Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Goodbye Greenbelt Open House


Thank You Greenbelt Community Center for 8 years of Creative Inspiration!



Sunday, June 1st will be my last Artful Afternoon in the Greenbelt Community Center. After 11 years in Greenbelt, I am moving on to Fort Collins, Colorado.

Please stop by to say goodbye on Sunday, June 1st from 1-5 Room 303 at the Greenbelt Community Center.

Artwork will be available for sale, older work will be discounted.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Bead International Pictures







This weekend, I traveled to Athens, Ohio to be at the opening reception for BEAD INTERNATIONAL and BEYOND BASKETRY. I am honored to have recieved a Jurors Award for "Sugar & Spice & Everything Nice". It is a beautiful show! If you are in Southwestern Ohio this Summer, stop by the Dairy Barn and see this show, it is up until September 1st.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Fort Collins, Colorado here I come!



Our family will be moving this Summer to Fort Collins, Colorado. (This picture, by photographer Jason Kosena typifies Old Town Fort Collins.) I am so happy. I grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah and I was born in Mountain Home, Idaho. So, Fort Collins is really like going home for me. The West is so inspirational, who can know where my art will be inspired to go?

I will still be represented in the Washington DC area by Heineman-Myers Contemporary Art Gallery, so my work will still be on the DC area radar.

In the mean time, anyone looking for a house? You can check out our home and more details at his link: 6kridge.blogspot.com

Thanks to everyone who has supported my work and inspired my art. Especially the good citizens of Greenbelt, Maryland. I will miss this little town very much.

Monday, May 19, 2008

Bead International & Beyond Basketry opening


If you are anywhere near Athens, Ohio this Friday, head out to the Dairy Barn Arts Center and see some fantastic art! I have four pieces in these two shows including this one, "Sugar & Spice & Everything Nice". Here is the lowdown about the opening: 5-7:00 Friday,May 23rd at the Dairy Barn Arts Center, 8000 Dairy Lane,Athens,Ohio.

Here is the official press relasefor both shows.

"Come see what results when the age-old art forms of basketry and beading are combined with contemporary visions and techniques. Bead International 2008 and Beyond Basketry will be on exhibit together in the Sauber Gallery, at The Dairy Barn Arts Center from May 23 to September 1. These juried art exhibitions feature a total of 135 works by 95 artists. Works range in style from the traditional to the whimsical as they incorporate a variety of colors and materials. These exhibitions will spark the viewer’s creativity and broaden perspectives, as they consider any pierced object to be a bead and any vessel made of woven materials to be a basket.

The artworks range in size from just a few inches to nearly eight feet. Many of the artworks will be available for purchase. Additionally, Ohio University Press, Athens, Ohio, has published a full-color book documenting the complete Bead International 2008 and Beyond Basketry 2008 collections. The book is available for purchase through The Dairy Barn Arts Center’s gallery shop or website.

In addition to jurying the exhibition, the jurors—Connie Lehman, Elizabeth Whyte Schulze, and Cindy Wrobel —are tasked with selecting the award recipients. The Dairy Barn Arts Center will announce the award winners for each show at the opening reception on Friday, May 23, 2008.

The awards for Bead International include 6 awards: the three Juror’s Awards; Most Innovative Use of the Medium, awarded to the artist whose work represents an original application or manipulation of a traditional medium; and Best of Show, awarded to the artist whose work is most impressive in all aspects including: originality, innovation, design, technique, and artisanship. Finally, the sixth award sponsored by BYZANTIUM, is the Libby Gregory Award for an Ohio artist.

The awards for Beyond Basketry include 5 awards: the three Juror’s Awards; Most Innovative Use of the Medium, awarded to the artist whose work represents an original application or manipulation of a traditional medium; and Best of Show, awarded to the artist whose work is most impressive in all aspects including: originality, innovation, design, technique, and artisanship."

There will also be two books featuring the work from these exhibits available for purchase at the show. Pretty cool! I can't wait to see it.

Sunday, May 18, 2008

FOUND OBJECTS- NEW BEGINNINGS: The Art of Trash



I will have work (including this piece titled,"Keep This Coupon") at the Baltimore Museum of Public Works as part of the "FOUND OBJECTS-New Beginnings: The Art of Trash" exhibit. Other artists in this show will be Rachel Bradley, Steve Bradley, Char Brooks, Scott Cawood, Emily C-D, Randall Cleaver, William Emerson, Daniel Herman, Elizabeth Morisette, Julia Petrino, Jim Pollock, William Rhodes
Leonard Streckfus, Renee Tantillo, and Erwin Timmers. The opening for this exhibit will be this Wednesday from 5-7:30 at the museum. The Baltimore Museum of Public Works is located at 751 Eastern Avenue; Pier 7 at Baltimore's Inner Harbor. Hope to see you there!

Friday, May 16, 2008

Stimulating Consumption Open House Tomorrow!


