The Opening - All About People

"It began to dawn on me that we artists tend to put too much value on the power of art to affect people and too little value on how our own lives affect those with whom our art puts us in contact." artist Wm. Swetcharnik '99.

YES! Thursday night's opening of PORTS OF COLOR was all about the wonderful mix of people & building relationships.

PORTS OF COLOR, Shalom Cafe, Bloomfield, CT on thru mid-June 2010.

Dye Vats, Color & Graphic Design

Pieces will be exhibited: PORTS OF COLOR, Shalom Cafe, Bloomfield, CT on thru mid-June 2010.

Meet My Artist Friends

Exhibiting with me in PORTS OF COLOR:

Pat Butler works in the visual arts ministry of OMArtsLink, intergrating art and faith in cross-cultural contexts. Her extensive travel overseas for the past 12 years, in the company of artist teams, inspire a steady flow of artwork, photography and poetry.

Martha Campbell has delved into her artistic passion to produce collages, photography and graphic design, while maintaining full time employment. Most recently she began taking a photo a day for an entire year as part of a 356 Blog project.

Pat's photography of the iron grill-worked windows of North Africa inspired much of Pat and Martha's creativity last summer...as they sat in their studio spaces and created. (photos taken last summer '09)

And what inspired me? Check back tomorrow.

PORTS OF COLOR: 3 Artists in the Studio

Last summer I welcomed friends, Pat Butler & Martha Campbell, into my home and studio and a week of art making began.

Inspired by Pat's photographs, taken in North Africa, we 3 artists collaged, printed, ate, quilted, swam, walked, wrote, carved lino blocks & talked non-stop!

Our exhibit, PORTS OF COLOR*, is the outcome of a very creative & fun week. More tomorrow.

(photo) The three of us working in the studio.

**PORTS OF COLOR, Shalom Cafe, Bloomfield, CT on March 25 - mid-June 2010.

Ports of Color Just Ahead

Graphics, labels, pick up framed art. Lots to do. Install the next show this Tuesday. Fun ahead with Pat and Martha at The Shalom Cafe.

Stations #11 - Pages

'TOUT' 'ALL'

Completed Station #11.

Mailed to RI friends, Philip & Anh.

Title in French, honoring the Paris opening.

Cover pictured.

More pics & art statement tomorrow.

Sewing on Buttons

Spread out on the dining room table today, working on Station #11 Jesus Nailed to the Cross. Sewing dark buttons on the crosses, symbolizing our griefs, our sorrows & our sins.

Not easy getting a needle through the heavily collaged and painted pages, so I used a hammer and pin to tap holes in the pages before sewing the buttons on with embroidery thread.

Story Ropes in Rwanda

For those who asked for more details about the Rwanda experience, here are 2 workshop pics. (top) Beginning to demo how to create the story rope at a class in western Rwanda. In the back are my original quilts also used to help them process their stories. (bottom) I'm surrounded by the World Relief staff with their newly created story ropes.

For more about this experience, link to my website at the bottom of ABOUT ME. Go to >The Journey >Rwanda.

Stations #11 update: more cutting and pasting; pushing around buttons; waiting on Pat for French translation.