01/24/2005: "Invitation"

Today I received the following:

You are cordially invited to participate in the Juneau-Douglas City Museum art installation 12" X 12" this upcoming March 2005.

12" X 12" of plain wall surface will be reserved for each artist to create a temporary, original artwork directly on the gallery wall of the Museum. Artists may work in any media, and shall execute the artwork in March between the 1st and the 24th of the month. Artists shall have access to the Museum during public open hours noon to 4pm Tuesday through Saturday. There will be a First Friday event March 4th with refreshments, and the space will be open from noon to 7pm that day. The gallery space will be open to the public to observe the development of the project throughout the month, and the installation will culminate with a closing reception on Friday, March 25th from 4:30 to 7pm. The ephemeral artwork created will not survive into April.

I sent back my RSVP to reserve my 12"x12" space because I think it sounds like an interesting project and I think it'll be fun. I participated in a community mural project in Anchorage and it was as much about the event as the finished project. I'm looking forward to maybe meeting some other artists, I do go to openings but I don't generally talk to anyone.

They said *any* media, though I wonder how that will work if I want to paint in oils, I mean, how will they paint over the walls after the event with acrylic paint if there's oil on there? But I hope I can use oil, as I'm quickly discovering that I don't have much of a knack for acrylic at all. Now I just have to think about what I want my square to be. I'm thinking I might use this venue to do something political. I've been feeling a might peevish lately.

In other news, I'm trying to decide if I should go and pick up my painting that's going to be in the Eros and Art show. It made it into the show but I don't feel like it's really finished. The works aren't due at the gallery for installation until Monday...so theoretically, I could spend the weekend finishing it up. The down side of that is that I could end up completely destroying the piece, as I've been known to do (accidentally of course) and since it was accepted for how it looks as it is now, I'm not sure how thrilled the curator would be about me bringing back something... altered. Oh well, it's better to ask forgiveness than permission, that's always been my motto.

One last thing, a woman contacted me who is creating a new website called juneauartists.com. It's still in its infancy but it looks like it has a lot of potential. I will put up a permanent link to it when I get the chance.

Replies: 4 Comments

on Thursday, January 27th, holly said

Do a fresco! Do a fresco!! I bet it would be great fun! You sound like you're good with knife painting- perfect for pigment and wet plaster!

(Hey look- it's that guy with the big head over there on your sidebar ;-) )

on Thursday, January 27th, Elise said

LOL, you crack me up holly! But doing a fresco sounds like a fantastic idea. Of course, I've never actually *done* a fresco before, but hey, it can't be that hard right? And I do likes me knives!

As for Cillian...please refrain from disparaging the future Mr. Elise Tomlinson!
:laugh:

on Thursday, January 27th, holly said

Living vicariously through real artists- I can only paint my toenails. I'm fascinated with the fresco process, though. I've only seen it done on video, never in person. You have such a great, bold style, though, I think it would be a perfect medium for that style in a small space. You could even rip on Jasper Johns and do a flag and stick things in it before the plaster dries!

on Friday, January 28th, Elise said

Thanks Holly, we don't have a video on fresco at my library though I could probably get one through ILL. I'm sure there are instructions for doing it online. I like the idea of sticking stuff into it before it dries. I wonder if I should tell my plan to the museum curator first or just go for it?