This year's Whitney Biennial has accurately reflected the rise of crafts in the art world. I thought it would be nice to sort through the 103 artists and feature the artists who use craft in their work. There is a lot of amazing art in the exhibition so be sure to check it all out in person or online. I just discovered the work of Lisa Anne Auerbach when I was listening to Andrea Zittel speak about her project High Desert Test Sites. Lisa lives in Los Angeles, where a lot of interesting cross boundary art is happening these days. Her work in the Biennial include some examples of her knitted statement sweaters which she started making in 2004. This one I find particularly wonderful.
You'll also find a large knitted tapestry that lists things psychics have said to her that could have been said to anyone. It goes with a megazine also on display.
Lisa Anne Auerbach, Let the Dream Write Itself, 2014. Wool, 63 × 80 in. (160 × 203.2 cm), Collection of the artist and Gavlak Gallery, Palm Beach. Copyright Lisa Anne Auerbach. Photograph by Lisa Anne Auerbach.
Check out more information about her work and watch a video tour through her studio over at the Whitney website artist info page here. Also, the New York Times did a studio visit here.
I've spent the past five years really honing in on a word in my art practice: failure. I've been purposely trying to fail in order to improve my work. Making mistakes make us wiggle and squirm in the studio but they are necessary in order to move forward in our practice. Several choices I've made in my series started out as spectacular failures but turned out to be the turning point in the success of a series.
Small foreclosure boro studies. I used to call them boro but no one knew what that meant.
For the first time in my life I hope not to fail. I've had a bit of a health scare over the past few weeks that has upended our lives in ways I never knew possible. We are still waiting to find out what I have and more than any time in my life, I'm hoping the doctors don't fail me. I realized as I sat with an oncologist (yes, an oncologist) how hard her job must be. She approaches her work completely differently, the absolute goal of not to fail her patients. How hard is that to do? I am in awe of doctors and nurses these days. They have hearts of gold and are just so incredibly amazing. How do they deal with failure?
Progress on the Idiom series. Choosing thread was a major decision!
I am very curious how this life altering change I'm about to go through will affect my work. Will my work become more political, more angry? Will it become more sedate and calm? Maybe I'll just have to try both ways and see which one fails. I look back over all of the work I've done over the past five years and feel like I need to be doing more again. I've had a bit of a slow time in my art while I tend to my life: family, gardening, cooking. And I am passionate about all of those and will not let those go. I would love to be able to combine all of it into my art. Who knows where this path will take me in the next few months but I'll keep you posted. In the meantime, I hope to have some new art to share, perhaps small pieces but an effort nonetheless. Go hug your family and appreciate every second you have.
It has been SO long since I featured an artist on my blog so it's time to rectify that! I'm sharing the work of Batia Sofer today, an artist who lives in Motza Illit near Jerusalem.
Cloak. Acrylic, Gold Leaf, Gauze Pad on greenhouse netting Embroidery Thread. 155x130 cm, 2013
Incredible, beautiful work, isn't it? She utilizes natural materials that have a wonderful texture and earthiness to them. Found pieces come together to tell a myriad of stories.
Three Figures. Acrylic, Mineral Plaster, Masking Tape , Gold Leaf on Jute Embroidery Thread. 104x184 cm, 2012
These pieces are from her Ancient Dreams series which she has been making since 2009.
Cactus - Bird. Acrylic , Masking Tape , Gold Leaf on greenhouse netting,Embroidery Thread. 88x128 cm, 2013
Her artist statement about the series:
"For as long as I can remember, I have always been attracted to primitive tribe culture, the significance of the tribal ceremonies and their visual expression.
These cultures are characterized with special colors, various textures, with strong elements, and simple unsophisticated techniques. In my initial works in the studio I sought out material whose texture was grainy and coarse; material which resembled earth and reverberated the materials which were used by the ancient tribal cultures."
Batia Sofer
Two Headed Animal. Acrylic, Mineral Plaster , Masking Tape, Gold Leaf and
Palm Fronds on Jute, Embroidery Thread. 103x120 cm, 2012
See more of her work on her website. Be sure to look through her earlier series entitled Childhood Landscape that reflects her life growing up on a kibbutz. Fascinating images.
