2011 Art Work in Review

I had a very creative and productive year in 2011, with most of the work being created in my studio, and some at a two-week art residency. I experimented with new materials and learned new painting techniques. I took risks (and worked outside of my comfort zone) by creating working that was larger and larger, and I was very happy with the end results.

The Fence As Lace

The twelve piece (and counting) Fence As Lace Series explores the lace-like qualities of construction fences. They are monoprinted, handstamped, handpainted, and stitched fabric that is stiffened to provide a construction fence-like feel when touching it.

Holes are cut out of various areas of the stiffened fabric on many of these pieces, so shadows and pattern can be seen behind it, and can be exhibited right on the wall or a few inches away from it.

Some pieces can be exhibited as installations where viewers can walk around them, and some can be exhibited either on the wall or as an installation. Most of the work in this series was created when I attended an art residency at the Vermont Studio Center in May 2011.

Fence/Curtain 1.0

Fence/Curtain 1.0 is a 35' decorative barrier that gives the illusion of the curtain, valance, different layers of fabric, and the drape of the curtain in the future performance hall. It is installed on the fence surrounding the ConstellationCenter construction site in Cambridge, MA.

It is is made of monoprinted textures of different patterns of construction fencing, and handstamped and hand painted geometric shapes, on cotton fabric that is stiffened and water resistant.

Fence Holes Bandage

During the unseasonal October 2011 Nor'easter, a very large limb broke off of the flowering pear tree in my backyard. Heavy snow on trees that haven't lost their leaves yet isn't a good thing, and even though we "only" got about 6" of snow, it was enough to cause damage. What resulted was a very large hole in the tree, something that will repair itself over time, but is very unsightly to look at. Fence Holes Bandage 1.0 is my solution to making the tree good to look while it heals.

Seasonal Fence Series

The twenty piece Seasonal Fences series are abstractions of different colors of fences in contrast to the landscape during different seasons. There are five pieces in each of the four seasons.

Seasonal Fences - Winter shows the landscape after the snow has fallen around the fence.


Seasonal Fences - Spring shows small Spring flowers that are starting to grow as the grass around it does too.


Seasonal Fences - Summer shows both flowers and hostas as they are growing on a very healthy lawn.


Seasonal Fences - Autumn shows the ground after the plants have died back, and some fallen leaves are still on the ground.

Fall Fence landscape

Fall Fence Landscape is a combination of a monoprinted textures of a garden fence, which was then handpainted inside each rectangle, to show a very colorful fall landscape. This piece consists of six 12" x 12" panels.

Books

Altered Book - The Fence Environment #1, mixed media with stiffened fabric,
book cover 9.25" x 6", book including pages 14" x 10.25"

Art Book - The Fence Environment #2, mixed media with stiffened fabric, 14" x 11.5"

12 x 12 x 12 Series

I created twelve pieces in my 12 x 12 x 12 Series, one for each month for 2011. This is the fifth year I've worked on a monthly piece in a 12" x 12" format, though each year there were some changes to my focus. Each piece created in 2011 was mounted on board, which I have really enjoyed, as well as my working more with a combination of printmaking and painting.

Fence Details

This series is a combination of monoprinted textures of orange construction fences, with painted and hand stamped shapes, on 6" x 6" x .75" cradled board.

Larger pictures and more info about of all of this work is posted on my website. Please visit.

Seasonal Fences Presentation Options

In 2011, I created a four part series, Seasonal Fences, which are abstractions of different colors of fences in contrast to the landscape during different seasons. They can be shown as a group of five of the same season or as a group of four that shows all four seasons with the same color of fence in the landscape. Here are nine different grouping options, besides hanging them individually. My hope is that these different options will be of interest to curators for an exhibit or art consultants for purchase in an office or home. The size of each individual piece in this series is 22" x 10" x 1", and they are all mixed media cradled board.

Seasonal Fences - Four Seasons 1 (above, with silver fences)

Seasonal Fences - Four Seasons 2 (white/off white fences)

Seasonal Fences - Four Seasons 3 (orange fences)

Seasonal Fences - Four Seasons 4 (green fences)

Seasonal Fences - Four Seasons 5 (brown fences)

Seasonal Fences - Winter #1-5

Seasonal Fences - Spring #1-5

Seasonal Fences - Summer #1-5

Seasonal Fences - Autumn #1-5

New Work - Seasonal Fences - Autumn #1-5

I've completed the Seasonal Fences series, which are abstractions of different colors of fences in contrast to the landscape during different seasons, Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn.

Seasonal Fences - Autumn shows the ground after the plants have died back, and some fallen leaves are still on the ground. The size of each piece in this series is 22" x 10" x 1", and they are all mixed media cradled board.

Shown above is Seasonal Fences - Autumn #1

Seasonal Fences - Autumn #2

Seasonal Fences - Autumn #3

Seasonal Fences - Autumn #4

Seasonal Fences - Autumn #5

Inspiration From the Kitchen

Dots of ground pepper patterned in a circle as it came out of the grinder, inside a small (round) ramekan, next to dots on the kitchen counter top, provide inspiration.

Holiday Construction Fencing

Decorated orange construction fencing on Tremont Street in Boston, MA. I guess even construction sites need some holiday cheer.

