Home safe and sound, thank you everyone everywhere for your support, both here and there. Could not have done it without you!

These are images from Darat Safeya Binzagr's home and museum. Her home is her museum to her art, and the objects from Saudi history she is saving, including these garments. I had a private tour of her home with her. She's revered in the country, a very gentle and elegant woman. More about her later........
One of these is the ceiling in the center hallway.

These are delayed posting images from the National Museum in Bahrain. Vignettes, wonderful, particularly te pearl diving scene, lots of plastic sharks milling about.
I'm now in Frankfort airport, 5 hour layover, sitting in the lounge waiting with 1/2 the world to depart, 1/4 of whom need a shower.
Still, really looking forward to getting home, really sad to leave.
I'll keep posting all the images I couldn't show from earlier in the trip.

Opening of the show is in a few hours, this is the calm before the storm; cleaning and prepping. It looks fantastic, I'm thrilled and hoping for a great turnout. I know I'll have lots more interviews with he press, and then whisked off to the airport for a 2:25 am flight.
Nice way to end......
see you all soon, wish me luck!
And to all of you at shows this weekend, kick butt!!!!!!

here's one for all of you car buffs.....it's pretty common to see this.

These are shots of:
Me as I am dressed whenever going out of the hotel, shot in the room by me obviously; and the initial hanging of my show at the Hewar Gallery. It looks fantastic! Reception tomorrow, wish me luck. Ends about 11 pm then off to the airport and home. I am really looking forward to getting home, but I also hate to leave.......it's been an amazing ride.

This is a so-so (sorry) shot of a souk, older market, where I was taken this afternoon. This is right next to chop chop square as they call it. Home of lashings and beheadings on Friday. Today is Friday.

These are shots of Kingdom Tower, and one from within the gallery; highest building in Riyadh, absolutely beautiful cool blue/grey sweep in to the sky. I'll try and get better shots, but I'm in a car most of the time, and they drive like MANIACS here. Not embassy drivers, but almost everyone else. Italy has nothing on this country.....seriously, it's a problem. Lots of accidents, no protection for the children. Women are never allowed to drive. I'm always in an armored car, it's all protocol and you get used to it.
The tower is where Hewar gallery is located, 52nd floor, reception is tomorrow evening. All my work. The owner is a woman, is framing all the work for me, making a printed catalog, photographing all the work, hosting the Ambassador and his wife (I'm invited to their residence for dinner tonight) and it will be a big social event. Actually, I'm getting used to the paparazzi, TV, interviews, scrutiny. Abaya helps somewhat, but it's going to be pretty different returning to sleepy Shelburne Falls. I love this country, it smells fantastic - exotic incense and perfume, musky and lemony at the same time.
Last evening I stood on my balcony at 7 listening to the call to prayer. Mosques all have loudspeakers with recordings of different imams, and they echo all over the city, loud and mesmerizing, slightly out of sync. Like bells in Rome, in the dusk, in the change over from frenzy to calm as they all go to pray. It was a sublime moment, one of my best. My balcony is home to an escaped parrot who is quite entertaining.

These are images from a dinner in my honor hosted by a very famous artist at his magnificent home, 30+ guests, French Ambassador (left early and was rude, lol), excellent food by the pool with Enya in the background. First music I've heard here.
Lots of artists, lots of art and antiquities. Fantastic evening, hard to surpass. A few women were there. I wear the abaya but my hair is exposed, my choice.

Riyadh

Hello all, It's been a tough time getting online, hence no blogs.......I've gone to Jeddah for 2 days, on the Red Sea, did a great workshop there with about 30 students in the late teens. They were so much fun, segregated boys and girls sides, but it seemed very natural and easy. They did some wonderful work. I just show them a few things I do with acrylics, charcoal water etc and let them run.
They're not allowed to depict the human or animal form, so abstract is appropriate, although the concept is very foreign to them....things have loosened up a lot, although Jedda is a different region, more international and relaxed.
Had a private evening with a fabulous band at one of their rehearsals, in an old part of the city, very smoky rooms, lots of tea and coffee and sweets then drums, dancing, chanting amazing rhythms and beautiful old songs. All men, all ages, maybe 15 of them Very famous group, so it was an honor to be there. Ad unusual....my 2 handlers from the consulate took me, and the woman was very surprised they let us in.
Consular people are so incredibly attentive, armored SUV's serious security everywhere. Hidden machine guns under nets, barriers to all hotels, it's a tight ship they run if there are internationals around. My hotel is mostly Saudi men, I'm sitting in the lobby wearing a black robe, sandals and my hair is covered, not my face. I never need to worry what's underneath as I can't compete anyway, although my shoes are pretty lame, not fancy enough but I'm comfortable, and I'm blonde, so they overlook it, lol. The people are such incredible hosts, ritual coffee and tea drinking, yeas both.....sweets, whatever they have to offer. They're funny, warm, intelligent, delightful people, and I'm making a lot of friends.
I'm running out of power, mine and the computer as I can only access internet in the lobby, so go see this website which is where my next and final exhibition will be......AMAZING!!!!! 52nd floor of the fanciest building in Riyadh, home of the 4 seasons where I am not staying, sigh.
Anyway, the gallery is absolutely fantastic.
http://www.hewarartgallery.com
Hope all's well with everyone, hope the Red Sox wait for me, just know that I'm having a wonderful time, everyone.
I teach at Princess Noor University tomorrow, now it's art teachers and grad students....things keep changing, I change with them.
Love to all.
Laurie