Last night's rain left Paducah with a freshly-scrubbed sensation; blue skies and sunshine abound. I want to pinch myself, "Can Paducah really be this wonderful?" - guess so. It's the quality of community here, the everybody-knows-everyone and cares, and the optimism. This is the place that survived multiple floods, but has moved from surviving to thriving. Paducah Arts Alliance member and over 20-year resident Rosemarie Steele is an exemplary ambassador for this rivertown. She starts our day together with lunch at Shandies, owned and operated by two culinary students, then a quick dip into Victorian Parlor Antiques, followed by the Paducah Convention and Visitors Bureau. Not because I'm the recently-arrived newbie, but because Rosemarie was on staff for 17 years as Marketing Director and is über proud of the "City of Crafts & Folk Art," a designation unique to this UNESCO Creative City - and one she helped facilitate. There are only six "craft and folk arts" cities worldwide; Santa Fe is the other US designee. Very cool.

Rosemarie introduces me to workers, volunteers, friends, and artists, including The National Quilt Museum's CEO Frank Bennett. Frank explains the intent of the center section of the museum: to introduce visitors to a variety of quilt techniques - from hand to machine stitching, traditional to contemporary. The museum is perfectly sized; another dozen quilts and I'd probably be on overload. With its two changing side gallery exhibits, and access to an archive of 400 quilts, the museum is worth repeat visits.

One more stop: Market House Theatre's black box space. Rosemarie, with her creative grey cells working full speed, brings this venue to my attention as a possibility for an installation exhibition at the end of October. A black box theater: I can see the possibilities of the visual contrast with my free-rotating, mostly white suspended columns, a possibility I had not considered previously. Exploration for the best venue match promises to be ongoing. I love it when creative thinking flows, and Rosemarie is a virtual fountain. Or, in this town, I believe I should say "river."

As my Greenville, SC, artist-friend Rebecca Johnson emailed yesterday: "Sounds like you are already making good friends and enjoying the town. Go be creative now!" No problem. I do have one worry though: my car must be feeling neglected, as I haven't driven it since I arrived, this city is so darned walkable.

I am just returning from a walk in downtown Paducah, Kentucky: a bagel at Kirchhoff's, a browse at Antique Galleria on 4th & Jefferson (where the owner shares TMI about her personal life - oh well), Paducah School of Art & Design/PSAD, the Floodwall Murals, and the Yeiser Art Center where I meet Paducah-native Ron Fondaw - currently residing in St. Louis - installing an invitational retrospective exhibit. While at the Center, I purchase the "Lowertown Paducah" DVD. And upon my return to the Pinecone B&B - see pic below - in the Lowertown Arts District, I find that the shoji paper I ordered has arrived.

Earlier today, I literally walk across N. 7th Street and turn the corner onto Madison Street to meet neighboring multimedia artist Freda Fairchild, who operates Studio Miska and is president of the Paducah Arts Alliance, the host for my artist residency. The energy generated when artists begin to share their background, their work, their resources...well, it is palpable. This is true in my encounters with artists Char Downs and Freda Fairchild, who also introduces me to Paul Lorenz in his gallery, Studio Mars. Paul has recently returned from an artist residency near Beijing, China, with a stunning collection of ink and gouache brushwork on rice paper, and many a fascinating story to tell.

Paducah is a unique river-town-not-quite-city, but subtly hip and quietly energetic. One of those hidden treasures I cannot wait to share. I feel replete with my day's experiences, so, if you'll excuse me, I have a DVD to watch.

After an 8-hour drive covering 481 miles, I arrive in sunny Paducah, Kentucky, to begin my month-long artist residency. But before leaving Greenville, South Carolina, I learned that Paducah has a bit of an image issue. Paducah? "I've heard of it. Where is it?" "Ah yes, the National Quilt Museum." "I remember reading about the school shooting." Paducah is in the northwest corner, at the confluence of the Ohio and Tennessee rivers. I plan to visit the museum. And I had to research the 1997 shooting. But I anticipate that my yet-to-be-formed images of this river town will be positive and help reshape the conversation around Paducah.

I was also told, by the director of the Metropolitan Arts Council in Greenville, SC, that I would enjoy Paducah. Barely 3 hours into my stay, this is already true. The Paducah Arts Alliance invited me here, where I am lodging at the Pinecone B&B, and will share studio space with artist Char Downs. Both venues are located in the Lowertown Arts District, a revitalized neighborhood easily accessible due to a plethora of directional signage. Good job, Paducah.

With the best of intentions, I plan to blog regularly in order to share my experience of not only Paducah, but of the artists who invited me, and the evolution of my installation work - the focus of my residency. For now, however, I feel the miles catching up with my drooping eyelids, and will bid you adieu until the next post.