Go press some flesh!!

Nan Hass Feldman and me, @ the Danforth Museum's networking event

Last month I attended a networking event at the Danforth Museum of Art.  The evening was part of one of the Danforth's newest offerings, their Professional Artist Series.  Held on a cold, wintry February evening, I was quite aware of how lovely it was to be with a group of my peers, face to face, in a warm cozy surrounding, exchanging tales from the front.

Interestingly, most of the conversation was about social media and cyber-networking.  This is a hugely, prevailing topic amongst artists lately.  There are blogs, articles and workshops telling us of the dire need to get our work out into cyberspace.

And there are examples of artists who have been successful in the system.  One that was recently pointed out to me is, Claire Desjardins ~ she has 13,000+ likes on her FB artist page!!! as well as good sales ~ the golden goose to many of us!!

So as I delighted in the company of my peeps, it made me ponder this issue of social media. One of my many jobs to help make ends meet is to help artists and small businesses with their FB presence.  Strangely, I understand the general idea of FB and some other social media sites.  But I have a major love/hate relationship with them!?!?

One reason I don't like these sites is that they are a HUGE HUGE time suck!! So MANY of the artists that I speak with would much rather be created their art than creating a cyber-buzz.  Also I question why people, especially strangers, want to know all this information about me?!?!?

But I also see how these sites can work well for artists, especially visual artists!! I understand the perks of getting an image or idea to go viral. And I am a big surfer of the web - finding a link on a friend's Facebook feed that leads to an interesting gallery that introduces me to a new artist from Holland that I might not have known about otherwise.

Also I love my blog, another 'social media' outlet, however I blog for truly selfish reasons.  I have been blogging since 2008, and as I have noted before, my blog is my personal journal a visual record of my journey as an artist, mom, woman in this time and place, that is out there for others to read, if they are interested.

When I sit down to put my rambling thoughts into coherent prose, I find myself learning about my own work and process.  And I love to read other people's blogs, such as Joetta Maue's "little yellow birds" or Mandy Greer's blog !!! However, composing a readable blogpost is more time consuming than a quick FB post, yet are we losing content and integrity with our little tweets, posts and likes?!?!?

I don't have an answer, however on that cold evening in February it was viscerally apparent how invigorating and energizing a face to face networking event was.  I could feel the vitality of the gathering, the pleasure from an actual hug or handshake, the communal reconnections through similiar plights, or even the ah-ha of putting the 'real face' to a Facebook 'friend'.

So as I write this manifesto of sorts on my cyber-journal to put out into the world of social media one of my hopes is to remind everyone to step away from the keyboard, go for a walk, find your sketch book or paint brush and/or go meet a friend, face to face, go to an opening or a networking event.  Let's not forget the wonders of connecting with people in person!!!

The Danforth is hosting another networking event this Thursday!! I will be with my girls that evening but I am sure it will be worth the trip.

Click here to see the beautiful work of Nan Hass Feldman on her website.

The Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef Travels and other interesting sites.

In the past few months i have been bathing in the lush world of fibers ~ my creatures have been gathering interest and have been in some shows; i have been exposed to new and different techniques and amazing artists; and I have been discovering wonderful articles and information on interesting blogs and websites. I have wanted to share these discoveries here and tonight after watching this video I figured I would share a few of my finds.

As i forge deeper into this luscious and intricate world of fiber art i am aware of a quiet connectedness, a sense of community, as if the rich history of fiber work and handicraft is still present and binding the people and the work together. An example of what i mean is the story of how i learned about this video. On Veteran's day, when the girls were out of school I took them and two of their friends to the Boston Museum of Science. A great museum for the girls to play for long periods with the many exhibits so i came prepared ~ I brought my crocheting. And while i was curled up on a bench crocheting and another mom was intrigued. She asked if i was following a pattern and i explained my 'organic' approach to crocheting. This reminded her of an article she saw on the web about crocheting, science and mathematics. I was interested so I gave her my card in case she remembered where she saw it. Well the next day she sent me the link to this article and the video about this crocheted coral reef and the story behind it. Here Margaret Wertheim speaks of how crocheting is the only way to model a certain mathematical theory and how their coral reef project has grown exponentially including many from around the world. This reminded me of Mandy Greer's work ~ a community forming around these artistic endeavors. I found this video very interesting especially after dropping my creatures off at the Harbor Gallery for their Art Organic show ~ so see what you think. The Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef Travels from Ireland to the Smithsonian.

