Well, it feels like a billion years since I have had anything of any worth to report.  I wrapped up last semester and trucked on home with Marigold in tow to celebrate the holidays.  One of my main objectives, however, was to catch up with friends and visit all the new changes in their lives.  Obviously, I surround myself with creativity so I’m going to share with you the beautiful studios 3 of my friends settled into while I was away.

First I headed to Brooklyn to see Karla Stingerstein who is settled in at Pratt to finish up her MFA.  Above is the fuzzy image from her window of Manhattan….. pretty picturesque.  Chrysler Buidling; Brooklyn Bridge.  I’m making you imagine a little bit (but I do have a crisp image I’m not sharing with you- hahaha).

Here’s a view of her space.  Pretty much what everyone would imagine their Brooklyn studio to look like….  only it’s all hers!

Then returning to home to the Lehigh Valley, Adriano Farinella and Berrisford Boothe, both former artists at the Banana Factory with me, set up shop in the Karl Stirner building in Easton.  It’s a pretty sweet space and beautifully finished.  There was much drooling when I walked through the doors.  The first image is Berrisford’s side then following is Adriano’s.

Studio space has been in the forefront of my mind as I am still waiting for mine new space to be made available for move in.  I’ll definitely share once settled in……

IN the meantime, I also have been thinking about these decadent cupcakes I had at Cakejoy in Brooklyn….. they were really really good.

But Starbucks bellowed out it’s siren song once it knew I was about to embark on a road trip south.  As soon as I rolled into Augusta, I pulled over and walked into the first Starbucks I saw.  When the woman asked me how I was- I exploded with giddiness telling her is was my first Starbucks in 2 months since I had moved to Aroostook County.  I ordered a ginormous Venti Caramel Macchiato.  I don’t even order those at home because of all the calories and sugar but it had been 2 months.  I was going to whoop it up with decadence!!  Needless to say, I was buzzing the entire weekend from Starbucks as I set out to sight see Connecticut.

I was staying in Old Saybrook.  It is at the mouth of the Connecticut River and a picturesque town to explore full of marinas, water, shops, and restaurants.  And complete with a cute lighthouse…..It seems it’s a good place to vacation or just drive around, which is what we did.

Saturday evening, I made my way over to Ivoryton which is an even more picturesque town (or section of Essex) where Katherine Hepburn and Marlon Brando used to do summer theater at the Ivoryton Playhouse.  I was happy to be included in the “Juxtaposed” exhibition at the Six Summit Gallery, curated by Alyssa Monks.  Actually.  This exhibit, of which I saw the work online on their facebook page, was much more impressive in person than online.  I guess there is something to be said for the one-to-one experience of artwork rather than through the filter of a computer screen.

The show, although not advertised as a figurative show, was primarily figurative.  Probably because Alyssa herself is a figurative artist.  Some of the images in the show were just arresting to look at.  The gallery itself seemed small however in walking in the amount of work was just astounding.  It was a great turnout of people and I spoke with many people about my process- which I am always so surprised when people want to hear about it.  I don’t know why.  But overall I enjoyed meeting some of the other artists, viewing the work, and later thai food.  It also had been 2 months since thai food.

For more information on the exhibition, visit www.sixsummitgallery.com

The drive itself was long.  LONNNGGGGGG.  But what was super cool about that was how much the foliage changed as you progressed up I-95.  In Maine, the leaves are amber, crimson, and ochre where south of that, they are only starting to change.  It only seemed coincidence that I arrived at the scenic turnout to see Mt. Katahdin at dusk.  SO MAGICAL!  And I made it home a half an hour than I thought I would- probably because the speed limit was recently changed from 65 mph to 75 between Bangor and Houlton.  Thank god.

Well peeps, This may not be so much as an art centered post as it is to get you acquainted with the place I am moving to mid August.  I just returned from a trip to upstate Maine where I was apartment hunting (and begging people to be my friend) in Presque Isle, Maine.  The trip was a huge success and wonderful gage of how grueling trips back to PA will be while driving.  I don’t mean to scare you visitors, but it is grueling.  But may I suggest a wonderful stopover in Newburyport, Massachusetts?  Such a cute place with many cute bistros, shops in brick buildings along cobblestone walkways.  Lovely stop half way to seeing me… and right by the water!

Anyway, when you come to visit me, be prepared for the 12 hour drive.  It is a rewarding drive however.  It’s very pretty and as you meander through Maine you drive through Baxter State Park which has so many gorgeous trees and very few cars.  I somewhat feel like you are driving to the edge of the world.  Actually you just might be…

Presque Isle is a town that has just under 10,000 residents.  The university (pictured above) is small but making strides to be mighty progressive.  It is powered by a wind turbine which is part of President Zillman’s mission to reduce the carbon footprint of the university.  (http://bangordailynews.com/2010/05/18/news/umpi-windmill-lsquoa-great-decisionrsquo/)  In fact, the art department’s studio is currently being outfitted with solar panels, new windows, new boiler, and brand spankin’ new floors (no more asbestos!) in time for me to start in the fall.  Here’s what it looks like now… and may I say, we have the best view on campus!

I will be living right downtown.  It’s a quirky downtown that is transitioning to become more community centered with more cultural offerings.  Their First Friday has made it a year- even through the winter months!  Part of my job is to help the University have more of a presence in the community through the arts.  Cool for me!  So I’ll be looking to create some great events and opportunities- and you’ll may be hearing from me for installation proposals, community festivals, and art happenings.  I have IDEAS (and am starting on some grant funding to make them happen)!!

I will be living in what was originally the Elk Lodge (pictured above- I love this image because it reminds me of a Hopper painting!).  It’s SO COOL!  It’s a brick building built in 1919 and the interior is nearly entirely covered with pressed tin.  It’s really amazing.  I will be the first tennant occupying the the apartment in front of the building on the second floor.  When I first applied for the job, I was super bummed when I didn’t see a coffee shop around town for someone to hang out.  I even researched it extensively and I found that everyone goes to the diner in the hotel for their coffee.  That was fine and I but I do love that cafe culture and really wanted that in this place.  Ask and you shall receive because the storefront I am living over is going to be a coffee shop/bistro.  Really, REALLY!  And in the back of the building, there will be a boutique salon- um, yeah so I can eat, get my hair cut all in my own building.  Oh wait, you ask- where will I play pool, darts, and fussball when it’s freezing outside?  Well, in the basement there will be a lounge to do just that!  It was formerly the bowling alley.  The alleys are still in the basement.  It’s so incredible- and yes, the basement too has tin.  Probably the most lovely pressed tin in the whole place.

My apartment is under major construction so you have to have a great imagination about it.  Luckily I do.  Check it out…. the fireplace will stay and will be outfitted with a pellet stove.  How sexy is it to have a fireplace in your bedroom?  The windows will be replaced but still be the gargantuin size you see.  And yes, it has other ameneties too but I won’t go on….

The thing is that it’s about a block away from the restaraunt I continue to rave about.  I had a wonderful meal again while in town- a Morrocan Halibut Tagine as part of their Mediterranean themed night.  AND an incredible Red Sangria!  So when you come see me, get ready to eat at Sopresso, a cafe started by the guy who also started the Art Dept at UMPI in 1967.  Across the street is the Art and Framing shop as well as the yarn shop.  I have a feeling I will be knitting like a wild woman again.

Around the corner from me is the art center.  I love the building- and will need to take pictures when I make the move and give you the virtual tour of the town- right now you can create it in your mind!!

Behind Main Street is the river with great bike paths.  I think I want to get a bike again.

Oh and did I mention that the sun goes on and on…. It was full sun before 5am in the morning.  I was certain that I overslept for my 6am meeting before hitting the road to come home. Wow!

So all in all, I had a busy trip…. watch out Presque Isle.  Here I come!

Today I was out and about to visit some friends, Peg and Glen Speirs, down in Reading, PA.  I met Peg a few years ago while I had a contract teaching at Kutztown University.  She was kind enough to include me in a travelling exhibition she had entitled, In Response to Healing.  Her husband, Glen, I met as we ready-ed my work to go on the road.  Aside from being a proficient artist in his own right, he is quite the crate maker!  His crates are some of the most beautiful I have seen!  But with all of that aside, I went to Reading to visit with them and take in 2 of Glen’s exhibits- one at their Gallery 908 and the other at Albright College, Freedman Gallery.  With Glen’s permission, I was able to fend off the tenacious Gallery Attendant and snapped some pictures of his exhibit.

To quote Ron Schira, the guest curator for this exhibit:
Glen Speirs sculpted series of homemade maces approaches the idea of an ancient weapon used as an artistic device for social or conceptual commentary.  The masces are made of articles such as chair legs, tools, welded metal rods, aluminum, chains and baseball bats.  A circular saw blade is attached to the arm of a chair, or a transmission gear, or a baseball bat.  He questions the intent of artists, the purposes and meanings of the items displayed, and ironically, how anything can be used as a weapon, even art.

