Bonjour, Jeanne Tripier.

There's this:

"Jeanne Tripier (1869-1944) wrote texts and did drawings, embroidery and crochet work. She considered all her creations to be mediumistic revelations. In her writings she frequently inserted small compositions executed in black, purple or blue ink to which she occasionally added hair dye, nail varnish, sugar or medicines."

And this:

 

ET VOILA: HOLY FUCKING SHIT.

ps: I really want to go to this exhibition.

"An experience of dislocation." (Kara Walker)

"It is really important to me that, whatever work one is looking at, there be an experience of dislocation so that you're suddenly not sure of where you thought you were, and of who you thought you were.

Your belief system gets jarred for a moment standing in front of something stationary and quiet." - Kara Walker

 

Details from Extreme Tenderness (2018). 1000s of tiny stitches. Attempts to mend the unmendable. Nothing to do with Kara Walker, but then again a bit like my heart after viewing one of her extraordinary pieces.

"Disastrous." (Guillermo Kuitca)

"I'm not happy anymore with leaving all the paintings untitled. I know that a title anchors the work, and there is a lot of beauty in that. But the wrong title can also be disastrous. So

I'M WAITING FOR SOMETHING...MAGICAL." - GUILLERMO KUITCA

 

IMG_5565.JPG

As yet untitled and unfinished (2018). I'm obsessed with spackle right now. And X's. And titles.

"Not a pleasant task." (Mike Kelley)

"I really developed my writing skills strictly to fight the fact that I was always depicted as stupid. I didn't want to. I'm not a natural writer. I did it on purpose and it was not a pleasant task. I wasn't able to operate on the theoretical level that many of the other students and especially the faculty did. I knew what I was doing but I had a hard time convincing them, and now I can. I was overly sensitive to that but I realized that artists were usually considered the dupes of critics and

since there were no critics who were speaking for me, I had to write my own criticism."

- Mike Kelley

 

IMG_E5576.JPG

IF/THEN (2018). Thinking about the pleasantness, or unpleasantness, of tasks. Of spells and rituals. Of desire and outcomes.

Hilo exhibition.

I am beyond thrilled to have 3 pieces accepted to the upcoming Women's Exhibition at the Hawaii MOCA / East Hawaii Cultural Center! This is especially gratifying because it's the first place I ever exhibited any of my work. It's a lovely space, in a lovely town, run by lovely people.

I'm especially excited to be showing one of my new larger (45" x 45") pieces (a first!)

Update - more pix from the opening

It's up till July 27 and well worth the trip to Hilo.

IMG_5547.JPG

Bits & pieces.

For some reason I've been obsessed with little fragments, bits and pieces, since I got back from LA a week ago. This started on the airplane ride home; I cut some jagged pieces off a larger scrap and made a couple of little things on the plane.

PS there was an older lady next to me who (no joke) said, "Oh, what are you making? Can I watch?" And then she watched. And then I think she got very confused.

And I've kept at it since getting home.

Not sure where these are headed...maybe together? maybe not? maybe just a counterbalance/palette cleanser to the large pieces I was working on in May?

The magic of names.

I've been thinking about titles this week. I have a penchant for longish titles that imply a haunting narrative.

Case in point, Diedrick Brackens, whose work I saw at the Made in LA show. Some of his...

IMG_5192 - Copy.JPG

the flame goes

heaven is a muddy riverbed

opening tombs beneath the heart (at left)

in the decadence of silence

 

 

Another case in point, Michelle Kingdom, whose poetic embroideries I saw at bG Gallery.

IMG_5552 - Copy.JPG

They had been two flowers which had opened then and there

The shadows parted and fell to their feet

A spell so exquisite

Preparing for flight (at left)

 

Love this. Thinking about it. xxx

In black and white.

I just found out that I'm going to have a piece in a show in Springfield Illinois. This show looks incredibly cool. It's all black and white work, and each work of art is paired with original writing, inspired by the artwork. Here's the piece I'll be showing: Seance, 9" x 12", ink and pastel on paper, 2018. I can't wait to see the written accompaniment.

Joy_Ray_Seance.JPG

 

 

 

Back from LA

PS check out all these places. You won't be sorry!

Photos from Hawi.

The other day, I got to spend some time taking photos with the very talented and patient Anna Pacheco. I've been thinking about lighting and how important it is. For instance, here is the same piece with dramatic vs flat lighting:

IMG_3366 - Copy.JPG
small2.JPG

My goal was to get decent photos of a piece that will be in the Art of Labor exhibition at the San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles starting in July. Here's some of what we got...loving this direction!

Ray-Joy_Portal-3_Fiber_2018_18x18x1-5_A.jpg
Ray-Joy_Portal-3_Fiber_2018_18x18x1-5_B - Copy.jpg

xx

Message in a bottle.

LA on the mind.

I'm planning a trip to LA next week...here are just a few of the things I'm looking forward to checking out...

 

Torrance Art Museum - Studio System II

My brilliant and talented friends Chenhung Chen and Samuelle Richardson are participating in this residency. I can't wait to see what they're working on. Plus Chen owes me one of her fab staple drawings so I get to pick that up.

 

Craft & Folk Art Museum - Katherine Gray

Ever since a friend shared this link with me on Facebook I've been obsessed. I'm so glad I'll get to see this exhibit in person. I love the idea of lighting being an integral part of the piece and not just incidental to the space (part of what captivated me about Adrián Villar Rojas' show at the Geffen earlier this year...a show you were asked to inspect through your phone flashlight!)

 

Coagula Curatorial

I'm sad I'll miss Pure Not Proper (a four day show? what the what?) but excited there will be an opening while I'm there.

 

Marciano Art Foundation

The reality projector! Oh yeah. If only Cudra Clover was going with me this time.

Want to meet up? Let me know!