A week ago I wrote a blog post called "Circles ... a Public Installation in Progress". It talked about how I needed a "big wall" on which to create an installation of circles for my upcoming solo show at Waterworks Visual Arts Center, a museum located in Salisbury, North Carolina. I needed the ability to stand back and see just how many circles I'd need, how close together they ought to hang, and whether larger and/or smaller orbs would improve the arrangement. CMFA (Columbia Music Festival Association) at 914 Pulaski Street partnered with me! They provided temporary white walls in their lobby. Last Monday, I hung the circles I'd created. Immediately, I knew that my installation really did look like a celestial field of twinkling stars and that I really wanted to make one, giant comet! So ... this week I made a comet!
Most often, I don't sketch my designs. I map out the finished size (which is generally a rectangle) and work within the set boundary. A comet is different! It's not rectangular ... plus I envisioned a star shape. Amazingly, I own a protractor and remembered enough geometry to end up with the appropriate shape. I sketched out the tail and used my paper outline to cut large pieces of polyester stretch velvet to form the comet. It was lots of fun! I got to use some of the most hideous crushed velvets imaginable (including neon orange, shockingly bright lemon yellow, red with a glitter design, and a lime green zebra print with holographic sequins). It is always hilarious to see these garish colors turn into something wonderful!
Wonderful is how the installation-in-progress is coming along. The two seats are actually there for people visiting CMFA to sit and look at the artwork! CMFA is open weekdays from 10 - 6.
There will be lots and lots of dancers and their families at CMFA in the coming weeks. Carolina Ballet holds its summer program there. So ... if you live in Columbia and have a dancer in the family, there's more than one good reason to visit CMFA!
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