Two installations up and one more to go!

(Above:  Cotton and Nails in a Coffin, two of three installations that I'll have in the upcoming Art from the Ashes exhibition at the Tapp's Art Center during February.)

Last night I put the finishing touches on the seventy-two strands of suspended cotton bolls that surround the circular desk at the Tapp's Art Center.  On each side, six strands have been pulled to the side ... allowing access to the desk and foot traffic in the area.  I'm very, very pleased with the work.  

(Above:  Nails in a Coffin seen through some of the strands of cotton.)

Behind the circular desk is a curved wall.  Last night Nails in a Coffin was hung in perfect quietness. I was completely alone in the space ... an awesome experience in and of itself.  This work is a collaboration with poet Al Black.  His three poems (which I might get his permission to include on my blog) are framed above three ledges.  Each ledge has a fiber vessel filled with wrapped, rusted nails.  There are also eight wall-mounted, white cubes.  On each cube is a shallow fiber vessel filled with more wrapped nails.  Above the cubes are framed fiber works.  Each includes the impressions of rusted nails on scraps of vintage napkins.  I'm very pleased with this work too!

The opening of Art from the Ashes is this coming Sunday, February the first from 5 - 7.  The accompanying literary volume (on which my work is featured!) will be available and several poets, including Al Black, will be reading.  On Thursday, February 5th from 7 - 9 is an artists' panel discussion.  I'll be there for that too! 

I'm very grateful to Cindi Boiter and her husband Dr. Bob Jolley for making this exhibition possible through their businesses Jasper Magazine and Muddy Ford Press.  Working toward this exhibition has proved to be one of the most inspired experiences in my artistic life.  The work is still pouring out of me and will continue even after the month.  Several months ago I would have doubted that the sesquicentennial of General William T. Sherman's burning of Columbia could provide such a powerful catalyst for making artwork ... but it has!

Generally, I like to include more writing with my blog posts ... but not today!  Why?  Well, I've got a third installation to hang for this show!  With any luck, I'll be blogging again ... more photos.  So ... just enjoy the images provided below!