Spring/Break!

No, not the kind of Spring Break where college frat kids run off to Florida for debauched fun in the sun. This is the Spring/Break that occurs in various NYC locations and involves (sometimes) debauched artists running off to have fun in improvised gallery situations...
You will notice (and not comment on unkindly) that the young man (hi Joey!) tasked with assisting me hang my work was... well, maybe two feet taller than myself. He was so tall we really didn't require a ladder. (But then, I admit to being "vertically challenged".) This was immensely helpful however and we did a swell job of getting "Complicit" at just the right height. (Ironically, this piece references me "channeling my inner Ivanka" and we are directly across the street from a Trump Tower. (Groan) But I ask you: could we have a more splendid location?!?)

(Need more proof of height disparities?!?!? That's my piece "Collusion" that we're working on and Margaret's print) Anyway, we got the work up with a minimum of fuss and bother (a few glitches like the suction hooks I bought didn't stick to the frosted textured glass of the doorway partition) and the results were impressive. My fellow Odetta artists (Hi Margaret! Hi David! Hi Ellen!)were set on their tasks and we all managed with a degree of cooperation and good-natured camaraderie.
I managed to find my way out of the rabbit run maze of studios, offices, temporary spaces and get a train and get home to Bob and Robin and Maggie exhausted but happy. This is shaping up to be some adventure! Tuesday- when I next return- is press and VIP day. I sure hope that dignitaries, celebrities, oligarchs and collectors of art show up!*

*They will! This art fair has a great reputation for providing fresh, exciting art and is even considered "the art fair for people who don't like art fairs".

Really Big Show

I'm excited getting ready for my really big show! I've been sewing and twisting and shaping and stuffing... my fingers are cracked and bleeding (I'll spare you any documentation of that!) and I am my own sweat shop. Some one should complain to management!
But it's all coming together; I have a February 9th opening and I'm just finishing up details on backings and hangers. I sure hope at least a few people come to my show (I'm pretty sure they will...)
But secretly? I could use a little less "raw material". Everyday, this administration (we know who I'm talking about) lets loose with another spurt of bizarre of profane invective. Shithole countries indeed! Bob and I would be packing up the Dog and Pony Show and moving to... Norway? except that I have a really big show approaching and hell! We need to stay and fight the good fight! Art as activism!
By the way, the name of my show is "Complicity Loves Company". I thought that was catchy but also it's true. And I can think of more than a few complicit individuals that should be going down in flames soon enough. A friend just sent us "Fire and Fury" so I know what we'll be digging into later today. As one pundit remarked, "If one tenth of this book is true, we're in trouble". And let's face it: we've already heard many of these stories before.
BUT we can thank our lucky charms that the weather broke as my studio is once again inhabitable. the sub-zero temperatures had me cowering in the living room, wearing a hat and gloves while stitching away like a modern day Betsy Ross. With temperatures in the 40's, 50's and today (maybe?) almost 60 (!!!), it's foggy and balmy and I can complete my masterpieces. You should see the one that's up on my wall, awaiting the finishing dingle berries! OMG!! (This is a tease to get you to look at my next posting). Stay tuned...

Work in Progress

As promised, this posting will be about art. First, I must commend myself that I am now on blog posting #502! Congratulations to me! I am pretty amazed at my capacity to keep blogging away (although my suspicion is that it has something to do with not being able to shut up...). Anyway, when I started out with BobnRita's House Party, I didn't really worry/wonder about where it would go. And hell: there's no end in sight!
So the hideousness of the current administration continues to offer plenty of raw material for me to embellish into works of art.The above offering is a case in point. I was channeling The First Daughter as she answered the inquiries of a newscaster who had asked whether she was "complicit" with her father. Not understanding the meaning of the word, she had concurred that she was indeed "complicit". (She thought it simply implied her being in accord with The Orange Menace's activities and not being a criminal accomplice.) Anyway, I was inspired to create a piece, ripe with epaulets and plenty of gold and fringe (a friend suggested that it smacked of The Dallas Cheerleaders, and all the rethuglican tackiness that recommends!) Another friend said that the white twinkly stars made her think of advertising for laundry soap or toothpaste. That's on target because I wanted to allude to the overly white teeth of the First family. The stars and letters are made of very thick, very white vinyl.
This piece has been kicking my butt as I attempted to render a slightly 3D padding of the letters (I tried several methods before hitting on thin foam as is used for cushions) and the edges had to be sewed three times to hem the front, attach front to back and finally secure the fringe (which felt like a mile and a half!). It finally is all coming together.
Also, you can see that I Photoshopped in a semblance of the elaborate (gold painted, of course) metal hanger that I am employing Bob to construct for me. I want it to suggest the gold plated toilet paper holders that reside at Trump Towers; you know, a Versailles meets Las Vegas vibe. I hope I'm succeeding hansomely!