An Artist's UpdateJune 2021 |
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A Warm Welcome to my friends and supporters |
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photo credit: Natalia Pederson |
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IN THIS ISSUEWIT ExCHANGE OUTDOOR SHOWCASE EXHIBITS (2) LOG IN PROJECT MCKNIGHT FEEDBACK TEACHING ARTIST NEWSPAPER OTHER ART INVOLVEMENT |
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Dear Friends, Emerging from this long 15 months of cocooning, it is clear that my word for this spring/summer season is COLLABORATION. I am actively choosing opportunities that provide a joining together, in the creative process, with artists of other media. This newsletter highlights 2 of these exciting art-making collaborations that culminate in events open to the public. For the first, I was placed on a national team with a woodturner and fiber artist (WIT eXchange) and for the second I was paired with a local dancer (CollabArts Vol. 3). I hope you, too, are finding nourishing ways to interact with others. Warmly, Martha PS You may notice that this e-newsletter is now arriving from a website email address purchased specifically to prevent it being marked as spam. If you did not see my May 23rd newsletter and are now receiving this one, please let me know so I can gauge the success. |
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An insider's view of the Creative Process Date: Saturday, June 19, 2021 Time: 2 pm - 4:30 pm (CST) Where: Must pre-register to get zoom link Please join in this international virtual art show that includes a rare look behind the scenes at the creative process. This exhibit consists of 88 women from 7 countries who became 27 collaborative teams. Each team documented, then, condensed their journey into lively, thought provoking, creative, sometimes humorous, and always entertaining 5 minute presentations introducing their project and summarizing their creative process. I am on a featured artist team (Creative Confluence) as it was open to all makers, in all media, whose skill level ranges from beginner to professional. It is our hope you will find inspiration to enhance your own creative process. |
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Outdoor Showcase CollabArts Vol.3 July 10, 2021 |
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10 Artists working in pairs, engage in collaborative art-making for 6 weeks. This outdoor showcase is a culmination of our creative process. Out of 20 applicants, 10 were selected for this opportunity. I am paired with the amazing dancer Shannon Hartle. After visiting my studio to observe the willow prep and soaking, she then came to my home to view my artwork and watch me weave Dancing Willow (above). It was a delight to catch glimpses of her dancing in my backyard as she created "motifs" that will be the foundation of her on-site dance performance as she circles my completed sculpture. Our team performance has 2 parts: a dance and a weaving demo. Each team will be doing a couple of repeat performances throughout the 2 hour time frame. This program was started to bring artists working in all different media together and to create new collaborative works. With the goal of connecting a variety of art communities within the Twin Cities Metro area, the artists have been paired strategically to engage in collaborative art-making. The short 6-week work period culminates in this showcase to share the artists’ creative process with the community. Sarah Weiss (photographer) and Ayumi Shafer (DanceBARN Collective) have been spearheading the installation of this program, which they plan to continue in the seasons to come. Date: Saturday, July 10, 2021 Time: 7 - 9 pm Location: Springboard for the Arts (parking lot) 262 University Ave W, St Paul, MN 55103 Check my website Events page for further updates as the event gets closer (performance times, list of all team artists, weather-related announcements etc). |
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In person exhibitVirtual Reality Artists Celebrating Creativity during the Pandemic and Beyond June 16 - July 31, 2021 (I have 2 drawings, 1 mosaic, 2 photographs in the show) |
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photo: Courage Creates Change by Martha Bird This exhibition is a celebration of the artwork created by a community of artists during a time of immense challenges in the Twin Cities and globally. Since July 2020, participants across the metro logged in to COMPAS residencies to draw, photograph, paint, sing, drum, act, do mosaics, write, and perform in community. Meeting weekly, over 150 participants learned new creative skills, deepened their artistic practice and made new social connections across the virtual landscape. Through it all, this community of artists created art that expresses the resilience, resistance, grief, anger, and joy we have all experienced this past year. In addition to be open until July 31st, there is a special event scheduled: Open House (with activities), Saturday 11 am - 3 pm Location: Fresh Eye Gallery 4244 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55409 Gallery Hours: Wed, Thurs, Friday 11a-6p; Sat 11a-3p |
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Exhibit (virtual)Frame of Referenceongoing (4 photographs) |
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This spring and early summer, Avivo ArtWorks and COMPAS partnered to offer Photography Club to Avivo CSP members. The partnership featured a hybrid-learning model of remote Zoom sessions and in-person photo outings at Minneapolis parks. The group was led by COMPAS Teaching Artist, Mica Lee Anders and was co-facilitated by Peer Specialists from the Avivo CSP, Rick Carey and Michael Norcross. |
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Procentive Log in Project |
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Procentive is an online business platform for mental health, behavioral health and substance abuse providers. Their Log In Project features a rotation of artwork that can be seen behind the provider's log in screen. My Then to Now sculpture is the current image. Archive of images of my artwork used: June 2021 Then to Now I January 2020 Irish Starbursts February 2019 The Beauty of Grieving is Born from the Beauty of Loving May 2018 Chakra Burst |
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Feedback Session Interesting Tidbits I was allowed a 1:1 meeting with the MCAD/McKnight administrator, Kerry Morgan, to get juror feedback. She took notes during the studio visit and later deliberation period when the 3 jurors were trying to reach a consensus. Anyone with 3 "yes" votes received the award. Initially, no applicant, to her recollection, had 3 yes's. So the negotiations had to start from there. Feedback: --there were 2 of us that were so close to receiving the fellowship had they been able to award 8 fellows, as in the past but alas, no longer --I had 2 strong yes votes. --There were no deficits noted in my application. --my documentation (photos of my work) were complimented twice. --I was given the name of a suggested west coast curator to be in touch with --there were some helpful suggestions of things to consider with my work --one of the their three jurors, Arnold Joseph Kemp, was featured in the New York Times 6/14/21 article Artists on Artists to Watch, and Maybe Even Collect |
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Teaching Artist Embroidery: One Step at a Time May 14, 2021 |
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above: Hot Pad made for my grandma when I was 11 yo; returned to me after her death |
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I was excited to be selected to teach embroidery as I have practiced this since I was 8 yo! Hennepin County Library and Avivo partnered for this great project called Explore & Share. It involved 1) avivo receiving art kits from Hennepin County Library (origami, clay, drawing, watercolor, embroidery, felting etc), 2) avivo members who want to be introduced to new art forms and 3) selected Avivo ArtWorks Collective artists serving as teachers to introduce and talk about the kit and expand on possible uses of the material. |
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Newspaper Feature Fergus Falls Daily Journal June 8, 2021 |
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As part of my art practice I'm usually reading an art-related book as well as exposing myself to various artists and exhibits in the community. Current reading: The Geometry of Hand-Sewing: a romance in stitches and embroidery from Alabama Chanin and The School of Making Recently visited art exhibits: |
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Thank you for interest and support! |
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