It’s been a bit since I came here to write but that’s what happens when you have 4 deadlines all converging in the same 2 week period. Earlier this week I shipped out 4 new pieces out to Cappaert Contemporary Gallery in Wisconsin for their 2022 season. Egg Harbor in Door County is quite a bit away from Baltimore, MD, but they should be arriving any day now!
I made this piece after I completed Kinship, which I shared in my last blogpost. Again, thinking about the interconnected webs of life, above and below and in between. In this piece I used one of my photos printed on rice paper, a photo transfer of one of my photos, reclaimed wood, rusted fabric that I hand stitched, encaustic, oil sticks, and India ink. Not seen in this photo is a frame that I cut and built and stained. I find it so satisfying to make things with my own two hands. Yes, it’s a slower process, yes, it can be a pain, yes it has imperfections, yes, yes, yes. But I like the idea of slowing down and and turning raw materials into something new, something beautiful. A rebellion against the rush rush rush of our modern world. A quiet and pretty boring rebellion, but still!
I also like to think that when you make things or grow things that you appreciate the product even more. A mindfulness of the materials and resources you use and understanding that reciprocal give and take of a balanced world.
At the same time, I do love my microwave and indoor plumbing and electricity and the fact that I have four grocery stores within a one mile radius of my home…give and take, right?
This week I have been finishing up a sculptural piece for an outdoor installation that is coming up. It’s been a hectic past few weeks, but it’s nice to see things come together.