So this post is a little late since it is about First Friday in Raleigh. It is the 18th of June and just got word when I will be exhibiting in the front gallery of the VAE. It looks like it will be June of 2016. I was able to go to this year's first Friday and it was packed in ALL of Raleigh. I stopped in at Artspace to see the final juried FRESH show. Then walked to the warehouse district. Some streets were closed off for family movie night: The Goonies and it was creative street festival with food trucks, performers and tons of people on West Martin Street from the VAE down to the CAM. If next year is anything like this year, I couldn't have asked for a better time to be exhibiting work. So excited.

After taking meticulous time to install my first solo show, the time came for the Artist reception. June 12, which is coincidentally my wife and her twin's birthday, came with a bang at the Holly Springs Cultural Center. Friends came in from Holly Springs, Apex, Fuquay Varina, Durham and Raleigh. Morrisville Town Council Member Vicki Scroggins-Johnson graciously came by to show her support not just for me, but for the Arts. My family came down from Virginia. And Lumpia made its way in from Angier thanks to Angela of Filipino Cuisine.

It was the first time it was just about me and my work. I was extremely grateful to have the love and support of my family. Coordinated to be at the same time as the Summer in the Springs concert series, there was an incredible amount of traffic throughout all of the Cultural Center. I can't tell you how thankful I am to have such a supportive community. The experience of talking about my work and having people asking me questions confirmed to me that I was in the right place doing what I should be doing.

I am going to push forward and continue the work. Chop ON!