New Membership in Gallery 114

I was delighted to find out today that I have been accepted as a new member in Gallery 114. After a wonderful experience with Taproot last month, and being honored by being chosen best artist in the exhibit, I decided to make the leap and apply for membership. Now, as a member, I look forward to many opportunities to exhibit and share in the creative endeavors that this gallery and it's talented artists journey through. It is a time of new beginnings and what a great day to be given this news, at Jenni's house on her 30th birthday. Lots of excitement and lots more creating to come!

We Have Come To Be Danced

This lovely piece was shared with my by a friend who has listened to me speak of my passion for dance and has really "heard me"! Thank you Kate.

"We have come to be danced

Not the pretty dance

Not the pretty pretty, pick me, pick me dance

But the claw our way back into the belly

Of the sacred, sensual animal dance

The unhinged, unplugged, cat is out of its box dance

The holding the precious moment in the palms

Of our hands and feet dance.

We have come to be danced

Not the jiffy booby, shake your booty for him dance

But the wring the sadness from our skin dance

The blow the chip off our shoulder dance.

The slap the apology from our posture dance.

We have come to be danced

Not the monkey see, monkey do dance

One two dance like you

One two three, dance like me dance

but the grave robber, tomb stalker

Tearing scabs and scars open dance

The rub the rhythm raw against our soul dance.

We have come to be danced

Not the nice, invisible, self-conscious shuffle

But the matted hair flying, voodoo mama

Shaman shakin’ ancient bones dance

The strip us from our casings, return our wings

Sharpen our claws and tongues dance

The shed dead cells and slip into

The luminous skin of love dance.

We have come to be danced

Not the hold our breath and wallow in the shallow

end of the floor dance

But the meeting of the trinity, the body breath

and beat dance

The shout hallelujah from the top of our thighs

dance

The mother may I?

Yes you may take 10 giant leaps dance

The olly olly oxen free free free dance

The everyone can come to our heaven dance.

We have come to be danced

Where the kingdom’s collide

In the cathedral of flesh

To burn back into the light

To unravel, to play, to fly, to pray

To root in skin sanctuary

We have come to be danced

WE HAVE COME." 

~~by Jewel Mathieson~~

2013 Chair Affair is Coming!

EXPECT THE BEST at the 7th table & CHAIR AFFAIR Save the Date - March 21, 2013 Looking forward to seeing you at Portland's most creative Thursday night party! Always something new and used. Always for Community Warehouse. Stay tuned to website for upcoming event details, ticket sales,  and sneak previews:   communitywarehouse.org/chairaffair **** To view last year's fabulous artwork and artists, click here.    www.communitywarehouse.org

A Wonderful First Thursday at Gallery 114

“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.” ~Nelson Mandela

It has been about a year since I have put myself out there and taken the risk, that always comes with showing my art to the public. This past year has been filled with many emotions that have drained me, and often stood in the way of my creating. Usually when something is moving me in life, I am helped to move through it by creating. This past year though I have felt stuck. I never thought I would ever be at a loss for creating, but although many creative impulses have moved through me I have felt somewhat paralyzed to create consistantly. When I saw the call for entries into Gallery 114's annual juried exhibit Taproot, it somehow stirred something inside of me, that compelled me to take the risk and submit images of my work. The theme Taproot intriqued me. I explored the word more thoroughly and thought of the center as well as the rootedness from which my work grows, what inspires and connects the artist to this limitless world. So I put myself out there and dared to fail.

 I chose four pieces and when I was informed that they were all accepted into the exhibit I was filled with many emotions.  Excitement and sense of accomplishment that comes from being accepted by your peers, to join in an exhibit, as well as the fear that comes from showing your vulnerable side, since my work is all a very personal reflection of my life, and in essence a part of me. I cannot ever separate myself from my work, my creations.

The First Thursday reception was upon me, and I was surrounded by my family and friends, who came out to support me and help celebrate, even some wonderful surprises from friends near and far that brought great joy to me. I entered the gallery with the trepidation that always seems to accompany me to these events, even thought I don't invite it, this shadow side always seems to hitch a ride. Not only did my sculptures stand front and center looking so strong as they felt anchored in the gallery, but the piece that somehow, as a harbinger, Jenni had chosen to use on the announcement card she created for me, heralded a sign that said First Place! 

I was in shock, disbelief and pride that I am still in the process of digesting. 

I close with a quote, shared with me by the wisest woman in my life, who always knows the most inspirational, supportive things to say, just when I need to hear them, Jenni. 

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.” 

--theodore roosevelt

Here is the promo video for Gallery 114 Taproot exhibit. Tomorrow night is the First Thursday opening reception from 6-9 and the exhibit will run through the month of January. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rebQXgGX924