In case you are in Spain, go to this show and then tell me all about it.  I will be dying to see pics of my work there (which Sergio is always so kind to share them with me).   As soon as I have them, I will happily pass them along to you!

(and for the women whom I told you the show was in a slaughterhouse- my apologies, I thought I read that somewhere in my correspondence!)

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.

Here are a few of them:

1.  I made you cookies.  It’s February and Valentine’s Day month.  It’s a time when you do something nice for the ones you love.  I love that y’all have given me support by visiting me every month and while I provide you with baked goods on a monthly basis- this month they are hand made and decorated Pollock style BY ME, just for you.  Eat one and feel the love.

2.  My friend, Ann Schlegel, is Featured Artist this month.  You can bet that she will have something special going on for the debut of her new painting, Clair de Lune (Dreaming of Antibes).   Go meet her, wish her a happy birthday, and ask her about her gorgeous travels in France.  She has many stories to tell and if you’re lucky, she will have her slide show running on her laptop that evening!
www.annelizabethschlegel.com & http://paintingeachday.blogspot.com/ (if you don’t get a chance to meet her, check her out online)

3.  I finished three of my new little paintings.  They are totally done and hanging in the studio.  There will be more where that came from next month too but why not get a sneak peak? (and I’m not putting it here so that you HAVE to see them in person)

4.  I have a bunch of new printed materials you can take with you….. and if you are like me, you know I love me some free stuff on paper that has imagery I adore.  Hopefully you will too.  They’ll be by the food.

5.  You can meet some of my former students from Kutztown- Kelly, Michael, Rachel, Molly, Laura, and Caitlin.  You may have seen them around the BF before, as they come almost monthly to First Friday, but you should really talk to them.  They are incredibly funny.  They made this (not because they are funny but because I made them…. sorta).

Extra Bonus…. if you break anything that evening, undoubtedly Rachel will be able to fix it with either a plastic spoon or a straw. Seriously.
Extra Extra Bonus- you can find out the dirt about me- what I’m like as a professor.  I don’t grade them anymore (unless they want me to) so they can be absolutely candid and honest.  How will I know (unless you rat them out… but would you, especially after they fixed your priceless object all Magyver-like with a spoon, some gum, and dryer lint)?  Ask them to mask you something.  They’ll like that.

With so many bonuses- how can you pass this up (unless you are coming to see me at the Painted Bride in Philly from 5-7pm)?
Banana Factory
Studio 342
First Friday from 6-9pm

Typically pre-show time is terribly concentrated and it’s almost everything you are thinking about.  For me, before More Serious Business, I had a few distractions of moving my apartment and starting a new semester.  It wasn’t the most optimal time to develop a brand new concept and brand new work.  But when you’re doing all of that and you get to the opening, it’s all a huge crescendo of then having an evening (hopefully stocked with wine) where you answer for yourself as coherently and articulate as possible.  It’s all a big hullabaloo and then you go home that night and typically then move on to the next thing.  Not until you take down your work, do you then come back and revisit and remind yourself of all that thought, intensity (and maybe paranoia).  It’s a good thing though.  One gets a break from it after such concentrated time and you stew over it and figure out what you would change and if you are so brazen, you go back into the show and fix what needs fixing…. but me, I wait until the end and get it back to the studio and get reacquainted……..

I took down my work from the More Serious Business show this morning.  I walked into the dark and quiet NCC Fowler Center and it was haunting and desolate.  There really was no one to be found until I ran into Norman Giradot of the Eat Art Collaborative (pictured above during their performance from opening night).  He was dismantling his 100s of peeps and burnt toast that were on display.   Reader, I must confess that I failed you in getting through the exhibit while it was still running.  I was one of the first required to dismantle (The building begins renovations as of Monday, starting with my space where I was exhibiting).  I thought that since I was around while things were still installed that I would be able to snap some photos for you but alas, many spaces were locked.  I took some photos of the spaces I could see and am here to report them.

Regardless, I hope you got to see the show and if you didn’t, shame on you- It was super cool!  From what I hear, they hope to do it again…… that is if our trusty curator, Mick Chapuk, has it in him.  Can you imagine chasing 50+ artists around to organize into an exhibition all by your self??  I can’t and I am sure it was like herding cats!

