Save the date: "Fracture" opening

Next week, I’m looking forward to seeing how other artists define a “fracture.”

You might remember I dented a few eggshells to create “They Don’t Really Feel Pain.” My assemblage sculpture was accepted into “Fracture,” the latest exhibit at the Kirkland Arts Center. The curators wrap up their interpretation of the word like this:

“Some fractures can heal and knit, mending what was sundered, bridging the gap. Or, they can be places weakened forever: landscape altered beyond recognition. Whatever the cause, and whether or not it is welcome, a fracture is a shock–and a sign that nothing will ever be quite the same.”

— Sarra Scherb & Shayla M. Alarie, Quartz Projects

I also appreciate the curators making space for my work in an impressive grouping of artists:

• Savannah Reynolds

• Monica Tie

• Mana Mehrabian

• Trish Brownlee

• Jonathan Bout

• Dana Len

• Karey Kessler

• Michelle Ramin

• Alexandria Douziech

• Tori Karpenko

• E. Valentine DeWald II

• Shelby Cook

• Sandi Bransford

• Carolyn Nelson

• ST Rivera

• Seth Sexton

• Alex Myers

Before you get caught up in the rush of summer activities, would you make space on your calendar for the opening reception? It’s next Friday, June 28th, at 6pm. Hope to see you soon.

Art exhibit: "Tourist" in Jersey

If I can’t travel at the moment, at least my artwork is getting out and about! Later this month, you can see “Tourist” in New Jersey — at the Long Beach Island Foundation of Arts & Sciences.

In Loveladies, New Jersey, my collage will be shown in the “Works on Paper” exhibit. Dr. Louis Marchesano of the Philadelphia Museum of Art selected 68 pieces out of more than a thousand submissions: drawings and paintings, prints, paper constructions and more.

The month-long exhibit opens May 24th, right before Memorial Day, which sounds like the perfect weekend-at-the-shore to me. When you go to the exhibit, remember to tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can share your photos!

Motivation for artists: keep going

I knew I wanted to see “yəhaw̓: Together we lift the sky”; I just didn’t realize I needed to see it as well. Parts of my life have been pretty rough during the last month. So I was looking forward to a little distraction. Found it!

HollyAnna DeCoteau Littlebull made “Lifts the Sky” out of 15,190 pieces of upcycled plastic and about 150 cubic feet of Styrofoam. Stunning — but here’s the kicker. HollyAnna says she’s completely colorblind.

HollyAnna DeCoteau Littlebull (in red jacket) with an admirer of her work at “Together we lift the sky”

To her, the statue appears to be various shades of brown and gray.

Her friends helped make the Bigfoot statue possible by separating the plastics by color for her. Pretty cool metaphor: we can do Big Things Together. In fact, the metaphor’s right there in the exhibit name. The project’s website translates yəhaw̓ as “to proceed, to go forward, to do it.” I needed a reminder to keep going, and that my friends will come with me.

The exhibit at King Street Station features work from 200 Indigenous artists living in Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Montana and British Columbia. That’s a lot of art to take in during one trip, which is why I’d suggest you visit at least two or three times to absorb everything. Good thing the exhibit will be open until mid-August 2019. That’ll give me time for more inspiration, and time to make more work of my own.