I've been meaning to share a little surprise that landed on my lap a few weeks ago but I had to deal with deadlines first. Finally, I can share! Last year, thanks to my friend Lisa, I happened upon MIEL Publishers, a Belgium based book publisher that aims tobridge the divide between trade books and artist's editions. What a brilliant idea. Jonathan Vanhaelst and Éireann Lorsung are the talented and friendly team behind MIEL. They create high quality art monographs along with a twice a year journal, 1110, that features creative writing and beautiful art.
Artists shown here include Lisa Congdon, Cathy Cullis, Camilla Engman, Elsa Mora, Heather Smith Jones, and of course, Lisa Solomon.
I had MIEL on my radar to contact them at some point when out of the blue, they contacted me to include my work in the Journal 1110/5. This edition arrives as a set of postcards, each artwork paired with writing that responds to the art.
Éireann chose a detail of my Las Vegas Foreclosure quilt and sent the image to Neele Delschaft, whose beautiful writing was previously published by MIEL here. She wrote a beautiful response.
Writing by Neele Delschaft.
Learn more about MIEL here and be sure to stop by their webshop here.
Japan was amazing, the cherry blossoms, stunning! We returned last week yet I needed another week to recover from jet lag and the typical cold you pick up when traveling. Plus, it was nice to have a solid weekend at our cottage with no phone or computer with looming deadlines over our heads. I know you've been waiting to hear about the trip! We timed the cherry blossoms perfectly in Tokyo and Kyoto. I had no idea there were so many cherry trees in Japan. I'd been before but in the fall (which was amazing in itself) when the leaves were so many beautiful colors. This was a particularly amazing tree and most Japanese were busy photographing it but I loved its' relationship to the building behind with the red trim.
And here in it's full glory ...
One of the things that always surprises me about Japan is how many bikes there are in the big cities. The bikes, pedestrians and cars all seem to be a well choreographed art. In Kyoto, pedestrians share the sidewalk with bikes ... and it works! I wanted to rent bikes but no tandems could be found for my daughter to ride along with us. The other nice thing is you don't have to worry about having your bike stolen so nobody locks theirs up.
We visited quite a few temples and shrines, this was taken at Kennin-ji temple in the Gion district of Kyoto.
It is the oldest Zen temple in Kyoto (founded in 1202). We happened to visit it on a Sunday, which was the perfect day to go as a lot of locals were visiting, many of the women wearing kimono. I snuck this shot below. I love how modern the ladies are with their Iphones and peace signs. Everyone was happy that day as it was sunny and warm for a change.
Everything is so beautifully thought out. I loved the material transition in the temple between the tatami to the outside walkways. So much history lies in those scratches and marks made over the years.
We continued our stroll through the Gion district, which was near our ryokan. I snapped a few pics of the lovely hemp signs that cover the restaurant doors. Of course I have no idea what they say.
We strolled past an antique shop, which I regret not spending more time looking through. Look at all these amazing dolls. They were tiny, most not more than 4" high.
And missing my garden, I fell in love with this one. If you're a gardener, you'll do anything to make a garden. The owner was lovingly tending the other half of her garden wedged in a 1' wide space between her car and a wall.
We did a bit of shopping too. Z found her favorite treat of the trip, this strange somewhat soft, brightly colored candy that comes in tiny little pieces. Apparently, it's a traditional Japanese treat for kids and my friends from Japan got all nostalgic on me when I showed them the picture. ps-she's actually wearing a dress I made for her!
No trip to Kyoto would be complete without a visit to Teramachi Dori, one of the popular covered shopping arcades. We kept visiting it in the early morning for some reason, before the shops opened.
This was my favorite shop, only because of the signage.
I mentioned earlier we stayed at a ryokan in Kyoto. If you visit Japan, at least a couple of nights in a ryokan is a must. It's such a treat. My daughter loved wearing her perfectly sized yukata the owners left out for her.
I have so many more pictures of Kyoto that are soon to come. I think those were just from two days!
Crazy busy this week working in the studio trying to accomplish four weeks of work in two before we leave for Japan next Friday! Keeping with the Japan theme in craft this month, I'm sharing the work of Hiroko Takeda. I have been an admirer of her work for some time and my friend, Lindsay Olson, reminded me about her work last week.
Kisuri Waffle detail by Hiroko Takeda.
Hiroko was the senior designer at Jack Lenor Larson Studio andCustom Designer for Kawashima Textiles in Tokyo before setting out on her own.
Hiroko's work in progress.
