Sunday, August 31, 2008

9/1/08 Country Woman Article

After over two years of lead time (and anticipation) the feature article about my papermaking with plants is in a national magazine!

Garden-Grown Paper is in the Oct./Nov issue of Country Woman magazine AND their on-line website. To see the on-line version go to www.countrywomanmagazine.com and then onto the upper left hand side of the page link titled, “Paper Caper.” They graciously link the article to my own website for extra publicity-YAHOO!!
 
The article, which spans three magazine pages and twelve color photographs, includes a nice “family portrait” of Gene, Spirit and I and lots of my artwork! Because of editorial lead time with magazines, editor Ann Kaiser and Allegan photographer, Tom Talverna, spent two days with me in Sept. 07 for the current issue. 

I am hoping that this national publication will result in some interest outside of MI and lead to possible teaching, exhibiting and art commission opportunites. At either rate it all helps with the lifelong pursuit of “making a name for myself” as an artist.”

Thank you Ann and Country Woman!

 
Posted by DJ at 13:04:59 | Permalink | Comments (1) »

Saturday, August 30, 2008

8/25/08 “Uprooted” Exhibit Comes Down

“Art is a force for tranformation.” Unknown

Today I took down the “Uprooted” art exhibit from the South Haven Memorial Library.

It always amazes me what takes hours and hours to hang, comes down in a matter of minutes. There is a bittersweetness about removing a grouping of art that we have artists have invested so much of ourselves in.

I take a deep yogic breath and remind myself…its like the Buddhist monks tell us, “All is impermenance.”

Posted by DJ at 12:28:55 | Permalink | No Comments »

8/12/08 Commission from Uprooted Exhibit

“Art does not come from the head. It comes from the place where you dream.” Unknown

I have a new art commission from the two-month-long South Haven, “Uprooted” exhibit.

A former gallery shopper, and now friend, saw my work there and asked if I would create a canvas piece for her spacious contemporary house using the plants from her property. She and her husband live on a lovely 10 acre plot that has been cut out of the woods overlooking a wooded ravine.

Today I drove over to this customers house and collected possible plants and the leaves to press and dry. The native sumac trees (with a long and narrow leaf) really took my fancy. These are what I am hoping to use for the canvas. I’ve thumbnailed an idea, using four horizontal canvas (hung close together as one picture) with the sumac leaves driping from one canvas to the other. Now I wait to see how the leaves will dry and if the client likes my overall idea before beginning.

Posted by DJ at 12:19:26 | Permalink | No Comments »