Leaving

All week I've been running around like a chicken with no head because I'm getting ready to go home. Time went by so fast and it's hard to believe that my residency is coming to an end. I came here afraid - nervous and not sure about any of it at first, but time settled me into place. I see the importance of me coming here now. I was reborn. This was a mental medicine and very therapeutic in terns of me being exposed to European artists and philosophers of the past.


Two weeks ago, Jenenne and I went to visit our friends in Stuttgart, Germany. Klaus and Cathrin live in the
mountains of Stuttgart where there are lots wine vineyards and it was like being on top of the world looking down at the city of Stuttgart. What a view! They fixed a birthday dinner for myself and Jenenne, who was also celebrating her birthday. We stayed the night there. I personally love the artwork that was in our bedroom, painted on the walls.


We turned in early because we had a big day planned for tomorrow plus a special surprise in store for us.
I rose early. I'm more or less an early bird. I like the morning sky. We had breakfast and then we were on our way headed for the autobahn. Klaus drove and I rode shotgun. On the way, to my "BIG" surprise, we made one stop, to check out a folk art museum. The work at the museum was great and it reminded me of grandpa Mackey's artwork. My "BIG" surprise was having Klaus and Cathrin and a friend of theirs take Jenenne and myself to Heidelberg, Germany!

Heidelberg is a college town and students come from all over the world to attend school there. We had lunch
on one of the Heidelberg boats and after lunch we strolled up and down the city streets. The grand finale was taking the cable car to the top of the mountain. And there it was, the Heidelberg castle. Big, powerful, a fortress of the past. It was a city in itself.


The castle was built in 1271 and still stands today as a tourist attraction. It was damaged twice by lightening storms and partly destroyed during the France war. This was a wonderful birthday present, to go back in time and see this magnificent artwork on top of a hill over-looking the city. The Heidelberg castle lives on, on top of that mountain and the Heidelberg Project lives on and on, on Heidelberg street.

Winding Down....

Every morning I wake up to create and if I die tomorrow, let me die creating what I love. That's art. 

The train ride from Basel to Bern is very therapeutic for me. I'm Like Socrates-I know nothing
and all is at hand. The language is different here but the words are the same, like back in Detroit. My time here is coming to an end and already I'm starting to miss this place. I love it here! I just heard the church bells and it's 7:00pm here with a beautiful sky. It feels like I've been gone for years. I've become accustomed to the life-style here: people riding their bikes and little old ladies all dressed up just to go to the store on the trams. My house keeper, Denise who cleans the house Mondays and Fridays, I will truly miss her along with her German lessons.

The public transportation system I've got down to a science. I will miss the fact that everything is on time for the most part. It's the way of life here, being on time. The neighbor next door is our physician, so if Danh or I get sick, we just go next door. I also ended my membership at the gym this week and started packing up. Getting ready to come home to the goddamn - D!!!! I've been here a year and the time has just gone by so fast it's hard to believe it. I stayed busy most of the time and met a lot of wonderful people. I went to parties and.... sometimes drank too much. I love the Jazz at Bird's Eye Jazz club.

I will never forget this momentous experience that open my eyes to see the glory of God here. The beauteous black birds outside my window in the morning. Danh and those wild bodacious parties he throws here at the house...I have had so much fun here.

As I conclude, my life will never be the same all because I know now I can do anything If I put
my mind to it, like coming to Basel, Switzerland for a year.

The Open House aftermath.....

The open house opening was a big hit and people came to check it out. This work is about 25 years of experience and that now I understand that this is my purpose in life, to create art. I feel renewed and excited about the possibilities that await me now and there is no turning back at this point in my life. One writer said my art was religious art and people here had a lot of questions about the messages and my shoe concept. My answer to the people was, "I'm making it up." I create what I feel and see with my third eye of wisdom from God.
                                                                     Open House Images

So what is art today for me: it's the open house project here now and whatever tomorrow brings my way. I'm having so much fun and if the world came to end tomorrow, I'd have zero regrets. Life has been good to me. My grandfather was and is a part of the open house research project here in Basel Switzerland. It was truly an honor to have grandpa be part of this special occasion, the two of us again. I made a promise to my grandfather that I would share his art with the world; this is only the beginning!

I would like to thank Jenenne, my lovely wife, and Dan Hoops for coming out for the opening. We had a great time!

                                     Dan Hoops, Jenenne Whitfield, Tyree Guyton, John Sutton

                                                     Jenenne Whitfield and Debbie Sutton


I love the fact of being here but can't wait to return home so I can polka dot the whole city now. I've been practicing for that moment. So get ready city!