Early Memories

Me at 2 years old

People often chat about what their earliest memories are. I have many memories, most of them are visual, like a movie in my brain. They involve color, sound and smells and places and generally insignificant moments. One of my early memories was being in my crib in New York. My parents had just gotten some take out food from the local delicatessen, and I smelled pickles and pastrami all the way into my bedroom. I deduce that I was about a year old because I had just moved with my parents to a new house in Queens. I was busy occupying my mind by playing with crayons and a pad, and my favorite green crayon rolled out of reach and onto the floor. I remember creating a big fuss because I had to use that color green, and it couldn’t be any other. I remember crying and my parents rushing into my bedroom to see what the rukus was. They were relieved to find me still alive , but not more than I was when I had the perfect ” Guine cway-yon” returned to my hand.

After this experience, I have always known that I was destined to be an artist, and I felt and still feel gratitude for knowing this so early in my life. The act of creating has always been deeply spiritual and connected to my soul. The act of imagination and creating is fuel for the deepest part of me. Sometimes, when I am experiencing the zen of making work, I let the work take the lead and I follow it to where it wants to go. This is ultimately the most successful work as the journey to get there is apparently guided by something “other“. I don’t question this anymore when it happens, as I am used to it by now, but making art and the beginning of thought about making artwork is a glorious experience that comes easily to me. It is as necessary for my life as breathing.

When I was in the fourth grade, I was extremely bored in school. When I wasn’t dreaming and staring out the window, I solved that by carving my wooden desk into a little world of my own, using a straight pin as my solo tool, which I brought from home. I created a carving, a sort of bas relief of a circus with animals and clowns and a high wire act. When the teacher eventually found me out, I was punished and my parents had to come to school to see what I had done. They did have to pay for the desk and I was told not to carve the desk anymore. I always thought that they were secretly proud of me. They did give me ivory soap to take to school to carve when I was

bored, and I became adept at carving animals in soap at an early age.

I sometimes reflect back on my early life these days and I feel as if I am still the same child inside , with the same ability to wonder and to savor the beauty of life, and still I demand the correct crayon.

Sometimes You Just Wanna Have Fun

Have you ever walked into your workspace and just wanted to do something new, fresh and different? It was around the first of April, and I had been feeling this way. I just wanted to create something fun and unusual…something other than my normal everyday practice. I wasn’t tired or disintrested in my regular practice, I just felt like shaking things up. Over the weekend I found an old ugly clock at a store that was going out of business called “Useless Things”. I was fascinated by the name of the place so of course, I went inside, because we all need useless things. The inside of the store was a hoarders delight with piles of old dirty useless items which of course excited me to no end, and I dug deep enough to find this old 26″ clock. I had been thinking of creating a giant eye, something a bit dark, with a big brother kind of feel. Something definitely on the “fringe”, because I just wanted to have some fun.

I got back to the studio and tore the piece apart, removing the broken clock and some other parts but saving the cast base. I got to work sculpting the eye with Pal Tiya, a claylike mixture of cement made for sculpture.

Base with Pal Tiya curing

In progress

Finished with the eye , now on to the gold mirror

About a month later, as I was still tediously cutting the little almond shapes of the wheat, the piece was finally coming together. I felt it needed a base for the design and for the stability and longevity of the work. Its’ base is now a cacophony of Lapis Lazuli colored glass. I was thinking about a title for this work, and I ran it by my friend Laura who had been witness to the progress. I was thinking “Governor” and shades of 1984 but Laura was surprised and she suggested that is not at all what she sees in the piece. She said” Elegance”, and “beauty,” “Cleopatra”, and “femaleness” and” richness”. Upon reflection, no pun intended, I agreed with her and although it is still a piece on the fringe… I settled upon the title “The Eye Of The Goddess.”

I did have fun making this piece and temporarily stepping away from my regular practice, and I will be entering this into a group show at The Oxford Gallery opening October 22, 2022. The title of the show is Spellbound: The Art Of Mystery.

Now…back to work.

Life in the Time Of COVID

Like you, I have been sequestered in my home along with my husband and our dog. I am feeling rather lucky and grateful that we are well and relatively busy with our lives. Neither of us has ever experienced what it feels like to be bored. There is always a book to pick up or a project to do around the house. There is the Netflix binge and there are walks to be had and art to be made. There are Zoom meetings with friends close and far, and there is my virtual exercise hour twice a week, with my trainer to keep my body fit and strong. (Which… I have to say I am liking way more than I ever thought possible, and yes…she makes me sweat. Thank you, Jen Schlegel.)  The piano is calling me back and although it has been a while, I plan to begin playing again and to refresh my skills.  Today I did a 3-hour class in iPhone photography, and I  learned some new things about this tool, which I will apply to my work. I have come to think of myself as a life-long learner, and there is no shortage out there for those who aspire to better themselves and fill their minds.

