my long love affair with the ephemeral . . .

summertime

It was almost SEVEN years ago that I fell 

under the spell of the dress form;  

August 2006, on a family vacation at Well Beach, ME. 

It was there that I began to see the possibilities of dress in everything that I saw.

departure (2006) 

I started on the beach, creating dresses, then letting the high tide take them away, 

leaving me with a fresh canvas the next day!

Since then I have a special place in my creative soul for ephemeral dresses. 

huh??? you want to do what????

And with my current state of affairs I am not in my studio much, so I am finding my creativity seizing any opportunity to create and again I am making dresses out of anything that I can find!!! 

Such as Scruffy's fur! 

Für scruffy

What started out as a simple act of relieving Scruffy of some of his abundance of fur in this intense heat,  gave me wondrous clumps of fur (hair, really) that I immediately saw as components for a dress.

I love how the natural curls created swirls and movement in the dress.

'summertime' one day later

Another aspect that I love about process 

of the ephemeral dresses is how the dresses

 disperse back into the elements.

Some of the dresses are small, it all depends on the materials that inspire me.

Like this petite dress on the shores of Lake Sunapee, NH.

I was entranced by these fallen leaves, forecasting the upcoming autumn.

'sizzzzzzzzle'

the deconstruction of 'sizzzzzzle'

Nothing is safe - 

here I was inspired by a the leftover bacon 

grease in my beloved cast iron skillet.

I don't worry, Scruffy didn't get much of the dress ~

I was photographing it and had to run into the house.

At this point Scruffy saw his opportunity, but it was brief

(although I did need to capture the moment on film)

'Nothing is permanent but change'.HERACLITUS

Dress Project, return engagement, Natick Mall . . .

a table of dresses

I am so happy and honored to be the guest artist at the store, Uni-T, at the Natick Collection.

 Uni-T is the creation of Eujin Kim Neilan, a wonderful artist and illustrator. In her beautiful shop she paints, silkscreens and sells her work, a dreams that I have often entertained - shop/studio!! Along with her own work,  Eujin generously brings in the work of other artists every month. This month she has graciously offered the opportunity to me :) So once again the Dress Project is a the Natick Mall!!

from 2008

The first time was in February of 2008. That time I brought 4 of my sculptural dresses and exhibited them in the atrium of the mall. The Red Alert Cocktail was one of the four. Since then the Red Alert Cocktail Dress has made the rounds - numerous venues around Boston, Teaneck, NJ, Providence, RI and the Boston Children's museum, to name a few places. And wherever she goes she is a show stopper :) 

So now Red Alert is holding court in Uni-T's shop window, beckoning people in to check out a table of dresses: dresscards, dressphotos, dressmats and some original dressart!!

I must confess it is heartening to see all my work together and out in public. Recently life has pulled me away from my studio practice, something I thought would never happen.  but to see all the different pieces working together is buoyed my anxious creative self.  So I am truly thankful to Eujin for the opportunity!! 

set of 6 cards, images from my mixed media collage series,
 home sweet home

some of my original mixed media dresspaintings on panel

photos, photo notecards and so much more

signing the wondow

Eujin signing the window

statement from 2008 exhibit - it still works!!

4x6 framed dressmat

Exciting new work from the Studios of Virginia Fitzgerald

(now for the post that i was writing when i realized the past post, from June, hadnot even been published!!! :)

'mirror, mirror' mixed media collage on panel

These past few weeks have been super full, which is befitting for September, with the usual starting of a new school year. And to add to the excitement, I just added a few big gallery shows, a couple performances and an open studio or two, keeping me 'out of trouble'.

Lots of good things have been going on ~ meeting new people, learning new techniques and creating a  new series of collages ~ all good, but I must confess I really miss writing my blog.  Even with my quick update on my Facebook artist's page, I miss how the act of writing my blog helps me to flesh out my current projects and artistic going-ons.  I realize that this blog is an important record for me about what is important in my artistic journey, and hopefully others enjoy reading it as well.   

So with that revelation in mind I here is a 'quick' post about my newest series and where you can find one of these pieces.

As I have mentioned in an earlier post (the lost  post), I am part of Fountain Street Fine Arts' CSArt ~ and as I have been exploring what my CSArt pieces will be I created these mixed media collages ~ one is pictured at the beginning of this post. These collages don't exactly fit the criteria for the CSArt but I am SO, sO, So excited about the pieces as their own series!!! 

I see the series as a natural continuation of The Dress Project. The pieces speak to many issues that I am deal with in The Dress Project, especially the demands of certain societal expectations.  And this work is 2D which gives me some ability to show it in more places.  But most of all I LOVE to create these surreal worlds.

