Found treasures

I have come home from Copenhagen with an unexpected treasure. It feels like a reward for past research and gives me such joy every time I see it.



Way back in January 2009 when we decided to do this trip I was wandering through the art texts at the Acadia University Library and was drawn to a large volume called Beyond Craft : The Art Fabric - by Jack Lenor Larsen and Mildred Constantine. I renewed this book many times intrigued by weaving techniques, scale of the work, dedication to a large project, simplicities, complexities and creativity. Many of the artists' works in this book were the inspiration for the work I created for 'Exchange'. One of the featured artists I admired was Franka Rasmussen.

' In the morning I walk about looking, and I think: surely this could be better. 
Or : what muck you made yesterday...all the little talks one has with oneself. And then one goes shopping and finds four lamp shades.....I think it may be the only ability I still haven't lost in my ripe old age: I am still able to find things'
 Franka Rasmussen  (1907 - 1994)

During our first days in Copenhagen, Deborah and I decided to spend a morning in the heart of the city finding galleries she had earmarked as worth a look. We had a blast loosing and finding ourselves. My respect grew by leaps and bounds for her navigationally adept brain. We came across Folk Kunst, made a mental note to return, took a photo for an additional reminder and carried on. Then it eluded us for a few days and when you are trying to fit many things into one day, going around a block more than once just isn't time efficient.

a table runner

'It is a tremendous strain to teach while making something yourself, but I couldn't do without either: getting to understand other people's way of thinking, getting new ideas started...I called it 'composition', later it became 'form and colour'...I simply tried to improve their vision, to teach them to see what they see.' Franka

Eventually, in the last week, around one more corner where many triangular blocks met, that sweet little sign showed up again. Inside was a gentle man named Morten Grue, shop owner, puppeteer, artist, maker of found object mobiles and a past student of Franka Rasmussen. This tiny little shop had some interesting vintage folk art AND some work done by Franka. Morten had purchased her summer home with contents (they were friends) and the last pieces he had of her's were in the store. They were here... and available, two wall hangings and two table runners. It just felt right. To see and touch them seemed to fulfill a quest and complete the project. It would be a few days before I decided to purchase a piece to bring home but I am happy every day that I did.

This one stayed at the store.
Morten kindly gave me the book with my purchase.

Franka Rasmussen -  'My attitude is that I will do things because the work is exciting in itself....that is the experience I want. The result however is not interesting. I have never kept a record or collected photos, because once a piece of work is finished, I'm on my way to the next one. It amazes me that I haven't felt the need to sell, but it wasn't necessary for my self confidence or for the reverence I feel for my work...It was this: I made the things for their own sake. That was the reason for working.'

And I have gone shopping and found................the end of a chapter....................Udveksling next....Pam

How are home renovations and shipping art work the same?

I think we all know the answer to this. They both take alot more time and money than your best thought out estimate!

This was a true maze to wander through for us. Many paths were taken to reach the goal of having all art works in a crate and on their way to Copenhagen on time for an August 2nd set up day. We have learned so much, copious notes have been taken, many people/departments contacted and papers signed.

TA DA!!!!! VOILA!!!!!Its done now and here is a brief review of the last two months on the paper trail.

It started by a call to CBS to see just how to go about this. We were planning to ship all the art work in one crate and have all of it return to Nova Scotia. This way we wouldn't have to navigate the TAX departments. Export and Re-import documents were what we needed . I won't fill you in on the circuitous route we followed to determine all the neccessary documents but I will let you know that what was determined one day often changed the next due to things we had or didn't have or the gallery in Denmark had or didn't have.

Many thanks go out to Lisa at Canada Border Services and Nicole and Michelle at Kuehne and Nagel, our freight forwarders. Together we unwound the red tape.

I'll tell you what we have now that is making this happen.

Seven are all members of CARFAC so we could get Certificates of Canadian Origin for each art work
Seven has Certificates of Canadian Origin for each art work. (with photos attached and 3 extra copies made)
Seven has a business # and an import /export #. This was neccessary as we needed an ATA Carnet.
Seven has an ATA Carnet - a document issued by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce that accompanies exhibition items when they travel around the world to countries that accept ATA Carnet documented items.
Seven has a Surety Bond. Neccessary to prove to the Chamber of Commerce that we do intend to return the art work so they will issue an ATA Carnet.
Seven has a Commercial Invoice with company letterhead listing all the art work with prices, commodity /tarriff codes, sizes and weights to accompany ATA Carnet, Carfac Certificates of Origin and supporting documents.
Seven has an envelope of supporting documents with show brochures and post cards, confirmations from galleries, magazine and newspaper articles and copies of all aforementioned documents inside the crate.
Seven has an ICCP approved crate with a document to prove this as well.

Now our part is done and the freight forwarder will deliver to the door of the gallery on August 2nd. They will also remove and store the crate for us until we pack it to take the exhibit to Kerteminde. Then they will take it to Kerteminde and from there return it to Nova Scotia. This was a blessing for us to find a company that could look after all these details. We'll let you know how it all turns out when the crate returns in October.

The inspectors from Canada Border Services arrive.

Pia signs the ATA Carnet with the inspector. Note the official stamp.

Keeping all the papers straight.

Meeting with Wendy Elliot  from our local newspaper, The Advertiser.

Showing Wendy some of the art just before the wrap and pack.

Financially, we had drastically underbudgeted for this part of our trip. Shipping costs! Now we know and have many of the things we will need if we every do another international show. Our Carnet is good until July 2011. Not that we have any plans to go elsewhere at this point in time......but if you wanted us to come...just saying.....

Trying to fit it all in nice and tight.

Very hot and humid day, Thanks for the shade Angela.

Packed, documents in, art work in, screws in place.

The crate is in Montreal and leaving for Copenhagen shortly. We are scurrying around finding good walking shoes for all the treks we are going to take while visiting the spectacular country of Denmark.
 Excitement is bubbling up!

- Warm regards, Pam

What? Dream Catchers?

Keeping it short today. Trying to stay away from the dream world and focus on all the tasks at hand.

Our last show was Awakenings. These are my pieces created around that theme.

                                                                   

 We never know for sure how someone else will think and feel about our work and I was surprised when some people asked if these large pieces were  dream catchers. They stand 6 feet tall and the circles are 25 inches in diameter. Once the comment was made I went though a range of emotions. The dream catcher has felt overdone to me, almost a bit kitchy. I wasn't feeling great about this reaction, until I watched and talked with the dream catcher people who were truly moved by how they felt. They changed my mind about dream catchers and how I feel about showing work.

From there it was easy to let go of my first reaction and let the art be what it is, open for interpretation for one and all. Not every one thought dream catcher, not every one liked them but the feedback was nourishing on all levels. I will strive to make myself clearer with future pieces knowing that not everyone will see as I see. In February I was walking by my front window and the reflection begged a photo. Kind of dreamy I think!

Do you think art pieces should have a clear message? How would this interpret across cultural boundaries? What could speak to all the cultures in the world? Here is where my mind will be as I go back to working with production pieces for the afternoon. (one of the benefits of production work).

Enjoy life!  

Pam

Customs...required homework.

Earlier this year I took the opportunity to join an In Market Educational Export program travelling to Chicago with NSBI. I wanted to have the experience of travelling with ‘samples’ and making my way through customs as well as learning the ins and outs of exporting. The Centre for Women in Business had provided a workshop to inform 7, The Artists Collective what we needed to research before our Danish adventure.

I was bringing jewellery samples and could have adorned my body, my travelling companions and my suitcase to avoid this step at customs but what would I have gained? This way I was able to see the inner sanctums, meet some eventually friendly agents and have a personal escort by the head of the U S port authority to the boarding area!

Preparations. Use your business letterhead and make an itemized and detailed list of all samples including prices. Take copies of the list. That I did. Declare that I am bringing in commercial samples. That I did. (This puts up a yellow flag for each inspector.) No problem…as I knew I had followed the right steps. So my first jewellery showing was on the moving belt. Too bad these folks have to remain so stone faced. I don’t know if he was impressed with my work or not but he did think it worthy enough to ask me to show it to the fellow at the next desk. The red flag was thrown down.

Jewellery showing # 2. “Do you have a carnet?” he says. “What?” I say. “I guess not” he says. And the conversation carries on mostly about the fact that I will definitely be bringing the samples back…Not Selling Them. He feels I should meet another member of the team ... so I am escorted into the next room behind the frosted glass doors. This is a large room with a waiting area, a few tall desks with computers and no people. I take my seat and check the time. In a few minutes I am greeted by a gentleman who asks for my passport and I wait patiently while all the details are entered in the computer. We carry on the same conversation about my intentions with the samples. He is convinced I should be able to take them but maybe I haven’t used the right forms. He’ll just call in the new head of  Homeland Security Halifax Airport and see what he thinks.

Jewellery Showing #3 This was my best showing yet! We had a great conversation about my use of recycled vinyl records, his love of music and Nova Scotia. His concern had shifted to Canada Border Services and how would I be able to get these back into Canada. They were both kind enough to be aware of my flight time. He sees no problem but will call an agent from Canada Border Services to join us at the boarding gate.

It was interesting, to say the least, to see the members of the trade mission watch me and my uniformed escort make our way through the lounge. We had met the previous week.

Another 10 minutes pass while we wait. He asks for my business card so he can show his wife my website. The previous inspector arrives with a paper. He has been searching the document ‘Importation of Commercial Samples'. It is a copy of page 12 and after reading this says I am good to go. The CBS agent arrives and says they have no problem either. I’ve got time left to grab a juice and a muffin, greet my travelling companions and let my red cheeks return to normal before boarding.

