Has anyone heard that Thomas Mann, his family and coworkers are
safe? Please post to the list.
Dear Friends,
I’ve gotten numerous emails from concerned friends and colleagues
this morning, which prompted me to send out an email to ALL
describing my situation.
I am extremely fortunate. I am NOT in New Orleans. This will allow
me to be in a strong position, emotionally and physically to deal
with this disaster when I can return to NOLA, and also conduct the
business of my company in the interim.
I know that most of my staff escaped the city as well. But, Mark
Garcie, my principal artisan of 16 years and dear friend, stayed. I
urged him to take shelter in our studio/gallery building or my house
in uptown New Orleans, because his own home is in the area of New
Orleans that you see flooded on CNN. Late Sunday night he told me he
would do so but I have not been able to contact him since then. I
wait anxiously for news from the rest of my staff and my in-law
family about their status.
I am happily occupying a house in Lakeside, MI., 2 hours east and
north of Chicago on Lake Michigan�s eastern shore. I rented this
house from my friends Floyd Gomph and Linda Hoffhines last year, and
at the same time (mid Aug-mid Sept ) as well as a great place to
vacation and work. I got here on August 16th, right after the ACC San
Francisco show. Since then I taught a two day workshop in Highland
Park, and just this past weekend did the Evanston Hospital ACE show,
where I had a fabulous show.
I am fortunate also because I have a good selection of my tools with
me to teach all of the workshops I did this summer at Arrowmount,
Mendocino and highland park. So, I can get to work preparing for my
next show at the International Hand Surgeons Conference in San
Antonio in late September. If all goes well I�ll also be in Philly in
November and Washington in December.
For those of you who were invited to be in are busy making work for
Gallery I/O’s “Bag & Shoe” show, I believe that it is safe to say
we’ll be postponing its opening to a later date. But you never know?.
New Orleans always loves a party and this show is shaping up to be a
great one. So keep working and stay tuned.
Conditions in New Orleans: As of today I have no idea at all of the
condition of my studios, gallery or home. This morning a levy along
the 17th Street canal failed and water from Lake Pontchartrain is
pouring into the city. This is going to make a tremendous difference
in the recovery time frame. It may well be a month before we will be
allowed back into the city to asses the damage.
My cell phone (504.319.8999) is working just fine making calls out
from here but I discovered this morning that attempts to call me get
busy signals. The circuits are busy?. very busy? or they’re down. My
land line number here is 269.469.8079. Please communicate first by
email.
I am enormously fortunate to have a large circle of friends and
colleagues who are concerned for me. Thank you for being amongst
them.
I you care to contribute the relief effort in new Orleans. Please
send a contribution to CERF. They will be called upon for support by
numerous artists affected by Katrina�s passing throughout the
affected area.
Yours Ever,
Tom
PS: Please pass this message along as you deem appropriate