Celebrating "Nodes" new home

My biggest-yet collage has found a wonderful home. I wrote quite a bit here about Nodes as it was coming together, so though I'd finish the story. The piece sold at my recent Spark Gallery exhibition. Once the show came down and I was able to deliver the collage, the collectors hosted a hanging celebration complete with appetizers and champagne. Check out the fully-loaded coffee table above :)What a fun evening. New furnishings had been selected to go with the collage (!) and the room looks great. We discussed potential accent paint colors for the wall behind the piece and admired our handiwork. It was cool to see how some of the shapes in the collage relate to their collection of african sculpture. I don't always get to see where my work winds up, so this was a real treat. Not to mention the delectable food and bubbly! Nodes is their second collage. My "Arabesque" collage (at left) has hung in an entry niche for several years. I'm so honored that this family enjoys living with my work -- meanwhile, their purchase brings resources and creates space for my future collage explorations. I love how that happens.

Lively abstract inspiration in a cemetery

A couple of weeks ago, while visiting New Orleans, I noticed really interesting found abstract imagery all over the city. To top it off, I spent several hours exploring St. Louis Cemetery #1. (Overall photos and information about cemetery conservation efforts are here.)

The worn monuments and surfaces of the cemetery were really amazing and inspiring -- an intriguing visual treat, on hallowed ground, in the midst of an architectural/historical treasure! Here are a few of my favorite photos, all details/patterns. This imagery may not ever make its way into my work, but I am fascinated by composing with the camera when I discover patterns/surfaces that truly constitute found art. 

The cemetery is interesting on so many levels and well worth a visit next time you are in New Orleans... assuming you can tear yourself away from the jazz, food (beignets!) and drink. 

Emerging from distraction

"Emerging," contemporary paper collage on wood panel, 10 x 10 x 1." © 2011, Janice McDonald.

I've been distracted by life lately: experiencing a bit of a letdown from all the show excitement, catching up with work/commitments I'd delayed, busy traveling to southern California and New Orleans... and not adding much to this blog! I think I've almost caught up with myself. The to-do list is still long, but not quite so daunting, this week.

Some exciting news: I was invited to become a member of Spark Gallery, the oldest cooperative gallery in Denver, a presence in the local art scene for 30+ years. Soon I will have a page to represent myself/my work on their website. I'm looking forward to getting to know this community of artists and being involved in the functioning of the gallery, as well as showing there regularly.

I was really pleased to have sold well and have enjoyed delivering collages to their new owners and homes... still a couple more deliveries to coordinate. (You know who you are!) Based on the show, I'm also exploring producing prints of the collages, thinking about the potential of collage imagery for set design, considering sourcing and working with bigger hunks of paper to create larger pieces -- among other big, exciting, and somewhat wild, ideas!

So, in the studio working away this week... nice to be back at it!

Composed: collage exhibition - virtual version

My exhibition, "Composed," opened last weekend at Spark Gallery and the virtual version is now posted on my website here. A portion of the gallery is shown in the photograph above. Hope you will enjoy perusing the collages. Not yet posted to the website (but coming eventually) are 13 smaller works on paper, see group photo below.

If you are in the area, I hope to see you at one of the remaining gallery events, including an artists reception on Friday, April 8th from 6-9pm and a "coffee with the artists" on Saturday, April 23rd from 1-5pm. Also showing at Spark Gallery (900 Santa Fe, Denver, Colorado) are Elaine Ricklin and Keith Howard. Regular gallery hours are Thursdays 12-5pm, Fridays 12-9pm, Saturdays 12-5pm, and Sundays 12-5pm through April 24th.