Anyway, these are some of the installations I was able to snap a shot of this morning while I was in there.  This is such a small fraction of the work in the show but a lovely sampling from some of my colleagues.

(Rick Salafia)

(Leigh Kane)

(William Hudders)

(Joshua Miller)

(Jaqueline Lima)

(Lydia Panas)

(Scott Atiyeh, foreground; not sure who was in the background)

How in the world is it already September 4?  I simply cannot figure out where the time has been ticking away to.  To bring you up to speed- I found a new apartment and gave it one thorough facelift; I finally moved my apartment out of ‘gunshot alley’ last weekend; I’m still unpacking; school started; I put up my More Serious Business Installation; and dismantled the piece in the Baum School show…… and for some reason since I have moved, the coffee I make doesn’t taste the same.  Eek.

I apologize, dear reader, that I rattled off a laundry list of “how busy I am.”  I know that everyone is busy and I am not special when it comes to that.  There aren’t really excuses for that- I simply am still battling my demons of balance.  I get that I somewhat thrive on hectic. I actually think many artists do, whether they admit it to you or not.  I don’t really like that about myself but I understand where it comes from and I do think it is somewhat of a cultural thing.  I didn’t really hear people brag about their busy-ness while I was in Spain.  Actually, the family I stayed with near the end of my trip had a member who worked very long hours and it seemed more of a annoyance than a badge of honor.  But I do think that we Americans love to feel industrious and feel validation in the time we block off.  It makes us feel important.  I’m not really sure if that’s necessarily a good thing.  I don’t really love it for myself but I almost feel like it’s a necessary evil…. or at least my subconscious does.  I know down time can be a stressor.  I feel like when I am not using my time in a productive manner then I am wasting it when I should be working harder.  I mean I haven’t achieved many of the goals I’ve set out for myself and I certainly am not accomplishing them while watching the Real Housewives of New Jersey, right?

And the inner turmoil ensues…… a girl cannot be all work and still remain productive but why are the breaks not as valued as much as the work?  I guess one may never know! All that said, it’s something I struggle with.

So anyway….. last night More Serious Business opened at the NCC Fowler Center.  It was stifling thick air, lots of people, and maybe not enough wine.  But incredibly fun, even if just to say hello to some of my colleagues and reconnect with friends.  My piece seemed to be a bit hidden away in what was deemed the “Party Room.”  That’s ok, I guess, but after I blathered on about the ridiculous “busy-ness” of the past two weeks, getting this piece there was not exception so I felt like I wanted to not be so tucked away then, and of course I wanted feedback.  What can you do?  The party room made it really difficult for that to happen since it was incredibly loud and really hard to talk to anyone and hear them, even while screaming.

My piece is called ‘albatross.’  It’s not the piece I originally intended to do in the space but it is a concept I have been dragging around for probably nearly 12 years.  I’m glad it has taken this long to realize itself because my first conception of it was rather literal.  I guess there is no harm to every revisiting a pice but for some reason, it never felt right enough to get it off the ground.

Those of you who know me know I adore classic literature.  And for those of you who have seen me do my artist talk know I speak of my high school British Lit teacher and the profound influence that course had on me (and how I finally felt as if I was not an idiot when it came to understanding metaphorical writing).  During that year, required reading includes a segment on 19th c Romantic poetry- one being the “Rime of the Ancient Mariner.”  I guess it always was a rather visceral response I had with that poem and as I have gotten older, (don’t laugh) I honestly can feel the weight of stress in my body.  Being that I have been so affected by the clock, time passing, even my age- this seemed to be the time to develop this idea.  It really isn’t about one thing specifically- it’s more about that physical effect of the emotional toll.  Furthermore, that may be wrapped up in the “societal expectations of identity” bow that I work within.

Things I’m loving about the new piece:  how the weight is felt in the floor elements.  The charr on the wood, the displacement on the floor, the “anchor” of the mortar stone.  I adore how it came off.  I love the layering in the wall piece and I adore the image I began with.  The discovery of what acrylic tar can do!