One of the first places where the series is debuting is at the Attleboro Arts Museum for their 21st Benefit Art Auction.  And they have set up an online auction so even those who are far away can view, bid and possibly win my newest work ~ see info below for online auction.

The piece I donated is called, 'there's no place like home, andy'.  It is a mixed media collage on paper and measures 5x7" with an 8x10" mat.  The dress and hanger are separate pieces that I have created then sewn onto the piece.  This detail picture gives you a sense of the dimensionally of the work.

'there's no place like home, andy'

detail

I am truly intoxicated by this series and have been working on paper and on panels.  I hope/plan to have a few at this weekends Natick Open Studios - but to do that I need to go work on them.  So . . . I must run.  

Check out the Attleboro Online Auction, here is the direct link to my piece.  And thank you for visiting my blog!! peace.

You can now view the Attleboro Arts Museum's 2012 Benefit Art Auction Items ________________________

The Attleboro Arts Museum's Benefit Art Auction is the Museum's   largest fundraising event of the year.  Proceeds from the auction   fund colorful and innovative arts programs for all levels of artists   and art students and a range of exhibitions.    You can now view (and place bids on) our handsome offering   of auction items by visiting either: The Museum: actual auction items are on display through   November 1, 2012.  86 Park Street, Attleboro, MA 02703.   Tues - Sat, 10am - 5pm.  OR Our online auction website through October 31, 2012:    www.biddingforgood.com/attleboroartsmuseum2012 __________________________________________   Tickets are now on sale for the live auction event: Saturday, November 3, 2012 Tickets: $35 in advance;   $40 at the door.    •  Each ticket includes wine, beer and hors d'oeuvres •  Doors open at 5:30pm •  Buffet from 5:30 - 6:30pm; beverages available all evening •  Live auction begins at 7pm Attleboro Arts Museum 86 Park Street, Attleboro, MA 02703   To order tickets: 508-222-2644 x13 or   office@attleboroartsmuseum.org __________________________________________ Endless thanks to our valued 2012 auction sponsors:   Headline Sponsors City Spirits; Fine Catering by Russell Morin; Rockland Trust; Sensata Technologies; The Sun Chronicle Partner Sponsors  Anawon Trust/Bristol County Savings Bank; Collins, Smith & O'Connor, LLP; Mansfield Bank; Barbara and Peter Ottmar Friend Sponsors Bliss Bros. Dairy; Castro, Thresher & Oliveira, PC; Willow Tree Farm

http://www.biddingforgood.com/auction/item/Browse.action?auctionId=169965519&searchTerm=fitzgerald&search=Search&_sourcePage=rDlJDQwHKdxLYsuDKS9t0adu0wt2lnOlBiTONnwlpGE%3D&__fp=j9m3yWnNqAc%3D

Day of the Dead dress

As so often happens with me, I started doing one thing and ended up making a dress.  Suddenly this afternoon I discovered I had a free moment so I thought I'd start to take down the Halloween decorations!?! When I was removing some of the creepy spiderwebs from one of our trees,  I found that they were quite stubbornly stuck. While wrestling with them I realized that instead of removing them (since they clearly did NOT want to come off) I should really just make a dress out of them. 

I loved this idea for many reasons ~ the first reason being that lately I have really been hankering to make a dress outside ~ it is such a joy to be creating in the elements.  Another reason is ever since my daughter had wrapped the tree with these cottony webs I wanted to make a 'webby' dress.  Lastly, this year I had yet to make a Halloween dress, so I thought this will be my Halloween dress, just one day late.  But as I pushed and pulled the strands around I realized that this was not a wispy, cobwebby dress, it had more of a ghostly feel, a spirit dress, a perfect  Day of the Dead dress. 

So here is a dress for the spirit world.  And when the wind blew, the skirt of the dress would start to float as if she had a place to go.  But then, when the breeze ceased, this dress seemed to have changed her mind and would settle back into the bark.  

I wonder if she will stay the night or if she will drift off into this clear, cold night?!? A teacher of mine pointed out, as I was saying I didn't like the shorter days, that this is the time of year when the veil between the worlds is the thinnest.  This is a time to dream, to be quiet and listen to our muses.  As the time of darkness grows we have more time for reverie (if we can walk away from our computers, TVs and other eletronics).  So on that note  . . .

Good Night, Sweet Dreams & Peace

announcing....yet, another obsession

Now how to begin.....

I was given a moleskin notebook for a project called The Sketchbook Project (more about that project later, but for now.... ) I became quite enamored with my moleskin notebook with the kraft paper cover and when I finished that book I wanted more!! & ever since beginning The Dress Project I have toyed with the idea of a daily dress. Also during this time my studio time has become shorter because I am spending many of the daylight hours in a classroom, so there has been some pent~up dress creativity. So I got myself another moleskin notebook and suddenly the pieces fell together.... introducing the Daily Dress Project or journal.

