The Project, Composting Toilet

plant nook, next to the sink and arch over the root of a red cedar tree (I believe)

garden wall attching to a cob cottage (holes in the wall save on drying time and are plastered in when complete.)

continuing the arch and butresses

sink nestled into the cob with marble slabs, second window and wiring for the light switch

composting bucket niche

private toilet area with a view into the forest

Recent work

Some recent work. More soon
x


Bowl
Oil on Canvas
48" x 60"
2010


Kitchen
Oil on Canvas
48" x 60"
2010


Bed Reflection
Oil on Canvas
48" x 60"
2010


Markers
Oil on Canvas
48" x 60"
2010

Death Be Not Proud

72. "Death be not proud, though some have called thee"

DEATH be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadfull, for, thou art not so,
For, those, whom thou think'st, thou dost overthrow,
Die not, poore death, nor yet canst thou kill me.
From rest and sleepe, which but thy pictures bee, 5
Much pleasure, then from thee, much more must flow,
And soonest our best men with thee doe goe,
Rest of their bones, and soules deliverie.
Thou art slave to Fate, Chance, kings, and desperate men,
And dost with poyson, warre, and sicknesse dwell, 10
And poppie, or charmes can make us sleepe as well,
And better then thy stroake; why swell'st thou then;
One short sleepe past, wee wake eternally,
And death shall be no more; death, thou shalt die.

John Donne

post reflections

("Family," part of overlays series, cut paper on glass, roughly 14x6")

Fam. detail 1

Fam. Detail 2

Fam. Detail 3

("Multiple Pyramid," roughly 14x10")

sound bites

"It is the sound of a language I do not know, but understand."

10 second recorders are distributed to continue expanding "To/From Mothering Alphabet".

Each participant is asked to take the recorder with him/her to a safe, comfortable setting.

He or she is asked to record a personal, non-verbal sound. An example is a man's deep, escalating growl while pounding a table. Participant can rerecord until s/he is satisfied.

This project comes from my experience within labor, vocalizing in a language that I had accessed for the first time.

with Karen Dunbar and Michael Minelli, reflections from LA

("Play, Power 1," 8.5x14", ink on legal pad)

We discussed the history of using the legal paper and what the relationship is between power and play. A question raised was; can this (type of play) happen outside of the domestic?

("Overlays, No.4," (below) all figures smaller than 8x10", cut paper taped onto glass.)

We discussed the importance of seeing the intimacy of the face, the gaze or expression. The tape was also discussed and the relationship to Duchamp's glass and how his work was specifically about his relationships. We also discussed the installation- the paperwork was displayed on a studio door, so the forms are reliant on the architecture. Architecture without Architects was mentioned.

Questions raised were: Why is it always two? Is it site specific or can it be free standing, propped on glass, etc.?

Not only did I get to present my work in a studio visit but I spent a day and a half in Karen's and Michale's intimate studio/home. It's special in that this space was cohabited by two artists both dedicated to their practice (at least two thirds of the space is the studio). One enters through a commercial looking space- a milky, glass door into the long, open space pf the studio. Walking past the library/storage and studio restroom, one finds all the amenities and comforts of home; living room, kitchen, bedroom, guest room, even a garden.

The transformation of space especially by artists always stuns and inspires me.

comparison is the root of all unhappiness.
comparison is the root of all unhappiness.

between me and you
between above and below
between top coat and underpainting
between proclamations and reality
between me and husband
between me and Ali
between me and the door
between me and the house
between me and household responsibility
between me and the institution
between me and perceived intelligence of the academic institution
between me and patriarchy
between me and duality is duality
between my inner and outer form
inner and outer are aspects of the same whole
between me and the viewer
there is no separation, we are both participants

between

between me and you
between my top coat and children's mural underpainting
between me and Will (husband)
between me and Ali
between me and Emily (fellow student)
between me and the door (outside)
between me and the house (the objects of the house
between me and the institution
between me and patriarchy
between my inner and outer form
between me and the viewer

Thanks for the Marina inspiration!

working/playing through the process

("Disrupting Order," ink printed in draft mode onto legal paper, overlaid with red ink by 4 yr.old, 8.5x14")

The more I write and practice, the more I understand that the random happenings

are actually the work. For Example when Ali scribbled on my printing paper the contrast to the strict horizontal and vertical lines is what I am working on: the critique of institutionalized linearity, institutionalize marriage, etc. I have a feeling this contrast; juxtaposing scribble lines overlaid with straight ones, will be incorporated into the thesis work.

