The Paper Girls Studio

Catalogues

2011-10-27T08:40:00.000-04:00

It's a really exciting and very important day today! I went to the post office to get some mail and I got quite a pleasant surprise...2 gorgeous catalogues from Romania! Daniela is working hard to continue our Cultural Book Exchange and the exhibition is still on the move. This is the reward for our efforts! Thank you Daniela!

Creative Space

2011-06-04T09:21:00.001-04:00

Over the years my idea of the studio space has changed dramatically. In the beginning I needed to have a studio in which to create, to think, to "let the magic happen". I had believed that having a space in which to work was critical to my success as an artist. Without a space to work in, my work suffered in ways that could only be blamed on my physical surroundings. Or so I thought. What I didn’t realize at the time was that the work was actually meaningless.

Have matured as a person and as an artist has made me realize that physical space and creative space are really two completely different things.

For the first time in many years I am without a studio…and all the trappings that make a studio, well, a studio. I am without ink, paper, bindery equipment, glues, paints, textiles, needles, thread, and the hundreds of other little things that were in my repertoire of materials that I kept in my studio at home in America.

I am currently serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ukraine. I packed 2 suitcases for a two year stay, and there was no room for anything other than the bare necessities for everyday living. Translation: no studio and no materials.

I never thought I would be able to find the time to create anything here in Ukraine…let alone even THINK about a future project. However, as busy and physically demanding as things have been these past few months I could not shake the feeling that there is a piece of artwork inside me someplace. I just needed to dig down really deep to find the creative space within myself….and studio be damned.

I began to collect the little bit of ephemera that I am known to make work with…namely used tea bags…and began the process of transformation. Borrowing a needle and some thread from the woman I am currently staying with, I painstakingly assembled a tiny wall quilt. As well I transcribed a poem I had written in Russian onto it.

Being in a "space" where I can create art has always been important to me. I just didn’t realize until today that it does not need to be a physical one. The space within my mind will do well enough, I think.

Sidewalk Fishing

2011-03-06T07:24:00.001-05:00

Spent the day with best girl Katie yesterday. We met in Sturbridge (Massachusetts) for breakfast and then walked and talked for the next few hours. As we were walking, Katie noticed some dead fish on the sidewalk! The only way they could have washed this far off-shore, was if a typhoon hit...and we definitely don't have typhoons in New England! I love anything off-beat and quirky so of course I snapped a few pix.

A Sad and Long Overdue Goodbye

2011-02-27T19:27:00.001-05:00

I never said goodbye to my sister Lauren. Ever. All the years she has come and gone in my life and never once did we ever say goodbye. There were stony silences on the end of the phone line, angry words shouted and then dropped into complete silence, and e-mails never answered. So few hellos, and not one goodbye.

Until now.

Lauren died last week. If it wasn't for a strategically placed obituary in a puny local paper here that pretty much no one ever reads, we might never have known. So, here goes.

Goodbye, farewell, my sad and lonely sister. We mourned you for many years, and now it's time for us to let you go.

Lauren and I...late 80"s

Suspended Studio

2011-02-09T12:29:00.000-05:00

The studio is on hiatus at the moment. Two of the occupants have moved on to higher plains, and the third (me!) is moving to Eastern Europe to become a Peace Corps Volunteer. Stay tuned for little bites of this and that while I travel about the world in search of a place to house my teapot.

First Snow of 2011

2011-01-13T09:47:00.004-05:00

Today is like any other Day...

2010-12-19T12:28:00.000-05:00

Coming home was wonderful. The bed so soft and warm, the kitty under my chin, the steam emanating from the radiators. I had much to do...unpacking, washing clothes, wrapping all the gifts I brought home, getting re-acquainted with the routine of the morning swim, and catching up on all the news I missed.

Now I am bored as shit.

I have tried to work in the basement studio...it's so difficult, coming from the grand space I occupied in the old mill. I am missing the boys across the hall, Manette on the 4th floor, and my daily calls to Len to bang the furnace to get the heat up to the 2nd floor. Most of all I miss the bright sunshine screaming through the windows. I am just plain missing everything. I am dying to get the new book exchange going, but can't seem to get myself into the basement to work on anything. It's a cold, dark space, and all I can hear is my mom's television above me.

Not exactly conducive to the creative mind.

Farewell, my Cookie-Pie

2010-12-10T15:15:00.005-05:00

Cookie Sleeping 2009

Cookie passed away last night. My poor baby. She was so sick and her little body just gave out. I am really sad and miss her so much. I keep thinking that if I hadn't been away for so long she might have had a chance. When she became ill my Mom didn't have any way of knowing. Perhaps if I had come home earlier? I don't know. I keep second guessing things...if I did this, if I did that...I don't know. I can't always fix things and this feeling of helplessness is overwhelming.

The worst part of this is that I tried to dig a grave in the yard for her and the ground is so frozen I couldn't do it. I had to wrap her up, put her in a box, and put her in the trash can in the back yard. Like garbage.

I could just die right now.

Poopless Cookie

2010-12-06T11:21:00.000-05:00

My sweet Cookie...when I came home she was a different kitty. She had lost a lot of weight...and she was very lethargic and she looked like she hadn't cleaned her fur in a few days. Poor baby! She was traumatized by my absence.

There is something else happening now as well. She has stopped pooping, and, as of yesterday, stopped eating. Today we are off to the vet to see what can be done. She is 15 years old and has never been sick a day in her life. I know that chronic constipation is a problem in older cats...I am just hoping that it is nothing more.

Home at Last!

2010-12-02T19:15:00.001-05:00

Stepping off the plane in Boston Tuesday afternoon felt so strange. Surreal, even. The terminal was virtually empty, which for Logan, is unusual. The plane was 90 minutes late, which wasn't too bad because we were delayed for 3 hours in Heathrow.

Mom was waiting for me at the Peter Pan bus terminal in Providence. She had been waiting for 2 hours, poor dear! I had told her to pick me up at 4. By the time I got to a phone to let her know I was running late, she had already left the house, so she was forced to sit and wait for me. It was a tearful reunion and I was happy to finally begin the last leg of my journey. Home. At. Last.

Last Day in Europe

2010-11-29T05:46:00.001-05:00

Today is my last day in Europe. I wish I could make the most of it but I do not feel well at all. I am thinking that the best thing for me is to just hang out and relax. Tomorrow I'll be getting a taxi to the airport at 5:30 in the morning and fly to London, change planes, and then begin the journey back to Boston.

Thanks for hanging out. See you all at home.

A Walk in the Sun

2010-11-27T01:10:00.000-05:00

It was a gorgeous day today in Amsterdam. The sun shone all day and the air was crisp and dry. Naomi and I set off at 10 am and walked to the Foam_Fotografiemuseum (Photography Museum) which I found to be really nice. The whole of the museum and it's exhibits were of high quality. The museum is small and very accessable from all points, a quality I love in museums. The work was good as well, with exhibits from artists of the past, as well as today. Afterwards we went to a few gallerys and saw some good, and not so good, exhibits.

I started feeling bad again in the afternoon. By early evening I was flat out in screaming pain again. Naomi called the hospital and spoke to someone who suggested we come to them pronto. We took a taxi to the place and spoke to the receptionist, only to find we were in the wrong place! Not to worry, we were able to see the doctor anyway, and I was able to explain my problem (by now, the pain had subsided, thank God!) coherently, and without moaning. He seemed to think that the problem was more than just the ulcer, which should have begun to heal by now anyway, and suggested it could be a gall baldder/gall stone problem. So, after writing me a prescription for some pain medication, and plopping down 95 Euro for the visit, we said good bye to the handsome doctor (a bonus, of course) and came back to the house, where Nurse Naomi cooked me up some nice warm oats.

More than ever I can't wait to get home to resolve this problem. It is unbelieve how bad this pain is. I can be pretty stoic when it comes to pain, but this is on a whole other level altogether.

Four more Days

2010-11-26T03:15:00.002-05:00

I am ready. Sitting here in the early morning light, listening to the sweet sound of the cathedral's bells, I know in my heart that it is time to go home. The sound is sweet and melodic, and paradoxically, strange and forlorn.

I miss my family, my kitty, my bed. I miss my bathroom, my comforter, and my little (albeit broken) car. I miss a great big cup of tea in the morning while watching the news. Television. I miss television. I am not a big TV person, but it's nice to have if you want it.

Busy Day along the Canals

2010-11-25T11:00:00.001-05:00

Today I ventured forth on my own to discover Amsterdam in the only way I could...with a map in my hand and some Euros in my pocket.

I set forth at 9am this morning in the cold and damp (it's perpetually like this) and walked the few blocks to visit the Anne Frank House. It was a little building/house that stands fairly empty. I didn't know this prior to my visit, but after the group was captured by the Nazi's, they had stripped the house of all it's furnishings. Many years later (I think around the 1960's) when they turned the house into a museum, Otto Frank (Ann's father) insisted on leaving the house as is...unfurnished. The most compelling item for me was the movable bookcase. When I was young girl I had seen the movie that starred Millie Perkins as Anne, and was deeply affected by what I saw. I had not known anything about WWII or the Nazi's or the Holocaust prior to this movie. I will never forget the sound of the Nazi's coming up the staircase, and the discovery of the hiding place behind the bookcase. It made an impression on me that has stayed with me to this day.
All in all, the house is a moving tribute to Anne, her family, and the others who were in the hiding place during the occupation.

After visiting the Frank House, I took a canal boat to the museum district. I found my way to the Van Gogh Museum and the Stedelijk Museum of contemporary art. I liked this museum better than the Van Gogh! To tell the truth, together, the Metropolitan Museum and the MOMA in NYC have more Van Goghs! The Met has a ton of his self-portraits, which are my favorite, along with the Olive Grove paintings. I will say one thing, though...putting those Van Goghs under glass is a damn shame. You can't see the textures very well or experience the glistening of the oil paint when they are under glass. They had a few that were not under glass and there was a huge difference. My favorite Van Gogh there? "Wheat Field with Crows". Beauty.

After this I made my way back to the canal boat for the rest of my tour, but had an hour to kill so I went to lunch in the American Cafe across from the boat dock. I have not had a cheeseburger in I don't know how long and thought it sounded good. They claimed that this burger was the "Classic American" burger. I must
protest. This burger comes with a sunny-side-up egg on top. Hello????? Are you serious? This was supposed to come with bacon...it didn't. So, they removed the egg and the bacon and left on the tomato, which I told them to remove from the order, along with the egg. Hmmm. Not so good. I had a few bites and left to catch my boat.

