Last Words, Solo Show at the Florence Regional Arts Alliance

(Above: Last Words, solo exhibition. Click on any image in this post to enlarge.)

The Florence Regional Arts Alliance kicks off its 2010 - 11 season this Thursday, August 6th, with my solo exhibition "Last Words" in its newly renamed space, Gallery 412. My elder son Mathias and I took a Penske rental full of artwork and installed the show this afternoon.



It was fun and challenging. I'd never before been in the building. I had only a floor-plan and a telephone conversation with Frank Crow , executive director. We talked about the height and material of the ceiling so that I would be prepared to install the chiffon banners covered in free-motion machine embroidered epitaphs.



As an installation artist, my aim is to transform the existing space into a serene, peaceful, contemplative cemetery-like setting. The Grave Rubbing Art Quilt Series and my "Angels in Mourning" series provide the visual images and suggestions of grave markers, mausoleums, and the physical structure in a cemetery.



The chiffon banners are meant to evoke a sense of mystery, almost ghostly reminders of past generations. The air-conditioning system even makes these sheer fabrics move a little....which I like. I'm hoping people coming to the reception this Thursday walk through the field of epitaphs, reading the "last words".



There is a sign near the front entrance that includes reads:

LAST WORDS

Crayon on silk grave rubbings, vintage household linens, recycled material, stitched epitaphs, artificial cemetery flowers, and angel images are meant to reflect both personal and universal mortality and the passage of time through generations. The exploration of final words marking others’ lives causes reflection of ones own existence. The work investigates the concept of remembrance, personal legacy, and our common human frailty. As an installation, questions are posed.

The work asks:
What are your final wishes?
How do you want to be remembered?
What last words will mark your life?

Please feel free to walk among the hanging epitaphs and carefully peep at the reverse of the quilts.
~Susan Lenz~

This installation was made possible through the support of family and friends, including Shives Funeral Home; The City Clerk Department of Colma, CA; Jeanne Williamson; Maureen Barrett MacNamara; Frank H. Crow, Jr. and the Florence Regional Arts Alliance; Guy Jones at River Runner; the cyber community reading http://artbysusanlenz.blogspot.com and http://graverubbingquilts.blogspot.com; Steve Dingman; and all those who bring artificial flowers to Columbia’s Elmwood and Greenlawn cemeteries.



After hanging all the work, we attached the exhibition labels. Then the FUN part....scattering the eight trash bags full of artificial flowers around the perimeter. All the flowers were collected from cemetery trash bins and dumpsters (NEVER from a grave site!). I dissected all the blossoms, washed the fabric, and allowed them to dry on the floor of our guest bathroom. (I have a very supportive husband!)



I took a few dozen quick photos and even some videos. These are the best of the bunch!



Arts Alliance President Gregory Fry was quoted on the organization's website: "Our plan is to schedule a diverse array of artists each year, and we encourage our exhibiting artist to 'push the box' in terms of their artistic exploration." I hope he's pleased!







Even the two hallways flanking the central area were hung with cemetery angel images!



There is a smaller room off one of the halls. I filled it too! (Two images below!)





Right before we left, I snapped a photo of Mathias with Frank Crow....



...and Mathias took pictures of me...



...among the chiffon banners....and sitting under one of the large panels of rubbings among the flowers. I'll have more images from the reception after it happens this Thursday evening!

Cheater, Decision Portrait

(Above: Cheater, Decision Portrait Series. Stitched word: Unfaithful. Xylene photo transfer on tea-stain muslin. Hand beaded and stitched. 25" x 19" unframed; 31" x 25" framed. Click on image to enlarge.)

Some pieces in the Decision Portrait Series have long, involved, complex stories that unfold in these written words that accompany them. This isn't one of those pieces.

Most pieces in the Decision Portrait Series are straight-forward depictions of a decision made by the person in the artwork...a real likeness of a real individual, generally named, honestly stating his or her decision as fact. This isn't one of those pieces.

Several pieces in the Decision Portrait Series deal with bittersweet options....a person faced with more than one choice, neither particularly great choices, and the decision made under these circumstances. This isn't one of those pieces either.


(Above: Cheater, Decision Portrait Series. Click on image to enlarge.)

This is a deeply personal, highly secretive, honestly shared decision. I am in total awe of the brave individual who volunteered to share it with me and allowed me to stitch the work of art. It was truly my honor to stitch this portrait.