Tomorrow there will be an open house at the heineman Myers gallery. I will be there from 3:30-6. Try to stop by!!

Here is the info from Zoe:
May 17 is the last chance to see a humorous group show: “Stimulating Consumption: Five to Buy Now.”
At Heineman Myers contemporary art-4728 Hampden Lane-Bethesda, Maryland 20814
301-951-7900
www.HeinemanMyers.com

You are invited to drop by on Saturday for an Open House from 1-6pm. Bring your dog with you: Woodmont and Elm Streets will be blocked off between Hampden and Bethesda Avenues for the annual “Strut Your Mutt” Festival, a benefit for the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad. Festivities begin at 10am, and the Parade of Dogs is at 10:45am. Houdini will be there! (www.strutyourmuttbethesda.org)

Alison Hiltner
Elizabeth Lundberg Morisette
Jane Richlovsky
Jonathan Stein
Barbara Strasen

Recent work by five emerging artists gaining in recognition from across the country who are inspired by Americans’ obsession with consumption. These works are priced to make it easy for anyone to stimulate the economy with a tax rebate, ranging from $50. to $2,500. Warning: this artwork is pleasing to the eye and might make you smile.

Barbara Strasen is “interested in making artifacts from our daily lives.” Her lenticular photography panels bring to mind the beautiful tiny toys from Crackerjack boxes with images that changed as you moved them.

Jonathan Stein feels we consume public figures and celebrities much as if they were brands. What flavor would your cake be? Stein’s cakes, and candy-coated portraits of the Bush “Presidency in Pieces” will delight your sense of humor, if not your appetite for more. Vote here for your favorite cake and become eligible for drawing a gift certificate.

Jane Richovsky presents a series of five demure works with a theme of children’s birthday parties (5” x 6”) on found textiles such as calico and pin stripe prints.

Elizabeth Lundberg Morisette has oodles of colorful three dimensional wall hangings and baskets that are easy on the eyes and the checkbook. Morisette makes sculpture out of discarded collections of small, usually commercial items found on E-Bay or at second-hand shops. Morisette’s work is featured in the April issue of “American Craft” magazine.

Alison Hiltner created the antidote to our super serious political side and packaged them out of refurbished medical devices, giving you imaginary super powers you imagined as a child, or maybe even now!

Greenbelt's Galaxy at The Greenbelt Community Center


Saturday, May 17th at 7pm, the 2nd Annual Spring Dance Recital, "GREENBELT'S GALAXY" Directed by dance instructor Samantha Fitschen. Tickets now on sale at the Greenbelt Community Center of by calling 301-397-2208. I hear "Aquarius" is a pretty awesom part of the recital! Photo courtesy of Greenbelt Receration Department

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Basket Workshop with John Garrett


I am excited to be attending a workshop this weekend taught by John Garrett. John Garrett is a master on combining unusual materials in the basketry form. I came very close to taking a two week workshop with him at Haystack a few years ago, but missed that opportunity so I am very thankful to the folks at the James Renwick Alliance for providing this opportunity! The photo featured here is John Garrett's POP POD; November, 1997; 13 1/2" x 19" x 19"; Aluminum drink cans, hardware cloth; Photo: D. Kingsbury

Friday, May 9, 2008

Artomatic Opens tonight!


Opening day for Artomatic 2008 is this Friday, and excitement is building for the arts spectacular of the summer. With more than 100 free events, activities and performances planned over 28 days and nights May 9–June 15, Artomatic is a can’t-miss attraction.

My Installation, "1,584 Bottles of Beer on the Wall(I've had my share)" is an the 6th floor NW B2.

Questions? Check out the FAQ page or email web@artomatic.org
Artomatic opens Friday, May 9th, 12 noon

* Wednesdays and Thursdays: 5 pm – 10 pm
* Fridays and Saturdays: 12noon – 2 am
* Sundays: 12noon – 10pm
* Mondays and Tuesdays: Closed


Artomatic Closes on Sunday, June 15th.

Monday, May 5, 2008

Dragon-Recycled Art Project




Last week, I visited the 3rd Grade classrooms of Mrs. Hancock and Ms.Simms at Greenbelt Elementary School. They have been reading about Dragons in class and asked if I could do a dragon project. They had one in mind that had directions in the textbook. I tried that one and failed miserably(I guess I am not good at following directions). So, I used the butterfly idea and tweaked it a little to make dragon faces. What I love about this project is that every students dragon face turned out different. That is my definition of a good art project!

Thursday, May 1, 2008

Mary Ann Lomonaco @ Westchester County Airport





A few Summers ago, I had the opportunity to attend a session with Jerry Bleem at Haystack School of Crafts in Deer Island,Maine. I had a wonderful time and met many wonderful, talented people. One of them was Mary Ann Lomonaco. She shares my passion for using recycled materials in her art.
Recently, she finished a commission for the
Westchester County Airport
. She sent me a few pictures and I would like to share them with you. It's painted, bent aluminum to simulate a flock of birds taking off.