Manfred Mann alive, it's being a day.

The laptop is back, but misbehaving. It's decided its favorite color is blue, and keeps showing me -- on the screen, of course -- how much it loves a particularly deadly shade.

(It's a Toshiba thing, I hear, "Toshiba" being Japanese for "Gojira-sized pile o' poo.")

The review aspect will resume tomorrow, however. In the meantime, here's the overwhelming response to the question posed in yesterday's post:

So, either you (a) trust my finely honed instincts or ... yeah. Has to be (a), right?

Some things that will happen on a regular basis in the new format.

1. Artist profiles, either stand-alone or in conjunction with a current show

2. Venue profiles, especially "offbeat" locations;

3. Art at Home, a series on people who use their living spaces to put on rotating displays of other people's work.

Anything else?

I'm all (Dare I say it?) ears ...

Caffeine and Creativity

This will be brief, or should be. I am on a tenuous wireless connection, and more turned inward than outward.

As I write this, I am seated in one of the excellent independent coffeehouses which grace this area. There is photography on the walls, although I can't find a name to go with it. (Note to artists: Leave a name and an e-mail address, at least. People need to know how to contact you. End of small soapbox moment)

It's put me in mind of all the caffeinated chance encounters, all the moments that turned into reviews, all the contacts that turned into getting to know artists beyond their works.

I won't attempt a comprehensive list, or even a partial one, of either artists or venues. I would leave someone out, being of imperfect memory, and I would regret the omission.

So ... this one's a bit personal.

To all the coffeehouses that display local art, and to the artists who fill those spaces month after month, thank you for those moments.

Raising my cup, I offer a toast: To many more.