Several months ago, I would not have known that I would hold in such very high esteem a person who had engaged in an extra martial affair. See....I've been married nearly thirty years to the one and only love of my life. Coming from my background, people who "cheat" are "bad". I learned that this isn't the case.....far from it! Life is full of twists and turns. I shouldn't judge. I didn't judge here.....I learned!

It took bravery to admit the affair. It took courage to write to me. It took an act of nearly unbelievable faith to trust me to stitch this portrait with love, compassion, and a non-judgmental mind. The "model" and I have never met. Ours is a totally Internet relationship. She trusted me with her history.


(Detail image)

We corresponded about the image. She suggested the wedding gown and bridal veil. It is PERFECT. It symbolically brings the vows she took into focus. She approved the single stitched word: Unfaithful. The wedding attire and single word drive the decision home. It is obvious....though she is mysteriously veiled....alluring....a temptress....a goddess of desire. The work will confront exhibition viewers with several questions: Have I ever thought about or been unfaithful? How would I react if my partner was unfaithful? How would I react to someone I know admitting such an indiscretion? These are exactly the questions I hoped such a portrait would generate. I am so totally grateful and most appreciative to someone brave enough to let me make this statement by using her image in this stitched series. THANK YOU!

By the way....serendipity played a hand in the creation of this piece. I didn't have anything in my studio to use for the added "bridal veil". I knew I wanted to add tulle or netting, beads and ribbons, embellishments that suggested a "veiled" look and a bridal attire. I was going to have to go SHOPPING....which I hate. Yes, I know that I'm "supposed" to love buying new fabric, browsing the aisles at Hancock's or JoAnn's or some specialty store....but I don't. I prefer recycled materials, post consumer garments, and vintage household linens. I'm one of those strange fiber artists who don't feel tempted to buy "fat quarters" in at quilt shop. I have no problem resisting seasonal patterns, new designs, or luscious colored cotton prints. Instead, I dread shopping. I hated the idea of going to buy a snippet of netting...but I needed it. Amazingly, Alicia Leeke, a local artist who is mainly a painter but has also worked in shibori and hand dyed fibers, came to my studio to unload some unwanted fabric. The material included the perfect netting. Thanks Alicia! As soon as she left, I whipped this portrait together in a matter of a day. It was MEANT TO BE!

Fighting Illiteracy, Decision Portrait

(Above: Fighting Illiteracy. Decision Portrait Series. Stitched words: Learn to Read at Any Age; I teach; I learn; We did it! So can you! Xylene photo transfer on tea-stained muslin. Hand stitched. 25" x 31" unframed; 31" x 37" framed. Click on image to enlarge.)

Judy S. is a passionate fiber artist who has volunteered her time and generous patience since the 1980s to fighting illiteracy by helping people learn to read. Sure.....Judy is an advocate for reading to and teaching children. Yet, she doesn't stop there. She tirelessly teaches adults too.

It takes a lot of courage to admit an inability to read. It takes a brave, mature adult to seek help with literacy. It is an act of faith to trust a fiber artist to depict this choice in stitches. I am truly honored to have been given this opportunity to create this Decision Portrait.


(Above: Fighting Illiteracy, Decision Portrait. Detail. Click on image to enlarge.)

This is a story of two equally important decisions. There's the decision to teach and the decision to learn. Together, illiteracy is fought.


(Above: Fighting Illiteracy, Decision Portrait. Detail. Click on image to enlarge.)

Judy provided an important link to ProLiteracy for additional resources. She also suggested two very interesting books: The Teacher Who Couldn't Read and Life Is So Good: One Man's Extraordinary Journey through the 20th Century and How He Learned to Read at Age 98.


(Above: Fighting Illiteracy, Decision Portrait. Detail. Click on image to enlarge.)

Serendipity played a part in this portrait too. Just when I was about to select threads and yarns for the piece, my friend Kim Bendillo stopped by my studio and gave me a sample of Plymouth Yarn's Fantasy Naturale 9995. It is beautiful and also perfect for this piece. The color-wave suggests gentle change, warmth, and is interesting! Thanks Kim!


(Above: Plymouth Yarn, Fantasy Naturale 9995. Click on image to enlarge.)

