inspiring and thought-provoking . . . .

Today in the Boston area there are MANY venues 

where one can experience some amazing art. 

I am going to highlight two of them here: 

First  (drumroll please!!)

Christine Zwart's opening reception is tonight!!!

RECEPTION: SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28th, 6 pm-9 pm

Carney Gallery, Regis College, Weston, MA

Here is what David Lang said about Christina and this spectacular exhibition: 

Christina Zwart "multiplicity"

Every so often an exhibition captures my spirit like few others. Christina Zwart has created such an event in her show titled "Multiplicity." She is an installation artist. Her work comes together at the Carney Gallery at Regis College on Wellesley Street in Weston, MA. The entire gallery has become an installation. It is visually rich, subtle, thought-provoking and profound. She uses rather unlikely materials to create her works, which sometimes present themselves as "events" rather than individual constructions. Let this exhibition elegantly and eloquently transport you to a realm of the unexpected through her celebration of "beauty in the imperfect." David A.Lang

 

click here to see more of Christina's inspired pieces

And to get in the arty mindset 

for the reception

you should run by Maynard for:

Open Studios

This Saturday and Sunday from 12-5 

ArtSpace Maynard,

63 Summer Street, Maynard, MA 01754

Jane McKinnon Johnstone

Brenda Cirioni
A wonderful collection of exciting and inspiring artists!! 

Merill Comeau

And before you head out on your arty adventure you might want to read the blog of a good friend of mine, Mark Green.  His latest post has stirred up many thoughts which I have pondered on my Daily Dress blog.  All of this addressing the lack of sitting still in our lives.  So I am listing the links to the different blogpost and then leaving you with some photos I took this morning, while on a quiet walk in the early morning dew with my trusty hound, Scruffy.

Mark's blog: moosevt.wordpress.com

virginia's daily dress inspiration(that's me :)

dailydressproject.blogspot.com

Wishing you a peaceful Saturday! xxx

the uterus is in the mail . . .

Finally I  got this piece, 'garden of eden' into the mail, to be included in Helen 

Klebesadel, The Exquisite Uterus: The Art of Resistance.

I am so excited about this piece and this project and

I even got my sweetie Harriet to participate.

Harriet's contribution, a uterus covered with coins

This piece/project has inspired an entire series of fiber organs which I hope to have finished for my up-coming show, 'breaking open' with Anne Gilson at Fountain Street Fine Art!

Working on my heart now.

Be sure to check out all the amazing and exquisite on pinterest ~ 

Exquisite Uterus Preview Board ~

The Exquisite Uterus Project: The Art of Resistance:

 Posted here are images of completed and/or in progress Uterii that are a part of the now traveling EUP: Art of Resistance Exhibition. The project was initiated in the spring of 2012 in reaction to the most current ‘War on Women.’ Artists and educators Alison Gates and Helen Klebesadel decided to offer feminists the opportunity to participate in this collaborative art project to channel some of the rage we were experiencing at the attacks on women’s reproductive health in this political environment, and to raise funds for women's reproductive health organizations. The response has been overwhelming. Plans are underway to create a fundraising catalog and to make it possible for others to participate in the digital part of this project. In the meantime you can find the fabric to participate here: http://www.spoonflower.com/fabric/1080580 The original exhibition's path (Future venues in the works): Union Art Gallery, UW-Milwaukee, September 2013 Armory Gallery, UW-Madison, March 2013, Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, IL, January 2013 Steinhilber Art Gallery, UW-Oshkosh, September 2012

Dana Hall School: Artist-in-Residence Program at Dana Hall

Here is an article from the Dana Hall website about my time as artist in residence at Dana last spring. 

 Dana Hall School: Artist-in-Residence Program at Dana Hall

metamorphosis

 and some pictures from the two projects 

dresses for the giving and receiving dress

some of my work in the Fiber and Fashion exhibit

click here for more about metamorphosis 

and click here for more information about the giving and receiving dress

  

Imagine all the people living life in peace. John Lennon

this post is a direct copy of today's daily dress inspiration blog .

With today being September 11th,  I felt that today's message and 

quotes were worth repeating. (and for those wonderful folks that subscribe to 

both my blogs, I apologize for the 'rerun'.)

may this dress bring peace ~

'dear jeff' (2011-2012)

for all of those affected by

the events of September 11th,

which is all of us - 

some more obvious than others.

