7 posts tagged “liza myers artist”

"I am treading more and more into leaves and silence.

Ironically, I, who profess no religion,

find the whole of my life a religious pilgrimage.
The origins of this hunger are as mysterious as why we, who are last year's dust and rain, have risen from that dust to to look about

with the devised crystal of a raindrop

before we subside once more

into snow and whirling vapor."

All the Strange Hours--The Excavation of a Life
by Loren Eiseley

The above is a quote from Joseph Raffael's website.  Yesterday I took a whirlwind trip to NYC to see an exhibition of recent works by Raffael  at the Nancy Hoffman Gallery which, after 35 years in Soho,  has relocated in Chelsea. 

I've loved Raffael's work since I first saw it in 1974 in New Mexico, when I was an undergrad at the University of New Mexico. He came to UNM to speak, and afterwards we were able to meet with him. Not only was his work radiant, but he was as well.

A calmness and almost zen peacefulness radiated from his presence.

It was exhilarating to walk into a space that pulsed with the energy of his art!

It just made me want to get to work.

So I guess I wil!!

Self-expression must pass

into communication for its fulfillment.

It's already been several weeks since our wild ride down the back bone of the Taconic Mountains to Williamstown MA, and the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute to see: Circles of Influence, O'Keeffe and Dove.

It was wonderful to see old friends by O'Keeffe such as
The Lawrence Tree painted in 1929. 
When the Wadsworth Atheneum acquired the painting in 1981, O’Keeffe commented that, “The painting was done so it could be hung with any end up.” The painting is presently hung in keeping with the artist’s strong early preference, which she stated on numerous occasions, instructing that the tree should “stand on its head.”
The painting is in the collection of the Wadsworth Atheneum

At the Clark they had hung it with the trunk on top. Very fun.
The show addressed the interaction between the two artists. Very interesting to see how their work was correlated and how they respectfully fed off of each other's imagery. Initially O'Keeffe, the younger of the two, responded to Dove's development of abstraction, but as her work rapidly matured Dove's imagery obviously begins to respond to hers.
All very interesting.

Which is why documenting the event is ever so important for an artist.
 A good photographer is essential for that documentation. Every artist must find a professional photographer who understands lighting  and the subtleties of presentation.
Tad Merrick has been my friend and photographer and my surrogate sibling for as long as I've been in Sudbury. It's great to work with someone who has a sense of humor that matches mine, for better or for worse. Tad is quirky in a way that I find ever so familiar.  He's also the bass player in our band, the Sleeping Dogs. And in real life he's a great photographer.
Last week he and Louis Pattis, another photographer and good friend, came to photograph my show at Gallery in the Field. Louis is an amazing photographer in his own right, and also owns the Brandon Inn. He and his lovely wife Sarah have been a driving force for quality and progress in Brandon for many years as well.
The photo shoot was quite an undertaking.
I was amazed by the complexity of the set-up and the amount of energy and expertise that it took to do the job
It took several hours just to get the lights arranged for the over all shot. Then much of the next day to do individual images of each piece. 3D is more challenging than flat art because you have to decide which angles are important to show, which best represent the art work.
Thanks so much, Tad and Louis!

Coming together is a beginning.
Keeping together is progress.
Working together is success.
 - Henry Ford

Just found out that I was juried into the National Association of Women Artists. I'm not sure what that means but the induction ceremony is in November at the Metropolitan Museum in NYC. That sounds exciting. Good reason for a field trip.