Let Us Speak of Love

May 30, 2007

In the words of Prem Joshua, “Tonight, let us speak of love. I can think of no better subject until the day we die.” I’ve been writing a lot lately, and it struck me that artists don’t seem to talk about LOVE very much. Maybe love isn’t one of those good art-speak terms, unless it unrequited love, or sad like that. I was thinking about putting the word in my artist statement, just to see what happens. What do you think?

Anyway, here’s a last few photos from the Quilt National 07 opening weekend — this is the artists’ party on Saturday. Hillary Fletcher, the heart of Quilt National for so many years, used to have this party at her house and make all kinds of fancy homemade cheesecakes. She was much missed this weekend, and now the party is outside the Dairy Barn.

Here’s one of the exhibitors I loved meeting — Judy Rush, and I think she’s got a lotta love in that glass. Okay joking aside, it was great to meet artists whose work I love! I wish I had taken more photos of the people instead of the quilts, because now I’m afraid to post them (I got in trouble last year for posting a QN gallery on-line. Hilary was kind of like a tough mom — even if you were in trouble, it seemed like she still loved you.)

And here’s Peter who walked around all night looking goofy to advertise Miriam Nathan-Robert’s catalog from her retrospective show at the new Visions Art Quilt Gallery. Now if that’s not love, I don’t know what is.

One last thing while we’re on the topic — I took this photo at the Franklin Institute of Science in Philadelphia while we were there to see King Tut. Now this is a guy with a big heart!

Filed Under exhibitions, journeys, other artists | 7 Comments

Quilt National 07 opening

May 25, 2007

Since we couldn’t use the dog scooter, we had to resort to a more traditional form of transportation to Athens, Ohio. I ws totally inspired by the activity and colors of the Southwest planes, and took lots of photos of the baggage being loaded on our plane. Great colors for a quilt, don’t you think?

The Quilt National opening was mobbed. More people than the last show and so many people that you couldn’t hardly see the quilts — see what I mean? I’m going to have to return tomorrow to really see the work because there’s lots of great stuff that I missed.

When I made this quilt, I was so focused the story behind it that I didn’t realize what it might look like if you didn’t know the story or read the title. But all evening I got questions about what the crotch shot was about. It’s not about that, it was because I had poison ivy so bad that I just lay on the bed, trying to to let anything touch my legs, not even each other.

If you’re wondering, the pink thing is one of those plastic back-scratchers with a little human hand on the end, just because I think those things are kind of creepy and funny. And in the painting behind the bed, Adam is trying to give Eve a poison ivy leaf, just to put a different spin on an old story.

The award dinner was also packed, and it was fun to see lots of folks I hadn’t in a while, and some new ones too. Luckily I wore a sweater in case the air conditioning was too cold. Unluckily, the banquet was outside in a tent, so it was swelteringly hot.

At these things, it’s fun to go around and get everyone to sign your book, kind of like a high school annual. Susan Shie whose wonderful quilt is on the cover of the new book (it’s also very handsome - order one today!) even drew me a steam-pot to put my poison ivy leaves in! What a hoot!

Filed Under exhibitions, journeys | 9 Comments

Dog Scooter

May 24, 2007

Russ is exploring alternatives to gasoline-powered transportation. Fortunately, we’re not using this to get to the Quilt National opening this weekend.

Filed Under journeys, mochi | 2 Comments

Out the Front Door: In Memory of Pat Renick

May 21, 2007

This morning someone left the front door wide open, so that when I got up for breakfast, a huge gust of spring air hit me full face. I felt like I was almost drowning in the glorious morning air.

Strange that I should feel so invigorated, since we had been up the whole night before, driving home from Cincinnati from the memorial celebration for Pat Renick or “Mother Art” as she’s often called. Pat was an artist, a sculptor, an educator, a mentor, and a friend to so many. We were lucky to see her at various sculpture events around the county, sporadically and sometimes far between. But she was one of those people whose words and contagious enthusiasm would stick with you long after. You can read more of her accolades on art critic Sara Pearce’s blog.

Pat always wore a hat. She said they were handy when you don’t want to make eye contact, or are rather bored at meetings, and that conversations when you’re wearing a hat are always more interesting than conversations without. So everyone wore a hat to the memorial celebration — wonderful hats with dinosaurs, hats with barbie dolls, with shovels, vegetables, sunflowers, you name it. It was a great event for a great lady.

Looking back to her work in the 70’s, her themes are still universal and fresh. She made a VW car into a dinosaur to send signals about our dependence on fossil fuels. And later this sculpture, Triceracopter: The Hope for the Obsolescence of War, is a dinosaur built on the body of a honest-to-gosh army helicopter. It’s amazing to read her descriptions of how she built these things, using roasting pans in her kitchen oven and a tent in the back yard in this conversation in Sculpture magazine.

Later work her work became more haunting with Life Boats: Boats about Life — sculptures that make allegories to different voyages in life and death.