So, that's it for today. I got back at 3 in time for tea, and here I sit, counting down the days until I go home...

Happy Thanksgiving all...

Big House Boat

Reflections

Canal

Anne Frank House

Clock Tower next to Frank House

More Reflections

View from the Boat

Along the Canal

Amsterdam

2010-11-24T10:09:00.001-05:00

Amsterdam is quite beautiful...and very cold! It's exactly like New England in November, only there is no sunshine. And it rains. All. The. Time. My friend Naomi says it's like this all the time. There is a lot to see, but it's very cold and damp so I am going to try to pick one thing a day and go to see it, rather than spend all day walking about. It's bone-chilling cold, and once it settles into my feet, I am miserable. Here are a few things I saw today.

The Street where Naomi Lives

Chocolate in Chocolate Containers

Enroute to Amsterdam

2010-11-24T00:32:00.000-05:00

I left Romania yesterday in the cold, wind, and rain. Amazing. I get there and it is like spring for the entire month with no precipitation to speak of, and the day I leave it is like New England in November! I also left with a parting gift...some kind of urinary tract infection! Thank goodness for the people of British Airways..they were kind and helpful and, get this...they informed me of an OTC remedy I could buy at Heathrow in the pharmacy! What a relief! This stuff is call "Cystitis Relief". These are little packets of powder that you mix with water and drink 2x a day for 3 days. So when I landed in London, I grabbed some before changing planes to go to Amsterdam. So far things have settled down a bit. The pain has subsided but not the pressure. I am praying for a miracle here folks. I don't want to go anywhere near a hospital until I get home next week. Unbelievable.

Bucharest Cemetery

2010-11-21T11:02:00.002-05:00

We went to visit Daniela's husband's grave today. A beautiful cemetery in the city, just for veterans. He was a major in the army, but died an unfortunate, untimely death at a very young age. The graves, much like those in Sighisoara, are above ground and quite beautiful, but with two distinct differences: most of the headstones had pictures of the dearly departed, and there were lanterns everywhere. The lanterns hold the candles that visitors light for the dead.

Like in the United States: A wife buried with her husband

Fighter Pilots Buried Here! (These are miniature airplane wings)

Candles Burning on a Grave

Some are wonderfully landscaped.

A Sea of Headstones

English Ivy out of control.

Husband and Wife

Lantern

End of the Line

2010-11-20T22:32:00.002-05:00

I have 2 more full days in Romania and then I am off to Amsterdam. I am looking forward to moving on and hope to find some delicious cuisine in the Netherlands. I can't get my mind off a toasted and buttered "Everything" bagel with a fried egg and melted swiss cheese. YUM! I also can't wait to drink some fresh milk. This morning I had to toss out yet another quart of 'turned' milk that was freshly bought and had an expiration date of at least 10 days away. I have tossed out at least 4 quarts of milk. I think the problem is they don't refridgerate it properly. When you go to the dairy case it feels quite warm, not like at home when you need to don a winter coat to stroll down that aisle in the supermarket.

Back in Bucharest

2010-11-19T11:14:00.002-05:00

I got back into the city today and I was feeling pretty great about it. It's not home, but it's familiar. The train was right on time...Romania time! Translation: 1 hour late. I have to say, that although the tranportation system is terrible here (slow trains, no interstate highways, bad connections) the trains haven't been half bad. As a matter of fact, since I left last Saturday to explore the country a bit, every train I have been on has gotten better and better...cleaner, more comfortable, more...first class..which is what I have been paying for. When I left Bucharest, I rode in a compartment with 6 other people. I didn't consider this to be first class, but when I saw everyone standing in the corridors, I changed my mind. When I left Brasov to go to Sibiu, the train was up to western standards...no compartments but single seating and much more comfortable and private. The next train was actually a commutor train, which was really awesome! This was the first train I had been on where I could see out the windows! (All the others were streaked with dirt) It was very clean and comfortable. The train today was absolutely awesome...like riding on Amtrak, except for the speed, of course. The seats actually reclined and every one had a tray and a foot rest. This was plush...nice! There was also a dining car, although I was not too interested in that. I think it was because it was an IC train...I think it means inter-city. (International) This train started in Budapest and ended in Bucharest.
So...I'm back now, and intend to spend the next few days with friends. I am leaving here Tuesday and I find it hard to believe almost a month has passed! Next...Amsterdam!

Sighisoara

2010-11-18T00:18:00.006-05:00

I am in the last town on my mini-tour of Transylvania. The town of Sighisoara is rich in history and full of Medieval architecture. It is a small, amazingly intact 15th century Citadel (3 sq. miles) that has 9 towers, narrow passageways, and cobbled streets. The Citadel was a fortress that protected the town from outside invaders. It is also the birthplace of Vlad Tepes (Dracula). This is the most incredible place I have seen in all of Transylvania. I am walking around in a fairy tale. It is so hard to describe. I have taken hundreds of pictures, but will only show a few here. I have also shot a little video because the view from my room cannot be described adequately. I am located in the heart of the Citadel at the Clock Tower.

I visited the birthplace of Vlad "The Impaler" Tepes yesterday. It is a nice cafe, of all things. I had a lovely cup of tea, rare for Romania. I also went inside the Clock Tower, which is how I got the birds-eye view of the town. The tower is now the Museum of History, and for a small fee ($2.60 +/-) I got to see some amazing artifacts from the middle ages. My favorite items were from the pharmacy section. They had a surgeons tool bag, an amputation tool bags (ick!) and, most uncomfortable of all, a gynecological tool bag. Talk about your instruments of torture! It made me squirm not a little.

I toured the edges of The Citidel and took pictures of many of the towers, but I have declined to name them in case I mix them up. There is The Taylor's Tower, The Butcher's Tower, and others, but wasn't sure which was which. I ran into a beautiful cemetery, filled with new, old, and ancient graves. These are not buried in the ground, but interred above ground like in Louisianna. There were about 7 tiers of graves here...a beautiful, peaceful, green and hilly cemetery. On my way back to the Inn, I spotted my small installation...it had been moved to a new place, but it's still there and in tact. Here is a small taste of what I saw on my stroll around the Citadel.

View from my Window

Clock Tower

Vlad's Birthplace

Clock Tower

Leaving my Feet in Sighisoara

Little Matt

Wall thickness approximately 3 Feet

Original Citadel Wall...13th Century!

Sibiu

2010-11-17T10:11:00.001-05:00

Sibiu didn't disappoint. It was absolutely spectacular. The medieval architecture just blew me away. I also found a place where I could eat that didn't bother my stomach AND a place that served a decent cup of tea. Tea is a rarity here. When I do happen to find a place that serves it, they either don't have black tea or they only serve it with cream, which I dislike...and everyone knows I am fussy about my tea! I also found a wonderful place to put up a small installation. The place is called The Stairs Passage. This place was built in the 13th century...it is still used regularily as it joins the Upper Town with the Lower Town.

View from my Window

The Roman Catholic Church (1726)

Brukental Palace (1777)

Skeleton Mask

Untouched by Time

The Evangelic Church (1520)

Next to The Bridge of Lies (1859)

Top of the The Stairs Passage (13th Century)

The Stairs Passage

Feet! (2010)

There I am!

Past meets Present

Long Passage

Roof Tops

Orthodox Cathedral (1902)

One of the last few remaining towers (Tower of the Gunmen) that joined the walls protecting the town (1500's)

The Tower of Potters

The Fortress Wall

The Tower of Carpenters

Old and Colorful Houses

On the Bridge of Lies

Bottom of The Stairs Passage

The train to Sibiu

2010-11-15T13:52:00.001-05:00

I just got off the train from Brasov 2 hours ago and am now in Sibiu. It was pitch dark when I got here and I can't believe I found the hotel right away! I feel like I've lost an entire day, traveling from one city to the next. By car the trip would have taken under 3 hours...it's 85 miles as the cow flies! I got to the train station in Brasov at noon...the train was scheduled to depart at 1:10. The train was 30 minutes late. Okay, not a problen. In Romania, that's actually not bad. I don't know what the hell happened after that. I know that planes will go faster to make up for lost time...but the train crawled along at no faster than 30-40 mph most of the way. I arrived here at 6:15. Go figure!

A little note about the way things are in Romania. The train stopped in Sibiu over an hour late...no one complains. Who would care? The train stopped on the wrong side of the platform. We had to cross over several sets of tracks (in the pitch dark, mind you) to get to the platform. I was carrying heavy luggage! Thank goodness some nice man who was on the train with me carried it to the platform for me. Again...No one complains. Who cares? It seems as though people are so used to putting up with this sort of thing, they just simply accept it. They are conditioned to believe that they are powerless. The conditioning of Communism still runs deep here in Romania.

To get off and on the train, you have to climb up onto some very skinny, very steep metal steps. If you don't have a free hand to hoist yourself up, you're screwed. I've had help every time I have had to do this...thank goodness most people are willing to help. Old and handicapped people? Forget it. It's survival of the fittest in Romania. There is no such thing as elderly housing and nothing is handicap accessible.

I think the worst part of today's trip was not knowing anything. Every so often the train would just stop. No reason given, and no one seemed to expect one. I never knew where I was or when I was supposed to get off. I just can't understand this. They want to bring in more tourists but this kind of thing will keep them away.

'Nuff said...night all.

Bran Castle

2010-11-14T22:31:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was a great day. I took the bus to Bran, where I visited the Castle that has fascinated people for over 100 years with the legend of Dracula, thanks to Bram Stoker. Vlad Tepes (Vlad Dracule, the Impaler) is a legend in these parts, because back in the 15th century he defended the region against the Turks (Ottomans). The castle is every bit as spectacular as I heard it was. I left a little installation in the castle...a footprint, if you will, of my visit there.

The most interesting aspects of the castle are all the little hidy-holes, doors that go nowhere, extra passages and little nooks and crannies that seem to have no purpose, but probably did at some point. It was a beautiful place, well preserved, and looked like a comfortable place to reside.

Brasov

2010-11-13T22:12:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I arrived in Brasov around 11am. I took a taxi to the guesthouse was promptly charged double. I didn't know how far the place was, and the taxi had no meter visible. Hmmm. What an asshole. How can people prey on other people? I've been hearing about such incidents and have been really careful, but how could I know? When I arrived the Inn Keepers wife told me what I should have paid. Before leaving to my next 2 destinations, I'll call ahead and find out how far the Inns are from the train station!

