Monthly Archives: July 2012

Choices

I’m working on new work for a September group show at Foster/White Gallery. I’m making nine new 12-inch-square panels. I’m intentionally working in the same color palette for both the work going to Foster/White and to the Bellevue Arts Museum. It’s all variations on red-violet. It ties the pieces together visually should anyone make the connection between the work. Hopefully they’ll be up at the same time.

I went through last week and did initial choices for the fabrics for the squares. They have a different feeling than the ones I did this Spring. The color palette for those was greens and browns. When the panels were finished they felt very much like aerial photographs of geologic structures. These feel more like geological images from under the earth. Strata of ore and gemstones peep out as if from slices of the Earth. At least, that’s what I’m thinking for now.

A Summer Idyl

One of the first ideas Lara McIntosh and I had for experieces at The Orchard Room was a tea party. Lara refined that idea into a Summer Idyl to clarify the intention and to get away from any politcal references. An Idyl brings to mind a Victorian ideal of spending a Summer’s afternoon in the park, surrounded by comfort and friends.

It was a beautiful sunny afternoon. We brought tea both hot and cool, cucumber and radish sandwiches, tables, rugs, and pillows on which to recline.  The stars of the show were my friend Paul’s mom’s collection of bone china tea cups. The Victrola was a nice touch, too.

And our friends brought the rest. Stuart Zobel played Brazilian music on his guitar. Alan accompanied him and played a few songs, too. Three poets read their work. There was conversation and relaxation with old friends and new. As the sun travelled across the sky we we drank tea, drew deep sighs, and relaxed into the earth. It was idyllic.

Stuart

 

Vida

Anna and Paul

David Francis, curator and poet

Alan

Ian reads a poem

Sky and the Victrola

A Nice Mention in the Press

I got a nice mention in a Seattle Times review of the current show at Foster/White Gallery. Most of the review is about the work of Guy Laramee and Cara Barer and their work with and about books. But there near the end it says “Note” and there is a paragraph about my work. Click below for the link.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/thearts/2018725983_ar20laramee.html

The gallery says foot traffic has increased since the article came out.  I also sold three pieces including the one above, Trace Three: Dune. Woo hoo!

My Work Around Town

I have work up in two places around the Puget Sound right now. Foster/White has five of my new square pieces, the Trace Series, up in the back room of the gallery this month. They painted the walls a dark brown and the work looks great there.

I installed the Stone Mothers today at Bellevue City Hall as part of Bellwether 2012: reGeneration. The opening is this Friday and they have a very nice reception with snacks and live music. I’m going to miss it because I’ll be at the Oregon Country Fair this weekend but I have a bunch of friends in the show and it looks to be a good one. Check it out!

A Rainy Trip to Smoke Farm

My family and I took a trip up to Arlington yesterday to visit Smoke Farm. The site is a former dairy farm owned by the Smoke Brothers that is now a nature preserve. I’ll be doing an installation there August 25th as part of the Lo-Fi Festival. Our trip was to locate a site for my installation.

Smoke Farm is a beautiful place with a river, meadows, and paths lined with big leaf maples and cedars. We have been experiencing what we call Juneuary here in Washington State. Yesterday was unusually warm to go along with the wet. It was very muddy out there on the paths. I was sure glad I wore my bog boots! On a colder day it could have been pretty miserable but yesterday it was fun squelching through the mud and sloshing through the puddles. We got soaked and were very happy that we all brought changes of clothes and shoes.

at "The Slew"

 

the River Tree

 

Once we got back and into dry clothes we hung out at the farm kitchen for a while. It was an enjoyable scene. A whole crew of visual artists, performers, organizers, and half-wild children steaming gently, drinking wine, and talking. Once I had my turn to talk to Anne Blackburn, one of the curators, it sounds as if both the spots I identified as possible sites are taken. Oh well. I think Anne will get me a good spot. I told her my wish list for a site: big leaf maple tree with accessible branches, on the path, near the water.

And, although I want the installation to be successful, I’m mostly looking forward to being a part of the event. I think it’s going to be really interesting and successful, given the conversations I had yesterday.

the Upper Meadow