Marked by the Water

(Above:  The Clothesline, 80 running feet.  Images sent by the public and transferred to fabric, vintage household linens, clothespins and clothesline.  Click on any image to enlarge.)

Today marks the first anniversary of the historic Columbia flooding. It is also the opening of a Jasper Project multidisciplinary arts event called Marked By the Water.   The visual art exhibit includes work by many of my friends, including my mentor Stephen Chesley.  My contribution includes The Clothesline.  Using my blog and social media, I asked the public to submit images of their flood experiences.  These were transferred to fabric and stitched into unique, double sided art quilts and onto both sides of several pieces of vintage, household linens.  The installation has eighty running feet and is very flexible.  It could have been broken up into smaller lengths or shown in one continuous line.  Here, only one side can be seen but hopefully there will be other, upcoming occasions when both sides are visible.  I especially line the double row that curator Mary Bentz Gilkerson selected when she sculpted the exhibition.  


(Above:  The clothespins used in The Clothesline installation.)

The clothespins used for this installation came from the S. Beltline-Gillis Creek Community Relief Foundation, an all volunteer, grassroots effort to assist those devastated by last year's flood.  Each clothespin has been altered with the words "Columbia, SC" and "Oct. 4, 2015".
 

(Above:  Three "Flood Poems" each titled with the name of the poem.  From left to right: October by Bill Higgins, Self-Portrait with Twelve-Mile Creek by Emily Oliver, and A Flood of Breathe: A Prayer by Jennifer Bartell.)

Near The Clothesline hangs my three "Flood Poems".  I blogged about these unique fiber creations HERE.

I'd like to thank the many people who contributed images to The Clothesline, including Cyd Berry, Cynthia Pierce, Debbie McDaniels, Stephen Chesley, Lyn Phillips, Nicki Ranson, Nancy Gibbs, Jim Tothill, Cal Watson, Susan Felleman, Elliot Edward Powell, Virginia Postic, Stephen Nevitt, Dolly Patton, Eveleigh Hughey, and Saluda Shoals Park ranger Brian.

(Above:  Volunteer at the S. Beltline-Gillis Creek Relief Foundation.)

This evening's art event includes poetry readings, a staged essay, the film Rising by Ron Hagell, a Power Company dance installation, a film installation, and an unveiling of a Stephen Chesley painting done after the style of Frederic Church's 1859 unveiling of Heart of the Andes.