Color!

I saw these plants poking through the ground while on my walk a few days ago. I love their color, or lack of color, especially compared to the leaves surrounding them.

UPDATE:
A friend wrote to me and told me the plants are called Indian Pipes. She said "They are parasitic plants, very cool since they don't use photosynthesis for food. They are special to New England!"

Color!

Cold beet soup on a hot day.

National Endowment for the Arts Article

Read about the National Endowment for the Arts’s (N.E.A.) chairman-designate, "For New Leader of the Arts Endowment, Lessons From a Shaky Past," by Robin Pogrebin and Jo Craven McGinty on July 22, 2009 in the NY Times.

As someone who was planning on being an art teacher when I was younger, and as a mother and artist, I love this quote, "The United States has “dismantled the arts-education programs that used to be part of every public school,” Mr. Gioia said. “The N.E.A. is uniquely positioned to provide leadership in this.” There's a lot more in this article than that, but I wanted to point that out.

And, this quote from Michael Conforti, president of the Association of Art Museum Directors, “Anybody interested in the arts has to be so thankful that, whatever did or didn’t happen, the N.E.A. didn’t go away,” he added. “If it had gone away, it would be very difficult to reconstitute.” I'm one person who is very glad the N.E.A. is still here. Read more.

Weekly Update - Front and Back Yard Installations

Here is my weekly front and back yard installations update. Another rainy week here in eastern Massachusetts, with 4 inches of rain on Thursday night/Friday morning alone. I don't know how much we got in total all week.


In my front yard is Fence Installation Series #1/22, as shown above. A front detail is at the top of this post.


The bottom back side is a little dirtier and rustier than last week since we have gotten even more rain. I like how I can see through from the back and see some color from the front.


In my back yard is Fence Installation Series #1/16. I think it's blending in with nature nicely.


My fall blooming clematis is weaving its way in and out of this piece, and I love it.


Here is the clematis holding on and peaking through to the front side from the back side.

The week ahead is going to be very humid and rainy. I'll try to post another update next week.

Temporary Outdoor Art Studio

I need new monoprinted fabric so I can start working on Orange Construction Fence Series #71-76, so I grabbed some time this morning and got to work.


Unfortunately it's really hot and sticky here in eastern Massachusetts. Summer weather decided to (finally) pay us a visit after we've had very cool and rainy weather since spring. My studio is littered with the sweaters I've been redesigning, and it was also pretty warm inside, so I decided to make a small outdoor printing area on our back deck.

It was also hot outside, and thunderstorms are forecasted later in the day, but at least there was moving air. I brought all of my printing supplies outside, along with six pieces of cut cotton fabric that were large enough to cover the white construction fence I wanted to print off of. I donned my 1978 Fabrications (a Boston area fabric store in the 1970's and early 80's) apron, which has been my art uniform for as long as I can remember, and I set up and started printing.

I ended up printing six 30" wide x 60" lengths of fabric with the gridded texture of my new white construction fence, and one smaller piece that I printed through the fence so I got sort of a checkerboard print instead. That piece of fabric will probably be used for my August 12 x 12 x 12, since it's almost time to start working on that. I was going to do three large checkerboards of the fence, but I'm not crazy about how the small piece looked so I stopped. Plus I was dripping in sweat and was rather uncomfortable. I hate being hot.


I didn't want to bring fabric with wet black fabric paint through the house to hang them up to dry, so I hung them from the wooden bars that keep my outdoor umbrella open. Even though it was really humid, they did dry in the breeze.


When the weather started to look threatening, I took them inside to continue to dry, and let the fabric paint set, in my downstairs bathroom. Not very glamorous but it is what it is.

Next step is to iron the fabric to set the paint some more, and then wash it to remove the extra paint. Then I'll be ready to work on these new pieces. I also need to finish painting Orange Construction Fence Series #70, which is almost done and I just noticed I haven't taken any pictures of it in progress yet. Need to do that. When the painting is completed, I'll stitch #70 and also #69 which is ready and waiting. More on all of this soon.

Last week for Danforth Museum's Members' Shows

It's the last week to see the two member shows at the Danforth Museum of Art in Framingham MA. Both shows close on August 2nd.

