Studio Notes - Winter 2018

End of Year 2018

          
The winter solstice is always a hopeful time.  Light begins overtaking dark at a slow pace, leading us to brighter days. 

Dark and light.  The space between.  The moment of change.  I am curating Darkness and the Light, an exhibition at the Institute of Contemporary Art, opening July 12 and closing September 19, 2019.  Thirteen accomplished Maine artists working in various mediums will respond to the physical, metaphorical, political, psychological and historical meanings of darkness and light.  It is an extraordinary process, working with the ICA and these talented artists.  Stay tuned for more...

TO READ:  I love objects.  I make objects.  And, heaven knows, I have objects.  As seems to be the trend these days, I am trying to divest myself of many of these things and am finding it interesting to watch how I assess the value of each object.  Not the monetary value, but its value to me.  A book, Evocative Objects:  Things We Think With, edited by Sherry Turkle (MIT Press) investigates "objects as emotional and intellectual companions."  Scientists, humanists, artists and designers look at their own objects of value.  There are some surprising choices.

TO SEE:  An app, Google Arts and Culture.  It's free!  It provides access to dozens of the world's best museums, articles about artists, works of art, exhibitions.  Granted, the images are small and digital...an iPad can do only so much...but they are stunning.  And the writing is engaging.  You can get lost in it, just like the Met.  Isn't that lovely?

TO DO:  Frankly, I really don't feel like telling anyone what to do.  I am having a hard enough time telling myself what to do.  It's difficult to know day to day what will be helpful or useful or smart.  Persevere.  That's what I would say to do.  Persevere.

In the studio, working on "Leaves of Grass", porcelain vessels that will sit on a word-laden shelf for On Books:  Sculpture That References Literature at the Portand Public Library.

COMING UP:  Several themed shows are coming along this coming year.  The first, On Books:  Sculpture That References Literature, curated by Lin Lisberger will be at the Portland Public Library from March 1 to 23.  The Fuller Craft Museum will host the Maine Crafts Association's Ten Years of Master Craft Artists from June 8 to October 27.  More later on other shows.  I'll be teaching two workshops later in the summer and fall, Monson Arts in in August in Maine and Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Tennessee in October.  You can check them out online.

I wish you the promise of light and the solace of dark as we enter the new year.

All best to you,
Lissa