Built, Building, Build, opening tomorrow at The City Gallery

I am excited to announce my first art show opening since the birth of my daughter last February. I have been busy these last few months preparing a series of small encaustic collages as well as some new sculptures. This show is a follow-up of sorts to my last show, exploring life in my downtown neighborhood. From the artist statement:

This body of work captures a snapshot of where we are now, two years into what will surely be a lifelong process of working to make our neighborhood the safe and welcoming place we want it to be. Life here can be messy, lonely, or difficult, but there is also warmth, kindness, and commitment.

The show opens tomorrow, September 6, 6-10pm in the City Gallery at the Harrison Center for the Arts.

Leandro Erlich

I really enjoy artwork that involves the viewer. These two works by Leandro Erlich employ optical illusions and have caught my fancy today. The first, titled “Swimming Pool,” is an installation that puts gallery goers underwater. Check out the video here:

 

The next uses mirrors to give viewers superhuman spider-like abilities:

Erlich has some other interesting work too. Check it out.

Yuriko Yamaguchi

Return (with heart beat sounds), by Yuriko Yamaguchi, 8′ x 12′ x 12′

Resin, stainless steel, wire, 4 speakers, 4 sensors

I’m a recent fan of the work of Yuriko Yamaguchi, but I’m a big one. When I first came across her sculptures and installations, I was simply in awe.

Return (detail)

I cannot imagine what it would be like to witness these in person.

Senility
23″ x 37″ x 9″ Resin, wire

Bubble #1
Vinyl tube and resin

Web #8, 5’x7’x3′
Resin and wire

I love her use of wire armatures to suspend various resin shapes. This is the kind of work I aspire to make one day! Until then, I will continue to be inspired by Yuriko Yamaguchi’s amazing talent. See much more here.

Looking forward to 2012

Logic, ice sculpture by Nicole Dextras

Nicole Dextras creates large-scale typographical ice sculpture installations as commentary on various settings and environments. I like this one in particular, juxtaposing the word “logic” with the stump of what was surely once a breathtaking tree.

After stumbling upon this artwork this morning, I realized how little work and inspiration I have shared on this site in the past few months. I apologize for my silence. 2011 was a big year: I embarked on my first artist residency, exhibited two solo shows, and fulfilled my duties as the 2011 Emerging Artist Fellow. And in news that most likely explains the bulk of the reason for my lack of posts recently, I have spent much of 2011 preparing mind, heart, and body for the welcoming of my first child in about a month. 2012 is bound to be another amazing year, both personally and for my artwork. I cannot wait to see how this new stage of life manifests itself creatively. Thanks for sticking with me, and look for more soon!

Opening Friday!

Healthy Habitat, encaustic collage on paper, 12″ x 12″

If you have wondered why I have been strangely silent on this blog lately, I can tell you why. Friday my new show opens in the Harrison Center‘s City Gallery! I have been too busy to pop in here with regular inspiration and updates on the progress of my work. This show was a race to the finish (being my second solo show in four months!), but I am pleased with the outcome. I will be in the gallery all evening Friday for the opening, 6-9pm. I hope you will stop by and say hi, check out the work, and see Kyle Ragsdale’s show in main gallery as well.