Disintegration, the Big Reveal!

During the past winter season, I joined a collaborative effort called Disintegration, spearheaded by Seth Apter of The Altered Page. Little did I know back then what a huge collaboration it would turn out to be. Today, August 1, is the day for the "big reveal" where everyone shows the artwork created by a bundle they placed outside all winter to witness its disintegration. You can see my bundles here and here.


I decided to make a collage using an image of a rose from my Mother's Day bouquet. After the roses had dried a bit, they were still beautiful. I made digital monoprints on japanese washi paper and Arches 88 paper, and paired them with the weathered pages from the disintegration project. Both parts of this art piece seemed destined for each other.

The project itself had over 100 participants. I'm thinking of items I can weather outdoors again this winter and maybe this will become an annual experiment!

Pittsfield Art Show This Weekend

I'll be exhibiting this weekend (both days) at the 5th Annual Pittsfield Art Show in the Berkshires. I like the Berkshires because there are SO many things to do. I challenge anyone to be bored there. There are tons of outdoor activities...Bash Bish Falls is a beautiful spot for hiking and picture taking. There are tons of galleries and shopping for the less adventurous. And of course Tanglewood. None of which I will see this time because of the show, but I'm sure we'll find a nice spot for dinner. Why not take a weekend trip and come out and see me?

2nd Annual Boston Handmade Marketplace in Union Square

I'll be exhibiting this weekend with my BH'ers at The Boston Handmade Marketplace. More than 25 artists, artisans, and craftspeople will be showing and selling handmade jewelry, clothing, accessories, housewares, art, photography, toys, and sculpture in Union Square (at the intersection of†Washington, Prospect & Somerville Ave.) on July 11, 2009, 3-7pm, as part of the Somerville Arts Council ArtsUnion series.

The Boston Handmade Marketplace is an outdoor art and craft exhibition featuring work by Massachusetts area artists, craftspeople and artisans associated with the arts group Boston Handmade and Etsy.com: helping†people make a living making things. This exhibition promotes local independent businesses and individuals creating one-of-a-kind and limited edition handmade works in small studio environments, not factories. In addition to the individual exhibitors at the 2009 Boston Handmade marketplace musicians will be performing throughout the day. Performers include Boston bands The Grownup Noise and One Happy Island. There will be also be handcraft demonstrations with Faculty and Staff of The Eliot School of Jamaica Plain, and Members of the Common Cod Fiber Guild of Somerville. Another highlight of the afternoon will be martial arts demonstrations from the Shobu Aikido of Boston.

Alter-a-tions at Experimental Art Gallery & Studio

My "Evening in Paris" piece is currently part of the Alter-a-tions exhibit at Experimental Art Gallery & Studio on Artists Row in Salem. The exhibit runs throughout July, with an Opening Reception on July 11 (lots happening on the Row that day) which I will have to miss because I'll be at the Boston Handmade show in Somerville (more on that in another post). Anyway, the exhibit asks:

• What do you alter to suit your needs?
• Do you create work that alters an item for another purpose?
• Work that changes perspective? Transformation?
• Do you have an Alter Ego?
• Think. Change. Modify. Mutate. Vary.

Anyway, the "Evening in Paris" piece (which was also part of Caladan Gallery's "Inner Noise" exhibit) is composed of altered images from my trip to Paris. The people are real, but the situation I have set them in is definitely altered from the reality of that day.

If you happen to be in Salem this July, stop by Experimental...very cool stuff in their gallery!

Ledgewood Summer Arts Fest

Last week I was invited to be a guest artist at Ledgewood Rehab and Nursing Care as part of their Summer Arts Fest. The residents (and lucky guests!) were treated to a fabulous music performance by We Are America. Those girls can sing! Afterwards I shared some of my art, and had a chance to enjoy the artwork created by Ledgewood residents (see the sampling above). Their work was amazing considering the various physical challenges faced by each artist.

Ledgewood is part of Kindred Healthcare which has facilities all across the country, and where art is a part of their daily activities. They have an annual arts contest where winning poetry and art are compiled in a publication called "Kaleidoscope." Some of the entries are from younger patients, but many are from talented seniors like the ones I recently met. Although the online version is from a few years back, it's worth a look!

Nice to see that art does not have a retirement age!