Savoring nearby people and exhibits: JP artist Sandie Fenton and El Anatsui exhibit

Often in this blog, I share the work of those I meet during my
travels or talk about my own projects. Today I'm lifting
up the idea of savoring exhibits and people close to home.

First - the work of a very long time friend, Jamaica Plain, MA,
artist, Sandie Fenton. Sandie and I began our journey into the
fine craft world together in the early 70's. For a short time we
even exhibited together under the name "Common Ground".
I was a potter, Sandie a weaver. Occasionally we cooperated for
"loom" pots...I threw them, she wove in the openings. Turns out
(somewhat to my embarrassment) my mother-in-law kept one:



Needless to say we both moved on, changing media and vision.
A while back, Sandie made the decision to stop traveling to do
shows in order to delve deeper into her work and to be freer
for experimental exploration. Fall of 2009 she gathered a
group of 12 artists to begin the Time Project - The artists
(ranging in age from 52-75) committed themselves
producing one piece a week for a year and to meet once a
month to share and explore. The focus : Time - interpreted
however the artists chose. My schedule didn't allow me to join,
but I have been following the project with fascination. Various
individuals in the group created blogs connected to the project.
Sandie started hers this year: www.sandiefenton.blogspot.com
Rather than speak for her, I encourage you to go to her blog to
get the direct scoop on the project from Sandie and
to see images of her work and read about the concepts she
is exploring. The image at the beginning of this post is of one
of the pieces she created in connection with the project.
entitled: "Haiti - Struggle and Spirit".

I had the good fortune to see the presentation the group offered
at the year's end which included sharing some of their work-
sculptures, artist books, photographs, miniature paintings, digital
flip books and more. They also showed a video of the meetings
which helped the audience get a real feel for the meaningful
and supportive interaction of the group. (7 hours of taping down
to 20 min. - quite a feat of editing!)

The group, slightly reconfigured, started up again this year
again with monthly meetings, but with the commitment to
produce monthly, instead of weekly. This year Sandie has
said her personal focus is: " Memory: Strength and Fragility".

Never being one to only do one thing, Sandie also just
completed a commission for Children's Hospital in Waltham.
The hospital is opening a newly renovated wing this summer.
It promises to be filled with glorious fun art. I spent a lot of
time with our children in Boston's Children's hospital when
they were young and know how important engaging art is in
a hospital. I took this snapshot of Sandie's 30 " x 48" wall piece,
"Two Horses and Their Friends" before she delivered it. Her blog
gives details on the commission and metal and paper materials.



These close ups help show the three dimensional aspect of the
piece. She was allowed 3 inches of relief depth. It will be
framed in wood and plexiglass. I can almost hear the voices of
children making up stories!





And - why just limit oneself to visual art? Several years ago,
Sandie initiated a monthly writing group to keep momentum
going for some memoir writing she was doing. I joined the
group a few years ago - first working on a mythic tale (more
info on that in future blog posts) , then lately on a bit of walking
down memory lane myself. I'm intrigued to see if I can identify
and understand the origins of the "threads" which have seemed
to pull me through life. Or perhaps see they have always been
there in one form or another. Regular meetings really help keep
the writing going.

Finally - Sandie always keeps an eye open to finding
what intriguing exhibits or performances are coming
to town...and then making sure they are not missed by
friends. Latest case in point was her insisting we HAD
to be sure to see the exhibit at the Davis Gallery at Wellesley
College of Ghanian artist El Anatsui : https://www.davismuseum.wellesley.edu/.../el-anatsui-when-i-last-wrote-to-you-about-africa -
She was right, of course. My only regret was that I
didn't get to it earlier. I saw it last week only a few days
before it closed. I would have enjoyed going back again
and again and figured a way to bring along some of the
youth I work with. For visual and conceptual inspiration
El Anatsui's work is breath taking. This exhibit is traveling to
other cities. If it is anywhere nearby, go! At a minimum, do
some internet searching on him. Here is a short Youtube
link featuring El Anatsui: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7UBvknG8c4

So as I said at the beginning of the blog... travel and
explore, but don't forget to savor those nearby and
to appreciate the life gifts creative friends offer - and if
they suggest an exhibit...don't wait!