For this journal I create a page from some detritus that comes to me during the course of the day ~ a receipt, a paper bag, packing material, whatever catches my fancy; that is be the starting point. Then I build the page around that element and eventually I add an origami dress. Sometime the dress is large, sometimes small; one time the dress isn't even there, you get the idea.

This project has become a wonderful addiction as well as an exhilarating experience. To the left is a photo of a new notebook - a plain paper, 5.25 X 8.25 inch, 80 page Moleskin Cahier Sketchbook. Below you see images of what my Daily Dress Journal looks like NOW ~ I need a rubber-band to keep it closed!!! I am truly smitten ~ everyday a new puzzle to work out, a new challenge, a new opportunity to create. On these pages I am experimenting with different media and new techniques. And of course there is the nostalgic side of this ~ each journal page encapsulates a moment in my life, a diary of images.

As this journal is almost done, and I am playing with some ideas about how to continue. But as I ponder how to go forward with this project, I realized that I wanted to share this 'idee fixe', so voila the Daily Dress Project blog!

Yes, I know.... another blog?!?! but after much thought it only seemed appropriate ~ the daily dress project needed its own space where each day will have its own spotlight! not squeezed in between shows announcements and creatures and larger dresses.

To begin I have posted 6 dresses on the site, and a little story about that day's collage, if need be. I am going to try and keep the text to a minimum, have it be more about the image. So I hope you have a moment to go share in my latest all~consuming passion & I'd love to hear what you think!!

that address again ~ www.dailydressproject.blogspot.com

& peace

Hot off the Presses

Click here to read the article about the Fountain Street show in the MetroWest Daily News!

Reception at Fountain Street FineArt Sunday, by Chris Bergeron.

busy, busy, busy & lovin' it

this is a busy & WONDERFUL month!! this week I am setting up TWO 2 person shows & I couldn't be more thrilled (just wish I could find more hours in the day!!!) So this is going to be a brief posting since i also need to submit 50+ comments and grades this week too!! :)

First, I have the honor of showing with David Lang @ the Shore Shore Art Center, Cohasset, MA. In this show, "Upon Further Consideration - What Tells a Story?" our work will raise questions for reconsideration, sometimes about perfectly ordinary events and points of view, and at other times about far more complicated issues.

March 4–April 10

Upon Further Consideration -

Bancroft Gallery

David Lang and Virginia Fitzgerald

Opening Reception: March 4, 6–8 pm

Upon Further Consideration is sponsored by Conway Insurance Agency

& I am so excited to announce that I will be showing with Lisa Barthelson at a wonderful new gallery in Framingham, Fountain Street Fine Art ~ the opening:

Sunday, March 6th from 4-6pm

Fountain Street Fine Art hosts a site-specific print install ation, 'family debris series', by Lisa Barthelson and sculptural pieces from 'the dress project' by Virginia Fitzgerald from March 4 through March 27, 2011. Fountain Street Fine Art 59 Fountain Street - Framingham MA 01702 508.879.4200 Gallery Hours: Fri-Sun, 11AM-5PM and by appointment. hope to see you during all these festivities. i may be the one asleep in the corner with a smile on my face :) peace

Happy Birthday Mom!!!

This post's for you, Mom!!! It is my way of standing on a mountain top screaming 'Happy Birthday'. It is a small way of making up for the many gifts that have not made it to her door recently; because of a pending gallery show, girl scout event or my new job!!! Both my parents have been so patient and understanding as birthdays and holidays come and go with me saying 'I love you' & your gifts will be coming late because i am swamped. They never complain and in fact are totally supportive. However as the time ticks by the well intended gifts never find their way to the post office and for this i am distressed!!!

With that i mind I am posting this for her, so she knows there is a special something crafted for her, waiting to fly across the country with some homemade peanut brittle!!! And this dress was made especially for my mom!! She is a lover of sweets and shares her passion with us (aren't we lucky). Recently a box of Fannie May Chocolate Pixies were sent to our house (thank u Mom) and were quickly devoured. As i stared at the empty box I saw the making for a perfect dress (how surprising) & the timing couldn't have been better. So to the studio and voila ~ 'Ode to the Pixie' !! and as one of my girls pointed out it is a dress my mother would wear.

I think this would also be a good time and place to thank my mom. She and my dad have been wonderfully supportive of my artistic endeavors, and as any artist can tell you, that is priceless!! But it is recently that I realized how much their personalities and zest for life has given me a freedom to follow my inspirations. This said, anyone who knows my upbringing can see 'a bit' of contradiction. In many ways I was raised with endless 'rules', 'should's and 'shouldn'ts' & obstacles to thinking out of the box. However I believe it is true that children learn more from their parent's actions than their words. Even though I was receiving many limiting messages I also saw my parents doing 'crazy and loving' things ~ wearing crazy hats in an antique store, swinging in a playground wearing a bow tie and shorts and my mom always donning wonderfully colorful hats decorated with numerous pins and buttons.

