2.27.2009

WORDS TO BE

Passionate, creative, flexible, resilient, purposeful, disciplined, organized, brave hearted, aware, optimistic, innovative, confident, enthusiastic, spirited, decisive, visionary, true, tenacious, dedicated, free, stubborn, healthy. 

2.21.2009

Web Presence

Today was a good day at the gallery. It was slower and manageable and I was able to talk to the visitors one on one. Each person commented on how "terrific" the work is. The LynnArts staff also brought people down to see the show during the week, so a big thank you to them! I am going to post the photos from the reception soon. I got the fluish thing that's going around and ended up heading home early Thursday night. I felt better when I woke up this morning, so I went in. The thing about running a one woman operation- you don't get to call in sick unless you're hospital-sick, just like mothering... so I'm a little slow on the draw this weekend and my husband just asked me to stop working and take a night off... It's almost 10, so I may just go to bed before midnight for the first time in...well, a really long time!

I am trying to put together a list of the web presence of this exhibit and would love it if people could email me any links they know of... These are a few quickies I know of and will soon post more when I'm feeling a little better. I sent another batch of pr as well ... If you know of any/have linked to us, please let us know so we can return the favor.


Salem/ Beverly Art and Drawing MeetUp group run by John Dumas:
http://art.meetup.com/455/boards/thread/6253821/

http://www.salemartsassociation.org/greatreveal?eventId=42065&EventViewMode=2&CalendarViewType=1&SelectedDate=2/14/2009

http://www.bigredandshiny.com/cgi-bin/retrieve.pl?section=listings&issue=issue99

http://kindermusikwithfriends.blogspot.com/2009/02/balance-mothers-who-create-february-7.html

http://www.turtlestudios.org/exhibits.html

http://www.galagardner.org/member-news.htm

http://unjusimstudio.blogspot.com/2009/02/exhibition.html

http://www.cburkeart.com/

http://xiaoweichen1978.spaces.live.com/?lc=1033

http://beckykgibbs.wordpress.com/

http://camillemaren.com/

http://www.claudiawaters.com/Asset.asp?AssetID=10482&AKey=WYNQWBHN

Please add links you find to the comments section and I will upload them here....

http://lynnhappens.com/picks.html



2.17.2009

Donna Dodson's Career Profile on Career Apple Inc.

Donna writes:

"I was recently interviewed for a career profile on Career Apple Inc. To read about my beginnings as an artist, my inspirations as a sculptor as well as why I love this job, what a typical day is like, what the challenges are and what the upside is to my career click here. I also discuss my education, how I got started and what traits it helps to have as an artist."

Donna participated in the TLGUTS "Goddess" exhibit, in which she had three pieces, and also had a solo show in the LynnArts Willow community gallery. See her work and read her blog here.

Opening Reception for Balance: Mothers Who Create, Huge Turnout, Thank You

I was blown away by how many people attended Saturday's reception. There was barely enough room to move! The response was incredible, with many, many comments on the fantastic work and warm atmosphere of the gallery. Thank you to all of the artists. Without you, this would not have happened. You are a remarkable group of people! Thank you to artists Trinidad Martinez , Carol Calabro, and Luba Shapiro who helped me with last minute details, kept on top of the refreshments and helped throughout the reception, and to artist Camille Maren and the gallery's new friend Ali Ellwood for their support. Thank you also to Maria Marx who beautifully added atmosphere to the reception with her violin. Please take the time to visit the artists' websites via the TLGUTS website "artist" page!

I would also like to thank my "web guy", Jeff, the gallery's most ardent supporter who has spent countless hours over the past three years listening to my ideas, helping to update the website, and taking care of our four children while I am hanging art work, writing, researching, and generally, taking care of business, while maintaing a career of his own. Also, thank you to all of the people in the artists' lives who contributed through support, co-parenting, daycare, diaper changes, etc.

Thank you to Ichi Foto, who photographed the exhibit at the end of the reception, and to Gary Robinson of Lewis of Lynn Signs who created the lettering for the exhibit. I highly recommend both businesses. Gary creates removable lettering for gallery walls amongst other services. Give him a call. His contact information is on our "links" page of the website. I will have more information about Ichi Foto soon.

We are currently creating an online gallery for the work and planning the gallery talk which will be held on March 7th, from 2-4, during which I will discuss the premise of the exhibit, the individual pieces and how the exhibit was mapped out. On March 17th there will be a reception for all those last minute viewers. At the end of the reception, artists can take home remaining work.

Meanwhile, the gallery will be open during it's regular hours on Thursday nights from 6:30-8:30pm, on Saturdays from 10am - 4pm, and by appointment.

If anyone has photographs of the opening, please send them my way with a photo credit line.

2.11.2009

Who Does She Think She Is? Comes to Salem

Showtimes for Who Does She Think She Is? at the Cinema Salem:

dates: 2/13 -2/19
Friday: 415 600 745 935
Saturday: 1215 215 415 600 745 935
Sunday-Thursday:1215 215 415 600 745

The screening room seats 18, so larger groups should buy tickets in advance on the website:www.cinemasalem.com or at the boxoffice.

If you do attend the Salem screenings, please leave a comment and let us know!


Erin Long to appear on NPR Today

Erin Long, an exhibiting artist in the current exhibit Balance: Mothers Who Create will be sharing her story of her daughter Birdie on NPR today. Long has three photographs in the exhibit, portraying her self, her husband Matt, and their daughter, Birdie. Erin's photographs speak about the utter anguish of loss and also love. Her powerful photographs serve as a means to break down the walls of silence surrounding infant mortality.  Their story is a part of the Story Corp project and can be heard this morning at www.wfcr.org.

