The show was titled "Correspondence" and was curated by my friend Steve Clorfeine.
He had offered boxes of letters and postcards that he had received over the years
to a group of artists to play with, transform, and create artwork exploring, as he wrote -
"Correspondence : relationship across time and space."
I visited his studio this past winter to look through the boxes
and picked up a postcard and some fragments of typed letters.
Here is what I created - and what I wrote about the piece . . .
GOING DOWN
The image on this postcard drew me in and then the story on the back provided more information.
A boat with a heavy shipment of concrete sinking down slowly in the water.
I added fragments of typed letters to the waves and a cancellation stamp moon to the sky.
Then I began to write out a background field of thoughts and feelings, following the
movement of life within, allowing my inner landscape to be touched by the outer image,
layered, complex, somewhat hidden - giving voice to the weight and goodness of sinking,
dropping down, going deep, letting go . . .
Here are a few of the other pieces that were part of the show -
Leslie English - MISLAID MEMORIES
Two panels from her four panel box that opened to reveal mysterious forms -
so evocative and intimate !
Lanny Harrison - LETTERS TO MIMI
A lively collage using letters that Steve Clorfeine had written to Lanny's mother.
Suzy Sureck - DROP ME A LINE
An exquisite cascading of letters down the wall -
illuminated and dancing with gravity.
Ralph Lee - AIR MAIL
This piece covered one whole wall - playful and flying -
created by the beloved puppeteer and celebration artist.
Gurmi Lama - CHORTEN
A monument to the Buddha or other great teachers.
This one was decorated with small strands of prayer flags
made out of colorful postage stamps.
Christoph Zihlmann - UNREAD CORRESPONDENCE
A beautifully wrought painting of a stack of mail - catalogues, cards, publicity -
that we usually put aside, then throw out.
Giving attention to something ordinary, everyday, and overlooked.
Theresa Antonellis - ONE TO ONE (One Line to One Breath)
Stretching across a wall, each breath a line - in relationship to the page -
to the stroke - to the moment - again and again.
It was all such an interesting and creative offering !
You can view more of the art from the show here -
http://steveclorfeine.com/blog.html