The pursuit of making art is like that as well. Artists are always experimenting with new ideas and materials and finding the best way to use them all the while…expanding their minds and their repertoire. I wonder if I will ever run out of space in my brain, blow up the neurons, hit a wall, fill the hard drive so to speak, and just not be able to take in any more information. It seems that if I want to remain “brain limber,” I should continue to expand my horizons in many more ways than crossword puzzles or Sudoku. Keeping one’s mind open to new ideas and possibilities may actually be the fountain of youth. This is one of the reasons why I practice making art every day of my life. Even if it is not brush to canvas, or pencil to paper, I am still creating while I am conscious. It has become so common for me that it is like breathing.

I haven’t worried about the scarcity of food or toilet paper.  Well…it hasn’t kept me awake, but I have worried about running out of art supplies.  I have surprised myself to notice that what I used to think were necessities, are just nice supplements to life. I miss having a massage, but surprisingly I am surviving without it. There are a number of things that fit into this category, but the things that I really miss are seeing people I love, and I mostly miss the freedom to do so. I get it. Physical distance is key here, and I am doing my part to uphold that. Maybe this is a giant test. To see if humankind has evolved. So here is the lemonade from this really bad situation. Life is slowed down. I can rest my busy mind just a bit. I don’t feel pressure to meet deadlines or check my watch as much. My solo show will probably be canceled or at least put off to a later date. I am not rushing to catch a plane or enter a competition by midnight tonight. I don’t have to fight rush hour to get downtown to someone’s office.  I still like to have productive days, but some days are just quieter lay around and re-charge your battery kinda days. I hope that when life returns to a new normal, and it eventually will, that I remember life does not have to be lived at a ridiculously fast pace, and that when I finally do get that massage, it will be really, really appreciated, just like an abundance of art supplies, and the freshly re-discovered freedom to live how I choose. So there it is. The Yin and the Yang.

Stay Safe, Stay Healthy

 

 

Moving

So what is involved in moving a studio after 37 years you ask? A hell of a lot of work is my short answer. I am now officially a pack rat. I didn’t think so before the move, but there is something about focusing down…touching things and asking the question over and over…”Does this give me joy?” or “Will I ever really use this?” or “What the hell is this piece of metal, and what does it belong to anyway?”

There was a lot noise in the empty steel dumpsters.  I crashed a large amount of sheet glass  and other heavy materials into the empty containers. I would venture to say that I filled that huge dumpster at least 3 times over the period of 3 months which is how long it took me to pack, sell, and get rid of things unnecessary. I feel embarrassed to admit to growing complacent about the amount of stuff that I had been housing. I actually didn’t know. I did have a deadline of Sept 1, 2018, and with hard work and long hours and multiple trips to Home Depot for boxes, I did get it done. My body complained the whole way, although I have to say that I did get stronger daily through the process, and I took fewer ibuprofen products towards the end. I did hire 5 guys to physically move the stuff, after pairing it down, I can honestly say that I turned two  large rooms into one, and everything that I have now, will hopefully be used, or bring me joy.

My old studio was located in the Beech-nut factory. I have left many problems behind such as mice, filthy bathrooms, ridiculous bands playing what they are calling music, difficult to use freight elevators, dust from the trains outside, asbestos wrapped pipes, some unusual dudes, drug deals in the parking lot among other things that go with old neighborhoods and defunct buildings. Strangely…I was content. Happy to stay. Happy to avoid change, Happy to avoid the hard work of moving…. and then BLAMMMMMM! 

Life changes on a dime. 

My new space is in a wonderful building with heat and yes air conditioning. It is in a quiet neighborhood, with no musicians, (Thank you heaven) and practically my own bathroom. I do share it with a fellow who I have not seen in 3 months time. I can deal. It is on the ground floor and I have a kitchen!!!! I also have the internet, thanks to new neighbors, and I am happy. I am just beginning to find my creative rhythm and stride again.

I am grateful for the change as I am trying to slow down my process a bit, to be more thoughtful about my intent, my images and my whole process. I want to slow down that spiral which seems to be moving faster and faster, the closer you get to the core every day.