2.09.2009

Update: Balance: Mothers Who Create

There has been a fantastic outpouring of support for this exhibit. I have received emails from people who are excited about the concept of the exhibit, volunteers who want to help, and those who didn't make the deadline but would like to participate in "the next" mothers' exhibit. Those who have seen it, love it. I'm sure that because, so far, the viewers have all been friends of the gallery, their opinions may be a little biased, but I choose to believe them because really, the rooms look great.

While we never know how many will show up until the actual day of the opening, I am expecting and planning for a good sized crowd. I am an eternal optimist. I also plan on having a good time, whistling while I work so-to-speak. The women I have met so far have been very interesting women and I can't wait to meet the rest of you.

The opening reception is always an exciting time. Most artists are seeing the exhibit for the first time. It's a nerve racking experience for me because I worry about whether the artists will appreciate the layout of the work. I do so want the artists to be happy with their exhibit. Until the work is on the wall, it's my exhibit. It's my idea, my baby, if you will. Once the work is up, I feel it belongs to the artists. It's their time to shine and for their voices to come through.

The exhibit runs for a month or so after the opening which poses the challenge of keeping the exhibit alive during its full run. There are two follow up events, one on March 7th- the open house and gallery talk during which I will discuss the work and the layout of the exhibit, as well the preface of the exhibit and the mission of the gallery, provide resources for further exploration of the preface, and take questions. The other is the closing reception, for all those last minute viewers. It will also be a chance for artists to meet again and pick up their work.

There's still work to do. My wonderful "web guy", is working on an online gallery for the exhibit which should be up some time early next week if not sooner. Tonight he's at band practice. I need to do a little housekeeping, and I need to pull together and finalize my written piece for the book without writing a book -at least for now, and there's a load of boring desk work that needs to be done. I'm sure there's more, but I don't need to worry you with that. Right now I just want to get something up on the blog that says I'm working, we're approaching the opening reception, we've already had people come through to see the exhibit with a good response, and say thank you.



2.07.2009

Mock interview

Mock interview with myself including questions people have asked me:

So how long have you been here?
I have been here three years this June.

How come I'm just hearing about you now?
Well, frankly, because I've chosen to slowly grow the gallery.

When I first signed the lease, I was facing significant life changing circumstances that demanded my attention. Had I reached out and begun to grow the gallery too fast, I would have hurt myself-physically hurt myself, and it would have impacted my family in a negative way.

I was happy with the (square) turtle's pace. I made some great connections during those slower times and found my way around the business side of things. I was incubating, creating experiences for myself to learn from and grow. I am a new gallery owner. I don't hide this from anyone. At some point, every gallery owner was a new gallery owner.

Since my involvement with LynnArts began four years ago, I have been lucky to work under Susan Halter, a very confident woman who has the fantastic ability to see both sides of things and wears an administrative hat well. I have seen Rep. Steve Walsh in action - how dedicated he is to the community, and how one person truly can make a huge difference. I also had the luck of exhibiting Donna Dodson's and Sand T's work - tireless women who I absolutely love, and who deserve credit for helping me get off the ground. Through Donna' salons and community building, I found inspiration to pull my feet out of the cement and keep going. Through Sand I learned more than I can articulate here. I am now ready to grow the business and that is why you are hearing about the gallery now.

But if I may, to those artists who showed up in the beginning, I am forever grateful to you. I follow their careers even if they don't know that I do, and I advocate for them whenever I can.

What was in the space before?
A latin music school.

So why did you open this gallery?
Isadora Duncan wrote in her autobiography, "I don't know why if a person wants to do a thing, they shouldn't" (paraphrased). I wanted to do it. I wanted to have creative control of an exhibit space to explore ideas. I love what I do. Being surrounded by ideas, and by people with ideas, and getting people together to talk about art, talk about life, is a passion.

I think it's important for artists to have a place to exhibit work that is comfortable and welcoming. This isn't the only welcoming gallery, it's another one. I think there should be more. That being said, I am not taking proposals right now and don't accept all of the work that is entered into the exhibits. I'm nice, but I am running a business.

"Don't mistake my kindness for blindness." - Arrested Development....

So are you an artist too?
Yes. I'm a photographer, and I work in fibers.

What are you working on now?
Right now I have ten years worth of photos that I am wading through. I've spent the past ten years learning about non-profit management, marketing, educating myself, and my art has taken a back seat from time to time - like now. I have some sketches for self-portrait work that I am working out in my head. They have to do with my hair. I'm also working with my husband on a series of photographs, but I'm keeping that project to myself for a bit. Check back with me. Right now my work time is focused on the current exhibit.

Another piece I've been working on for a while is a rug of all of the men in my family's pants. It's a conceptual piece.

Do you make money from this?
While I find this question kind of personal, I am asked quite a bit. The answer is no, I don't take a salary from the gallery, not yet. I have seen profits, but just about every penny I've made selling my own work, working as a consultant, gallery sales and fees, etc. has gone back into the gallery in one way or another. This past summer I used some money to send my kids to summer camp for a week. They deserved it. They had a blast. Some day, yes, I hope to be able to pay for my son's braces and get my husband a really, really nice gift... I figure the smarter I work, the more success the gallery artists will have, the better off we all are.

On that note, I think it's about time people start investing in real art work for their homes. Although I try to support local businesses as much as possible, I do love Target as much as the next person. I can buy diapers, a new bra, a bag of Doritos and a scooter at the same time- but if I hang something on a wall in my house- it's genuine, unless it's a print I buy directly from the artist. I'm proud of my collection and that I have contributed to other artists' pursuits. Buy original art from living artists. Monet doesn't see a dime of his calendar sales. That's my bumper sticker slogan for the day.

Is there anything I can do to help?
Yes. Spread the word. Trade an hour watching tv for an hour in a gallery- any gallery. It's usually free. And support your local artists and arts organizations.