The train from Bucharest moved about 30 mph...the slowest train I've ever been on. The ride was long (3 hours and 15 minutes) but not uncomfortable. I rode first class and got my tickets a few days ahead of time...thank goodness! As it turns out, there were people standing in the corridor...they overbook as a general practice.

Brasov is beautiful but I haven't really begun to explore it yet. I only had a few hours of sleep and my stomach juices were boiling, so I looked around a little, visited the famous Black Church, and came back to the room. Is there anything in this damn country I can eat without being in pain??? The food tastes bad...even the water tastes weird. I talked to a Romanian lady on the train who now lives in Florida...she told me her husband felt the same way about American food...until he got used to it. So, could that be the problem? The food isn't really bad, it just tastes bad because I am not used to it? Really? When I went to Germany years ago I gained 10 lbs. because the food was THAT good. I think the food here is awful.
What I wouldn't give for a PB & J right now! Or a toasted bagle with a fried egg, margerine, and a bit of swiss cheese...mmmmmmm, yummy! I found a German bakery up the street yesterday...they have English Breakfast Tea and great looking bread. That is where I will eat for the rest of my visit here.

Brasov is famous because it's a Medieval town...one of the best preserved in Europe. It's also famous because it's where Bran Castle is...the castle made famous for it's folk hero,Vlad Tepps, or Vlad the Impaler. The guy Hollywood make into a vampire...Dracula!

Central Square, Brasov

Black Church

West Meets East...Finale

2010-11-13T10:49:00.001-05:00

Well, it's over. 18 months, 20 books, 800 pages. The exhibion of the "Cultural Book Exchange" has come to a close. We worked very hard, and, I believe, our shows were very successful. Daniela said that the gallery had more visitors than usual. And, according to her, due to the promotional materials for the show, student applications to the school of art are up. Whether this is due to her hard work (she did a phenomenal job with all the promotion) or simply timing, it's all good in the hood here.

After the show came down, we headed over to the Opera House to see Puccini's "Madama Butterfly". The show was really great. Unfortunately, it looks like the company operates on a shoestring. Old costumes and minimal stage props....and the theater, though once grand, is showing lots of wear and tear. So sad. The seats were great...5th row center. Perfecto!

One negative: the two women behind us kept running their mouths. After a few looks and shhhh's, you'd think they'd get the message. Then one of their phones rang...LOUDLY. When you go in, you're told to turn off your phones. There's always one, isn't there? After this incident and all the dirty looks, they shut up. Of course, this was towards the END of the show. My favorite opera contains, of course, my favorite aria (Un Bel Di). Cho-Cho-San (Butterfly) was in the midle of this incredibly emotional aria, and those hags started talking! Talk about breaking the moment! I looked back, shusshed them, and said PLEASEEEEEEE. That shut them up, but the magic was gone from the moment. What rotten luck. Bitches!!!!!

Hence the very reason I no longer go to the cinema, or any other type of public entertainment. It seems as though someone inevitably spoils it. People have no courtesy anymore. Not here, not anywhere.

I met 3 folks from Connecticut who were sitting in the row in front of me. Of all places! They live about an hour south from me. They had been traveling for about a year...imagine! They were in their 60's too, bless them.

One more thing....A big THANK YOU to my friend Manette...she bought the tickets. THANKS MANETTE!!!! You rock!

Opera House

Orchestra under the Stage

An Artist's Work is never Done

2010-11-13T09:55:00.000-05:00

On Thursday, Daniela and I spent the morning doing Batik and Tie Dye. I had never done these processes and she is a master at this. She has won awards and written/published books on the subject! I was a familiar with Tie Dye, but not the Batik. It involves wax applications onto fabric...nice! Here are a few examples.

Batik-Crackle Process

Tie Dye

Afterwards we met some friends...Daniel and his lively wife Mariela, and a friend of hers. We met for lunch at this great out-of-the-way place frequented by artists, poets, and actors. The chef is a friend of Daniel's and Mariela's. The food was over-cooked but pretty tasty. (For a change!)

Life in Bucharest

2010-11-10T00:56:00.000-05:00

I gave my lecture/artist talk yesterday at the university's gallery. The room was filled with friends, colleagues, and many many eager young student artists. The talk went well, the best part being when I extracted many giggles from the women in the audience during the "Rituals of Convention" portion of the slide show. Those of you who know my work will remember the shoes pierced with pins, as well as the thong underwear.

Afterwards we were invited to tea at a colleagues lovely home. Stela is an accomplished artist and we enjoyed seeing her work. She also has a kitty. I really miss my kitty and it served to remind me that she is probably very lonesome without me. (She is one of those cats that has affection for only one person, and has been unable to get close to my mom).

After our visit with Stela, we visited the Museum of Villages. It is a living museum, very much like our own Sturbridge Village and Plymouth Plantation. The museum showcases traditional Romanian village life.

The only problem was, I guess the "living" part of this only happens on the weekends. We were content, however, to walk the grounds and peek in the windows of the buildings. There were a few places open for inspection, namely, a few cotteges, barns, and a beautiful church, which was magnificant. The museum was assembled from traditional houses, barns, and various other out-buildings from farms and villages all over Romania in 1936. It is beautifully preserved and I enjoyed our visit very much.

Grain Shed

Cottege Interior

Cottege

Barn

Out-Building (Purpose?)

Out-Buiding

Church

Church Interior

Water Wheel

Architectural detail in a Gateway

Architectural Molding Detail in Gateway

After the museum, as Daniela and I were walking to the Metro, we happened upon the (Arcul de Triumf) . It is a duplicate of the structure in Paris. How strange to see this in Romania!

Lipscani

2010-11-07T11:30:00.003-05:00

Lipscani is the only section left in Bucharest that was not torn down by Ceausescu. What is preserved is very very old and the city is trying to preserve it and a massive reconstruction is underway. The streets are paved with stones, there are Medieval churches still in operation today, and a 14th century medieval archeological site that was uncovered and now preserved. Vlad Teppes (Dracula to us Americans) was said to have been part of this place, which was used as a sort of governmental center. Daniela had an art exhibition here not long ago...how awesome that these people are not anal...in the States I doubt there is any institution that would allow any of us near such a treasure!

Medieval Church

Outside of Medieval building
(Love those Porta-Potties)

Medieval Building

Lipscani Shopping District

Lipscani Garment District

Lots of Bridal Shops!

Lipscani Alley

"People's Palace"
(Supposedly the biggest building in Europe)

The Everyday Stuff

2010-11-07T02:46:00.003-05:00

After everything that's happened, the days are starting to seem rather dull. Food shopping, looking for a place to swim (still), eating meals, cooking, cleaning...eh! What am I, home? Since things have settled down quite a bit, it's a good time to note some observations about my visit here.

The women in Bucharest are all very beautiful. Dark hair, dark eye beauties dressed in the latest fashions...even the older women can be seen walking down the street wearing fashionable high heeled boots.
Boots are the highest fashion accessory this fall, and since it has been so unseasonably warm, everyone is wearng them. From knee high to thigh high, boots are the biggest trend here in Romania. When the snow hits, though, I have been told that the practical warm winter boots are pulled out of the closet.

The men are not so pretty. I can't understand it. How can all the women be beautiful and not the men? Very curious. The older gents are polite and chivalrous, but the younger ones? They step right in front of you to get on the metro. You could be standing there, waiting, and they will cut you off..stand right in front of your face, so they can get on first! Extremely rude...hmmm, just like home!

I have mentioned before that the city is very dirty, however, there are parts that are very clean. Yet even in the dirtier sections, some women will be out at the crack of dawn washing the steps and sidewalks in front of their apartment buildings! It's a study in contrasts.

One thing I would like to mention too, is there is no danger of me sticking out like a foreign tourist. Everyday at least one person steps up to me to ask for directions. Go figure.

Daniel, me, Daniela

Romania is like America..or is It?

2010-11-06T05:52:00.003-04:00

The first time I strolled down the city streets in Bucharest I thought "Southie". I am in Southie! When I lived in South Boston I was grossed out by how disgusting animals can be. Dog poop all over the streets and sidewalks, and human spittle everywhere. You must walk with your head down, or else...

Sidewalk Parking

As I was walking in the better part of the city this morning, there was a little more care taken in the cleanliness of the area, so that shows there are folks who do care. I also noticed this chair holding a parking place. There are no driveways in South Boston and parking is always a problem. No one parks on the sidewalk (big fine there) but after a big snow, people will dig out their cars, then leave a lawn chair in the space all day, so that when they come home they can park in it again. Needless to say, there is a lot of civil unrest in Southie in the winter...

Holding a Parking Space

Not Dunkin Donuts, but Close Enough

More Sidewalk Parking

I am always looking for ways to save time...

2010-11-03T13:11:00.002-04:00

Do your errands, talk on the phone,
and have lunch, all the the same time.
(Who am I, Kramer?)

...do you think???

2010-11-03T13:04:00.000-04:00

Why do you suppose I have had an ulcer for years and it is just acting up badly now? Hmm.........................

There is a strange and wonderous element to Romania...it could be the smell, the language, the people, or the enterprising way the folks here try to support themselves.

Exhibition

2010-11-03T12:35:00.008-04:00

Daniela and I

The "West meets East" exhibition reception went off without a hitch. The place was packed with artists, poets, educators, family, and friends. Unfortunatley, due to my recent health problems, I was not up to par. I did not participate in hanging the show or any of the usual work that accompanies a new exhibition. You would think after all this time I would be loving not having to do any of the hard work, but I feel a bit cheated. I worked very hard for the past 18 months to see this book exchange through to the end, and I missed a huge chunk of it. I barely remember the evening. I was tired and just wrung out after the hospital. I am very greatful to have been able to be present...at one point I didn't think I would be getting out of the hospital any time soon...but still, I can't help feeling that I missed something.

I went back today to take a few pictures of the gallery and see the work. Daniela had invited other students and books artists to participate because it is such a big gallery. The work was very good and I was pleased. It's one of those types of shows you have to keep going back to. Everytime you look at a book, you find something different, even if you have already seen it. The textures and colors were rich and vibrant in every way. The best part of this show? You could TOUCH everything!!! A rarity in the art world. The collection of books from Daniela's students were my favorite. I commented to Daniela that I wish I didn't know how to make books...in this way I could be more inventive and experimental. There is something truly special about the raw and inexperienced construction of the student books. Beautiful!

