Now

As I reflect on the now. 

I just have to wonder how. 

I'm blessed with an inflated sense of self worth;

Probably because of the breaks I've had since birth. 

The arc of my life;

Began with a home on a lake.

The time and the place;

Was no mistake. 

Of course as a restless youth, I wanted out.

My vision for the future could not be denied.

The possibilities seemed endless with no doubt;

It all will come if and when I tried. 

I know now;

With confidence, but not exactly how.

You need a model like I had;

You need an extraordinary dad.

Mark makes intro: Meet Susan

 

So, Mark Denk made a cameo at the AMA golf event on June 27, 2025, He did not play but he hung around for some of the briefing of two sponsors (Robert Half and Chiro-One). Since Mark is a guy who likes to facilitate connections he wanted to make an introduction. The following e-mail served as introduction (I lost my cell earlier that week during my preparations for the Golf Event at Creve Coeur Golf Course.)  

On Saturday, June 28, 2025 at 01:47:55 PM CDT, M Denk <markdenk@yahoo.com> wrote:

Susan Signorino, I’d like to introduce you to my friend Wes Morgan and vice versa.

Susan - While I have been on the St. Louis chapter of the American Marketing Association (AMA-STL) board for the past 20 years (trying to get off for the last 19), I have had a lot of time to really get to know become friends with Wes. I am convinced that he started the St. Louis chapter back in the 1940s even though he’s only in his 60s. In addition to serving as a past president, he is currently our chapter’s historian and the most relaxed golf tournament chair.

Wes worked in the advertising industry for the majority of his career, is always smiling, always has a story to share and is a lover of art and museums.

Wes - I describe Susan as the very definition of what an outsider would imagine a social worker does. Everyone is naturally attracted to her as she is very kind, very generous of her time, expertise, her network and always willing to lend a helping hand and/or ear. She runs and has ran several always successful networking groups in senior healthcare.

While I am not a matchmaker nor want to be known as one, I look forward to you guys connecting and becoming friends.

Cheers,

Mark Denk

314-435-0393

PS: Susan, I’m connecting you through email because Wes misplaced his phone yesterday and won’t have his replacement until Monday at the earliest.

Well, the e-mail intro and my missing phone combined with my plan to meet an out of town friend at the Saint Louis Art Museum. The out-of-town guest cancelled but I did have a pleasant visit with Susan at the art museum, nevertheless. 

I did a bit of an art tour. (I am a docent at heart I guess.) I talked a lot about me, of course. We were together for 3+ hours. The museum was open late and the light rain at dusk resulted in am incredible rainbow on Art Hill.

Susan lost her spouse in 2022 (and her parents in the same year). She was a good audience for my docent tour highlights - Monet, Van Gogh, the Egyptian cat, Rothko, Warhol, Jaune Quick To See Smith and other highlights. We went through the crowded Roar exhibit (dedicated to the period around the automobile, art and fashions of 1918-1939 in France).

Since Susan is a friend of Bob Mogley, we took advantage of his hospitality at Creek Valley Retirement Community. I was able to deliver a belated birthday card (which was displayed in his office when we left).

     

AMA Golf at CCGC 2025

 

July 27, 2025 The Annual Golf event at Creve Coeur Golf Course weathered one of the most interesting rounds. Randy Niederer, Mark Bretz, Chris Demko (from Robert Half), Coolfire foursome, Jamal, Wes Morgan, Lauren and another gal managed a ninth hole with a tent and two other women managed a tent on hole number 2, a cameo by Mark Denk and some random spattering of local Creve Coeur golfers braved the round that began at 12:30 after enjoying a quick lunch of hot dog, drink and chips. The round was supposed to be the pick day after Saint Louis had a week of heat alerts with "feels like 100+ degrees" days.

 

We instead got bombarded by quick down pours that cooled things down but didn't stop the hearty band of dedicated golfers and volunteers from enjoying the day in spite of the conditions. By afternoon, thunderstorms and lighting were tracking east of the course. 

Excused absences: John Grizzell, Bob Mogley, Rowdy Jones, Dave Cox, Darryl Vandiver, Joe Voss, AMA board members including co-chairs Hannah and Merissa. 

Thanks to all who participated in what I think might be our 27th at CCGC since 1998.   

Art Reading 2025

 

There is no required reading list for my self described Art Junky Habit, but lately I have let my own curiosity drive my casual reading. The remarkable exhibit Picasso and Paper at the Cleveland Museum of Art (January 17, 2025). Life with Picasso is a dandy overview of Picasso and tells you a lot about the artists and his muses.

Monet is fascinating too and my visit to the Museum of Fine Arts - Boston (February 28, 2025) seemed deserving of a scholarly overview of Monet The  Restless Vision.

The Saint Louis Art Museum - (June 6, 2025) hosted a member talk by former Curator at the North Carolina Museum of Art - . The author of Artcurious Jennifer Dasaal signed my book "Wes - Stay Curious!"

A visit to Museum of Modern Art, MoMA - (June 13, 2025) via Laguardia Airport and a meeting with my good friend David Drimer was more than an ample reminder of why I love to revisit great art museums. Almost immediately spotted Picasso's Goat. Also loved seeing Piet Mondrian, Jackson Pollack, Salvador Dali, Max Beckman and Mark Rothko.  

I have plans to visit the Andy Warhol Museum August 30, 2025 so I ordered Warhol to read in anticipation. The book is 900 pages and should provide a pretty good overview Andy and Pop Art. 

 

Fathers Day Weekend 2025

So much fun over Fathers' Day Weekend. Ben and Allison and the amazing James opened up their Ocean, NJ home to me and I got to see some remarkable dads and thank some too. My foursome at the golf course adjacent to Ben's house included Papa, Ben, Perry and Max. 

Dads on the golf course are Perry Schatzow; husband of Autumn and dad of Samson and Marlow (knockout); Max; husband to Mary and father of Lilly and Daniel; Ben; husband to Allison and father of the amazing James (8 yr old Minecraft and Sponge Bob fan); Wesley Morgan (Papa Wes, father of Lindsey Dewey, wife of Robert Christopher Dewey (Chris) and mom to Robert Lawton Dewey (Lawton about to be 9 on July 5) and my boy Ben.    

 

  

MoMA June 13, 2025

 

It had been too long since being at the Museum of Modern Art. And too long since hanging out with my college pal Dave Drimer. So. on June 13 (Friday the 13th) I traveled to New York City on Southwest Airlines from Saint Louis. I got up at something like 3:30 a.m. for the 2 hour 15 minute flight to NYC. A 60 minute $65 dollar cab fare and finding a place to check my bag (The Hyatt on 54th and Avenue of the Americas - five dollars). But it was worth it as I met David Drimer in the museum lobby.

The sculpture garden was among the first sights. Picasso's GOAT, and Arristide Maillol's THE RIVER were a among my first visual treats to this remarkable place on 53rd Street. Jackson Pollock, Piet Mondrian, Richard Serra, Mark Rothko and more. 

 

Dave and I talked about old times at the University of Miami, being UM Admissions Counselors, and our early career highlights in New York City. To catch a train to Long Branch, New Jersey I walked 20+ blocks in Manhattan (half of which was with Dave - who had to catch a 7 subway train to LIC).

My boy Ben, his wife - Allison and the amazing James were there at Long Branch. This was the start of a remarkable Fathers' Day weekend at 28 Dorset in Ocean, New Jersey. 

Friday - MoMA with Drimer

Saturday - Monmouth Park Racetrack with Ben/Allison/James

Sunday - Golf with with Perry Max and Ben, Brunch at 28 Dorset (the highlight of which was quality time with Toby - the Matriarch).

Monday - Uber Reynaldo to LaGuardia.

James has just 4 more days of school and on this Monday June16th I joined them as they waited for the school bus.

Dave Drimer, Picasso's Goat, and me at MoMA on June 13, 2025.  

  

 

Silk purse from a Sow's Ear

The phrase "you can't make a silk purse from a sow's ear" comes from the Reverend Johnathan Swift (1801) who is widely credited with coining the phrase. However, a similar statement appears in Stephen Gosson's Ephemerides of Phialo in 1579. The saying implies that if something is inherently poor quality or of low value, you cannot make it into something of high quality or value, no matter how much effort is put into it.

André Harvey, b. 1941 Stella (from an edition of 30), 2007, cast 2009
Bronze Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas