coming-homes and going-ons

Today is the last day of Cutting Edge: A Celebration of Fibers at the Textile Art Center, Brooklyn, NY. Here is a statement from the curator, Joetta Maue,

“This exhibition focuses on how artists are using fiber and techniques in truly unexpected ways either through their subject matter or the actual techniques of construction”, explains Ms. Maue. “Fibers are without boundaries - the purpose of this exhibit is to show that there are no rules. The show is going to be an incredible, not to miss exhibit with truly exciting work from prominent and unknown fiber artists. Any one who has an interest in fiber as a means of expression should not miss it.”

Click here to see some photos of the show and click here to see the videos that were exhibited at the show. It has been such an exciting show to be included in and I loved learning about all these wonderful artists and their work.

So these creatures will hopefully be back from Brooklyn in time for the up-coming Natick Artist Open Studios which is this weekend ~ the 16th and 17th!!! I will be posting more information but for now here is a brochure and click on the link above to get more information. And in the interest of saving paper and postage :) ..... if you want a brochure, email your address and I will send one out. Also I will have a pile in my studio so stop by my place first for your map. Lastly I will be collecting green, black or brown yarn, string, wire, streamer, balloon string,..... u get the idea. I'll explain more later. Happy Columbus day!!! peace

Portrait Show opening this Saturday ....

This Saturday at LynnArts, Inc is the opening for the Portrait show. My piece, Spirited, is in this show. The show runs from September 16-October 29, Time Warner Gallery , LynnArts, Inc, 25 Exchange Street, Lynn, MA.
Opening Reception:
Saturday, September 25, 2-4pm

I hope to post my pictures from this weekend but until then you can find some pic.s at this link ~ Cutting Edge opening party pictures.


Also a little momento from my weekend in New York ~ a little cup of heaven, made at my favorite NYC cafe in Chelsea ~ Le Grainne Cafe.
not sure why, but dresses kept popping up in my food this trip....

peace

Openings!! Openings!! Openings!!!

Hello from Brooklyn, NY!!! where I am still buzzing from the wonderful opening reception of Cutting Edge at the Textile Art Center. Here are a few photos that a friend sent me from the opening ~ I will have more from my camera once I am back home. But it was a rocking event!!! Beautiful art, tasty beer, yummy food, great music and a wonderful crowd!!! the place was packed ~ and my creatures were right in the middle of it all!!!!

Yesterday was a great day ~ besides the awesome opening and spending the entire day wondering the streets of Manhattan, prowling galleries and yarn shops, I also received the news that my shadow boxes were accepted into the 11th annual Frances N. Roddy Open Competition at the Concord Art Association, Concord, MA. This is really exciting news because I have been trying to get into this show for years and almost didn't submit any work this year because I was tired of the Roddy rejection. But my friend David Lang convinced me to do - 'always good to put the work out there' and voila!!! David's wonderful piece Sound Bytes also got accepted!! All very exciting. And last night I realized that at this moment i have work in 5 shows!! ~ ETA8, Portsmouth, NH; the Roddy, Concord, MA; In-Between, Worester, MA; the Portrait Show, Lynn, MA and Cutting Edge, Brooklyn, NY ~ and for this I am truly grateful!!!

The Roddy show runs from today, September 18-October 17 and the Opening Reception is this Sunday, September 19, 2-4pm. Sadly I wil not be there as I will be en route home from New York!! But if you are in the neighborhood do stop by, Concord always puts on a beautiful show!!
Happy weekend & peace!!!!

In-Between is In-triguing

Saturday evening I had the pleasure of attending the opening of the 2010 Inaugural Regional Art Show, In-Between, at The Gallery at Worcester State University. It is a truly engaging show with a terrific collection of work, representing many, many media. I found myself wanting to spend time absorbing many of the pieces. Upon entering the gallery there are two arresting mixed media pieces by Pamela Cooper, My Space V and My Space II which stopped me in my tracks. Each piece is a 3d paper house which hangs from the ceiling. Each has windows in which you can peer to see drawing of the occupants of the houses ~ giving you a voyeuristic thrill.

Once I pulled myself away from that I was drawn to Leslie Schomp's Wedding Dress. Another suspended piece, this one a white dress adorned with 2 embroidered portraits - one on the front of the dress, the other on the inside of the dress, embroidered with hair. Totally amazing!! Leslie's other submission, Double Self Portrait, earned her an award. I am excited that Leslie also has pieces in the Cutting Edge exhibition, opening this Friday in Brooklyn.

Next I was blown away by Andrea Lilienthal's Swarm (pictured here on the right) This piece consists of pussy willow catkins and wire and it too was suspended from the ceiling (I am noticing a trend here). I found this piece astounding ~ it was attractive and repulsive simultaneously. I was charmed by the pussy willow catkins and disconcerted by the idea of a swarm! Since the opening I checked out her web site and enjoyed looking at her other work, especially her dress series :).