The reception was a whirlwind for me. I was whisked from one person to another, talking, mingling, and then having to get up an make a statement! I found myself wishing I were in bed...it was that hard. Daniela had a performance artist there in my honor, and her students also did a bit of performance for me as well. I was overwhelmed by everything...the people, the heat, the speeches, by everyone wanting a little piece of me. I was totally in my element but was not up to the task. Being a minor celebrity is quite cool, actually, but I was not feeling good and I missed my big moment.

On-line article about the show here http://www.descopera.ro/dnews/7616380-vestul-intalneste-estul
and coming out this week or next, an article in "Dialog Textil", which is a textile trade publication.

Student's Perform

Lovely Sabina

Students perform

Our Books

Performance Finished

Being Silly

Artist Talks

Good Reading

Full House

In my Dirty Hospital Johnny

2010-11-01T09:21:00.016-04:00

Ever find yourself in a strange country wearing nothing but...you got it! A hospital gown, or, as is known in New England, a "Johnny". Dear friends and other interested readers, you just cannot beat my luck. I went though a lot of "stuff" for past 18 months to be able to be here, enjoy the view, and spend time with friends.

I have a funny way of having a good time. Firstly, as you will all know, I have not been sleeping much, due to being in unfamiliar surroundings, as well as incurring a lengthy phase of Jet Lag. That wasn't bad enough...I had to get sick on top of that and end up in the hospital!

Saturday afternoon my stomach started its usual flaring of something or other, so I took some simethicone and partook of some sparkly substance to make myself burp. (This is not delicate, so I won't paint it that way)

By the evening I was in so much agony I was MOANING. I don't recall ever doing that before. There was a fire raging in my stomach...a churning, burning, river of firey juices that were spewing like Mt. St. Helens. This was also accompanied by sweating, chills, and vomiting. I was supposed to go with my friends on Sunday to put up our exhibition, but e-mailed and told them not to count on me.

After several atempts to contact me by e-mail (I don't have a phone...MISTAKE!) Daniela became worried and came over with her daughter Sonya, to check on me. It was about 8 in the evening at this point, so I had been in agony for about 5 hours. It was not pretty, what they found.

They called the paramedics and they came almost immediately (I think this was because of a promised bribe)
and whisked me away to the best hospital in Bucharest. Yes, dear friends, the best. (Remember these words)

After laying out 100 Lei for the driver and his assistant (about 16.30/ea) they screamed up the street with me MOANING in the back.

What happened next was a whirlwind. The doctors took me inside right away (this is very unusual by Romanian standards...) and the doctors gave me a sonogram (I think this is what it is called) and discovered I had an Peptic Ulcer, which they at first thought had perforated. God Forbid! Surgery...in Romania? I had not seen the hospital as yet, due to all my moaning and groaning, but my thinking was actually quite clear in retrospect.

They gave me a pain killer and a beautiful little haze swept over me and the pain was instantly gone. I had a wonderful doctor taking care of me. So sweet and kind, and genuinly concerned. His command of English was very good as well, so I was greatful not to need a translator.

I was promptly told I would remain in the hospital overnight for observation. They were not sure if the Ulcer had perforated so they wanted to make sure I wasn't secereting nasty stuff into my stomach. But, to be on the safe side, I had a (Oh, Joy!) tube stuck up my nose and down into my stomach, which I proceded to gag
on for the next 17 or so hours.

Daniela and Sonya were with me on my trip to the "room" I would be spending the night in. Judging from the looks on their faces, it was not going to be the Park Plaza Suites. I was wheeled into a ward...like they used to have in American hospitals when my mom was a young nurse. It was not filled with 70 people, thank goodness, but there were 11 beds, and most were filled with moaning and snoring women and MEN. HO HO! THAT was certainly a surprise. It was scary dark in there, that funny smell was still pervading my nostrils, and I didn't hear a word of English. I was greatful that the pain was gone, but I really wasn't ready for this type of hospitality.

After paying out some more bribes, Daniela assured me that a particular nurse would administer me some sleeping medicine, so I could say good-night and be none the wiser. I never saw any medicine. In fact, I don't think any of the patients were given anything to sleep OR for pain, judging from the amount of moaning.
Well, needless to say, I had yet another sleepless night. It was surreal. Trying not to gag/throw up from the tube in my throat, listening to moans and snores and oinks in the dark, not seeing who was near me, and listening to the night nurses speaking Romanian. One thing that was comforting, was the sounds of an American pop music CD at the nurses station.

SO here I was, in my spiffy hospital Johnny, Daniela has said good night and off she goes with my clothes, my keys, my passport, and my money. I-AM-TRAPPED. Bleah. I can't explain the strangeness of this situation. You had to be there. I just have no words. I am feeling very alone and sad at this point, but decided to focus on getting better...on how this all would pass and I was lucky Daniela came when she did and helped me. Also, the fact that the pain in my gut was gone was an immense relief, I cannot tell you!

Now I would like to exlain a few of the things that made my hospital stay very special. I say special because up until now I didn't realize how lucky we had it in America. YES! I, who do not have health insurance...and have not had it for many years due to the cost, must tell you that even a little clinic like "Thundermist" in RI is 1000 times nicer that this "Best " hospital in Bucharest. I cannot believe that Romanian people have to put up with this stuff...or any people for that matter. Romania is becoming more Westernized everyday, but they lack so much in basic necessities! They pay a 27% sales tax on food for this? Criminy!!!!

Okay, so here is my list of "You won't believe it but..."

*The nurses clean only the women, and they do it out in the open in front of the men patients.
*The men's family takes care of their needs...bathing, shaving, etc.
*Family members bring all the necessities...including...are you ready? Toilet paper, towels, food and cutlery, mugs/drinking vessels, SOAP! (NO SOAP IN THE HOPITAL@!!!^^&^@#)
*Blood on the flor.
*My blood spilled into an expectorant basin and left next to my bed until an hour before I left the hospital.
*Used surgical stuff on the floor..including bloody bandages and used IV needles.
*Communal toilet that did not flush. I had to ask how to do this...it was broken.
*NO SOAP NO SOAP NO SOAP NO SOAP.............
*No toilet paper but they did have some paper towels which promptly ran out and was never again filled.
*DIRTY DIRTY DIRTY DIRTY DIRTY........................
*The nurses slept in the empty beds at night.
*Bribery or "gifts" gladly taken in the form of money or chocolate greatly appreciated for the underpaid staff.
I understand that nurses make only $167/month, so I sort of understand this system, a little. I understand tipping AFTER the service, however, not before. (This was funny because Daniela thought I was crazy tipping a waitress!)
*Dirty Johnny...I was spattered in my own blood and stomach juices and no one offered a new gown)
I didn't dare ask...Daniela had all my money and I ran out of "Gifts".
*20 minutes = 2 hours
*The doctors figure out your bill. (HUH?)
*Did I mention the smell?
*NO one gets food or drink unless your family brings it (Thank goodness for good friends like my Daniel...he brought me toilet paper, a mug, some water and other stuff. Oh yeah..he brought me a phone with the American Embassy dialed into it...just in case....
*DIRTY DIRTY DIRTY...oh yeah, I mentioned that...

The young man across the aisle from me was of the Roma people. (Gypsy, as they are called here, which I have learned is actually a derogatory word). He was a nice young man but with a loud, pushy, over-bearing mother who refused to leave. She was there every day, washing him, feeding him, and generally treating him as a child! He must have been in his 20's! After her initial hovering, however, she would sit with him, and talked on the phone to someone else! And she did this incessantly! Finally someone told her to leave..she was disturbing everyone and there were some really sick patients there. Well, she left, but came back. Promptly got kicked out again, and came back. This went on the entire time I was in there. There was lots of yelling and heated posterings and it was...unreal. Just unreal. Other family members were of her same temperament. Gees. Go away and let the staff do their jobs, and the patients rest in peace already! I saw this family everytime I turned around...even on my way out the door! I have a feeling I will see them again....

I spent 2 nights there. It was ghastly. I have to say that everyone was overly kind to me, though. I cannot fault the staff for anything. They are underpaid and totally overwhelmed at times. When it was time to check out, we waited for hours! This is the "Soviet" beaurocracy that these people still put up with. The corridors are a mad-house. There is no rhyme nor reason there, no waiting rooms, no "Take a Number" stations...nothing. People all milling about trying to get information, pay a bill, whatever. A madhouse!

One highlight of my stay: the cooing giant pigeons that were nesting outside the window. They were like "love birds", I kid you not. I have never before thought of pigeons as sweet, but...look at my situation. You'd think the same thing in my bed and my dirty Johnny.

SO, dear friends and interested others...that is the tale of my hospital stay. Tonight is the opening to our exhibition and I hope I have the strength to hang on. After laying in a bed for 40 hours my legs are like noodles and they ache. Oh, and in case I didn't mention it? I feel much better, thank you.

Sun Setting Over Bucharest

2010-10-30T02:02:00.000-04:00

The sun setting over the city was beautiful last night. I haven't seen a sunset in many years. I live in New England, land of hills and tall tees. I also live on the ground floor where all you see are the neighboring houses. Here I am 7 floors up which affords me a nice view.

As beautiful as this is, I dread the nights here because I cannot sleep. There is no mattress to sleep on....simply a box spring that digs into my back. There are also strange noises and smells that serve to remind me that I am in a strange land, away from the comforts of home and hearth. Speaking of strange smells...

Bucharest has a smell to it...not a bad smell, just a...smell. I think it may be in the water. I've attempted to figure out the origin of this, but find that it is everywhere, and not just in my apartment and in my teacup.

I used to live in Glocester, near the Eastern Connecticut border. The air was fresh and clean, no car exhaust or smells of any kind. When I moved back to Warwick (right next to the airport) I thought I would gag. The exhaust fumes from the planes and the cars in the city were overwhelming. I used to walk for excersise and had to stop. What a stink! Well, I've gotten used to it over the years and no longer smell anything at home.

We really are products of our environment, aren't we? Humans are very adaptable creatures, and I am sure that with time, I could live here as well and not smell a thing.

Another day....

