaken, River descended the lift. Gord turned off his phone and went on a break.

Then it was All Hands On Deck -- as two hours worth of work had been destroyed in those few seconds.

As to the rest of the evening:

The Mayor was eloquent:

speaking about how art brings people together, across race, religion, income level, job, status.

Dot Coyle said things like"a bright spot this winter." Jim Foote, CN's V.P of Marketing for North America,(CN is our presenting sponsor) said the work was"truly breathtaking", and their sponsorship had been an excellent fit for their company.

Gord remembered everyone -- and spoke inspirationally about the work itself. I would have thanked some people by name at The Chicago Cultural Center - but if I had mentioned one name, I know I would have left out another.

We, all of us who worked on or contributed to this project - from the most recent intern (the 3rd Katie) to sponsors to crew to Christine Carrino in Communications -

to Joseph Zambrano in Finance - to Nathan Mason, to Laura Chmielewski, Jason Moy, Lauren Gentile -- to Michael Vasilevich, the Zamboni driver -- there are so many more -- had ownership in what we were celebrating.

It is Gord's art, . . . "and" . . . it was our project.

Each of us contributed a personal best. And last night, we all celebrated what we shared: Our Popsicle. Chicago's Popsicle.

PHOTO CREDITS: Patrick Pyzska, Adrian Goldberg and Caitlin Hicks

Opening day for Chicago's Popsicle

2008-01-31T11:32:00.000-06:00

Cloudy
the sky is grey and white
and cloudy

and we're working in a blizzard to beat the band

Adrenalin rush

2008-01-30T18:54:00.001-06:00

The negative ions are out in full force today with such brilliant sunshine and minus sixteen degree temperature. Glorious, glorious, glorious.

Today, we’re running on adrenalin; everyone’s got lots of energy.

We can see the finish ahead and we’re still in the lead.

At lunch today, River was floating on last night’s blizzard: “That was intensely exciting, “ he enthused, “extreme art”.

Ari, who has been upgraded from being in charge of The Gulag to overseeing details of the rink paintings (with Matt and Katherine) said of the moment when Gord left him to tip the bucket over that huge white surface -

“That moment was like getting the keys to Dad’s car. I’m glad I got good at pouring.”

We’re all buoyed by the weather.

“I was concerned yesterday, when I saw the melty, drippy mess,” Ari said of the moment our visitors chose to view the paintings, “but when we cleaned it up today, it looked great.”

Gord is never anywhere for long enough to get a photo. Today he charged from the rink to the wall, disappearing like Zorro.

Even Patrick Pyszka agreed - you point to shoot and by the time you click, his back is turned or his arms are down, or he’s out of the shot. Here's one I got:

Jaz under the tarp.

Katie considering a green slab.

The press arrived today for the rink painting.

Valentine presided, dressed in that classic red coat and black hat, with her daughter Phoebe escorting. Here’s the contingent from City of Chicago in that brilliant sunshine watching the rink painting and the television cameras.

Usually I walk the block between Randolph and the park down the long corridors of the City of Chicago Cultural Center - it’s warmer than taking the street - and I’ve seen some fine art on the walls of the art gallery there.Today I opened the doors and was greeted with the most beautiful sound: Martha Councell on Flute and Richard Steinbach on piano playing Bach's Sonata in G Major. A concert in progress on the 2nd floor. I had to stop and just listen.

Preparations are going full throttle at the big white tent, getting ready for tomorrow's opening.

Blizzard descends on The Popsicle

2008-01-29T22:36:00.000-06:00

About 6 PM, it finally hit.

With temperatures quickly dropping to -14 celsius, we were back in business. Jaz called, wondering if I would brave the blizzard? The storm was beautiful and the paintings were coming together.

The winds were so strong, gromits in the tarps ripped out. That's River on the lift. Here's Tim, strapping down tarps at 10PM.

Everyone moved quickly, as a team. The paintings were radiant against the white.

Everyone was going to take a break, but it was much later than anyone realized. Standing on the street corner waiting for the light to change, Gord decided to call it off. Enough had been accomplished, and sometimes it's wise to know when nature has the upper hand. Tomorrow, at 7 am.

Storm Watch at The Bean

2008-01-29T13:13:00.000-06:00

Waiting for the cold wind to blow in this “very Vancouver” weather.

It’s 46 degrees and cloudy, with a winter storm warning for 3 pm this afternoon.

We’re probably the only people in Chicago who want the temperature to dip.

Yesterday the winds rocked the Hard Rock Hotel, I could hear and feel their strong gusts shaking the building.

When I looked outside: it was unbelievable that snow had morphed into rain so quickly. This morning the ice shards in the river had disappeared. The streets are wet, instead of white.

At the ice rink it was so balmy, the crew worked in sweatshirts, no scarves.

Here's an NPR reporter, collecting sounds as we begin the yellow paintings on the rink. You can just see how warm it is. The ice is wet; we wait for it to freeze.

At 3PM, we’re expecting visitors to review the artwork-in-progress. The crew opens the tarps as rain hails down on us.

We’ve had a day and a half delay in the installation of the paintings because of the weather, and frost has built up on the outside of the work.

But it’s all about the here and now, the icebergs crashing into the sea, the strange, inclement weather which is global warming and the difference of one degree.

So we’re going with it, and we’ll see which way the wind blows.

Our original meeting place for Docent training outside at The Wall was switched to indoors due to storm warning. That's wind filling the sails of the orange tarp.

The crew is rested with a few days of warm weather -- and now we’ll be doing some very late nights into the darkness, just to get this baby done! Patrick Pyszka took a bunch of these photos.

Here are my favorite moments from today:

The weekend: weather, exhaustion

2008-01-27T21:09:00.000-06:00

In Chicago there's a saying: if you don't like the weather, just wait: it will change. On the sidewalks, the Caution Falling Ice signs have been put out again, even as the air is softer. The crew is finally going to get R & R, come Monday morning, because it will be too warm to install the ice. Although we're four days from opening, everyone needs the break.

Nancy Barber arrived last night from Toronto, and we talked for hours, (docents, meetings, contacts). Gord finally walked in the door after nine thirty. Exhausted. His right eye, bright red bloodshot.

After a quick meal and a hot bath, he crawls into bed, huddling under the covers. And he wakes at dawn, unable to turn it off. River has his own story of fatigue: every night when he returns, just steps from the revolving door at The Hard Rock, he forgets that there is this ridge in the sidewalk and even though he's tripped on it before, and he trips on it again, catching himself before he falls. Today at breakfast, he laughed about it.

Ari claims to have gone postal Friday night, after so many overtime days at The Fulton, wrapping in the frigid dark there. Jaz keeps asking what the schedule? Everyone is just about maxed out, but a lot of work seems to get done after dark.

Tim is holding up well; rumor is that he has a Chicago girlfriend, but he won’t confirm. Today, Sunday, the call time was optional: 10:30 at Fox and Obel for omlettes. Gord’s picture was on the top right hand corner of The Chiago Tribune (The Iceman Cometh) and two articles about the project were inside -- one was a full page with color illustrations. It was a glorious day, much warmer.