Read "Danforth Museum hosts annual exhibit of members' artworks" by Kristine Diederich at the MetroWest Daily News on Jul 19, 2009. The main picture in the article is of "Dress of Etiquette" by my friend Virginia Fitzgerald. You can also click on a few other images, in the article, including a sculpture by David Lang.

My 12 x 12 x 12 Series September (above) and Orange Construction Fence Series #63 (below) are hanging in the Museum. Stop by and say hello to them, and see a lot of great work by Boston area artists. It's a perfect indoor thing to do this week, seeing that we're expecting a lot more rain.

Artists Want Cabinet-level 'Arts Czar'

Check this out:

"Artists want Cabinet-level 'arts czar'," by Nia-Malika Henderson on 7/8/09 on Politico.com.

The Fashion Show Finale

I watched the season finale of The Fashion show last night. Without spoiling the end by announcing the winners, I have some thoughts I wanted to share.

When I was in Art School, final critiques of our art work could be pretty tough, and sometimes they were very mean, and did not offer any positive suggestions, which I think makes for a better learning experience.

On last night's The Fashion show, besides summing up the season, and showing different out-takes, I listened to very good suggestions from the judges that I hope the designers will listen to.

I thought that during the season, and especially on the finale last night, the three judges, Isaac Mizrahi (a fashion designer, and the host of The Fashion Show), Fern Mallis (Senior Vice President of IMG Fashion, and known as the creator of New York's “Fashion Week”), and Glenda Bailey (editor-in-chief of Harper’s Bazaar), offered very valuable ideas and opinions about fashion, and the fashion industry to not only the three finalists, but also to the other designers too. The more blunt criticism was offered gently, and there was almost a nurturing feel to a lot of what was said. Glenda Bailey even offered to privately talk to each designer about their work, which in my opinion, is worth more than prize money. Good for her! I wanted to reach into my TV and give her a huge hug.

As I said on July 2nd, I've learned a lot about sewing and wearable fashion while watching The Fashion show. Even if the show was meant to be a replacement for Project Runway, which has moved to Lifetime TV, I think it's its own show, and it does show promise for the future, assuming Bravo TV offers future seasons.

Copyright Infringement?

Anyone who has ever seen my Pez collection knows this story is of interest to me:

"Pez Candy Inc sues Museum of Pez Memorabilia for copyright infringement," by Xeni Jardin, July 6, 2009 on boingboing.net.

The very first email list I was on, back in the mid 1990's, was a Pez list, and I always enjoyed reading about the Burlingame Museum of Pez Memorabilia.

In the article "Pez Suing Burlingame Museum of Pez Memorabilia," by Doctor Popular on July 1st on laughingsquid.com, I learned that "The suit, filed last week, claims that the museum deceives the public into believing they are operating under the authority of Pez and asks that the museum’s 7 foot tall replica of Pez dispenser be destroyed. The lawsuit also takes issue with the museum’s sales of toy truck Pez dispensers which had been modified with Obama and McCain logos during last years elections."

I really enjoyed reading this article "Help the Burlingame Pez Museum battle against the man" by fellow Examiner Bryan Bennett on July 6th on examiner.com. Very well thought out, and he obviously understands Pez collecters!

Even NPR reported this story. Listen to: "Pez Maker Is Sour On Museum's Memorabilia," by David Gorn on July 21, 2009.

As an artist, I think this case is worth paying attention to, even if it's about a candy item. My question is, is it copyright infringement or parody? It'll be interesting to find out what happens in this case.

And Even More Art Goes Reality (TV)

No word from my friend who went to audition for the Untitled Art Project on Bravo TV in New York City last weekend, and I've heard that there will be auditions for the show in Boston in August (more on that when I have more info), but here are some interesting reads:

"Hundreds Try Out for Art-World Reality Show," By Randy Kennedy on July 19, 2009 in the NY Times.

"Posting Notice: The Untitled Art Project Edition," on ArtFagCity.com on July 20, 2009.

"All Bravo, all the time...,"
by Matthew Nash on July 20, 2009 on Big Red and Shiny.

... and ...

