"Forever and After" is Ending . . . .

wonderful photo by Cynthia Ryan

As all good things must, the haunting and exquisite exhibit, "Forever & After" is closing next week. 

Presented by the South Shore Art Center, Cohasset, MA and curated by Bill Houser, this group show captures the duality, mystery and beauty of death, spirit and what may come after.  

'dear jeff . . . ' featured in the Boston Globe.

as seen in the current issue of 'artscope' 

I have two pieces in the show, 'dear jeff . . . ' and ' torqued & tethered . . .'.  I honored to be in the company of five outstanding sculptors; Benjamin Cariens, Gillian Christy, Rosalyn Driscoll, Sally Fine and Christopher Frost.  

The show has gotten much attention, from the media as well as personal commentary.  Here is a link to the ArtScope article and click here to see what Cate McQuaid said for the Boston Globe.  

photograph by Pamela Copeman

catalog of the exhibit.

And definitely check out Pamela Copeman's blog post about the exhibit, she shared some lovely pictures of the show.  

CLICK HERE TO READ PAMELA COPEMAN'S BLOG

And if you are able, definitely go see this exhibit!!! It is one of those shows that needs to be experienced!!! Well done Bill Houser and the SSAC!!  

this picture is for you Mom!!! :)

peace, va

#tbt: the story of 'dear jeff . . . '

note: photo is above the fold :)

I seems only appropriate to share the story behind my sculpture, 'dear jeff . . . ' as it is featured in yesterday's art section of the Boston Globe! (lick here to go to the Globe's site)

photo by Rrea Brown Photography during a photography workshop led by
David Lee Black, where 'dear jeff . . . ' was one of the models.

The story of 'dear jeff . . . '

 This dress is a commissioned sculpture for a man, Jeff,  who lost his fiancée in the events of 9/11/2001.  She had flown to New York early that morning to attend a business breakfast at the Windows of the World restaurant.  

On the 10 year anniversary of this tragedy Jeff felt that it was time to let go of his box of memories.  He contacted me and asked me if I could create something from his collection of letters and cards and remnants from the tragedy. I was honored to have been asked and accepted the task.

Jeff handed me a large box full of letters; notes between the couple during college, cards of encouragement for new jobs, the announcement about their engagement, articles about 9/11, the missing person flyers, and then an abundance of condolences cards, from friends, family, coworkers, communities and even strangers. These communiques played a huge role is Jeff's recovery; the power of a caring community.

When Jeff approached me, he didn't want a memorial of his fiancée and her death. He wanted a sculpture that would portray the importance of community, and the positive growth that can come through adversity, as well as a celebration of Amy's spirit.  The essence of this dress is similiar to the story of the phoenix, who rises  from the ashes renewed after apparent disaster or destruction.  peace

There is so much I can say about this dress and the experience I have had making it and exhibiting it. This sculpture is a true testimony to the power of art!!!  I have witnessed victims of the attacks meet over the dress and console each other and I have been told that the dress has helped others to heal a bit from this horrific tragedy.  

I am very honored to have been given this task of working with such emotional, heart-wrenching and powerful materials and I am truly grateful to Jeff for sharing his memories and his story with me, allowing me to share the story of love, loss and recovery with a larger audience.

click here to see web version

'dear jeff . . .' is part of the breath-taking exhibit, "Forever & After" at 

the South Shore Art Center through April 4th.  

peace, va

Tonight!!! #DigOutArts at the South Shore Art Center

Here in Boston, we have been experience unprecedented snow and cold.  The mounds of snow and ice are incredible, towering over one's car or one's person at times.  I have found myself suddenly laughing at the surrounding landscape.  I am not sure if it is because I am slowly losing my mind?!?!? or (more likely) this massive world of snow returns me to a child-like wonder!!! It is magical!! 

However, magical or not, this weather is inconvenient and is causing serious bouts of cabin fever!

So a local arts organization, ArtsBoston, started a hashtag movement, #DIGOUTARTS, to encourage all to throw down their shovels and go see some art this weekend!!! here is their post:

We are all weary from our ‪#‎BOSnow‬ existence, but it is important that we get out and celebrate what makes ‪#‎Boston‬ such a vibrant place to live, and that's our arts and culture community. If you are going a play, concert, film, museum, or gallery this weekend post about your experience on instagram or twitter using ‪#‎DigOutArts‬ to help encourage others to go out and support the arts across the city. 