Even the ice was breaking up in the river under Michigan Avenue, and Gord couldn’t get enough of it: a dusting of white snow sitting atop the shards; the melting around the edges, the darkness of the river.

At Millennium Park, the people of Chicago came out to skate, to stroll, to take pictures in front of the bean. You'd think it was the first day of spring.

A large contingent of docents and volunteers gathered around the wall for instruction, but at that time, the work had stopped, waiting for the temperature to go down again.

Because of the warm weather, the entire wall had been draped in blue and orange tarps - River had to peel it back to they could get a glimpse. Here they all are, waiting for our presentation, organized by Rose Di Pietro. Here’s Rose.

The warmth in the air is a physical relief for everyone, but it slows down install of the paintings. When the air is warmer than freezing, the ice can get soft between the freezer truck and the wall - as it gets shaped and cut. Once up on the wall, the plates freeze the paintings hard again. Gord says we lost a couple of hours Saturday, but there was nothing to be done: the tarps had to be lowered.

Today, everyone worked under the blue tarp on the back wall. Yesterday I bought dinner for Spence, the man who opens the interior door for guests at BACI. We high fived, because for some reason, he can’t talk.

Tonight after 9:30, we’re gathering in the suite for pizza. It’s already 10:20 and I haven’t heard a word from anyone. Photos today: opening photo: Friendly Joe; the bean & the wall: Patrick Pyszka; photo of Jaz & River on their backs: Art Sutherland.

Bobby Hull, The Gulag, Day #5 install

2008-01-25T15:05:00.000-06:00

January 25, 2008

It's Friday, and between fahrenheit and celsius, there's only one way to know how frigid it really is: how fast your fingers freeze, and beyond that, how quickly they thaw. Happily, we're on a mission and it gets more exciting every day. Art emailed with a photo he'd captured before he left: The Hard Rock & Museum of Modern Ice banners. You can see the windows of our suite, second row from the top.

The painting goes up slab by shard. Mr. Tambourine Man plays on the ice rink behind the bean. The music comes up & over the square, landing in our laps, whether we want to sing along or not. The sound of the skil saw is the only thing loud enough to cut through it.

The crew misses the radiator at The Fulton, as when gloves get wet, now there's no place to warm them.

The work is hard, but life is good. The people we meet, intelligent, fun, interesting. Chicago hospitality.

Everyone: reporters, photographers, staff at Chicago Cultural Center, people behind the desk at The Hard Rock, Intelligentsia baristas, the chef who makes my egg white omelet, even the guy on the street acknowledges me as I pass.

Here's Susie An, with Chicago Public Radio in a photo shot by a guy named Joe Friendly. Joe's doing a still-photo doc report on Gord's work at Millennium Park. You can see more of his stuff at www.flickr.com/photos/friendlyjoe

Here's Danielle Dai, a student at University of Chicago who is interested in making a documentary of Paintings Below Zero at Millennium Park.

Yesterday, this really great gal, Jody Oshita-Bajor hosted us on behalf of NBC at a Blackhawks game. (She's on the right).

I told Brooke way back about Gord's link with the team. The obvious promotional connection - hockey rinks and Gord's inspiration for frozen paintings. More personal: Gord's father(Marty Halloran) was a softball hero of the famous Blackhawks player Bobby Hull. One day in the peak of Bobby Hull's career, he sees Marty back in Ontario and runs after him saying, "Remember me, Marty? I was your bat boy." Bobby's brother, Dennis worked for Marty at Halloran Motors in Niagara Falls, alongside Gord, when they both were young. Marty died a couple years ago, but Bobby could still be out there, still playing hockey with an old timers team, perhaps, and Gord would really like to get on the ice with him. A gesture for his dad, perhaps? A tribute to a great hockey player? Gord is still a pretty nifty stick handler, for an artist, and I think he would just be honored and thrilled. And, he'd have a story to take back - to his team, The Rusty Cranks.

Anyway, someone knew someone and the next thing you know, we're handing in our tickets to watch the game in The Blackhawk's suite; we're listening to the national anthem on super loud speakers; we're watching the players move like stink around that rink and Gord's got a Blackhawks sweater -- his name, correctly spelled, on the back.

Here we are, just before the cameras zero in on us. This after a 30 second spot, advertising Paintings Below Zero on the Jumbo Tron. That's Dillon on the left, the kid who's been playing hockey for as long as I have, and who loves it just as much. And there's Sarah Best (on the right), who is in charge of the website for Chicago Cultural Center. She and Karen Ryan, were our escorts from the city.

I remembered last year, when we were guests of Eric & Vizma Sprott at a Toronto Maple Leafs game - against our home team, the Canuks. Who cares who won? It's the people -- their generosity and goodwill -- whose memory stays long after the score is forgotten.

Today at the Gulag, Ari and a small crew huddled around the radiator in the warm room as Friendly Joe and I came upon them.

Ari was tired but smiled bravely; he's holding down the fort over there with a skeleton crew of interns, Katie (#2) and Katherine (in the photo) plus a couple others, making ready the pieces Gord wants to mount on the wall back at the park.

The photo here was one of Joe's taken today; kudos.

Meetings and interviews, phone calls with press. Gord spent both of his 'breaks' on the phone. It was so cold, they left the site and went into the warm when they had to - when it was just too bone chilling to go on. It was almost time to go home when I learned that the blue jackets from the City of Chicago arrived - in two huge boxes. So, doncha know, Leo Rodriguez, here he is, got a dolly and walked them back to the Hard Rock with me. And then I find out he was one of those guys helping Ari pack the ice at The Fulton. Have a look at that photo again, he's there, helping out.

At dusk, a thinned crew was still at it. (The rest had been sent back to The Gulag, to wrap and break and sort and send). I couldn't stop singing Jeremiah was a bullfrog. . . because that's what was coming through the loudspeakers, as skaters went round and round that little rink below The Bean.

Okay, one more indulgence: here's a photo of the wall going up -- sans paintings - which Art took. Look at this magnificent thing.

Paintings go up, Day #4

2008-01-24T16:16:00.000-06:00

January 24, 2008, Thursday

Tonight we go to the Blackhawks game, as guests!

Paintings go up, Day #3

2008-01-24T09:50:00.001-06:00

Wednesday, January 24, 2008

Noontime interview on CBC with Jian Ghomeshi. Gord's hands are freezing.

Our Wednesday meeting with City of Chicago; all the details for the next week: the rink painting, power to the site, budgets. Laura Chmielewski presides, "How can we help?" Tickets to Blackhawks. They're all so great..

Here's Lauren Gentile, who coordinates graphics & design for The Office of Tourism, including Museum of Modern Ice. Today they all presented us Chicago magazine with a huge fold-out insert.

A glorious day in the park.

Interview at 4:30.

Work until well after dark. Gord keeps trying to get away from it, but his mind won't stop.

Paintings Below Zero - Install, Day 2

2008-01-23T10:16:00.000-06:00

January 23, 2008

Snow, that magical, white stuff which makes beauty out of anything, covers the city streets today.