So Goodbye mice and mess. Goodbye dust and danger and degenerates. I am moving on. I am making my way forward. This is not lateral, this is one foot after the other. This is rebirth and reinvention. After all, what is an artist if we can’t create new. I am seeking joy… it is just on the other side of my new door.

New Work in Progress

 

I am embarking on a new large project which I hope will be the “magnum opus” to date for my 2 upcoming solo shows in Rochester, NY and in Auburn.

Fear. It is real and uncomfortable. I recently found a short article written by Brainard Carey. He quoted Pema Chodron, and I have been rolling this around in my mouth, like a bunch of marbles all week. He writes…

“Fear is a natural reaction to moving closer to the truth.” -Pema Chodron

“We struggle. Our lives are punctuated with moments of joy embedded within a landscape of uncertainty. We have nothing except the present moment to truly call our own. The past has slipped away and the future is perennially cloaked. We are taught from a very young age to reject feelings of fear and uncertainty, to mask them, make them go away. Distract, distract, distract. But what if we were to look them in the eye? What if, rather than running from the things that make us uneasy, we learned to sit with them, to know their every nuance? In moments where we glance at the truth, we often feel a deep pit, as though the very ground beneath us has been removed.”

There is always some trepidation I feel when considering showing work in progress, but I’m going to go crazy here and step out of my comfort zone and just do it.

In Graduate School there was a silly saying. “If you can’t do it well, then make it big…If you can’t do it big, then make it red.” I know I am able to make it well, it just so happens to be big, and I’m not making it red. In fact, it is somber in color and soft in its focus. I did this to translate the emotion of the work. It is large. It is 60 inches wide and 50 inches tall. It will be constructed of 12 individual panels of glass and resin. It is to be hung 2 inches away from the wall using fine steel cables and collars with set screws. The image is one of a woman dancer I shot in 2016. I am inexorably drawn to the power of the image, the beauty, the movement and the raw emotion. I have begun to build the frames which will dam up the resin, set the glass inside, and then pour the three individual layers to create an inch thick transparent mass of material. The light will be able to pass through these panels. There may be paint, and paper embedded in the layers, but no guarantees. Time will tell all as it usually does. This is the part where big magic comes in. This photo shoot was inspiring. The model is a beauty and a dancer. I did not have to direct her very much to get the images I desired. After a short discussion, she just knew. It was 1-1/2 hours of intense, mind-altering, perspiring work which slipped by so fast I lost complete track of time. (In a good way.) I revisit these photographs often and I pick out what I want to use for the projects. I will never run out of imagination. It is like love… the more you give, the more you fill yourself up with more love. So I am brave, and I shared with you my naked fears and showed you my new direction …experimenting with transparency in 3-D collage.  Visit my website at http://www.margerypearlgurnett.com.

Bonny Lhotka’s Image Transfer Workshop

 

Taking classes is an essential activity for artists, and for me particularly.  As I work solo in an environment that is devoid of human interaction, I need to get out into the world to connect with people and to see what is going on around me, as well as take part in a critical environment where I get input from those with an educated eye. Learning about new techniques and methods is invigorating to my self and my work. Whatever it is that I am learning about, I usually carry some significant knowledge to add to my bag of tricks. (The good part about working alone is that I rarely get the flu.)

We were a small group of folks who were very interested in transferring images to paper, metal, glass and plastic surfaces. We used special materials that were invented and is sold by http://www.Dassart.com, a company pioneered by the instructor Bonny Lhotka.

I have taken many courses over the years and this was one of the best I have participated in. Bonny Lhotka and her assistant Connie Dines came to Rochester from Colorado just for this workshop. They brought everything you can imagine including drying racks for prints. There were a plethora of materials to transfer images to, and Bonny was extremely generous with those materials. I always think of workshops as being something that I use to develop my technique as opposed to producing a final product. Finished work takes time and understanding of materials and how far I may push them to make the work my own.  For this, I need time and space.

We had 2 assistants from the George Eastman Museum, Mark Osterman, and Nick Brandreth who are brilliant and professional in their own work. We got to see some specific original pieces that were pulled specifically for our class that live in the archives. I was struck by the clarity  and the light of a very rare large daguerreotype of the descendents of Nathaniel Rochester.