("Three overlays in space,"carbon paper transfers onto studio wall, each symbol no bigger than 10x6", image 1.5x2')

Back to my obsession with painting directly on walls. A chunk of the studio wall might be embedded into the gallery wall in Vermont. The straight blue ink line is the same concept as in the lined paper above. I am having blueprints of College Hall which will house the thesis exhibition sent to me. I think the straight lines will be the blueprint of the building transcribed onto the wall which will then be broken up by red linear scribbles as in the previous work.

Expanding my symbol vocabulary

("Friends!", Images taken from facebook and printed onto paper in draft mode, cut into silhouettes, 11x8.5" each)

These will be transferred onto studio wall and then continue onto the gallery wall somehow within the scribbles.

Or something like that. (I will soon post my Process Paper- a journey reflecting on the past couple of years.)

More inspiration

Researching Marina A's performance - homage to St. Therese, in the kitchen

apron
bowl
chopper (mezza luna)
dish
egg beater
fork
grater
hamburger press
icepick
joicer
knife
ladle
measuring implements
nutcracker
opener
pan
quart bottle
rolling pin
spoon
tenderizer
u
v
w
x
y
z

play, process 3

play, process 2

play, process 1

In studio, will post more photos soon

Monday morning - it's been a full week in the country!
We extended our stay another month in our upstairs apartment. It will be nice not to move in two weeks.
Time seems to go more slowly here - the days seem so much longer, with so much less interruption.
I have been working on a painting thinking about our passage of time, our relationship with nature, and,ultimately, death.

Yesterday we rode our bikes to the next town over and found a great food co-op.

Bought my ticket to summer workshop on Friday.
I would like to buy a camera soon,
A

Bemis rejection letter

At least they were nice about it:

Dear Artist,
On behalf of the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, I would like to thank you for applying to our Artist-in-Residence program. We received a record number of applications due to the ease of the online application and the jurors' task was a difficult one. Our jurors were Endi Poskovic, an alumni of the residency program and associate professor of art at the University of Michigan, Christopher Cook of the Salina Art Center and Matthias Harder of the Helmut Newton Foundation in Berlin.

Unfortunately, your application was not among those selected for a residency at this time. Please note that a new jury panel composed of different art professionals is selected for each application cycle. Many artists have applied more than once before being selected as an Artist-in-Residence. For this reason, we earnestly encourage you to reapply.

Our next application deadline is September 30, 2010 for the July through December 2011 residency cycle. You will find the link to the online application on our website at www.bemiscenter.org, which includes the latest news and updates from the Bemis Center.

We are proud to announce that next year the Bemis Center will be adding more studios and increasing the amount of artists we serve each year from 24 to 36. In these uncertain economic times we feel that the need to support artists is more important than ever.

Thank you for considering the Bemis Center’s Artist-in-Residence program. We wish you every success and truly appreciate your interest in the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts.


Sincerely,

--
Heather Johnson
Residency Program Manager
Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts
724 S. 12th Street
Omaha, NE 68102
Ph: 402.341.7130 x12
Fax: 402.341.9791
heather@bemiscenter.org
www.bemiscenter.org

Creativity Matters

it has something to do with being transparent and overlapping bodies

Wiping Dust Off Dryer

Was accepted into the 2010 Pacific Northwest Art Annual:

Show runs from April 24th- May 26th

Opening on April 24th at 6PM at Adell McMillan Gallery

order in chaos

-keep house open, space clear
-kept Alenka engaged in activities all throughout the week, her spring brake
-exercise half hour each day
-meditate 20 minutes
(single parenting this week, Will in California)
-fighting insomnia (hopefully winning)
-for grad school
writing: thesis, Process Paper 1st draft(at least 3 sections this weekend, next 3 in the week, last 3 next weekend)
studio: -transpose more figures onto the tarp, cut out and trace more symbols in steel
-think deeply about the concept of play.
-emboss Intimate Box,
-show symbols to mother groups, record their sounds for them
-organized teaching courses
send out flyers publicizing the next Intro to Drawing Course
-apply for one more position by the end of the month

Office of Blame book completed
congratulations Geoffrey and Carla

moved

Moved out.
Torn ligaments in both wrists
Fingers swollen
Face swollen
Ankles feel like they are broken.
Left ankle hurt more than right - can hardly walk
Tenants in - they love the place
I feel like I haven't had a creative thought in weeks.
I ache for the studio, but feel like my choices are just pulling me further from what I want.