"Bravo's Untitled Art show might be more interesting than I thought...," also by Matthew Nash on July 20, 2009 on Big Red and Shiny.

I'll post the Boston audition info ASAP. I promise! I just need to confirm my info.

- - - - - - - - -

Note added on July 23rd:

The Boston Bravo TV auditions is apparently a hoax! I posted an article about it on examiner.com. Check it out.

Being Organized

The postcards for my solo show "Off the Fence," at the Hunt-Cavanagh Gallery at Providence College, in Providence, Rhode Island arrived yesterday. Yeah!

I hope I can stay this organized as I work on PR, addressing the postcards, and planning what work will be hung where in the gallery. So far so good.

Thanks to Modern Postcard for having a few summer promotions. The reduced rate, and the ease in ordering, is very much appreciated!

If you would like me to mail a postcard to you before the show opens, please send me an email: jeanne@jeannewilliamson.com. (US readers only please.)

Weekly Update - Front and Back Yard Installations

Just about every week I post an update about my weekly front and back yard installations. In my back yard is Fence Installation Series #1/16. Except for a little fading of the batik fabric on the outer edges, it's holding up rather nicely, and my fall flowering clematis is growing in and out and around it, which I think is interesting and fun.


This is a detail of the clematis' foliage from the front ...


... and here is a back view.


In my front yard is Fence Installation Series #1/22, as shown above. Not any changes except for some sagging.


This picture better shows how the piece is sagging in the upper corners, after being rained on for so many weeks. Not a big deal, but something to think about when installing the next one.

Ipswich, Massachusetts

On Friday and Saturday, my husband and I drove to Ipswich, MA, in his 1972 Volvo 1800ES, to attend a Volvo Meet.

The last time we attended a similar car show was in October 2007 where I took a lot of pictures of the beautiful colors of the cars.

Besides the Volvos, I was interested in going up to Ipswich because I grew up there, and haven't spent much time there at all since 1974, when I graduated from high school.

The last house I lived in in Ipswich was a 13 room victorian house, that is now a B & B called The Ipswich Inn. I wrote to the owners ahead of time to ask if I could visit, and on Saturday morning, I was given a nice tour of the house. My family moved out of the house around 1980+/-, and I think there have been two or three owners since then.

I always fantasized about how I'd redo the house if I had the opportunity, and I enjoyed seeing the changes that have been made to it. The only two spaces that are unchanged structurally since I lived there are the front stairs and my old bedroom which is now called the "Twin Bed Room." (In high school, I painted the room white and lime green. I promise you it's not lime green any more!) A few people asked me if it felt weird to go back to the house but it didn't. Mainly because it was so changed. It was actually fun because I got to think back about what the house once looked like and compare it to now.


The building right next to the Volvo meet has a wonderful mural, painted by Alan Pearsall. He gave a nice talk about the mural, and the history of Ipswich, some of which I knew, and some I didn't. The most interesting part of his talk was about the Native Americans who lived in Ipswich, and coincidentally for me, their relationship with the Native Americans who lived in Natick, MA, where I now live. Very very interesting. I love that, as an adult, I live in a town with so much rich history, and that I grew up in one that also had a rich history.

I've always wanted a book about Ipswich History, so I got a copy of his book "American Town: The History of Ipswich, Massachusetts," which documents both the mural and the town's history.


One of the "cars" at the Meet was a Volvo XC90 made completely out of Legos, except for the tires. Here are some detail shots. I love the pixalization and grids. (I wonder if I could recreate a version of the photo above using a combination of a monoprint of a construction fence, and some hand painting? Hmmm.)




Except for getting a bad sunburn on both shoulders (I should have done a better of protecting my skin but I blew it big time), it was a fun time.

Sweaters Update

I've been making progress on the sweaters I'm redesigning. While I didn't get as many done last week as I had hoped, but I did get 8 done, minus the buttons and attaching custom name labels (more on that below). Actually, I have to do the buttons on 15+ sweaters, but the hardest part is the redesign. Buttons can be done any time.