2010-10-29T11:11:00.000-04:00

Today I made my way to the gallery on my own. I took a wrong turn and added about 15 minutes to the trip, but I made it okay. All the street names look and sound the same. In this area, I think they are named after historical figures (all men) and the names all end in "scu". This is me and my friend Daniela. She is busy with her students getting ready for the show. I am happy to help her but she says her students will do it! Okay...I can handle that!

Outside the Gallery

Another day in Bucharest

2010-10-29T05:30:00.001-04:00

Most people have trouble keeping up with me. I run around like a crazy person, working, doing, rushing...and I never stop until it's time for bed. Well...I can barely keep up with Daniela! She is a little dynamo! Phew! We were all over the place yesterday. She came by the apartment about 9:30 am and off we went. First, to the school where she teaches, where I met a bunch of her students. Afterwards we walked to the gallery where we are having the exhibition. After this, we walked, walked, walked, sightseeing, stopping to see a friend's work in a gallery, and then we went to a great place to rest. It was a tea house/gallery where many poets and artists hang out. There were 100 types of teas! We had a pot of tea and some mini croissants. There was a great big handmade book on the shelf and it was full of poems by many different writers. I wrote a poem in the book as well, so I will be preserved in Bucharest...for a little while, anyway.

Parking on the Sidewalk

Street Art

More Street Art

Daniela!

Noah's Art Work

Detail

Am Sosit (I've Arrived) in Bucharest

2010-10-27T10:08:00.000-04:00

I made it! I arrived here yesterday 12:30 pm Romania time. Waiting for me were Daniela and her daughter, Sonya, Daniel, Sabina, and another student of hers. What a calamity! We were yelling and hugging and it was a crazy-happy moment for both of us! I love Daniela...she is totally awesome...we are like sisters!

From the airport, we went first to my apartment, then back to hers for a sumptuous dinner. It was grand! Daniela's apartment is only 2 subway stops from me. Not close enough to walk, but fast by train. Here is the view from my balcony.

Bucharest is a very big and very old city. Much of it is falling down so there is construction everywhere. Stray dogs roam the streets looking for handouts, and there is poop in the streets! It reminds me of South Boston. The dogs are so sad. There are strays kitties too, which really tugs at my heart strings. The people here seem like the big city folks back home. No one looks at each other...

Shopping is like...Brooklyn! No big department stores or supermarkets..just small grocery shops, butcher and cheese shops, and lots of pharmacys. There are Western Unions on every street corner! The subway cars are very clean...I have to mention this because I've never been in a clean subway car. Daniela had to go to work today, so I was out exploring most of the day, shopping for food and necessities like soap and matches (to light the gas stove...(still haven't figured that one out. I can't find where to light the pilot!).
My apartment has cable and internet...thank goodness for Wesern influences! There are 10 English language stations. One being all day news from the UK, and the others are broadcast from America. Cable channels like The National Geographic Channel (I don't even have that one at home!) and MTV, The Discovery Channel and Animal Planet! The English language channels have Romanian Subtitles...what a great way to learn another language! At home I find myself wishing the Spanish channels had English subtitles so I could listen and learn.

And...speaking of language...I am getting around quite well on my own. I can't read anything, but I can speak enough to find what I need! I am really happy I took the time to study the language for the past 18 months! All that time I listened to my language CD's really paid off. I was pulling words out of the air like a pro!

I need to quit writing now because my back is aching. I am sleeping on a box spring...no mattress! and the furniture feels like it's made of concrete. I need to stretch or something. Soon I will find the pool near here and get into the swim of things again. La revedere!

Logan Express

2010-10-25T16:45:00.000-04:00

The day started out fine...actually, it's still fine. I got to the airport okay..no traffic, no glitches...nice and quiet until...CELL PHONE WOMAN!!!!!! ARRR!

When I boarded the bus, the driver mentioned the use of cell phones...just asking everyone to be polite. Well..everyone was great until we stopped in Foxboro to pick up this lone woman passenger who sat in the seat directly in front of me and open up the cell and away she went.

Suffice it to say, I had to move my seat. For those of you who know how I feel about cell phones and rude people, you would be proud. I didn't say a word to her. Not one word.

45 Minutes and Counting....

2010-10-25T12:02:00.000-04:00

Soon I will begin my long journey to Romania. My ride will be here in 45 minutes to take me to bus terminal in Providence. From there the "Logan Express" will take me to Logan Airport in Boston. It will drop me at Terminal 5, I'll check in to British Airways, and promptly run into the girls room to vomit.

I'm kidding, sorta...

Did I mention? I hate to fly. Detest it. Fear it. Abhor it! Thank goodness my physician is a good man. He listens to me, respects me, even. That kind man wrote me a prescription so I can sleep the whole way to Bucharest.

Dear Dr...I and my fellow passengers are indebted to you.

Pe la Bucuresti ! (On to Bucharest !)

2010-10-21T12:40:00.002-04:00

The next installment of "West meets East" A cultural book exchange will be happening Nov. 1 at the National University of Art in Bucharest Romania! I'll be leaving on Monday and won't be back until December. If you're up for the task, follow my adventures in Romania and beyond! I haven't made any plans beyond taking care of "Art" business, which will keep me very busy through the first week, but I am decidedly traveling through other parts of Eastern Europe to get a feel for region.

West meets East Exhibition

2010-09-28T11:05:00.003-04:00

Thanks to all the people who came to see the book exchange. I also wish to thank Viera Levitt, the Gallery Director at CCRI Warwick, for all her hard work, and also, a big thanks to John, the Gallery Assistant, for helping me hang the show. All photos in this article taken by Viera Levitt.

Opening of the "Cultural Book Exchange"

2010-09-24T18:11:00.000-04:00

Last night's opening went extremely well. Many came to see the books and listen to me talk about our project. The best part of the evening, however, was meeting two complete strangers who somehow felt like close friends. Daniela (my Romanian counterpart) has a close friend (a former teacher) who now lives here in New England with her daughter. Both came to the reception and it was very emotional. They have not seen her for many years, and seeing her work in the books was quite overwhelming. They are like family and they miss her very much.

West meets East

2010-09-11T17:26:00.002-04:00

The Cultural Book Exchange is finished for the time being and will begin the first leg of its exhibition journey right here in Rhode Island at the CCRI gallery in Warwick. After a 4 week run the books and I will be traveling to Romania for the second exhibition at the National University of Arts, in Bucharest.

The American show runs from September 14-October 14...Opening Reception and Gallery Talk on Thursday, September 23, from 5-7. The Romanian show runs from November 1-14, and the opening reception there is on November 1, although I am not sure of the time yet!

Last Page!!

2010-08-27T16:30:00.001-04:00

This is it...after 18 months of the Cultural Book Exchange, I have just finished up the last page. WooooHoooo! Stay tuned for info for the live show...

Upcoming Shows

2010-08-04T14:26:00.000-04:00

I woke up yesterday with one thought blasting through my brain...I have only 6 weeks to prepare for the first exhibition of "West meets East" (Cultural Book Exchange) !!!! I got on the computer to alert the troops: Daniela and her students in Romania (I need their pictures and statements and the remainder of the books ASAP!), my students here in America, begging for the same stuff, and the gallery director, a very sweet and kind lady who sent me the floor plan of the space, and gave me the news of what's hapening and when it's happening. It may not sound like much in writing, but there is a lot more work to be done. I need to design the exhibition postcard, meet up with my brother to discuss plans to build the podium-like shelving that will display the books, meet with the printer to discuss how and when we will be printing the posters, make a slideshow/movie of all the work which will be projected on the wall of the gallery, write 3 statements (my personal one, a gallery one for here, and a gallery one for Romania), send 2 of these off to Romania so they can be translated, edit the Romanian students statements, and a host of other little things that will be cropping up! PHEW!!!! So much work in so little time. Small wonder the Good Lord gave me broad shoulders.

RISCA AWARD!

2010-06-25T16:02:00.000-04:00

I have just been notified by the RI State Council on the arts that I have won a Merit Award in 3-D for my (teabag) works. Amazing! Simply amazing!

The Bus Stop Project

2010-06-08T18:50:00.004-04:00

Yesterday I went out with one of my studio mates to do some street installations. John and I decided to make good use of part of an installation that I created over a period of several months last year that never got put up, due to the politics and inefficiencies of the small town of Brockton, Massachusetts. I won't go into that any further from here.

The Bus Stop Project was put up at various stops around the city of Providence, in the hopes that THIS city will appreciate some well intentioned, whimsical, and somewhat meaningful art that the OTHER city decided to opt out on. Thanks John!

On another note, we had a few pairs of shoes left over and went into St. Francis Cemetery on Power Road in Pawtucket. We happened upon some unmarked graves there that were so sad, we decided that the pairs of shoes would be a nice proxy, in the stead of any absent visitors.

More pictures at http://www.papergirlsstudio.com/StreetInstallations.html

Girl Time!

2010-06-06T10:58:00.000-04:00

Spending time with Ren yesterday was really fun. It made me realize that I really don't have much of a social life anymore! I used to be quite the social btterefly. Now, I just work! I need to get out more, I think.

After going through the RISD show with Ren (which was a very pleasurable experience, I must say. One cannot go to an art show and make sarcastic remarks to oneself...it's not as much fun) she treated me to a very fine lunch at The Cheesecake Factory. We shared an appetizer of Tai Lettuce Wraps (YUM!) and some lovely bread and cold drinks. Afterwards we walked into the RI State House, only to be turned away because it was only open for a wedding party taking pictures there. Too bad. It's a beautiful building and we both wanted to tour the inside. Thank you Ren!

RISD MFA SHOW

2010-06-06T10:51:00.000-04:00

Saturday was a fun day. Met up with studio-mate Ren to go see the RISD student MFA show at the Providence Convention Center. In all honesty I must confess that this is the first time I ever came away from one of these shows disappointed. This is my favorite student show and never miss it. This years graduates left me a little let down. There were a few good pieces, however, which is a good thing. Unfortunately, there were many many more pieces that fell into the "bad zone".

The quality of the videos let me scratching my head...as they were all rather dry and boring, except for one which I thought was amusing. The artist built a small replica of a waiting room, and the video was of a man talking, but none of his sentences ever formed. It was funny and frustrating at the same time, leaving the viewer to want to really hear what he was talking about.

Another interesting and clever installation was of 3 cribs with video monitors in each of them. The videos depicted to-scale sleeping/fussing/crying babies. The viewer was invited to rock the cradles and when you did, this action would wake up the babies. When you rocked it aggressively, the babies cried even harder. A small gentle rocking motion would slowly put the babies back to sleep. Very interesting.

I was disappointed that few of the MFA fashion designs were shown. Usually there is a small collection of garments but this year there were only 3. There were also some interesting textiles. Interesting because the patterns were beautiful but the colors were quite bland.

This year I felt that the some of the Architecture students marquette's were quite nice. Their use of materials in the modular forms were pretty cool. I also liked the graphic design students work...all very good, and I liked that everything was for sale. The small metals students work shined, as they do consistently every year.

I was really surprised by the lack of the old school fine arts: painting and drawing and printmaking. There were some, but a lot less than than usual. I also must confess that I found them to be lacking. There were a few ceramic pieces...most notably the earthenware bowls with the most gorgeous sketches inside and out.
The very large ceramic installations at the entrance were memorable in that they were poorly thought out and not executed very well. As a matter of fact, I noticed that there was a tremendous lack of skill in many of the pieces throughout the show. I wouldn't have cared if I could understand the works conceptually, but many of them seemed flat and without meaning.

I don't know what to say. Having been to graduate school at a state college (UConn) I though maybe it would be lacking in many respects, but in light of this show, I'd say put your money into a school that will have a better outcome. RISD is sitting high on its reputation still...and not showing a whole lot for the cost.

Volunteering

2010-05-31T14:51:00.002-04:00

I have just graduated from a class at the East Bay Literacy Center in Warren. I will be teaching/tutoring ESL as soon as I can set things up with my students. The classes were awesome..I must say the facilitators Jean and Jolean are such excellent teachers! It's clear they are dedicated to their work and to the cause of wiping out illiteracy. If anyone is interested in volunteering, here you go... http://www.lveastbay.org/
Teaching ESL here will be my introduction to what I will be doing in the Peace Corps.

Another Feather in my Cap

2010-05-31T14:42:00.000-04:00

I have been informed by my esteemed colleague and friend Daniela Frumuseanu that we have been the recipients of a prize in Bucharest, Romania! Daniela entered one of our collaborative books into a juried group show at the Visual Center of the Arts, Gallery Caminul Artei. We won a prize for mixed media! Needless to say, I am most proud of our accomplishment!

One for the Record Books

2010-04-30T15:47:00.013-04:00

This has been a week of change and I am so glad of it. Firstly, I must tell you all that I left my job at the bindery. It's been a mere 5 or 6 weeks and I just could not do this work anymore. Believe it or not, I found a NEW job already...I am now an official part time employee at Crestar, which is a picture framing manufacturer in East Greenwich. Folks there are fun and down to earth...it's a much more comfortable fit for me. I was a framer for about 4 years and the place I was employed at had to close due to the economic downturn in our country. Well, I'm back at it and I couldn't be happier!

Next BIG NEWS is I have been nominated to serve as a Peace Corps volunteer in Eastern Europe next March. I will be teaching secondary school kids how to speak English. I have been looking into the Peace Corps for about a year now and can't believe I didn't apply years ago. It's perfect for me. I love volunteering, people, different cultures, teaching and travel...everything the PC is!
Everything at this point is very preliminary. I still have to be invited but this can take many many months...first I need to pass all the health screenings. This can take a long time because I need to gather records and make appointments, etc. Also, if someone else has been nominated for the same place/position, they will take the person with the most experience. This means I need to get a lot of ESL teaching experience, which will not begin until July. I have a lot of work ahead of me, and I am really excited about the prospect of teaching new immigrants our language. I am even looking into taking an on-line TEFL course
to see exactly what needs to be taught. If anyone out there can recommend one (there are TONS of these sites on the Internet) I would greatly appreciate it!

All and done...over and out.

Collective Thread

2010-04-14T17:06:00.000-04:00

I was juried into a new show this week. Collective Thread is an exhibition showcasing contemporary fiber work. I had two pieces juried in...one is the Tea Diary, as shown in an earlier blog, and the other is one of my tea quilts. The show is at the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg and will run from May 15-June 25.

Loss of Comfort with detail. 52x72" Used Tea Bags, thread, tulle, fiber-fil

Rainy Friday

2010-04-09T14:18:00.006-04:00

Today is the first day this week I have been able to spend any quality time in the studio. Working at the bindery has really cut into my time here! I also have other obligations that need to be seen to, so this also limits my time...it's frustrating! I have lots of work to do on the books and need to keep that momentum going. It can be very time consuming...each page needs to be unique and special and with 24 books in circulation, that is a lot of art! I seem to keep running out of inspiration...which is very bad. I have even let other things pile up in the studio...These are little mountains of tea bags that need to be processed.

Springtime in New England

2010-04-08T12:42:00.003-04:00

The weather is nuts...yesterday started out at 50 degrees and by 4 pm it was 92 degrees. Crazy! Usually there are April showers this time of year with plenty of cold and raw to go with it. Who would have guessed it wasn't August? Today is not as warm, but still crazy warm for this time of year. Everyone is so much happier...imagine, strangers looking each other in the eye and saying hello? It's unheard of! This afternoon I was walking to the studio from work and some man in a suit saw me and smiled and said "Beautiful day, isn't it?" My jaw just about hit the pavement.

Supergirl

2010-03-20T15:44:00.009-04:00

The books are piling up again so I called in Supergirl to tackle the job. Daniela has informed me that we have 24 books in circulation between here and Romania. I have made plans to have a show of the books in the gallery at the CCRI Warwick campus in September. I figured it was
important to show them here first before they go to Romania, as they might never return here.
Next month some of the books will be in a group show in NYC...The Climate Gallery in Long Island City (Queens) will be hosting "The Artful Scriptorium", a month long extravaganza showcasing artist's books. Show dates: April 3-25, opening reception ...hmmm...it was on the 3rd. They changed it to a later date but I'll be damned if I can remember! Oh, well...
As well, next month one of our books will be part of a group show in Bucharest, Romania. More on this show as I get details from my counterpart over there.

New Job

2010-03-09T16:50:00.006-05:00

Good news at last! I was hired for a part time job at the Rag and Bone Bindery! They make beautiful handmade books, which fits in with the scheme of things in my life, as I am also a bookmaker. Even better, I can walk there from my studio...it's in the mill at the top of my street! I am visualizing the coming days...working there from 8-12, then walking down the hill to my studio, where I can work for the remainder of the day...perfecto!

Signing in

2010-02-25T15:03:00.006-05:00

It has been a long while since I last wrote...lots of turmoil in my life these days. In December the class I was teaching at Worcester State was cancelled, leaving me in a very precarious position. I am still not working...it seems as if I have become just another casualty in these United States. I am lucky that I still have a roof over my head so I will try to keep the pity-party to a minimum.

After hearing about the cancelled class, I got word that I did not get recommended for the Fulbright Scholarship. That was a terrible blow, but I have recovered and now I am more determined than ever to get to Romania to meet with my friends in the fall this year. The Cultural Book Exchange "West meets East" exhibition will still go on...and I have been invited to give an artist talk at the school (National University of Art in Bucharest) that will coincide with our exhibition, so that is an opportunity I will not be passing up.

In the studio, I have been working on a new tea piece that has been growing little by little. I have also been swamped with the books...making new ones, finishing up old ones, and everything in between. I am trying to get some book shows together before the one in Romania. I have booked a few of the books (no pun intended) into a group show in NY next month at the Climate Gallery in Long Island City, Queens.

Untitled tea piece and detail 51x46"

Daniela and the Book Exchange

2009-11-19T15:33:00.004-05:00

The Cultural Book Exchange goes on, as you can see here in this little clip...Daniela has informed me there are more on the way....and that makes me feel a little bit overwhelmed!

2009-11-05T10:42:00.002-05:00

It's all good in the hood today. Studio is hot as hell, but the work is starting to roll out effortlessly...

Got a big package from Romania last night...Daniela sent some books to be worked on. Everytime I get a new batch I need to step up my game even more...her work is so amazing it makes my work look like shit.....

Tea Community Continues to Grow

2009-11-03T17:11:00.003-05:00

Tea bags on loom

I received two lovely gifts in my studio yeaterday. My studio-mate Ren left me a big bag of dried out used tea bags from her sister in Portland, Oregon. My girl-down-the-hall Jeanine also brought me a big box full of them. I am happy to report that these woman will become a part of my new "Tea Diary" I began to weave the bags on my frame loom today and it should be finished by tomorrow. Thank you so very much ladies!

Quiet Times?

2009-11-03T16:19:00.006-05:00

It's been a while since I've had any break-through inspirations. I can't understand the state of my being at these times and it's always mystified me. But alas, life goes on. The heart beats, the blood rushes, and the hot flashes keep coming. One thing keeping my interest at the studio is the Cultural Book Exchange project. Daniela and I are now getting our students involved in the exchange, and they will also be represented in the "West meets East" exhibition next year at The National University of Art in Bucharest, Romania. I am currently looking for other venues which the show can travel to in Europe. My first stop was a virtual visit to Moscow's historic Red October Chocolate Factory, which is now a contemporary art space run by Maria Baibakova. Baibakov Art Projects http://www.baibakovartprojects.com/ has an amazing exhibition space and I am hoping that my e-mail will be answered as regards to having the book show travel there in 2011. After the shows in Europe, the books will travel to America to be exhibited in various venues which I shall not name as of yet, due to not having a finalization on things. Speaking of books, Daniela and I currently have 11 in circulaton between Romania and America, with many more to come. To see the entire collection , please visit http://www.papergirlsstudio.com/Collaborative.html.

Flowers from my Boys

2009-10-21T11:08:00.005-04:00

Thanks to my wonderful studio neighbors Eric and Joe, for this beautiful bouquet of roses. I appreciate that you appreciate me!

RIP my Sweet

2009-10-05T14:07:00.006-04:00

My sweet Harley.

Today is the saddest of days. My baby Harley had to be put to sleep because of a terrible disease (Feline Thromboembolic Disease). I came home Saturday evening to find she had lost the use of her hind legs. I did some research and I found out that this is a rather common disease in kitties, and treating it would have been very painful. Also, only about 5 % actually survive the treatment. What happens is the aorta runs from the heart to the tail and then splits off in two. Blood clots form in this split area, which stop oxygen flow to the legs, and also causes breathing problems. The people in the vet's office (City Kitty in Providence, RI) were absolutely wonderful. I cannot say enough about how they treated Harley and me. Awesome people. After talking with the vet she agreed with me that the only way to help Harley was to euthanize her. My poor little thing was suffering so I did the only thing I could humanely do, and that was to send her to God. I miss her so very much. She was the only thing in my life I have ever loved...truly. I am so very sad. I had Harley for 17 years. I adopted her when she was 3 months old. I put her in my knapsack and I took her home on the back of my Harley (hence, her name). This was in 1992. She cried all the way home, poor thing, but this bonded her to me forever. What a cutie pie! We were stopping traffic all the way home because she kept popping her head out of the top of the back pack. I had actually brought her home to give her to my roommate as a gift, but Harley was mine, no one ever had any doubt about that. She would follow me everywhere...even into the bathroom! She was always at my side...right up until she died. I was the first person she saw when she left her mama, and the last person she saw when she closed her eyes forever. I love you baby!

It's Been a While....

2009-08-22T15:24:00.005-04:00

It's been a while since I posted here...lots of bad karma and distraction for the past few weeks. The worst thing was the heat. The studio temperature reached well past 100 this past week and nothing was accomplished at all. I managed to work a few hours, then headed out to find cooler pastures.

Coming up: A new group show happening in Atlanta at the Art House Co-op..."A Million Little Pictures" will be showing from September 25th onward and again in San Francisco on January 8th for a month or so. The idea was to bring together 1000 artists into one space by sending out 1000 disposable cameras. The cameras were very cheap and I ended up with about half being ruined, so I did what I could to save them. Being a mixed-media artist has many advantages...

http://arthousecoop.com/gallery ....if you're in the neighborhood...

Tea Diaries

2009-06-29T11:19:00.010-04:00

I've started a new collection of books entitled "Tea Diaries" Made entirely of tea bags and handmade paper, this collection will be traveling to Romania with me next year (of course, depending on whether or not I receive a Fulbright.)

Book 1

Book 2

East/West Collaboration: BOOK 1

2009-06-19T12:32:00.020-04:00

Cover, Pages 1 & 2

A new collaboration is afoot..this time the west is not in California, but here in America! My new friend Daniela who lives in Eastern Europe (Romania) and I have started a traveling book project. So far we have managed to begin one book, with 3 more on the horizon. We are having some issues with the postal services here and the going is slow, but the books eventually reach their destination and we are hopeful that with a little patience, everything will get through and not get stuck in customs here.

Page 3 (and detail), page 4

Page 5 & 6 (and detail)

Wool Diaries

2009-05-09T14:47:00.001-04:00

I finished a new piece today. "14 July - 31 August, 2005"(Wool Diaries) was a piece in the making for almost 4 full years. Started in graduate school at The University of Connecticut, this piece never quite went where it was intended until now. Using raw sheep's wool I began felting at the studio in Storrs and made many pieces of felt that I placed in a single pile. The purpose of the work was to show how process and repetition serves as a meditative act. The piece went unresolved, however, and about a month ago I ran across these really big felted pieces of wool and I got caught up in the tactile quality of the wool. In keeping with the original idea, I began to cut up the wool into smaller pieces and bundling them. While I was processing the pieces, I was remembering everything about that time period. The intense heat of the studio, the quiet in my building...my God! I was the only art grad working all through the summer. The campus was very creepy then. I remember calling campus police once...there were some kids on the property breaking into the old vacant asylum buildings on the premises. Some of these memories were so intense I could smell the building the studio was lodged in. It was sad too. I had worked so hard on this piece and everyone hated it...including me! I somehow lost my way while I was intensely processing all that wool. Come to think about it...the piece really was successful in what I was trying to portray, I just couldn't seem to find a way to display the work, thus, it was an abject failure because no one could really get anything from it.

Tea Anyone?

2009-05-05T12:24:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago I hosted a tea party in the building and many folks came and a fun time was had by all. I amassed a new collection of tea bags, all of which will be incorporated into my latest Tea Quilt. Everyone seems to like the idea of being a part of my work... it makes our connection more personal. When the cold weather returns, I think I will host a few more. Here are a few of my neighbors...there were 3 painters, 3 sculptors/performance people (myself included with that group), an architect and an interior designer. Oh yes, musn't forget Len, the property manager. My thanks to all who came and contributed to my project.

News

2009-05-04T11:27:00.003-04:00

For those who don't know it yet, I have been working feverishly to come up with a project proposal for a 9 month Fulbright Scholarship to Romania. If everything falls into place, I'll be there next September (2010) working with a community of other artists on a project. I have met a wonderful person who lives in Romania..her name is Daniela and she is a professor of Art at the National University of Art in Bucharest...Daniela has been helping me to get connected with the university because I need a host institution there to invite me to come. The invitation goes a very long way in my being offered a Fulbright. I began the process of learning to speak Romanian a few weeks ago and I am getting on quite well with it. Romanian is a Romance Language , as is Italian, and as I grew up listening to bits of Italian, it seems familiar.

Now...as for the newest self portrait...I have turned 50 and it really suuuuckkkkks, but I am trying to be positive about it. I took this in the studio and thought it wasn't too bad, so I figured I'd post it as a kind of therapy (or torture...I can't figure which!)

Breastplate Armor

2009-04-14T15:42:00.000-04:00

I Finally finished my long and tedious project "For St. Jeanne" (Breastplate).This is an important piece for me. I have always marveled at the story of Joan of Arc ...she was an amazing woman. The strength, courage and conviction of this woman is astonishing, yet after everything she accomplished, she was still considered a heretic and burned at the stake. So, you see? no matter how strong your armor, you are never entirely safe.

It took many months to finish this piece and I'm very happy with the way it turned out. It is made entirely out of Tetley Tea Bags ('Tetley makes it better') and you know? I e-mailed the company and sent them the images of this piece and the Tea Kimono...you'd think I would have heard something back by now. Hmmm. Maybe I ended up in the spam box?

Mixed Messages

2009-03-19T14:29:00.000-04:00

I finished a new piece today . It is a companion piece to one I had done last year. Comments welcome.

"Mixed Messages" and "Victoria's REAL Secret"

Simultaneous Situations #2

2009-03-03T15:16:00.000-05:00

Today was the second part of my collaboration with my California friend and fellow artist Anthony. For this situation, we were to sit in an industrial-like setting and have a cup of tea.
So, at 2pm EST, and 11am PST, we did just that. It was 24 degrees here, Hmmm... wonder how warm it was in California?

1000 Tea Bags Revised

2009-03-02T15:16:00.000-05:00

I decided to revamp the performance video "1000 Tea Bags". After much debate with myself, I had come to the realization that the video was way too long (even though I had edited it down quite a lot...the performance was about 3 hours long.) To make it much more amusing, I added some music. The whole video is much more cohesive as the music adds to the frantic pace of the performance.

A New Tea Quilt

2009-02-26T16:27:00.000-05:00

Am I obsessed? One could say...just a tad. A new project started here in the Paper Girls Studio yesterday...a new tea quilt. This time around, I am using a different method. I am keeping the bags flat and connecting then in a traditional quilt pattern. I will make two layers, stuff with batting, and sew it all together. I don't know how long this will take me...it depends how many cups of tea mom and I can drink. If anyone is interested in donating used tea bags, please e-mail the studio...I could use the help! jo@papergirlsstudio.com

Simultaneous Situations/Anthony Walks on the Beach

2009-02-24T13:19:00.000-05:00

I finally got Anthony's documentation of his beach visit. Unfortunately, he forgot the chair! All is well, however, in that he got a nice warm walk on the beach in bare feet. This was documented at 11 am PST, at Crown Memorial State Beach, in Alameda, CA.

Another Tea Project in the Making

2009-02-24T12:59:00.000-05:00

Started a new piece a few months ago that is taking forever, due to the fact that we can only drink so many cups of tea in a day. (We, as in, Mom and me). The latest in Tea Fashion is a throwback to the 15th century. I am constructing a breastplate from Tetley tea bags. My inspiration? Joan of Arc, of course.

East Coast/West Coast Situations

2009-01-26T14:32:00.000-05:00

Good friend Anthony and I have started a series of "Simultaneous Situations". On Saturday, January 24th, we set out to do some minimalist performance art. Ant lives in the Bay Area of California, 5 minutes from the beach. I am in Rhode Island, living 5 minutes from the beach.

At 2 pm EST, I went to the beach, sat in a straight-backed chair and faced out to sea for a few moments, and recorded this event. Ant did the same thing at the same time (11am his time)in California. We are planning a series of these collaborations and if things go well enough and it turns out the be interesting enough, I am going to suggest publishing a book. If anyone out there has heard of any other artists doing this, past or present, please comment.

The wind was blowing at 31 mph and I froze my teeth off...it was 13 degrees!

Dia Beacon

2009-01-05T15:51:00.000-05:00

Best friend Katie and I headed out to Dia in Beacon, NY on Saturday. The trip south went well, and Katie was blown away by the awesome art on display there. Seeing it for the second time reaffirms what I felt the first time. Who can not be affected by this work? The most surprising part of the visit was the Bruce Nauman installations and wall pieces in the basement. It was much better than first time...awesome, in fact. The museum finished installing the rest of his pieces...and made a more permanent home for the "Mapping the Studio" installation. When I was last there, it was partitioned off by draperies. The fabric has been replaced by nice white walls. Same goes for his corridor/hallway pieces. The addition of the neon light pieces were the icing on the cake. I don't always understand Bruce Nauman's work, but I really enjoy experiencing them. With Nauman, you can feel very much a part of his installations, which is a huge bonus in my book. Katie was creeped out by it all, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. (I enjoy anything evenly remotely strange or creepy, trust me.)

Katie became much more alive when we hit the Richard Serra wing. I think she is probably his biggest fan. We both love the challenge of standing nose to nose with those steel walls...
Honestly, when we go see anything by Richard Serra, we behave most strangely. As a matter of fact, we have learned that the best way to experience these large steel works, is by standing nose to nose with one, while simultaneously raising our arms in the direction of the curvature of the steel. We may look silly, but this action gives us more of that physical pull that you experience when standing close to his pieces. Similiar, I imagine, to standing on a ledge of a 20 story building and feeling the need to leap off the edge.