conversation between inner boundaries

Moving Day tomorrow

Repairs done.
So much to move downstairs.
Already exhausted, and it's barely 8AM.
Fingers crossed we stay healthy and get everything done.
xo

Almost done

Monday night.
It's still raining, I just got back from work, and our apartment is almost cleaned out.
We finished installing the door and making the wall, and all our boxed books are safely in storage.
Tomorrow will be a big push to get the remaining everything downstairs, and also finish remaining punch list items.
Then Wednesday we meet the next caretakers of our home, and Thursday we move upstate!
So much inspiration for studio.
x
a

Focus

It seems that when I return to New York, I often find myself unable to focus.
I tend to get absorbed into another frequency, over-obligate myself, and make choices that put me at odds with who I am and what I'm doing. I feel compromised, pulled in too many directions.
I make the choices that erect barricades around me; the calm and quiet I choose in other locations seems to dissipate when I am here.
And I realize I'm the one making the choices!
Even though the best museums in the world are here, and there are many shows that are inspiring and wonderful, I often find myself drained and forlorn at the end of the day. I am tired when I am here.

I would like to remind myself that I have a goal when I am here, and am working towards it.
I can't forget I still have a lot of investigation and work to do with my morse code pieces, paintings, and drawings.
I can't forget that I'm always an artist, regardless of external environment.

We rented our apartment and are preparing it for our next guests, starting next Thursday.
We have to pack up all our things and put them into storage.
We have to find another home.

I have a lot of debts to pay and some people to support.
Thankfully we don't have a family yet, or else this would be a lot more difficult.
I try to see the softness in each situation.

My father is recovering from pneumonia, finally.

We built the wall yesterday, and today we are installing the glass door.
Then the project will be complete.
I can prime and paint and begin to pack.
With grace and compassion for myself and for others.

xo

organize syllabus for:
Drawing Course
Art in Action (5-8), Czech Kids
& Creating Together (little ones)
print images for Father/daughter show
continue writing and charting Process Paper
finish portraits for Wendy
organize to show To/From Mothering Alphabet at local mother's groups to help conjure up sound for each symbol
play/purchase (re)recording devices
find vellum to make large scale contact paper
find removable plaster to seal bricks of college hall
continue...

studio work:
dry wall installation
door hanging - sharpened chisels and finding hammer.
taxes - re-looking at 2006 now...can't find all paperwork.
unfinished
Sloppy
woke up with puffy eyes and sore throat.
Grey outside
Door bell still needs to be fixed.
Punch list after lunch
Coveralls on
I burned my hand yesterday
Groggy - can't seem to wake up or sleep through the night
Have to pick up my boots from the cobbler
Lent a friend my TV for the month
Furniture almost gone

This week

My apologies for not posting so regularly - being back in New York has been quite a blur!

We arrived in the midst of all the art fairs, and were also able to move back into our apartment - after 6 months of being on the proverbial road. And then Rose and Claire were in town for William's opera (which was amazing!), and we helped facilitate a lovely workshopper dinner and slide presentation of their most recent work. And we found a renter for one whole year, which means we're moving again, and are not sure where we'll go as of April 1.

So work has been focused on moving out of our house, and maintaining a sense of calm in the sea of New York City.
It is very easy for me to become distracted here, and stay caught in the web of daily comings and goings.
I love my apartment, but I have to admit I do not love New York anymore.
I find it a great place to stay for a little while, but for the most part I am happy to leave again.

The dinner and slide presentation was a huge success.
About 20 workshoppers arrived and brought a lovely energy to our home.
The presentation of R&C's work was thoughtful, inspiring, and very beautiful.
I appreciate how transparent they are, how beautiful their work is.

I am always learning.

This week sheetrock and a new glass door arrived; we are installing it this week for our new renters on Monday.
Boxes are to be bought for storage, and we have to find a way to make it all fit in our small basement.
Luckily, workshoppers are looking after some of our things while we are away - the plants will find a good home, and our benches and chairs will be tended to.

I am happy to leave New York again with peace of mind.
And an open heart.
xx

illegal forms

lifting the space between

between our inner lines

legal forms

reading Sexuality and Space

"...she endlessly disrupts the boundaries of others, that is, men,

disturbing their identity, if not calling it into question" (335).

Extending the Flag

Performance 2008- still very relavant to me today. I ran my dress up the flagpole along with the US flag.

Art safari today: The Armory Show!