How Sweet it is!

How sweet it is...to be at this point in time where the final stages of curating the show is in place.

For my part in this show, I wanted a different way to present my images. Being an artist who works in multiple mediums, I found it impossible to choose one medium to go with. My personality is such that I want to do it all. This was my 'solution' to that quandry. I took my photographs and transferred them to fabric (100% Kona cotton). I ended up using different ways of transferring the images. The initial concept was that they would be all transferred by way of the ink jet iron on process. I found that this made the fabric very stiff and awkward to work with. Especially with the scale that I was working in and using gathered fabric technique. So there are several techniques involved in the transfer processes that I used.

I think photographic images can be ideal as a graphic image for textiles. Why not? If I knew how to translate this process to a grander scale to make life sized pieces (human sized), I probably would!

I had to create my own pattern and make prototypes to work out the logistical problems (as most artists do) of the dresses. A qualifier though: (in a Richard Nixon kind of voice) I am not a seamstress! But I am stubborn, so that's how I work through my shortcomings. OK, and sheer panic that I wasn't going to have anything ready for this show.

So, there you have it; the rationale for how I ended up with what I did.

Oh, and special thanks to Gary at Southwest Custom Acrylics for coming up with a wonderful soultion for acrylic covers on my shadow boxes. The acrylic that came with the frames were too shallow for the dimensionality of the work (they come flat which normally works for shadow box frames). I think there's a market for these covers in the framing world for all of us who like to work in mixed media. If you come to the show, you'll see what I'm talking about as far as these covers go.

LU: Prosperity

The first image for this dress is of a reef off of the coast of Moloka'i. If you are intimate with the coastline, it is the Waikane area. On the old map that I have of the island, it says that it is 'foul with rocks and coral heads'.

The second image is a macro shot of a drainage grate of a water feature at the Tamaya Resort here in New Mexico.

DE: Virtue, moral

These images are both macro shots: the first is of a gazing ball in my yard and the second is the detail of a lamp in our guest bedroom.

XI: Happiness

The top image of the dress is a macro (you get the feeling I love macro photography?) of what is called slag glass (is that one 'g' or two?). Slag glass is the glass at the bottom of these huge vats at glass factories. Kinda like scraping crystalized sugar from the bottom of a pot and it comes off in big chunks. There is this art gallery north of Dixon on the way to Taos that has a whole table full of this glass outside (yes, it's for sale). For the life of me, I cannot remember thier name. Rip something. Anyway, so I went crazy with these glass models (it was one of those "stop the car I see slag glass!" moments. Very few people can relate to this level of obsession. I think many would be frightened of it.

The second image is a close up of pink bougenvilla flowers in my dad's yard in Ho'olehua, Moloka'i.

HE: Harmonious

The images for this dress are of peeling paint of an old gas pump located in Ft. Worden State Park in Washington and of a macro shot of a metal bird house in my back yard. Textures, patina, patterns, speaking of age and being somewhere...all of which has a lot of appeal to me.

SHOU: Longevity

The images for this dress are of a macro shot of a straw flower (contrived, not real) and some very beautiful and vibrant strands of hand dyed yarn hanging outside a yarn store in Taos, New Mexico.

CAI: wealth, money

This one could be one of my favorites. The images are of a macro shot of glass marbles (the flat kind) with 'eyes' stamped on to them (they were part of a Round Robin Shrine project). The other image is of a multiple exposure of bamboo and chicken wire in my back yard.

JI: Lucky, auspicious, and propitious

The images for this dress are of a blue door at a local import store and a random piece of netting that I think was hanging inside a friend's house.

FU: Blessing, good fortune, good luck

These two images for this dress are of a blue jar from a local import store and real glass eyes at an antique store in Taos, New Mexico.

Components

You are looking at components of my 8 x 8 x 8 project. I like these ladybugs and growing up, we were told that they were good luck (especially if they landed on you).

And, I attempted to make my own hangers (miniature ones). This is prototype numero tres. Ugh! It wasn't working for me and by this time, I am a bit frustrated.

So, I resorted to doing this. A "no brainer" as they say. I don't know why I fought this approach to begin with because it worked oh-so-well. The ones I ended up using were pre-made. They were just the right size and I was using them as a "model". So much for that, huh?

So, now I have eight of them. All components are in place and ready for the final segment of putting it all together. Ah! But I haven't revealed what they are going to go on and how. That will come in a future posting, so be patient, Grasshopper!

In the meantime, at the end of April, I had to seek out a new venue to exhibit this show at. Not an easy feat being only a few months from our opening date. Which HAS to be on August 8th since it is the whole premise of it all.

As luck (or FORTUNE) would have it, I did secure a rather nice venue! It was formerly known as DCAC (Downtown Contemporary Art Center) but is now called 105 Studios. Oddly enough, this was the venue I had first approached last September for this show, but because of a business transition it was going through, they were not booking for 2008. I think it is quite serendipidous that I ended up with what I had first sought out. Somewhere in it all is a life lesson about letting go and trusting the Universe to take care of you.

Boy, do I feel lucky!

Six of them

Not done yet, but here's six of them. Of course, you don't know what I have left to do with these, but I do hope I've peaked your interest!

I'm finding that there are MANY logistical challenges with this project. Challenges that come with the creative process and challenges that come with being the one responsible for where the show will exhibit (long story, but will post more when I have more info). Sigh...it's a good thing I'm tenaceous!

Another Sneak Peek

Another sneak peek of what I'm working on. I thought I'd be further along by now, but life has unexpected twists and turns that causes me to have to switch gears (y'know, like my main drive getting fried...). Not to mention hooking up a new printer/scanner as the old one which still works isn't compatible with the new OS, Vista and the endless list of woes that came with that process. Sigh...
So, really this isn't the real 'mccoy', but a mock up of what I'm doing since I need to work out unexpected quirks. I'm happy with it and what I learned from the process.

Getting Started

I first thought of this concept for the 8 x 8 x 8 show back in August '07 with the date of August 7, '07 date being in the news as a lucky day. In the news report, they said that the 8/8/08 date was even luckier due to the number 8 repeating itself three times. I got to thinking about how neat it would be to have a show on that day and to have artists submit each eight pieces of work. Suggesstions came in, "why not 88 artists?". That sounded terrifying to me in trying to get 88 artists to submit each 8 pieces of work that are 8" by 8" in dimension, let alone curating and hanging the show. I've never curated a show before, so this is all new waters for me to venture into.

Then the obvious solution was to have 8 artists in the show; very manageble. Easy enough being in a very supportive community of artists to put the call out. I just hope that by excluding the invitation from the rest of the community that no one feels hurt! Each of of will have 8 pieces of work that are 8" by 8". Well, except for Dan. His idea was so unique and exciting (and I'm sure the others are too, but I don't know what they are up to yet) that I had to let him run with it.

I am excited by this project and Leighanna Light wanted to do a parallel project with other artists that are out of state (although at this post , a site for the exhibiton has not been determined). I will post that link when I have it! It should be pretty exciting!

I've seen Dan's concept and I can't wait to see it completed! Pat Berrett has already completed one or two of his pieces already. I worked on my concept and found a way (gosh, I hope it works!) to incorporate several of the mediums I like to work in within each piece. The image posted here is a hint of what will appear in one of the works.