Farewell to Joel Weinstein, a proto-Art Scatterer
Today’s newspaper contained the sad news that Joel Weinstein, the publishing genius behind one of the city’s late, great magazines, Mississippi Mud, had died of lung cancer in Puerto Rico. (I wrote the obituary.)
I was surprised to calculate that Joel left the city in 1994 — my memory of him is still so vivid. The Joel I remember is smart and intense and intensely opinionated. He doesn’t suffer fools gladly, but on the other hand he can sometimes get a little goofy, which definitely takes the edge off. He always is working on something “important” and always is the carrier of good gossip. And every year or so he has a little stack of Mississippi Muds under his arm, a magazine of many parts and many sizes, a little bizarre at times (in a good way), with odd graphics bursting off the page and dense, intimate packets of writing alongside. A chance encounter with Joel was a challenge; it brought out your good side, your creative side. You leaped to unfounded conclusions, made up outlandish opinions, imparted barely credible stories to him just to impress him a little. And then, after he left, you were left with your own mental mess AND the similarly strange stuff he had delivered himself. It was wonderful.
I would say I’ll miss him. But I’ve been in that state since 1994, really. So, I’ll just say what I’ve already said — I’m sad about it, deeply sad. Art Scatter’s heartfelt condolences to his partner Cheryl Hartup. Bye, Joel.
November 6th, 2008 at 6:21 am
Joel was a one-of-a-kind friend. He published my first poem
and many others, always encouraging the ones with a sense
of irony about our society. We took many walks around Sellwood for the two decades we both lived there, and had
lunch at “just the best place I have discovered” in the
Portland area, which was always some funky little restaurant.
He served up The Mud on a platter to the community, and
I was always interested in what his next theme would be.
He was a genious at pairing literature and art, not on
the basis of commentary, but with one resonating with the
next. He cared deeply about his friends, and there were
many of us.
Yesterday, with the news of Obama winning the presidency,
and Joel having died, I did not know how to feel from one
moment to the next: Obama: ecstatic: Joel: deeply sad.
Yes, bye Joel. Hello memories.
Diane Averill
November 6th, 2008 at 6:48 am
[...] In remembrance by Barry Johnson Farewell to Joel Weinstein, Art Scatterer blog Joe Weinstein 1946-2009 (obit en [...]
November 6th, 2008 at 9:22 am
[...] http://www.artscatter.com/general/farewell-to-joel-weinstein-a-proto-art-scatterer [...]
November 6th, 2008 at 6:15 pm
I too was one of Joel’s vast legion of friends, fans, admirers during the long-ago-but-still-so-very-vivid 70s and 80s….. How many gallons of grease we guzzled during dimsum lunches at FongChong over the years I cannot even begin to guess, but I credit him with stretching my food adventure comfort zone while we flung PDX artworld rumors, gossip and dish at each other. Not to mention the wild & raucous parties at his little Marion Street house, always the urbanezany host, and always providing roast turkey and pie. Shortly before they left town, Joel presented me with two little antique green glass bottles dug up in his backyard–site of who knows how many ancient old ladies’ dump piles. Bottles were accompanied by a ridiculous, lengthy, hilarious story –made up by Joel of course. But they sit on my cupboard to this very day. And I will never forget Mr. Joel. Blessings upon him. My heart goes out to Cheryl H…..
November 7th, 2008 at 7:07 am
http://repuestoweb.org/Repuesto/Entries/2008/11/1_Joel_Weinstein_Forever.html
November 9th, 2008 at 8:18 am
To Cheryl Hartup:
I never met you but recall Joel’s deep joy in finding you as
a partner, and I felt so happy for him! It eases my own grief
to see that he had 18 years with you. I cannot being to imagine your own deep sorrow over his death, but my heart goes out to you.
Diane Averill
November 14th, 2008 at 11:09 am
Thanks, Barry, for the moving tributes you’ve written and for providing a place for people to remember this marvelous person we were so lucky to know and love. I’ve put an appreciation on my blog as well.
November 23rd, 2008 at 8:35 pm
[...] public realm. At the memorial service for Joel Weinstein, who honored us by choosing to be buried in Lone Fir Cemetery, after spending the past 14 years in [...]
November 8th, 2009 at 4:33 am
Sorry I didn’t know until a year later about Joel’s death. He was so important to me as a publisher and friend. He was one of a handful of editors who took the time to nurture and support those whose work he liked. He spoke in complete sentences with thoughtful exuberance. A great spirit and a great loss. He accepted genre fusion when many dismissed it because they couldn’t categorize it. My condolences to Cheryl. Best, Christy Sheffield Sanford