My experimental self, who rarely does things exactly, once taught the proper way to use the technique and materials, began to collage, and cut up my beautiful printed images. I superimposed image upon image. I also had a go at printing onto glass and was somewhat unsuccessful although I know what I have to do to improve this… now I need some time to perfect my voice and how I would like to add this to my developing stratagems. Credit to Bonny Lhotka for the photo.

http://www.margerypearlgurnett.com

 

True North

Wikipedia says that “True North (geodetic north) is the direction along the earth’s surface towards the geographic North Pole.

True geodetic north differs from magnetic north (the direction a compass points toward the magnetic north pole), and from grid north (the direction northwards along the grid lines of a map projection). Geodetic true north also differs very slightly from astronomical true north (typically by a few arc-seconds) because the local gravity may not point at the exact rotational axis of the earth.”

For me, true north is a direction on a path towards the future. It allows for slight deviations, and for short side trips and adventures, however it is a basic rule of direction. Maybe even ones’ moral compass.

My life has been off course, off kilter, not facing true north during this past year, but things are beginning to line up again in a good way. This thought culminated the day of the solar eclipse when the earth, the moon and the sun literally lined up. I wasn’t a witness in the total eclipse area, but generally speaking it occurred to me that things lining up celestially are a metaphor for life. I like this.  It makes me feel connected and balanced.

I decided to step out of my comfort zone, and created a piece titled True North. (9.50″ x 9.50″ x 12.50″) It is a self-portrait of sorts. I have filled a glass head with things that have specific meaning for  my life.  Some of the items are: metal gears, glass ,wooden angels ,glass bits, found plastic parts, ceramic doll head, plastic astronaut, dominoes,  photo of a gun, printed glass, plastic mesh bag , Violin fret, pyramid of glass, frit, wood flower, the number 41, marbles, dog, airplane, rubber ducky, horse ,elephant, griffin, wire, tooth, house, clothes pin, vertebrae bone (found), Italian stamps, dice, dog, image of my husband, old keys, scramble letters, pearls, lottery ticket, clock face. This material was embedded in liquid resin which once cured became permanent and solid. It was then mounted to a base with a compass image direction, just ever so off from North.

I  pushed my process to the  limits, waited patiently for more product to arrive from British Columbia, and finished this piece 2 days before my show opened at the Oxford Gallery  on September 9th.  Sheesh…that was close!  I invite you to see this piece along with 34 other works on display at the gallery until the show closes on  Saturday, October 14th. The Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 5, and by appointment. The address is 267 Oxford Street  Rochester, NY 14607 Telephone (585) 271-5885. For anyone who may want a private tour of the work, please contact me.

Check out my other work at www.margerypearlgurnett.com

The Summit at A.D.C. in Cincinnati

I have been following the gallery ADC in Cincinnati for a  few years now.  Litsa Spanos is the brainchild behind this unusual dynamic gallery.  I was there when she celebrated a wonderful milestone of 25 years in business, and the release of her book, “Secrets of the Art World”.  In the art world… that is saying something.  Litsa and her whole team of people, are brilliant stars that seem to make things happen. They are all passionate and enthusiastic professionals… and it is clear that they love what they do.

The Summit was held at the gallery for 2 full days with the theme being doing business as an artist with galleries. The speakers included  the engaging Bette Ridgeway, artist/author, Bonnie Mansour of Art Leaders Gallery, Marta Hewett of the Marta Hewett Gallery, Eric Smith of Redwood Media Group, Sylvia Rombis of the Malton Gallery, Andrea Rosenfeld of Detroit Art and Business Institute, and Julia Schenk speaking of how to get your work into health care environments.

One of the most valuable parts of the weekend was getting two separate  portfolio reviews from two professionals, along with some other informal critiques from other artists.  It’s been  a while since I have been in art school and had  a critique, and this was simply great. Among other things, I have a new direction to explore, and I have been reconsidering how I present the work in regards to framing. I was also told that my work has a dark edge to it, which I know, and I like, but it may not appeal to the main population. (which is fine with me) There is an idea that I can do a line of work which is a bit more playful and “bubblegum-like”. And so my thought process begins.

What I took away from the weekend was that it was great to be in the company of like minded individuals, and it was confirmed that I am on the right track in regards to my business practices, and relationships with my galleries.

And now for something light.

 

Nantucket is a piece I made for an experiment. mixed media- 17′ x 17″ x 2″. I used found objects from my studio that were already existing. I constructed it with these bits and pieces, and named it Nantucket. I liked it so much that I thought I would frame it in time for my show in September  2017 at the Oxford Gallery in Rochester. Bubblegum?  I think not….. but a bit lighter than my recent work.