Things I am reworking as soon as it gets to my studio: bringing back the image.  I abstracted it too much and it seems to be lost to many.  It’s needed for the context of the piece.  And I need more layering of the paint/tar/sugar.  The tar looks a bit like semen to me.  That’s ok but it may be a little too sexually charged for me…. this is my own observation.  No one really said anything to me about it.  Who knows.

I think it’s actually kind of fun to get some space like this from the new work.  I mean, it’s new new.  Really new.  Not even architect’s daughter new.  Brand new(ish) concept new.  I need new.  Architect’s daughter can burn me out because it’s so totally labor intensive .  I still have plenty to develop there but I’m psyched to be working up this new ‘albatross’ series.  I think it may be what I take to Texas next year!  So much to do….. and 3000 square feet of space to fill.  Wow!

For those of you who never read the Rime of the Ancient Mariner- here is the wikilink. http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Rime_of_the_Ancient_Mariner_(1817)
(and check back within the next few days for subsequent posts- I’m going to post some images of colleagues work in the MSB show.  It was so fun to see everyone there!)

Well folks, I have had a week littered with issues.  Above is the graphic for this years RED SHOW.  Tomorrow night is the opening- you should come!  Banana Factory third floor artists (we so rock!)- from 6:30 to 9:30.  Food!  Lots of it!  and really all you have to know is that I’m bringing brownies.  Brownies.
Brownies.
Brownies.

(yum)

But in preparing my piece for the Red Show- what I thought was completely clear became a horrible disaster of video footage that suggestive of fetishism and sexual ludeness.  Not really what I was going for….. With this new genre for video (for me), I am finding it tough to record myself without help or being able to really see what is being filmed.  I’m going to have to come up with a better system.

So to salvage from the footage I took (which was of me with a clump of twine in my mouth) I found a two minute segment that I would be able to work with.  I camped out last night (really late in my office) and edited my brains out.  I think I have something really beautiful! 

One of the lessons I have been trying to learn, remind myself, instill in my molecular structure- is to breathe.  Now you all know I breathe- I’m alive, aren’t I?? But I decided that some of the things I love about the video footage from both the Architect’s Daughter installation and the “string gone wrong” was when I manipulated the footage that fundamental body functions became the most apparent- there is nothing else in this footage- it’s slow, my eyes blink, and I inhale/exhale.  It’s all I have to focus on visually and the imagery becomes about the reminder.  I’m calling the piece “Breathing Lessons.”  And of course, there will be a small installation on the wall that accompanies the footage.

Pulling the late night in the office, I don’t have much to show you.  The finished footage still sits on my computer desktop.  WHat I do have to show is the ridiculous pants I bought at the school store when I was freezing in my office….. totally obnoxious! (And yes, I spared you the entire pant- no body needs that much pant!)

Well, I finally got some images to show you that I am indeed part of all these things I tell you about and definitely not an imposter!  What this means- I got the pictures from my friend from all the past month events.  So now you may imagine along that you were there….  Look- there is you next to me and my dad (above)!  You are so cool!

My gallery talk went really well this week and I had a modest group of lovely people there.  It was a comfortable chat with some of my favorite people.  I talked lot about where architect’s daughter evolved from and how it can to be in Arts Lehigh.  I can’t really rehash it so much for you however what I can do is upload the lovely exhibition statement that was hanging outside the room (see below).

My suggestion is to read the exhibition statement in my voice and look at the pictures and imagine being there.  If you come to this website on any type of regular basis, you have some creative inclinations and can certainly try to envision the event.  Regardless, it was really nice- so nice that I would make a little button about the day and wear it to remember always. (dear sweet reader, I am in one weird mood today).

Anyway, there are pics of that lovely day BUT WAIT…. there’s more!  And yes, I do notice the trend of wearing black to every event.  It’s weird.  But I need to buy and iron so I can iron my other, more colorful clothes. 

The next group are from the beautiful Friday window tour with the One Stone Collective.  There really couldn’t have been more beautiful of a day (except for maybe this week where the weather is totally gorgeous….. but that was the first beautiful 70 degreee weather days that we had).

Anyway, here you can put some faces with names.  The gals were great and, as you already know, were a total hit!

 (ugh, I so need a haircut)  This is me introducing the group.  In the pic behind me you’ll see- (left to right) Bea, Corey, Merissa, and Meghan.  Unfortunately this is the only pic Meghan appears in but she was a great presence that day!