But as Pat said, “I’ve often had two parallel lines of creative work. One is playful and humorous, especially in drawing and sometimes in sculpture. At the same time, I’ve had enough experience to recognize issues in my own life and in the larger world. My work moves in both directions, and sometimes the two come together in unexpected ways.”

When we stayed at her house last year during Russ’s Cincinnati installation, I had lots of time to study drawings on the walls of her house, drawings that sometimes feature the adventures of Sky Woman, who would fly around the world, tirelessly fighting those who “thrive on tearing the wings off dreams.”

At sculpture events, I usually feel like a tag-along, a non-sculptor. But not around Pat. She always had time to check in with me and to encourage me through the years before I found myself making art quilts. She’s one of those people I have much to thank for, but most of all for her belief in me, as an artist in search of an art. For her belief that everyone can find the artist within.

So this morning, when the fresh air hit me with gusto, I thought it would be good to start a ritual of throwing open the front door and walking out into the morning, rather than sneaking out the back door as I often do. And I felt Pat’s hands on my back, pushing me through the front door.

In closing, here’s a photo of Pat at one of her and Laura’s grand parties and a quote by one of Pat’s heros, Molly Ivins:

Be sure to tell those
who come after
how much fun it was.

Filed Under Inspiration, journeys, other artists, sculpture | 9 Comments

Grounds for Sculpture Opening Reception

May 18, 2007

Gosh, I don’t know what I’ve been caught doing, but judging by my expression, it must be bad. I know I’ve been tagged while I was gone, not once but four times. But honestly, I haven’t had time to do any posting since we’ve been traveling to four different states in the last five days. I promise I’ll get to it, Beate, Deborah, Liz, and Larkin…

Actually it’s ironic that one of my Yoga quilts is hanging in this exhibition space at Grounds for Sculpture, because about this time last year I was doing the real thing here on the floor. While the park was closed, of course, and while I was waiting for my next assignment in Russ’s complex installation of neon sculptures. It did give the security guard a start when he rounded the corner and found me upside down on the floor.

Although I decided to let my hair grow out into an appropriate flip-do for the opening, I guess six days wasn’t enough. I did wear a fancy new lace headband though, but apparently black on black doesn’t show up in photos.

It was so fun to look at the other artwork and meet the artists. I was happy to see Jil Weinstock again, after meeting her last weekend in Kansas City. She does all kinds of crazy things with dresses and zippers cast in rubber. This casting is called Halter Garden Gown. I was so inspired, when I got home I mailed her a vintage dress that I hope she can use in her work.

Another artist I enjoyed meeting was Diana Moore. She made this fantastic series of purses out of carbon steel — Remind you of anything? All the purses have subtle imagery of feminine anatomy from various viewpoints. This one is called Holy Purse…

And surprise! The purses all open and some even have keys. I could actually use a purse like this. It looks like it weighs about a hundred pounds, so I could use it to build up my biceps and as a weapon in dark parking lots.

There was also great work at the show by Lia Cook who makes huge figurative tapestries, Leah Poller who makes humorous bed sculptures, and Allen Topolski who makes strange retro-looking appliances that have very mysterious functions.

The only artist who wasn’t at the reception was Susan Taylor Glasgow, but I enjoyed seeing her fused glass work in the form of coffee pots, aprons, and cakes — all made of sewn glass.

This one is called Acme Dream House #2.

What’s not obvious until you move in closer is the depth, detail, rich textures, and seamless (no pun intended, he he) integration of ribbon and glass. What an inspiration!

Oh yeah, I also want to thank all the friends and family who came out for the opening and brought their smiling faces. You made my day!

Update: Since I’ve driving all day (across five states to get to a memorial service tomorrow) I had a lot of time to think about this post. I realized I forgot to say who the person in this photo is — artist Joanie San Chirico who showed up at the reception. Previously we’d only chatted via email, but when she walked in the room, I felt I had known her a long time!

Filed Under exhibitions, journeys, other artists | 6 Comments

Kansas City, Here We Come

May 8, 2007

The reason I missed the bird house auction was a quick trip to Kansas City for the Kansas City Art Institute alumnae weekend. I’m not an alum, but someone I’m well acquainted with is. The first night was consumed with traversing the First Friday Art Walk, a totally fun event centered around the Crossroads Arts District. Galleries were packed, and a stand-out to me was seeing Lisa Marie Barber’s quilt and ceramic exhibition at the Leedy-Voulkos Art Center. I was totally captivated by the complexities and textures that she layered on her quilts (detail photo above is from “Buildings.”) For a review of the show, go here.

Outside of the KCAI student sculpture exhibit was a real treat — art bikes galore. Apparently the KCAI sculpture students are being assigned an art bike project, due to a generous donation of old bikes. One requirement, the bikes must be functional to participate in art-bike parades. However I wish there had been better title cards, because nowhere could I find the author of this “comforts of home” bike. Only clue is that the “manufacturer” is printed on the frame — FLOWMASTER. Don’t miss the clever installment of the most necessary TP accessory.