Also, I just happened to be stitching on this piece when interviewed for a segment of "The Big Picture", program on eTV (Educational Television!) I'm not quite sure when it will air (although I'm told it is shown three times!)....but I've been promised an update when it is scheduled. The show is featuring the entire Decision Portrait Series and my upcoming show at City Gallery at Waterfront Park in Charleston, September 10 - October 10!

By the way....Like Judy, issues of illiteracy are a special passion for me. I've created two related artworks prior to this portrait. One is an altered book called Imagine Illiteracy. CLICK HERE for a link to a slide show!

Gun Owner, Decision Portrait

(Above: Gun Owner, Decision Portrait Series. Hand embroidery and beading. 25" x 19" unframed; 31" x 25" framed. Click on image to enlarge.)

Some Decision Portraits require lots of stitched words. Some need none at all. This one is totally self explanatory. I first saw Bobby at Bill Mishoe's auction months ago. He was wearing this t-shirt. I thought to myself, "This would make a GREAT decision portrait! There's a clear option...a selection...a decision.....right there in the words!" There was a slight problem though. The words appeared on the back of the t-shirt. So, I didn't approach him. Yet, he came to the next auction wearing the same t-shirt. I couldn't resist. I introduced myself saying, "Hi, I'm a local artist creating pieces called Decision Portraits. I'd like to make one of you in that t-shirt ... if you'll wear it backwards."


(Above: Gun Owner, Decision Portrait, detail. Click on image to enlarge.)

Fortunately, Bobby didn't think I was a total lunatic. We later met at his house. I explained the concept and we browsed through the Decision Portrait series blog. He put on his t-shirt, backwards and I snapped the photos.

I selected the various shell beads because they sort of reminded me of miniature "targets". The only other stitching needed was a running stitch outline around Bobby and a back-stitched red thread around the check mark. Personally, I'll NEVER own a gun. This is part of the beauty of the Decision Portrait Series ... no one decision is "right" for everyone!

I had to snap a photo of his bumper sticker!

Homeless, Decision Portrait Series

(Above: Homeless, Decision Portrait Series. Stitched words: No fixed address. Xylene photo transfer on tea-stained muslin. Hand stitched with name tag. 25" x 19" unframed; 31" x 25" framed. Click on image to enlarge.)

There have been several Decision Portrait Series pieces that were emotionally difficult for me to stitch. Many decisions depicted in this series are heart-wrenching. Some, I don't understand on a personal level but I've tried to remain nonjudgmental, faithful to the "model", true to the concept behind the series.

This piece, however, has been the most difficult. I'm fairly sure that I didn't succeed in one respect. I can't help myself. I attached a little "value judgment".... in the form of a "name tag".


(Above: Homeless, Decision Portrait series. Detail with name tag. Click on image to enlarge.)

Why? Why did I allow my personal opinion on this man's decision to interfere with my stitching, my work, my concept?

I wanted a HOMELESS person.....someone who CHOSE to live without the responsibilities of an ordinary, tax-paying citizen. I didn't want an individual who was in such circumstances because of forces beyond his or her control. I didn't want someone who'd lost a house due to the economy or gambling problems or a broken marriage or some other hardship. I didn't want someone whose mental facilities weren't capable of another lifestyle. I wanted someone who CHOSE to live this way, HOMELESS. That's exactly who I found.

We met at Gallery 80808/Vista Studios....in my studio. At the time, there was an art exhibition in the gallery. The people mounting the show were giving a portion of any proceeds to this man's "homeless ministry". There was a box for donations too. This man is the "pastor" of the "homeless ministry". He is tall, clean, articulate, educated through high school, and in good health. He has a cell phone. He has a mail box at a rental storage facility. These are paid for through the donations to the "ministry".

He wanted to know if I was selling my portraits...would he get a percentage? He wanted to know if I'd pay him to pose. He wanted to know if there was an admission to the upcoming exhibition. He was very, very interested in money. He talked about all the things he does as the "pastor" of his "ministry".... like going to the hospital with other homeless men who need medical attention, raising awareness in the community about the plight of the homeless, and witnessing for God. He never mentioned getting a homeless person into a home.

I asked why he was homeless. He chose this lifestyle...exactly what I wanted for this piece. We talked about the Decision Portrait Series concept, about my respect for the decisions made by showing a straight-forward depiction of a real individual who had made each decision....about the title and words for this piece in particular.

Then, it was back to talking about money. How would my piece benefit his "ministry" and him? I said it would raise awareness (one of the things he stressed as his "job"). I said people would come face-to-face with a homeless person, with him, as a work of art. I also said that I would rather NOT create the piece if it meant any sort of financial relationship was part of the deal. I thanked him for his conversation and returned to my work....stitching on another portrait.

When it became obvious that there wasn't going to be any money being exchanged and that I was no longer interested, he relented....with a condition. I had to included the word "pastor". So....I had him sign a model's release and snapped his photo.


(Above: Homeless, Decision Portrait. Detail. Click on image to enlarge.)

So, I had my piece ready to go. I had a signed model's release, a title and words for stitching, and a photo. I also had a problem. I had agreed to include the word "pastor". Of course, I'd done my "homework" before we met. I knew this man was never officially ordained by any religious organization. I knew his "ministry" isn't a non-profit or religious entity or registered anywhere in the city, county, state, etc. I subtly asked about his faith, his position, his "organization". I knew the truth. I knew that the money being raised in the next room, in the gallery space just outside my studio door, was going to maintain a certain lifestyle.....HOMELESS. There isn't a plan to change this lifestyle!

In this Decision Portrait Series piece, there isn't a real "pastor" and there isn't a real "ministry"... but there is a real HOMELESS MAN. I honored my promise. The word "pastor" is on the name tag, right under the true words "self proclaimed". Of course, by adding this truth I also added my personal value judgment. I didn't know how else to stitch the portrait....to keep my promise but also to tell the truth. I didn't contribute to his "ministry" either.


Since then I've transferred several upcoming Decision Series Portraits. None of these will be as difficult to stitch. (The adorable dog Nugget posed for a sense of scale. He belongs to my friend Jeff Donovan who also has a studio at Gallery 80808/Vista Studios. Talking to Jeff about my "homeless" issue really helped me. Thanks Jeff!)

Sign Language Interpreter, Decision Portrait Series

(Above: Sign Language Interpreter, Decision Portrait Series. Stitched words: Communicating with the deaf. Xylene photo transfer on tea-stained muslin. Hand stitched. 25" x 19" unframed; 31" x 25" framed. Click on image to enlarge.)

The ability to express oneself, to communicate, is at the core of artistic expression. It is also a most basic human need. Most of us simply speak in order to relay our thoughts to others. Yet, talking relies on listening. Not everyone can hear.

People who are deaf or hard of hearing generally learn sign language. They learn to read lips too....but that requires face-to-face interaction. What happens in a crowd? At a meeting? At the theater? Well, Charlotte Toothman can tell you.....in two different languages.....spoken and as a sign language interpreter. She learned to communicate with the deaf. She learned to listen for those who cannot hear and to translate oral words into a language of understanding.


(Above: Sign Language Interpreter, detail. Click on image to enlarge.)

Charlotte is also one of the co-founders of Stage Hands of the Bay Area in California. Stage Hands utilizes a team approach to interpreting theatrical performances and is proud that their efforts allow deaf audience members to enjoy the universality of theater, its nuances of character, its emotional pulse, and the sheer fun of it.

Volunteer, Decision Portrait Series

(Above:  Volunteer, Decision Portrait Series.  Stitched words:  Stitch identification; 4 to 5 hours a week for 31 years at the Henry Art Gallery.  Xylene photo transfer on tea-stained muslin.  25" x 19" unframed; 31" x 25" framed.  Stitches used:  straight, running, couching!  Click on image to enlarge.)

The Decision Portrait Series has been networking itself all over the Internet.  Jo Reimer, a mixed media blogger in Portland, sent information to her friend Pat Albiston in Seattle.  I got the following message from Pat in my "in box":

"I gave my time to the University of Washington Henry Art Gallery for 31 years (4 to 5 hours once a week during the academic year) to work with a committee to identify the stitches in the Henry Gallery's Textile Collection and to standardize the stitch names. The index includes all the stitch names we found cross referenced to the most commonly used name which leads to additional information.  The committee membership varied over the years but I was there for the entire 31 years.   It was a fabulous experience and friendships developed until we were also a support group for each other.  We were allowed to handle all but the most fragile pieces in the collection.  What an opportunity!

The work is now on the internet.  To see our finished project called The Embroidery Stitch Identification Guide, Google Henry Art Gallery Textiles and Costumes, click on Textiles and Costumes, Resources, and Visit Resource.   We also diagrammed stitches which were not found in publications,  Click on Buttonhole and Vandyke Edge (Variation 1) and on (Variation 2) to see a couple of my diagrams.   The site is self explanatory.  Just for fun you could also explore the Collection Search which includes all textiles in the collection.  Most have photos which can be enlarged."

(Above:  Volunteer, Decision Portrait Series.  Detail.  Click on image to enlarge.)

Of course I wanted this important decision!  That's tireless dedication to a most cherished subject!  What a perfect "volunteer" for an embroidery series!  Then I followed the instructions:  I googled the Henry Art Gallery and found the most incredible stitch identification resource.  Don't google yourself....JUST CLICK HERE!  This is what all those hours added up to......an amazing, gloriously photographed, user friendly, extensive, well researched, and wonderfully FREE resource.

 (Above:  Volunteer, Decision Portrait Series.  Detail.  Click on image to enlarge.)

I had to think long and hard about my approach to this piece.  I knew it needed something to embellish the work with handwork.....something with a little age and someone else's stitches.....something to suggest the work Pat did in handling historic and antique textiles.  So, I snipped out fragments of handwork from several, badly damaged, vintage doilies to create a unique border.

I highly recommend that those involved and in love with fabrics and material check out the Henry Art Gallery's website.  Not only is the embroidery stitch identification guide excellent, but the gallery itself boasts a most impressive textile collection including Jack Lenor Larsen's collection of ethic costumes, the James D. and Stephanie Burns' collection of central Asian rugs, the Elizabeth Bayley Willis' collection of Indian textiles, the Blanche Payne and Margaret Hood collection of Eastern European costumes, the Harriet Tidwell weaving collection, and the Thomas and Francis Blakemore collection of Japanese folk textiles. 

Mother's Milk, Decision Portrait.

(Above:  Mother's Milk, Decision Portrait Series.  Stitched words:  Breast Feeding.  Xylene photo transfer on tea-stained muslin.  Hand stitched.  25" x 19" unframed; 31" x 25" framed.  Click on image to enlarge.)

The Internet is a wonderful thing.  It has provided so many exciting adventures for me....without me ever leaving home!  This is a portrait taken by Celina, who is on an extensive camping trip through the mountains of the western United States after time in Spain.  It is of her friend Marija in Norway.  Both are mothers to decided to breast feed....even in public.

When I first started looking for someone to pose for Mother's Milk, I suggested potential stitched words reading:  Breast feeding...even in public.  I hoped for a PERFECT photo.  Celina sent what is undoubtedly PERFECT.  Yet, when I went to stitch it, I realized that the decision shouldn't be limited to the location and surroundings for breast feeding.  It should incorporate all sorts of breast feeding decisions. 

 (Above:  Mother's Milk, detail.  Click on image to enlarge.)

Not all mothers chose to breast feed.  Those who do also have lots of other decisions to make.....like, how often, timed intervals, whether to pump milk or not, what to eat and drink while nursing, and when to ween the child.  By simplifying my stitched words to just "Breast Feeding", all these decisions are suggested.  The photo really is PERFECT for all these choices that are made by mothers all over the world, throughout all of history.

For more information about breast feeding, please visit the La Leche League International. Also, the website recommended by Celina is Kelly Mom....check it out!

First Love, Decision Portrait Series.

(Above:  First Love, Decision Portrait Series.  Stitched words:  I married my high school sweetheart; Ditto; May 25, 1979.  Xylene photo transfer on tea-stained muslin.  Hand beaded and stitched.  Click on image to enlarge.)

Cindi and Bob went on their very first date the week before she turned sixteen years old.  They got married when she was twenty and celebrated their 30th anniversary just last year.  They have two beautiful, college educated, talented daughters.  They're a great couple.  Steve and I have known them for over a decade.

(Above:  First Love, detail.  Click on image to enlarge.)

One of the "secrets" to a successful marriage is the ability to be both a "couple" as well as "two individuals".  These are two special people, with their own special lives! Cindi is a feminist, an award winning professional writer, an adjunct professor in the Women's and Gender Studies department at the University of South Carolina, and a co-owner of the arts magazine undefined.  Bob is a very busy emergency room physician.  He's also a home brewer and beer connoisseur/expert/aficionado....with impeccable taste (even if he insists the dark beer is good!) 
 