Merissa talking about her work- and not talking about how her hair is so much better cared for than mine.

Corey with her attentive crowd in the reflection.

Bea talking about her work.  She told me before the tour that in her research for her work she found out why pencils are yellow.  It’s actually because when pencils were just going into production in the late 1870′s, doors opened to China as an industry trade potential.  Yellow is a royal color in China and therefore in honor of the Chinese and good relations with them, the first pencil company created yellow pencils.  Wow!

I’m a sucker for a blurry picture every time.  This is in Marcie’s installation.

Below, you can see the great group that collected in Chores for the final reception (before we headed off to have dinner at Nawab).  We did not discuss my hair at dinner however it is maybe all I’m thinking about now that I look at these pictures.

No rest for the weary yet, stay tuned to my final preparations for the Red Show opening up this Friday!  Details to come! 
I’ll also post the professional pics of the installation when I get them.  sssooooooo much better than mine!

Well peeps, here’s a sneak peak at the very last day of my show (if that makes any sense).  Please come see my talk tomorrow (Wednesday, March 31) at Arts Lehigh (230 West Packer Ave) at 4pm.  It would be great to see many, many smiling faces there before I dismantle the show this weekend. 

It’s a bit bittersweet and I’ll be surely nostalgic about the process and perhaps even about the past ten years of my life and career.  I’ve been thinking about this work and why it began, while sorting out how I present the show.  I also have been thinking about some of the responses I have recieved thus far about the work.  It’s a weird testimony about acceptance.  If you look at my work 10 years ago, I could not even acknowledge myself.  Eight years ago, I presented a brutalized version of who I am.  Five years ago I was fragmented.  And beginning two years ago, I became layered, whole, and a structure in progress.  I hope to address that tomorrow.  How- I’m not sure yet, however I promise you, sweet reader, to be honest forthright, and answer any questions that come my way.  I’m a bit nervous this “reception eve” but looking forward to pushing the new work forward. 

The past few days, a few changes have occured and I have been struggling to maintain steady nerves about them.  I can only expect that this will process, come to a place where I can understand it, and flush it self out.  I am sure that in talks to come you can say you heard it here first.  Change is happening (and I knew her when………. *sigh*)

http://www.thebrownandwhite.com/home/index.cfm?event=displayArticle&uStory_id=562c7c9f-e530-41b1-9d0f-b29af48e7939

Wow! Two posts in one day!!

I wanted to forward a film still of the video that is used in the room.  I absolutely adore the “ghosty” effect that I was able to achieve and I have to say I am absolutely obsessing over doing more with video!  OBSESSING!! (and maybe obsessing over buying that new Mac I’ve been wanting).

The great thing about it is that this installation as sparked such an avenue of work that I would like to explore.  Of course, this now steps even further outside the box of marketable work but I guess I don’t care so much anymore.  I honestly couldn’t believe I was able to achieve such a quiet breath into the room I created at Arts Lehigh.  I’m not patting myself on the back- I just was absolutely intimidated by video technology and thought it would be so far beyond me but I guess the approach should be much like I have learned photoshop- using it to suit my needs as I need it.  My brain is so busy churning away at new work and no rest for the weary- Red Show opens in the next few weeks!  I’m thinking of being a maniac and creating another small piece derivative of the Arts Lehigh piece.  Let’s see how my energy level holds up.  I’m still reeling from a bit of exhaustion.

Much more to catch you up on the days to come…. my missing camera resurfaced yesterday.  I have pictures of my amazing students (affectionately entitled “the popcorn kids”) to show off; need to show you images of Chores; AND talk about my trip to the Fabric Workshop a few weeks ago.  My life may be nuts but it’s actually pretty fun!  I so could never be contained in a cubicle!

One quick reminder: the One Stone gals will be back Friday to do the window tour of their work for “Archetypes: These Role(s) We Wear.”  It’s not to be missed.  FRIDAY, MARCH 19.  BEGINNING AT TALLARICO’S (Third Street Bethlehem) AT 4:30PM.  RECEPTION TO FOLLOW AT BANANA FACTORY (yet another chance to check out Chores!)