Another shocker of the evening was walking into a gallery and seeing some vaguely familiar work — vintage dresses cast in some sort of weird waxy resin.

Holy cow, it’s Jil Weinstock, someone I only know because I’m in a show with her that opens next weekend. To top it off, she was even there, all the way from New York to do an artist’s talk. After seeing her work in person, I’ll all excited to see her again next weekend and ask if she wants some of my vintage dresses to work with. I’d gladly give them to her because that would be way cool.

The next day on campus there was a Art of the Car exhibit, and I had to to snap lots of photos of this beauty because, as Russ said, this must be a PaMdora car.

Most interesting is the Cadillac name, because by coincidence later that same afternoon, we had a great lecture from this KC architecture firm called Eldorado that specializes in design solutions using artists.

Between prowling around in the different departments and getting some ideas for our own sculpture studio, we had a fun mono-print workshop using this contraption in the design department.

Russ’s prints turned out great, and mine were a total botch, so I happily abandoned them. But if you haven’t had enough serendipity yet, at the workshop we did meet up with my friend Terri, from high school who graduated from KCAI and is now teaching there in the design department. Sorry I didn’t take her photo because she’s a real a cutie!

To cap off the weekend, we got to see Carmen by the Kansas City Ballet — most interestingly because the set design was done by Jason Pollen, president of the the Surface Design Association and professor at KCAI. Here’s a story about how that sculpture was designed.

The next day was a mad scramble to get out of the city as a huge storm descended early in the morning. After a beautiful two days of nice weather, it was a little eerie driving through the dark clouds and flooding streets to the light at the edge of the storm.

Filed Under journeys, other artists | 11 Comments

Habitat for Birds

May 4, 2007

Recently I made friends with Carla through her cool shop called Patische Decor. I love her shop, so I keep going there to buy gifts for people, but it’s just an excuse to hang out and soak up the atmosphere. Tonight Carla is hosting an auction of artist-designed bird houses to raise money for Habitats for Humanity, so I donated mine.

I made this bird house a couple of years ago while my niece was visiting. When I showed her this book of funky projects, she liked the idea of decorating bird houses, so we bought a couple and each did our own thing. Mine is covered with French tomato juice labels and stamped with Japanese kanji for hope, love, and prosperity. The little border garden is made of shells.

Although I love the house, it’s just another thing gathering dust — I even put it in this quilt as one of those things that is mysteriously cluttering up my house. I’m finding it’s nice to give these things away.

There are probably 25 bird houses decorated with everything imaginable– from bottle caps to coffee beans. Chandler made this stripey one, with clever legs made out of coat hooks. Too bad I can’t be at the auction tonight. Carla said she may get a bag of feathers and toss them all over the shop. I love the way she thinks! I wish she’d come decorate my house, minus the bird feathers.

Update: There were 32 bird houses, and the auction raised over a thousand dollars for Habit for Humanity. Yay!

Filed Under uncategorized | 5 Comments

Save our Stories

May 3, 2007

One thing that’s been distracting lately is interviews. I’ve been doing a lot lately, sometimes for publication, and sometimes just to help out a student. Luckily the only one on video was for the PBS documentary, The Art of Quilting. Someone asked me how I thought that turned out. Overall I thought the program was great, but my segment, well, I couldn’t stop thinking that my teeth didn’t look too good and my hair must be thinning.

Thinking about interviews reminded that I never posted a link to this one done last summer with Melva Hightower for the Alliance for American Quilts for the Save Our Stories series. I met Melva at the Art Quilts Philadelphia opening last year, and we later did the interview via a couple of chat sessions. I think that gave Melva plenty of time to study up, because she asked some great questions that really got me thinking about my art.

Filed Under media | 3 Comments

Pressing Matters

May 1, 2007

Feeling totally swamped with day-to-day emergencies and tedium? (yes)

Feeling overwhelmed with too many responsibilities? (yes, yes)

Feeling like you wish you had more arms, more eyes, twice more brains, and a lot more pep? (yes yes yes!)

There are so many distractions that can take our attention away from what’s important. Many things are urgent, but the truly important things are usually ones that have no immediate deadlines, other than the ones we make for ourselves.

Lately I’ve been preoccupied by the urgent and neglecting the important. To encourage myself focus on the work, I’m re-reading The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp, a book I’d have to say is the biggest influence I’ve ever had on my work habits. Twyla’s writing seems to have the effect on me of wanting to drop everything and rush to the studio.

Or maybe I just need more iron in my diet…

Filed Under Inspiration | 10 Comments

Let Us Speak of Love

Quilt National 07 opening

Dog Scooter

Out the Front Door: In Memory of Pat Renick

Grounds for Sculpture Opening Reception

Kansas City, Here We Come

Habitat for Birds

Save our Stories

Pressing Matters

PaMdora's Box

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