Adventure on near and far! Wendy

HYCC kids' Sedred, the Fire Biter Silver Dragon

Another Spring, another project over at Hawthorne Youth and
Community Center. Last year as part of a "Community Creations"
program connected with the Isabella Stewart Gardner museum
we built a fantasy model of their courtyard:
http://wendyellertson.blogspot.com/2010/06/fantasy-courtyard-model-by-hycc-kids.html
This year, the HYCC kids looked at all the dragons at the museum
with artist Johnetta Tinker and drew their versions and ideas.
Then they returned to HYCC and worked with me to create the
dragon sculpture you see above.

First, they searched the HYCC grounds for dragon-looking
branches and other useful materials (like pine cones for spokes).
A skeleton of wood and wire ended up longer and bigger
than I expected - 8+ feet. But hey - I'm a believer in letting kids
go where their imagination leads. And dragons do have a way of
growing and growing!



Since my initial idea was to develop an outdoor sculpture,
we used foil and other natural materials to give the armature
bulk - Used a bit of duct tape to help it stay together while
working.



They stripped some multi-strand wire found in the center
to create the "fire" streaming from the mouth.



Next scales and details. At E.X.C.L - the educational recycle
center: http://www.exclrecycles.org/ I found some foil and
felt insulation which the kids stripped the foil off, then attached
to some foam circles with one sticky side.



My hubby had found a roll of foil tape left on the grounds at
Jazzfest. It was perfect for helping secure the strips of scales
and adding detail to the LONG tail.



Glass eyes and foil eyebrows helped the dragon see.



Wings? - Plastic inserts from flower bouquets
from Wilson farms looked promising: http://www.wilsonfarm.com/
The kids agreed so I drove out to Wilson farms
and asked for two more inserts. They were intrigued
that we were making dragon wings. The plastic slipped
nicely over the extended branches.



"But what is a dragon without a nest and eggs?" the
kids asked. So work went on. Fortunately the nest
woven from Bittersweet vine resting in my studio was
available to be morphed once again into a participatory
project. The kids stripped more vines and wove
them in, added shiny Mylar, and nesting materials .




Had to make sure the dragon would fit:



Next the eggs - The ostrich egg I had in my studio was an
appropriate size. The kids wrapped it with plastic, then
with wet plaster bandages. When the plaster was hard, we
sliced it open, removed the real egg, and added paint.



and finally, of course, baby dragons had to begin to emerge.
Sculpted foil provided claws and tails...



Kids decided on a final name: Sedred, the Fire Biter Silver
Dragon. It took a ride in our van...and was displayed
in the Community Creations exhibit at the African
American Artist in Residency Program's gallery in
Jamaica Plain: http://www.northeastern.edu/daas/initiatives/aamarp/
The Gardner Museum is under construction
so this year the exhibit had a neighborhood venue which
means it can be there for a whole month.



I love seeing kids revel at their work in a true gallery setting.
It made a fun center piece for the exhibit. The other
groups did paintings, collage work, pop up books,
and ceramic treasure boxes - all distinct and wonderful
and reflecting the museum trips. The reception honored
the children efforts and the Museum's commitment
to community involvement.

Dragon finished, HYCC kids and I are on to a project
in landscaping architecture which has to be finished
up by the end of the school year.

Adventure on...Wendy

Mardi Gras float warehouse

Before leaving New Orleans, we took the tour over at "Mardi
Gras World" the only Blaine Kern Studios warehouse which is
open to the public: mardigrasworld.com I had not realized that
this one organization creates almost all the materials for the
53 different Mardi Gras parades . Only 14-18 artists are
employed full time so needless to say they are busy all
year long. Each Krewe has at least one "signature" float
which "roles" every year, but the rest of the floats (There
have to be at least 10 - maximum of 15) roll only once. The
sea serpent below is one such signature float. Look closely and
you'll see me about to be licked by the serpent to get a sense of
scale.



Here is another image to show scale.That's my hubby
who is around 5'11".



Only the bases are kept, everything else is dismantled, taken apart
and painted over with white to begin again. The tour takes you
by the work stations for repainting, sculpting new Styrofoam etc.


The warehouse was filled with mythic creatures from last year
and previous year's parades...so needless to say I was a happy
camper!



Since my father used to ride in the Krewe of Hermes parade, I
enjoyed seeing the floats up close and personal, inside and out.
This image shows the inside with hooks for the necklaces
thrown and ropes which participants hook on to belts to make
sure they don't fall off!