These is what sizes I've done to date (more or less):

XSM
SM - II
PM - I
M - IIIII III
L - IIIII IIIII
XL
2X
22/24 - I
34 - I
XXL tall - I

I've done about 25 in total. I have 20+ left to do in various sizes, plus one commission, and I need to buy XL and 2X sized sweaters, because I need more larger sizes in my offering. I'm going to try to get as many sweaters done as possible, before October when I'll be doing Natick Artists Open Studios, on October 17th & 18th, and some trunk shows to follow.

As for the name labels, I have some ideas for the name of this line. One in particular is my favorite (at the moment), but I'm not going to announce it until I've made my final decision, registered the domain name, designed the label, and etc. A few people suggested names on facebook, after I asked for help. If you have any name ideas and want to share, please write to me at jeanne@jeannewilliamson.com.

Shown at the top of this post is a sweater I finished a few weeks ago. It used to be a pullover, and is now cardigan. It's a size Woman's 22-24, 100% wool, felted center placket, neck and placket edged with orange lace, 2 front pockets, hand covered fabric buttons.

I'm also considering buying a mannequin or dress form to not only use for display of the sweaters, but so I can see what they look like as I work on them so I don't have to try them on constantly. Most don't fit me, and it's also really hot and itchy to do the in the summer heat. If you know of any that are for sale and are inexpensive, please write to me.

Even More Art Goes Reality (TV)

I found more articles about the casting call for the Untitled Art Project on Bravo TV that I think are interesting. If you don't know about the casting calls or the show, you can read my July 7th and and 5th posts about it.

Read a conversation with Sarah Jessica Parker in ArtNet News on July 6, 2009. 

And speaking of the casting call, read this from ArtFagCity.com, "Let’s Fire Up the Rumor Mill! Bravo Casting Calls for Untitled Art Project," on July 13, 2009.

I have a friend who is planning on going to the casting call in New York this weekend. I'll try to find out more about her experience and report back.

12 x 12 x 12 July 2009

I finished my 12 x 12 x 12 July 2009.

For this month's piece, I wanted to print off of the new white construction fence I bought last month at Lowes, so I could see what the grid looks like printed and painted.

I also wanted to base the design on the new work I'm doing for Orange Construction Fence #69 which is not yet stitched, and for #70 which I just started a few days ago.


After I painted this piece, I decided to cut it and flip one side front to back, so both the light and dark sides of the fabric are showing. After I cut and stitched it, the outer edges were really lopsided and off center, and I really liked the shape. I've recently become very interested in unusually shaped pieces, after seeing what other artists are producing. Unfortunately this piece was made purposely to be a 12" x 12" square when finished because it's part of of series that I've been doing for 2.5 years now. I do plan on creating more work that will stay odd shaped if it happens that way, but it's not going to be part of my 12 x 12 x 12 Series.

If you want to know more about this series, you can read past posts about it here on my blog, or see all of the completed work on my website.

More 12 x 12 x 12 July in Process

I finished hand painting the fabric for my 12 x 12 x 12 July piece that I posted yesterday. Up top is the front/painted side, and below the back side.


This fabric measures over 18.5" x 18.5". Stitching comes next, then cropping it to 12" x 12". I wish I had paid attention to the final size as I was printing and painting this, because a lot of it is going to be trimmed away. Oh well. I'll figure it out.

I need to decide if I'm going to use the front, or back, or a combination of both sides, before I stitch it.

More 12 x 12 x 12 July in Process

I was able to grab some time on Sunday, to start hand painting the fabric that I posted on Sunday morning for my 12 x 12 x 12 July piece. Up top is the front/painted side, and below the back side.


I finished painting it late last night. Now that the paint is dry and the sun is up, I'll take pics shortly, and will try to post them tomorrow.

Weekly Update - Front and Back Yard Installations

This is my weekly front and back yard installations update. In my back yard is Fence Installation Series #1/16, seen above.

This week has been a mix of rain and sun. On Tuesday alone, we got 4" of rain (and the weather was so bad that a nearby town had a tornado warning, which is very unusual for eastern Massachusetts). On Wednesday we got a little rain, and then there was sun or sun/clouds the rest of the week until late Saturday night/early Sunday morning when we had very heavy downpours for many hours. I was very worried that the backyard piece was starting to mildew, but looking at it on Sunday morning, when it was finally dry, it looked OK. Phew!



