COLLECTION NAME:
Karen Blessen Journals
Record
Title:
Peter Beard Journal
Date:
April 18, 2020 - July 4, 2020
Year:
2020
Key Themes:
Brandon Woodard still in prison. The unfinished chapter of ONE BULLET. Discussions with the Dallas Morning News about a follow up to ONE BULLET. Brandon’s Story. Tom Huang - my editor. Discussions with the Woodard family and beginning of a correspondence with Brandon Woodard in the Michael Unit of Texas Prisons. At Tennesse Colony, TX. I grew up in a large family. Peter Beard disappearance and death. Art hero - Peter Beard piece for the Dallas Morning News. Three encounters with an art hero. Coming back to writing. “I am like Lee Marvin in Cat Ballou.”The old gunslinger coming back for another shot. Like Lee Marvin in Cat Ballou. Years ago - Peter Beard exhibit
at Boyd Gallery in Deep Ellum. Showing of Peter Beard film at Inwood theatre. Nightmare of Covid-19 on the planet.
Despicable leadership. Kelly’s recovery from ankle surgery. Gratitude about 29 Pieces. We thrive. Death of Darcy Beck’s
husband. Response to my Peter Beard story. Photos of and by Peter Beard. Me with Peter Beard. My Peter Beard story
in the Dallas Morning News. Black people killed by police. Tinder box of race relations. Headlines of demonstrations.
Black Lives Matter. Killing of George Floyd. The Terrible Lessons of Life. Love Project presentation online, zoom to
Region 10 Education Service Center group. LOVE workshop. White folks. If God were a vengeful God. Quotidian joys.
Journeyman, Inc. DaVerse Lounge. 13th. So many feelings. Blue Mountain Center of Meditation Setu Retreat. Mad
Maxish dream in cocktail dresses with Betsy Bock and Elvis Presley. Paradise Lost. Satan is the hero? God-forsaken
year. Gretchen and breast cancer.Ongoing terrible illnesses and deaths from Covid-19. Feeling words collage. Death of
MIlton Glaser. Another of my art heroes. Reconnection with Lizi Boyd. Reasons not to do the Brandon Woodard story.
Memories of 4th of July. Anniversary of Barbara Boster Phillipp’s death. Re-read of Autobiography of Malcolm X. Transcript
of Peter Beard story. “Today we celebrate.” Thoughts on Declaration of Inependence. The gentle spread of seeds.
I am a dandelion. Lots of collages.
at Boyd Gallery in Deep Ellum. Showing of Peter Beard film at Inwood theatre. Nightmare of Covid-19 on the planet.
Despicable leadership. Kelly’s recovery from ankle surgery. Gratitude about 29 Pieces. We thrive. Death of Darcy Beck’s
husband. Response to my Peter Beard story. Photos of and by Peter Beard. Me with Peter Beard. My Peter Beard story
in the Dallas Morning News. Black people killed by police. Tinder box of race relations. Headlines of demonstrations.
Black Lives Matter. Killing of George Floyd. The Terrible Lessons of Life. Love Project presentation online, zoom to
Region 10 Education Service Center group. LOVE workshop. White folks. If God were a vengeful God. Quotidian joys.
Journeyman, Inc. DaVerse Lounge. 13th. So many feelings. Blue Mountain Center of Meditation Setu Retreat. Mad
Maxish dream in cocktail dresses with Betsy Bock and Elvis Presley. Paradise Lost. Satan is the hero? God-forsaken
year. Gretchen and breast cancer.Ongoing terrible illnesses and deaths from Covid-19. Feeling words collage. Death of
MIlton Glaser. Another of my art heroes. Reconnection with Lizi Boyd. Reasons not to do the Brandon Woodard story.
Memories of 4th of July. Anniversary of Barbara Boster Phillipp’s death. Re-read of Autobiography of Malcolm X. Transcript
of Peter Beard story. “Today we celebrate.” Thoughts on Declaration of Inependence. The gentle spread of seeds.
I am a dandelion. Lots of collages.
Life Events:
Gretchen Dykstra’s cancer diagnosis. Peter Beard’s death. Milton Glaser’s death. Black Lives Matter demonstrations after killing of George Floyd. Covid-19 everywhere.
Journal Context:
Spring and summer of Covid-19 pandemic, 2020. Peter Beard was very much on my mind, along with the current events of the killing of George Floyd and subsequent demonstrations. The hope and hopelessness of America. The meaning of he 4th of July.
Professional Work During This Time:
Peter Beard story and art in the Dallas Morning News. I’d felt that there was time to do this because of the discombobulation of scheduling due to Covid-19. LOVE Project workshp for Region 10 Fine Arts Summit. Continuing work on the Trust for Public Land Cool Schools Project. Selection of artists, tour of sites for the school grounds that would
become parks.
become parks.
Description:
Transcriptions:
Collection Title:
Peter Beard Journal
Creator:
Karen Blessen
Copyright information:
To inquire about usage, please contact Archives and Special Collections, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries.