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

Udveksling

With two days until the official opening of SEVEN's most recent exhibit, hearts and minds are aflutter along with busy hands working on the finishing details of our creations. We are also tying up last minute details such as picking up signage, making wall cards and writing our artist statements. All of this is occurring while two of our members are in the midst of lambing season which means many trips to the barn with late nights and early mornings to make sure all animals are safe and happy. Sigh, long inhale, a smile to start the day, and perhaps a strong cup of java to keep the energy flowing.

On top of preparing for the opening, we are also putting together our thoughts and experiences of our exchange to Denmark for a panel discussion. It should be lots of fun and a great way to hear of how seven women were able to travel to Denmark, exhibit in three galleries and then take inspiration back home to Nova Scotia. Although this may be the simplified version, it was really a project which took two years to come to fruition with lots of learning to be had.

We hope you will be able to join us for our opening at Craig Gallery at Alderney Landing, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia on March 30th from 7 - 9 pm. If not, our show will be on display until May 1, 2011 and our panel discussion will take place on Sunday, April 17 from 2 - 4pm. We look forward to meeting old and new faces and thank everyone for their interest and words of encouragement. We would also like to thank Nova Scotia Tourism, Culture and Heritage for their financial support and continued interest in our project.

See you soon,
Angela

Acrylic, Graphite Pencil and Pastel on wood panel (Triptych) by Angela Melanson

Peek

With our exhibition at the Craig Gallery opening in less than two weeks, I thought to peak your curiosity a bit by sharing my artist statement and one of my images.  I hope you come to our opening reception.  There'll be wine and cheese and yummy treats, great conversation, old friends and friends you haven't met yet and, of course, great art and all seven of us Valley artists!

My Artist Statement :: Streetscapes and thoughtscapes.   Reflected constructions of placeless places where fluid and fleeting exchanges between pedestrians and mannequins occur.

We instantly imbue any human form, whether corporal or constructed, with personality – with story. It's this autonomic exchange which drives my work. I particularly enjoy that this anthropomorphism is applied to strangers, animals, toys with faces and even headless mannequins!

Until next time....

Deborah

You're Invited!

No matter, how much planning ahead we do, it seems that all the tasks required to open a show bunch up in the final 3 weeks.  We're all excitedly working on our art, planning our artist talks and talking up our opening reception.

We're a happy group of creative individuals who take our art seriously, but know how to make time for laughter and sharing.  We'd love to tell you about our Danish and Nova Scotian experiences and we hope you'll share in our exchange at the Craig Gallery.  Here's your invitation:

Until next time,
Deborah

February, a Month of Creation for Upcoming Show!

We are not spending a lot of time on our 'confusers' these days, at least not as a group.

However, we are and have been busy with our individual artwork and other matters of life and suddenly ..... we are in February, and February which is such a short month is almost gone, now that is enough to make one's hair, be it long or short stand up pretty straight on the head.




But onto something more timely and which is on my mind a lot these days.

The sequel to the show Exchange/Udveksling which we took to Denmark in August 2010 is about to be revealed and uncovered in just a month and a half from now.

On March 30 at 7pm we are celebrating the opening of our new show Udveksling/Exchange, at the Craig Gallery in Dartmouth. 

 An exhibit of new work by the members of SEVEN inspired by the travels in Denmark, talks and discussions, photo gazing and contemplations after our return back to Canada. 

As we get closer to the date the excitement will grow and we will share some of this with you in the weeks to come.

Wishing you all beautiful cool, crisp, sunny winterdays!
Pia

Things are moving

Hey! Hey! When I say things are moving I mean it. Back in July I moved residence. It's a cool little flat that I love. I have a nice big room to work in with big windows and southern exposure. Right now I'm mostly painting in it. Lots of floor cloths that I love doing and have tried a few canvases but nothing I'm happy with. That's OK. I won't force it. Deborah and Angela have been very inspirational for me to try to paint but there's no way I can keep up with them. After an interview with a friend in Halifax who does film, video and digital editing I am encouraged to go back to school to learn some computer skills. It's a lot embarrassing how little I know - especially since I started using macs when they first got used for desk top publishing. It was back when I was switching from being a graphic artist to a metalsmith. So here it is 20 years later and I'm thinking it might be a good idea to really sink my teeth into the medium. Computers might be the next big thing and I don't want to miss out on it!! I'll be registering at NSCAD University for a couple introductory courses this summer. I'll let you know how it goes...

