Martha and I headed out to the OC on Norm’s suggestion of “unique value� venues at 6:00 on Friday evening. It was cold and blustery outside of Cleveland Public Art’s storefront (right in the nexus of Dave’s Supermarket, the West Side Market, and the Brewery).

Opening the front door into throngs of gregarious guests, we found some of the unusual suspects, including Jack R, Adele D, Lee C, Sarah T, Steve from Kent Urban, and a guy from City of Cleveland Planning Dept., and lots of younger Cleveland visceral art and civic types. Hors d’oeuvres were colorful and the wine and beer were on the house. The temperature was rising.

Sexual subject sculptures were in the front gallery, with 2 manikins wearing women’s panties – and hundreds of silver pins projecting out through the panty cloth like pubic hairs – or porcupine quills. A series of 5 or 6 bees wax vaginal lip “flowers� at face level on the white wall – put an awkward aura on that part of the space. 4 clear plastic 18� x 18� vacuum formed male undies and cock reliefs gave a positive volumetric of the manhood under the mold. There was a brightly painted wood panel with a deer (or a donkey?) having its leg cut off by a rabbit. I couldn't be sure of the signature ...maybe.... ae neuman...

Hotel Bruce inspiration Mark got up on a box (not a soap box) and explained to the crowd – after a long minute of seeking silence - that their latest volume was out at http://www.hotelbruce.com/home.php The Bruce web site staff of 3 women took applause and a bow.

Video of a Cuyahoga homeless camp site was projected on the end of the hall – on a piece of plastic sheeting. That’s part of the motivation for the architectural renderings of low cost shelter on the walls of the hallway in the Cleveland Public Art gallery.

Minds were opened. Good interactions.