I love Harper Lee

I spent the last few days re-reading To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee.
It's one of my best books; I loved re-discovering it.

Forger rejection, - your work is right on target! The roller coaster goes on every day however. My mother explains life as a wave, continuously rising and falling. Just like you said it' s important to see the challenging things as part of the process. Here is a writing about our past week's ride!

Doing that one thing you can do forever

tree sketch

I remember telling Claire that if I could work on anything (taking politics out of the scenario) I would be painting trees.
Well it’s time to do that and I see that this does fit into the political arena quite significantly. I had one of the nicest days working yesterday. This is what I would love to do forever- it seems.
The viewer will see the drawing from a ladder (standing in the place of the tree), looking down to look up at the tree.

The day began and ended with looking. The more I looked the quirky space became; I saw its bends and folds. In order to mirror the growth of this enormous pine, I will be bending my paper, continuing the drawing the full length of the roll if needed. Looking up into the tree, kneeling in front of it or lying back in the grass was heavenly.

An unexpected process evolved. I used my hands over the space together, one erasing while the other applied charcoal. It has been a practice I have wanted to do for many years- just never really “got around to it”. Now is the time.

Preparation was integral. I’m finding I don’t want to pause to get something within the process; it has to be at hand. Love drawing with the alpaca wool (so nice to hold).

I love the outdoor studio! I feel much more at home than in my little bedroom space. And I wanted to get to the drawing of the crown of the tree (rather than the construction of canvas.) So I have a roll of drawing paper that I hope to unroll and continue the drawing on as I roll up the top end.) I hope to mirror the tree from base up. Space does amazing things as I figure out how to look up the tree but draw down the paper! It’s so exciting!

Dressing up the tree, (I am stitching a skirt, tent at that attaches at the base) material is canvas and one I will draw, paint after its construction.

I love collaborating!
I love collaborating!
I love collaborating!
I love collaborating!
I love collaborating!
I love collaborating!

One For Me and One For You

(I thought this thought when I drew my piece this morning)

Dearest T,
Although I initially likes the idea of sending you a handwritten transcript of our poem, something about that exchange was missing.
Wouldn't it be lovely to collaborate on two pieces, one for me and one for you?

I thought, Ideally these pieces would hang side by side on each coast of the US.
I want to see what your writing looks like too.
I like the idea of collaborating either on the same drawing or having one piece inspire, exist next to, the other...
Rauschenberg erasing DeKooning's drawing, and my persistence to pair things up rather than having one thing stand on its own were my inspiration to ask you your thoughts on this idea...

Interesting

Interesting to learn by doing.
Thoughts turning into action turning into consideration for future thoughts.
Rainy here in New York today, working on Morse code piece and writing our poem down to you.
A

Rejection letter in Morse code

Channeling Sophie Calle, I'm going to make my next Conscious Object piece the text of my first rejection letter.
Thanks gallery for the fodder!
xxoo
Angela

Hi Angela,
Thank you for sending me the cd and info about your work.

I find the idea of the morse code necklaces to be intriguing, however for representation at X, the results are not evident enough and the method of making much too conventional to convey that which is underneath. To the observer, the concept is lost to the fact that it is simply a pretty beaded necklace.
Best to you.
S
.... .. / .- -. --. . .-.. .- --..-- / - .... .- -. -.- / -.-- --- ..- / ..-. --- .-. / ... . -. -.. .. -. --. / -- . / - .... . / -.-. -.. / .- -. -.. / .. -. ..-. --- / .- -... --- ..- - / -.-- --- ..- .-. / .-- --- .-. -.- .-.-.- / .. / ..-. .. -. -.. / - .... . / .. -.. . .- / --- ..-. / - .... . / -- --- .-. ... . / -.-. --- -.. . / -. . -.-. -.- .-.. .- -.-. . ... / - --- / -... . / .. -. - .-. .. --. ..- .. -. --. --..-- / .... --- .-- . ...- . .-. / ..-. --- .-. / .-. . .--. .-. . ... . -. - .- - .. --- -. / .- - / --- .-. -. .- -- . -. - ..- -- --..-- / - .... . / .-. . ... ..- .-.. - ... / .- .-. . / -. --- - / . ...- .. -.. . -. - / . -. --- ..- --. .... / .- -. -.. / - .... . / -- . - .... --- -.. / --- ..-. / -- .- -.- .. -. --. / -- ..- -.-. .... / - --- --- / -.-. --- -. ...- . -. - .. --- -. .- .-.. / - --- / -.-. --- -. ...- . -.-- / - .... .- - / .-- .... .. -.-. .... / .. ... / ..- -. -.. . .-. -. . .- - .... .-.-.- / - --- / - .... . / --- -... ... . .-. ...- . .-. --..-- / - .... . / -.-. --- -. -.-. . .--. - / .. ... / .-.. --- ... - / - --- / - .... . / ..-. .- -.-. - / - .... .- - / .. - / .. ... / ... .. -- .--. .-.. -.-- / .- / .--. .-. . - - -.-- / -... . .- -.. . -.. / -. . -.-. -.- .-.. .- -.-. . .-.-.- / -... . ... - / - --- / -.-- --- ..- .-.-.- / ... - . ..-. .- -.

