whizARTbang

Gallery 40 will be presenting a collection of works from Girl Meets Universe as part of the first ever whizARTbang event.

whizARTbang. Dinner. Show. Gallery. Party.
Where ideas and visions collide!

from Satori:

In our continued journey to present new work in new ways for new audiences, the Satori Group presents the kickoff of whizARTbang. They’re a brand new collective in town, and we’re excited by their prospects.  “whizARTbang is a new collective of artists and supporters. We are intent on connecting, collaborating, and supporting each other in any way we can.”

Each month, members will host an intimate gathering featuring culinary art, visual art, live performances, and libations.

Join us for our Soft Opening. Saturday 7.3.10
7.00P dinner @ Delicatus.
8.15P Show/Gallery @ the Satori Loft in 619 Western Ave.

July’s featured artists include:

Artists include:
-Zoe Scofield
-Derek Shankland and Mike Klotz
-Stephen Ross
-Emmett Montgomery
-Jason Miller
-Juniper Shuey
-Boom! Theater
-Kevin Kantner (not to be confused with Kevin Kantor)
-Counsel Langley
-Harlequin Hipsters
-Elliot Trotter

girls meets universe(s)

I’ve shown you Gravity and Self-portrait, now here’s a few more from the Girl Meets Universe series.  Girl Meets Universe is an opportunity to look into the abstract worlds of my previous works and uncover the people and objects that inhabit those spaces.  I am also examining one of my favorite states of being.  A cool passion of focused hunger and energy that comes on as emerging confidence in the face of a slightly menacing unknown.  In some cases the backgrounds of these pieces represent grime, explosions, ruin, deep space full to the brim with dark matter, but in all cases refer to that which is bigger than the individual.

The Committee | acrylic, ink, glitter, 15 x 30″

This work is also about the challenge of rendering specificity and subtle emotion in chunky glitter.  It is satisfying to work a face and/or the posture of the body until the individual and a sense of their experience–sometimes ambivalence–comes through.

Magnetic | acrylic, ink, glitter, 18 x 24″

Versace Joan of Arc | acrylic, ink, glitter, swarovski crystals, 24 x 18″

Versace Joan is dedicated to my oldest daughter, Emerald, who is particularly happy to meet the universe head-on and is totally into swords, spirituality and battles.

Emerald and Cohort back from saving the world | handmade bow and arrows, Warrior Elvin Princess Dress by Grandma.

the third decade

Self-portrait | acrylic, ink, glitter, on linen, 24 x 18″

Another Girl Meets Universe.  Here the ever-present coffee is at once held like a security blanket and wielded like a weapon.  The figure rests within amorphous surroundings, that carry a sense of thrill, a touch of menace; which represent the unknown, grime, and that which is bigger than the individual.   It is a challenge to render specificity and subtle emotion in chunky glitter, so I was pleased to see in the face and the posture of the body, a hesitation that is slowly being replaced with an emerging relaxed confidence; this person is increasingly in control.

This image is a self-portrait as I was for a time–in my twenties, living in Boston.  I am sometimes overwhelmed by an aching longing for this period of my life.  The flying solo years.  Defined by the riches of freedom, emerging confidence, slacks, heels, late nights, bikes, short hair, flirty eyes, adventures . . . . I am absolutely grateful to have moved gracefully through the window that opened from that time into my life as it is now, but the twenties were so sweet.  The twenties will always be the decade I reopened the treasure box of wonder and awe for the world.  I can not in truth say it had ever really been closed, but I had not gazed into it with such unabashed ferocity* since I was five.   I recently passed this on to my brother (who graduated from high school this month).   Your twenties should be for you, I said.  Explore.

Close-up:

* The best part of this story is that now all that awe, wonder, that unabashed ferocious gaze, they aren’t going anywhere.  They are mine ’til the end.

girl meets universe

Gravity | acrylic, ink, glitter, 8 x 24″

Here’s a peek at the world I am currently getting lost in.  See the previous post for the inspiration behind this particular piece.  I’ve been calling this series Girl Meets Universe and am several works deep.  I’ll write more about Girl Meets Universe as it develops.

Details:

With Girl Meets Universe I am looking into my Systems series (see example below) and finding the people and objects that inhabit it.

System 1 | acrylic, ink, glitter, 8 x 8″

bang bang

abstraction show

A couple of Am Radios [numbers 2 and 5; see previous post] are included in Alchemy of the Abstract V at Northwind Art Center in Port Townsend.  This year’s show was Juried by Seattle-artist Elizabeth Jameson.  Alchemy runs the month of June with an opening reception during the evening of Saturday the 5th.  More information and pictures of prize winning pieces can be found here:  NAC.