The fall blooming clematis seems happy growing around the installation, and some leaves are grabbing on to the edges of the cut holes.


There's a lot of foliage on the back side which get very little sun.


The batik fabric, which I purchased and appliqued, is starting to fade. The greens are getting more yellowish. I'll keep an eye on that. I don't expect the blacks to fade, nor the green stamped thin lines. They're made with fabric paint, which is acrylic-based. The other flowered fabric was also purchased and seems to be holding up OK so far. When there's sun, this piece gets hours of it early through mid-day.


In my front yard is Fence Installation Series #1/22, as shown above.


The upper corners look floppier that last week.


This shows evidence of splashed mud on the black pipes, and the bottom of the piece.


This is a better detail picture of the floppiness, from the back side.


And this is more evidence of splashed mud at the bottom back side.

I'll post another update next week. I'm hoping we have nice weather with little to no rain.

12 x 12 x 12 July in Process

I've been really busy with various art and non-art related things, but was able to grab a few minutes to print the fabric for my 12 x 12 x 12 July piece. I wanted to try printing with my new white construction fence. It's nice to print off of because it's not lumpy like many construction fences are. I also like the square grid.

I'm going to print yardage of this fence very soon because I have plans to use it when I take my (sorta) staycation in a few weeks. This fence is only 24" wide, instead of the 48"+ widths I'm used to printing off of. I've got plans to take advantage of this size, and create new work. Very manageable.

Will work on my July 12 x 12 x 12 now that the fabric's been printed and will post pictures ASAP. Gotta finish it by the end of July, which is coming up pretty fast.

Providence Solo Show Show Postcard

Despite reading Gallery Card as Relic? by Roberta Smith on June 23rd in the NY Times, I just ordered postcards for my solo show at the Hunt-Cavanagh Gallery at Providence College, in Providence, Rhode Island.

The name of my show is "Off the Fence," and one of the things the gallery requests is 200 postcards for their mailing list, so I had to make cards anyway. I figured between their request, the fact that I can give many away when I participate in Open Studios on October 17th and 18th here in Natick MA.

Postcards are one of the ways to reach people who are not on my email list, and who don't read my blog, twitter posts, my personal facebook page or facebook fan page.

Thanks to Modern Postcard having a few summer promotions so I was able to order the postcards for a reduced rate.

If you would like me to mail one to you (US readers only please), please send me an email: jeanne@jeannewilliamson.com.

Needed: A Federal Arts Policy

Read "Needed: A Federal Arts Policy" in The Huffington Post by Michael Kaiser, President of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, on July 6, 2009.

Quoting from the article:

"What we really need is a debate over federal arts policy. Most people do not know that no fewer than nine government agencies provide support to arts in this nation. That is not a typo." Read more.

Interesting read.

Facebook Fan Page

I created a Facebook Fan Page. Check it out.

More Art Goes Reality (TV)

More information about the Artists Reality show on Bravo TV that I posted about on July 5th.

It's interesting to read the questions (pdf) for the artists applying.

If you want to apply, here's the link. Casting calls start on July 11th. Good luck.

Weekly Update - Front and Back Yard Installations

Greetings. This is my weekly front and back yard installations update. Until July 4th, eastern Massachusetts had rain or overcast skies just about every day in June, and the first three days in July. There was sun on July 4th and the 5th.

In my back yard is Fence Installation Series #1/16. There's a lot of lush greenery, and my fall clematis continues to express interest in growing around it, and it looks like it might start weaving in and out of the holes this week, weather permitting.


This is a front detail of the clematis, and the piece itself after being rained on over and over again.


Here is a back detail.


In my front yard is Fence Installation Series #1/22, as shown above. It's also doing well.


The rust didn't get much worse from this past week's rain, as seen above ....


... and below. The specks I noticed last week are splattered mud, not mold, thank goodness. There's a little pacasandra growing underneath, but there's also a lot of plain dirt. Hence the splashing. No big deal in my opinion. Just art and nature living together.

Both of these pieces have been living outside for over a month. On May 24th the back yard piece made its outdoor debut, and May 28th was the date for the one in the front yard. It rained here just about every day from June 4th through July 3rd in eastern Massachusetts, and on some of the days it didn't rain, it was quite overcast. Not quite 40 days and 40 nights, but close.