I LOVE this campaign!! Let's all go out and see the ARTS!!! AND it just so happens that I am participating in an artsy event tonight!!! Yes, tonight is the opening for the breath-taking exhibit, "Forever & After" at the South Shore Arts Center, Cohasset, MA.  The reception is 6-8pm.

If you can get out and join us I promise you that you will not be disappointed.  When I was installing 'torqued & tethered . . .'  I was able to see the exhibit in its nearly complete state;
I found it captivating!!

Here are the comments by Bill Houser, the curator of the show:

Thou know’st ‘tis common; all that lives must die, Passing through nature to eternity. —William Shakespeare (Hamlet. 1.2.72–73)

Sculpture has been used to commemorate and honor the dead since before the Egyptians built the pyramids, to ensure immortality for the spirits of those buried within.
The essence of Forever & After is the exploration of the ubiquitous and prophetic themes of loss, commemoration, and belief in spirit with its uncertain evolution or transcendence, through the medium of contemporary sculpture.

Forever & After examines this essence through many contexts: life, death, evolution, transformation, transcendence and all that is after and in between. As society attempts to control and co-exist with these uncontrollable aspects of our humanity and nature, we must accept that through these experiences our lives are enriched and are given dimension and purpose. These universal themes and experiences cross the boundaries of cultural, religious, historic and societal norms and beliefs. Forever & After explores these themes through the artistic interpretations and expressions of six uniquely gifted and accomplished sculptors.

The themes expressed by these artists, as well as the manner in which they are processed, offer a visual playground for us to explore. Some define them from an individual and personal perspective, while others may be derived from a collective ideology.
With the use of such diverse materials and mediums, each of these sculptors has masterfully created work that celebrates the essence of loss, memorializes feelings of permanence, and explores the concept of afterlife and spiritual renewal. The colors, textures, and forms used in creating these pieces are a testament to each sculptor’s unique individual artistic expression, yet collectively within the context of this exhibit, this collection embodies the interconnectivity of all of us.

William Houser, Curator                                              

 Click here to view the catalog

So matter how you do it or where you go . . .  

this weekend #digoutarts!!!

(hope to see you tonight!! :)

peace, va

#tbt: the story of 'torqued & tethered . . . .'

'torqued & tethered . . . ' at "forever & after"
at the SSAC

the story of  'torqued & tethered . . . ' 

in honor of her participation in the exquisite exhibit, "Forever & After"

 at the South Shore Art Center, curated by the amazing Bill Houser. 

Opening reception is tomorrow, Feb 20th, 6-8pm. 

If you are able, you need to go experience this exhibition, it is haunting in its beauty.

 'torqued & tethered . . . ' (2013) ribbons, chicken wire and rocks.

'torqued & tethered . . .' is the first of my dress sculpture where I played with the scale and shape of the dress.  For this piece the bodice is stunted, emaciated, twisted and tortured.  The sculpture hangs by only one of the shoulder straps, the other strap sags, defeated, exhausted. The way the bodice hangs the viewer can see in, under and through her; all is exposed.  

Being white, there is the suggestion of seeing bone.

'breaking open . . .' Fountain Street Fine Art (2013)

The skirt of the dress is created by ribbons that hang from the bottom of the bodice. These ribbons strain against the rocks which have hold the ribbons to the floor; 

grounding her, repressing her,  when all she really wants to do is to fly, to be free.

'torqued & tethered . . .' behind 'metamorphosis . . . '

I usually do not like to share my thoughts about a pieces so that the viewer can have their own personal experience with the sculpture, so I will attempt to leave something for the imagination. However I feel very strongly about  'torqued & tethered . . .'

This sculpture speaks to the omnipresent and destructive messages directed at young girls/women,

Lady Forrest 1876, Victorian style dress

from the media (TV, movie, advertisements, ...), society,  many religions and possibly family.  The dress is white to implying the many cultural traditions where a girl or woman wears a white dress that represents purity, goodness, respectability and virtue. Usually a white dress is worn for baptisms, first communions, confirmations, debutante cotillions, some graduations and, and of course,  a white dress is worn in a traditional wedding.

(I am suddenly feeling as though I have so much to say that I am going to EXPLODE!! I have many opinions about these traditional roles and expectations that are forced on girls/women even now in this supposedly gender enlightened time!! I have two girls/young ladies and I am aghast at the subtle messages that they have gotten about the importance of getting married! But this rant is for another post.*)

'torqued and tethered . . . ', for me, represents an innocent young spirit/girl who has been pinned down by rules, expectations, dogma and traditions and who has twisted and tortured herself trying to free herself and just be who is authentically is; she just wants to soar!!!

thank you for your interest and peace,

va