Here's the inspiration, the Texas flag, after all Hill Country in New York City is a barbeque restaurant. The project was to make a backdrop for the stage where they have live bands perform.
adventures of a mixed media and textile artist
Friday, May 23, 2008
Hill Country Project
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Hill Country Installation
Installation of the "flag" stage backdrop for Hill Country, which is an incredibly delicious barbeque restaurant in NYC, is tomorrow. I've been so busy, between the Seams exhibit and making this monster piece, that I haven't even posted any in-progress pictures. I'll get to it at the end of the week hopefully, with images of the installed work too.
Monday, May 19, 2008
More "Seams"
I was lucky to be asked to co-curate this exhibit at the Noyes Museum of Art with the Exhibitions Manager, Dorrie Papademetriou. I may be biased, but I think it's an extraordinary exhibit!
When I was asked to co-curate “Seams: Contemporary Art to Wear”, I realized it was an opportunity to connect with some of the amazing wearables artists I had met over my years of curating fiber and textile art exhibits. My goal was to find artists whose work referenced clothing but might not necessarily be wearable. I was already familiar with the work of Harry Bower, Marian Schoettle, Diane Savona, Kerr Grabowski and Daryl Lancaster.
After doing research, I was thrilled that we found new (to me) and exciting artists to add to the list.
Diana Moore’s purses appear ancient because of the soft patina of age which she applies to carbon steel. These normally personal spaces are presented as functioning objects which open to reveal secret places.
One can only imagine wearing Marina Dempster’s shoes in some magical fairy tale world, yet they retain the form of footwear. Using the ancient technique of yarn painting, she transforms ordinary women’s pumps into sculptures which are nothing short of spectacular.
Marisa Dipaola’s installations take her garments to the outdoors, making the piece a part of nature and making nature an integral part of the work itself.
Ann Clarke’s knitted and needlepointed “story” coats portray her personal experiences and create images of family and nature.
Sandra Golbert’s beaded pieces evoke organic forms fashioned of coral, shells and other natural elements.
Jean Parsons creates three-dimensional garments using digital imagery and unusual seam placement.
Jil Weinstock’s vintage clothing groupings appear stuck in time and partially encased in rubber resembling preserved flesh.
Traditionally, the purpose of clothing is to conceal the body. This exhibition presents the work as hybrid; incorporating contemporary embroidery, fashion, sculpture and costume as metaphor of our culture and social environment.
As co-curators, Dorrie Papademetriou and I worked well together to combine work which incorporates or alludes to traditional textile techniques from hand-weaving to the cutting edge technology of digital printing on silk. Clothing is an integral part of our culture whether functional or decorative. This exhibit transforms wearables, intended for adornment for the body or not, from utilitarian to a legitimate art form.
"Seams: Contemporary Art to Wear" Images
Jean Parsons and J.D. Campbell
Diane Savona
Saturday, May 17, 2008
At The James Gray Opening
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Seams: Contemporary Art to Wear - Hanging the Exhibit
Monday, May 12, 2008
What On Earth Is This?
In the meantime, I finished Cattus Island Sunset #2 for the L.A. couple. It's a different size and has softer colors than the original and will be shipped tomorrow.
Also got the contract for the Atlantic City Medical Center project, so it's a go. I made the 20x20 studies of the Marshlands Triptych as my proposal and that's what they approved, but at double the size. So I'll be working on those as soon as this project gets out the door.
Today's weather is just horrible. Nerve-wracking actually. We've already lost another one of my beloved trees because of high winds. That's the second in three days because of the weather. I keep thinking one is going to crash on the house and my studio faces the woods. Zoe, our border colllie, is under my feet because she's nervous too. I can't imagine what the people who homes have been ravaged by the recent tornadoes have gone through.
P.S. I just checked my site stats and saw that I had a few visitors from Texas already today....hint, hint.....this project does have something to do with Texas, after all it's a barbeque restaurant!
Monday, May 05, 2008
Back to Work
Today it's back to work with deadlines looming.
OH! I did get my lobstah and chowdah though. Yummy.


