Fence Holes Bandage 1.0 Update

Fence Holes Bandage 1.0 has been installed on the tree in my back yard for just about three weeks, and it’s responding well to the elements. I love how the edges have been curling. It's very lace-like. Though I’m looking forward to any upcoming winter weather, I do look forward to seeing snow on it.

I couldn’t help but notice as I was looking at it from inside my house, that the oyster shells on the ground are similar in terms of shape and color. Just in case there was any curiosity about them being near each other, the installation came first, and then the oyster shells. Not the other way around.

Fencing Production

I want a tour of the factory where construction fences are made. I have no idea how they make them, but I'm fascinated!

Construction & Barrier Fence Heaven!

I was just introduced to utilitysafeguard.com, a website that has dozens and dozens of Construction & Barrier Fences, which my own personal version of being set loose in a candy store!

They have snow fences, construction fences, crowd control fences (what a great term!), deer, barrier, diamond (my least favorite), economy, and square safety fences.

I have at least 17 or more patterns/thicknesses/sizes/colors of fencing that I work with, and thought I had it all, but now I see there’s much, much more available.

Who would have thought that there are snow fences that are “designed to meet the requirements of state and local governments”?

And then there’s a product I’ve never heard of, checkerboard or polka dot “Surveyors Roll Flagging” which gives me a ton of ideas, especially when reading the description, “These resilient patterns add a wide assortment of choices for your non-verbal communication needs.” I have a ton of non-verbal communication needs.

I’m going to spend a few minutes in the next few days and choose a few fences that I don’t already have, and get a few. I just hope I can get the fences I want in 50-foot lengths. Buying 100 feet is expensive and also takes up a lot of valuable studio (or attic) space.

12 x 12 x 12 December 2011

Since I have a lot of "holes" from all of the large pieces I created this year, I've been thinking about how to use them in upcoming work. In October, I used them for my 12 x 12 x 12 monthly piece, and kept to a tight grid format. I decided that I'd use the "holes" again for my December piece. This time I used two different sizes, and though I didn’t really work in a grid, it is vaguely grid-like, and I did sew a grid to keep the holes together as I worked on the piece.

Working on both the October (below) and December (above) pieces gives me many ideas for a series to work on in 2012.

The 12 x 12 x 12 monthly series are mixed media on 12" x 12" x 1" board. If you want to know more about the 12 x 12 x 12 series, you can read past posts about it here on my blog, or see all of the completed work on my website.

Book Planning

I'm working on a new how-to book that's scheduled to be published in the Spring of 2013. To get myself organized, I've set up a spreadsheet with all of the chapters and sub-sections, and all the tasks for each. I was having trouble getting organized but now that I have this grid, as a person who thinks in grids, I know what I have to do, how to get it done, and how to keep track of everything.

Please note that I know nothing about spreadsheets, as technical as I may be. I'm sort of winging this, creating a system that works for my way of thinking.

Looking at the "art" in my spreadsheet is also starting to inspire me to design a series of paintings around it. Something to think about for the future.

New Work

There are five new pieces in my Fence Details series, Fence Details #22, 23, 24, 25 & 26.

The entire Fence Details series can be seen on my website. They are all mixed media on cradled board, measure 6" x 6" x .75", and are $125 each.

Fence Details series

The Holes in the Fences xsm series (below) is also 6" x 6" x .75" on cradled board, and are $125 each.

Holes in the Fences xsm series

Arlington Art Window Night and Day

I like the different look of my Arlington Art Window when seen at night as well as during the day. The exhibit is at 12 Medford Street in Arlington MA through January 8, 2012. There are more day/night pictures on my website.

On Exhibit: A Novel Idea

The Fence Environment #1 is on exhibit at A Novel Idea at the Hampden Gallery Incubator Project Space at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, MA, from December 11 - February 27, 2012. The Opening Reception is Sunday December 11^th, from 2 - 4pm.

A Novel Idea is a show of one of a kind altered books, an art form that I never worked with before being invited to participate in this show.

My artist's statement for my piece is below:

In 2002, I started seeing different patterns, shapes and sizes of orange construction fences that were being used at many construction sites as a barrier to keep people out of danger, by blocking off the site. I think in grids, and because of that, I fell in love with the fences immediately.

I am also interested in personal boundaries. When I was looking for a book to alter, I was glad to be gifted the book, The Therapeutic Environment by Robert Langs, MD, C 1979 (Jason Aronson), which was originally 575 pages.

My altered book, The Fence Environment #1, combines my interests in both fence and personal boundaries. The title is a play on the title of the original book and my love of construction fences, and it also stays within the naming system I use for my work, by using the word Fence in every title.

Some of the content in the original book included therapeutic boundaries, which I believe also works well with the how actual fences also provide boundaries.

In May 2011, I started to work on The Fence As Lace Series explores the lace-like qualities of construction fences. I carried that theme into this book.

The 28 or so new "pages" are made of monoprinted fabric that is stiffened so they feel more like paper. Before adding them to the book, I cut holes out of the edges of the stiffened fabric "pages", which made them more lace-like. I alternated between seven different patterns of "pages" that varied in size, pattern, density of paint and/or holes cut in them.

Shown at the top of this post: The Fence Environment #1, mixed media with stiffened fabric, book cover 9.25" x 6", book including pages 14" x 10.25". Shown above is the book open.