I am so thrilled to be teaching a doll-making workshop at Arrowmont this November for week. The Doll as Storyteller 11/3 - 11/9/19. Would love to have you there!
"Material Matters" at SeagerGray Gallery...
in Inspiration
It was so fun to see this exhibition going up at SeagerGray Gallery the beginning of the month and discovering a new artist: Liz Steketee. She had this amazing photograph and embroidery piece in multiple hoops that just stopped my heart.
Mixed media; 2018
Circles, detail
Circles, detail
And then on her website, I found these!
Wonder Woman, Mixed media
I do love a red thread.
Morris Graves Museum of Art Exhibition
in Work
So happy to have had Nicole Jean Hill photograph my exhibit at the Morris Graves Museum of Art in Humboldt county last week. I got images just in time to apply for a mid-career fellowship. I didn’t install the work for this exhibition, and was a little uncertain about the configuration of the “Spread” masses on the wall. When I last installed this piece, there was no space between shapes and far less of the guts spilling out from them, but I have come around. I still want to make ten times the amount there currently are for an installation. I want them oozing off the wall!
And here is one of the new dolls. It was funny to see it up with some of the original ones and how the color palette has changed. I just love this measuring tape.
Still waiting to here on one of my proposals, and that will probably determine what I decide to focus on this next year. Four more days. Fingers crossed.
"Massed" at the Morris Graves Museum of Art....
I just got back from a trip to California to see my work in two places! My first stop was with Colleen Mullins in San Francisco. She was a lovely tour guide. She took me to see artist Ruth Awasa’s work at the deYoung Museum and it was amazing.
Woven and twisted wire…the shadows were as glorious as the objects!
Then we dropped by Seager Gray Gallery to take a look at my newest Rabbit before he went up for the exhibition “Material Matters.” The deer is up as well. You can see the entire exhibition on Artsy, right here.
And lastly we headed up to Eureka to see my exhibition “Massed” at the Morris Graves Museum of Art. It was a five hour drive on winding roads, but beautiful. It didn’t rain! The reception was really lovely. I am working on professional pictures as mine are a little yellow, but I was really pleased with the installation.
And then I got to spend three days with my mom, as well as miss a snow storm. It couldn’t have been better.
Proposal for MAEP at MIA....
in Work
So while I have been gone, I have continued applying for the Minnesota Artists Exhibition Program at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. There are three deadlines a year, and with each deadline, one exhibition is awarded by the panel. I can’t tell you how many times I have applied, but every time I do, the proposal gets better. And every time I get a rejection, I call the program administrator to get panel feedback about my proposal. There was a deadline in October, and I got close. Real close. So I convened what we call the Art Justice League, three dear, generous, talented artist friends for chips and gauc and we tightened that baby up. There was talk, some swearing, I took notes and the phrase “juicy titties” came up; a productive meeting. And then one of these artist/friends offered to help me create a digital video of my proposed work in the space. Mostly I sat next to him and pointed at stuff while he made After Effects look easy! He made a sweet little video of my proposed drawn sculptures in the space. I could not have produced a better proposal. I submitted it 2/22/19. I am waiting for the decision. Fingers crossed.
The video is too large to post here, but this screen shot will give you an idea. It was amazing! Thank you for all of your help and support!
Nearly a year since I've blogged....
in Inspiration
How did that happen? With too much too do and too little time. I took a new part time job at the Rochester Art Center last spring assisting with curation and installation, and then I had about five shows to prepare for in that same time. So here I am. I was so delighted to work with artist Alexa Horochowski installing her exhibition “Beautiful Sky.” The work is deeply powerful, beautifully crafted and emotionally resonant. And she was a dream to hang out with. She got me really thinking about scale and ambition. And I think I am ready to pursue both of those things. I hope you will have a chance to see her exhibition!
a sense of success and self-doubt...
in Work
Don't those feelings always go together? And aren't they equally as useful/useless when you get down to it in your work? A couple of weeks ago, I really felt like I was killing it....work in multiple venues, got a check in the mail, even got to go on an art trip! Then I get back home, and get in the thick of making these weird little pod things and worry about a looming deadline and all the crazy talk starts happening. Half a day later I am down a rabbit hole of trying to figure out how I am going to make work that sells...how am I ever going to get this certain exhibition...why do I have to make such weird things...what is it all for anyway?
The rabbit hole is exacerbated by the fact that I am not making much of an income now. I have a one day a week gig with the greatest plumber ever answering their phones, but I am not teaching, which is what really helps to pay the bills. I am lucky enough to have a supportive husband who knows how important it is for me to make work, but that is not paying off our credit card. And then, what really is success? Whenever you reach a certain milestone, you just see one farther off in the distance that looks shiny and nice.
So I am trying to get out of my head and get this new work up in June. I am going to have to consider an online marketplace and webpage update after that, and I think that will help me get more specific about my commercial goals. Hopefully. Maybe I need to get more clear about all of my goals. I am sensing some worksheets in my future.
Danish Artists Les Deux Garçon...
in Inspiration
Make the most amazing work! I first saw their work when I was in Miami for Superfine! two years ago and I snuck off to one of the other fairs. There was so much great work, and so much to be inspired by...but you know when you come upon something and you lose your breath for a minute? And then your hair stands up on end? That was this work. I bought the catalog before I even finished looking at what was on the wall.
Je-sais-bien-mais-je-mn-fou
Vogel-vronwtje
Les-friandises
Le-saltimbanque-no-2
I love how whimsical they are, but yet I also sense some melancholy. Have a look at their website...they work in many mediums beyond taxidermy...but these are my favorites!