I did it an acceptable way but could have avoided this by visiting CBS and filing an E-15 or shipped the samples to arrive before me. A Carnet is only necessary with goods valued over $2000.00. Next time I will dot the i’s and cross the t’s twice! Good thing I had arrived the required 2 hours early for the flight. Denmark should be a breeze after this.  Pam

Let's Do The Time Warp...

Because our blog is new and our artist collective is 3 years old, it seems appropriate to take jump into our time machine and visit some of our past creations.  In no particular order...

a bit of sculpture from Pam Frail...


... silk fusion with encaustic from Marilyn...

...acorns from Pia...

...Marie's copperwork...

...a painting by Angela...

... Deborah's digital serigraph...
















and, last, but certainly not least some of Kelly's poetry...

Staying Awake

by Kelly Marie Redcliffe

i . sleep

Awake? No, please, begin with sleep

a crow on murkied ice tugged out with tide. Bye

bye to time its hazards

no questions no accomodations

a herd of cloud-animals

galloping off to moon.

Quiet, the wingflap's darkling

I recognize as love.

ii wakesleeping

Waking is emergence, a yellow scope

poking from Calla Lily spathe.

Peek-a-boo I see you

squash-blossom horns delivering

pitch-perfect hellos

crayon streaks for sunshine

Now up

how to stay awake?

Gooped corners needing

excavation folding socks dirtied in a day.

Manners a white cane prattling pavement

safe across minutes.

Action a game of checkmarks

ta-dah! Cha-ching.

Washing machine is musac slish-sloshing upstairs

down. A sigh wants an excuse

a deep breath wants time

a trapped truth hates pretending

white lies white noise clutter

an aggressive unspoken wanting

forging forward

people aside

animal

human.

Don't walk away from it.

If you do you'll pay for it.

Shame an upturned tree

roots groping moss dangling.

Midday hoot of an owl

clear cylindrical.

Even ants build highways a pencil mark

through sand to get where they are going.

iii. waking up

If you want to change

you can! Vigilence

splayed under brush

chin stiffed into hand-heals pshaw

truthsayers and mimics here yea

hear yea stop waving exclamations at me

(please). Do not tease with aphorisms crowd

fear with sensations a throng of Cedar Waxwings

gorge fruit half-eaten spluttering to ground

red planets sweet squished

not an ounce of beauty wasted: eyes meet

in shared caring know that I love

doing as I said I would. Want

this.

Squash palms may ponder growth meanwhile

collect sunshine.

I lay on lawn on hand-stitched quilt from a friend's ex-partner's mother

sky-story writing shadows the universe on my back.

Being awake is what I do when

rested.

Skip routines try

a tidied entrance

soup made creamy with béchamel

spoon clunked in empty bowl. Satisfaction

yet incomplete weed-root

half in hand.

Learn flight

from reocurring dreams.

iv. awake again and again

It's so quiet I hear thirst lies

carelessly scrawled on chalkboard

sponged clean. A sunflower's root

drawing dew.

I am one who has not yet fallen

in love with herself believes it possible.

Squiggles of half-formed words

piled up falling asleep elongate into

stories lived in moonlit day. Sadness

turns orange is harvested. A last

yellow leaf twitches teardroplets plunk

in pond a harmonica note shudders

still a kiss is soft pucker blow

dandelion seed-darts are bubbles

encoded with hope

… poof

Hi , Let me introduce myself

I'm Pam , a member of this collective. I like to crochet...alot... with whatever can be made into a loop. I've used precious metals and beach ropes to fulfill this desire to put things together with a sense of beauty. I am not limited to crochet though. I like to recycle too. And paint ...recycled things.
For 'Exchange' I'll be continuing with a theme I've been working with for the past year using pennies and pots and thoughts. Here are a couple pieces that I can now call studies for the works in progress.

I'd love to hear from any other mad crocheters out there!

Simple Jewellery Repair with the Lakeville Woman's Institute

I have lived in Lakeville, N.S. for 27 years. It has been a wonderful place to raise a family, and grow our souls by living rurally and enjoying all the benefits that come with this life style. To meet the community  I joined the Lakeville Woman's Institute. I was a 'younger' member and was welcomed whole heartedly by an incredibly diverse and busy group. While a member I attended outings, catered dinners, ran community projects, and raised funds for our community and other women with needs around the world. It was a supportive community to learn how to do many things. Many of these things I have been able to use in our Art Collective 'Seven".
I look forward to tomorrow when I will go back to the Lakeville Community Hall and an afternoon meeting of the Lakeville Woman's Institute to share some simple jewellery repair techniques.

EXCHANGE  (noun)  giving of one thing and receiving of another in its place.

Seems to me this is how community is built and 'exchange' is happening around the world. I am optimistic!