Since starting 'the Dress Project' many, many people ask me if I wanted to be a fashion designer. I answer honestly no, not really, BUT my mom wanted to!! boy did she want to!! She was always sketching dresses on envelopes & cocktail napkins. She haunted second-hand stores for fashion nuggets that she could alter to make something unique for the next cocktail party. We were constantly snipping, sewing and adding embellishments of some kind of another. This influenced the Dress Project in many ways. One is that I learned to look beyond the face value of any garment or item ... everything can be altered. Another way is that I witnessed the importance people put on clothing and appearance and I questioned that. Why would what a person wear reflect on who that person was or what they had to say and do?? I know that these rules and premises exist but I believe it is time to question them and knock them down. That being said, I wonder if we can free ourselves from such judgement. Talking with some friends we were looking at this endless need humans have to categorize ~ to place people in their personal assessing system. This conversation stemmed from having girls in middle school, a place where the hierarchy system thrives. We were wondering what makes 'popular' or 'unpopular'?? Is it really wearing Hollister jeans? (gag) What is this need of ours to makes ourselves feel superior over others?? While we pondered this conundrum my friend's dog walked into the room and we realized it is not only humans who create a peeking order. So I go back to my question : can we free ourselves from such evaluation? especially based on one's appearance?? It is a question I hope I address with my work.

But wait this is a birthday greeting, so back to the pomp and circumstance!!! (trumpets please)

Happy Birthday Mom ~

to that wonderfully creative spirit that you are, I LOVE U!!

&

thanks for giving me those unconventional genes!!

xxxooo & peace

p.s. New York is waiting for us!!!!!

& the dress is in the mail :)

Snow day!!!

I am happy to say that I have not lost that uninhibited joy of a school girl when I hear the phrase 'snow day.' Those words still hold the magic of an unexpected gift ~ a free day, a nugget of unscheduled time for me to fill. So as the Boston area prepared for the imminent blizzard, I collected a few of my projects and settled in for a cozy and creative day, watching snowflakes accumulate outside my window ~oh, what joy! However, before I installed myself in my home I headed out into the storm for an inspiring and exhilarating jaunt (with hound in tow).

My day started happily with a cold, inquisitive nose in my face, accompanied by subtle grunts saying, “The sun is up, outdoors is calling, smells to be smelled ~ time to get up!”. So Scruffy and I got ourselves suited up ~ me in a little more outerwear than the boy ~ and slipped out of our sleeping house into the prelude of the storm. It was a beautiful morning. In this early hour the snow was just dusting the earth and there was a soft brightness illuminating every branch, bud and berry. The streets were quiet, the sound of traffic nonexistent, being the Sunday morning after Christmas. Scruffy and I decided to take full advantage of the peace and headed

out or a long walk. We eventually headed toward my studio building with the thought that my buddy, David Lang, may already be at work. When I found a dark building I thought that I would leave him a little dress ~ my calling card, ‘Virginia was here.' He always gets a kick out of finding a dress at his door. So I looked around for possible materials to use and suddenly I was in heaven. I was back outside creating a dress. I felt a quickening, my mind and body were in a different place. I found a few pine cones but I realized that they vanished on the driveway in front of David’s door. So I gathered my treasures and headed to a snowy parking lot. From here Scruffy and I commuted back and forth to nearby woods to gather pine needles and pine cones, then back to my dress. Scruffy was a bit put off that we were not going further into the woods but he soon resigned himself to being my patient assistant.

So as the snowflakes fell and I made a dress. I cannot express how good it felt. With the holidays and the many other things going on in my life I have been feeling a severance from my studio and especially my dresses. So it was heartening to be back outside, foraging for the perfect shaped pine cone. And I am always amazed how focused I get when in the zone. This morning it was cold, however it was too hard to manipulate the materials with my gloves on, so off with the gloves. I hardly felt how cold my fingers were until the dress was finished. The act of creating has overrule the physical for me many times, I can’t tell you how many meals are missed if I am involved in a project.

Hence, it was great to be back creating, especially back creating outside. Where it is all about the act of creating because soon the elements will whisk my dress away, or in this instance, cover it with 16-20 inches of snow, which is what is predicted.

So if you are in the path of this blizzard I hope you are snug and warm, and have a good book or project. If you are not hope you get to have a ‘snow day’ somehow ~ they are a wonderful little get out of jail free card from one’s regularly scheduled programing!!

happy sledding & peace ~