Everyone is out with their shovels. A first section of paintings adhering to the wall is marvelous. Once up, they tarp everything, lest the secret be spoiled.

Two crews - one at The Fulton wrapping & packing shards, one at Millennium Park. Cold gloves.

Press photos. Unwrapping reds in the midst of a yellow & orange day.

Power flickers off. Work stops. Sue Lyn Erbeck sends me a photo of the river under Michigan Avenue. "Doesn't just scream Paintings Below Zero?" she says. She snapped it on the way to the site -- looking for more for 'stuff' for the upcoming article in the Chicago Tribune. When she got there, no one was there.

At dusk, work gets going again. Art leaves tomorrow.

Here's Art, making sure the pipes, which carry glycol, are hooked up properly.

I received an iceberg via email from my brother Andrew today. They all live in California, and this is the exotic life here, with snow everyday. I could probably have a vacation on the time I spend dressing and undressing for this weather.

I bought a gown for the Consular Ball. (!!!!)

Ice paintings go up on popsicle wall

2008-01-21T22:03:00.001-06:00

Monday morning. January 21st. 2008

Before dawn. The streets, chalk white cold, are still empty. A light shines in the darkness against the building and I can see snow flurries sparkle in their billowy dance. Since Friday, the Dow has crashed 400 points; Hillary Clinton won in Nevada and John McCain in South Carolina. My sister sent me a photo with a blue scarf I bought for her from Italy when we were there in 2006 for the Olympics. (www.paintingsbelowzero.blogspot.com)

On Saturday night, Ari & Matt drove to Michigan to watch 300 Christmas trees burn in an open field; Jaz and River explored The Navy Pier. There was a dance organized by Katie in a wonderful warehouse with high ceilings. On Sunday, along with an assortment of Chicagoans of every level of income, I went shopping. I'm looking for a fancy dress to wear for the Consular Ball in February.

\

Today we wake early for a radio interview at WGN with Spike O’Dell. Brooke escorts us into the Tribune Building where we listen to Gord’s short chat during drive time. It's Martin Luther King, Jr. day.

Here's Spike and Gord, a couple of Irish guys, jovial and the center of attention after having spun a yarn.

At Intelligentsia, Gord asks for everyone’s attention. “We’re really pushing for the next four or five days, so we can get ahead and be able to do some nice work at the end.” Today the first paintings go up on the huge wall.

Next week is the stretch before the opening. I know they’re all hoping to be able to take Sunday off.

More press arrangements for interviews in the park. At the drawing board, Gord announces, “I’ve got to go to The Fulton, to pick out some pieces and make sure they get on the pallet for tomorrow.”

Christine escorts another reporter to The Fulton. Gord’s withdrawn, concentrating, preoccupied with the challenges at hand: getting paintings up on the wall; which ones where? How to cut them? How well are they adhering? What's our process at this venue, with these particular conditions? Christine graciously re-schedules an eleven o’clock press meeting for one.

The sun beats down on the corner where the first yellow shard is set. Gord doesn’t like to tip his hand until he’s solved what’s in front of him. And yet. He’s under a microscope. Still, he smiles when he sees Noreen, who visits the site with her photographer, Chris Walker.

Afterwards, a crew meeting at BACI: a re-focus for the team. Instead of a symphony, I’m now thinking of a hockey game, and he’s the coach, firing up the players for a long, difficult stretch.

Everyone goes about their business. River, our resident stoneworker, says the ice cuts like butter with a skil saw. We sort through our collective memory re: proven ways to pour water -- the glue on the back of the paintings. Tim's going to get a turkey baster. A couple of lucky photographers in the right place at the right time - get shots as the first shards go up.

Suddenly the day is over. It’s nine o’clock at night. Dark outside, snowing huge flakes, a wet snow: it's warmer. I hear Gord's key in the door. He’s exhausted, “I got nothin’!” he says, but I do learn: a fuse blew, and the site was without power for several hours. But because the electricians (who were home for the holiday) had locked down the power, there was not even such a simple option as to flip a switch back on. So they lost a bit of time while Tim rented a generator. Now, they’re back in business, with an alternate power source. Nerve-wracking as it is, it’s good to have these things happen early. I can't wait to see what they've put up today!

Dear Chicago on a cold day

2008-01-19T11:02:00.001-06:00

Friday, January 18, 2008

The sun fills the blue sky with extraordinary light. It's a spectacular day. World-at-your feet kind of excitement. The energetic magic you knew when your grandparents were the only people in your world who were old, and the universe held only promise: of romance, adventure and discovery.

Dear Chicago,

Held breath in frozen air
lights over your head
Beautiful with drops of air
As neighbor
Love point

This morning, the world has somehow remade itself into perfection, and nowhere is it more glorious than Millennium Park. Well, in Chicago nowhere more glorious. On the streets, not a single person is idly touring - with the cold freezing nose hairs on the intake and gloved fingertips after two minutes.

At Intelligentsia, the music thumps wildly out of control as Gord orders his black coffee. Tim comes in with a box of bolts. Gord announces the business of the day: some paintings to crack open at The Fulton (and I add, the daily press interview, this time someone from as far away as Wisconsin). The Dear Chicago poem is by Jesse Crouse, Intelligentsia crew and a poetry major at Columbia College.

RIVER arrived yesterday, and talk among the twenty-something crew was that it's good to have a ‘more mature’ guy on crew (i.e. someone hip enough to be considered one of them, but exhuding responsible vibes).

Now Gord and Ari are trying to ‘find” (in the computer) the paintings which have been catalogued and photographed. Gord’s got to pull it together soon – all those shards into a comprehensive painting – and a plan for how it will be assembled. He’s been mulling this one over for weeks, like he does. Meanwhile the plates are being hooked up, and there's pressure to stay on schedule.

There are some complications on the horizon. Extreme, bitter weather is forecast for the weekend. (-16 f). When it gets that cold, the plates won't turn on. Monday is a holiday, Martin Luther King, Jr. day, which could mean that someone key - an engineer for instance, could be home, when we need them on site. Gord announces that we’re moving a pallet of paintings today, just to see how it goes, the freezer truck is working; we’ve got our full crew.

Art Sutherland estimates that the hoses will be hooked up by end of day. Art is Mr. Refrigeration; his comnpany, Accent Refrigeration bought us the wardrobe of embroidered black navy wool shirts and jackets which everyone wears, everyday. He's been with Paintings Below Zero since before Italy.

Here's the wall, with today's work: needing hose hook ups.

We should be able to fire up the plates – have the whole system cranked-- by tomorrow. By the weekend, spraying flood on the wall as soon as a section is cold.

Erik shows us photos he’s copied from the internet – paintings by Morris Lewis and Matisse, shapes and colors which remind everyone of the work we’re steeped in. Now we’re talking about the rink paintings.

Jaz and Ari are skedded to give a presentation for Little Village high school at The Cultural Center, coordinated by Lauren Rosenberg and Claire Geall Sutton. Followed by a tour of the installation-in-progress. We get up to go. The band scatters.

