SDA “Confluence” Conference Snippets

 

It would be a huge task to document all the exciting exhibitions, lectures, demonstrations and workshops that take place during a Surface Design Association biennial conference.

A quick sampling will have to suffice here, along with a wholehearted recommendation that you plan to attend the next SDA conference in 2013, which will be held in San Antonio, Texas.

Exhibitions

Click on the title above and link to a pdf file with images and descriptions of all the excellent fiber-related exhibitions in Minneapolis during the Surface Design Association “Confluence” conference June 9-12 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

 

Jiyoung Chung, Whisper: Jiyoung Chung's Joomchi, Minnesota Center for Book Arts, May 6 - June 24, 2011

Jiyoung Chung, a painter and mixed media artist, has developed innovative applications for a traditional Korean method of papermaking called Joomchi.

    India Flint, theWindfallMaps, June 9-30, Katherine E. Nash Gallery, Regis Center for Art, U. of Minnesota.

India Flint, a costumer, artist and writer, lives on a farm in rural South Australia. She uses a plant based printing process that produces vibrant and unpredictable marks and patterns on cloth.

Merge and Flow Member Exhibition

Erin Endicott’s Healing Sutra #19, hand embroidered antique cotton fabric stained with walnut ink. won first place in Merge and Flow, the SDA Members’ Show, on view at the Katherine E. Nash Gallery in the Regis Center for Art at the University of Minnesota. Erin also won the first place prize in FiberArt International.

Dimensional Freeform Crochet Class At SDA Conference

I attended the 2011 SDA “Confluence” Conference in Minneapolis, MN June 9-12 and arrived early to take a pre-conference class in sculptural crochet at The Textile Center June 6-8 .

The three-day class in sculptural crochet with Jodi Colella introduced me to crochet – as a left-hander, I had never seemed to be able to learn it. With my lefty neighbor and fellow student Beverly guiding me, I proudly succeeded in getting the knack of it.

Here’s a detail of a freeform crochet sample by Jodi, which definitely appeals to me.

Zooming out to show more of the piece. I enjoy the combinations of textures that her various freeform stitches create.

I appreciate how much potential the wire work has to compliment what I am already doing with my language imagery works and look forward to enjoying a bit of experimentation with the stitches and materials over the summer.

When I returned home, I discovered this TED talk featuring artist Shea Hembrey and found it so wonderful and inspiring that I wanted to share it with you. 

Once I’m settled back in, I’ll post more images of last weekend’s SDA Conference in Minneapolis. It was a great experience.

Enjoying the Moment

Could anything be more enjoyable than being with wonderfully artistic and accomplished friends at a great opening reception? On the left, Arena Art Group friend Paul Brandwein, a ceramic sculptor, and on the right, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra violist Melissa Matson and her husband John. Melissa is a talented surface designer as well.

The reception at the Arts & Cultural Council on Friday evening went well, with much appreciated support from family and friends and lots of interest in my work from people in the community that were new to me.  Three of the hanging Pages pieces behind us in this image may have a new home soon.

As a bonus to this lovely weekend, the summer issue of Canandaigua Magazine arrived in my mailbox with a five-page feature article profiling me and my art. Since it is only available locally, I’ve created a pdf file of the complete article; when I figure out how to post it to my blog and website, you’ll be able to read it.

Serendipitously, a writing challenge arrived in my inbox this morning from Jonathan Mead with this writing prompt:

Come Alive by Jonathan Mead

Life wastes itself while we are preparing to live. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

If you had one week left to live, would you still be doing what you’re doing now? In what areas of your life are you preparing to live? Take them off your To Do list and add them to a To Stop list. Resolve to only do what makes you come alive.

Bonus: How can your goals improve the present and not keep you in a perpetual “always something better” spiral?

I’d have to say my response to Jonathan’s question is a resounding “yes.” If I had a week left to live, I would live my life as I am living it now, filled with loving, supportive family members, stimulating interactions with artistic friends and the salty-sweet joys of creating.