Growing up in Japan, she trained in the tradition of Mingei Undou, which is the Japanese Arts and Crafts Movement. Talk about an impressive resume. Her work shows the polished professionalism from her background along with a creative fluidity that gives her work tremendous vitality.
Giant Charcoal detail by Hiroko Takeda.
Every time I view her work on her website, I'm drawn to different pieces. Last time it was the rectilinear structures that I loved. This week it's the soft fluidity of her fluff pieces that draw me in.
Fluff Series detail by Hiroko Takeda.
There are so many beautiful images of her work and her studio, it's hard to choose which to share. Another image I love are of spools of thread. Hmmm, some of those look like Habu Textile threads ...
Spools in Hiroko's studio.
I'm not alone in my admiration for her work. Remember Michele Michael of Elephant Ceramics I featured here last year? She shared a wonderful visit to Hiroko's studio last March. Inspiring! Take a look through Hiroko's website here.
I feel as if I jumped into January headfirst this year. I knew I was going to be busy but had no idea just how much. While I've been busy in the studios, my work has been hanging quietly in galleries in the Bay area. Just a few days left to see my Riverside Foreclosure Quilt at the ProArts Gallery in Oakland as part of Naomi Beckwith's Dis/Order exhibition. The show ends this Friday, the 11th.
Riverside Foreclosure Quilt, 2012.
Opening this Friday, the 11th, my Cape Coral Foreclosure Quilt will be on display in a group show entitled Out of the Blue at Gallery Route One in Point Reyes Station, CA. Ruth Braunstein curated the show, she's one the grand dames of the San Francisco art world who has since retired but still gives a lot of passion to local artists. I'm honored that one of my quilts was chosen by her. It's also a full circle for me and my textile work as this was the first gallery to exhibit my Idiom Series.
Cape Coral Foreclosure Quilt, 2011.
Out of the Blue runs from January 11th through February 3rd. The artists' reception will be this Sunday from 3-5. Click here for more information about the gallery.
I closed up the studio for the rest of 2012 on Friday. It feels weird to walk away from my studio for a week at a time, especially this week. I have a million projects flowing at the same time and I know that starting in January, things are going to be quite hectic. Here are a few shots of it as I walked through at the end of the week.
Planning new quilts and new pottery in 2013.
This past year has been an amazing one. So many friendships have flourished. My quilts traveled more than I did across the US. I took a giant leap of faith and jumped into a new series and a new medium. And you, readers, have been the most amazing of all. Being supportive, questioning ideas, and telling me your own stories. I love that the most about the internet. I can't believe how many wonderful friends I've made online and in person because of it. So a huge thank you to all of you.
I set up a separate sewing room this year. In the foreground is one of Doug Johnston's imited edition bowls with a Skinny LaMinx tea towel covering my machine.
And now, next year. Yes, I love thinking ahead of the game. Do you have any big plans for next year? I'm busy this week developing long term plans. Something I do every five years or so. My problem is I have a hard time stepping away from particular series and seeing the broader picture. And then there's that pile of projects to tackle as soon as January hits.
Inspiration for the new pottery came from a list I made in 2010 when working on my Idiom series.
Writing this article for Handful of Salt about eating designer Marije Vogelzang reminded me to think beyond my comfort zone. Be sure to watch the video at the end of the article. It's worth every second. Is there an artist you look to for inspiration?
Sierra Leone floor installation underway.
Please share your goals, both short and long term, and let's help each other to keep them! I do hope you plan to push yourselves next year and really take some risks. That's what making art is all about, yes?
This is coming up fast so for those of you in the Bay Area, I hope you can squeeze it into your already crazy holiday calendar! My Riverside Foreclosure Quilt was chosen to be in Selections by Naomi Beckwith at Pro Arts Gallery in Oakland, CA.
It is such an honor to have my work chosen by Ms. Beckwith, Curator at The Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago. As soon as I know the other artists chosen, I'll update this post with links to their websites.
Riverside Foreclosure Quilt, 2012. 34" x 46"
The exhibition opens this Friday, December 7th with an Artists'
Reception from 6-8 pm. I will be there! The exhibit runs through January 11th. There will be an Artists' Talk on Friday, January 4th at 6:30 which I plan on attending as well. For more information on Pro Arts Gallery and the exhibit, see their website. They should be updating it with more info in the next few days so stay tuned. I hope to see some of you at the opening this Friday!
I've got a new article up over at Handful of Salt on Sonya Philip's 100 Acts of Sewing. She set out to sew 100 dresses in the span of one year. Hop over to read the reason why. It's a good one.
