Irons in the Fire

_Mobius flyer for Works in Progress. Anyone Boston bound?

_This year begins full of frenzied work. Good frenzy because it’s always better to have too much art than not enough…right? At least it’s good for my discipline to order priorities and not fly off in too many directions; at least for a month or so.

Mobius, Boston’s premier alternative artist space, is hosting Works in Progress on four dates this January. I’ll be presenting an installation/collaboration on the evening of January 16th. My Work in Progress (WIP) is a continuation of the Ox and O’s game I’ve been working through on this blog. The original hand stamps I started with soon became conflated with images from a personal mythology. My thinking has found a variety of tangents involving choice and the development of identity.

The idea of presenting a WIP is a bit nerve wracking. There’s always the feeling that with a bit more time this particular artistic endeavor will become more clearly defined. Yet an opportunity to get the work out to a larger audience promises to push my idea in new directions. While the details are still coming together, I envision my piece as collaboration with the audience. Partially completed works on paper involving my grids will be available along with a variety of the hand stamps for the audience to “play” with… actually completing the collaboration. The audience then takes the work with them.

I’m also working on re-editing and expanding my Ox and O’s videos in order to provide a visual cue as to how the “game” works.

Work for the Visual AIDS Postcards from the Edge benefit

_The Visual AIDS benefit, Postcards from the Edge has its preview party this Friday night (Jan. 8th). I plan on attending to continue my support for this cause. The show is at ZieherSmith at 516 W 20th, NYC. My piece for that show also involves the choice theme and grid format. My Dec. 10th post has more detail, but in essence while AIDS prevention and treatment has made some advances many countries' programs remain unimplemented or underfunded. The challenge that this disease presents must be faced as infection rates continue to climb faster than those receiving treatment.

Karen at work on template for applique for Dream Rocket quilt panel

Dream Rocket!... Another iron in the studio fire this month. A must do before the end of the month. Luckily I’ve got a start on this with the design and templates for my appliqué made. Probably most of this piece will have to wait until after I finish with my video and props for the Mobius performance. Luckily my wife, Karen, is collaborating on this as her flight time on the sewing machine is far greater.

More than Mail Art !! :

_I’ve received some mail art masterworks!!!

From Corrine Bayraktaroglu of Jafabrit’s Art came a beautiful embroidered piece. This is actually one that caught my eye a while back on her blog. She describes its origins and her associations better than I, so a visit to her blog is definitely in order. The picture doesn’t really do justice to the loose threads that define the features of the figure in the piece. Inventive in its translation from a sketch on paper to an embroidered piece, the threads amplify the loose freedom and power of Corrine’s drawing. Corrine’s note indicates that I can do as I wish with it; use it in an assemblage or frame it..whatever…but yikes; how to improve on it leaves me at a loss.

"Shroud" - Collaboration with Ria Vanden Eynde

But speaking of collaboration leads me to a simple painting on silk that I sent to Ria Vanden Eynde, asking her to do something with it. Her input totally transformed the piece; providing context and a hauntingly arresting work. Her title “Shroud” is also perfect description for how she used the translucency of the silk to provide a veil for her self-portrait.

Ria Vanden Eynde

Her description of her working method is perfect. Visit her Art on the Road blog for more pictures and details about this collaboration. (My meager contribution is the bamboo and iris painting on the silk.)

Now and Then - Art by Mara Thompson

Mara Thompson also sent me one of her pieces and it arrived in the nick of time. Her “Time Management while you Sleep” system is just what I could use right now. Mara’s piece is actually a set of pillowcases that have the words Now and Then.

Art "product" and packaging by Mara Thompson

They were packaged with pictorial instructions as well as a “bonus” memory device for my finger. Mara’s mailart is a perfect Fluxus play on humor and irony in a beautifully conceived “product” format. Also visit her mixed media pieces here.

Thanks to all for the wonderful mail art I've received! I'm already thinking about adding an art annex for exhibiting everything!