December 22, 2013 A Day In Denver- and WOW!

Today my husband and I spent the day at the downtown Denver museums.  We were at the Museum of Contemporary Art when it opened at 10AM ready for surprise as we never know what to expect there.  On the second floor, the exhibit, Pattern: Follow the Rules left us slack-jawed and sore fingered from pushing our shutter buttons non-stop.

The show comprises works by a variety of artists  who use variations on some optically repetitive, almost mathematical concept to create highly imaginative and exciting patterned work.

Alyson Shotz creates her designs on computer and then projects them onto a wall to guide her process of hammering nails into the wall and “drawing” her image using white thread.  Shadows of the string interplay with the string itself as you move in front of the piece.

Untitled 2013

Detail

Detail

I’m not sure how spirulina algae and chlorophyll are used in creating Tam Van Tran’s bold, shaped canvases but the use of paper punch and staples is clearly evident.  The round white holes and metal of the staples complement the vividly painted acrylic background.  If anyone knows about spirulina algae as used in art, please tell me.

The Radiance of Awareness III, 2012

Detail

I’ve already shown one work by Rudolph Stingel from the Pompidou and was amazed to find another in this exhibit.  His work poses another “how does he do it?” question.  Using a highly textured fabric pattern, he reproduces it in oil paint on canvas, generating tension between the flat surface of the background and the highly textured surface of the embossed pattern, a virtuoso performance.

Untitled, 2007

Detail

Pae White has two totally different and equally incredible works in the exhibit.  There, 2013, comprised of double-sided mirrors, paper and vinyl, shimmers and dances.  At first, I thought the colored reflections were from the clothes of the museum viewers.  Wrong!  Bending over, I could see that colored shapes were affixed to the undersides of the mirrors and reflected and re-reflected.

Detail

Also by Pae White, Scrap Tapestry, 1-6, 2006 is a series of six large tapestries, the elements of which flow from one into the next.  Composed of everyday objects, massively enlarged and collaged together, it is only close-up that you see all the different woven textures. This is only one of six.  If you’re anywhere near this exhibit, don’t miss it and see the other five! 

Detail

The other museum?  Passport To Paris at the Denver Art Museum.  No photography permitted but a really good survey of French art from Louis XIV through the Impressionists with a room full of paintings by Claude Monet.

December 11, 2013 Back to Paris

We visited the Musée des Arts Décoratifs several times because there were so many great exhibits.  In one part of the museum were wonderful embellished women’s fashions presented in period rooms.

We also saw modern versions of neck pieces that referred to a show of earlier women’s fashion in another part of the museum where photography was not allowed.

At the end of that exhibit was a dress-up room where visitors could try on examples of garments of that earlier time period.

December 11, 2013 Way too much fun in Denver!

Yesterday at 8AM sharp I met with Quilters Newsletter TV: The Quilter’s Community-QNNtv for a video interview at aBuzz Gallery in Denver where my show is being exhibited.  We started with a hair and makeup session by Angela, a true transformation artist.

Carol Ann Waugh, artist and owner of aBuzz conferred about the content and direction of the show with Bill Gardner, Editor-In-Chief, Quilters Newsletter.  Carol was also going to be interviewed about the unique concept of her gallery.

Mary Kate Karr-Petras, the show’s host was an excellent interviewer asking great questions and putting me at ease.

Brian Buss and Layne Solheim, videographers checked lighting and framing of the shoot.  Once shooting started they were so quiet I hardly knew they were there.

Brian came in close for a detail of me pointing to an area of black quilting on the black background.

The whole QNNtv team was so gracious, friendly and competent that the whole day was lots of fun.  I'm looking forward to another session early next year at my studio where I'll be explaining my digital process.

December 4, 2013 Last but not least at the Pompidou

We had previously seen some of Ernesto Neto’s sensuous installation works in photographs and so were thrilled to see an example of the real thing.  Neto is Brazil’s leading stage artist.  We stopped just here at the time, 2002, is designed to engage more senses than the eyes.  The biomorphic shapes made of fabric and suspended from the ceiling contain spices such as cloves, cumin and pepper.  I imagine that when the work was new, air currents passing by the hanging forms would release these scents.

A really intriguing piece, large enough to walk into, was *Y/Struc/Surf, 2010 by Theverymany™ (Marc Fornes, 1975).  Theverymany™, a New York design firm, uses a computer program to design and produce assemblages through computation.  It cast the most wonderful shadows and inside it was like looking up at stars.