Glen or Ron may not see it this way, however, I see the maces as a commentary on masculinity.  I feel as though they are contemporary defense objects constructed to face this post modern society.  They seem to say much as much about boyhood nostalgia as they do about being weapons.  For me, they challenge the male inner dialog about what it is to be masculine….. but that’s just me.

Here are some other images to enjoy from the show….

I know, I know, I know… I have been negligent of my blogging duties however I have good reason.  Every so often a gal like me gets some opportunity- I spent the last half of the week traveling Northern almost Canada Maine interviewing for a job.  That’s about all I’m going to say about it other than how much I enjoyed meeting people and seeing a new place and program.  I don’t have too many pictures for you except one I took at sunrise as I boarded the plane for home.  I just thought it might have been weird to try to document my trip when I was trying to make a good first impression.  Here’s what Maine looks like now (I rode in on 6 inches of snow- which everyone I met apologized about).

But really, dear reader, I am writing to invite you to the closing of my exhibition at the Eagle’s Nest Gallery in Nazareth.  It’s this Wednesday afternoon from 3-5pm.  It is a lovely space in Nazareth High School and, as always, I will have some type of baked good.  It’s a nice show, if I do say so myself.  My newest work is on display- some of it I have yet to photograph!

Earlier in the week, I installed of my older work down in Philadelphia at the Naval Yard.  I have to say this was an absolutely stunning trip and I am so thrilled to be in this space.  My work will be on display at URBN, Building 548 in the Gallery in Building 548 (witty name, right?).  It faces the water and one incredible retired naval ship, but there are many more where that comes from.  The show lasts until mid May so if you are in the area, it’s totally worth a look.  Here are some pics…. I’m heading back down to take more (and better) ones.  This place is not to be missed.

As you know, peeps, Friday night was my opening at the Painted Bride.  Quite honestly, it was a really. long. day.  The traffic to Philly was pretty atrocious and leaving was no better (complete with a flat tire.  Yikes!) but all in all, I’m happy to report that my work was well received!  I got some prime placement (if I do say so myself) right in direct eyesight of the gallery entrance.  Lucky me!

Unfortunately, the night was pretty cold so the gobs upon gobs of people I was hoping to be there, where not.  But that’s ok- it gave me a chance to meet my fellow exhibitors- all of which are very nice!
Please take a closer look at : Susan Cunningham, Laurie Beck Peterson, Benjamin C. Pierce, and Leah MacDonald… All fellow InLiquid-ers.

The exhibit “represents more photographic interpretations and expressions of body image and self-esteem.   In My Body: Reworks will exhibit 4 to 6 works from each of these artists to broaden the perception the audience experiences through the eyes of multiple artists examining the figure.”

So now go to Philly and check out the show and tell me what you think.  I know it sounds like a lot of homework but really, you could make a day of it in Old City then have lunch at the Reading Terminal Market.  So much fun.  I would totally do that.

So sometimes writing a blog, I feel rather narcisstic.  I approach it as part sketchbook, part journal, part report/update.  And sometimes I just don’t feel like talking about myself AGAIN.  That’s where it’s really great to talk about someone else.  So today, dear reader, I’m talking about my friend, Bea Wolert.

I adore Bea.  She is an artist I met while organizing the Evolving Archetype series last year.  She is a member of the One Stone Collective and she did an art installation last year that I loved to listen to her talk about.  It is, in fact, how I learned why pencils are painted yellow (in honor of China when the US opened trade relations with them).  She is a bevy of wonderful information with energy to match.  Another fact: She is the only person to get Adriano to dance in public, a feat I have not yet accomplished…. so you know she has some charm :)

Coming up next Thursday, Bea has a show opening (along with 2 other artists) at A.I.R. Gallery in Brooklyn, NY entitled Impermanent Fixtures.  If you just so happen to be in the city, you should go check out her installation entirely made of zippers!

By utilizing large quantities of mass produced items, Wolert seeks to question predetermined perceptions by bringing the everyday into a new light.  Through cutting, disassembling and repositions the zippers, she explores notions of value, meaning, aesthetics and function.  For thisexhibtion, Wolert will create a large scale site specific wall installation comprised of zippers alongside some smaller mixed media works.

