As I soldier on working with newspapers I am pleased to announce that "Ensconced in Luxury as Terror Pays a Visit" NY Times 10/29/2013 will be on exhibit in the Fiberart Guild of Pittsburgh's Membership show Edge to Edge juried by Meredith Re Grimsley at the Borelli-Edwards Gallery opening February 21- March 15, 2014
"Ensconced in Luxury as Terror Pays a Visit" NY Times 10/29/2013
I am experimenting with making a quilt using digitally printed fleece as the top layer. This particular fleece is dense enough that you can get some definition with stitching but it is very subtle.
Detail
I used a monofilament thread but think I may kick it up a notch in next attempts.
I was honored to co-direct Knit the Bridge (KtB) the amazing outreach project of Fiberart International 2013. KtB was a community made fiber art installation or yarn bombing of the Andy Warhol Bridge in Pittsburgh, Pa. It was the brain child of lead artist Amanda Gross. It was a dream of a project so many incredible individuals gave so much time, brain power, effort, enthusiasm and energy to make it happen.
Knit the Bridge - Andy Warhol Bridge Pittsburgh, Pa
For practically 2 years I devoted my time almost exclusively to this project. It was installed in August, 2013 and removed one month later. We have laundered almost every stitch, donated hundreds of panels and re-purposed many of the black railing covers as scarves and blankets with many more to go. Not to mention the challenge of repurposing all the material we made with knitting machines to cover the towers.
Bridge tower material
The response to our project has been over- whelming such an incredible opportunity! I have learned and continue to learn so much. Although I have a master's in social work my area of concentration was primarily clinical; my practice was in medicine which required strong advocacy skills. With KtB I found myself learning a great deal about community organizing. As a result I am getting reacquainted with my social work roots after years of concentrating on developing my artistic voice. My art has always been socially and politically driven but currently I find myself considering ways to integrate art and social work. As I read and think I have made a commitment to a newspaper collage a day. As luck would have it I was invited to exhibit in Lost and Found at the Hoyt Art Center in New Castle, Pa. and had an opportunity to debut this new series What's black and white and red all over? Thinking in many different directions not all fiber…
Soooooo much is happening. Been hard at work helping to organize Knit the Bridge the outreach project for the Fiberarts Guild of Pittsburgh's Fiberart International 2013. Knit the Bridge was conceived by our awesome Amanda Gross. Last night we reviewed our time line for this amazing project. We are still working closely with local officials and do not have a confirmed date but we are getting really close!
What exactly are we doing? We plan to cover a bridge in downtown Pittsburgh with knit or crochet a fiberart installation of grand scale commonly known as yarn bombing. Our fabulous graphic designer Martha created this photo so everyone can see what we are all working towards.
There are so many people working night and day on this I am privileged to be part of this project!
I have been thinking about an artists choice of materials. What got me thinking about it was reading an interview with Rashid Johnson in Art in America. The choice of materials and objects Johnson uses are infused with both personal and social significance. He places them within a formal structure that is often architectural and references the domestic which not only fascinates and entices you to think but the work is drop dead gorgeous (at least on-line I have yet to see in person).
I love the smooth sleek lines and the reflective quality of the material he uses in this work literally with the use of mirrored tiles
or in this with black ceramic tile
He creates the look of an altar. His abstraction is successful because of the symmetry and simplicity of the line against the grid of the tile edges. But there is a tension in the abstraction at the focal point as he breaks the edges with paint. He presents a literal introduction of the hand in contrast to the chosen objects strategically placed or held on shelves.
I admire how he plays with pattern using a zebra skin on an oriental rug. Johnson adds gold embroidery which references the tradition and cultural heritage of rug making.
What's on the wall or on the floor what do we walk up to and see? What do we look down on or walk on? The notion of what is precious what is a status symbol? Examining that which has been taken from other cultures stolen or poached. Johnson shows tension not just in issues of race but class in his choice of objects and how he presents them.
Here is a video clip of him talking about his work:
I was delighted to have Stand! accepted in the 2012 Westmoreland Juried Biennial. The juror was Kerry Oliver-Smith, Curator of Contemporary Art, Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL. My first installation and thankfully not far from home.
I completely under estimated how much space it would take to pack up and move. I had to rent a van in the 11th hour. Randy was awesome he was able to assist at a moment's notice.
The size of the installation varies according to venue. The potential number of heads used is 25 - 52. When I saw the number of pieces accepted into the show I guessed that I wouldn't be using all 52 but was prepared to none the less.
Packing them was a challenge. I originally thought I would wrap the stands end to end with a moving blanket but none available big moving day I guess. So I wrapped them in disposable paint cloths. To protect the bases from chipping during travel I thought I would wrap them with thin foam padding also out of stock so I cut up insulation material.
Giant zipper ziploc bags are wonderful for head storage and packing up drop cloths.
The initial unpacking took up a lot of room. I fear the museum staff thought I was going to take up the entire floor! In fact I was putting them together and getting acclimated to the surroundings. I love installing artwork it reminds me of a technical rehearsal in the theater it is quiet, unruly and exciting.
The head count and that is just one table...
Starting to pull them all together. I am used to working in two dimensions so I am still feeling my way around presentation varying the height of each stand plus intermingling the pattern. Not to mention this is the first exhibition for Stand! I anticipate it will change according to venue.
Next the placement of the two onlookers.
Almost there with Barbara Jones, Chief Curator in the background in the shot. I thought I took a photo of her but apparently not oversight on my part. I was a bit overwhelmed with the entire process, wonderfully so and Barbara was helpful and generous with her time. She did a wonderful job installing the show more on that later.
The final shot pre-opening. A total of 32 heads used. A tremendous learning experience from beginning to end.
Oilcloth is not the most forgiving fabric to work with. Pinning it is not an option. Some time ago I received a product update from equilter.com and a very nifty and useful product was listed: Wonder clips.
They looked promising at the time wasn't sure for what. Now I know I use them for piecing together oilcloth.
The problem with oilcloth is if you use a pin the pin perforates the fabric but if you use these clips voila no holes! And they stay clipped even as you manipulate the fabric.
Action shot! The downside is they are not inexpensive but worth the cash for what it saves you in lack of aggravation and damage to the fabric.
It is also handy to have painters tape around to tape oilcloth to the surface you are working on if you don't want it to slip no sticky stuff.