The surface of Rudolph Stingel’s Untitled-(Plan B), 2007, drew me up close to examine the slightly raised texture of the work.  Composed of oils and enamel on linen, the surface constantly changed as I moved in front of it with light playing on it from different angles.  Photos of a huge and stunning installation of Stingel’s work will appear here when we get to Venice.

The Pompidou has a large and elegant restaurant on the fourth floor.  Most tables are out in the open in a very light and airy space but there were a few intriguing more private areas with shiny surfaces, metallic curves and deep color.

From the top of the Pompidou, the view looks out over the roofs and chimneys of Paris with the Eiffel tower in the distance.

November 29, 2013 More From the Pompidou- all about texture

Continuing to explore the Pompidou, we marveled at an amazing variety of art forms, the works of many European artists we did not know about as well as unfamiliar works by artists we knew. 

The many textures of Allan Kaprow’s Rearrangeable Panels, 1957-1959, immediately drew me to them.  The panels could be re-arranged in many different combinations and was one of the first works to make the exhibitor responsible for choosing the arrangement.  The piece was part of the first happening in New York.

A couple of details:

Waiting for us in a room of its own was a heart-stopper, Ghost, 2007, by Kader Attia.  The piece, shaped from leaves of aluminum foil, seemed to drain the space of air into complete stillness, yet with a faint memory of the sound of crunching aluminum.  Attia’s work concerns itself with feelings of alienation and trying to determine identity.

More wonderful textures in Magnus von Plessen’s, Trepe, 2003.  The large flat repetitive brush strokes forming flat strips allude to an architectural rendition of a staircase with lots of movement drawing the eye around the work.

Sections of this work, viewed as details, could almost be separate abstract works of their own.

November 20, 2013 A Sunday at the Georges Pompidou Center

We had located the Pompidou Center on a walking tour of Paris and found our way back there on a Sunday.  There was some kind of bicycle promotion event going on outside.  It’s size and scale fit right in with the massive escalator and metal conduits.

We skipped the Roy Lichtenstein temporary exhibit and focused on the permanent collection.  There were lots of people in the museum but, thankfully, nothing like the Louvre.

One of the most playful interactive installations we encountered was Cave by Jean Dubuffet.  Once inside, perceptions became distorted as the solid lines on the walls belied the uneven texture of the floor, creating a feeling of imbalance and teetering.  Kids loved it.

This large work by Gérard Fromanger created visual tension by juxtaposing an actual black and white photograph (painted) with drawn and painted on figures.

Homage á Topino Lebrun

You couldn’t go into Yaacov Agam’s Room but even standing outside it caused an uncomfortable feeling of vertigo.

Mario Merz’s strong saturated colors against black made a strong statement even in a room full of other paintings.

Girasole, 1960

Notable for unusual materials was Pino Pascali’s Le penne di Esopo, 1968, created from bird feather, steel wool and wood.

Transformations opening reception at aBuzz Gallery

Friday night was the opening reception of my show, Transformations, at aBuzz Gallery in the RINO arts district of Denver.  After months of work completing the most recent piece, mounting the work on stretched canvas and getting ready with all the endless details, it was really exciting to finally see the whole group of art works on the walls.  Many thanks are due to aBuzz Gallery owner, artist and marketing expert, Carol Ann Waugh, for shepherding me through the process.  Here are a few installation shots.

A few weeks ago I was surprised, thrilled and delighted to be contacted by Bill Gardner, Editor-In-Chief of Quilters Newsletter, about a video interview with them.  Bill and his videographer, Brian, were at the opening to shoot footage.  (Check back for more about that process as time goes on.)

Carol Ann Waugh, fiber artist and aBuzz Gallery owner and Bill Gardner, Editor-In-Chief, Quilters Newsletter

Brian Buss, Quilters Newsletter Videographer

It was a great evening with a chance to connect with old friends and visit with newer ones.  I really appreciated all the people who turned out for the event.

Deidre Adams, fiber artist and painter, Carol Ann Waugh, Gay

Explaining the process to friends

Regina Benson, installation artist, and Gay

Ted Potter, a local jazz guitarist, whom I’d heard play at another opening, really enhanced the evening with his intriguing, captivating playing.  Hope to hear him again in the future.

Only regret was no photo of my friend, Janet Kuczmarski, my right hand for the evening, because she was behind the camera.  Neighbors and friends, Paula and Michael Frease, helped out by serving drinks.

Three events are still to come:  First Friday, Dec. 6, 6-9 PM, Artist Talk, Dec. 7, 3-4PM, and Closing Reception, Dec. 14, 12-5PM.  If you're in the area, please stop by.