In the exhibtion, Impermanent Fixtures, the three artists invent their own systems that mimic the natural process of growth and decay, sharing a fascination, respect and wonder for the natural world.
(quoted from the gallery press release)

I suggest y’all get there if you can.  You can be sure to be greeted with much enthusiasm that will make you want to break into dancing.  Bea just has that effect on people!

The skinny: Reception is Thursday, February 3rd at A.I.R. Gallery from 6-8pm for a 3 person show featuring  the work of Bea Wolert, Megan Biddle and Emily Harris. Featured is a large scale wall installation comprised of deconstructed zippers. See detail above (Repositioned #9, (For H.C.) [detail], 2011, Zippers and house paint,~ 9′ 6″ x 9′ 11″.
Exhibition runs from Februrary 2-27 2011
A.I.R. Gallery is located at 111 Front Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201 in DUMBO.

www.airgallery.org

I have been so neglegent of my blogging duties (and believe it or not, it was my New Year’s Resolution to blog more often!). Well, from this day forward, I promise you, dear reader, to blog like I never blogged before! And there will be much to blog about… It seems 2011 is starting off to be my year. I’m very excited to report that for the next eight months I am booked into exhibitions from here to Texas to Spain. And I’m working on some exciting projects that I hope to be reporting on soon. It’s all great stuff and it feels great to have all my hard work paying off.

Firstly, (who knows if that’s even a word but I’m going to use it because I would imagine it to be beautifully scripted in an Austen-esque novel)- after much contemplation, I made a white knuckled trip to Philadelphia to drop off work for an exhibition I’m a part of at the Painted Bride. I’m pretty psyched about it and if you scroll to a few entries back you can read the press release for the exhibition, In My Body: revisited. It’s a great show curated in part by InLiquid and Leah Macdonald- in response to her retrospective at the Wexler Gallery.
Let me just tell you….. I love making large work. I love to have the work relate to the viewer on human scale- one to one. Transporting this work however is another story. My trusty Volvo station wagon gets me many places but my painting, beside her, doesn’t fit inside. So with Adriano’s trusty knot tying, we tied the painting to the roof of my car, on one of the coldest days this year, and journeyed down the turnpike to the Painted Bride. I was sleepless thinking about it making it there, but it did, all going off without a hitch. In celebration, we ate at Whole Foods for lunch. I so wish the LV had a Whole Foods (saying that makes me feel like I am cheating on you ,Wegmans).

If you are in the Philly area next Friday for First Friday, hit up the Painted Bride and check out the show (here’s the address so that you can plug it right on into your GPS).

In My Body: revisited, opening 5-7pm
230 Vine Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106

(215) 925-9914

BUT, if you can’t make it to the Bride…. you can still go see my studio at Banana Factory for First Friday from 6-9pm. How do I do that, you may wonder? Well, Kelly and Mike (and I think a number of my former students) will be manning the fort that night. There will be assorted baked goods so you should eat them. And you’ll see what progress I’m making on the new work. It’s slow but it seems that I finally have a process that seems to be working and I’m moving forward. I can assure you, dear reader, that there are going to be lots of transition in there in the coming months. And the work will be in and out of my studio walls so you’ll want to see how it all comes together. Anyway, if you’re not at the Bride, go say hi to Kelly and Mike- they’re friendly and you’ll like them.

BUT WAIT, there’s more! If you can’t make it to Philly and you can’t make it to the Banana Factory- I’m in a show at the Goggleworks in Reading. It ALSO opens First Friday and it’s a wondering sampling of the BF artists on exchange for an exhibition. I can’t wait to see it myself (but I won’t be there FF)!

Here’s the address for your GPS:
201 Washington St
Reading, Pennsylvania 19601

(610) 374-4600

So 2011, is starting off with a bang…. I can’t wait to tell you how it unfolds. I know I have said it before but I’ll say it again- don’t ever take no for an answer. If you believe in your heart of hearts about what you do and who you are, doors will open. Trust that and the rest will take care of itself.

Here’s where it gets a little weird….. So in a separate entry I reported to you about the conference where I was a facilitator and my proposed “social media art piece.”  I did not, at the time, know of anyone doing this- Yoko Ono did something close, in my humble opinion, in honor of John Lennon’s birthday and in thinking about that and the context to her other work (See “Cut” Piece below)- I was really inspired to do an “art happening” where the viewer is as much as a contributor as it is an observer.  The artist essentially just presents the problem and allows the audience to run with it.  For me, it seemed that doing an art happening using social media had much potential to make something in a global perspective all at the same time.  It’s pretty powerful if you think of it!

