Years back, I had a friend who made every kind of art imaginable with great brilliance & energy. One day I asked a gallery-owner: "How would you describe my friend?" He said: A big deep forest of art... When I started my dedi to Andrea--aka durleybeachbum (gallery here)--I'd seen her photography & banners (nine banners depicting the "Fruits of the Spirit" for a local church; they're gorgeous). I began my dedi... But THEN she got "Gallery Plus" & started loading: paintings, drawings, doodles, sketches, fungus lamps, sculptures, wild creatures & on and on. After 2 weeks, I screamed: "Aghhhhh! You're killing me! I don't even know where to start!" I thought: 'Ok Andrea. You win. I haven't got an image. I can't approach your drawings or paintings; I can't do one of your lamps; I tried some of your experimental works--making paintings out of ink blotches or blowing inks through straws (!)--or your spot-on caricatures, etc, etc: I tried them all: They were awful. And I decided I'll have to write something instead. This was one image that would never get off the ground...' Then I remembered Her art's a big deep forest & did this triptych. Is it 'you'? No, probably more 'me'... Is it as creative, skillful, broad? Nope. But it's a forest--like the area you live in & share with us each day--and it's turned all kinds of ways: That's an Andrea act. Andrea, your art just makes me dance. Your wonderful photography & banners, your inimitable doodles, lamps, gremlins, paintings, etc, teach me that art isn't only fathomless, but can be done with anything--and it's a joy. Combine that with your unflagging technique, your terrific sense of humor & infectious use of every medium you touch (you'd make the Sistine Chapel out of chewing gum if someone asked, I'm sure), it's a knockout combination. You're one of the most exciting artists to cross my path in eons, and if you ever go to another planet, book me a seat 'cause I'm joining you. You've given us permission to do anything our insides ask, you've taught us a world about technique w/ a lot of humanity; and to paraphrase Mel Brooks, your gallery makes us wanna throw a party for our eyes. Flourish forever, Durley goddess! You're a big deep forest of art & your work is more joyous than you know...