Trip to the Netherlands

I just came back from my 10 day trip to the Netherlands. These trips are always loads of fun and exhausting because every single person you know wants to meet up and spend some time, preferably in the evenings because naturally they have to work. So our days and nights were spent driving around the country visiting friends and family and we even managed to have a few hours to ourselves so we took a nice stroll down the beach and did some shopping, we always want to bring a couple of Dutch things home that we just can't get over here. Things like salty licorice, Dutch cheese and speculaas. On Friday we spent the day at a spa with friends, something we try to do every time we visit.

On Saturday my mums took me to Amsterdam where we strolled through the city and visited all kinds of places from my childhood. I did bring my camera a managed to shoot some material so a piece on Amsterdam is definitely coming up. I have to say it was kind of weird being back in the city where I was born. So many things have changed that I almost look at it like any other new city I visit. But then there are places that have stayed absolutely the same and all of a sudden its that same old city again. Its a weird mixture especially because I look at the city with different eyes when I take pictures for a piece. I don't think I have ever noticed the architectural beauty of Amsterdam before. I mean, I've always known it was there, it's something you learn about in school as a child, but I don't think I've actually taken the time to really see it. I think I want to make a piece of it with the material I gathered this time, but since we mainly stayed in the downtown area I think I would want to go back someday and visit all those places from my childhood and see if that results in a different kind of piece. But that is something for another day. 

I think I talked about doing some promotion at galleries in the Netherlands while I was there. I managed to send out 19 artist packages to different galleries all over the country. To my surprise I got 4 of them back within that same week. From earlier experiences I had kind of expected a waiting time of at least three months, I mean I sent out some stuff here in Montreal last year in November and I was still getting replies in July! And although I appreciate the quick replies of the Dutch galleries I have to say I was a bit disappointed when two of my packages were returned without any comments, they didn't even attach a card so I don't even know which galleries the replies came from. I hope I'll be able to deduct this when I've received all of them back. I've never had this happen before, maybe it's a cultural thing. I mean I do get the message, they don't like my stuff and thats fine but it would have been nice to know why. Oh well, you can't get it all right? I still have 14 more packages out there so who knows.

In the meantime I've plenty to keep me busy here at home. I have an appointment with a local gallery tomorrow morning and my second piece on Montreal is eagerly awaiting my return to the studio.