By Mike Furbee
After Mary died, several people had talked about
how I should do a book of her paintings. I had started out thinking
I would just do a limited edition set of boxed prints, but costs
were exorbitant unless I only wanted to print about 20 sets, which
clearly wasn't enough.
Realistically, I thought I might be able to sell around 200 copies.
At first I thought a paperback book would be enough, and then
I worried about the quality of the prints, and I didn't think
anyone would respect her artwork if I did it as a paperback. I
queried one printer after another. I finally settled on a company
in Ohio, accepting the fact that I was going to have to spend
a lot more money and end up with a lot more books than I originally
intended, as five hundred books was their smallest run. That it
was going to be - an elegant little hardback.
Plans for the book were well along when one day I was sitting
alone in the living room. I was thinking about all the tunes I
had written but never recorded with anyone, and had the thought
that I could produce a DVD that would accompany the book. I figured
that I could get a lot more or her paintings on the DVD than were
printed in the book. The project would force me into the studio
and give me something to do with my time other than cry. The more
I thought about it, the more I liked it.
I remember getting a distinct image of Mary in my mind, reacting
just as she would if she were there. I could see her scrunching
up her shoulders with that little wiggle she gave when she was
happy, smiling at me with eyes twinkling saying, "Isn't this exciting?"
At the same time in the empty room over my head, I heard something
that sounded like 3 or 4 metal thimbles rolling around on the
floor. I assumed I had accidentally shut the cat in the room and
went up to check. No cat, no thimbles, no nothing. Queer things
never happen to me, but that was definitely odd and to tell the
truth, actually gave me added impetus to tackle the project. Affirmation
or mouse, I was all in.
I called a friend with a recording studio and he volunteered
all his time and equipment. I called old friends and band-mates
from all over the East Coast, Boston, Baltimore, DC. They said,
"When and Where?"
I
spent the next 6 months recording music, scanning every scrap
of Mary's artwork I could find. I bought DVD creation software
and learned how to use it along with a DVD burner and high end
art printer. We remixed and re-recorded the music and re-designed
the book several times. I re-mastered the DVD at least 30 times
before all was said and done.
When I saw that I was going to get the book and DVD done before
the anniversary of her death, I decided to have an art show, and
was able to hang about 40 of her pieces for three weeks in a local
gallery and hold receptions for about 300 of her friends.
I have been told that the book and the DVD are very good, and
that the show was wonderful. I am very close to the project, but
I think it is pretty good as well. Most of all, I think Mary would
be proud to be published one more time. I just try to imagine
her scrunching up her shoulders and telling me one more time "Isn't
this exciting?"
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