Conscious Object: King

Conscious Object - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr
Trade with Diane Jacobs

2007
Dimensions variable
Prehnite and plastic beads, sterling silver, silk thread

Morse code translation of the following quote by MLK, Jr.:

“In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”

Conscious Object: Hermes

Conscious Object - Hermes Trismegistus
2005
Dimensions variable
Coral, glass beads, silk thread, sterling silver

Morse code translation of the following quote attributed to H.Trismegistus:

“The Above Is As The Below”

Conscious Object: Buddha

Conscious Object - Buddha
2006
Prehnite
Plastic
Silk thread
Sterling Silver
Morse code translation of quote attributed to Buddha:

“When the student is ready, the teacher appears"

Conscious Object: Pindyck

Conscious Object: Pindyck
Morse code translation of the following poem by Maya Pindyck:

THE ANIMAL HEART

is purest; locket, master--
to serve, to serve and in turn

Coral, glass seed beads

Conscious Object: Mandela

Conscious Object – Nelson Mandela
2007
Dimensions variable
Turquoise and glass beads, sterling silver, silk thread

Morse code translation of the first three lines of the poem “Our Deepest Fear” written by Marianne Williamson, read by Nelson Mandela at his 1994 inauguration:

“’Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us…’


Detail of Mandela piece


Mandela piece, clasp view

Collapsing time and space

Dearest,

I'm thinking of our (women's) work poem of course in mores code- after these incredibly beautiful Mandela, Pindyck pieces.

I also love the idea of singing it or playing it- makes me want to pick up a clarinet again- or perhaps dare I sit at a piano. (Perhaps a drum beat) Let's record a symphony!

For an immediate project, I am tracing the handwriting of my fellow coworkers. It collapses time and space for me, bringing me that much closer to each of you. Could you please send me a penciled version of the poem? I will then sit with this as meditation.

What does our poem sound like?
What does it look like translated into different forms?
I want to record it
I want to write it over and over and over
I want to understand it better

Ballast

Clearly, I like using the "macro" function on my camera today.
Close up of one of my MirrorMirror pieces

Conscious Object

Two Conscious Object pieces side by side, waiting to be photographed individually. The piece on the right is a translation of a poem by Maya Pindyck "The Animal Heart"; the piece on the left is a translation of a quote spoken by Nelson Mandela



This is one of my first Conscious Object necklace. The quote in Morse code reads: "Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our greatest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us". Made from turquoise and glass seed beads.



Close up: Maya's poem



Close up: Mandela speech

Excerpts from Anintereza notebook

Fall

The days are getting shorter and our Indian summer is coming to a close tomorrow; the leaves of trees are beginning to turn.

I am reminded of the evenings at my grandparents' house where the light source was coming from within- that soft yellow contrasted by the deep blue of night sky. My memories are filled with this soft glow. I am reminded of that time more and more, even as I enter our house the first smell that hits me is the smell of their home.

It is time to sow the cold season crops, the leafy greens, radishes, maybe a pea or two.

I have to see what the potential is of keeping the oil paints in the garage, not knowing how long I will be able to occupy the space in the cold.

I want to continue biking when weather permits.

I like fall when no more than a vest is needed- just enough to be cozy; when there is frost on the ground that melts as soon as the sun reaches it. I'm slowly and carefully ripping a pair of white linen women's pants. In the end I hope to reassemble them into a doily/crystal pattern.

clean clean sanitize
mop fold iron
fold pay attention get it right
dust pay attention to myself but don't be too selfish
pay attention monitor scrutinize swarm
sweep encourage uplift
monitor mend careful of the cracks
encourage wash check up on
scrub put away even out
vacuum wash don't get too impatient
wash fold apply
referee dance make art
put away respond take calls
fold watch supervise
respond collaborate nourish
pay write play
mop pay scrape
sanitize offer food take out trash
manage support lifeline
support uplift constant attention
uplift be uplifted accept
problem solve problem solve problem solve
mince brush take out the knots
inspire cut slim down
brush cook stir
cook inspire/be inspired wring chop
wash water fix washer
clip listen work
chop rinse work
maintain pick bundle
rinse rip

correction, separation

on any single day

clean clean
mop fold
fold pay attention
dust pay attention to myself
pay attention monitor
sweep encourage
monitor mend
encourage wash
scrub put away
vacuum wash
wash fold
referee dance
put away respond
fold watch
respond collaborate
pay write
mop pay
sanitize offer food
manage support
support uplift
uplift be uplifted
problem solve problem solve
mince brush
inspire cut
brush cook
cook inspire/be inspired wring chop
wash water
clip listen
chop rinse
maintain pick
rinse rip

on any single day

clean
mop
fold
dust
pay attention
sweep
monitor
encourage
scrub
vacuum
wash
referee
put away
fold
respond
pay
mop
sanitize
manage
support
uplift
problem solve
mince
inspire
brush
cook
wring
wash
clip
chop
maintain
rinse

A possible response

It may be good for you to keep this question open ended and not think so much about materials but more the root of your question about connection.

And think about art history and what has connected it through time.
What marks keep showing up again and again?
What is in that ether that is our binding force?

Maybe think about psychological connections as well as physical and spiritual ones too...
That may help generate more lateral ideas about visual form you may be interested in exploring.

I see a mind map in your future, and story boards!!

Forza Tereza
Via via!

Dear Coworkers II

Questions to you all:

What is it that connect us?

on a spiritual level? dreams? energy? sound? color? the nontangible?
on an intellectual level? language? feeling? philosophies? experiences? stories (hers and his)?
on a physical level? blood? water? air? molecules?

I am trying to understand and represent this space where we meet/connect. I would like the viewer to understand the connection through the representation. All thoughts are appreciated and welcomed.

An earlier symbol was the umbillical cord. My current materials are letters, photos of myself taken by others, video, audio, jars with liquids, contact paper and drawing paper- hope to get my hands on clay.

mail, a letter for Jessica