Sunday 4/12/26

April 12, 2026

On Sundays I reflect.

I didn’t drink alcohol this week or last. I was too busy to write last week.

I spent last week with my family in Miami. I was able to squeeze in a few meetings and art outings, but most of the week was spent just being present with my family. I made my first trip to Fisher Island for a tour and site visit beyond what words can describe.

We got to see the Dolce & Gabbana show at the ICA which was also mind blowing. If you’re in Miami before the show closes in June it s a must see.

I found time to go out with friends on the weekend too. Friday night with Slacks was Romanian Minimalist Techno at Jolene and Saturday was the worst DJ I’ve ever seen in my life with Sam at Beatrice, which was a great venue. Wow that guy was bad. Then I got recognized in the club by a frat bro I haven’t seen in close to 15 years. I wasn’t expecting that. “What is Ben Belgrad doing in a bougie Miami nightclub” he said in the pitch black strobe filled club.

When I got back to Vail from Miami I arrived at day one of another session in the studio with Ian and Twinkle. This week we made five large “lid stands” as Twinkle calls his creations. This consumed most of the week, and the results are spectacular.

With a pending commission on deck we built some extra time into Ian’s visit. Long story short, the commission fell through which left us open to work on some other projects. So far we have a few cups made. We’re working on an ambitious project, while we continue planning our upcoming class in August at Anderson Ranch. There are still some spots available, and we have one remaining discount coupon. If you are interested in being a part of this ground breaking program, please reach out and I’ll be happy to share more details.

The season that never was is wrapping up in Vail. The mountain is closed and the little snow we had melted. The feeling is heavy. I never realized how much the weather would affect me, and after a decade here I see the impact.

We had some big meetings this week about future events and programs. We sold some art this week. We made more shelf space in the gallery.

It feels like things are starting to turn up after a few very slow years, and the optimism feels good.

I’m in planning mode for so many things, it’s also a good feeling to be present working with Ian. For these few days we’re able to get into a fun project that is a long time coming. This will be one of the nicest pieces we’ve attempted and the hours are adding up.

Now I need to get back into it.

Thanks for tuning in,