Today's dress is a commissioned 

sculpture for a man who lost his fiancée

12 years ago today. 

At the 10 year anniversary 

of this tragedy he felt that it 

was time to let go of 

his box of memories.  

He asked me if I could create 

something out of his treasure box.

I was honored and accepted the task.

This was a 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

a cornucopia 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.

To read more about the piece, click here,

(though I just realized that longer 

description of this piece is yet to be written)

So for today I give you 'dear jeff' 

and the words of John Lennon, 

from his anthem, 'imagine'.

 One of my utmost favorite songs, 

with lyrics that reach into the true 

 depth of my soul and makes me ache 

for the world he describes!!

 let us all strive for peace in our time.

As John Lennon said : 

“War is over ... If you want it.” 

"Imagine"

Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today...

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one

if you have received this post as an email 

click here to visit the entire blog, thank you & peace 

rainy dress dress and a invitation for peaceful action ~

'rainy day' dress

always intrigued by the clumps of cut grass

 that are created by the water in the gutters.

and on this quiet, Labor Day Sunday morning,

I decided to play with said clumps, 

as my patient hound looks on!!!

AND

I WISH TO PASS ON THIS ANNOUNCEMENT 

JOIN the GLOBAL COLLECTIVE PRAYER INITIATIVE

This is from Neale Donald Walsch,

author of the sequence of books 

called Conversations with God,

a dialogue in which Walsch 

asks questions and God answers.

I hope you will join me and Marianne Williamson in the Global Collective Prayer Initiative, Monday, September 2, at 16:00 GMT (that is 9 a.m. Pacific Time). We will pray solidly and intentionally for ten minutes that the U.S. will not launch air strikes on Syria, and that the larger Syrian conflict may end, at last, with peace and harmony prevailing. More about this now at...www.TheGlobalConversation.com

'insatiable' ~ out and about, again

Yesterday I delivered and installed 'insatiable' 

at the Natick Public Library, 

as part of the Natick Artists' Open Studios' 

group show, Green.

This exhibit features original pieces by over 40 

Natick Artists Open Studios participants, 

it includes photography, painting, printmaking, sculpture,

 mosaics, ceramic, glass, mixed media and more.

The curator and I perched 'insatiable' in the atrium stairwell 

where she is stretching out her tendrils.  

I am excited about how she is displayed; 

hanging but not hanging, 

up-close for library visitors but not too accessible

to little hands :).  

I am super excited to have her out in the world again!!! 

I hope to do a workshop sometime during the show 

but I am not sure, as my fall is pretty full. 

More about that is another post. :)

Save the Date: 

Natick Artists Open Studios 
October 19 & 20, 2013
 noon - 5 pm 
AND
the opening reception of 
'breaking open'
October 19, 2013
5-7pm
@ Fountain Street Fine Art
Framingham

Bringing Art & Craft into Our Local Community by Creating Spaces where Everyone is Inspired to Thrive! 

Currently on my worktable . . .

 my contribution to

  Helen Klebesadel's Exquisite Uterus Project.

This is a project that I LOVE!!

As I mentioned in a past post, me and uteri, 

this project jump started my creative juices 

and the process has been very gratifying. 

I plan to add more beads along the fallopian tubes 

and stitch the flower/uterus piece of fabric to the lace.  

But otherwise I believe it is near completion, 

which is good as it is due 

at the end of the month.

This post is an example of a newer approach 

I am taking with this blog ~

showing work in progress. 

I want to do this for a few reasons:

first, I love to see other artist's processes.  

Secondly, I am hoping use this blog

 as a way to 'curate' an exhibition ~

In a few months I am part of 

a two person show at Fountain Street Fine Art.  

I am showing with the talented Anne Gilson, 

and I still am not completely 

sure what I am going to show.  

(don't tell anyone :)

So to feign off panic

 I thought I'd post shorter post with 

the work that excites me, 

the work that I am using 

my precious time to create,

the work in all it's glory, 

in all its different states.

 And maybe via the lens of my blog, 

I will see a pattern or a direction to take 

for this show?!?! 

Also I would love to hear what you, 

faithful my readers, 

see or think about the work.

Collaboration is a wonderful 

and powerful tool!