Later, after Jaz and Ari’s presentation, we tour the site, Gord taking photos of the plates.

The crew is boisterous after lunch.

Gord keeps his distance, seriously into his pensive, tackle-it state, he seems weighed down. I’m guessing it hasn’t broken open for him yet to that place where inspiration sails up and over all other paltry ideas, with confidence that This Idea Is The Best!

Back at the hotel, over huge drawings and notes, after days of sorting through photographs, he cries out. Something like, ‘I’ve got it’. "You have to go with what's in front of you," he says, reminding himself. "Basic things keep re-appearing, you have to be open."

He shows me, explains how it will all work, and he's excited. I can only imagine some of the paintings he’s created – I’ve only been to The Fulton when the press wanted to document, and yet I’m feeling elated, like the day, imagining his plan. It makes me think of the musicians – sitting at their desktops, listening to notes they hear in their minds and writing them down – knowing how the music will unfold once put to an instrument. And I think: it's going to be a symphony of paintings. Once, when facing the impossibility of choices made in our lives he said, if he had to do it over, he'd have been a conductor.

David Shannon, of CBC radio calls at 4. Later, the crew shows up at Vong's our latest favorite place.

And they're exuberant at their accomplishments today: the hoses are hooked up; three pallets of ice were transported in the truck and not a single shard cracked over all those potholes and bumps. Tim drove the reefer truck, Ari performed his own voodoo, reminding the pieces in the back of the truck how content they were being whole.

The wall goes up, life goes on

2008-01-16T16:30:00.001-06:00

January 16, 2008

Yesterday we heard the news that JC’s brother had died in the night. David had been ill, and he died peacefully surrounded by his beloved. Today, JC flew back to Canada, five days early, to be at the family gathering celebrating the life of his brother. To share those powerful moments when the window between life and death is open -- the grief moments, profound, when we are at our most vulnerable.

Here’s JC, next to Gord, surrounded by the crew the night before.

Life is indifferent, it just keeps right on going.

This morning, I was up early enough to see sun on the horizon and white on the rooftops. A brilliantly sunny day. So many things. The wall goes up. A meeting at l. Writing, editing, sorting out schedules. Press. Emails. George Rioux, Consul General of Canada in Chicago, visits the Fulton today. Here they both are in that cold, grey place; Gord gets so excited about the paintings whenever he has the chance to show them to someone new.

Our Intelligentsia meeting this morning is full of ‘real’ things, physical things, to do with the plates, the glycol, the power to the site in the park, the truss, compressor, wires, bolts, refrigeration. The weight of it is sometimes daunting: it’s best not to think about it all at once.

In progress, so much bigger than I had imagined.

Ari, who is already Sultan of Wrap at The Fulton, is now going to outreach to the interns crew. He’s had personnel experience with Public Dreams in Vancouver. Here he is, making sure the pallets which hold the paintings are catalogued, wrapped and arranged for easy accessibility. This is a big job.

Yesterday I dropped off some of Gord’s sketches for scanning at The Chicago Tribune. The marble walls in the entry corridors (The Hall of Inscriptions) at the Tribune are etched with sayings about freedom of speech.

Famous people, Patrick Henry, Voltaire, Benjamin Franklin, Abraham Lincoln, playwright Arthur Miller and former Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. Their lofty inspirational quotes reminding every successive generation of writers to consider how important an independent press, is.

The newsroom reminded me of my days as feature editor of the Los Angeles Loyolan, my first summer job out of college as a writer at The Los Angeles Times, and KCBS NewsRadio in San Francisco. The atmosphere - of writing, deadlines, the imminent knowledge that what you put together will be published or broadcast and become part of the culture -- made me think maybe I shouldn't have been distracted by theatre.

But there's a lure to theatre, and I do not regret our accomplishments there. At 5:30 we were hosted at a reception for The Shaw Festival’s production of St. Joan, which was well received in the press. Here's Gord, with a bit of energy, relaxed with Valentine, Georges Rioux and his wife, Sharon Gray -- in what feels like a world away from Paintings Below Zero.

Truss and Bean at Millennium Park

2008-01-15T12:04:00.000-06:00

Monday, January 14, 2008

Our #2 crew: Tim, JC and Art have been re-configuring the plates into the wall shape.

On site at Millennium, the truss goes up. A stunning sunny day. Cold with a wind off the lake. Here's Lucas and that hat, next to the tent with a stack of plates.

On Saturday the Hasak's took us out to dinner at the Metropolitan Club in The Sears Tower. We had to go through sensors, like at the airport, but once up 66 floors in the elevator, and looking out the window on the city below, it felt like we were in an airplane. We lingered, the last guests in the restaurant, as they told us their stories, of adventure and espionage, of history and family, of generations.

Here's how it happened: The Mayor's visit

2008-01-13T14:50:00.000-06:00

Friday morning 10:30 AM. Fulton Market.

There’s an eerie silence in anticipation of the mayor.

In the cold room, Patrick Pyszka snaps away: the workshop is absolutely radiant. The crew wraps ice shards in the corner, as if today was just another day.

Gord and Erik cut some pieces

and sweep the dust away. It’s so quiet, it’s almost as if you can hear your breath come out in the cold air.

In the warm room, Ari has cleaned up the buckets and tidied as much as that is possible at The Fulton. A muffled sound on the radio. The bang of the roving forklifts and the slam of the elevator doors roar on around us like a huge thunderstorm, oddly punctuated by beep, beep, beeps. We’re strangely alone here.

By this time, Christine has arrived as the front person for the City of Chicago contingent. Two figures emerge from the elevator, right out of an Al Capone movie: broad shouldered, stocky men with thick necks and sleek camel coats. Manicured, looking straight ahead; plastic squiggly attached to an ear plug. Security. Both stride confidently into the cold room, accompanied by a representative from The Fulton. I hear their shiny shoes squeak across the cement floor, feeling as if I’ve accidentally come across a scene I shouldn’t be witnessing; I’m quite sure neither of them smile. They glance around: a proverbial ‘once over’ and leave the way they came.

Valentine emerges from somewhere in a red coat and a black winter hat, looking stylish and warm at the same time: a combination I thought was impossible under the circumstances. Others from the City of Chicago Cultural office (Kimberly, Brooke, Karen & Christine) gather in their designated place near the door as the press set up their cameras in the center of the room.

Gord and I stand at the door inside the workshop space; waiting. We were to be introduced first by Dot Coyle. I hear footsteps. I think Nathan is the first leading the pack. Then the mayor, in step with his photographer, a light beaming the way, and Alderman Burnett. The fedora tips me off: everyone told me he would be wearing it. This is Erik Olson's photo:

Dot is somewhere in the darkness behind him, and he walks right up to us, so I extend my red glove out to him, “I’m Caitlin Hicks, the aritst’s wife, and this is Gord Halloran.” The mayor shakes my hand and then Gord’s. Away they go. I've got my little camera:

Even so, it seems still in the room, so many witnesses to something only a few people pressed closely, can hear or see. Nehemiah, Amit’s father, sees Valentine in her stylish red coat and, while the cameras are focussed on the mayor, the alderman and the artist,

he invites Valentine to dinner -- as we're all skedded to meet at 6 at Greek Islands. Nehemiah is determined, so Valentine considers, and says yes.

