polly adams sutton and sutff
I spent all day yesterday at a basketry workshop yesterday with Polly Adams Sutton. She has been an important figure in the contemporary basketry movement over the past 2 or 3 decades.
Here are some examples of her work: http://www.thirteenmoonsgallery.com/sagemoon/artistPages/PAS.html
I went with my mother and some of her friends, and it was really fun; I learned some traditional weaving techniques as well as some attractive twilling and twining methods Polly has developed, I haven’t been interested the ones Jo has introduced us to this semester. We all (there were 12 of us) got to make a basket with her guidance. I made one with cedar bark and ash and I’m happy with it; it even smells good! It was really fun to learn her methods of playing with forms (if you look at the photos above you’ll see what I’m talking about- she creates beautiful vessels), it’s pretty applicable to my work. I have already made two forms by coiling with waxed linen today. Polly got me pretty excited about experimenting with her techniques.
I get to do two more workshops with Polly on Tuesday. I also might go gathering with her and Jo tomorrow, I just got to see what time they’re going to be doing this.
More art stuff; I hear some of my stuff was up at the gallery my friend Jess just opened in New York. I sent her lots of my photography, and I wonder what ones she liked. Its opening was last night; I wish I could have been there! Oh well, this August I’ll get out there to visit hopefully.
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So last night I was supposed to go out with Kim, who has been in town this week, but I was really tired, the workshop started early and I didn’t get much sleep the night before. Plus, I’m pretty broke from my trip to Italy.
I got to see Florence, Venice, Bologna, and Siena. We also had a layover in Paris for a day. Air France sucks, as does the Deguall (spelling?) airport. Venice was nice, felt like a tourist trap though, it also closed down at 9p.m. I did get to see lots of modern glass art though, which was the greatest surprise. I had no idea Venice was the European capital for glass art and glass work (I believe there is a difference between glass as a contemporary art form and as a craft skill, both have been in Venice -well really it’s Murano, a island twenty minuets from Venice- since they were founded) Florence was a blast, as was Siena. Siena was probably my favorite place we went to on the trip. It has a great vibe. Italy made American look ugly, I feel this every time I travel out of this country, but coming back this time made me feel that way more so than before. Everything is vertical there, and all the buildings are these yellows, oranges, and rust colors. It’s also something special to look at your window and see a hill with the ruins of a castle on it, and not just once, but everyday. I saw all the crazy art I learned about in art history, but it hadn’t prepared me at all for the real thing. It is mind-blowing, just the grandness and size of these churches and other pieces of art and architecture there.
Speaking of art history, I was supposed to go to the fashion show at The Blue Note with Steph last night too. She was in El Salvador the week before I left for Europe and I miss this fiery haired spastic friend.
Here are some examples of her work: http://www.thirteenmoonsgallery.com/sagemoon/artistPages/PAS.html
I went with my mother and some of her friends, and it was really fun; I learned some traditional weaving techniques as well as some attractive twilling and twining methods Polly has developed, I haven’t been interested the ones Jo has introduced us to this semester. We all (there were 12 of us) got to make a basket with her guidance. I made one with cedar bark and ash and I’m happy with it; it even smells good! It was really fun to learn her methods of playing with forms (if you look at the photos above you’ll see what I’m talking about- she creates beautiful vessels), it’s pretty applicable to my work. I have already made two forms by coiling with waxed linen today. Polly got me pretty excited about experimenting with her techniques.
I get to do two more workshops with Polly on Tuesday. I also might go gathering with her and Jo tomorrow, I just got to see what time they’re going to be doing this.
More art stuff; I hear some of my stuff was up at the gallery my friend Jess just opened in New York. I sent her lots of my photography, and I wonder what ones she liked. Its opening was last night; I wish I could have been there! Oh well, this August I’ll get out there to visit hopefully.
____________________________________________________________________________________
So last night I was supposed to go out with Kim, who has been in town this week, but I was really tired, the workshop started early and I didn’t get much sleep the night before. Plus, I’m pretty broke from my trip to Italy.
I got to see Florence, Venice, Bologna, and Siena. We also had a layover in Paris for a day. Air France sucks, as does the Deguall (spelling?) airport. Venice was nice, felt like a tourist trap though, it also closed down at 9p.m. I did get to see lots of modern glass art though, which was the greatest surprise. I had no idea Venice was the European capital for glass art and glass work (I believe there is a difference between glass as a contemporary art form and as a craft skill, both have been in Venice -well really it’s Murano, a island twenty minuets from Venice- since they were founded) Florence was a blast, as was Siena. Siena was probably my favorite place we went to on the trip. It has a great vibe. Italy made American look ugly, I feel this every time I travel out of this country, but coming back this time made me feel that way more so than before. Everything is vertical there, and all the buildings are these yellows, oranges, and rust colors. It’s also something special to look at your window and see a hill with the ruins of a castle on it, and not just once, but everyday. I saw all the crazy art I learned about in art history, but it hadn’t prepared me at all for the real thing. It is mind-blowing, just the grandness and size of these churches and other pieces of art and architecture there.
Speaking of art history, I was supposed to go to the fashion show at The Blue Note with Steph last night too. She was in El Salvador the week before I left for Europe and I miss this fiery haired spastic friend.