Two of the pieces by Zehra Khan, I needed to examine more closely to really appreciate the wonder of them. She creates these elaborate installations and costumes and then photographs herself and/or friends in these 'scenes' ~ most revolving around a rat. The photos are both eerie and memorizing!! You can see more of the rat on her site. (piece pictured here is Last Cigarette, ink-jet photographic print, 20 x 27", 2010. Installation: acrylic on canvas, paper and self)

There were many wonderful pieces, a truly exhilarating show. If I were to describe everything that excited me I would never see my pillow :). The list of the participating artists is below, I have underlined the prize winners, check out all the work. But even more, if you are in the area, this show is definitely worth the trip!!!

here are the particulars ~

In-Between @ The Gallery at Worcester State University
Ghosh Science and Technology Building, First Floor

486 Chandler Street, Worcester, Mass
Gallery hours:Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday 1-4 pm
On view September 11 – December 2

The artists: Erica Aubin, Susan Bennett, Claire Burke, Mary Calkins, Kathleen Cammarata, Peter Ciccariello, Don Collette, Pamela Cooper, Linda Dagnello, Myles Dunigan, Catherine Evans, Virginia Fitzgerald, Diane Francis, Tom Grady, Gillian Haven, Debra Horan, C.M. Judge, Lynn Johnson, Ena Keo-Thompson, Zehra Khan, David Lang, John LaPrade, Jeannine Lazzaro, Charles Lemay, Andrea Lilienthal, Jane Lincoln, Anni Lorenzini, Jonathan Lucas, Coelynn McCinnich, Denise Manseau, Sarah Meyers, Robert Morgan, Martha Monroe, Ashley Parent, Marcy Pope, Susan Post, Pamela Redick, Alya Romeos, Jacqueline Ross, Donalyn Scholfield, Leslie Schomp, Mari Seder, Wendy Seller, Susan Swinand, Elizabeth Thach, Timothy Winn, Peter Wise, Agnes Wyant
(top photo is Birsh book by Donalyn Scholfield)

peace

Road trip anyone?!?!?

I am getting my creatures ready to send to Brooklyn for the upcoming group show ~ "Cutting Edge: A Celebration of Fibers" ~ at the newly opening Textile Arts Center . The show is part of the grand opening of the center & it should be fun!! There will be raffle prizes & refreshment provided by local vendors, as well as music by Raya Brass Band. The center is located at 505 Carroll Street (Park Slope/Gowanus area), Brooklyn, New York City.

Here is the list of the other artists which are included in the show ~ I have enjoyed looking at the different web sites ~ there is so much beautiful & interesting work!!! ~ Heidi Field-Alvarez, Sarah Bahr, Emily Barletta, Jamie Bertsch, Andrea Donnelly, Erin Endicott, Mallory Feltz, Virginia Fitzgerald :) , Sierra Furtwangler, Meredith Grimsley, Luke Haynes, Tod Hensley, Jennifer Hunold, Janice Jakielski, Sheila Klein, Julie Kornblum, Lucia LaVilla-Havelin, Clayborn Jackson Lohmann, Alisha McCurdy, Margarita Mileva, John Paul Morabito, Suyeon Na, Erin M. Riley, Rebecca Ringquist, Leslie Schomp, Lou Trigg, Cayce Zavaglia.

The show will run from September 17th to October 11th. There will be an opening gala on Friday the 17th from 8 -11 PM. There is also going to be an artist talk - date to be announced. I am planning to make it to the gala - not sure about the artist talk ... but who knows!!! New York is not that far from Boston .... can you say road trip??? my girls are already planning what they are going to wear to the opening :)

Here's creature perched on a sculpture stand ~ they are just so versatile!!!

peace

Watch out world, here come my creatures!!!

I just got an email tonight, that said ~

"I am delighted to inform you that your piece : creatures ~ strength, wisdom and trust has been chosen for inclusion in the exhibition, Cutting Edge: A Celebration of Fibers at the Textile Arts Center in Brooklyn, NY."

Yahoo! on so many levels!!!

First - it is in Brooklyn, NY!!! BROOKLYN, NEW YORK!!!! my old stomping ground!!

Second - the show sounds really interesting, the space looks awesome and I love the work and the blog of the woman who curated the show ~ Joetta Maue. Check out her blog as she talks a little about the selection process.

Third - this was the public debut of my creatures, out in the big world, and they got into the show!!!!

Submitting these pieces was part of that crazy week that i blogged about awhile back, and these babies were causing me some heartache. When I heard about the call I knew that I really wanted to submit at least one of my creatures ~ but i just wasn't sure how to exhibit them!! I love them!! I love making them, the organic process, adding the different yarns, beads, whatever. They are very tactile and have a wonderfully comforting weight. When people see them in my studio they immediately gravitate to them & need to hold them and play with them. And most everyone (believe it or not) puts them on their head, making them a hat. Here my daughter is not only modeling a creature as a hat, the blue creature is her baby ~

Madonna and child!

They are also very suggested of living things ~ cells, sea creatures, molecules. The largest white creature I started when I had my hand surgery. I saw it as a healing spirit, an extra large and extra strong white blood cell. In fact, all these white creatures have a charm crocheted into each one, hence the names ~ strength, wisdom and trust.

But how to show them?!?! To leave the experience of them opening to the many possible interpretations of them yet also highlight their beauty, construction and materials. I experimented with hanging them on the wall, draping them over sculpture stands, perching them on fabric structures until I decided to suspend them from the ceiling!! I like that they are at eye level so that you can see their uniqueness. Also, at this level, I hope the veiwer may be able to engage with them. Someday I would love to create an environment/installation with many, many of these creatures hanging, so that the veiwer could wander & weave their way through, maybe getting lost for a minute or two. But for now these babies are going to Brooklyn!!

which is awesome!!!

peace