the story behind: the 'dress of poetry ...'

"You only have to let the soft animal of your body

love what it loves."  Mary Oliver

'dress of poetry ...'  the story:  

'dress of poetry ...' 2007

this dress comes from my rediscovery of poetry and a deep desire to celebrate this revival. As I student I did not understand much of the poetry that I was taught, hence I didn’t read poetry once I was done with school. So for decades I avoided poetry but thanks to the magic of poet Mary Oliver, I wasn’t a lost cause.

me with author/poet Heather Panahi

It was near the start of the ‘dressproject’ and a friend introduced me Mary Oliver’s Wild Geese, and I fell in love. I suddenly saw that poems had so much to offer, they were paintings, but instead of paint and brushstrokes they used words, creating emotion, still-life and stories, little snippets of life and our surroundings. It was during this budding love affair that my dear friend and fine author, Heather Panahi, wrote a poem inspired by my dressproject and with that I knew that I was to make a dressproject dress/sculpture of poetry.

For the next weeks I could be seen carrying mountains of poetry books where ever I went. I read and researched many poems for this dress, choosing the ones that either represented a passage in my life; such as my experience in high school when I had the honor of hearing Gwendolyn Brooks read her poem We Real Cool, or ones that constituted a new discovery which spoke to me; like The Secret by Denise Levertov. I was immersed in the world of imagery, alliteration and rhyme and loving it.

my dad with me before the opening

As I collected more and more poems I decided to make this dress be one that I could wear, and this still is the only dress from my dressproject that can be worn. I was intrigued by the idea of wearing the poems, being surrounded and embraced by all the wondrous words. As the word spread that I planned to wear my ‘dress of poetry …’ to an opening reception friends became curious. They asked me if I was going to produce a book of the poems. They explained that I would need something so that people will be able to read the poems that they had watch me collect for months. My answer to this inquiry was a resounding ’no’. I explained that I had designed the dress so that the poems were printed on panels which people could lift up to read.

part of fashion show in SOWA

To this my friends laughed and reminded themselves that I had not grown up in the Boston area; then they explained to me, ‘no Bostonian is going to touch you or the dress, even if it is just to read the poems.’ They were quasi-correct, it was only later in the evening that some folks worked up the nerve to read my dress, and I believe that was thanks to the open bar.

' Upon further Consideration'
at Regis College, 2011

Since the opening reception the ‘dress of poetry ….’ has inspired myself and others in numerous venues, and has lead to other poetic projects. In 2012, I had the honor of working with the Attleboro Public Library and the Attleboro community , creating the collaborative installation, the ‘birds of poetry’. During the project, the ‘dress of poetry’ held court in the library as the ‘birds of poetry’ took flight through the library’s atrium.

'poetic' 4 dec. 2013
part of my decemberdresses series 

The ‘dress of poetry …’ cemented my personal love of poetry. Through its creation and its exhibits I have discovered more and more wonderful poems, and I have witnessed the power of poetry, in children, in adults, in students and in myself.

holding court at the
attleboro Public Library

'birds of poetry ...' 2012

'bird of poetry ...' 2012

 links to related blog posts mentioned above:

Fun and Fashion in SOWA

'the dress to the rescue' . . . a tale of loss and redemption via the dress

"Upon Further Consideration: what tells a story" at Regis College

Mary Oliver reading 'Wild Geese' 

First day of the Birds of Poetry install

The Peace of Wild Things
  WENDELL BERRY
mixed media illustration of another one of
my favorite poems ... but I have so many!!!

peace, va

happenings ....

'skywarrior II .... ' installed at Art on the Trails,
Hopkinton, MA

It is the fall and that means lots o'stuff going on ... school starting, summer ending and in a month ...
Natick Artists 
Open Studios!!! 
So before I fall into a black hole of activity, I just want to get some information out into the world!!!

First, THIS weekend, on Saturday, September 19th, at 2PM, there is going to be a celebration of poetry in Hopkinton at the exhibit, Art on the Trail.  This is the outdoor sculpture exhibit where 'sky warrior II ...' has been holding court since August 1st.










It is a lovely collection of sculptures, scattered along Hopkinton's Center Trail, curated by sculptor, Michael Alfano, and tomorrow twenty area poets will present their poems inspired by the installation and sculptures.  This poetry presentation was organized by Polly Brown and Cheryl Perreault.

Click here to view the electronic collection of the poems to be presented tomorrow.  It is lovely to see that my piece, 'sky warrior II ...' has inspired some of the verses.

"Poetry on the Trail" 

21 poems inspired by an exhibit of sculpture 

on Hopkinton’s Center Trail 

Spider Woman, by Cathy Weaver Taylor 

This Heartbeat in the Woods I Hear 

inspired by Virginia Fitzgerald’s heartbeat dress

There is a heartbeat beating in these reticent woods how it reverberates

the ancient, patient message how the wind listens

and tells the trees to listen too

how the trees speak to the birds

and the birds sing out

this message to the world.

There are no secrets here.

There is no gossip in the branches. Nothing here is insignificant.

There is simple, sacred promise

that the earth loves every single living thing. Everything is beating life out loud. Everything here is creation.

Cheryl Perreault 

Also on the horizon is the
Natick Artists 
Open Studios 
and this year I AM participating.
I missed last year as there was just too much other life stuff taking my attention!!
But I am happily revving up for the big weekend .... SO MARK your CALENDARS!!!!

In prepping for the big weekend, the NAOS committees have been getting art into different venues around Natick and I am happy to say that I have a piece in the "People" exhibit at the Morse Institure Library.  I contributed this wonderful photography of graffiti in Chelsea, NYC.  Many people who see it assume that it is collage but not by me, I just saw this wonderful scene and clicked!!!

I realize there is so much more to share ...

but I think this is enough for now!!

Also my awesomely creative artist friend, Christina Zwart, texted me this week:

"not enuf hours for the rest of our lives."

kind of captured the feeling of this time of year ....

So on that noteI am going to sign off with of my 'daily notes to self':

from this thursday:

Thursday, September 17, 2015

today, let us remember to slow down ....

as we physically experience the craziness of the start of the new school year and the end of summer, let us remember to slow down; remind ourselves of the slow circles of nature ...

Everything that slows us down and forces patience, everything that sets us back into the slow circles of nature, is a help. Gardening is an instrument of grace. 

 May Sarton 

in honor of 9/11 I am reposting the story of 'dear jeff ...'; let us not forget!!

virginia fitzgerald . . art . . inspiration . . ink: #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...

(I believe to read original post, quick title, which is the link?!?!)

'dear jeff ...' is in the background, photographer: Stephen Broadley

 

This is the first time that I am attempting to repost via blogspot's interface and I am thinking that they have just posted the link to the original post ... but I never like any post without some visuals, being a visual artist & all, so here are some photos of 'dear jeff ...' 

(& hopefully the story as well)

peace

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