Mary Moo is a primarily self taught artist that has been coming to Interact Center for years. Not only does she enjoy creating something from nothing, but she is spectacular at it! Whether it’s jewelry, painting or writing, Mary puts her all into everything and her talent comes across very clearly. This is a poem that Mary wrote last year, she’s going to be displaying it at the Artability Art Show and Sale: Celebrating the Talents of People With Mental Illness, September 27th – 29th, 2012.
Saturday Live At The Interact Center
Cling…Clang the pipes are responding to a cold winter morning inside the Interact Studio. Today the calendar reads December 31, 2011, the last day the Saturday artists will be together as a small group. After today there will be no one to listen to Cling and Clang.
“Hey Mary”, comes a booming male voice. I look up to see Tim Travers’ flamboyant smile, “long time no see,” Tim adds with much enthusiasm. New to me is the walker Tim is navigating through the studio. Deb remarks on how much easier Tim is moving about.
Donovan Durham questions Rosalie “did you bring rice and gravy?”, Rosalie giggles her nervous giggle. “Not really,” she notes, “Mary was just teasing you.”
Gail comes back to the shop area, smiling from ear to ear. She’s holding up her camera phone which shows a billboard that has her awesome artwork advertising Interact Center. What an honer that is. Showering guests and locals to her art on two freeway billboards.
Joel and Joni are stationed at the tables towards the center of the studio. They are the lovebirds plus one. They are expecting a baby girl May 5th.
Katrina is in her usual form. She is painting with paint, cardboard and masking tape.
Rosalie looks up at me, she shakes her head side to side and points to her wrist watch: 12:12 p.m. She appears disgusted the food isn’t ready for her 12 noon tummy.
We are celebrating our “Last Saturday” with a potluck. If I may say “there is no potluck like an Interact potluck!”
“Oh, he’s already gone to lie down,” Joni says of Joel, her hubby. Thank goodness for the two futons in the back room. I have spent some wonderful times napping on those futons.
“Did everyone get a Christmas photo from me?” I bellow out, obviously not using my “indoor voice.”
Lunch is over with and all of us are back working on our artwork. Joni has been drawing and coloring an announcement of their soon to be born baby girl.
Tim is working on a collage of his two-headed clown. Mike Kramer is doing a portrait with chalk. Katrina and Gail are in the outside “smoking booth” commonly known as the “stoop”. Deb is doing some organizing, cleaning and making a list. Donovan is very focused on his drawing in his “Donny Boy Book”. Steve is stretched out on the opposite futon to the one Joel is curled up on.
“WOW, Holy Toledo” it’s 3:15pm. I have my ride home scheduled for 4pm. Today is my last Saturday that I will be cleaning up my work space. Yes, I’ll be back here come Monday morning. It’s a good 4 or 5 years. Just hard for me to hold back the tears. Now I will have to attend all those family functions that are planned for Saturdays. I will be able to attend the art fairs and yes, I might even be able to sleep in.
Please feel free to see Mary’s poem and more at The Historic Mounds Theatre, 1029 Hudson Road in St. Paul. An opening reception will be held on Thursday, September 27th at 6pm.
Learn more about Mary Moo and see more of her creations at http://marymoosart.blogspot.com/!
