an imageteller captures image celebrations.
sharing image tales broadens an artistic expression.
doing so, brings this particular creative indescribable joy.
what is your image story? perhaps I can help you tell it!
Connections At Roaring Artist Gallery
22 Artists, along with the galleries represented artists have been juried into a virtual group exhibition titled "CONNECTIONS" at Roaring Artist Gallery. I was one of those artists!
Juror Adrienne Brown-David selected this collage:
I am honored and delighted.
Roaring Artist Gallery was founded by Katie Bradford Osborne
The Call For Art: Connections. As people, there were new connections with family as we found ourselves stuck together, day in and day out. There were connections that we scrambled to hold onto with friends we couldn’t touch. There were also connections we let go of, as we saw sides of others we simply could not live with and as we grieved our vast and devastating losses. As artists, there was the connection with our art, as we tried to figure out what it meant to us during a pandemic that had shut down our exhibitions and driven us inside of our houses- and inside of ourselves, as well. And here, going into 2021, with a vaccine on the horizon and time continuing to tumble forward in a way we still don't quite recognize or understand, we’re all realizing that the meaning of “Connections” has changed irrevocably.This show is here to allow women-identifying artists a space to share their own confusion, sorrow, joy, and hope with what “Connections” has meant to them and will mean to them moving into 2021. This theme can be interpreted as widely or as specifically as each artist imagines it. We want YOUR stories and voices. We know you have something to ROAR!
This is a juried exhibition with guest juror, Adrienne Brown-David an award-winning artist whose work has been exhibited and collected across the continental US and the US Virgin Islands.
The Connections exhibition will debut online on April 1, 2021 in our Interactive 3-D Gallery Space as well as our online Show Catalog.
The exhibition will run from April 1- May 31.
Artist Statement: I love when connections circle back. In 2020 a fellow artist sent me an envelope full of items to collage with. “Could you use these?” she wrote. One such item was a bird book made in 1935 by the father of a very dear and mutual friend. The friend’s father, Bobby Zimmerman was 9 when he made the book. His youthful making reminded me of books I made as a little girl. Full circle. It seemed criminal at first to tear the vintage bird book apart, but the collages became something new and uniquely mine using parts of the blue book cover and bird imagery. It was as if the old illustrations hatched new lives. New beginnings. Full circle. This friend connection prompted a flurry of bird themed work. My focus took me deep into about 6 weeks of making. I felt giddy, I had clarity that what I was making was wonderful. These collages would have little to no meaning if the bird illustrations were simply found. They meant more as a gift. Full circle.
It took me over a year to perfect this particular collage technique. At first I was exploring how to complete an existing piece and avoid the cost and weight of framing. Binding with a backing much like they do in quilting became a solution. Along the way I stumbled into videos that taught crazy quilting techniques. I thought, how could I do that with paper? My collages began to feel like puzzles. Further along I cut magazines pages into one inch strips. I saw them as dashes of color, texture and design. Since, I find myself hooked on this method. I feel a sense of order as I make. The visual is sustainable and reliable, yet over and over the vibrant patterns surprise me. Plus making strips is a remarkable way to use up an entire magazine. When I first began to machine stitch my life was broken. The stitching had me feel like I was piecing myself together. The stitches weren’t perfect. But they would have to do. I have a long meaningful history with collage. I don’t think any year has needed to collage as much as 2020 has.
Artist note: the collage above was made from the bird book mentioned above.
Updated Framed Work At Brazen
It is time to switch out my collage art graciously hosted by BRAZEN.
Brazen just celebrated their 3rd year in business. This last year challenged them immensely. I admire their tenacity and determination. I love being part of their eclectic collection of art and items for sale. I love that they love what they do.
These are the two new original pieces, they are framed - ready to hang:
these two are now available unframed through me.
Other finds at BRAZEN include these stitched cards + prints ( prints pricing is discounted! )
PRINTS
Birdland 2021
BIRDLAND
February 5-28, 2021
SOLD - crow
"Flock through Skagit Valley and visit Smith and Vallee Gallery for our Annual Bird Invitational. This exhibit features over 100 artists with works of our feathered friends."
My grouping of 20 stitched BIRD collages was selected to be a part of this annual and beloved exhibit!!
I asked for assistance from the gallery as far as how to hang all of these. Ummmmmm, NOT my area of expertise. Camille just sent these images over and said it was the first thing she hung this morning. Seeing them all together so perfectly made me cry.
Pandemic Image Essay 2020
Each year end I review my image library for themes. I do this as a way to separate certain images for future use. To submit into an art call, to tour, or to write about in a blog post. When last year shifted to things pandemic I didn't set out to narrate it. I simply went about my day to day. I went internal. I stayed home. Within that ....there is a narrative of sorts.
I curated over 200 images and hope to make sense of the them and the story they tell by authoring this blog post.
When grocery shelves became empty.
When the lobby gathering space in my building was was put away.
When I began to perfect the 2 week grocery shop.
When plastic replaced paper bags.
When the beauty I could find at home included my bed unmade or not.
When I made do with a scarf for a mask because I was having a reaction to the elastic versions. the scarf was not a particularly sustainable solution. I looked like an insect or something
When I was gifted a proper mask with ties vs elastic, and mask selfies became a thing.
When spring happened
When streets were eerily empty
When moments outside were beautiful
When dirty cutlery became an artist statement
When Amber posed for me
When food was cause for an image taking pause....or image taking entertainment
When doing laundry seemed to be an accomplishment
When simple object/s in my home caught my photographers eye
When out in the community I saw a statue wearing a mask
When making art, stitched collage art. specifically a crazy quilt style but with paper, consumed much of my time. I made over 40 bird collages this fall.
When Amber tried to help me sew and made me really laugh
When a ponytail became the covid hairstyle.
When baking from a box was a form of entertainment.
When my view from my window gifted me a dose of nature or a cat or beauty
when my glass things emphasized the light or view
When payment with my food stamp card was now allowed for grocery pick up.
When the sun was bright and the shadows took my breath away
When it rained or the wind was epic
When dishes broke
When goals were set and reached, and the reward was cake. really good cake!
When our air quality got scary because of smoke from neighboring state fires
When gifts were given.
When getting new glasses or replacing an 11 year old lap top wasn't simple. at all.
When I decided on what to send as my holiday greeting.
When the holidays happened. or tried to happen.
When it snowed beautifully on the first day of winter like it is suppose to.
When all my toe socks are in the laundry but you still find dork status
when reaching is with claws out
When I left my apartment and found the shadow of myself.
When patterns formed. Post office, groceries, pharmacy ...repeat.
Finally a few random captures. my door - decorated for fall, new glasses, a heat pad thing, amber in black and white, grateful for social distancing, footwear bling
The End.
this blog post would only allow so much photography. The full portfolio of images can be found HERE
Photography = a never ending opportunity to capture visual celebrations.