Dresses 75 and 91 by Sonya Philip.
I was able to meet Sonya and see the dresses in person last Friday. We had a lot in common, especially the fundamental inspiration behind our artwork. Her art addresses the crazy consumption trap we've all fallen into, although hers is around clothing and mine is around food. And those dresses were stunning. All of them beautifully crafted with care and feeling.
Dress 80 by Sonya Philip.
The best part about the meeting was talking about what's next, how does one transition to the next series? I walked away inspired in my own work as well as eager to sew more of my own clothes. Check out the article here and see Sonya's dresses here. And don't forget to check out her website showing her other artwork.
So the past few months I've been fretting. I haven't had much to show of my own work on this blog. It's because I've been busy ... playing. Developing new ideas can be incredibly challenging and frustrating. For me, it's a time issue. I hate thinking I wasted precious time not doing everything in my power to develop new work. We hunker down. We get serious. Who has time to play? This is where our problems begin. We need to allow ourselves playtime so that we're open to innovative and creative solutions.
Brazil landgrab map in progress this week.
Everyone's technique is different. I loved hearing Robert Ryman talk about what he does between his series ... nothing. He understands his creative process well enough to know that he shouldn't get in the way of it. And for him, that's to ignore it. Another artist who knows how to play is Hela Jongerius. But it looks like her play ends up as her final work.
Non Temporary by Hela Jongerius, 2005.
Over the past eight years, I've been able to really hone in on what makes my creativity work. I love challenges, but I like to approach them slowly. I know I needed to learn a new medium for this next series. I stopped fighting the voice in my head that said 'It will take too long to learn' and just got on with it. And what I made isn't great but it's a start. It's all about quantity at this point and thinking with my hands to understand a new medium. I'll talk more about that below.
My very first six highly irregular and very bland pinch pot tea cups. The more I make, the better they'll be. At least, I hope so!
I gave myself the time to explore clay. I had no idea where I was going with this. My first ideas for my new series finally popped into my head last week but I'm not implementing them until January. I'm having fun just exploring.
This is where I dared myself to use something other than Randall White glaze. Yes, that's hard for me!
If you have kids, watch them at play. This weekend we went to a friend's wedding. They rented a photo booth with props for photos for their guest book. Brilliant! The booth was unused for the first half hour until the kids figured out what it was. They weren't shy! The adults knew what it was but it was set up in plain sight of everyone! It was only after they had a few drinks did they start to loosen up and head over. That's my daughter on the left. Oh, and I made her dress last Tuesday. That was my play for that day.
Remember how I mentioned quantity and thinking with your hands? There's a great video on the importance of these points in play by designer Tim Brown. I love how the audience is forced to play, what better way to remember how to do it than to actually practice it. Watch it and feel yourself loosen up.
Give yourself some time each day to play. If you've had any revelations about your artwork while playing, I'd love to hear them!
The Sketchbook Project is on the road again, this time in a tour called A Landmark and a Mission curated by Christopher Jobson at Colossal. My sketchbook from 2011 will be along for the ride so if you're in or near Pittsburgh, Ann Arbor and Cleveland, be sure to check it out.
And if you're not, view it digitally here right now.
Day one back in the studio after a long summer and I finished round one of the Mali map in the new Land Grab series.
Mali, Land Grab Series, 2012 by Kathryn Clark. Broken porcelain plates and clay pots. 5' x 5'
I was able to accumulate enough plates from thrift stores and this friend and this new friend to make it happen. See that beautiful hand painted dish in the foreground? Pieces like this certainly add a level of depth I didn't have before. This piece was handmade in Egypt.
I still have two more days and counting before my daughter is back in school and I can be in the studio full time again. And that's when I'll sit down and start writing about this series.
I've noticed there's a lot more discussion of our food in the news these days, although that might be because I'm in California where Proposition 37: label our GMO's, is the top story. I'm guessing you can tell which side I'm on. It's getting nasty with Monsanto throwing a lot of money to fight it. This is just one of the issues that comes out of the global land grab and industrial mono-culture farming that results.
Mali, Land Grab Series detail, 2012 by Kathryn Clark. Broken porcelain plates and clay pots. 5' x 5'
There are so many little facets of information that I need to summarize in one succinct paragraph. A definite challenge as a writer!
In other news, I have three more artists to share with you in the next two weeks. I can't wait!
