new dolls...

I had hoped to have these done for the exhibition "Spring Gear," but I wasn't even close when it came time to ship the work.  I am holding onto them for my summer short exhibition at the Groveland Gallery in Minneapolis, MN.  

She has different sized sewing needles embedded in the paper clay of her belly.  Each of the needles has a portion of thread that hangs beneath her legs. 

She has three dowel portions embedded in her belly to hold the bobbins and thread spools.  When I was a little girl, my mom sewed everything from my day dresses to horse blankets.  Next to her machine she had this wooden thread organizer; it was large and square with rows of two inch posts, and it was filled entirely with spools.  I loved it.  Loved all the color and pattern and possibility.  This is for her.  

I've been busy...

I just returned from installing the second of three exhibitions I have this spring/summer.  The first exhibition is nearly over; unfortunately, I was unable to get out to see it in Seattle, WA.  I am so thankful to have been included in the Blindfold Gallery's roster.  "Spring Gear" includes the bronze sculptures of Mark Walker and mixed media paintings of Janet Loren Hill.  Please check out their work!

Cast bronze pig by Mark Walker

Repeated by Janet Loren Hill

It's been weeks....

and I have been busy.  I managed to schedule three shows between May and September and I've been making and making.  Three sewing doll bodies and two new flat pieces.  Images soon.  

New work....

I just finished a new piece and I am so excited about the possibilities for this.  

I've been ready to stitch, and have even readied some fabric, but been overwhelmed by the white of the muslin.  So I wondered what would happen if I prepared the pattern paper I use on my dolls in the same way I prepare fabric to embroider.  I backed the paper with fusible interfacing and layered more paper with Wonder Under.  (It is heat activated double sided tape basically, and so easy to use.) The patter paper was then much more fabric like, and I painted it like my dolls.  I started sewing tiny eyes (of hooks and eyes, the closures on garments) on in rows, thinking I might make larger numbers.  I didn't like the regularity of the rows, so I gave in and started to stitch them in randomly.  I knew I wanted long stitches to pull at they eyes, so that was my next step.  Then I played with layering color in the stitches.  I did not use anything to stretch the paper as I stitched, so it has pulls that make the outside edges irregular.  This is about 10x10 inches from edge to edge.  I'm not sure about installation just yet, but here I used long embroidery needles in the top corners and then pulled the piece away from the wall.  

And a detail.  I love how it's weirdly scabby.  The exhibition I have scheduled in June at Harford Community College is titled "Ligature" and I think developing more of these will work for that.  A friend suggested large panels that one could walk through....I've got five dolls going I need to finish and then I will be ready to start.  It has been a million years since I have done anything big!

Beautiful work....

I saw the most beautiful exhibition at the Rochester Art Center last week.  Chiharu Shiota: Presence in the Absence is unbelievable. It is a site specific installation that fills the Burton and Judy Onofrio Gallery.  It was vulnerable, eerie, lovely, lonely, warm and welcoming...truly one of the best shows I have seen in a long while.  It is amazing what a person can do with 600,000 feet of black yarn.  The following images are from Ms. Shiota's website.  Please go take a look.  You won't be disappointed.  

the day isn't ever long enough....

what with snow days, and sleepovers and dinner making and laundry doing....there hasn't been a lot of time for the studio.  Today though, I watched five episodes of the first season of "Arrow" and painted my 3-tiered cake.  No pictures today...camera shots won't show up in my photo stream.  Have to get IT (husband) on it.  

a fabulous find...

at the Half Price Bookstore yesterday..."Push Paper," curated by Jaime Zollars for Lark Books.  I love this series of books.  Each is curated by a different individual and each book explores nearly 30 contemporary artists pushing the boundaries of their craft.  This is paper that is cut, layered, sculpted, installed; paper doing anything and everything.  One of my favorite artists is included, Elsa Mora, who I have mentioned on this blog.  Rob Ryan is also featured, and his paper cuts were the first I ever fell in love with.  His works are so delicate, romantic and lovely, in both image and sentiment.  

And then I discovered artist Chris Natrop's room sized cut paper installations.  I can't even imagine how he conceives of these.  They are beautiful and intricately cut, and all the more interesting for the shadows they cast.  

And once you start googling paper cut-outs and sculpture, you find so much more. 

and another....

the last of the series so far. 

I have a friend who is a doctor of Hematology and Oncology at the Mayo Clinic and she has asked that I make her a drawing of a blood vessel.  I'm not yet sure of the words to accompany it.  Thoughts?