At the end, after Gord takes him through the work, (Pyszka photo)

after a reporter tries to get him to answer a political question, after Jaz is introduced,

and walking out of the cold room, one of the drivers of the fork lifts stops the mayor and asks for a picture with the mayor.

And then it all breaks open, spontaneous laughter and relieved conversation all around as the cameras pop and snap. Our crew poses for photographs, too. Katie says something, she’s a bold gal. They have an exchange to which everyone laughs.

We all walked together back towards the elevator, and Gord led him into the warm room, where somehow we started talking about guns. The buy back program which the mayor had instigated a few years ago. How they all get melted and they’re just pieces of steel. I’m not a Chicagoan, nor a member of the gun club, this idea seemed good to me. “You’re the opposite of Al Capone,” I said, “melting guns instead of using them.” Ironically, in his fedora, he could have been from Central Casting.

Finally he was safely back in the elevator with Amit and Nehemiah. We said our good bye’s and thanks you’s, and I remembered: invite the mayor to the opening of Paintings Below Zero -- on January 31st. I put my red thumb up and said, “See you at the opening.”

Then, we turned towards another room, where the cameras set up again for an interview with the artist.

Afterwards, lunch.

(Patrick Pyszka photo)

An email from Brooke: look for coverage of Paintings Below Zero/Museum of Modern Ice “on NBC, FOX, WGN, CLTV, CBS tonight. A FOX feature will run at 9 pm tonight with Amy Freeze and a CBS feature with Vince Gerasole will run at 6 pm. A far as the other stations go, expect to see coverage on the news at some point tonight and/or tomorrow morning.”

Supper at Greek Islands, guests of Nehemiah and Amit Hasak.

For more photos of the installation-in-progress, go to:
http://www.museumofmodernice.com/aboutArtist/

Chicago Mayor visits Paintings Below Zero

2008-01-11T17:18:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow: The Mayor

2008-01-11T09:00:00.000-06:00

Friday, January 11th, 4:37 AM

From high above the pavement: a few wandering taxis and a host of empty lights against a grey sky all around. Another night of non-stop thinking; we both thrashed in the soft sheets, our heads filled with the colorful images of the day, tomorrow's promises.

Tim says he’s been lying wide-eyed, too. I’m in the living room of our suite, much too wired to nod off. Thankfully Gord lies sleeping. The Mayor visits Paintings Below Zero today, at 11:30 AM.

My sister in law wrote me a note yesterday, excited about all the press we’ve been getting. “Nicely done!” she said, “Is that Jaz we saw in the ABC piece? Where are you in this? Does this mean you have hit the "big time"? “

“Dear Debbie: Yes, this is definitely the big time.”

We try not to think about it, just to keep our eyes on the work at hand. J.C. arrived last night, and we greeted him hello at our morning coffee stop. J.C. has worked with us since Italy. He's totally committed, Gets It Done, and we were glad to see him.

He and Tim worked all day today at the Public Art Warehouse, re-configuring the plates.

Meanwhile, back at The Fulton: a contingent of people from the City of Chicago gather in the warm streets outside, waiting for the Mayor’s advance staff to arrive for a once-over. They devise the plan for his visit, which has been confirmed for Friday morning: how the Mayor, his photographers and media will walk through the building, what’s the best route? Can we turn off that banging noise when the tv interviews take place? Everyone’s in on this.

Amidst the brouhaha, the paintings go on. They're glorious today.

Then: Chon, the videographer from "Chicago Works" shows up to get some b-roll, and we break for lunch at Le Peep. Today we induct our waitress into our crew, as an honorable member.

And back to The Fulton to meet with Pam Grimes from WLS, a ‘super station’ - she’s working on a multi-part feature which would tell the story of the making of the paintings all the way through opening. It will be broadcast in Canada, she said as well as across the U.S. Here we are outside The Fulton with her cameraman, Mike D'Angelo.

We spend five hours at the market in and out of the cold room, taking breaks when necessary; (hovering pathetically around the bumpy radiator for the most wonderful flush of warmth). Pam follows Gord as he pours color solution into forms, full of a multitude of brightly colored shards. She interviews Jaz, and even Eric. Keith Klaxton and Sue-Lyn Erbeck from the Chicago Tribune watch the proceedings for a few hours; getting more information for their upcoming article.

I have the best-ever time with Brooke, basking in the grace of her generous personality and sound of her voice. We are both trying to refine a protocol for the press which makes sense both to everyone’s schedule and to Gord’s ability to work so many hours in the cold and still be fresh and available for interviews.

There is so much interest from the press, that each well-intentioned and planned five minute interview morphs into ten minutes, then fifteen, sometimes forty. Three hours yesterday, five hours today. The visits have been unexpectedly long; but it's a good thing if Gord can handle it, as it seems each reporter or camera person gets lured into the story, the beauty, the excitement of this project. Here's another Patrick Pszyka photo, below.

Finally after 4 we are released. After squash at 6, dinner with Colleen Duke and her husband, Kieran, at 8. Colleen is the Academic and Cultural Affairs Officer at the Canadian Consulate in Chicago and we’ve been corresponding via email ever since the blog went up, even though her offices are literally across the street. We have several things to organize in the next month but our schedule is so full. There was this gap today, after everything.

Here we are, at a new Italian restaurant, Marcello, very close to the L, where we dined late into the evening, our speech peppered with remembered words from our stint in Italy, “prego”, “Cin Cin”, and “Panna cotta”. More on that, see our Italy blog: (http://www.paintingsbelowzero.blogspot.com)

Colleen said, “I’ve lived in this city for twenty something years, and I’ve never been so excited about February in Chicago.” She was, of course, referring to Paintings Below Zero at Millennium Park.

In a few hours: Mayor Daley visits Paintings Below Zero at The Fulton.

Paintings Below Zero Press Week

2008-01-10T09:28:00.000-06:00

January 9, 2008

It feels like our last week at The Fulton as Friday, the plates are scheduled to be packed out for re-configuration at the Public Art Warehouse. We noticed street banners along Michigan Avenue this morning! The weather, which has been warm, is a bit cooler today. And of course, there's the political buzz from the primaries. This gem of a photo was taken by Patrick Pyszka.(You can see more of his photos on the City of Chicago website: http://www.museumofmodernice.com/photoGallery/) Here's another:

Frank Mathie from WLS Chicago ABC arrived this morning, just after a huge painting was separated from its giant cookie sheet in the workshop at The Fulton. But once the camera crew got inside the cold room, we saw three or four multi dimensional, multi colored paintings, and all sorts of activity.

A beautiful surprise. The pallets and paintings looked a bit like a jigsaw puzzle across the frozen floor.

The noise level was chaotic while Erik and Tim began sawing through the ice pieces.

Here’s Matt wrapping.