Another one of my favorite 'fiber' finds is the artist Joetta Maue and her blog. I love to read her blog, it introduces many wonderful shows and artists ~ in fact her most recent post was about a show in London: Louise Bourgeois: Fabric Works. :) Joetta's work is beautiful and inspiring - i love her uses of old linens. This is an example of her work, on the right.

The last artist is will share this evening (as it is way past my bed time) is Abigail Doan. I discovered her work surfing the web and was memorized. Her blog is also a great read ~ showing many interesting works. I was particularly intrigued with the Knitted, Knotted, Netted show.

And this is just a tiny fraction of all the amazing work out there (which can be intimidating!!!) And many of the artists that i am drawn to do talk about a 'community' with their work, which is what i was trying to allude to earlier. There seems to be an invisible web connecting these works and the artists and the viewers. I see my interaction at the science museum as an example ~ how this mother and i have made a connection. In fact after she looked at my web site she realized that she knew my dress project work, and in fact she had pictures of some of my dresses on her phone. My brain is a little tired to clearly explain this sense of connection but I do feel there is something about 'handiwork' that softens people, breaks down some barriers and lets us connect a little more. I think this is shown in the tremendous interest in knitting and crocheting after 9/11.

I invite you to take a look at these artists and there will be more to come - I promise!!

peace & good night!!

seeing double & being inspired

I am still trying to wind down after going to the wonderful & inspiring opening reception of the Attleboro Arts Museum's show 'seeing double'. I did not get a piece in this show :(, however i did have many friends who did & I always try to get to my friend's openings, because I know how nice it is to see a friendly face at these events. So off I went to Attleboro tonight and what a treat it was. The museum's space is quite lovely ~ open and light, and the theme was open to any and every interpretation. There was a myriad of media represented, each speaking to the theme of seeing double. Friend and colleague, David Lang, has his piece, 'The Philosophers', in the show. This piece is interactive ~ when activated by the viewer the light bulbs start to flicker as if they are speaking, or heatedly discussing an issue. Jodi Colella's piece, Undercurrent (cutwork embroidery with aluminum window screen and steel wire 6 ft x 8 ft 6 in x 7 in) graced one of the gallery's wall creating a world of shadows and double visions. There were MANY diptychs, as you may have guessed. My friend and fellow artist, Jane McKinnon Johnstone, has a lovely trace monoprint in the show. I was also taken by two embroidery pieces, one by Jan Johnson and the other by Leslie Schomp. But that is just a sampling, I believe there are over 90 some pieces so if you are in the area it is definitely worth a stop.
Now besides just being wowed by seeing this wonderful exhibition, my inspiration buzz continued even as I returned home. Since everyone at my house had gone to bed I thought I'd look at some of these artists work on line ~ basically surf the web. (not really a good thing to do if you want to go to bed soon ~ but alas) I found many interesting sites and one in particular that i wanted to share ~ Little Yellow Birds, the blog by Joetta Maue. She is an artist and yoga teacher in Brooklyn, NY and I really loved seeing her work and reading her blog so I wanted to share. I love when artists that i like and admire share blogs, articles, etc... that they find interesting. In fact one of my fav.s, Mandy Greer, has an entire blog, a quickening...(totally love the name), devoted to things that inspire her. As she explains on the blog "things that get my heart rate going, a way for me to keep things organized and share with others." Now I know I couldn't maintain another blog, however I do hope to put more inspiring links on this blog, to aid us insomniacs surf the creative and inspiring web!! and now off to bed @ 2AM!!

sweet dreams to all and peace!!!

the river is flowing

Mandy Greer had started to install her 'Mater Matrix Mother and Medium' at Camp Long in Seattle, WA. As I was checking out her blog to see how everything was progressing I found a picture of my piece installed! click here to see it in the trees. It seems as if my piece was the first to go in!! What was intriguing was that as I flipped through the photos I recognized my piece before I read the comment! It is exciting to see how her 'river' is flowing through the trees and to appreciate all the hands who helped to contribute to this piece..