So feel free to email me 

or leave a comment!!

Now back to the worktable ~

thank you & peace

 If you have received this as an email, click here to visit the entire blog

Mural on the move . . .

on main st!!!

Many moons I was commissioned to do a mural for 5 Crows, 

a charming gallery and gift shop in downtown Natick. 

Started in 2002 by five very talent women, this shop is full of gorgeous treasures created by over 150 artists and artisans from the area (yours truly has had work there:). So I was ecstatic when they asked me to do a mural for the outside of their building. 

I loved the way this piece turned out - the colors and feeling!! And I loved working BIG!!

And fortunately we decided to paint it on a panel and not directly on the wall, because 

5 Crows is expanding and moving!! 

I was so happy to see that my mural is making the move, yesterday I saw it on Main st!! :)

5 Crows will be re-opening on september 7th, at their new location: 41 Main St (rt 27)

a new material for dresses: ceramics

this summer I am taking a inspiring class with
Michelle Lougee; sculptor,
ceramist and environmental artist.

I am brushing up on my ceramics skills,
preparing for an upcoming job.

It has been great to get back
in the messy world of clay!!

And even though I wasn't planning to,
dresses started to appear ?!?!

These two are waiting for
their first round in the kiln.

Keeping my fingers
crossed as there can be 'issues'
during the firing.
stay tune for to see if they survive!!

peace
for those who receive this post as an email,
click here to be view the entire blog
thank you!

it all started seven years ago . . . .

wedding dress (brenda's dress) 

the beginning of the dress project

it all began on wells beach, me. in 2006. i had an idea of an image of a dress and while walking on the beach one morning i picked up a stick to see what this 'dress' would look like.  i drew a sleeveless, life sized dress and  filled it in with the beautiful beach rocks & then proceeded to let the high tide take it away ~ giving me a new, clean canvas on which to make another dress.  the process felt so right and so gratifying that for the rest of the vacation i made a dress!  & each day i would walk the beach with no preconceived idea and would just listen to which material i was to use that day... 

(from www.virginiafitzgerald.com, 

click HERE for photogallery)

It all started, innocently on 

a family vacation, 

in Wells Beach, ME.

A broken glass, 

a sea of drowning ladybugs 

and a nagging thought 

lead me to create 

the DressProject.  

Follow this link to read 

Helen Prunty Krispien's article: 

Drowning ladybugs lead to fascinating art project, 

(for more about ladybugs and dresses)

Since then I have created hundreds of dresses, 

in a myriad of media and materials.

Some in unique locales:

dress #3 from wells beach, me.

new york diner dress (2006)

I have made LARGE dressese

this installation centered around an 8 foot tall dress of eggshells 

'this comes from within' medicine wheel productions (2009)

and I have made small dresses 

abc dress (2006) about 1 inch square

some dresses have a message:

'in memory of  . . . .' (2008) in private collection

made with plaster tape, dog tags and photos of soldiers 

honoring those who died in Iraq.

'ripple' (2010)

a drawing that I contributed to a charity 

raising money to help the gulf after the BP oil spill.

I have made ephemeral dresses and dress sculptures

 which reside in public and private collections.

'lush' (2009) in private collection

And 7 years later, the desire to make dresses is just as unrelenting as it was in Wells Beach.

The dress continues to inspire me to venture into new realms of expression;  performance, installations and collaborative art.

'metamorphosis' (2013) made with the Dana Hall student body

The dress has lead me to

my dresstagging practice

the world of greeting cards and

my daily dress inspiration blog (dressblog).

one of the first dresstags, portsmouth, NH

dresscard  - soon to be for sale on Etsy

I have made dresses out of plaster, plastic bottles, VCR tape, 

fresh pasta, shells, maps, clothes pins, 

fall leaves, dog hair, ribbons, 

even nail polish . . . Nothing is safe!!!

winding roads (2011) paper-mache, paint, marker 

'cicada' (2012) mixed media painting on panel

'time to take flight' (2012) mixed media collage, part of the 'home sweet home' series

With the dress I discovered my voice,
the dress became my soapbox from 
which I could initiate a dialogue,
engage in political debate, 
question social protocol and
excavate my authentic self.

thank you

And I thank you for your continued interest 

in my dress obsession, 

your company and support has made 

this journey all the more gratifying. 

peace