Ari and Katie moved huge pieces.

Everything was in motion, a flow of color. My camera kept blinking red -- too cold. The broadcast on ABC aired at 5pm. Check it out online.
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=5880775

Lunch, a first for the crew at “Le Peep”. At 1, Tim and I met staff at The Chicago Cultural Center for a meeting about all the ‘what if’s of the next few weeks: what’s involved in the move to Millennium Park; how’s the truss system going to work? When are the docents being trained? Are lights going to unveil the painting? Can people touch the work? How is the rink painting going to be made with daily skaters? We all agreed on one thing: “until this piece is up” not every detail will be known.

Meanwhile, two reporters from The Chicago Tribune came to the suite to find out more about Gord's process for producing these works, for a large feature later on in the month. Here’s Keith Klaxton, Sue-Lyn Erbeck, Gord and Christine Carrino at the hotel.

Modern Ice press week, day one

2008-01-09T09:28:00.000-06:00

Tuesday, January 8, 2007

From my window I can see the tops of two skyscrapers rise into the clouds. And while it’s not exactly a ‘view’ of the lake, there are visible corridors of water beyond the buildings.

We moved rooms. James Dannecker, Night Manager at Hard Rock, gave us the penthouse, a complete apartment, weirdly without a kitchen, but a stunning city view on three sides. Here’s James in our Van Morrison suite. (A perfectly good suite! There was a noise, Gord couldn't sleep).

We’re up high, on David Bowie’s floor, along with other like buildings and I can see a man on his phone in a corner office, his hand on his waist, locked in conversation. It’s dusk, after a full day, and most people have gone home. It was midnight by the time our stuff was transferred to the new suite. We stood at the huge windows, the night city at our feet, watching lightning storm through the heavens, and rain fall in millions of drops down, down, down to the sidewalk below.

Up way too early. Three hours today at The Fulton Cold Storage with two television crews: one from the City of Chicago, a show called “Chicago Works” with Katie Kijowski. (She’s an excellent listener with very good questions).

Here she is with her cameraman. (she later thanked me for recommending they do their interview in the warm room). After their interview, another crew, this time from Fox News had arrived in the cold room.

So then that interview ensued with Amy Frieze. By the time they had each gotten extra footage where the crew was making pallets and working with colorful shards,

by the time we wound our way through the maze of rooms at The Fulton, dodging swerving fork lifts, down the famous red staircase, it was already 3:15.

Here’s Amy Frieze and Gord in the warm room, and by contrast Brooke and Amy surrounded by Paintings Below Zero in the you-can-see-your-breath room.

J.C. and Erik Olson are due tomorrow, but Gord calls me at the club to say that Erik’s already arrived. Erik's been with us since the 2006 Olympic Winter Games, when Gord represented Canada at the Cultural Olympiad with Paintings Below Zero.

Erik, Jaz’s buddy from Emily Carr College of Art and Design, where they both went to art school. Erik, who baptized Gord as “The Don”. World traveler, artist in his own right, a wicked sense of humor, easygoing. I cut my workout short, glad to see this young man, who has become our friend over the years we’ve been working together.

Wednesday morning at Intelligentsia, the reunion.

Today, J.C. should be here. He was our Main Man last year, (also shared our adventure in Italy) and we're looking forward to his super competent work with the plate set up -- is it already time for the plates? They go out on Friday.

Weekend in Chicago

2008-01-07T10:59:00.000-06:00

January 6, 2008

A day off. Finally at dusk, we make a break for it.

A joy to be outside in the open air at Millennium Park.

Wet ice below the blades. A sense of community with everyone out to skate in the unseasonably warm weather.

Later, we meet Jimmy Willis @ Gord's favorite restaurant.

The difference of one

2008-01-05T17:45:00.001-06:00

Saturday, January 5, 2007

It’s practically balmy out today, (6 c) and as winter storms pummel the west coast, things in Chicago are heating up.

Yesterday, there was a feature in the Sun Times. (http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/725685,CST-NWS-ice04.article)

Then, a reporter from NPR talked to Gord for 45 minutes in the cold room, following the crew around, recording sounds of the making of the paintings for a radio broadcast.

Christine Carrino is doing a fabulous job on Press. She has others helping her, but she and I have gotten to know each other in the past weeks, darting around corners at The Fulton with photographers and reporters in tow, dodging fork lifts and sharing taxis and the radiator in the warm room.

Here she is on the left with Brooke Vane her co-worker, a smart gal from Tennessee with a lovely accent.

Next week, they’re going to invite the tv stations to have a go at the painting making at The Fulton. WLS-TV ABC 7 mentioned the us in a recent news cast, as well as WBBM-AM radio. The Los Angeles Times, and The Contra Costa Times (in the San Francisco Bay area) will feature Paintings Below Zero in their Sunday travel sections.The AP story has appeared across the country and the excitement is growing.

Friday, breakfast at BACI. Today's new interns are learning how the ice will pack on the pallet in preparation for shipping it to the park.

Not a day goes by when Gord and the crew don’t discover some nuance in the process which makes the ice more intricate or layered. Something which streamlines the routine.

A variation on the temperature, a change in the sequence of freezing and warming. Different ways of mixing the paint, different times at different temperatures. A change in when to add the paint to the ice. The cold room is fabulous, from all accounts. No sun, it’s big, and there’s lots of space. No frost build up, just an eerie silence and all those breath clouds.

Lately, its wrap, wrap, wrap. Here’s Ari & Katie.

Jaz took these photos of today's work.

Ari says “it’s getting neon” in the cold room, with purple and green, although Gord reminds us, not in the same tray. Here's the crew, warming at the radiator.

Friday we met with Bridget Basta from the Museum of Science and Industry and Lauren Rosenberg, Programming Coordinator at Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs.

To brainstorm: for activities for kids at the museum which tie-in with the science of the work we are doing. Did you know that hot water freezes faster than cold water? Gord said yes, we could collect the small ice shards for the kids. In Italy, it was a hit.

We talked about the difference of one degree.

This morning Ari pointed out his favorite tower in the fog and I saw us all in this vertical city, living the high rise life. Everyone on parallel floors, you can see them in their offices in front of their computer screens across the street. Separated by the distance down and the interior pathways. So many worlds so close together.

There is a building across the way from our hotel, and in the window of this building is a television which is on all the time. In the early hours of the morning, when the sky is dark and you can see the street gleaming with the lights on the trees outside Millennium Park, and the shape of the skyscrapers whose windows are still lit from within, this television flickers away in color, like it’s alive. Like there’s someone in there, who just came back from the refrigerator with a midnight snack. Then the wail of the ambulance, honking down the empty street and I go back to bed.

The crowds have thinned: shoppers and merrymakers, everywhere during the Christmas rush, have gone home. The strange thing is - Air Canada has this 'everybody go to Paris promotion". And I keep hearing French spoken - had several conversations in French in the past few days -- Parisiens are vacationing in Chicago!

