Love Stains

Last night was my gallery talk at Shop Art Gallery. We had a great turnout, and an engaging audience. Many thanks to friends, neighbors, fellow artists, and new faces who came out in the rain, and stood and listened to me share about why and how I make my work.

I had the opportunity to share some new pieces, including the one at left, "Love Carpet." It reads:

"It can be hard to remove the stain of an old love. No matter how many miles I run, or men I meet, your memory stays, carpeting my apartment."

New Post-its

Last night's opening of Visual Vernacular was a success! Several of my "post-it" pieces sold. Here are some new ones.

Perfectly Disheveled

I don't love everything I make. There are pieces I complete and hide in a drawer because something about them just doesn't satisfy me. 

I recently sat down with Muriel Guepin, curator of Shop Art Gallery, to select work for a show I'm in opening this Saturday. Before meeting her, I went through my "archives," and found the piece above, "Perfectly Disheveled." I made it in the summer of 2007. It is a true story, and while the text is kind of sweet, I was never happy with the drawing. I had sketched him out on paper first, and he was so much more dynamic before I stitched him. What I got right were his proportions, his lankiness, and the way he looked hidden inside his clothes.

Please, if you're in the New York area, join me for the opening of Visual Vernacular this coming Saturday, October 3, 6-9pm at Shop Art Gallery: 51 Bergen Street near Smith. F/G train to Bergen is the closest form of public transport. This piece is just one of more than 20 that will be exhibited.

But your emotional thermostat was set to an ex girlfriend

"You wanted to reserve space inside my body. I wanted to crawl into a warm space I thought we shared. But your emotional thermostat was set to an ex girlfriend."

Yesterday, I rushed home after work to see Muriel, the gallerist at Shop Art. We met to select work for a group show opening October 3rd. As always, upon leaving, I was all worked up. Ideas were flowing, and I ended staying up late thinking, rearranging my pieces within my portfolio, and stitching. I had started the piece above months ago, and was finally able to finish it last night.

I will post details about the opening very soon. I can't wait!

If Only

He would make a great husband, if only he would stop drinking! She would be a great girlfriend, if only she could kick her depression! I want to spend the rest of my life with him...if only he would stop messing around behind my back!

What do you do when you've fallen for an "if only"? Do you stick around and hope for transformation, or do you tell yourself someone "better" is on the way?

image at top:

Everything He Ever Wanted. Embroidery on fabric. 2008.

"I am everything he ever wanted, as well as some things he could not have imagined. We're about to have our third kid, and he still hasn't removed his internet dating profile!"

 

Contact Muriel Guepin at Shop Art Gallery for more information: contact@shopartstudio.com. 

See also the Affordable Art Fair in NYC, May 7-10.