Friday, June 24, 2011

Time


Sunday, June 26 · 3:00pm - 7:00pm

Location

Picnic Pavillion at Eddie Vickers Park

Riberia St.

To show our support and friendship to Greg Travous, a gathering and pot luck picnic is being held. Bring a dish to share if you like, an instrument to play if you wish, and a story or smile to share. Invite any of Greg's friends along!

I'm OK !

Some of you may have heard that I recently spent six days in Flagler Hospital. I was feeling poorly and was concerned about a recent 26 pound weight loss. Solid foods were not going down for a couple of weeks and I had been relying on soup.


After being punctured and probed for days, I received the grim prognosis, verified by a group of doctors. Cancer had reached stage four and was in four organs. Treatments would be useless at this point. Many of my friends were already aware that I knew of a cancerous condition for the last four years. This means that I have prepared myself for "the finals".

I am still walking and talking ( rare at this stage, per my oncologist) and the only effects now is a general weakness and a dull belly ache and nausea with a loss of appetite.

I still have work to do though setting up my art in the plaza is no longer physically possible. The ability for my fellow artists to do so is still my high priority and I'm working on this.

I am fortunate to have received such great care at Flagler Hospital and Community Hospice. I am also fortunate to have been able to have spent the last six years in a wonderful community that I've learned to love and have met many fantastic friends.

I am writing this now because there may be physical changes coming and while I am lucid now, this may change in the future. I wanted friends to know that I want no drama nor "get well soon wishes". I have lived a life that has been what I consider interesting and have had more than my share of adventure. I am not a religious nor spiritual person to which I consider an advantage at this stage believing that no punishment awaits me and I'll leave knowing that I tried to do the best that I could with normal human limitations and flaws. So when you see me (yes, I'll walk and talk as long as I can) try not to treat me any differently.

You are all wonderful and I hope to see you around town. I'll buy the coffee and try to make you laugh.

Greg Travous
gtravous@mail.com

Friday, June 03, 2011

A Little Progress


Last March, in anticipation of an upcoming trial  against me who was accused of "offering art for sale" in St. Augustine's Plaza de la Constitucion, I requested a meeting with the city to perhaps meet some mutually satisfying resolution without, once again  encumbering taxpayers with the expense of witnesses testifying, court time, city attorney's, bad press, etc. We've all been there before. Commissioner Leanne Freeman came forth and set up a meeting.

The initial meeting covered some of the questions that were addressed by previous decisions by the County and Federal courts both here and in other judicial districts. A second meeting should be scheduled soon since the court dates for me will be coming up again in July. I feel that this is the FIRST time the administration of the City of St. Augustine has shown a willingness to recognize visual artist's rights.

The objective is to draft an ordinance that is constitutionally compliant and will have artist's and their easels back on city streets and plazas. At this time it is illegal for an artists to do so in most of the historic district.