(Above:  First Love, detail.  Click on image to enlarge.)

Together, Cindi and Bob love to travel.  They research food and beverages. There was the "year of wine" and the "year of beer" and years for various international cuisines.  They support visual arts, literary arts, and dance.  Time together is enriched by time involved with all sorts of other people, interests, and through trust.   

Since I, too, married my "first love" (though I met Steve during my very first week at The Ohio State University), I can safely say that Cindi and Bob "grew up together".  Steve and I grew up together too.  We celebrated every step we took, apart and together, into the world of adulthood.  There was never a "his" and "hers".  There has only ever been an "ours".  Undoubtedly, one of the best decisions we all made was who to love forever!

Bald is Beautiful, Decision Portrait

(Above: Bald is Beautiful, Decision Portrait Series. Stitched words: Shaved for Charity. Xylene photo transfer on tea-stained muslin. Hand stitched and beaded. 25" x 19" unframed; 31" x 25" framed.  Click on image to enlarge.)

Jillian Owens created a most amazing recycled garment from ex-boyfriends' shirts for Runaway Runway last April. I was impressed with the concept and the craftsmanship. We became Facebook friends right after the event.

Her Facebook posts her counting the days until her head was going to be shaved for the St. Baldrick's Foundation, a group dedicated to raising funds for kids with cancer. Jillian doesn't even know one of these suffering children; she's just generous....and BRAVE. I had to witness this decision! I had to secure it for the Decision Portrait Series. We exchanged messages. Jillian was happy to participate in my art!

(Above:  Jillian before her head was shaved posing with the St. Baldrick's Foundation event sign.  Click on image to enlarge.)

On May 29, 2010 I went to a chic hair salon in Chapin, South Carolina where I finally met Jillian, her boyfriend Marty, Ivan (from the St. Baldrick's Foundation), Jon Osbourne (the "stylist"), and others willing to have their heads shaved for charity. IT WAS AMAZING!

(Above:  Jillian having her head shaved by Jon Osbourne.  Click on image to enlarge.)

I'm not vain about much in my life. I own no make-up, don't dye my hair, buy my clothes at local thrift shops, and my nails are a mess....but THERE'S NO WAY I could do this! Watching Jillian's thick black hair fall to the ground, section by section, was eye-opening...stunning. Watching the combination of emotions on Jillian's face was inspiring. What courage! What generosity! Jillian signed my "model's release". She posed for both "before" and "after" photos....including ones in which she was holding up a blank piece of paper. Videos were shot.

(Above:  Bald is Beautiful, Decision Portrait.  Detail.  Click on image to enlarge.  Jillian Owens, bald, holding a "before" photo of herself with hair.  Click on image to enlarge.)

I used a photo of Jillian holding the blank paper and superimposed a "before" photo during the transfer process. Jillian agreed to donate her "Ask Me Why I'm Bald" and "St. Baldrick's Foundation" pins to the portrait.

(Photo by Joshua beard of www.jbeardfoto.comhttp://www.jbeardfoto.com/info.html. Click on image to enlarge.)

Later, she posed for more professional photos, like this one by Joshua Beard.....now bald really is BEAUTIFUL.

 

(Above:  Bald is Beautiful, Decision Portrait Series.  Detail of St. Baldrick's buttons.  Click on image to enlarge.)

I contacted Jillian when the portrait was finished. She came by my studio and attached the two buttons.....

.....and posed holding the portrait....

...and we discussed me "future" plans for the rest of her hair! (I'll be getting to it after my show opens in September!)

(Above:  Bald is Beautiful, Decision Portrait.  Detail.  Click on image to enlarge.)

I collected Jillian's hair after the "shaving" and made unique "attachments" for the portrait using a tab of gel medium and a short length of perle cotton. The green glass, jewel-like bauble beads were ones I'd wanted to use for ages but no beading needle would slip through the impossibly small hole. In Washington, DC I found #15 beading needles....smaller than those generally found in a 4-pack at fabric shops. These little gems must have been waiting for "something special".....for THIS PIECE. It really is unique. Jillian's decision can be seen in a video I made HERE.