As we were walked next to the floats, I looked
closely at the materials used. The glistening gold on the
floats looked like gold leaf. I confirmed with one of the
artists that I was correct. Strips of gold leaf are lightly glued
on so they dance in the breeze and leave behind a trail of gold.



At the end of the tour, you can wander to your heart's
content through the warehouse on your own savoring
parts from previous years' parades which wait to be
converted into new items for new floats..



After Mardi Gras World, we wandered over to the Ogden
Museum of Southern Art: www.ogdenmuseum.org
We enjoyed the photographs of juke joints in one gallery
and sculpture and paintings throughout.
Then ended up over on Frenchman road to listen to music
connected with a fund raiser for the Japanese Red Cross.
Japanese drumming, jazz, and zydeco.

We left New Orleans feeling like we had just begin to
know and understand a bit of the city. We definitely
hope to return.

The drive back home through the devastation of the
tornadoes in Alabama, Tennessee and Virginia was
sobering. When we saw images of the tornadoes
which hit Massachusetts this past Wednesday,
we were reminded of the uncertainty of life. The
New Orleans philosophy of living in the moment
came to mind.

Once home my focus was helping the children
at Hawthorne Youth and Community Center
finish their dragon sculpture. Process photos of that
project next post!

Adventure on! Wendy

New Orleans Jazz Fest 2011

"Only in New Orleans" - the phrase used by Irvin Mayfield at the
concert on Wednesday before Jazz Fest: nojazzfest.com The same
could be used for the fest as a whole. Where else can you wander
for 3 days between 12 stages with nonstop performances from
11Am to 7PM including Zydeco, Gospel,blues, main stream jazz,
folk, Haitian drumming, storytelling, Mardi Gras Indian
performances and more all while viewing a Contemporary Craft
Show, a Louisiana Art Show and a Haitian Art Celebration. Not
to mention spend the evenings in New Orleans listening to more
music! Then, return on Thursday for four days to start all over
again with different artists and performers. I had heard of friends
participating in Jazz Fest before, but did not understand its scope
and incredible richness!

New Orleans has long felt a special connection to Haiti. This year
Jazz Fest showed support and involvement by inviting Haitian
artists and musicians to set up in the Congo Square area of the fest.
Didier Civil was one of the artists there: didiercivilartsjacmel.com



The Contemporary Craft Show tents are set up by the WWOZ Jazz
tent, the Gospel and Blues tent and behind the main Acura Stage
There are only 60 Contemporary Craft exhibitors which makes for
a intimate show in a huge setting. There is no electricity and
creativity in display is encouraged. I brought along some bright
material to spice up my booth. We lucked out this year with the
weather - not too much wind (read dust...jazz fest is at the race
track), no rain and not too hot.

Awards are given. "Most Unique Work" went to Woody Jones:
woodyjones.com Woody was there with his wooden
"Mechanical Amusements" including his big Head which filled
up most of his corner booth. You can see it on his link.

"Best of Show" went to Lewis Tardy for his steel sculpture:
Tardysculpture.com Here is a snapshot of his booth:



The show includes photography and painting. We enjoyed
the photography of Frank Relle: www.frankrelle.com
especially his houses encrusted in vegetation. That's his photo
on the cover of the book : Nine Lives:Mysery, Magic, Death and
in New Orleans by Dan Baum.

With jazz reverberating all around and an enthusiastic energetic
eclectic crowd, I felt more at home at Jazz Fest than at
many shows. I've often thought about the connection of the
improvisational way I approach my work and the passion my
parents had for jazz and imbued in me. As with jazz, in
my approach to art making, you listen, build on experience,
but mostly trust in the flow that propels you forward.



The most surprising part of the fest for me was watching
the Mardi Gras Indians walk by in their amazingly
crafted feather and bead regalia. The costumes are exquisite.
I was unfamiliar with the depth of tradition they represent
and have been doing a lot of reading about the story behind
the Mardi Gras Indians since I came home. (The photo at the
top of this post is of one of the many performance by these
groups. )



Just when I think my work is getting intricate, I look at
their work! Talk about inspiration to incorporate story
and really go for it!





I'll definitely apply to Jazzfest again next year. If accepted,
I hope we can arrange to attend before or after having
a booth. I'd love to wander, savor the performances
and absorb the energy in a relaxed fashion.

