Extreme
Extreme is the name of a show that will be held at AVA Art Center in May. Usually, with a call to artists, we give examples of the sort of show we are looking for, whether it be Preponderance of Purple, Cartoons, Anything Goes, Trees, Less is More, Haunted or Harvest. (Aren't these good ideas for shows?) For Extreme no explanation is given in the prospectus.
When I hear the word ‘extreme’ I think of climate change, gun violence, war, pollution, earthquake, and tornado. These concepts are the opposite of the ideas that I have been working on for the last 9 months called Safe and Well. So for a few days, I thought about my list of extreme ideas, edited it down to something manageable, and created a piece called No Escape!
detail No Escape
No Escape
I created strips of quilted dialogue about war, climate change, and migration. The woven quilt pieces include small amounts of plastic netting and are placed on top of plastic lids. The lids hold the quilt away from the wall and give this small piece more presence. When installed, I will also include an artfully stacked pile of plastic jugs and diapers on a pedestal just under No Escape! They will be visually connected and draw the viewer in for a closer look.
Here is another piece included in the show. It is self-explanatory.
Ugly
Next month I will return to Safe and Well pieces. I am almost done creating Sit With Me (two women sitting on a rock in the sun) and Come Walk With Me (an abstract piece that suggests a richly shared journey).
At the end of my monthly blog, I share a recipe. Despite the wintery weather in Wyoming, I made a macaroni salad last night for dinner, and boy was it good! This recipe feeds two adults. Hard boil two eggs. Dice a small purple onion, put it in a bowl, and cover it with vinegar. Cook half a box of Banza pasta ( I use this because it is gluten-free. There are others you may prefer). Drain, rinse, drain, and set aside. Chop 4 stalks of celery and 2 small yellow or red bell peppers. Drain a small can of sliced olives. Combine pasta, celery, bell pepper, olives, and chopped eggs. Drain the chopped onion and add to the mix. Add olive oil, the juice of one lemon, and a tablespoon of mustard. Stir and serve.