Art in the New Year!

I've been busy! I'm been sad and happy, well and injured, down in the dumps, and on top of the world.

Mostly, I've been busy!

Over the holidays, I hand stitched two more in the Elements of Architecture Series. These were machine embroidered upon my return to Columbia, my studio, and my wonderful Bernina sewing machines.

Yet, I've also managed to create four new pieces in my "In Box" series. Posted here is a detail from In Box XII and a full shot of In Box XIX.

I planned to upload more images but Blogger is taking more time that I can stand. I'm even reading great portions from my de Kooning book while waiting, but it is still taking too much time. Maybe tomorrow I'll post other images.

I created these four In Box pieces in a furor of activity. The annual McKissick Museum of Art's fund raiser is just around the corner. I've been one of the invited artist for the past few years. I've sold work each year. However, this year the event has changed into a JURIED event. Of course, Wim Roefs, our local Dutch art expert, is the juror. I cried when I read the notice. I figured that this was the end of my participation.

Alex, however, reminded me that I often spend $30 or more dollars submitting slides or CDs of images to juried shows in which I stand little to no chance of acceptance. This McKissick opportunity carries no entry fee. The only thing different about this juried show and others is that I know the juror who might reject me. (Wim has told me how to reframe my work so that it "at least LOOKS like art". He has admired my In Box series only after I've mentioned that all were sold.) Anyway, I decided that Alex was right. I had no money to lose and already knew the likelihood of rejection. I also figured that if Wim was even half serious about liking my In Box series, I needed to get to work and produce more. So, I made four more.

I like making these pieces. They've always sold well. They allow my mind to wander while ironing. I am always rewarded with a feeling of accomplishment. So, now I have four more. The submission for the McKissick charity event (it is called "A Fool for Art) allows ten images. So I sent five from my Life Everlasting Series and one that I did last year about a "fool". It is a mixed media piece using a quote from Samuel Johnson. I'll post an image tomorrow, if Blogger is up to it!