Category: 2020

Posted on

Here We Are: ZOOM Reception

Here We Are explores race, gender, and identity through mixed media, collage, and portraiture. The artists featured focus on many facets that affect African American women, including the diaspora, family history, trauma, the need to hide, and the desire to be seen, and how this impacts their own individual identities.

Here We Are addresses the lines drawn between historically white spaces and black bodies and the necessity of code switching and identity masking. Artists touch on many issues, including, the conflicting forces of personal, familial and historical trauma; pride, fear, hope, and anger. Often forced into silencing their voices to succeed, black women are burdened with the notion they must find ways to make the white men and women around them more comfortable, at the expense of their own volition. Here We Are strides to address the dichotomy of forced silence, while highlighting a diverse group of artists with voices who cannot be ignored.

Exhibition Dates:  May 14th-June 20th 2020

Opening Reception:  Friday, May 15th @ 6pm on Zoom

Participating Artists:  Layo Bright, Beverly McCutcheon, Komikka Patton, Josie Love Roebuck, Theda Sandiford

Virtual Exhibition Catalog 

Posted on

Intertwined

Due to Covid19, Dayton Society of Artists is presenting, Intertwined, a national juried exhibition of fiber arts, online. I am one of 32 fiber artists in the show. The diversity and quality of work is amazing.

Intertwined, officially opens May 1, 2020 at 6pm

BUT you can view the exhibition at intertwinedgallery.com now.

“Neue” Mixed Media Fiber 200’x 1/2″ 2020
Posted on

Art in the Atrium 28th Annual Exhibit

Too bad we all sheltering in place and can’t visit in person. There is a lot of great art in this show. You can browse the catalog here.

I printed a high resolution image of my Wonder Woman mixed media work onto heavy rayon fabric and then went wild sewing trim, buttons, Pony Beads, mirrors, crystals, broken jewelry and recycled baby food bottle caps bringing this huge tapestry to life.

The tapestry was made during the summer of 2018 through a series of open studio sewing circle events where friends, friends of friends and strangers off the street turned up to help me sew. 
Prints are available.

Posted on

Fiber 2020: Virtual Gallery

I looking forward to a road trip to Connecticut to see the nationally juried show Fiber 2020 at the Silvermine Art Center.

The gallery is now co-vid closed as we all remain sheltered at home. The good news is that the entire show is online so you can get a peak at all of the terrific pieces selected by juror Beth Mclaughlin, Chief Curator at the Fuller Craft Museum.

Here is the link to view the Fiber 2020 show https://www.silvermineart.org/online-exhibition/fiber-2020/ 

My work Caribbean Friendship Bracelet is on the show link and below.

Posted on

Rethinking Community

During this time, the fellowship of making art with other people is a big missing for me. Art making is how I stay balanced. It is how I release my stress after a long day at work. Making art with other people creates special affinities.

Under quarantine, things are a bit different. Telecommuting for a work-a-holic personality is all consuming. At the end of the day, I am exhausted from having been SWITCHED ON for hours. I just don’t have it in me to call anyone, organize or hop on a ZOOM to say in touch with my community.

Lately, the few calls I do make, i’m learning about the passing of a mutual friend or family member due to covid-19. I tense up when the phone rings now. And the sentimental TV spots are starting to annoy me. I’m tired.

The one thing I look forward to is the 7:00pm Cheer for Heathcare and Essential Workers. The clapping, banging on pots and hooting and hollering each night with my high rise neighbors is a welcome release.

This is my new community. I now find myself listening for a certain scream from a building on Morgan Street or a particular clanking of a pot from the high rise in front of my roof deck. Hello new friends, thank you for keeping me sane.

Flash Back to Art House Big Mouth Workshop