Yesterday, I caught Chicago's pride, Oprah, during my two and a half minutes of daily television. Everyone on the show was wearing a green shirt and her guest told us that if American households just changed one light bulb into a compact flourescent bulb, it would reduce emissions as if 800,000 vehicles had been taken off the road. The difference of just one light bulb.

We played volleyball at the Lakeshore Athletic Club Thursday night.

I don’t see how Gord does it, after all those exhausting hours lifting and pulling in the extreme cold, but the volleyball was great for team spirit.

Chris Stover was on my team. Here he is with Rob Stevens, who has written a book called "The Overfed Head" and is the founder of "thintuition". He's been very kind to us, finding us places to eat: good food, reasonable prices.

Rob turned us onto Fox and Obel, but that’s another story.

2008

2008-01-02T17:39:00.000-06:00

New Year's Eve

We retreated into our respective corners, recovering from the everywhere-cold and awaiting that hour where things instantly change from old news ‘last year’ to 2008. To potential. To that glittering ‘future’, where anything can happen.

A year ago, Global Warming was the big concern. In Niagara on the Lake, we walked to the exhibit over grass, watching squirrels scamper as if spring were in the air, wondering how much longer this warmth would last, and how creative we would have to be to keep it from slowing us down.

We felt part of The Important Effort, our work bringing consciousness to the problem we all share: that human beings are exceeding the carrying capacity of the planet. As artists, our work is ice. A year later, Jaz signs up for Greenpeace, but the bergs are still melting at an alarming rate, and you have to ask: what is really being done? (www.paintingsbelowzeroinontario.blogspot.com)

This year, we are perched high above the center of the downtown in one of North America’s largest cities.

Global Waming might just be something to chat about at a holiday party, as all things modern are consumable, and all things consumable are wrapped and lit up, glistening for the ubiquitous effort, aimed at The Spender. Silver bells, city sidewalks, red ribbons -- all conspirators. Even the Christmas tree, which still holds a glimpse of childhood enchantment for me, is trotted out, dressed up and put to work.

Still there are things to be enjoyed, and we succumbed without much resistance. Our three-man crew had tickets to a music concert, “The Black Kids”. We dressed up and sat at a table for two at China Grill.

The Hard Rock Hotel teemed with well dressed young visitors; neon yellow wrist bands sorted us from strangers-to-the-hotel and elevators stopped frequently, filled with revellers on a mission. Chicago knows how to party!

Before the clock struck, we had flicked on the television, and Bono was giving a speech about ending world poverty.

A day later, we shared dinner in our suite, as the youngsters told about their New Year’s Eve adventures (flirtations, band music, ear plugs and front-of-the-line treatment from young women at a Mexican greasy spoon).

At the end of our New Year’s supper, we found ourselves in a discussion about the homeless. In the midst of all the glitz and class (even the malls seem like opera houses made for royalty), there is a daily element of people who aren’t on the same ride.

They stand in sub zero temperatures, in worn, dirty clothes shaking their plastic cups, as well- dressed shoppers pass, leaning against the bitter wind. Sometimes a musician on sax or drum. We shell out regularly. Lately I’ve given them chocolates.Ari has struck up a relationship with one of them. The man’s wife has cancer, and at last conversation, didn’t know if she would make it through the night.

This is where we find ourselves at the turn of the year, in a highrise with a view and every convenience just steps away. Busy with our all consuming work, musing about the limited usefulness of our compassion, with the world as it is.

Cement and asphalt underfoot at the turn of the year. No earth visible, everything in hibernation, except human beings. Unless of course, you count the weather. The snow, the crystals. With the difference of a degree, moving towards slush, or towards ice. Alive, somehow in the cold. Precious and fragile. Just like we all, we each, are.

Wrapping ice

2007-12-31T18:00:00.000-06:00

We've fallen into a routine.

Mornings at Intelligentsia for great coffee and the most current music known to humans. Today, it's "Band of Horses".

Artwork in the latte, and young, hip cafe crew.

To work by 9 AM. Create new artwork from yesterday’s frozen pour.

A break in between to warm up.

Another pour. And lately: wrapping the inventory. Here's Katie.

Yesterday Gord began cataloguing the work.

Everyone is tired, most take naps everyday. I’ve heard “the cold gets in your bones” and “heavy lifting” more than once. Our search for “Ice Trivia” landed some interesting facts about how our bodies work in extreme cold.

A University of New Hampshire study “Cold Weather Increases Risk of Dehydration” discusses the body’s efforts to keep core temperature warm, lack of thirst and reduction of bodily fluids in the cold.

“We lose a great deal of water from our bodies in the winter due to respiratory fluid loss through breathing. Our bodies also are working harder under the weight of extra clothing, and sweat evaporates quickly in cold, dry air.

Fluid deficits of 3 to 8 percent of body mass have been reported in individuals working in cold environments, and dehydration is a major problem with exercise in the cold.” For more info: Google: dehydration in cold.

Anywhere we go is an excuse to talk about anything related to the project. We need new skil saws; who is the best crew person to operate? Which interns will we work with next week? Katie, for sure. How about that new technique of freezing the pours?

Installation plans for Millennium Park; ice slab deliveries. Reply to all interns who have answered our request for resumes. Gord always wants his half hour before the crew arrives to plan for the day. His drawing books are filled with pencil sketches -- now it’s how the artwork will fit on the plates.

We walk a lot.

One of the wonderful discoveries of Chicago: the river. Not just because it’s a river, not just the grace of water rippling with the wind, but also because it leaves space. There’s an opening where you can look up and feel an expanse of sky and light. At night,it’s windy, cold and if you're warm enough, glamorous.

City life, especially downtown, is so different from what we’re used to. At night, I can always tell what time it is by the number of taxis down on the street at the crosswalk. (2 taxis: 3 AM).

If there’s water on the street, it’s above freezing. And even if there’s no snow, it’s always going to be below zero if the roads are dry. We pass DANGER FALLING ICE signs next to the buildings daily.

Museum of Modern Ice posters have begun to appear on the bus shelters. People we talk to have heard of the project. Los Angeles Times and Waterloo Courier (IowA) will have articles about Chicago & Paintings Below Zero in their travel sections January 6th.

Countdown to New Year’s. Countdown to opening. Everyone arrives in January.

Dot Coyle, our sponsor from the City of Chicago Office of Tourism visits today with Karen Ryan from Communications.

Tomorrow we get to sleep in.

Color and ice after Bhutto

2007-12-29T09:56:00.000-06:00

Friday, December 28

Snow this morning, huge, wet flakes which melt on contact. There’s so much to ponder, little to say in the aftermath of the assassination of Pakistan’s daughter, Benazir Bhutto.

The violence we’re so capable of, silences all our best efforts: what could our lives possibly mean in the relief of that? I had been grateful, as a woman, to see the white veil on her, to hear her words: inspirational, sensible, compassionate. Spoken like a leader. A moderate, a Muslim, vocal and visible to the world. She was hope alright, in the polarized reality of Pakistan. Spoiled, in the name of God. So much shame, so many lives cut short and bloody in the name of.