Next week's blog post - our trip to the warehouse
where the Mardi Gras floats are made!!

Adventure on! Wendy

New Orleans - prelude to JazzFest

"Only in New Orleans" was Irvin Mayfield's frequent refrain
when we were listening to him at Lafayette Square Wed.
eve before Jazz Fest. We arrived in New Orleans a day
and a half early to explore and savor the city a bit before
setting up at the Contemporary Craft Show section of
Jazzfest: nojazzfest.com

During one part of the concert, students joined
him. The 10 year old trumpet player and 16 year old sax
player pictured above with the band show the future of jazz
is alive and VERY well in NOLA. At the end of the concert,
a brass band led the crowd through the town down to the
Royal Sonesta Hotel where Mayfield's club is located. We all
became part of the classic "second line". One image I won't forget:
a woman on a bike twirling her purple parasol brought from
Colorado, hoping she might have a chance to dance with it.

Sights and sounds in New Orleans are complicated,
sobering and celebratory. We saw the excellent exhibit
"Living with Hurricanes: Katrina and Beyond" which just
opened up this past October in the French Quarter
at the Louisiana State Museum :
http://lsm.crt.state.la.us/katrina/index.htm
The experiential exhibit plunges one into the reality of the
experience for New Orleans residents, details exactly what
happened and why, gives historical perspective, and highlights
the resilient character of the people who live in the region.

There is new construction and rehabilitation of structures
in many neighborhoods, but plenty of areas where damage is
still very apparent. As we wandered in the "Garden District"
I looked at the ancient oak trees whose gnarly roots were
protruding and seemingly taking over the sidewalks.





These are trees which are there to stay, hang on deep
and persistent. I reflected on the depth of connection
and persistence of the folks for whom New Orleans
is home and will always be.



Thanks to the suggestion from Boston artist friends that
the best gumbo in New Orleans is served at Dooky Chase's
restaurant at 2301 Orleans Ave, we went there for lunch.
We expected and tasted the excellent gumbo, but had no
idea we would be walking into a place so steeped in history
and tradition, especially for the African American Community
in New Orleans. The restaurant was flooded, as was much of
the immediate Treme neighborhood during Katrina, but Dooky
and Leah Chase , not exactly youngsters, did not give up.
The restaurant, open since 1941, reopened in 2008...only for
lunch and special events for now while they wait for the rest of
the neighborhood to catch up. Again those deep roots that hang
on tight holding the fabric of community together.

This includes honoring and displaying extraordinary art.
Eating in the restaurant is like eating in a museum.
My favorite was this one by Dr. John Biggers (1924-2001)
entitled "The Upper Room" :



I plan on spending some time investigating the work
and imagery of Dr. Biggers. This trip made it clear how
many well known artists I had ashamedly never heard of.
But after all, learning and discovering is the point of travel.

We entered our hotel that night preparing to set up for
the show the next day filled with story and music, but also
feeling extremely fortunate. That Wednesday when we were
savoring New Orleans, massive tornadoes were sweeping
through the path we had driven through the day before.
Another reminder of how quickly life can change.

Next blog post.. Jazzfest!

Adventure on! Wendy

Taking Myth and Story to New Orleans!

New Orleans here we come! I'll be participating in the Contemporary
Craft show at Jazz Fest in New Orleans, April 29-May 1:
www.nojazzfest.com Tent F.
For the occasion, I created Racontee, the storyteller:



Racontee travels with a variety of masks (one
of wet-formed leather, the others ceramic), two books
including a mini leather dragon book and special story
shards in the teller's leather trunk.



To intrigue folks to search me out, I'm advertising in the
program book. Here's my ad:



There is no electricity in the tents in New Orleans, which can
present challenges since my backdrops are usually black.
To help light bounce, I've purchased some glitzy material to
drape over my usual black. The black leather eye journals,
card holders and mythic figures which I am bringing along
really pop when laid on satiny bronze color material!
I'll post images from what should be a very different looking
booth, when I return.

Hope anyone near New Orleans will come on over..
fantastic music, great food, an art experience not to
be missed and an important community to continue to
support.

When back home, I'll share more images from earlier shows
as well as report in from Jazz Fest. Since I sold out of my
"eye" journals and card holders in NYC, I've been bustling
since back in my studio. Sorry posts have been delayed! I'll
try to make up for that in May!

Journey on. Wendy