Contact The Oxford Gallery for price and availability .

Arts In Focus- WXXI- Filming Yesterday

In a few weeks from now, I will be a featured artist on the local show Arts In Focus. Segments are broadcasted nationally in the future, but for now, I will have a clip on the WXXI – PBS website, and it airs on  television on Friday nights at 8:30 pm and repeats on Saturdays at 6:30 pm.  Set your DVR!

It all began at my families Christmas eve party. My nephew Mark Czelusniak works at WXXI  doing video work. He suggested that I contact his boss, Producer Tom Dooley and fill out an application online.  I did this and invited Tom to my studio. We had a great chat and I was happy and a bit surprised that he was very receptive to doing a segment on me and my work. I thought there would be many more hoops I might have to jump over before any decisions would be made. Happily the date was finally set, and I spent a long time cleaning up my studio! ( Which  it was very much in need of) It’s difficult to clean up an art studio like mine as it is filled with various machines and materials and dust, and stuff.  Lots and lots of stuff.  Paper, plastic, found items, boxes and boxes of things. Glass sheets and mosaics bits and kiln shelves and pens and brushes and all kinds of art making tools.  I know where everything is, but I sometimes have to dig pretty deep to find what I need. I am a dichotomy. Our home is usually neat and clean, and my studio looks a bit like a tornado came through. Just the way I like it. Art hoarder that I am.

Yesterday was the shoot. Katie Epner of WXXI, featured in my snapshot in the photo above, was the sole videographer and interviewer.   She was very relaxed and unflappable even though it was her first solo shoot. She is a true professional and she made me feel very relaxed and way less self-conscious than I thought I would be. The cameras and the lighting was fascinating. There was one camera with a very wide-angle lens that  was perched upon a  horizontal trestle that was motorized and moved  the camera slowly left and right, along with another camera which seemed to be the main one. Katie began to ask me  some questions about my work and to speak about some differences between craft and fine art. I was asked about some of the specific challenges that my artwork carries, and I was truthful.  I got long-winded in some spots, which I know will happily be edited. I don’t think I was too twerpy…

Tom promised me… “We won’t make you look twerpy” and I believe him.

I already know that this footage is in the hands of very capable people, and I am relaxed. It will be the best video I could ever ask for, and it shows my process and how I eventually morphed from glass artist to mixed media artwork.  I will post it on Facebook of course and I will let you know when it will be aired. As far as the rest of the country goes… I imagine that producers choose clips that are  available and interesting from all over the country to create a program. I imagine that I will be on the air in different parts of the country over the next year or so.  Fantastic!!!!!!!!

I am very grateful to all who has made this possible, and I have decided that I will be donating the piece that I created while filming… titled ” Once Upon A Time” to the next WXXI PBS auction. You if you want a piece of history…. It will be available for a donation, and at the same time you can benefit the station. Win Win.

So now that I am a “Star” will I still be my humble self….  or will I book a one way ticket to Hollywood? It’s tempting…. but not likely.

I will be happily…. the same old me. Creating artwork in my soon to be very messy studio.

“The Fairy” is on her way to Dallas

ONE of my favorite pieces is headed to Dallas. It is due at the Kittrell-Riffkind Glass Gallery  by the end of the week of April 11th, 2017, along with 2 other pieces.

In 2012 I was in a 2 person show at this beautiful gallery. http://www.kittrellriffkind.com. I decided to make a trip to Texas for the opening to meet the wonderful Barbara and David Kittrell and Michael Riffkind. They treated me like royalty and they sold a lot of my work, and have been a great support to me. I am honored to be a part of such a wonderful professional glass gallery.

My work has morphed from pure glass work to more mixed media work with an emphasis on glass over the past few years. Using these new methods, techniques and materials that I have invented and designed, I have been able to be much more narrative in my pieces. And after all… I am a natural storyteller…… (see previous blogs)

The Story:  The fairy is about spirit. She is there but not there. She moves so fast that she is invisible, but she is always watching. She is a mischievous little sprite.  The next time you are in the woods alone, consider the fact that just because you can’t see her… doesn’t mean she is not watching you. Even while she is faking sleep. 

This one-of-a-kind piece was made using photographic techniques, printing, fired decals onto glass, paint, bullseye glass, window glass and resin. It is 12″ x 14″ and is custom framed. It is available for sale at $675, at the Kittrell-Riffkind Gallery located at 4500 Sigma Rd, Dallas, Texas