Noreen Ahmed-Ullah from The Chicago Tribune visited The Fulton today, delayed by her story of the Pakistani community in the aftermath of Bhutto’s death. She had interviewed Bhutto twice before, and now stands in before us, writing for the fifth largest newspaper in the country, wanting more details about the work we’re doing.

And besides, it’s Ari’s birthday today. So we step back into this life, this artwork, this exciting project which grows more beautiful everyday.

Katie is our first intern, and here she is. Tough and capable and a catalyst, too: lively conversation thanks to her. Jokes and laughter in the cold.

And look at what they did! My camera failed me so Patrick Pyszka, Photographer for the City filled in. All these photos are his.

We heard from Erik Olson.

Hi Gordon, I just checked out the blog... it looks like things are coming along nicely. I loved seeing those huge pieces of colour leaning against the wall.

I think this is going to be your masterpiece. I can't wait to get there...

good luck,

Erik

He sent us a photo from Fenestrelle. This shows the interior of the church where the paintings were created, installed and displayed. Here they've just laid the color onto the plates in preparation for the installation of other paintings they've been creating. Paintings Below Zero was Canada's representative at the Cultural Olympiad for the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Turin.

We had a birthday lunch, our first with Katie. There she is smiling on the left.

Then back to work for three more hours.

Chicago at Christmas

2007-12-26T21:01:00.000-06:00

December 23rd

Fulton Market cold today and Patrick Firpo flies home. One more morning up early; everyone is exhausted. It’s the cold, drawing out the water in all of us. My hair is straight, my skin is dry, we’re all thirsty. It’s the extreme freezing, and the effort of holding ourselves upright and warm in it. We will miss Patrick: his ingenuity, creativity, resourcefulness and his alter ego: his sharp, jaded wit. Here we are at the Hard Rock bar, having a send-off beer.

We walk to MOCA, and it’s so cold, my cheeks tingle. You can see wisps of snow blowing across the sidewalks ahead of us. Jaz forgot his gloves, hands dug into his pockets.

Ironically the exhibit is called “Sympathy for the Devil: Art & Rock and Roll since 1967.” On the second floor a couple are making love on the landing. So to speak. Fully clothed and in slow motion. Kissing and tumbling while others watch. So disciplined, they continue in their choreographed two step for more than 2 hours. I am full of professional pride, as I am a performer too, but would not engage in this difficult kind of work. Still, we watch.

“The Other Vietnam Memorial” shows three million names of Vietnamese people killed in that war, each name etched onto a metal surface. Three million people. Each one living a life full of detail, each one human and loved and born a baby. Without my glasses, it’s difficult to read a single name, there are so many.

But, the museum shop is perfect for gifts. Jaz gets a full color book called "50 artists" for Tim - his cultural baptism into visual art. For Ari, who is already well versed in music, a thin tome on mathmetics & music. I snatch a book for Jaz and buy Gord's artist-designed gift while they have their backs to me.

December 24th.

The crew works a full morning and afternoon, but we get tomorrow off. I meet Sarah, Penny and Lauren at City of Chicago -- say hello to Jason and Laura. After the morning @ Fulton Market, we meet at La Salle Bank to cash per diem checks, with a fingerprint & two pieces of id. Our usual pre-Christmas melt-down, thankfully, doesn’t last long. Then, arrangements for Christmas day dinner at China Grill. And, naptime, the cozy, do-nothing bliss of it.

To Valentine’s for a Christmas Eve party. We can't find Jaz, who is supposed to accompany us to the party. Finally, he appears in the lobby, not ready. We say goodbye. Our cab driver is from East Somalia. The U.S. is bombing his country; it’s like Iraq there everyday, he says, fighting and killing. America paid Ethiopia $100 million to control Somalia, he says, but “You cannot control another country by force for long. It doesn’t make big sense. Soon, there will be no where to bomb.”

We go indoors and meet Valentine’s family and friends around two Christmas trees and a fire, a delicious ham. Four young, beautiful children; Chloe holds the mini-dogs down the steps.

Studs Terkel, a hero of mine, by now past 95, sits in front of the fire. (!!!) He says he can’t hear well, so I write him a note.

“Hello, Mr. Studs Terkel. My name is Caitlin Hicks. I am a fan of yours. “Working” - I used some of the stories for acting monologues.”

“Yes,” he replies, “Others have told me so.” I scribble again.

“After reading your books, I concluded that really, people are good. I felt your benevolent intelligence listening.”

“Thank you, “ he says, “that’s quite a compliment.” He agrees to have his photo snapped with me “Here’s to us, Merry Christmas, Happy World,” he toasts.

Valentine plays the piano and we sing Christmas Carols. We pose in front of the tree.

Valentine passes out gifts, with one for me.

We are just getting going when we are ushered into a ride back to downtown Chicago with Tony and the chief of the Chicago fire department. As the door closes behind us, we think, too late, to invite them in for a drink. But there we are, back home at 9:30 PM, in the lobby of the Hard Rock, employees outnumbering guests, while everyone in my Pollyanna vision of the world is wrapping presents.

Christmas morning we have a very wonderful breakfast at the Hard Rock Hotel.

And Jaz tells his amazing Christmas story, too long to repeat here, but magnificent, life altering: his serendipitous encounters with a stressed out woman, a hustler, and a well dressed preacher man with amazing visions and a powerful personality. A remarkable story, "The adventures of Jaz and Tim in Chicago streets on Christmas Eve", a true story, which as it unfolds, has us sitting on the edge of our seats. Jaz and Ari have heard it already, Tim was part of it, but as Jaz re-tells it I can feel them listening again. My heart turns as well and I somehow find meaning in our lives at this moment; the story helps me piece together a version of what we might be capable of as human beings. A tale which puts into perspective all the goodwill and parallel selfishness of the season of silver bells; a glimpse of survival for the poor, of spirituality/ insanity/ truth and illusion. On Christmas morning, we are all transformed by Jaz's willingness to look at the people in the streets, to talk to them, to give them something they need -- to challenge them, and ask them for their two cents, which in this case, seems like wisdom.

He tells us the story in three parts around breakfast. Funny and poignant, and full of character. We all get into it, our reindeer antlers atop our heads throughout breakfast.

We open gifts in our suite overlooking the street. At Millennium Park, we can see the Christmas skaters. We want to participate, but outside looks cold.

I call my PX - a family tradition, and speak with Marc Hicks, my brother Timothy's eldest son, who is on the swim team at Redlands University in California. I think of all them, though, all fourteen of them, my eight brothers and five sisters, their children and families, try to imagine them in their worlds. I talk to Tim, Mary and Bernadette. Jaz phones his sister in California and tells her the story. Here they are, earlier in December where we celebrated an early Christmas - the big gift was the rocking horse for Hayley.

We'd shopped for hors d'oeuvres and spread them out at the table in our suite with wine & beer. Then supper at The China Grill, hosted by Andrea Jackson, (on the left, looking like Oprah Winfrey) and our server Yasmine. They set a white table cloth for us and serve our pre-arranged menu -- delectable signature "Asian Fusion" -- which, after all, we can't finish!