I found this graphic: "A dark, wet month for the history books: June 2009" which showed 9 days without any rain, and 27% of possible sunshine.

The Boston Globe even posted instructions on How to build an ark. The humor if it actually cheered people up a little, because the weather was really getting people down. Thank goodness the sun returned on July 4th. My art got to dry off, and everyone I know started to smile again.

I'll post another update in a week.

Art Goes Reality (TV)

On Thursday, May 14th, I posted "Artists on Reality TV," and it looks like it's really going to happen.

An article in the NY Times "Art Goes Reality," by Edward Wyatt on June 30, 2009 explains, "The series, which has yet to be named, will feature 13 aspiring artists who will compete in sculpture, painting, photography, industrial design and other disciplines to create “unique pieces highlighting art’s role in everyday life.”" Read more, including casting call dates.

If you're curious to know if I'll be auditioning, the answer is no. I'll most likely watch the show, but I don't have any desire to be on it.

Rubberband Ball

New rubberband ball news! While sewing the other day, I noticed that my family's rubberband ball, which currently lives on the next table, had some changes.

Notice in the picture above that the white rubberband on the front right, that even though you can't read it says Lees Market (in Westport Massachusetts), is now loose and hanging off the ball from the bottom edge. No changes that I can see on the back side (below).


I used to to post updates of our rubberband ball every two weeks or so, but then the ball sorta fossilized and didn't change too much. Now I do it when I see changes. If you'd like to see what it's looked like in the past, click here. To see what the first picture I posted, in July 2007, click here.

Pay the Artists

Check this out:

"Pay the Artists," by Felix Salmon, in The Atlantic, Ideas: Fixing the World, July/August 2009 :

"If the Obama administration is serious about stimulating the economy and creating as many new jobs as possible, one choice is clear: it should announce a massive increase in federal arts funding. Artists are among the very poorest citizens. When they get cash, they spend it both quickly and carefully."

... and...

"Arts spending is fantastic at creating employment: for every $30,000 or so spent on the arts, one more person gets a job, compared with about $1 million if you’re building a road or hospital. " Read more.

The Fashion Show

I've been watching the The Fashion Show on Bravo TV, and I like it. The show has a more educational slant than Project Runway.

Each week the designers take part in two challenges, a mini challenge, and the elimination challenge. The Mini Challenge is very short, and is usually educational from a TV viewers point of view. In the the elimination challenge, the designers are assigned a theme when creating clothing that is not only functional but also attractive. A variation of the winning outfit each week is offered for sale on Bravo TV's website.

I have to say that I've been sewing for 35+ years (that makes me sound old but I'm not), and I almost always learn something during the mini challenge. I also enjoy watching the designers create their clothing for the elimination challenge each week, seeing it as the models wear it on the runway, and listen to the critiques at the end. The canned lines like "you're hanging by a thread," and "we're just not buying it" are goofy, but otherwise I'm enjoying the show.

Isaac Mizrahi is the biggest reason to watch The Fashion Show. His fashion/design/sewing knowledge is worth its weight in gold. I've also been learning a lot from the comments of the guest judges.

My friend Elizabeth Barton wrote a post about The Fashion show that is a good read called An Interesting Exercise. Check it out.

The Fashion Show is on Bravo on Thursday nights at 10 pm ET/PT. If you aren't watching it, Bravo repeats each episode often, so it's not too late to catch up.

Project Runway used to be on Bravo. Check out past seasons. It's moving to Lifetime TV next season, which I'm looking forward to watching when it starts on August 20th at 10pm ET.

Really Good (Art) Advice!

Really good (art) advice from Edward Winkleman Thick Skin or Not: Send in that Application, posted on his blog on June 22, 2009.

I have recently applied for a grant, sent my portfolio to a few galleries, and also to an artist registry. I'll be applying for another grant, sending applications to a few shows, and sending some more portfolios to more galleries, all in the next week or so. I have no idea if I'll have success with any of this, but I'm trying. What are you doing?

Remember this quote from Woody Allen "Eighty percent of success is showing up."