The only disappointment for me was the not-so-accessable Michael Heizer exhibit. This permanent installation entitled "North, East, South, West" was not open for the up close and personal inspection. It could only be viewed from the edges of the room, as it was closed off by a glass fence. The last time I visited we called in advance to make sure someone would allow us to get past the glass baracade. It was awesome. The feeling you get while gazing down into the deep chasms of the floor is similiar to that of the Richard Serra steel pieces. I remember being afraid to get too close to the edge, so I lay down on the floor and peered over. It was wonderful! I had everyone around me doing this as well. I imagine that because it was a Saturday and busy, with small children flittering about, that the museum deemed it too dangerous to open up.

Anyway, back to reality (and work) now, but we are in the stages of planning our next NY Art Stop; Storm King, which houses more Richard Serra to experience up close and personal.

Heading north again...

2008-12-31T11:06:00.000-05:00

This weekend I'll be heading north to Amherst again to visit with best pal Katie (that's IF the weather cooperates...)We are planning to drive to NY State...into the Hudson River Valley region to visit a very cool place called Dia Beacon. The Dia Foundation has lots and lots of goodies in this museum...everything from Joseph Bouys to Richard Serra (Katie's personal favorite). I'm worried with all this snow, however. It's proving to be a very nasty New England winter and shows no signs of slowing up. The roads are never clean enough and driving can be tricky.
This will be my second trip to Dia. The first time I went with classmates in graduate school. I remember some of what we saw, but it's tough when you are pressed for time and traveling with 10 other folks. We stopped on the way back to see the gigantic sculptures in Storm King. Some of the pieces are a little dated but awe inspiring anyway, due to the size of some of these structures.

I'll be blogging back when the trip is over. Happy New Year!

Ghost Babies

2008-10-29T14:55:00.000-04:00

This past weekend BFF Katie and I spent some time hanging some installations around the western part of Massachusetts and Vermont. Starting in North Amherst (Katie's town) we hung up the baby heads at various points along Mill and State Streets. Attached to signs, poles, and fences, the Ghost Babies seemed to be appreciated by the passers-by on foot and riding bikes. A few even disappeared within a few hours, which tells me some interested collectors helped themselves and for this, I am happy.

Afterwards we jumped into the car and drove an hour north into Brattleboro Vermont. A lovely little town, we enjoyed the parade that was happening (a protest against the re-opening of the nuclear power plant nearby) that came complete with some awesome music and costumes. We shopped, toured, and had Indian food for lunch (awesome..yum!). Afterwards, Katie discovered the town's multi-tiered parking garage that looked like a good place to hang some Ghost Babies. It turned out to be a terrific spot, as they could be seen from many different vantage points.

It was an unlikely location but it turned
out to be an excellent choice. It was a long day, so we headed back to Katie's to make plans for the final installation, which we decided would take place the following day in the little town of Amherst, Massachusetts. For those who have never visited Amherst, it's a quaint little town that is surround by Umass Amherst, Amherst College, Smith College, and a few other Higher Ed institutions. It is the quintessential little New England town. There are not many places like this left here in New England, and I am happy that I can visit it often. Katie came through again with the great idea of dressing up the trash cans in town, but unfortunately, not everyone was happy about it. They lasted less than two hours on the cans, as some person ripped them off and tossed them into the trash. Katie has an idea that it was the work of the "crazy guy" who takes it upon himself to clean up the streets and the sidewalks. He is seen everyday around town obsessing over what he thinks of as "His Domain". He apparently didn't see the rest of the installations, as the babies in the tree are still hanging as of this post. We wondered about this, and then decided that the man probably never looks up. He is concerned with a tidy street and sidewalk and that's all. Luckily.

Project Tea Bag

2008-09-24T10:30:00.000-04:00

Last Wednesday evening at the Roger Williams Park Botanical Gardens in Providence, RI, the Tea kimono (1000 Tea Bags) made its debut. Groundworks Providence, a non-profit grassroots organization that supports programs and public gardens in Providence held it's 7th annual fashion show fundraiser. Recycled Fashions were the stars of the evening, as volunteers modeled clothing out of alternative materials like bear tabs, magazines, shower curtains, and, you guessed it, old tea bags. The gala was well attended, including some local notables like Providence Mayor David Ciccolini and a handful of other celebs like Karen Adams from Channel 12 news. It was a fabulous evening and I give much credit to all the folks who worked so hard to organize and put the show together. I may just design something new for next year.....

Dampness is the Enemy or Tea Bags in the Wind

2008-09-22T14:20:00.001-04:00

Last week while getting some work out of the basement to bring to the studio I detected a not-so-faint odor of mold on my tea quilt piece (Loss of Comfort) and decided to hang it on the line for a while. I am happy to report that it was not damaged in anyway and the moldy smell has faded. I was heart-sick at the prospect of never showing this piece again. It took 3-4 months of hard work to complete it and I was not ready to destroy it.

Open Studios

2008-09-22T14:07:00.000-04:00

It was a very long weekend here at the Paper Girls Studio. Pawtucket Open Studios was this past weekend...3 days of showing work to the masses looking for decorative items and not much else. But, to give credit, I did have a few people come through who were genuinly interested in seeing and talking about ART. I even made a few connections...maybe something lucritive in the college-level teaching area....
Colleen and I decide not to stay open for Friday evening. She was at a wedding in neary Newport while I went home after a long day of teaching in Worcester then cleaning up and hanging work here. Needless to say, good buddy and neighbor Michael said he was open all Friday night and had a scant 6 visitors. So, it would appear that I made the right decision not to open.
Saturday was our best day...we had some friends stop in for coffee and., although sadly missing on the weekend were long lost friends and comrades Kerry and Justin. They were sadly sadly missed. I had an extra special caffine beverage for Justine....
Also missed were close friends and compatriots Rachel and John. Hmmmm...makes me wonder....have I offended anyone lately?
I don't know if I will repeat this next year...I'll have to wait and see.

Stuff & Junk

2008-08-09T12:37:00.000-04:00

The long awaited moment has finally arrived here at the Paper Girls...studio mate Colleen has finally moved in, part and parcel, all set up and ready to rip out some awesome conceptual stuff!

I, on the other hand, have done NOTHING for weeks! Artist block...hell-O!!!! To fill in my days here, I have been teaching myself some new stitchery techniques. I have made french seams, baby seams, strip seams, handmade bound buttonholes and a handful of other stuff. Sewing is one of the most relaxing processes in my varied repertoire. As you can see, Colleen's side of the studio is lovely and nice..my side is very messy. She is making me look bad!!!

Coming up here at the studio...Pawtucket Open Studios September 19-21. Colleen and I are giving papermaking demos...hoping to sign up some folks for classes in the fall and winter.

Please come! We'll have food and drink.....and some cool stuff for sale. Here is the link to check out who's participating so far . We expect lots of folks to come through here that weekend.

http://www.pawtucketopenstudios.com/artist_directory_200804.php

1000 Tea Bags

2008-07-08T09:47:00.000-04:00

At loooooong last I have finished the teabag kimono piece. I think I started it when the weather was still cold! I am trying to pin down a date, but it was so long ago I simply don't remember. Suffice it to say that in the winter of 2007 I began a monumental project that I finished just last evening with the compilation of images into a film short.

1000 Tea Bags is part of my on-going obsession of "trying to find comfort in an uncomfortable world".

Construction began with a large piece of tulle which I fashioned into a kimono. From there, my
mom and I drank over 1000 cups of Tetley tea. ("Tetley makes it Better"...no?) I hand sewed the bags, tea and all, to the tulle. When I finished, I was not satisfied with it. It was very heavy and as a result stretched out the form quite a bit, so I decided to cut out all the tea. What I ended up with was what I had initially envisioned. A light, airy, free-flowing garment that was totally impractical. I also ended up with 2 additional pieces; an installation of the residue of the tea that was drained from the robe, as well as a simple film/performance.

Look for the kimono on the runway this September. "Runway Earth" is a fund raising event that benefits GROUNDWORKS PROVIDENCE, the community gardens in many Providence neighborhoods. The fashions in this show are all produced with recycled materials. It was fortuitious that I should be making this piece when the call for art/fashions went out.

Watch the abridged version of the performance below. Enjoy the show!

A New Lease on Life

2008-04-10T19:25:00.000-04:00

Today was a big day for The Paper Girls...we signed the lease for the new space at 250 Eston Street, then walked about the place to explore. We discovered how to use the ancient freight elevator, (that was scary...we thought we would be locked in at one point!) found a new place to park, and found a very convenient back door leading right to that parking lot. We also found a very nice backyard courtyard in that very same spot. Nice! June 1st is the target moving date. They are renovating the studio and bringing everything up to code in the meantime. I've got my movers in place (brother and nephew...they are the best!) and I am just itching to get there.
Colleen and I also found another few things in common. We both came from very humble beginnings, and our moms discouraged us from being artists when we were kids...just so we wouldn't have to depend on anyone for anything. We were encouraged to either get careers and make good money or get married...or both. So we waited until we were much older before fulfilling our destinies.
Colleen's mom stated that she didn't want her going to art school as a teenager, because she feared she would end up poor and starving and pictured her standing on the sidewalk selling 'pencils', of all things. My mom stated that exact same thing, except she switched the word 'pencils' to 'pots'. (Back in the day, I used to love ceramics). After discovering this and having a good laugh, Colleen decided that "Pencils and Pots" was an omen that predated our meeting at The Massachusetts College of Art and Design back in 1997. Learning this was a most fortuitous moment, to say the least.
We have decide that since our beginnings are so similiar, the name "Pencils and Pots Studio" will grace our back door, whilst "The Paper Girls Studio" will grace our front entrance. I have a feeling that over time, we will come to love our new designation, and at some point, we will move it to the front.

The Making of a New Studio

2008-03-30T07:35:00.000-04:00

After wrestling with the idea of moving to bigger digs, I came to the conclusion that having more space to work was more important than keeping a little gallery that went largely unused. Closing The Paper Girls Studio and Art Gallery was a difficult decision, but one that needed to be made. Rather than promoting other artists work, I have decided that I need to focus on my own career and in order to embrace that entirely, I needed a bigger studio. So, it's goodbye to 100 s.f. of cramped, dark quarters, and hello to 1135 s.f. of glorious, sunny space...with it's own bathroom no less

Since the gallery will be closed, I am intending on shutting down the website as well. I will show all the latest and greatest works right here on the The Paper Girls Studio Blog. Joining me in my new digs will be the Other Paper Girl, close friend/sister/confidant/awesome artist Colleen Lowe, whom I welcome back into the fold of my life with open arms. Together we will be creating some awesome art, and hopefully, some interesting dialog.