Get Better ~ SEVEN at Swoon Gallery

SEVEN will once again be exhibiting their work in a gallery setting. This time around we have the wonderful opportunity to show our work at the lovely Swoon Gallery on Hammonds Plains Road in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

We invite you to join us at our opening reception on Saturday, August 4th, 2012 from 2 - 5 pm. We would love to see you there. The exhibit continues until September 1st, 2012. For further information on the gallery exhibit, visit www.swoonfineart.com.

The theme for SEVEN's show is based on the poem Get Better, written by the poet in the collective, Kelly Marie Redcliffe. The six visual artists in the group created pieces inspired by the words, thoughts, ideas and visions they gleaned when listening to and reading the poem in their own studios. With six different mediums, six different creative styles, and six different interpretations, this show is sure to offer up a new way of interpreting the written form.

Join our facebook event page:
https://www.facebook.com/events/163265323809575/

Permission Granted

It started innocently enough.  A creative challenge to the group - each member brings to the next meeting a book to be altered.  A book goes home with a member to be altered and the work shared at the next meeting.  And so on, until we've each altered all seven books.    

Several insights were gained during this 7 month project:

altering only a portion of a book in anticipation of those who will alter after you, imposes interesting limitations on how you'll alter.

having to alter based on previous alterations, can be either freeing or constricting, depending on your mood.

some of our group were rather shocked that others of our group were altering without reading the books.

people can get rather silly when there are no expectations put upon the creative output.

We made it to 6 alterations each.  We shared each round and more than a few laughs.  And, on round six, it was meekly suggested that maybe we could quit now.  I seem to recall there was some pleading and begging.  Someone suggested that perhaps we have a big bonfire and burn the whole lot of them with some form of ceremony and alcoholic beverage.   Then it was decided that we would post some of the highlights and invite comments.  It's important to note that these were never intended to be seen by anyone but our group.

Artists often find there's little opportunity to create just for the fun of it - usually there's a gallery owner or a client to impress (and often, the one we strive to impress the most is ourselves).  The book alteration process was meant to be simply fun with no expectations placed on the outcome. And, in this I think we thoroughly succeeded.  We hope you enjoy looking as much as we enjoyed altering.

Until next time,

Deborah

What's in the Box?

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

What's in the Box?

Seven has a secret, from you and from each other. As one of our fun projects going on currently, Seven is participating in a secret inspirational art piece. Each month a member of Seven receives a piece done by another member. From this piece we are to create a work inspired by the former piece.
I am fourth in line to have received a piece, which no-one but the creator "Angela" has seen. From her piece I have created another work. At our next meeting I will return Angela's piece to her, (still unseen by other members) and my project ( boxed ) will be passed on to the next artist.

I have had fun with this project and I can't wait to see what will be revealed when all of the pieces are done. Maybe we will do an online reveal. Inspiration comes on many levels, and the fun part of this will be to follow the thought trail, and see how far we have come from the original piece; or maybe it will surprisingly come back to full circle. If there are only 6 degrees of seperation, who knows we could have a duplication.

Three months to the reveal.

and Tracy makes SEVEN...

Sometimes life can really throw a curve ball at us and when one really whops us in the side of the head, the simple pleasure of pointless creative fun with a group of like-minded individuals can be all that can be done to ease the goose-egg.  There's a comfort in keeping a commitment to meet and connect month after month, even though we all lead quite diverse lives and may not even communicate with one another all the days in between.

Thursday evening at Pam's house with our brand new member, Tracy Horsmen was one of those meetings that could sooth boo-boos and simply feel good to just be together with no purpose intended other than creative play. Like musical chairs (with laughter and chit chat instead of music) we each rotated around seven old windows, spending 10 minutes at abstract mark and colour making before moving on to the next.  Of course, some paintings worked out better than others, but so what, that wasn't the point.

Angela and Tracy checking out our altered books

Marie pleased with The Big Dipper

Kelly, Tracy and Pam hard at play

Kelly, our visual art-challenged poet looking for her groove...

...got it!

Pam being in the moment

Freddie being in the moment

I like how this one's coming along

A little dab here...

...a little flick here...

 ... brush strokes...

...and dribbles

So Tracy, tell us about yourself!

In our next post, Tracy will answer a few questions for us so we can get to know her.  Mine first - Tracy, your medium is clay and I want to know why clay?  How did you discover it and what does it do for you?

Sending Sunday sunshine happiness to one and all,

Deborah

Seven's Change

Seven is sadly saying good-bye to Charter Member, Pia Skarrer Nielsen.  With Seven since its conception in 2006, Pia has left the group to further study in the textile fields of Tapestry, spinning and all things woolly.  She continues with her business Wonderous Woolerie.  Pia and husband Soren are spending much time sailing our South Shore and enjoying other adventures.

Pia made a spectacular contribution to Seven, participating in shows at /Argyle Fine Art, Halifax, Awakenings at Harvest Gallery, Wolfville, and leading our group to our largest adventure to date- Three gallery shows at various locations in Denmark, and culminating with our presentation at the Craig Gallery, in Dartmouth.

We will miss Pia and her input to our group. But we understand that everyone's life must evolve and priorities change over the years. 

From here to there and back again

SEVEN is currently showcasing their exhibit titled Udveksling at the intriguing home of the Charles Macdonald Concrete Museum in Centreville, Nova Scotia. This particular show has already been on exhibit at the Craig Gallery in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia but we thought it would be such a great opportunity to showcase the exhibit closer to where we live and where we practice our art. The show will be up until the end of June, 2011.

One of the exciting reasons for exhibiting our show based on the Exchange of ideas, inspirations and culture of our first international exhibit in Denmark (2010) at the Charles Macdonald Concrete House Museum is that Charles Macdonald was also very much into the exchange of ideas, materials and inspirations. He spent most of his life living in the Annapolis Valley in Nova Scotia but frequently traveled abroad. It is from his expeditions that he brought back with him the many ideas on styles, approaches to art and various mediums which he further explored in the comforts of his own home.

From the Charles Macdonald Concrete House Museum Website:
"In his ninety-three years, Charles Macdonald was a sailor, a sculptor,
a painter, a builder, a manufacturer, and a socialist. The Charles Macdonald
House of Centreville Society celebrates the life and work of this exceptional
Nova Scotian."

You can read further about the incredibly talented and prolific man and the museum based on his homestead by visiting: The Charles Macdonald Concrete House Museum. You can also find directions to the museum on this site.

We hope you have an opportunity to drop by and see our show and of course learn more about the people who paved the way for many ideas and developments in our beloved Annapolis Valley.

What a Party!

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!  to everyone who joined us in celebrating the opening of our new exhibit, Udveksling, at The Craig Gallery last night.  People were so excited to be there (or perhaps just hungry lol!), that the place was hoping 20 minutes before the doors officially opened!

The enthusiasm and delight expressed by all who shared in our exchange with much laughter and hugs was the shining star on our many months of learning, exploring and creating.

Many thanks to my good friend, Sandra Gunther, for capturing these images.

Until next time....

Deborah