I'm also very happy to say the other thing that has moved is the copper out of my body! After my third hair analysis test it shows the copper levels in my body have dropped to (almost) normal. Now with all the detox I have been doing I have also dug up the lead and cadmium out of my tissues and getting that on the move as well. It was a little surprising to see those levels go up from one test to the next but my naturopath says it means I'm getting rid of those too. So all my hard work is paying off - it's not quite over yet and I still have a way to go but I feel better than I have in a long time and that will keep me going on the right path.

And now for another move. Starting January 3rd. I'll be flying to Copenhagen to start my European whirlwind trip. I have been skrimping and saving and selling artwork so that I could go galavanting across the continent for 2 months. I have been agonizing over it because I could really use a new computer and some other stuff but I really need to do a trip like this because I may never get the chance again. Other than rent, I don't have any responsibilities so that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it! I do have a responsibility to my girls in SEVEN for our show at the Craig Gallery next April. I have another to treat myself after a few difficult years of divorce, death of my mother and the death of my metalsmithing career. I don't plan to just look around and lollygag in Europe. I'll be busy figuring out what they do that we in Canada don't. I'll be drawing and taking pictures and getting work ready for the Craig show. I'll be playing my Ukulele, writing and gathering bits of paper for another costume to perform in. I'll be people watching and going to some amazing places and looking at art and architecture and eating some great food too. It's also doctors orders that I find some places to get a sauna and mud bath!

Well, that's my update. I won't be blogging or doing much contact other than letting people know I'm alright. I'll be sending my own hand drawn postcards to a few friends and SEVEN peeps but I'm saving the best for the show at the Craig Gallery at Alderney Landing next April. Then if I can get some funding I'll be putting on a multi-media show at the Al Whittle Theater in Wolfville next fall. I'm not bringing much technology with me so you won't be able to follow my travels. Somehow that's like watching a trailer for a movie that gives you the whole story without having to go see the movie! Now I have to go do a trial suitcase packing. 'Ere we go...

Opening day of Exchange in Kerteminde

Opening day in Kerteminde, getting up and getting oneself organized inside and out for a few hours of SEVEN talk and enjoyment.
The weather is fairly nice, no rain around opening hour at noon.
We had decorated the bushes outside with our extra Canadian and Nova Scotian flags for this opening of Exchange.


Entry to the art store, museum and gallery.


The view when walking towards and into the gallery space.


Jane Nielsen, our contact person with the gallery had come from Aeroe to officially open the exhibit. She gave a short introduction of the group
To the visitors and talked about the importance and excitement of sharing work and thoughts across borders, and how important she felt it was that we, a Canadian group, was there to show the audience of the gallery what we do and how we do it. Then she asked me if I would be kind enough to give a more in-depth presentation of each of the artists of SEVEN.


Our welcoming buffet, grapes, white wine and pop, at a good height and easily accessible.


Taking full advantage of the opportunities the gallery had to offer. One being several plinths for exhibiting pieces up high and fairly freely and also some glass tops to protect smaller pieces of work, which worked out absolutely beautifully for Marie's Bitty Bawdies as well as for some of my felted fruits.


We found a shelf which could hold all our information + the guest book, which I hope people will see and sign during their meandering through our exhibit.


And a cosy corner was created with Kelly's poem on the dvd player and right next to it the basket I borrowed from a friend, so our big international crochet project has a home to sit in between all the times people pick it up and add some of their preferred colour or texture to the piece by crocheting their own little free spirited pattern onto what has already been scrumbled there. A note accompanies the basket and it's content explaining our hopes and wishes for the growth and progress of the piece.


And finally another view of the exhibition grounds. This is truly a beautiful spot, with good energy and gentle people around. I do hope our exhibit will be well visited and that our out-reach will be well received.


Greetings from the last member of SEVEN still in Denmark for a while.
Pia

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