I cannot rest from travel; I will drink
Life to the lees.
-- Alfred Tennyson
It is not by coincidence that I have repeatedly typed "stop sigh" rather than "stop sign." I am once again working 12-14 hour days, days which are rich and full of life. I could do with a little less teenager turmoil from my daughter, but by and large, life could not be better. And yet yesterday I was so tired, I ran a stop sign. I took the incident as a sign that I need to slow down a bit, rest and recoup, all of which I regard with a shrug and a sigh.
So what is happening, you ask? First and foremost in my brain is the Cool Globe's project. Mention of my piece was briefly made in an article on the project in the March 19 issue of Newsweek. After days of contorting myself into absurd "yoga" positions to paint Antarctica, it felt great to read that one sentence mention.
I am in the process of painting the surface of the globe in blue and green prior to knitting. The cord is on its way from CSR, Inc. and by the end of April, I will be finished. I am also working on a model of my piece for the gala opening on June 2nd. It is going to be quite a "to do" with celebrity speakers and all.
Yesterday my friend Sara kindly assisted me in installing a small exhibition at the Elgin Building in Evanston, IL. I am showing the larger beaded cells from my Chirurgi series. The green and rust colored marble walls set off the pink and peach tones of my work. The exhibition is part of a new promotion of the Evanston Art Center and a wonderful idea. They are using non-traditional spaces around the suburb to exhibit work by EAC faculty. It promotes both our work and the art center. Double win.
When not at the factory working on the globe, I'm in my home studio preparing for an exhibition I curated for Translations Gallery in Denver, CO. This requires the wearing of two hats, that of curator AND artist. Under the Skin
"...examines what lurks under the human’s largest organ, probing cultural responses to the mechanisms of the human body. Does this visual dissection reveal a Frankensteinian horror or a series of delicate patterns? Is beauty only skin deep? Cloth is frequently referred to as a “second skin” for the same protective qualities it offers as the epidermis. The artists exhibiting engage with traditional and non-traditional fiber materials and processes, from video to beadwork and fake fur to animal skin. They utilize fibers many metaphoric references and its sensual, tactile and subversive qualities to query presumptions and reveal possibilities."
I've invited Adrienne Outlaw, Laura Splan, Samantha Bennett, Jeff Hand and Christine Lofaso. A guest curator will be writing the text for the brochure. Meanwhile, I am also making new work for the show. Did I mention that the show opens the day before the Cool Globe's gala?
I've also been writing for Fiberarts, teaching and participating on the advisory board of a local greenhouse. This doesn't count weekly French lessons and my fugal attempts at dating. Is there any wonder why I mistakenly ran a stop sign? No. Sometimes too much of a good thing is just too much. Solution? Get more rest, stop worrying about my daughter (She was just accepted to college to study the culinary arts!) and try to pace myself. Oh yeah, and go to bed before midnight.
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