So I was surprised when I realized that someone it actually doing this (and I was a little jealous that I wasn’t able to pull it off myself but ce la vie!).  Online, I watched M. Bartlett over the weekend extend the question to his “tweeps” to finish the statement “I AM….” The statement trended on the topic #24hKith and anyone could offer their thoughts to the mix. M. Bartlett would then read the statement and apply a colored feather to a mannequin symbolizing that thought. Statements began with “I am one” and ranged from “I am superman” to “I am bored,” “I am ready,” and “I am a standing ovation.” M. Bartlett asked for tweets for an entire 24 hours, ending with the mannequin resembling a Nick Cave soundsuit.

What I really love about this project is that cerebral quality to it. It is so many thoughts contributing to a collective consciousness. M. Bartlett was the mere catalyst for this metaphorically animated creature. We all became somewhat a Dr. Frankenstein to the “Monster” embodied completely from this Twitter conscious.  In probably his tired stupor, he began to embellish on the tweets he received- which made it a little over the top at times but that’s ok- we had some insight why he chose some of the colors he did to represent each thought.  My first tweet that I contributed was “I am the love in your heart” and it was represented in purple over the heart area on the mannequin.  Incidentally, my second tweet “I am wanting and waiting” was also purple and parallelly placed on the shoulder from my other statement.  As the 24 hours progressed my feathers where buried among other feathers.  I didn’t add too much more until his final hour where I stated “I am somebody’s hero” which received the blue feather and placed on the mannequin’s back almost around the same area as my heart feather went.  I’m starting to think I need to pay attention to that chakra (but i digress)!!

Anyway, it’s a lovely beginning to a new venue for artmaking. I would imagine M. Bartlett to do more (and as far as I now know, this was not his first) so check him out at www.manbartlett.com or follow him on twitter! While you’re at it you can follow me too (press the button in the upper right corner) – I’m not an incessant tweeter and sometimes my tweets may be about food that I want to eat, but other times I do tweet some lovely finds.

Friday night I was a girl about town in Reading, PA.  Reading, PA?- you ask.  Yup!  Reading is the home of Gallery 908, owned by Dr. Peg Speirs from Kutztown University.  I got to know Peg a few years ago when I first began teaching at Kutztown.  She curated in a traveling exhibition entitled, In Response to Healing. Through my inclusion in this show, I got to know Peg better and affectionately consider her a beacon for groundedness and reason.  I don’t get to see her often but when I do she always seems to say something I needed to hear at that time and Friday was certainly no exception, but dear reader, this is not why I write.  I write to tell you about her exhibition, Resurrecting the Vibe by George Graf, also a professor and colleague at KU.

I met George at my first interview for a 2D Design position at KU.  I honestly couldn’t believe that I was being considered for the position after applying two other times for something I felt I was far more qualified for.  But here I was on an interview for 2D Design, a class I despised as a freshman, and I vowed to never teach it like I learned it.  I had a very rough student portfolio.  And when I got the job, I couldn’t believe it but here I came to understand, George- head of the search committee- had faith that I could do the job, despite my student work.  The rest is history, I guess, because I taught the class full time and my students kicked ass, if I do say so myself.

So lucky for me that I met George.  And lucky for me to see what he has been working on in the studio.  George is an avid music lover and player of music.  The gallery was a virtual installation of music equipment and performance.  He had video running of influential music and an entire wall of guitars in either state of repair or disrepair artfully hung to create what could be considered a three dimensional Escher installation.  The defining aspect of the night however had to be his altered instruments.  I find their existence something of genius and something that would be so….. George.

He had a series of drums mounted in found objects and attached to pedals that would alter the thumped sound as they were played.  The “piece du resistance” (said in your best French accent…. is that spelled right?) had to be his chair string instrument (I was way too far away to see it properly) that was amplified and altered with pedals and dials so created a sound that evokes such a yearning and dimensional tragedy in a soulful gasp of sound.  Only now do I want to hear them in a performance or recorded and used in all of their madness, together, in an opera that transcends the “everyday-ness” of the objects that assist in the altering of sound.

George sums his work up in the following statement:
The work in this show is about the act of reclamation and the painstaking work of remember where I have come from.  It is also about my love of musical tone, about the sensual shapes and surfaces of the stringed instruments, about the science of acoustics and harmonics, about the delicate interplay of tension and tolerance, and about the subconscious processes that lead us to creative endeavors.

I couldn’t have said it better myself.