I finally completed MEDALLION STRUCTURE I . It drifts onto the floor into viewer space and I absolutely adore it. It measures about 108"H x 60"W and will have its inaugural public debut at the University Art Gallery of Indiana State in September. Very exciting because there will be pieces by Faith Ringgold and perhaps Judy Chicago. Big time, baby. Big time. Mostly, I am pleased to actually have finished something. It's the first complete piece for 2008. Working the money-job is exhausting and detracts from the business of art making. Oh, well. One (meaning me) must do, what one must do, when one must do it. Over the next 5 months I will need to complete the other pieces I'm working on for what I like to call a 6 person solo show at the Anderson Art Center in Kenosha, WI. Each artist will have a room of their own to show their dimensional fabric work. This piece will be there along with other works of mine climbing the walls and creeping on the floor.
Best of all, this is my new canine companion, Julie (plus a 5x6 foot semi-stretched canvas with fabric for the liturgical banner I'm still working on). She is a 9 year old German Shepard mix, with a slight heart murmur. She is as sweet as pie. I never mentioned last July after returning from Mississippi, that my darling dog, Whoopi, died. She had stomach cancer and died just seconds before the vet was going to inject her to be put down. Townsend and I were holding her between us. It was all so sad. Too sad to write about. Even now. Anyway, all the working over the Fall and Winter at the museum helped remove me from numerous unhappy events that have been going on in my personal life. Last month, I decided that I really wanted to adopt an older dog and went on line to the Wisconsin Humane Society and there she was. I was immediately in love. Her previous human companion must have loved her very much because she is a gem. They didn't reveal why she was surrendered, but I am so glad we belong to one another now. Group hug.Now, my friends, don't expect a renewed energy for posting out of me. I am working a regular work week doing art in city parks with children and it is exhausting having all that fun. Plus, the heat is horrible. I am all about cold weather and winter, so the heat is what is draining me. But, I will attempt to check in more frequently.
I have a couple of pieces at Peltz Gallery in Milwaukee for the big quarterly Gallery Night event coming up on Friday. That exhibit , "The Annual Phenomenal Women Show", will be up for two months. Lots of well known women artists, from local to international...and me, again.