Also in her blog post for Jun 24th she write about the environmental fiber/community fiber-based art practice by Iranian artist Atefeh Khas ~ another feast for the eyes. I find it electrifying to see all the amazing work being done in so many corners of the world(thanks to the Internet) and the wonders being done with fibers! what fun ~ off to work on creature #3!!

peace

Introducing my Creatures

The piece that i was going to send to Mandy Greer but decided not to is now officially finished. It sort of finished itself. My plan was to add layer upon layer of webbing but at a certain stage the piece reached a critical mass and told me that it was time to stop. I had so enjoyed working on the piece that i was sorry that the piece was completed.

I hung it on the wall to get a sense of what it really looked like & i suddenly saw this piece as a creature ~ it has an organic, visceral feeling. As I thought this I envisioned a series of these ‘creatures’ ~ in different shapes, colors & sizes. And I plan to keep the same approach toward these creatures as I did with the first piece – no expectations, no right or wrong way, I want to let the piece direct me. Today I realized that I am taking this attitude with many of the projects that I am currently working on. I am trying to listen to the different pieces, let them lead me ~ don’t think, just do, get out of my own way. We will see how this goes ~ but this is my journey at the present. So keep your eyes open for more creatures, I have already started a very curly, pinkish/orange creature…..

~ peace

Mandy, Mandy, Mandy....

Well thanks to Mandy Greer I am totally 'hooked'! I love crocheting or at least what i am doing with a hook and yarn. I say that because I learned the basic stitch at Mandy Greer's crochet-a-tron 3 weeks ago in Portland ~ the chain stitch and the single and double crochet stitch. The crocheting 'lesson' was loose and casual ... encouraging exploration and creativity. I figured after learning the basics I'd get a crocheting book and learn to crochet properly. But when i returned & got a basic crocheting book from the library it became quite apparent to me that I did NOT want to learn the proper stitches. I was enjoying my free form experimenting ~ I am creating these web-like pieces that i just adore. In fact I can't stop working on the piece that i am making to donate to Mandy's 'Mater Matrix Mother and Medium' ... I just keeping crocheting the chain stitch with different yarns, fabrics and beads and attaching it to its self - I see it as a whirlpool, many waves overlapping each other. It has been the most satisfying and relaxing piece that i have worked on. For one reason - I can do no wrong!!! there are no expectations of this piece - it is going to be one of many. Also this piece is very portable and i can work on it anywhere - in a car, in a dark movie theater (and i have learned that i am a more contented person if i am working). And lastly it is cozy and warm and tactilely satisfying - in fact i would LOVE to have a skirt like this!!! But with all that said I believe it is time for me to send it west. Because as much as i love working on it I also have my own crocheted creation that i can work on, and I am DYING to sink my teeth into my slip project!!!!

One last Mandy Greer nugget ~ check out the article in this month's Fiber Arts magazine. The cover story is about Mandy Greer and there are many other interesting articles worth reading.

peace

I "heart" Portland, OR

last week I escaped to Portland, OR to visit an amazing friend (and her amazing boyfriend) and I fell in love with the city. I don’t know what all the bad weather spin is about - during my entire 4 day stay i didnot see one rain drop! (It was sunny and in the 70s!)

Besides the weather, I was WOWed by the spirit of the city and the abundance of arty and crafty people and events. A major highlight was seeing Mandy Greer’s remarkable installation, Dare alla Luce, at the Museum of Contemporary Craft. It enchanted me (I bought the catalogue)!! I then joined Mandy Greer herself and about 40 others in a crochet-a-tron. There we learned to crochet and made crocheted pieces to add to her next installation, mater matrix mother and medium - 'an interactive, process-based art installation in Seattle’s urban forest with performance by Zoe Scofield'.
It is a huge project and she has been hosting these crochet-a-thons to help generate the crocheted materials that she needs. I am hoping to host a crochet party here on the east coast and send our wares along (email if you would be interested in coming!!)

At the event I made my piece and donated it. I then went home to practice more with some unique yarn I got at a very unique yarn store, Yarnia. There you create ‘your very own custom blend of yarn -- you choose the fiber, color, thickness, and amount, and can have your custom cone of yarn wound for you right on the spot.' I got some blues with Mandy’s installation in mind, fully prepared to donate this piece too. But as I have been practicing my crochet stitches and experimenting I have grown quite attached to this piece. I love the organic-ness of it. I hope to have the ‘webbing’ continue on and on. So I think this piece is staying with me and I will just make another blue piece to donate.

Portland truly got my creative juices running - more later.

'til then peace!