“Remoted – Hybrid” – Day 782 (Saturday) – fancy

Big pretty room

Tonight, The Brush Art Gallery and Studios, the arts organization I’m involved with, honored two amazing individuals, Jack Moynihan and Carolyn Walsh. They have quietly, tirelessly, and humbly worked to support Lowell artists, arts organizations, and non-profits for decades. 

The event was originally scheduled for two years ago, but the pandemic swept in to derail life for everyone.

The events committee of The Brush board did a fantastic job with all the details. The cocktail hour featured hors d'oeuvres and the crowd spilled out of two bar areas and into the lobby, and was a relaxed chance for people to catch up. The meal options were chicken or salmon. 

Most of the attendees are familiar faces in the local arts and non-profit scenes, and the greetings in the lobby indicated that many hadn’t seen each other out for two years. It has been a long stretch. 

Over in the ballroom, the room was filled with tables set with white floral arrangements that were a study in texture with fluffy petals and fuzzy pussy willows. 

The silent auction had a variety of items, the speakers were entertaining and informative, and the photos of the honorees were fun to see as their story of community involvement and their art collection was told. The singer and keyboardist set a perfect mood for the night.

Salmon with potatoes and asparagus.

It was exciting to be in a beautiful room with fancier food than I usually eat, dressed in clothes I forgot I owned until they were unearthed from the closet this morning. Overall, it was a great night. 

The event was to benefit The Brush, but being in attendance was a huge benefit for me. There is a tendency to think all the solitude is fine and that I’m ok with being alone so much of the time. (Or it's the lie I convince myself with to get by.) All it takes is a nice night out with people to deliver a gentle reminder of just how lonely it is and that there is a whole lot more outside the confines of The BungaLowell. 

Thank goodness for gentle reminders and chances to be around good people.